Regard Magazine EGONLAB

DESIGNER PROFILE – EGONlab (Florentin Glemarec & Kévin Nompeix)

Your brand is unique with its design and adaptability. When did you know that designing would be your career path and how did you initially get your start?

K: This passion for fashion started with my mother, a refined and elegant woman for whom I have always had a deep admiration and unconditional love. Growing up, I realized the incredible power of clothing – a means of expression where the only limit is your imagination, but also a real armour to protect yourself from a hostile world. All of this I felt from a young age, unlike others. Becoming a designer was therefore obvious to me. After my studies, I left my hometown in Bordeaux to come and live in Paris. And it was there that I met Florentin, which changed my life and through his help, EGONlab was born.

F: Rei Kawakubo is the name that made me want to be in fashion. It was in my early days as a model that I had the opportunity to work with her and her entire team on the Comme Des Garçons shows. It was a real eye opener for me. I was able to discover the endless possibilities of expression that were possible through clothes. It helped me greatly by being a  former co-founder of the Icosae brand, and through meeting Kevin, that we were about to create the EGONlab brand, in which I am able to so freely express my desires.

Regard Magazine EGONLAB

Which fashion designers are you inspired by and which ones have made a positive impact on your brand thus far?

K + F: That’s a difficult question. We could, of course, give you the names of fashion legends like Martin Margiela, Claude Montana, Thierry Mugler, Jean-Paul Gaultier or Alexander McQueen but it’s easy to forget some others. To be honest, a lot of designers inspire us, whether they are from the past or the present. Many young designers are also real sources of inspiration.  We are like a big family who share the same heritage.

When you’re ready to design a new collection, where do you typically draw your inspiration from?

K + F: We take our inspiration from current events. EGONlab wants to be a committed brand. It is always interesting to open a debate and be part of a collective awakening. Each of our collections carries a message. In our latest collection called  “HORROR STORY”, we wanted to highlight the importance of accepting yourself in a world ruled by image and social media. More and more people are suffering from personality disorders and complexes related to the virtual lives that we have built for ourselves, particularly following the health crisis. These are important questions to raise, and art and fashion are excellent mediums for doing so.

Regard Magazine EGONLAB

Recently, you showcased your latest menswear collection at Arab Fashion Week. Tell us about your experience preparing for the show and watching it from a digital perspective. 

K + F: It was an honor for us to participate in the first Menswear edition of Arab Fashion Week.  First of all, we would like to thank all of the Arab Fashion Council team for this opportunity. We wanted to present ourselves to the Middle East audience in an alternative way. Digital Fashion Weeks allow emerging brands like ours to escape a classic show format and offer a more conceptual vision of the collection. That’s why our artistic collective called the EGONlab Family made a 15-minute short film for the occasion. It’s still amazing when you think about it, knowing that our art can travel around the world in just a few clicks!

The business of fashion is ever changing and comes with its many challenges. What are some of the obstacles you face as a designer and how are you able to manage these difficulties and actually overcome them?

K + F: It’s a good thing that the fashion business is changing and challenging us; it allows us to surpass ourselves and provide solutions in turn. The biggest hurdles we have encountered since our inception is the health crisis. We have seen the whole set-up system crumble; everything we had known before has been swept away. It’s been like hitting the RESET button. You had to reinvent yourself and show courage and creativity to continue in an era that was rather hostile to the emergence of a brand. But we are still here, and proud to be able to exchange with you in this interview.

We will also take advantage of this question to address a topic that is close to our hearts, that of eco-responsibility. In the face of the climate emergency, it is essential and our duty to set an example for the generation of designers who will succeed us.

Regard Magazine EGONLAB

What advice would you give to others embarking on a similar path of fashion and design?

K + F: Believe in your art, and be ready to do anything to defend it. And this advice doesn’t just apply in the fashion industry, but generally in life. We should not be afraid of who we are and what we like, think or desire. Never apologize for being who you are and don’t let anyone tell you who you should be.

Outside of fashion, what are some things that you’re passionate about?

K + F: We are very large consumers of Art. Moreover, Art is an integral part of our creation process. We like to surround ourselves with visual or musical artists, so as to transcend our collections. This gives birth to a very diverse brand universe. For our last collection, we worked hand in hand with Marie-Emmanuelle Arouet and Pablo Bozzi to offer our community an album scheduled for mid-February with FX093, Gewalt, Mind |  Matter, Moral Animal, Pablo Bozzi, Kirsten and The Undertakers ’Tapes.

Regard Magazine EGONLAB

When it comes to your own sense of style, which designers are you drawn to and fit your personality the most?

K + F: Alexander McQueen. Lee was a real genius, by his design, his staging, his messages and especially his nonconformist side. He said, “Fashion should be an escape, not an imprisonment” – that is the real message. Fashion must know no creative limits.

Thank you for taking the time and giving us a glimpse into your world. What is coming up next for you in the near future?

K + F: The 2022 presidential … just kidding. We are working with the EGONlab Family on our next collection and on the diversification of our universe. We would like to create a real “lifestyle” around the brand but also have the possibility of perpetuating the fashion heritage through a high end, well-known fashion brand. But what we are looking forward to, is finally being able to come together for a Fashion, Arts and Music event. We would be happy to welcome you to the EGONlab universe.

Regard Magazine EGONLAB

Instagram: @Egon_Lab

Website: egonlab.com

Tiktok: @EgonLab