Thumbs up for green thumbs Tim Van Steenbergen's Luxury Countryside Collection S/S 2011

A gardener rarely wears Prêt-à-Porter and is even less likely to be caught donning haute couture. But everything is possible in Tim Van Steenbergen's world of the ‘Luxury Countryside’. Inspired by garden ladies who take care of their luscious flower s, dressed in their favourite summer frocks, a big jumper tied around the hips. What a nice picture to imagine for a S/S 2011 collection!

Van Steenbergen references silhouettes inspired by Robert Mapplethorpe's floral pictures, which he brings to life in his fashion photographs. He combines leather, Jacquard Jersey, crepe wool, mousseline and silk. He plays with bleaching effects and exclusive prints.

His colours flirt with the muted and the dark and he deliberately leans himself against common summer clichés of pastels with green, grey, beige, tobacco and black&white. Feminine elegance is emphasised through detailed dresses, ranging from daywear to cocktail dresses and eveningwear.

A series of luxurious Theo by Tim Van Steenbergen sunglasses and hand made Ambiorix shoes complete the collection, as well as the accessories mix of corset belts, scarves and embroidered pearl brooches.

Apart from designing for his own label, the designer finds the time to outfit international films, operas, theatre and dance productions. For example, between 2010 and 2013, he created and will be creating the costumes for Richard Wagner's opera cycle ‘Der Ring der Nibelungen’, staged in Milan, directed by Guy Cassiers.

Etienne Tordoir photographed the S/S 2011 collection pictures with a crew comprising; stylist Benoït Bèthume, hairstylist Thierry Huys and make-up artist Nadine Luke and the Mac Pro Team.

Bengali poet Rabindranath once said: ‘The feeble minded runs, the knowledgeable waits, the wise one retreats to the garden’. 'Nuff said!

www.timvansteenbergen.com