Lara Van Oo: Handmade Belgian Fashion with Attitude
Instagram is a wonderful tool to discover new brands and to create meaningful partnerships all over the world. This is how I got to know Lara Van Oo, the Belgian fashion designer who creates timeless made-to-measure clothing with attitude.
RGbA: Who is Lara Van Oo?
LVO: I graduated in fashion design and immediately started to collaborate with photographers for fashion shoots. I have always been passionate about fashion, it seemed so obvious to me. It is an absolute joy to create clothes from sketch to final piece.
RGbA: What are the best words to describe your collections?
LVO: The words that characterise my work are femininity, florals, transparency. I like playing with textures and colour combinations. All colour palettes are stunning in their own way. I would also like to add that I always adapt to better suit the needs of my clients, my brand is definitely about customizable made-to-measure clothing.
RGbA: Where do you get inspiration from?
LVO: Photography, nature, little things in life inspire me a lot. Natural wood patterns, leaf shapes, irregular textures, beautiful landscapes... I can find inspiration everywhere, and express it through the need to create.
RGbA: What is your vision for the future?
LVO: My dream is to have my own fashion studio & boutique - a functional space where I can exhibit my work, interact with my clients and organize events.
RGbA: In fashion, what makes good taste/ bad taste?
LVO: It is difficult to judge taste, to decide what's good and what's bad. It is all about context and situation. Well-fitted comfortable clothes that are meant for you make a difference. I also believe that mastering fabric & garment design as well as sewing techniques is important. Last but not least, it is important to me that clothes remain wearable. This is the basis of all my creations.
RGbA: Which fabrics do you use the most in your creations?
LVO: Delicate fabrics such as tulle, net fabric, lace, silk-chiffon... are my favourite!
RGbA: Where can we shop your amazing collections or book an appointment for a made to measure evening dress?
LVO: For now, it is possible to book an appointment or order directly by sending us a Direct Message on Instagram. To give you an idea, the confection of a dress takes up to a month depending on the complexity and technical sophistication. The price starts at 150 euros, but again, it will be fixed based on the request.
RGbA: I spotted beautiful pictures of wedding dresses on your Instagram account. Could you please detail the steps involved in handcrafting a wedding dress?
LVO: Definitely! Wedding dresses are made for special days, it is therefore important to take the time to understand the bride's wishes and needs to make her look absolutely stunning on her big day. For a creation from scratch, I start with taking the client's measurements before sketching, designing dress patterns and producing a prototype in calico. Then comes the first fitting. Depending on the situation, we schedule from one to three fittings or more. It is always a magic moment for the bride, her family and friends to discover the final result.
Price upon request.
Instagram: @laravanoo
