Stijn Helsen Rooms
I love to surround myself with beautiful objects.
Stijn Helsen
Belgian fashion designer portrait
He started developing an international career when he chose a nonconformist tailoring course that started in Liege and then took him to ‘Instituto Marangoni’ in Milan, the Mecca of fashion. During his career he has worked with Vivienne Westwood, one of the most important British avant-garde designers, and next made a stopover to design the men’s line at Joseph and various licenses at Valentino, the unique fashion king in Rome. After opening a new store in Hasselt, he pursued a new call, this time in Hollywood. He worked on the costumes of the main characters in the box-office successes ‘Spiderman’, ‘Seabiscuit’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. With his core business, bespoke suits, he clothes members of the Royal family, pop stars and actors such as Lenny Kravitz, Danny Houston and Keanu Reeves. The public at large also loves his recognizable fitting. He would not be Stijn Helsen if he limited his interest to designing clothing. His great interest in art and design led him to design a bed in 2010. Now, a year later, he is collaborating with the famous bed specialist Veldeman. A craving for perfection is not foreign to either party. This attitude results in a beautiful line of beds entitled Stijn Helsen Rooms.
Collection
The Stijn Helsen clothing and bed lines are characterized by lots of attention to subtle details and a penchant for art, especially colorful modernism.
People spend, on average, one third of their lives in bed. This average is increasing because more time is spent on cocooning. As a result, the bed deserves special attention when decorating the bedroom. A bed is a very intimate place and we only share it with someone consciously. That’s why a personalized bed is no longer strange. The ‘Stijn Helsen Rooms’ collection offers you the opportunity to choose from a large assortment of fabrics, sizes and accessories. Things used to be different. The pharaohs in ancient Egypt slept on beds that were the same shape as we know them today. They slept with their feet on the raised end, which we now call the head of the bed. Because the bed was also a status symbol, ornaments and bedding have been subject to fashion trends throughout history. During the poor Middle Ages, this piece of furniture was mentioned in wills. It was often the only thing one could inherit. Beds also have a long history as a dowry. For a long time, having a bed that was only shared with the partner was a luxury that only the rich could afford. These days it is not a luxury, it is a requirement. The added value that the beds receive through the collaboration of bed specialist Veldeman Group and Stijn Helsen is that every bed is custommade. This results in a limited edition.
Veldeman Bedding – Stijn Helsen Rooms
The Stijn Helsen fashion line is characterized by lots of attention to subtle details: stitching in striking colors with eye-catching buttons on a sober pin-stripe bespoke suit, contrasting silk linings that attract attention when the blazer is unbuttoned... and above all a perfect fit. The funky bespoke suit has elegant lapels, a proportioned waist with a tubular silhouette. These are the characteristics of Stijn Helsen. He is passionate about art. His creations are a mix of diverse art impressions with a strong penchant for colorful modernism. The endless desire for precision that characterizes both the Veldeman Group and Stijn Helsen, in combination with Veldeman’s expertise in creating the perfect mattress, results in a series of beds that will
usher in a new trend.
Concept Store
The third Helsen store opened in Hasselt in 2007: the ‘Stijn Helsen Concept Store’. In addition to a well-developed insight, a love of this craft was passed through three generations of tailors. Almost unprecedented service is bestowed on customers. On second thought, the customer is not a customer
because the common hierarchy is subtly exchanged for discrete intimacy. These are also the qualities that one experiences at:
Stijn Helsen’s new concept store: ‘ten thousand things’
‘Stijn Helsen Concept Store’ is a concept in more than one regard. The architecture and decor of the store is a total project by Stijn. He was able to give it shape by collaborating with a Brussels architect. The enormous glass revolving door leads us into a total concept. The ingeniousness of the entire architecture lies in diverse apparent contradictions. The coolness of the black ceiling and rear walls is absorbed by the plasticity of the materials. The antique travertine pillars support the most recent architectural touches, which in turn reinforce the building’s 16th century beams that are part of the new store. Stijn Helsen combines the best of two cultures: tradition and evolution go hand in hand.
Retro influences combined with contemporary tendencies can be discerned in his store. It is a mixture of romance and contemporary. The total concept radiates ‘Stijn Helsen’. He thought up with the concept from the large designs to the smallest details. His craving for perfection and details is typical of a great tailor. The objects on the second floor of ‘tenthousendthings’ are either highly glamorous or radiate exoticism. Books, vases, mirrors, furniture and ottomans designed by Stijn… ‘thousands of things’ can be found. From this level you can see the ground floor. To the left of the ‘art and design’ part you will find the dressing rooms, where many fabrics and linings of the ‘sumisura line’ wait to be chosen. The fourth and fifth floors house ateliers and offices. In total almost 1000m2 is ready for ladies and gentlemen. This space includes a
prêt-à-porter line and Stijn Helsen’s couture line. The success of Stijn Helsen lies in the fact that he is innovative because he chooses the individual at a time when popular culture is booming. You notice this in his clothing line as well as in his line of beds.
Hotel projects
In Stijn’s hotel projects, everything radiates harmony. There is no sharp contrast just complementary opposites, no clash of cultures just enrichment. Stijn’s ‘time and space travelling’ aspect, which is driven by a desire for quests and a curious “at home” feeling in hotel rooms, is present everywhere. Stijn has the necessary respect for tradition without renouncing the individuality of a progressive cosmopolitan. In short, it is a ‘place’ where you feel at home.
Contact
Stijn Helsen Rooms Collection
By Veldeman Bedding nv
Industrieweg-Noord 1155
3660 Opglabbeek
BELGIUM
Contact: Paul Schreurs
+32 (0)89 36 66 60
Showroom Stijn Helsen Rooms
Opening fall 2012
Havermarkt 7-9
3500 Hasselt
BELGIUM
Stijn Helsen Concept Store
Diesterstraat 10-12-14
3500 Hasselt
BELGIUM
Contact: Ann Vandenborne
+32 (0)11 77 13 13
Stijn Helsen Press Office
Media Mania
Kipdorp 23
2000 Antwerpen
BELGIUM
Contact: Raf Caramin
+32 (0)3 213 07 45
WW.STIJNHELSENROOMS.COM
WW.STIJNHELSEN.COM