ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN DE MODE
Article Published on: 17TH JAN 2023 | www.demodemagazine.com
After graduating from Central Saint Martins (where he won the LVMH Grand Prix Scholarship), Benjamin Benmoyal, 31 years old has worked at Alexander McQueen and Hermes before founding his eponymous label in 2020.
The brand presents its collections on the official Paris Fashion Week calendar since 2021, as well as at the FHCM’s showroom: Sphère.
As a former commando paratrooper, he wanted to transcribe in his work the will to recover the naivete lost during his military service. Therefore, he has created very unique fabrics, woven out of his childhood VHS and audio cassette tapes.
He has industrialized this weaving technique and gathered thousands of kilometers of cassette tapes thanks to the help of recycling charities as well as by collecting the dead stocks of factories closed in the 2000s. Benjamin draws inspiration from his Moroccan origins by focusing on volumes and drapings from traditional outfits as well as by weaving colorful striped fabrics reminiscent of Berber craft and aesthetics.
For the AW22 collection, Benjamin went back to his inspirations from his graduate collection through brutalist architecture. Long coats with structured squared shoulders as well as tailored pieces are now mixed with caftans and his signature woven striped fabrics. The silhouette gets more sophisticated and elegant while keeping a relaxed attitude.
Besides the woven cassette tape fabrics, Benjamin introduced upcycled wool fabrics from LVMH’s deadstock all certified RWS (responsible wool standard). In order to get deeper into sustainability, the brand completely stopped using plastic of any kind. For example, the buttons are now made from casein (a protein element naturally occurring in milk) or also made out of scallop shells.
This year, Benjamin has been collaborating with the luxury crystal company Baccarat on the creation of special pieces and other collaborations with major fashion houses are in progress and will be revealed in 2022.
