Paris Haute Couture: Golden Threads and Thai Silks: Ronald van der Kemp’s Conscious Couture in the Age of Consequence

La Reine Soleil, the first look in the SS25 RVDK couture collection in Paris, created from hand-woven Thai golden silk jacquard. Photograph: Jay Zoo

While Paris basked in the luminous light of late afternoon winter sun, at the Hôtel d’Avaray, the gilded salons of the 18th-century residence, were being readied for Ronald van der Kemp to unveil his Spring/Summer 2025 couture collection. The show, titled Let the Sun Shine In, was an upbeat ode to the designer's unique approach to rethinking couture from the ground up, writes Jeanne-Marie Cilento. Photographs by Jay Zoo 

A sculptural gown created from Royal Thai

handwoven fabrics, was last look in the show. 

HIDDEN behind great wooden doors in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, the historic Hôtel d'Avaray as a location underscored Ronald van der Kemp's mix of the regal and the radical. Designed in the early 1700s by Jean-Baptiste Leroux for the Marquis d’Avaray, the hôtel particulier has since passed from aristocratic ownership to diplomatic function. 

Today, it hosts Jan Versteeg, the Dutch ambassador, and on this occasion, a designer widely credited with redefining what couture can be in the age of sustainability. Van der Kemp founded RVDK in 2014 with a mission to challenge the fashion system’s appetite for excess. 

The Dutch fashion house's signature, unique creations are crafted from vintage stock, surplus textiles, rescued materials, and artisanal fragments. His collections are presented as “wardrobes” ~ modular, collectible capsules of couture meant to last beyond seasons or trends. Wardrobe 21, as this edition was titled, extended his philosophy with a twist: a series of key looks featuring handwoven Thai silks unearthed from archival collections.

Ronald van der Kemp's signature, unique creations are crafted from vintage stock, surplus textiles, rescued materials, and artisanal fragments

In brilliant hues, a ruffled silk,

tartan check mini dress.  

The Thai fabrics became a pivot around which much of the collection revolved. Introduced through a collaboration with model Thayna Soares, they brought both visual drama and cultural depth. Emerald greens, sunset golds, lotus pinks, and a particularly vibrant yellow velvet made their way into gowns, corsets, and structured jackets. 

In one of the standout opening looks, a tiered gown in gilded jacquard fanned upward like solar flares (see main picture) evoking both celestial grandeur and the layered elegance of traditional Thai dress in a contemporary way. 

Van der Kemp used the silks to make subtle nods to Thai motifs, swirling lines, serpentine motifs and quilting which appeared throughout the collection, blending into a broader language of recycled opulence. What might have become pastiche in lesser hands instead offered a genuine conversation between cultures, eras, and materials.

The handmade remained at the core of every look. A checkerboard skirt emerged from a vintage Kuba wall hanging; a black coat with voluminous, wing-like sleeves was embroidered with over 3,000 beads; and a form-fitting bustier, reworked from a decommissioned boat flag, was studded with nautical chains and charms. 

Long committed fully to sustainable production, RVDK garments are made in the Netherlands, often in collaboration with small ateliers and craftspeople 

Soigne gown of sequined

leopard print with lace and

leather inserts. 

In another ensemble, remnants of upcycled python formed a dramatic shoulder accent, while elsewhere, mousseline patchwork and silk jacquard stripes offered rich tactile variety. This was a collection that resisted minimalism but never descended into being overly baroque. Each piece was carefully composed and formed like a three-dimensional collage.

Van der Kemp’s work is underpinned by rigor: behind every ruffle, twist, and beaded flourish is an intentional design. Though the collection offered cohesion in palette and material, each garment felt like an individual character, with its own history, purpose, and attitude.

The presentation itself matched the intimacy of the garments. The wood-panelled, gilded green and gold salons were the atmospheric backdrop to the show as the models moving through the audience at intimate range, allowing guests to study the embroidery, silhouette, and surface. 

As a couturier, Van der Kemp has long committed fully to sustainable production, not as a marketing strategy, but as an operational principle. All garments are made in the Netherlands, often in collaboration with small ateliers and craftspeople. 

The new collection once again proved that couture’s future can be created from forgotten fabrics, salvaged embellishments and fine artisan handwork

This elegant pink gown was created

 from lingerie corsetry and finished 

with lace and scalloped edging.

 

Materials are sourced not from new orders but from forgotten or discarded inventories: couture remnants, leather offcuts from luxury bagmakers, vintage feathers, beads from abandoned projects. Even the jewelry and embellishments are reworked from elements such as antique buttons, Thai market finds, and plastic bottles.

It’s a philosophy that doesn’t just question fashion’s excess; it actively offers alternatives. In a world where “sustainability” has become a catch-all term, Van der Kemp remains committed to the slow, sometimes inconvenient, but undeniably rewarding process of transformation. For the designer, the goal is not to make fashion that looks eco-friendly; it’s to make fashion that looks extraordinary and happens to be ethical.

His background certainly gives him the credentials for this couture creation. Before launching his own label, Van der Kemp spent more than two decades designing for houses like Celine, Guy Laroche, and Bill Blass. 

The polish and discipline of those years is visible in every RVDK garment, but now it’s filtered through his own vision, one where glamour doesn’t require newness, and where imperfection is embraced rather than concealed.

For the designer, the goal is not to make couture that looks eco-friendly, it’s to make fashion that looks extraordinary and happens to be ethical

Golden silk jacquard was

used to create this 

corseted, column dress. 

As the show concluded, with models forming a procession through the handsome rooms, it became clear that Let the Sun Shine In was more than just a seasonal offering. It was a reminder that fashion’s most radical gestures can come in the form of volume and spectacle and equally from restraint, integrity, and devotion to craft.

Ronald van der Kemp’s creative ethos is not nostalgic, though it often draws on the visual richness of past decades. Nor is it futurist, despite its progressive ideals. It sits somewhere between, a space where history, sustainability, and couture technique intersect to offer something rare: clothes that tell stories not just of style, but of values. 

With Wardrobe 21, Ronald van der Kemp once again proved that couture’s future can be created from forgotten fabrics, salvaged embellishments, and fine artisan handwork. 

His collection offered the kind of glamour that is embedded in care and conviction. His silhouettes are bold, his surfaces rich, but it is the underlying philosophy that gives each piece its lasting resonance. In Ronald van der Kemp’s world, beauty is not manufactured; it is rediscovered, reframed, and reimagined. And in that quiet act of metamorphosis, couture finds both renewal and relevance.

KidSuper's Colm Dillane Unleashes a Whirlwind of Creativity at Paris Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2025

Amid the vaporous 'tornado' and keening voice of Ekaterina Shelehova, American designer Colm Dillane presented an engaging, eclectic and wearable collection in Paris. Photograph (above) by Jay Zoo. Masthead picture by Elli Ioannou for DAM 

At Paris Fashion Week, KidSuper’s Colm Dillane once again demonstrated why his label remains one of the most dynamic and inventive forces on the global fashion stage. With a 'visual storm' on the runway, the American designer harnessed the power of art, engineering, and bold design to deliver a spectacle that was both theatrical and thought-provoking along with an evocative collection, writes Antonio Visconti. Photography by Jay Zoo

The 'tornado' created by artists

Daniel Wurtzel and Lynn Newman

at Colm Dillane's Paris show

THE ATMOSPHERE inside the 19th century hall in the historic la Villette centre in the north of Paris was charged with anticipation as the KidSuper Autumn/Winter 2025-26 show opened with an otherworldly display, thanks to artist Daniel Wurtzel and his wife Lynn Newman. Known for their intricate manipulation of air and vapour, the New York-based duo collaborated with Dillane to transform the stage into a visual storm. “Performative arts and fashion share a common thread: the ability to evoke emotion and tell stories through spectacle,” Wurtzel said.

Hidden vents released curling streams of vapor that gathered into a high-speed vortex under the guidance of an airscrew. This meticulously calculated performance set the tone for an evening that was as much about storytelling as it was about style. The collection itself mirrored the turbulence of the staging, presenting a blend of chaos and cohesion. Dillane’s designs embraced a raw, layered aesthetic that spoke to themes of apocalypse and resilience. 

The show, called From a Place I Have Never Been, came with KidSuper 'passports' for guests that looked official with stamps and ID. The evening show's finale was the stirring singing by Ekaterina Shelehova: "Her performance was the emotional heartbeat of the show,” Dillane said.“The best art doesn’t happen in isolation, it’s born from a collective effort, a dialogue between different talents and perspectives.” 

The new collection's upcycled materials, including painted army surplus kit bags, formed a rugged foundation for several looks. In a nod to KidSuper’s growing global reach, it also featured the brand’s first-ever Made in Italy pieces, a significant milestone for Dillane, who emphasized his commitment to keeping his designs affordable rather than luxury items. 

Familiar motifs from previous collections resurfaced, providing continuity amid the innovation. Dresses crafted from discarded canvases, a standout feature of Dillane’s past work, returned with new energy. The designer’s signature face collage puffers, denim barn jackets, and embroidered doodle outerwear also made an appearance, proving that KidSuper’s playful yet poignant approach to fashion remains central to its identity. Highlights included a moody black leather trench coat inscribed with poetry and an intricately quilted white suit that showcased Dillane’s technical prowess.

KidSuper’s blend of artistic vision and entrepreneurial ambition continues to offer a fresh perspective at Paris Fashion Week

Designer Colm Dillane takes his

bow at the end of his show

One of the most talked about aspects of the show was KidSuper’s collaboration with Japanese streetwear giant Bape. The partnership yielded a range of pieces, from shark hoodies and camouflage jackets to a pinstriped suit adorned with vine leaf patterns. 

A caricature Baby Milo T-shirt featuring Dillane himself added a touch of humor to the lineup. The collaboration felt particularly meaningful for Dillane, who reminisced about selling his own printed T-shirts outside Bape’s New York store during his school days.

As Dillane took his bow, the energy in the room was electric. “I try to do the impossible every time,” he remarked at the end of the show, capturing the spirit of his brand. 

KidSuper’s blend of artistic vision and entrepreneurial ambition continues to make waves, offering a refreshing perspective at Paris Fashion Week. With his storm-themed spectacle, Dillane once again proved that fashion can be a powerful force for creativity and disruption.

Scroll down to see highlights from the Paris KidSuper Autumn/Winter 2025-26 collection