To discover the future of fashion, last month a flock of fashionistas descended on Hyeres in the south of France for the annual “Festival international des Arts de la Mode.” The influential show is responsible for launching venerated talents such as Viktor and Rolf, Alexandre Matthieu and Gaspard Yurkievich and now 1999′s first prize winner of the event, Crstof Beaufays is beginning to make his mark with a brand new label Auguste. Serious minded, starkly constructed and deeply thoughtful are characteristics we’ve come to expect from Belgian designers and Beaufays lives up this legacy. Cut out leather pieces, bomber jackets with detachable parts to be used as scarf, decorative collars on overcoats concealing mittens and removable hoods that make the wearer feel anonymous or part of a collective identity in the attempt to create a new language from familiar looking contents is the auspicious start of this talent to watch.

- Jason Campbell
Photo: Auguste Fall 2003