The brand

Lauded for his vibrant, artisanal knitwear, Antwerp designer Christian Wijnants creates contemporary, feminine silhouettes with a strong focus on fluid prints. The designer started his endeavors in fashion in 1996 as a student at the Royal Academy of Fine Art.  There he developed a fascination for innovative knitted fabrics and elegant, easy to wear designs. After a successful stint at Dries Van Noten, he launched his own eponymous label in 2003. From then on, his collections were picked up by department stores and boutiques throughout the world. Christian Wijnants won the International Woolmark Prize in 2013, opened a flagship store in Antwerp in 2015 and added a successful mens collection to his label in 2019.

WINTER 2021 - ROYAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, ANTWERP

Christian was given unique access to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, a place that has been so dear to him. The museum holds seven centuries of art, from Flemish Primitives to Expressionists. Yet the building is much more than even this internationally renowned collection of art - it is the only Flemish museum with high-level scientific status, that shares its newly acquired interpretations with the public, enriching the knowledge of art lovers. Over the past 10 years, the museum has been closed for renovations, only previewing its restoring 19th century structure and newly constructed minimalist addition to Christian, inviting him to fill the grandiose rooms and hallways with his creations. A poetic moment for the designer who first visited the museum as a student on the brink of his career, beginning his tbecome namesake's brand connection to art. However, this time, as the museum sits empty, Christian relied on his memories and vision to fill the space and walls that once held the same Flemish Primitives and Baroque paintings that have inspired him today.