Kanye Drops the Mic, Berenik Drops the Models
Designer Veronika Brusa likes to give a closer look during the final line-up of every Berenik runway show. This year, the models fell gracefully to the ground, limbs atop one another, as the audience gathered around with their phones.
Unbeknownst to attendees, their instant social media posts were exactly what Brusa wanted.“I have these almost campaign images in my head,” she said. “So I tried to arrange things so these pictures actually get shot.”
But Brusa’s SS17 designs were anything but contrived. She’s a master of androgynous, effortless pieces like solid jumpsuits and silk separates, combining natural textiles with recyclable fabrics from Japan.
The focal points of her minimalist collection were dreamy abstract prints of clouds, designed by artist Jack Hardwicke whose mixed media pieces are popular in the music industry for album artwork.
Inspiration is a silly concept to Brusa because her collections evolve throughout the creative process. “It never comes from just one theme. I work more with visual concepts,” she said.
Brusa does a lot of her own art and photography to capture the right spirit. “You can walk through the street and you can start to feel it,” she said. “I start to add the elements until it’s an entire perfect vision.”
Casting is always important to Brusa, so this season she used models with individuality to form a “cool New York crowd” that’s down-to-earth. “I liked that they had their own hairstyle and tattoos even,” she said. “Some didn’t take the jewelry off, even though I told them, but I think it was fine.”
To complete the laid-back streetwear look, Swiss performance brand, On, provided colorful sneakers. Brusa wears the brand herself and would love to collaborate with them next season. “I tried to convince them to give me a shoe,” she said, “so I can make my own Berenik style running shoes.”
