Most 30 year-olds from Kortrijk, Belgium don’t end up working with fashion’s greatest and directing 2 Beyoncé videos. (There was that one local dude who tattooed a bunch of stars on a sleeping girl’s face, though.)
Pierre Debusschere needs little to no intro. His cinematic, photographic and visual artwork for
and Raf Simons has become a fashion staple. Walked past the Monnaie/Munt opera building in Brussels lately? Those giant banners of Margiela yellow diamond-encrusted faces with streaked ‘tears’ streaming down the front pillars? Debusschere. Did you join me and the rest of the Beyhive world in repeatedly staring slack-jawed at
every video from Beyoncé's ‘Visual Album
Ex Machina'? ‘Ghost’ and ‘MINE’ were all Pierre’s.
At the top of the game, there’s no telling where Pierre and his 254FOREST crew are headed next. But before we can look ahead, here’s a nifty little guide of P.D. must-knows & current updates, in case your editor ever bellows: “Get me Debusschere!”
254FOREST
That Saint Gilles life. Pierre's posse is fronted by the creative studio, “
", named after the street it calls home. Since 2009, “254" has been the moniker under which Frederic Ameel, Jean-Stéphane Garbe, Ismael Moumin & Debusschere have created their own films, photography, music and art. The physical studio itself is currently expanding.
CR FASHION BOOK / BOW DOWN BITCHES
"Knowles, Roitfeld, Tisci and Debusschere" could be the world’s most fabulous law firm. Or it could be the team behind the most recent CR Fashion Book cover. Both options fill my lungs with frisson. Debusschere captured King B in the freshest finery from Yohji, Comme, Sibling, Givenchy and Nike + R.T. Here’s a still from
a behind-the-scenes video Beyoncé posted
. I don’t think I’ve ever seen BB give anyone the finger, have you?
A higher compliment has seldom been paid.
DAZED / RAF / CHANEL
If the above trio of names doesn't give you a fashion chill, please exit stage left.
Debusschere got his break making an impromptu video while giving his buddy photographer Daniel Sannwald a ride to Berlin. Dazed & Confused saw it, loved it, copped it. A steady stream of collabs ensued. Raf Simons and Debusschere have also been teaming up for shoots, campaigns and online art direction for several years now.
Early work for Dazed & Confused (2009).
Last year, Pierre Debusschere debuted a film for Chanel and Harper’s Bazaar China.
(Raf Simons x Fred Perry SS13)
(Raf Simons SS13)
Kanye was one of the first to pick up on Pierre’s work on his blog (R.I.P. KanyeUniverseCity), granting him a lot of clout at the pinnacle of the music industry. You can often recognise Debusschere’s signature by the prevalence of Photoshop art direction: tears, blurred or angular edges and collages feature ostensibly - inspired by the work of Gerhard Richter.
MONNAIE
For the 2014-’15 season, Belgian royal theatre house
- obviously run by the right people - offered Debusschere a well-exposed platform. Using different colours and Photoshop brush strokes, Debusschere has woven the seven deadly sins throughout the theatre’s newest visual identity.
Last year, Debusschere debuted his most personal project to date: "I Know Simply That The Sky Will Last Longer Than I”. Paying homage to all the art history and music that has given him life throughout life, the project turned into a book, exhibit and film.
On October 4th,
, “I Know Simply That The Sky Will Last Longer Than I" will be screened inside 'De Munt'. On the square in front of the theatre, live music will accompany a projection of his 7 Deadly Sins video art on the building’s façade.
#254FOULARDS
His most recent feat is a collection of hand-embroidered scarves, named “
". The cryptically inscribed pieces can be worn as neckerchiefs or to shroud your face/persona/break-out spots in darkness. Tonight, during Parisian VOGUE Fashion's Night Out, the collection of 100 unique foulards will be unveiled at
.
If you were curious to see what Pierre looks like, the photo below will be wonderfully unhelpful. You’re welcome!
I do still wonder how Bey and Kanye pronounce his last name. “Dubyoushurra”? “Duboosquerruh”?
“Yeah, I’ma just say Pierre”.
I'll make a mental note to squeak this question in his direction if I ever bump into him at a party. I’ll probably just crab shuffle away with my face to the wall, like the time I spotted
and Willy. But that’s a whole ’nother story.
