Ann Demeulemeester

A legend among legends, Ann Demeulemeester reminds us that the great history of fashion is not confined to the streets of Paris. At the beginning of the 1980s, she was part of the generation that rejected the Chanel style (too stuffy and stiff! and found herself drawn towards the punk aesthetic of the Sex Pistols and Vivienne Westwood. During her training in fashion and design, she began to explore a completely different take on femininity. Packed with references to masculine style and the world of rock 'n' roll, the Ann Demeulemeester look is as surprising as it is poetic and brutal, provocative and minimalist. Determined to take things further than the walls of the Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts and seek recognition beyond her professors and peers, she made her name on the international scene when she landed in London along with five of her acolytes, to present their designs. Their names were tricky to pronounce for the journalists on site, but the nickname given to them would go down in history: the Antwerp Six. The following year, she returned to London to present her work under her own label, a collection that stood out for its austerity and raw finishes, and its fascinating deconstructed style. A few decades later and despite its founder's retirement, Ann Demeulemeester's predominantly minimalist style has never been so appealing. With the Alwin and Fabio wool scarves, the Lore buckled sandals, the high-top and classic Raven sneakers, Olivier derbies and Heike ankle boots, although almost all black, Ann Demeulemeester accessories make a statement every time. If you like high heels, it will be hard to resist the Lisa ankle boots and Clara mules. Whereas fans of flats are more likely to opt for the Louise ankle boots and Alec boots whose silhouettes take an updated equestrian look and bring it to the city streets.