Hannelore Knuts in Nina Ricci by Olivier Theyskens AW2007 for Encens Magazine/ Photo: Sybille Walter
A CFDA Award Winner, Olivier Theyskens’ eventful career spans almost two decades. And this autumn, Antwerp’s prestigious ModeMuseum (MoMu) is to stage an exhibition that celebrates the designer’s work, which encompasses all aspects of the contemporary fashion industry, from couture and demi-couture to ready-to-wear.
Madonna pictured in Olivier Theyskens at the 1998 Academy Awards
Olivier Theyskens’ designs first caught the public’s attention in 1998, when Madonna chose to wear one of the black satin coat dresses from his first collection to the Academy Awards. The darkly romantic design typified the gothic aesthetic that characterised his early career under his namesake label, which he subsequently closed in 2002 after being appointed Artistic Director of Rochas. He spent four years at the French fashion house before taking the helm at Nina Ricci, and then in 2010, joined forces with Theory founder and CEO Andrew Rosen to create Theyskens’ Theory, where he stayed until 2014.
Rochas by Olivier Theyskens AW2005 / Photo: vogue.com
The MoMu exhibition, the final event to be hosted by the museum before it closes its doors until 2020 for a programme of renovations, will chart Olivier Theyskens’ career from its early beginnings to the recent relaunch of his eponymous label with his Spring/Summer 2017 collection. Exploring his craftsmanship and the changing oeuvres of his work, the exhibit will feature films, photographs and drawings that will give an insight into the designer’s work and his creative process.
Theyskens' Theory AW2012 / Photo: vogue.com
Olivier Theyskens' SS2017 / Photo: vogue.com
‘Olivier Theyskens - She Walks In Beauty’ will open on 12th October, 2017 and run until 18th March, 2018. Find out more here.