Paris (AFP)
The Dutch fashion designer Josephus Thimister, former artistic director of Balenciaga and Charles Jourdan, died at the age of 57, announced Wednesday the French Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion.
Josephus Thimister had directed Balenciaga between 1991 and 1997, before creating his own fashion house, ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories, "Thimister Paris".
According to the International Dictionary of Fashion, he contributed "by his minimalist style and great mastery of the cup to modernize the image of the house" Balenciaga, before he succeeds Nicolas Ghesquière.
The Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion regretted in a statement "the disappearance of Josephus Thimister whose avant-gardism, elegance and control of the cup have, for many years, contributed to the creative momentum Parisian".
The causes and the place of his death were not communicated.
At its fourth Paris fashion show, in 2010, the Dutch designer had made an impression with a unisex collection in red, khaki and ecru, inspired by the First World War. "The military theme makes it possible to come down a little of the seam, to make it more human, more accessible", explained to AFP the creator with the looks of young man, describing "a mixture of ultra-sophistication and ultra -gross".
Born on September 16, 1962, a graduate of Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Josephus Thimister started at Karl Lagerfeld as an assistant to the men's collection.
He then joined Jean Patou, before taking charge in 1991 of Balenciaga's artistic direction for ready-to-wear and accessories. From 1998 to 2001, he also took the artistic direction of the Italian brand Genny. In 2006, he succeeded the English bootmaker Patrick Cox to the artistic direction of the shoe designer Charles Jourdan. He has also worked for many ready-to-wear brands as a consultant.
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