Y/PROJECT IS THE MILLENNIAL ATELIER WE DESERVE
Jina Khayyer: Who is Y/Project?
Glenn Martens: “We are a small team where everyone has a voice. An intern has as much influence proposing a solution as I do. Our idea of fashion is not to create an army of lookalike people. There are enough brands who create for people that buy a piece to become part of the brand-gang. We create to ask questions. Y/Project is driven by emotions.”
Many designers of your generation who are now building their own fashion houses, like Demna Gvasalia of Vetements for example, show their men and women collections together. You stick to the pace of divided shows. But you actually show the same pieces twice, just in different materials and colours. Why?
“I like the idea of showing the exact same cut that looks good and masculine on a guy and that looks good and feminine on a girl. I don’t make a distinction between genders. For me, it’s important that you put the garment on and you ask yourself, "How am I going to make this my own? How am I going to make this me?"
Last year Y/Project was nominated for the LVMH prize.
“Yes. It changed a lot. Especially regarding the visibility of Y/Project. LVMH is an amazing platform. I’m very grateful to have participated because you meet so many people and legends, like Anna Wintour.”
In which way is fashion relevant to you?
“Clothes are relevant if people own them and are happy in them. For Christmas I gave my grandmother a Y/Project coat, which she loves and wears. A friend of mine has a similar coat. When clothes are not connected to gender and age and still work, then fashion is relevant.”
Read the full interview with Jina Khayyer HERE