I am NOT stalking Walter Van Beirendonck

This past week, Walter Van Beirendonck was a special guest (along with a slew of others) during the Academy of Art University’s “Fashion Week.” I put quotes around “Fashion Week” because it wasn’t a full week — only four days.

But I digress.

The bearded and bejeweled (he wears some intense rings) artist is a part of the Antwerp Six — a posse of designers that includes Marina Yee, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Bikkembergs, and Dirk Van Saene (who was also a special guest last week). All of them fascinate me. They are like the cool art kids who sat in the corner of the cafeteria eating nothing but Skittles for lunch and listening to Fiona Apple, Pet Shop Boys and The Cure.

Dirk Van Saene (center) preps a bear to walk the runway at the Berkeley Art Museum as Walter (right) looks on

Needless to say, I admire Mr. Van Beirendonck (remember when I blogged about my penis scarf?). He’s esoteric. He’s interesting. He doesn’t take fashion seriously, yet the craftsmanship of his clothing is impeccable — luxury even. There is this bizarre combination of conceptual vision, pop art, absurdity and cultural commentary that melds together to create something that is off-center, but makes sense. It’s as if he is telling a joke to the fashion industry and they are laughing, but they just act like they get it. I’m not even totally sure if I get it.

Pieces from his GLOW collection

Bottom line: his work is so not boring that I can’t help but be interested.

While he was in San Francisco, I had a couple of encounters with him and contrary to my insecurity, I do not think I was stalking him:

1.) I met him for the first time during our luncheon with all the guests. Actually, I didn’t formally meet him. I just saw him walk in.

2.) I sat next to Walter and Dirk in a van ride on the way to a special “Rebel Rebel: Anti-style” discussion with designer Keanan Duffty. I introduced myself and talked about the weather.

3.) At the pre-reception of Graduation Fashion Show, I was asked to introduce him to some designers who were showing collections.

4.) After the show, I walked up to him, along with all of our special guests and gave them my thanks for visiting our school. This is when I thought I might be stalking him. I think he was taken by surprise that I bombarded him with my politeness, therefore he was creeped out by me.

5.) Our school also helped out with Walter’s re-staging of his S/S 2010 collection at the Berkeley Art Museum (where they used burly bears instead of waify supermodels). It’s a pretty big deal because he never shows in the U.S. I wanted to show my support so I went to MAC: Modern Appealing Clothing (one of the few stores in the country that carry his line) to buy a shirt. It just so happens that Walter and Dirk were there prepping for the show that was to happen on the following day. Again, I bombarded with my pleasantries.

6.) The day of his show at BAM, I, of course, saw them again. I tried to lay low and I think I succeeded. For some reason, if I said hi yet again, I’d be like that lady on Misery.

Even if I am an admirer, I am not a stalker. At his BAM show, I saw many people who were wearing pieces from his past collections. They were SO outrageous it made my Walter polo look tame. If I was a stalker, then I was in a room full of Walter stalkers.

I didn’t even get a seat at the re-staging of his “Wonderfur” collection because I was working the event for the Academy and trying to not look like a stalker — but I did get to stand near the door of where the models entered and exited.

Check out this clip from the finale.

Yes. That’s Walter underwear — and I want a pair.