Jurgi Persoons black dress with sheer overlay and pleated mesh bodice — fall 2001

Jurgi Persoons’ designs are quite extreme and can be disturbing and arouse controversy, yet this is what makes them fascinating. Slanting hems, tweed combined with snake skin, tartan checks with finely worked embroideries create a style which is on the verge of bad taste. But despite taking these risks, his clothes are not ugly. The way in which his clothes are presented, especially in photographs, reflects the mood of his collection, leaving a forceful and unforgettable impression.

With each new collection, Jurgi Persoons refers to human characteristics, sentiments, situations, convictions, radical attitudes and their emotional impact. His universe raises questions, rather than giving judgments.Jurgi Persoons combines a naive sense of humour with aggressive contrasts. As he states it: “People’s aspirations for a certain ideal appearance often transpire through the mistakes they make in the search for that ideal, and that is exactly what interests me most, because their failing efforts often produce quite hyperrealistic images. It’s the tension between these imperfect attempt to create a certain image and that which is considered socially acceptable — that evokes strong reactions, like aversion or adoration.”