Photography by Getty Images
Everyone’s talking about the ‘Euphoria’ star’s revealing avant-garde outfit. Here’s what to know about Belgium’s Ann Demeulemeester, the label behind it.
By FASHION Staff
Date March 14, 2023
It’s hard to imagine how a single feather could go viral. But then along came Hunter Schafer wearing a white leather one across her breasts at the Vanity Fair Oscars 2023 after-party.
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The top — which is more of a breast belt — was from the Ann Demeulemeester Fall 2023 collection which was unveiled exactly two weeks earlier in Paris. The Mugler fragrance model wore the piece with a white silk bias cut skirt.
Law Roach, the stylist who dresses Schafer’s Euphoria co-star Zendaya, chose the skin-baring look which was applauded on Schafer’s IG by Zendaya, Katy Perry, Julia Fox and Marc Jacobs. (P.S. if you missed FASHION’s cover story on Law Roach, you can find it here.)
So just who is Ann Demeulemeester? The Belgian designer emerged on the scene in the mid-’80s along with Martin Margiela and Dries Van Noten. The group were grads of the fashion program at Belgium’s Royal Academy of Fine Art and were known as the Antwerp Six. Demeulemeester retired in 2013. But her label clicked along with her dark, suit-y vibe for people whose definition of “sexy” is more intellectual than in-your-face.
But that seems to have changed with new creative director Ludovic de Saint Sernin. His topless gowns and sheer dresses (for men too!) showed more skin in one show than Demeulemeester likely did in her entire career. De Saint Sernin was a member of the Balmain design team before launching his own sexy, gender-fluid label in 2017. After his Demeulemeester debut, he told Vogue that he is ready to spread his wings. Hopefully he won’t fly too close to the sun.