Véronique Branquinho terminates eponymous label

By

Dominique Muret

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Jun 19, 2017

Four sentences are enough to mark the end of a fine venture. It is curtains for Véronique Branquinho's eponymous ready-to-wear label, which the Belgian designer had successfully relaunched five years ago. In a brief press release, Branquinho stated she wants to close down the business, without offering any other explanation, saying that "for the time being the Autumn/Winter 2017 show was the last."

The Belgian designer founded her own fashion label in 1998, showing in Paris for the first time at the age of 24. She managed the business single-handedly and, after the 2008 financial crisis, she was forced to discontinue her men's and women's ready-to-wear collections in 2009.

In 2012, a fashion phoenix reborn, she started out again with the Spring/Summer 2013 womenswear collection thanks to the Onward Luxury Group (formerly Gibò), which was continuing production of Branquinho footwear. The European subsidiary of Japanese group Onward is a benchmark in Italy for the production and distribution of top-end collections, notably handling Jil Sander.

In the press release, the two parties stated that their separation is effective as of 19th June, and no other detail about this sudden termination was given.

The label had performed positively in the first few seasons after the relaunch, as Véronique Branquinho went back to her design roots featuring a classic, timeless style, both simple and sophisticated and with an added romantic-Gothic twist, creating collections in which impeccably-cut, 100% made-in-Italy dresses, jackets and trousers played the starring role.