Willy Vanderperre and Olivier Rizzo’s story originally appeared in i-D’s 40th Anniversary Issue, no. 361, Winter 2020. Order your copy here.
Raf Simons, Willy Vanderperre, Olivier Rizzo; three Belgian school friends who revolutionised fashion design and image-making in the 00s.
They took the post-fashion attitudes of Margiela and militant minimalisms of Helmut Lang and refracted it through an idealised vision of outsider 80s post-punk iconography, refigured and seen as through the fringes of Flemish culture.
All three found a natural home at i-D magazine as they were starting out. In 2001 they worked on a story, titled Forever I Am A Part Of You And Me, for the Raf Simons guest edited issue. It’s a story that stands as an iconoclastic marker of a new era in fashion.
And as Raf Simons launches his Redux collection – a look back through his own impressive archives, relaunching 100 grails from his past collections, which goes on sale this December – Willy and Olivier have revisited that original editorial, paying homage to their history, our birthday, and our shared journey over the last 20 years.
Willy Vanderperre
What was i-D like when you started shooting for the magazine? How has it changed?
I think everything changes as we live in an ever-changing world, but the fact that the i-D wink hasn’t changed since the launch of the magazine is just brilliant.
Do you have a favourite i-D memory?
My first visit at the office, meeting Terry and Tricia, seeing the love and respect between the two of them, the passion for the magazine.
And a favourite story?
The one we revised for this issue.
What was it like revisiting it?
Fun and exciting. To revisit that story and rework it for the now, it was challenging and fun.
Your collaboration with Olivier Rizzo and Raf Simons is one of fashion’s most enduring: what makes a good collaboration?
Dialogue, respect, fun and challenging each other.
Describe Olivier in four words…
Olivier is my everything.
i-D is 40 years old! Do you have a birthday message for us?
Happy Birthday i-D! On to the next 40 years!
Olivier Rizzo
What was i-D like when you started shooting for the magazine? How has it changed?
Aspirational and inspirational, i-D hasn’t really changed that much, it kept the iconic wink and logo on the cover, which I love.
Do you have a favourite story you worked on for i-D?
The i-D February 2001 cover story for The Heroes Issue, titled Forever I Am A Part Of You And Me.
What was it like revisiting this cover for this issue?
Funny and very special at the same time.
Do you have a favourite i-D memory?
All the chats and coffees with Tricia and Terry.
Your collaboration with Willy Vanderperre and Raf Simons is one of fashion’s most enduring: what makes a good collaboration?
True respect, openness, understanding, devotion and non-stop investing of good will and belief.
Describe Willy in four words…
Love, love, love, love.
i-D is 40 years old! Do you have a birthday message for us?
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear i-D magazine!
Happy Birthday to you!
Credits
Photography Willy Vanderperre
Styling Olivier Rizzo
Hair Anthony Turner at Streeters.
Make-up Lynsey Alexander at Streeters.
Nail technician Lynn Meyer.
Lighting technician Romain Dubus.
Digital operator Olivier Looren.
Lighting assistant Samir Dari.
Styling assistance Niccolo Torelli.
Hair assistance Claire Grech.
Make-up assistance Phoebe Brown.
Producer to Willy Vanderperre Lieze Rubbrecht.
Production Mindbox.
Producer Isabelle Verreyke.
Project manager Lise Luyckx.
Production assistance Roel Van Tittelboom.
Thanks to Elisa Allenbach at TripleLutz Paris.
Models Daan Duez at Rebel Management. Ilona Desmet at Girl Management.