Paris Haute Couture: The Rainforest Reimagined ~ Ronald van der Kemp’s Reverie on the Art of Transformation

One of the Amazonian-inspired creations by Ronald van der Kemp on the runway in Paris, a sculpted corset dress made from plisse fabric with a hammered bronze waistbelt.

Ronald van der Kemp captivated Paris Couture Week with Call of the Wild, a collection bursting with vivid colour. Drawing from the rainforest and crafted entirely from reclaimed materials, each piece celebrated nature’s drama while spotlighting the skill and imagination of indigenous artisans from Brazil. Story by Jeanne-Marie Cilento

Evening gown with panelled skirt in mixed

cloqué jacquards with lace, pompoms and

a hand-beaded neckline. 

ON a sun-dappled afternoon in Paris, Maison des Métallos became a portal to the Amazon. Ronald van der Kemp’s Autumn/Winter 2025/26 couture presentation, titled Call of the Wild, was not just a fashion show, it was an immersive homage to the raw beauty of the natural world, translated into garments that seemed alive with movement and texture.

Since founding his eponymous label in 2014, the Dutch designer has championed circular couture: a philosophy anchored in reclaiming, upcycling, and reimagining what others discard. This collection took that ethos to a new level, drawing inspiration from the verdant expanse of the Brazilian rainforest, its rivers, its birds, and the rich tapestry of life that inhabits it. 

Partnering with longtime muse and jewellery designer Thayná Caiçara, and collaborating with indigenous artisans from Brazil, van der Kemp transformed deadstock materials into vibrant couture, celebrating both the planet and the people who craft his work. The opening looks included corset dresses mimicking the sweeping shapes of palm fronds and layered leaves, their surfaces alive with hand-painted plissé, embroidery, and beadwork depicting birds mid-flight. Jewellery echoed the same naturalist devotion: Caiçara’s rainforest-inspired choker and earrings added a delicate, tactile poetry to each ensemble.

The designer collided different textures throughout the collection. Wide-shouldered coats became walking collages, combining vintage trimmings, feathers, and silk jacquard linings. Corset jackets in black velvet were adorned with vivid three-dimensional rainforest birds, while draped tulle and mousseline gowns captured the movement of water and the shimmer of riverine light. 

Ronald van der Kemp's new collection drew inspiration from the verdant expanse of the Brazilian rainforest, its rivers, its birds, and the rich tapestry of life that inhabits it

Mousseline silk printed floral gown with 

reverse, raw-edge seams and a high neck.

Even pieces with abstract shapes, such as sculptural mini-dresses, referenced animal and avian forms without tipping into costume. Each look felt singular, yet every piece was tied to van der Kemp’s narrative of transformation of jettisoned materials into art that inspires action about ecological fashion.

There was also a playful intelligence at work. Coats constructed from donated scraps, city jackets with multipocketed peplums, and modular sleeves made from discarded lambskins all demonstrated a sophisticated approach to sustainable couture. The collection married whimsy and structure, colour and restraint, drawing on nature’s eccentricity as a lens for sartorial experimentation.

Van der Kemp’s message extended beyond aesthetics. He sees fashion as a medium that can respect resources, honour craftsmanship, and foster creativity without harm. The designer emphasized that he and his atelier only work with what exists, demonstrating how a couture house can still be successful and ethical. Call of the Wild is proof: a couture business built on ingenuity, collaboration, and environmental mindfulness can be both beautiful and viable.

By the final look, with cascading layers evoking Amazonian tides and embroidered birds in flight, it was clear that van der Kemp’s couture is a form of advocacy, art with intention, beauty with conscience. In a time when the world feels increasingly fragile, Ronald van der Kemp's new collection reminded us that human hands, guided by imagination and care, can still craft wonders.

Scroll down to see more highlights from the RVDK AW25/26 haute couture collection in Paris