Anna Heylen black classic jumper with stitched red Antwerpian hand — 2000’s

Anna Heylen is known chiefly for her dolls. They were ‘born’ for Antwerp ‘93, Cultural Capital of Europe. She was asked to express her views on fashion, which she did in an installation comprising strange, identical, faceless and sexless dolls, suspended from flimsy threads. The dolls came alive once they were clothed, and then they radiated their own identity. The message was: “Don’t take fashion too seriously, don’t take life too seriously”. Their success was so great that they have produced for sale in limited editions on several occasions.

Anna Heylen graduated in 1988 from the Royal academy in Antwerp, and after working for a few designers, her Dolls collection brought her the fame to launch her first line of womenswear in 1996. After opening her first Antwerp clothing boutique in 1998, she opened her Maison in 2010 where she offers made-to-measure, one of a kind and bridal garments.

Anna Heylen has a strong, sensitive urge to reconcile constrasts and controversies in harmony. This is clear from the themes of the collections, the inspiration, the use of different materials in one model, the use of reversed weaves, different kinds of yarns in knitwear, reversed sleeves, the composition of materials, mixed culture, tolerance. Contradictions are reorientated, blended until they become mutually reinforcing.

China is her favourite country. Accordingly, her 1998 summer collection was inspired by the Chinese nomads, who undergo a wide variety of influences during their travels. Their threadbare clothes are repaired with materials from the areas in which they happen to find themselves, resulting in all kinds of strange combinations. Her labels form her highly personal ‘business card’. They have a different image for every collection.