BRUZZ Interview
ENFANT TERRIBLE : READ THE ARTICLE
Interview : Tom Van Bogaert
Photography : Saskia Vanderstichele
June 2019
ENFANT TERRIBLE : KIM VANDE PITTE, TEXTILE DESIGNER
Kim Vande Pitte (31) daughter of Belgian parents, grew up in southeastern France. She came to Brussels to study: graphic design at ERG and textile design at La Cambre. in 2012 she launched her own brand. For her third collection, she recently organized a successful crowdfunding campaign.
My new collection is inspired by the Brutalist movement in architecture. I love the uncompromising minimalism and the pure, honest aesthetic. On the one hand, massive concrete buildings seem cold and heavy, but on the other, you can get totally absorbed in the interplay of lines. Clear lines and volumes have always intrigued me. More than colours, although for me it doesn't always have to be black and white anymore. Floral motifs don't mean much to me either. I take that pared-down style into my designs for tablecloths, cushions, curtains and furniture.
My production is small-scale and artisanal, and 100% done in Europe. I use responsibly produced, natural materials and select companies that share the same values. Slow design, under the motto 'less and better'. That means I have to constantly juggle, because prices must also remain affordable. Not that I want to compete with Ikea. My private customers consciously choose Belgian quality design. The same goes for professionals, such as owners of design shops and interior designers. They join my graphic universe.
2019 will be the year of truth. I quit my job in the horeca to devote myself fully to my brand. I am going for a professional approach in full force. The Job Yourself structure helped me create a business plan. The crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter not only allowed me to raise over 7,000 euros, I was also able to test out my communication.
After all, I want to tell an attractive and coherent story. I hope to present my collection in Brussels in September and at the Maison & Objet trade fair in Paris in January 2020. Rugs, woven jacquard and quilt fabrics are part of my range for the first time. I also dream of bath textiles. I am currently working hard on my dream and that gives me energy. I can do what I love to do. My brand is my life. Not coincidentally, the name consists of my initials KVP. Short, efficient, reduced to the essence, that's how I like it (smiles).
At my parents' house, the furnishings changed every year. My father is a cabinetmaker, my mother an upholsterer. We went to decoration shops on weekends. I think furnishing your home is more intimate than the clothes you wear. Fashion also fluctuates so quickly. C'est l'enfer. I have a different mindset. My close circle supports me in my creative entrepreneurship. I have the privilege of living and working in the family home in Watermael-Boitsfort. I thank heaven for it every day, because I like to be alone and need peace and quiet. But don't describe me as a hermit type (laughs exuberantly).
I never felt French in the countryside in southern France. I grew up in a Belgian family and from childhood dreamed of living in Belgium. When I was 10, I was already getting on the train to Brussels alone to visit family. The dynamism there made me happy. I took the rain and the cold with me. I find Belgians very open and warm. I enjoy the friendly atmosphere.
In Brussels, I especially like the inspiring people and the mix of architectural styles. The city is also quite green and the quality of life is high. I like to walk as far as Ixelles, have a glass with friends, visit exhibitions, plant or flea markets. J'adore ça.