Joining the eclectic club in a postmodern world

Spring/Summer ’23 is all about the sparkling and carefree spirit of eclecticism. Transforming a wide range of styles into a graceful ensemble. With its endless match and mismatch possibilities, our eclectic pieces allow you tocreate your own unique story…

Eclecticism – to choose or to select elements – deriving from the greek ἐκλεκτικός (eklektikos). The concept was firstly introduced by Greek and Roman philosophers who questioned big world beliefs. They would analyse fellow thinkers and eventually incorporate certain of their ideas in their own ideology, in order to obtain a unique, self-constructed way of thinking. However the phenomenon dates back to centuries ago, we consider it to have a glimpse of inspiring wisdom.

In the shared creative studio of Castart and Our Sister, we admire those who dare to step away from the ruling image – or at least question it – and mould it into something that feels more natural. In line with this belief, we have blended traditional fabrication techniques with new details we have picked up on along the way. The collection is a well-considered clash of colours with prints that are thoughtfully non-machine made as we instead relied on pencil and brush. We called upon very old creation techniques such as embroidery which we have mixed with manufacturing methods that we have experienced to be working. In a fashion landscape where radical concepts are growing, we sought for a zone of nuance. For our new SS23 collection, we got inspired by the principles of eclecticism as we played around to create something that is both lively, quirky, assertive and accessible.

It was crucial for us however, that the outcome of this blend still somehow has a collective sense of belonging – preferably similar to that one in a big family. Those who are familiar with Castart, may also know its female counterpart that has originated a few years after in the same atelier based in Antwerp. The shared foundation of both brands are clear: we want to know the origins of the fabrics and manufacturers and we want them to be ethical, always striving for them to be as local and natural as possible, whilst textures should feel rich and comfortable. Regardless, it is important to us that both brands have their own personal. For the shoot of SS23, we put together all kinds of silhouettes from both brands. Without knowing what the result would look like, we mainly aimed for it to be authentic – and preferably resembling a diverse mix on the streets.

In such a diverse crowd however, we have learned as makers, but equally as wearers, that it is a tough balance between standing out and remaining true to one self. Yet, we do strongly believe that authenticity will always be the most sustainable. For the SS23 collection, we therefore decided not to work with professional models but charismatic artists instead. In a society where most people have never consumed more information, realness feels refreshing. Above all, clothing should primarily embrace and reinforce who you essentially already are.

As for the location, we chose the Asiat Park in Brussels (Belgium) which still granted its industrial grounds and efficient hangars to military personnel from 1946 to 2008. For some years now, the park is the location of Horst Arts and Music festival. The enigmatic atmosphere of the venue combined with our SS23 collection worn by a mix of different creatives, resulted in an outcome closely resembling our initial idea of eclecticism in contemporary fashion.