At a moment when the world feels increasingly fraught, Ronald van der Kemp presented a powerful lineup of looks that were a love letter to Mother Nature.
The collection, titled “Call of the Wild,” was rooted in the Amazon rainforest, and first looks were a collaboration with longtime muse, Brazilian artist Thayna Caiçara. Many pieces were handcrafted by a collective of Indigenous artisans in Brazil, all from deadstock or upcycled materials.
First looks were deceiving, with dresses that appeared to be palm leaves but were “reimagined” plissé fabric that tricked the eye with layers of paint, bonding, embroidery and beading.
Looks varied from wild textural mixes to silhouettes of a ’40s vixen, with structured shoulders and peplum details. Polka dots were paired with stripes and houndstooth, brocade with leather and lace.
Other pieces were adorned with sculptural birds and insect-like wings, as if ready to take flight, and yet it never veered even close to costume.
Backstage at RVDK Ronald van der Kemp Fall 2025 Couture.
Mirella Malaguti/WWD
A colorful flurry of a coat was created from scraps sent to his atelier in Amsterdam in garbage bags by a friend in London, while a city jacket from techno-taffeta used layers of pouchy pockets to create an unexpected peplum.
But beyond the visual drama, van der Kemp offered a deeper message that fashion shouldn’t harm the planet. “We only work with what exists,” he said of his upcycling ethos. He wants to change the system, believes it can only be done from within and encourages young designers to stick with it.
Van der Kemp said he hopes his business model proves that fashion can exist outside the traditional, resource-heavy, extractive system.
“Now, after 10 years, I can say we have a good business only with couture, which I think is very rare,” he said. “A couture business that’s not only sustainable, but thriving.”
It’s a waste-not, want-not collection, and every piece is precise. Van der Kemp set out to remind us that the dot-com isn’t the only Amazon worth paying attention to, and this collection made the case beautifully.
“No one wants to hear another bad story — beauty is how we reach people under the skin.”
