Recently, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue announced the recipients of their fifth annual awards from the CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund. Congratulations are in order for the winner—Alexander Wang— and also for the runners up Lisa Mayock, Sophie Buhai, and Albertus Q. Swanepoel.
The CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund (CVFF) was established in 2003 to help emerging talent find continued success in the business of fashion. The winner and runners-up are given the opportunity to meet regularly with a team of business mentors and also receive $200,000 ( the runners-up each get $50,000).
In the CFDA’s official press release, VOGUE Editor in Chief Anna Wintour was quoted as saying, "In only the fifth year of the Fashion Fund competition, we know that to win a first or runner-up prize is to receive a very substantial professional boost. The proof lies in the remarkable success of the Fund's previous winners." It was Anna Wintour who also gave the foreword to Vera Wang’s gorgeous pictorial Vera Wang On Weddings (Collins Living), in which Swanepoel crafted all of the hats.
Albertus Q. Swanepoel (elegantly pronounced Swan+pool) is a milliner, the only hat-maker ever to be nominated for this most prestigious award, and is primed to evolve from crafter of hats to celebrated fashion icon, not unlike CoCo Chanel—whose first American job was also as a milliner.
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Recently, Albertus welcomed me into his studio for an interview. Here is an excerpt of some of some of our most memorable discussion:
pmb: In the ongoing discussion—fashion as art—do you consider yourself an artist? Do you consider fashion art?
AQS: I don’t consider fashion art in the traditional sense of the word, no. If anything, fashion is sartorial art—art related to clothing. It’s more of a craft for me. A dress is not going to be in fashion 20 years from now whereas art is timeless. We won’t look at a hat five years from now and still be inspired by it, as we would a Picasso. What we do in fashion is influential, but it’s not art. People are not going to take a Picasso and repaint it. We are constantly re-creating fashion.
After discussing his work, much of it adorned with South African motifs and flowers, including this design below that Jennifer Anistan wore on an episode of 30 Rock...
I said to Albertus, “Yet so much of your work appears so innovative, so artistic…”
AQS: Well, that may be because I love the idea of taking something incredibly expensive and putting it with something that is not; like a hat I crafted with a pom-pom made of a plastic garbage bag. I just think it’s such a whimsical idea. I just personally love to use something when it’s not so fancy and expensive looking; and for something to look almost damaged in a way.
pmb: A lot of women that I know, including myself, love to wear hats, however I realize that there are equal, if not more women who simply won’t. Many women think they just don’t look good in hats...
AQS: There is a weird misconception, so many women who think that hats don’t fit them, that they don’t have a hat face or that it will mess up their hair. The trick with hats is to make them a matter of contrast. Hats should contrast with your outfit yet compliment it. The same with your face. If you have an upturned nose, for example, try a downward brim. Round face? Try a square hat. I feel anybody in the world can get the right hat to wear. I don’t buy the excuses.
pmb: What about women and/or the fashion enthused who think hats are not in style?
AQS: Hats get a bad rap. It’s the first thing that is picked on with celebrities. It’s just not that highly regarded anymore. That’s why I personally try to make hats that are very wearable. A hat should be put on and become very personal. Hats are for people who love and appreciate the craft of fashion. There are always more hats in European shows than
A milliner known to take a traditionally male fedora and feminize it, Albertus adds this advice for the hat reluctant:
AQS: Just have one fantastic hat at least. Try an old vintage fedora with a fairly modern outfit or try a winter fedora in the summer.
On his nod from the CFDA, Albertus, ever assuming, simply says, “It’s just truly… really amazing.”
The same could be said for Albertus Swanepoel and his incredible talent.
In the tradition of “The It’s All Love” blog, re-born now as “The Love Spot”, I asked Albertus our magic question…
pmb: What is love?
AQS: Love is a very powerful, intense feeling closest to one's heart: strong yet very fragile.
Having said that, I asked him who or what does he love?
He says his BF, Eddie Marquez, his cat, “Cuculoo Pooker” and opera music, which—much to the chagrin of his assistant—he plays 90% of the time in the studio.
AQS: My parents took me to the opera when I was a kid. It’s the ultimate art form. When all of those aspects come together—the stage, the costumes, the singing, the orchestra—it’s such an extraordinary experience. It’s an amazing art. And now there are more and more really young singers. It’s not so much just the fat lady singing anymore.
Albertus Swanepoel also digs 80s disco and Frank Sinastra and he loves books, evidence abounds on all the shelves in his studio. He also collects magazines from the 1950s.
And so, here’s why The Love Spot loves Albertus:
Albertus Q. Swanpoel, milliner extraordinaire is an unassuming man, not at all pretentious despite his success; yet he is quietly self-assured. He’s got an unusual name and, well we love unique names, no? :) In a world, a city in particular, where people are coming and going and on to the next thing to do, Albertus is present in the moment. He takes time to ponder before he answers. He listens when you speak to him. And his eyes are sincere. His is a handshake firm and confident yet warm and so genuine. To know Albertus is to adore him and to know his work is to respect it… and to want to wear a hat, right? Here’s hoping.
xoxo and love!
P.S. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund event was made possible In partrnership with the GAP, and underwritten by American Express, Appleman Foundation, Barneys New York, Coach, Evgeny Lebedev, Hudson Bay Trading Company, Juicy Couture, Kellwood Company, Liz Claiborne Inc., L’Oréal Paris, Nordstrom, Theory, and VOGUE
