INTERVIEW — Reinhilde, Geraldine's Daughter

Interview by Hans Pauwels

H.P. Reinhilde, what is Geraldine’s Daughter about?

R.G.: It's my way of showing—in an inspiring way— how creativity can contribute to the strategy of brands and companies, both big and small. I have a massive visual archive because I take pictures all the time. Everywhere. Private views that show how I see, how I think, how I feel and how this translates into the products, brands and environments that I help create. A look behind the scenes really, into the different aspects of my creations. A collection of stories, both told and untold. Both examples of and allusions to the services that I extend to brands.

H.P. And you have really created a lot, I believe?

R.G. I think so, yes. All-round designers like me are becoming a rare breed. I have been fortunate to work as creative director in fashion and lifestyle companies. Determining the brand strategy and performing or managing all creative processes. I’ve probably designed every piece of cloth—wovens as well as printed fabrics, embroideries, clothing and accessories, you name it. Everything that you can think of for a variety of fashion collections. Homewear, linens, tableware, showrooms, shops, packaging, catalogues,... There’s a small selection of this work on the website. I connected them to the visual inspiration that preceded the design. I refer to them as my “stories told”.…

H.P. You just cannot stop creating?

R.G. There is just so much inspiration in everything around me! But it’s not just creativity. It is creativity set free within the boundaries of what is technically possible and economically viable. I think that this is where my engineering background kicks in. And currently, you have to take sustainability into account as well. You simply cannot exploit many or waste irresponsibly to satisfy the whims of a few.

H.P. You even took on the challenge of designing for food.

R.G. That indeed was challenging because you suddenly are designing for all 5 senses, including taste and smell. And everything has to be in balance: you can design the most beautiful cake or chocolates that are pieces of jewellery by themselves, but their smell, taste, texture has to wow as least as much as the looks.You can only succeed if you work very closely together with the artisans and learn to understand and respect their craftsmanship.

H.P. Respect and craftsmanship in the same sentence, is that a coincidence?

RG Absolutely not, on the contrary. I admire everyone that has the ‘metier’ to turn raw material into something special, into objects that people desire, ultimately purchase, cherish and use for a lifetime. Such products are sustainable by definition. And I am very pleased to notice that they are becoming accessible to a growing number of customers because of technology.

H.P. I haven’t heard technology linked to craftsmanship all that often. Can you explain?

R.G. Technology for instance provides better access to data. More and better data allows artisan manufacturers to make better decisions. Allowing companies for instance to reduce the hit-and-miss factor in product development or in taking a product to market. Reducing the risk will lower the cost of the product and increase the potential market size. AI and AR are obvious examples where digitalisation will improve processes, also for smaller artisanal manufacturers, and grow their businesses. But there is a lot more happening in terms of new materials; organic waste processed into fabric, lab grown leathers, wearable technology… Or new techniques in for instance digital or 3D printing that allow smaller, more flexible production runs with a very short time to market, especially when backed up by online or multichannel business models. On top of all this, the internet has made the market truly global for even the smaller or medium sized companies.

H.P. But highly competitive at the same time.

R.G. Maybe so, and—from a European perspective—we may not be ideally positioned to compete on price. Historically however, our cultural heritage has been known and admired throughout the world. And this is where I believe that the opportunities lie, where we have an enormous competitive advantage: using our cultural background creatively to build and market products or services that are truly unique and authentic. Exploring classical ideas and products, reinventing and adjusting them to be in accord with the brand and its values. Such products will always be of value to customers. Such products will always be sought after. Not only in Europe, but worldwide.

H.P. We seem to have progressed to the topic of branding. How come?

R.G. Because a product is not just about its physical aspects and price. Products are unique for the story that they tell, for what they personify, for the dreams that they suggest. The story is an essential part of the product. The story has to be told consistently and thoughtfully: both in words and in images. We are living in an increasingly visual world: as you know, about 100 million photos or videos are shared on Instagram every single day. Instagram users will post images of your product, your store, your services. You have no impact on these images. But you have impact on what your product looks like, how it is presented, the environment in which is it sold. The ‘stage’ has to be consistent with the brand at all times. There is no room for error, because every mistake can be disseminated instantly and globally. The cost of reputation damage is massive.

H.P. Is that what you refer to under Style Curator?

R.G. Designing, defining and developing the brand, its values, personality and image—both verbally as visually—is what I would categorize under ‘storytelling’. Once we start looking at the brand attributes – or its style if you want – for me it is more about ‘Style Curating’. It is about researching, defining and applying the particularities that invigorate the brand, give the brand its own personal style through which it is recognized. And making sure that this style is maintained and always correctly applied. It’s actually the role of both a curator and a custodian.

H.P. What about the stories yet untold?

R.G. They are kind of a visual notebook for me. When I travel, or even just when I am walking around, I see things and I photograph them. And later on, when I work on these photographs in my studio, they somehow always seem to come together, form a whole. It’s probably at this very moment that the design process really starts for me. It will probably take several twists and turns from this point onwards, but there will be a tangible result at the end.

H.P. So glad to hear that there is more to come. We cannot wait to see the results.

E n j o y !