We often talk about how prolific Belgium is when it comes to fashion and unique forms of creative expression. We are familiar not only with the big names that have come out from the country, but we’ve also been keeping an eye on the newer brands and the younger designers that are in the process of continuing the legendary run Belgian fashion has been having ever since the last century. Meryll Rogge is one of these names that are already established and respected not only in her country but outside of it, with her creations being loved all around the world and her name being mentioned in almost every prestigious fashion awards finalist shortlist. With a constant curiosity that extends from fashion to complements, beauty and fragrances, it's now time to discover her vision of interiors and spaces as the new resident of the Vitra Apartment store in Antwerp. We talked to her to discover more.
From the Royal Academy of Antwerp classrooms to New York with Marc Jacobs, back to Antwerp with Dries Van Noten, until finally founding her namesake brand, Meryll Rogge has had a perfect career where every decision seems to have been the right one and where every step of the road has contributed to building what is now a solid pillar to sustain the hopefully long and successful future ahead. Always open to exploring new worlds and new ways to translate her unique creative vision into something tangible, the proposal from MoMu — within the context of their Fashion & Interiors. A Gendered Affair exhibit — to be the next guest designer for The Apartment at the Vitra Partner Store in Antwerp seemed like a perfect fit and the perfect opportunity to blend creative freedom with the highest quality materials and processes to create a one-of-a-kind space.
Starting from one of the most relevant Vitra chairs, the Aluminium Eames Chair, the ANDAM, LVMH Prize and International Woolmark Prize nominee conceived a comfortable, cosy and unique interior. We speak with her about this project, her most recent — and biggest to date — Paris Fashion Week show, the industry and her bucket list.
Hi Meryll, congratulations on this project! Could you tell us about your process when creating your installation for Vitra's apartment space? How did it start?
Around September I was approached about potentially doing a collaboration with Vitra and MoMu since the upcoming exhibition was about interiors and fashion, and they thought it would be interesting to do some kind of an installation around that, and of course the idea appealed to me because I like doing things outside of fashion. I like to design clothes, obviously; otherwise I wouldn't do it, but I always think it's interesting when it's pulled out a little bit further than fashion, and since the last years I've been working on the fragrance and beauty for Dries, all the packaging and the whole concept, the idea of doing interiors is a little bit like a step further even.
Taking the iconic Aluminium Eames Chair as your starting point, what inspired you to reinterpret it with a tailored textile approach?
I could choose an object from the catalogue of Vitra to customise or to do something with. And then, of course, the Aluminium Chair is the chair that I sit on every day because I have it at my office. We have two of them. So for the last five years I've been spending a lot of time on it; it felt like a good starting point. Departing from that, we're thinking about the work environment, what is reminiscent of a work environment. It's like a suit, a grey heritage wool suit from the UK. So I started to think about that. And then this chair evolved into this working chair with a nod to office wear. I also looked at the work of Joseph Beuys and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster for atmosphere and vibe.
Was working with this sort of office codes and spaces an idea you had from the start? How was the conceptual evolution of the project?
We started thinking about a function for this room. I didn't want it to be a living room or a bedroom; I wanted something quite functional with a link to work. One of the most interesting parts of working for me is doing research. I don't have enough time to do it at the moment, so the idea of creating this perfect research room felt quite appealing. It's the perfect research room because it has chairs you can sit quite comfortably in, and it's quite functional but also has a kind of a cocoon effect without distractions. We wanted to create an atmosphere that's a little bit elevated; you're not on the same level as what's happening in the real world, but you're a little bit in the clouds. Material-wise, we have the blinds that are also reminiscent of the office. We have a brown carpet and the wood panelling veneer. These are all elements that you could find in an office, but just in a bit of a more charming way, let's say.
You mentioned the suit as being related to this room; do you see it as an extension of the space? Is it like the ideal garment to wear in here?
It's not the ideal; the ideal is wearing track pants or something (laughs). We have the suit, but we haven't hung it because we still need to find a hook to put it on, but it's really a nod to this classic work idea. I really love to work with heritage wools, so it was important to have a link with our collections as well.
Was there anything that particularly surprised or intrigued you?
Well, actually, Vitra is really strict about the materials used in their objects because they really have to stand the test of time. We did many tests with wools; some didn't survive the test, but this one did. We didn't know in advance if it was going to work out or not, so this was a challenging part of the process. The technicality is that it's welded; it's not stitched, so you need to fuse it, melt it. But this is 100% wool, so there is no polyester or anything in it, so that was a challenge. Then it also has to be thin enough that it can go into the little turning point at the end of the chair. All this stuff, of course, we've learnt on the job, but it was very interesting to me.
There's a part in the MoMu exhibition where we see the different spaces the designers live and work in, where we can get an idea of how these locations reflect on their work. I know you live in the countryside; it's something very specific for your brand. Do you imagine working in a place like the one you designed for this installation?
Yeah, I actually think it would be very nice. I think you would need, for certain parts of the process, like choosing colours, more light, but to do research and to do certain parts of it, it would be wonderful to have this space. I would love it, actually.
And the space you currently work in, how do you think it informs what you create, your designs and your perspective?
The space itself, not so much, I think. It's just an open canvas. It has big windows, which is nice, but unfortunately I look more at my computer and what's happening on the table than at the outside, but still it's nice when you arrive and when you leave or when you're on the phone and you can look outside, but for me it's not so much the space itself. Maybe since it's remote from big fashion capitals, it makes it so we're quite focused on what we're doing and not focused on what other people are doing. We really don't feel this attraction to follow.
I believe you were working on this project at the same time as your FW25 collection, which seems to reflect some of these design elements. I also noticed a strong focus on scenography this season—was there a dialogue between the two projects?
Yeah, for sure. The love of wood came through in both projects. With the show, it was wallpaper wood. We found this beautiful wallpaper from the 60s or 70s, I think, and it really had the texture. It's not just a digital print or anything; this really has the greens and the screen-printed colours, and it's so rich. You cannot find this anymore, and here it's, of course, real wood because it's a bigger space and it has walls, and it has to function as, like, a little home, so the differences are there, but there are definitely some links for sure. I mean, you don't create things in a box.
In terms of workload, how was it working on all of this at the same time? You never stop!
Well, we also have the Woolmark Prize next week that we're nominated for, so there was a lot of work for all three. And some other projects also. It's been actually a hell of a time; it was really intense and really busy, and I haven't had a moment since, like, 2024. I haven't had a weekend, actually. I was hoping this week, but I think there's another situation, so it's not happening yet, but soon it will be back to normal. We didn't know that we had the Woolmark, and we didn't know that we were going to have our first show either, so these are things you just have to deal with.
Congratulations on your new collection and your biggest show to date! Do you feel "the bigger, the better" applies here?
Definitely better, 100%. You can do things with more quality. We had a team called Profirst; they're amazing, and they took on the whole production part. They worked on sound and light and helped us with the decor, location, scouting and everything, so it makes things way easier. You can really focus on the looks, on the clothes, and on your job, really, because otherwise we're running around doing things that are outside of our responsibilities, so this was a dream.
I'm wondering, since you mentioned you didn't know you were doing this show, despite this, you already had this type of space in mind when working on the collection?
Yeah, the collection always evolves till the very last moment. Usually it's those last pieces and moments that are what I find the most interesting, even though they're so painful for everybody else who has to make them or get them (laughs). When we found the location, we started to think a bit in broader terms, and we started to imagine other things. This collection evolved when we saw the space, so it's like one big creation. The space definitely has an influence on how you style the garments and how they look in the end and the final result.
Your style is very specific and signature to your brand; where does it come from? Is it a mix of everything you've seen and experienced? Do you think there are intrinsic influences that you're not even aware of?
I mean, I like to compare it to when you eat things. If you're going to eat vegetables and fruits, you're going to look great and feel great. If you're going to eat or watch stupid stuff, then maybe not so much comes out of it. You need to stay informed. I think it's good to keep seeing and hearing about things. My husband, he's really interested in the arts in general, and he shows me things. It's nice because sometimes I don't have time to do that. He's quite influential, without me realising it. So from him, but also the people that I work with, they bring things forward. And then I get attached to certain things and to other things I don't.
Is there something specific that you feel influenced by lately?
Well, for the last show, we really looked at the work of Gordon Matta-Clark. I've really liked his whole universe for many years now. I knew about him since the Academy; that's where I learnt about him, from my art history teacher, actually. In recent years I started to think more and more about it, and then it was nice when it all came together in the last show. The clothes are not literal, but there are some hints, like circular ruffles that represent the cutouts or the wallpaper that we did based on his book Walls Paper. There are subtle hints; the decor was also a little hint to his work without being a blatant copy.
Now talking a little bit about different topics. You're still an independent brand…
Unfortunately.
Unfortunately? How is it to be an independent brand?
It's really difficult. I mean, sometimes when problems arise, it's better when you have investors, for sure.
And what about in the sense of creative freedom? Don't you feel like it may be a burden if you are not independent anymore?
I don't know. I'm not a person that doesn't see the value in creating nice, beautiful, wearable clothes. I like it, so I wouldn't really have a problem, I think, with thinking about selling more.
Do you feel the industry is adapting towards independent brands survival, or is it completely contrary?
No, they really don't care. I see it with many brands around me; it's like you see a hot new thing, and then they consume it, whether it's press or retailers or whatever, and then after a few seasons, it's discarded. It's brutal, and it's funny because when I go to these competitions, that's when we can talk about these things with our colleagues, the competitors. So it's not easy, and you get way less of a chance to develop than before.
How does, for example, showing at Paris Fashion Week, really reflect on a brand?
I think it's good. I mean, it helps with the credibility for sure. It's nice, and you get to see a lot of press and buyers, and everybody's there at the same time. So I think that's quite positive.
You've been nominated for almost every important prize. Congratulations for all that, by the way.
Thank you!
What's missing? Like, I don't know, an Oscar for custom design? (laughs)
Well, actually, that's on my bucket list. Maybe one day.
Really?
For sure. That would be nice, actually. I would love to do something with film one day, and that would be really great, but not now. Now it's too busy, but later.
Is there any film that you would have loved doing the costume for?
I like to think about contemporary clothes but also a nice period movie like The Favourite. It's quite interesting because they had a very low budget to work with, and they did things with muslin and simple cotton and even, I think, paper cutouts, but I think it's quite interesting.
What else is in your bucket list?
Oh, good question. I don't know. I feel like we got a lot done in five years, I'm not going to lie, so we're super happy about the accomplishments. But then, of course, we're still very much rooted in reality. With everyday issues and problems and production delays and cash flow, making sure everything works — I mean, it's very difficult, so we don't really have time to think. It's in moments like this that I can think about that sort of stuff, but otherwise we don't think about it. You only think about what is on our plate today, what is next, and what's happening.
Your name has appeared in some of the most important fashion awards, from ANDAM to LVMH to winning Belgian Designer of the Year. What would you say is the most significant impact of these recognitions? Is it the press, the motivation, or the sales—where have you noticed the greatest effect?
I think the press and the sense of credibility for sure. In sales, it doesn't reflect so much. In motivation also, it's a great recognition. We're a super small team at the moment of only women, so it's just super nice to get this nice recognition. One thing on the bucket list, I guess, would be to win one of these prizes. That would be good because it's a lot of money, but you never really know who's going to win it. It could be the underdog; it could be the favourite; you never know.
How has your perspective on fashion changed throughout your journey—from your early years at the academy to your in-house days at Marc Jacobs and Dries Van Noten to now being a brand owner? You've experienced multiple roles; how does the industry look from each of those perspectives? Has your sense of "creative freedom" evolved along the way?
I mean, when I started, it was much more stable. But I've noticed how fashion has become more practical with, for example, the arrival of digital print in fabrics. That kind of changed everything because if you wanted to create a multi-layer print, you had to create like five, six or ten screens. Each screen is 500 euros, so it's only something that big brands could do. Now you can do it as a young brand; you can print three metres of digital printed multicolour or something, and it's an amazing evolution. Then also the arrival of influencers. This didn't exist when I started. The front row were celebrities and journalists.
And for you as a brand, do you have any focus on that aspect?
No, we try to focus on making nice things and getting nice images out. And when it makes sense, we for sure would like to work with people that maybe are influencers that inspire us or that are friends, like Gala Gonzalez, for example. She's an influencer, but she's a friend, so it's more organic. There are people that we love in the VIP world. I love working with Chloe Sevigny; she's amazing. But for me it doesn't make sense to push a random celebrity or a random influencer.
In an interview you mentioned a quote that stuck with you. "The value of a brand is determined by how well it can serve its customers." How do you think you are serving your customers?
When I talk about serving the client, it is to give them something that they will enjoy wearing on a daily basis. We spend a lot of time in production fittings trying it on. We try it on that person, that person, and that person. How does it feel? Does it itch? It's really thinking about those things and giving them a garment that they're going to have pleasure in wearing in their daily lives and that they can have for a long time. That's the goal, but are we there yet? Probably not. It's practical problems. We're a small team, and we need to catch up with the reality of servicing people, but we do it for sure in the clothes; it's definitely done and taken care of, but it's more in terms of logistics that we need to work a little bit, but I think everybody has growing pains. We will figure it out.
And how do your customers serve you back?
It's amazing to see just a post on Instagram, the tagged pictures, or just people being so enthusiastic about the show. It's wonderful to get feedback and some affection from people who come up to me and say, "Oh, I love this."
