Fender bags, XL diving masks, hooded swimming caps, the latest SS22 Botter collection seems to prepare us for an immersion in the sea, except in the reality of the creative duo, the decision to go on this expedition would not be made by us, but rather by the rising water. As you may have gathered, Lisi Herrebrugh and Rushemy Botter offer a direct and unfiltered view of the world. But far from being pessimistic, the young designers are keen to create clothes that are sustainable, meaningful and a guarantee of a better future. After first meeting during their childhood in the Netherlands, they reunited during their studies and never left each other’s side, bound by their love for fashion. Freshly graduated from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, Lisi joined Rushemy in Belgium, who was then a student at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The Botter journey had begun. For three years, the duo would experiment, play around, make mistakes and find their own language in the safe space of the academy. During their Master’s degree, their collection won several prizes for emerging talents and with the money they collected, they flew to Paris where they rented a studio with the idea of making their emerging brand known to the public. Flyers distributed during Fashion Week got the ball rolling. In 2018, the victory of the Grand Prix of the Hyères Festival marked the real beginning of the Botter era. Truly committed to protecting the ocean’s health, the duo stands out with its creations made from materials resulting from sea pollution and its innovative take on what fashion should be today. Much more than a clothing brand, Botter plunges us into another world where classic systems have no place and where we communicate things in a direct and brutal way without forgetting the notion of optimism and the possibility of change.
MIXTE. You describe yourself as a brand of “aquatic clothing”. Why is water so important in your work?
LISI HERREBRUGH. Water has been important since the beginning, even before the brand was actually created. It all happened very organically, since we are both connected to an island, Curaçao for Rushemy and the Dominican Republic for me. It was our family history, which is very attached to water and its condition, that made us aware of its importance and really made us want to talk about it. But besides that, we also know that it is a fundamental element of human life, and that it is essential to live in harmony with it. For us, it is an unchartered territory to which we can bring a lot of curiosity and creativity.
M. Have you always been environmentally conscious?
RUSHEMY BOTTER. Yes, because when you grow up on an island, you are much more aware of nature and the world around you. Our parents taught us to take care of the environment. It’s almost common sense for us.
L.H. We also spent a lot of time in Holland, and this is a field the Dutch are very much involved in. It must be said that in the 18th century, they ruled almost all the seas. There are many stories about water-related disasters in the Netherlands. They have a history and a special connection to water that is still very much present.