Francisco van Benthum meets Lawrence of Arabia

Fashion design

For Francisco van Benthum's Spring/Summer 2009 menswear collection, 'Radiant', romantic silhouettes from the costumes of the classic film Lawrence of Arabia receive a high-tech twist.

By Jeanne Tan /asdf 20-11-2008

Layering, proportions and silhouettes characterise 'Radiant', the Spring/Summer 2009 menswear collection from Francisco van Benthum.

Drawing inspiration from the romance of the epic 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia juxtaposed with high-tech detailing from extreme sportswear, the collection is divided into three parts: one that is outspokenly styled, another more formal and lastly, luxurious eveningwear. Van Benthum's signature elements, sportswear and the uniform, are clearly present throughout the collection.

'I wanted to tell my own story with all these ingredients where I mixed different influences. For this season I played more with silhouettes and proportions, and with the construction of garments taken from the kaftans', says van Benthum. 'By using a high-tech ingredient as kite surfing I wanted to give the collection a fierce edge. I always contrast things to draw attention to it. I like to mix different inspirations to come up with a fresh new interpretation, my interpretation. At the same time I saw similarities in the knotted cords and belts in both stories.' What was important was the aesthetic nature of both influences, in the drama of the costumes and the specialised gear for kite surfing.

'Radiant' comprises suits, coats, shorts and knits with an accompaning range of footwear and accessories. Fabrics include lightweight cotton, poplins, crisp nylon, coated silk and summer wools in a range of colours from dusty orange, peach and sand to blue, grey, black and white. The ambitious collection marks the beginning of van Benthum's solo journey into the wider fashion realm. 'It was my first concrete step towards the international establishment of the label. I wanted to show where I stand for as a men’s wear designer,' he says. Van Benthum was a nominee for the recent Dutch Fashion Awards where this collection was presented. The new season collection to be presented in Paris in January 2009, will be a clear follow-up from SS 2009 and will no doubt be another giant and successful leap for van Benthum into the international sphere.

Photography: Peter Stigter