Latest news with #RoyalAcademyofAntwerp
Hypebeast
5 days ago
- Business
- Hypebeast
Marni Appoints Meryll Rogge as New Creative Director
Following the exit of long-time creative directorFrancesco Risso,Marnihas officially announced Belgian designerMeryll Roggeto helm the Italian house. The 2025ANDAMGrand Prize winner studied at the Royal Academy of Antwerp and previously held design positions atMarc JacobsandDries Van Noten. In an official statement, Rogge shared that she was honored to join Marni, which she 'long admired for its independent spirit.' 'To take on a role defined by such visionary creative directors is both humbling and inspiring,' she added. Since founding her eponymous brand in 2020, Rogge has presented her collections in Paris, showcasing a distinct vision characterized by vintage whimsy and contemporary craftsmanship. According toBusiness of Fashion, jury member Sidney Toledano lauded her 'new vision of femininity imbued with modernity and wearability.' 'We met many highly qualified candidates, confirming how Marni continues to inspire and attract creatives from around the world. Meryll impressed us with the sensitivity she brought to reinterpreting the brand's DNA, offering a contemporary vision that embraces Marni globally and across all its dimensions — including accessories, interior design, communication, and special projects,' OTB chairman Renzo Rosso said in a statement. Stay tuned to Hypebeast for the latest fashion industry insights.
Business of Fashion
5 days ago
- Business
- Business of Fashion
OTB's Marni Names Meryll Rogge Creative Director
OTB's Marni label has appointed Meryll Rogge its new creative director. Rogge trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Antwerp before working in the studios of Marc Jacobs and Dries Van Noten. The designer has staged shows in Paris for her namesake label since its founding in 2020, steadily building attention for her eclectic and festive yet functional designs and nuanced synthesis of references to fashion and culture from the 1980s to the present day. In 2025, the label took home the grand prize at France's ANDAM program for supporting emerging fashion businesses. Jury member Sidney Toledano saluted her 'new vision of femininity imbued with modernity and wearability.' Rogge's application of playful colours and textures to extravagant eveningwear and everyday, menswear-inspired silhouettes alike recalls Marni founder Consuelo Castiglioni's founding vision, which brought an off-kilter, eclectic energy to the bourgeois Milanese wardrobe. Rogge succeeds Francesco Risso, who brought a crafty, DIY energy to Marni during a decade at the brand. But OTB struggled to build a consistent business around his vision following a post-pandemic bump. 'We met many highly qualified candidates, confirming how Marni continues to inspire and attract creatives from around the world. Meryll impressed us with the sensitivity she brought to reinterpreting the brand's DNA, offering a contemporary vision that embraces Marni globally and across all its dimensions — including accessories, interior design, communication, and special projects,' OTB chairman Renzo Rosso said in a statement. Learn more: OTB's Annual Sales Fall 4% Despite Growth at Diesel and Margiela Rising sales at the Italian fashion group's two biggest brands failed to offset declines at Jil Sander and Marni in a difficult market for luxury and wholesale. Turnover slid to €1.8 billion.
CairoScene
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Algerian Heritage Gets a Psychedelic Spin in This Brussels-Based Label
'I feel like an upcycled jacket myself' - Kenza Taleb Vandeput Kenza Taleb Vandeput is building a world where Algeria meets Brussels—and nothing gets lost in translation. As a third culture kid, she grew up somewhere in the in-between. Too Arab for Belgium, too European for Algeria. That dislocation—subtle, persistent—became the starting point for Kasbah Kosmic, the sustainable label she founded in 2021. A space where heritage doesn't have to be diluted, and sustainability isn't a trend but a tool for storytelling. Based in Brussels but rooted in the textures and codes of North Africa, Kasbah Kosmic creates one-off pieces from upcycled materials—curtains, vintage bedspreads, forgotten fabrics that carry the energy of previous lives. The result is a collection of genderless, ageless garments that fuse tradition with edge. Think bold prints, folkloric hints, silhouettes that sidestep convention—all cut for a new generation of diasporic Arabs redefining where and how they belong. In a conversation with SceneStyled, Taleb Vandeput opens up about navigating identity, designing across cultures, and why upcycling isn't just an aesthetic—it's a way to honour memory. 'These fabrics remind me of home,' she says. 'They've seen things. They hold stories. I'll just give them another one.' How has your multicultural upbringing shaped your perspective on style? I see my cultural mix as a space for experimentation—a space to build. That's really where Kasbah Kosmic started: a journey through the in-between. The movement between cultures inspires me constantly. It's never fixed. That fluidity gives me the freedom to explore and express without limits. Was fashion always the goal? Not exactly. I worked as a social worker for five years before shifting focus to the brand. I did study for a year at the Royal Academy of Antwerp, but fashion wasn't some endgame for me—it was just something I couldn't shake. I'd work by day and spend evenings in my atelier. My love for clothing, and the attitude it holds, never really went away. What's the story behind the name Kasbah Kosmic? The Kasbah is a place of memory for me—historic, winding streets full of life. It feels like home. Kosmic came from something I was raised to believe: that we're just a small part of a vast, infinite universe. It's my version of the Kasbah—not just rooted in heritage, but open to the unknown. Your pieces are both gender and age-inclusive. How do you create designs that resonate across such a wide spectrum? Upcycling plays a big role. The fabrics I use—curtains, upholstery, old garments—they carry emotional weight. Maybe it's the print, maybe the texture. People connect with them, regardless of age or gender. My customers range from Gen Z creatives to older women. That's the beauty of working with material that's already lived a life. Tell us about your process—how do you choose your fabrics and prints? The material always comes first. It drives the design. That approach keeps me grounded and connected to my environment. I gravitate toward curtains and vintage upholstery—those fabrics often have bold, graphic patterns and are built to last. I love reworking them, adding monograms or imagery that shifts their context. Upcycling lets me combine elements from different places and histories, and that's deeply personal—it mirrors my own identity. Honestly, I feel like an upcycled jacket myself. Since launching the label, what moments have meant the most to you? Leaving my job to commit fully was a big one. Then there have been beautiful moments—shoots, exhibitions, collaborations. But what's been most powerful is personal growth. Last year was rough, and Kasbah Kosmic gave me something to hold onto. It grounded me. It reminded me who I am—and where I'm going.
