She continues to do runway work, notably for Demna at Balenciaga.
With her partner, photographer Ronald Stoops (and others) she also creates memorable editorials.
Its there, the artist said on a Zoom, that creativity lives.
Make-up by Inge Grognard for Jurgi Persoons, spring 2003 ready-to-wear
Swipe right below to see some of the work featured in the exhibition and catalog.
Ahead of the Balenciaga show, the artist took time out to answer five questions.
How did you start working with beautyand with Martin Margiela?
James Ensor,Astonishment of the Mask Wouse,1889, Collection Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp – Flemish Community, www.artinflanders.be, inv. 2042.
I finished high school I was 18 and then I could make my own choice.
My parents wanted me to go to university, but I really wanted to do something with fashion.
Through Martin, I met also the Antwerp Six.
Inge Grognard for Balenciaga, spring 2024 ready-to-wear
Of course the people walking for him were important, but the most important part was the clothes.
Whats your approach to your work?
Not that I want to compare myself with Ensor, but he went into the psychology of people.
What can I do with them?
My work is quite organic.
Its like I have moods in my stomach and then I venture to express them.
And then of course I am supposed to make people more beautiful, but what is more beautiful?
Even for me, thats a big question.
Do you think we are more or less masked in a digital world?
And then you have social media, seeing all those filtered images.
But on the other side, rawness is also appreciated.
I thought that was really brave.
They just want to show how they are.
At a certain moment, enough is enough.
In what way has the industry changed since the 80s?
Thats difficult to say.
When I started there were the big eyebrowsremember Comme des Garcons?everybody had big eyebrows then.
Youre asked about your work with Margiela all the time.
What do you think was unique about what you did together?
We had Mugler and Montana and before that Yves Saint Laurent, and then the Japanese designers started.
We really wanted to do something that was not done before.
And I think in a way, what we did in fashion and with Martin was quite new.
Inge Grognard for Balenciaga, spring 2024 ready-to-wear
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
