Women's VETEMENTS
Pronunciation [vɛt-mɑ͂]
Etymology translates from French as ‘clothing’
Est. 2014
Founders brothers Demna and Guram Gvasalia
Six years ago, VETEMENTS’ fashion experiments seemed inappropriate. Sweatshirts as the new luxury, ‘random’ people as models, challenging traditions — it could have been a provocation if it wasn’t a prediction: today, nearly the entire high fashion follows those rules.
‘Launching VETEMENTS in 2014 looked like trickery. They were sold in a tiny Parisian showroom. Nobody knew who they were, or how to pronounce their name. And suddenly, in the midst of global despondency, I saw art: the pieces were bizarre in their beauty, channelling freshness and revolution for the bigger picture. In a blink, these two young no-names caused a sensation, and since then, had never left the spotlight.’
Before launching his own brand, Demna Gvasalia was a major designer at Maison Margiela. There, he acquired the celebrated deconstruction technique of the great Belgian, and applied it to VETEMENTS, also reflecting on the zeitgeist that shifted with the inception of the Internet and meta-irony. In the brief years of VETEMENTS’ existence, the Gvasalia brothers have done more for the fashion and contemporary art industries than any of their colleagues in decades.
Milestones:
- lighter-heeled boots;
- boots that reach waist;
- LVMH Prize;
- creative direction of the Balenciaga house;
- fashion shows at a dry cleaning and McDonalds;
- DHL souvenir T-shirt as the contemporary fashion Holy Grail.
‘I envy the simplicity of their ideas. Take the invitation to their first show that looked like a one-dollar bill with a stamp.’
SV77 has showcased VETEMENTS since their inaugural collection.
Collaborations between VETEMENTS and SV77:
2016 — Zemfira hoodie
2016 — Soviet hoodie
2021 — Pizdec hoodie
2021 — Охрана hoodie
