Smart, practical and creatively commercial – Atlein is a brand that defies the stereotypes of fresh talent. But that’s no coincidence. The brand’s designer Antonin Tron, has Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga and Givenchy on his CV. Add a degree from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts and some strong Parisian roots and you’ve got yourself the powerfully feminine aesthetic of Atlein.
Tron’s early beginnings are in menswear – yet there’s little boyish about his designs. It’s womanly in a very contemporary way, with an expert eye for fabric and cuts that makes ostensibly simple clothes look luscious. The core of Tron’s design aesthetic is reimagining stretch jersey in silhouettes that aren’t necessarily jersey-friendly. Body-con dresses, layered draping and subtle asymmetry. The final outcome is a collection of grown-up clothes that are sometimes romantic, and sometimes sporty but always flattering. Youth is not always about volume, colour, print and glitter. Atlein proves being commercially appealing is an artform in itself.
Atlein autumn/winter 2017
Here’s Antonin Tron’s Because Passport application:
FULL NAME: Antonin Tron
DATE & PLACE OF BIRTH: 19 July 1984 in Paris
BRAND: Atlein (womenswear)
BRAND’S DATE & PLACE OF BIRTH: March 2016 in Paris
CURRENT LOCATION: Paris
What are the places in Paris and Antwerp you love the most?
My two favourite restaurants – Dame Jean in Belleville and the italo-vegan Wild Project in Antwerp.
Belgian or French food?
French cheese and Belgian fries.
Favourite word in French/Dutch:
Overeenkomst tekenen [Dutch for to sign an agreement] and hérisson [French fpr hedgehog].
Do you feel more like a Belgian or a French designer?
Belgo-French.
Is the feeling of belonging to a place/nation important to you?
Yes, culture and identity are very important to me.
Follow Atlein through Instagram at instagram.com/atleinparis. The finale of the LVMH Award is being held on 16 June at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris. Find out more about the finalists at lvmhprize.com.
Text by Dino Bonacic