The Most

In the span of the past couple of months, Karina Zharmukhambetova has walked Pieter Mulier's first ALAÏA runway show, conceptualised supportive structures and programs for minoritized and underrepresented youth, all while building an archival fashion platform with one of her best friends - previous The Most guest Maude Van Dievoet.

Dominique and Karina discuss how modern work-circumstances for models can be improved, how losing a steady job in the very early stages of the pandemic felt, why Karina decided to write the mail that changed the trajectory of her career and how she sees the future for their STOF endeavour.

Dominique also has some special requests involving Tom Barman from dEUS and both A.F. Vandevorst-s.

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Follow STOF here. Get the 'KAMASUTRA met STOF' editorial posters here, supporting Antwerp human trafficking non-profit Payoke.

She is the co-founder of archival designer and vintage store and platform 'STOF' (together with Karina Zharmukhambetova) and as a passionate champion of Belgian design she dedicates herself to unearthing extremely rare pieces and making them accessible for new audiences.

Maude talks to host Dominique Nzeyimana about how her parents' affiliation with the Belgian and international fashion world deeply influenced her. The two also take a deep-dive into Maude's troublesome high school years, the strategic move that eventually saved her, going to fashion school in Paris and moving to London before finally returning to Antwerp and setting up STOF.

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The abundantly talented painter Bahati Simoens sits down with Dominique Nzeyimana at the loft for an extensive talk.

From growing up happy-go-lucky in Burundi to a less comfortable life in Belgium, Bahati shares how she finally found her footing becoming a raved-about artist within 2 years of first putting a brush to canvas. Channelling and reflecting her Black gaze on the bodies she brilliantly paints with palpable tenderness & light, Bahati Simoens' figurative work self-contains an entire universe. If fine art's on your radar, you'll know a Bahati Simoens without second-guessing.

On this episode, the artist relives almost instantly selling out her ever so recent Belgian solo debut 'Jasmine, Like Summer' and explains how going through all the feelings bolstered the therapeutic nature of her practice. She also shares a word on how South Africa is 'the vibe' and how her subjects expanded along with her confidence.

On top, pick up priceless advice on creating a fully independent exhibition and how to shift the narrative when it comes to your work.

As an annual holiday tradition Dominique invites a special guest to look back at the year past and to put some intentions towards the future. This year who better to invite than recently published author, husband and business partner Stefaan Pauwels for a talk about taking up space in museums, publishing the traditional way, new mantras learned from The Most guests, the loss of Virgil Abloh and of course Stefaan's stellar poetry debut and event. Dominique also ponders some things she really needs to do better next year.

Happy holidays everyone!

Get some rest everyone!

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Buy "Nog Iets Dat Ik Weet Over Jou" by Stefaan Pauwels here

Visit "STREETWEAR" & Activewear at Modemuseum Hasselt

Visit MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp and MoMu Late Night during the month of January 2022.

The Most is written and produced by KNOTORYUS.

Tune into a captivating sitdown with the ultra-magnetic rapper and absolutely stellar performer Miss Angel and your host Dominique Nzeyimana.

After blowing up with her debut single 'Ghetto Supahstar' in 2018, Angel landed slots at top European festivals and stages like Rock Werchter and Pukkelpop, released 2 acclaimed EP's and got hand-picked by Spotify to light up NYC's Times Square. Hear BIG Miss Angel travel back to her days as a precocious, outspoken kid who used to be a 'proper dancer'. Angel and Dominique bond about the push, pull and pitfalls of navigating the world of dancing & teaching from a young age as the artist retraces feeling lost and unseen, battling early burnout to finally stepping into her purpose and landing high and mighty in the "concrete jungle where dreams are made of".

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The Most is written and produced by KNOTORYUS.

For more info on this episode go HERE

This episode of The Most is made possible with the support of Modemuseum Hasselt.

Get your tickets for the 'Activewear' and "STREETWEAR" fashion exhibitions running until December 30 2021.

On episode 45 of The Most, cultural current-shifting artist, designer & creative consultant Tremaine Emory joins Dominique Nzeyimana in conversation. Tremaine Emory is co-founder of music, style and nightlife collective No Vacancy Inn and widely known by his alias & artistic clothing label Denim Tears (collabs include Virgil Abloh, Levi's, Converse, Champion, A$AP Mob, Nike, New Balance, Machine-A…). Above all, Tremaine Emory is a storyteller- and conductor, creating a bridge towards deeper understanding of the human condition and the global impact of the African diaspora.

For this special episode, Tremaine travels back from music memories and early life lessons instilled by his parents, family and neighbourhood of St. Albans, Queens NY to the revelations, challenges and breakthroughs that lead him to build up the confidence – and most crucially, the community – to thrive in spaces like the international fashion and art world.

Tremaine also discusses the importance & subversiveness of sharing the story of Alvin Ailey and his tribe of dancers through new clothing collab together with Champion dubbed 'Champion Tears', highlighting the intersection of the dancer as athlete and artist.

Find out which iconic legacy brands Denim Tears is inspired by and how he ventured from his position at Marc Jacobs to being art and brand director-at-large for Stüssy and how it felt seeing his work for the first time immortalised at The Met museum.

Join in for an episode with a brilliant, generous mind who shares his insights on the dance of finding work-life balance, the friends and collaborators who played a major part along the way, how to stop looking for outside validation, plus what's next for Denim Tears.

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Follow Tremaine Emory here, Denim Tears here and No Vacancy Inn here. Shop the 'Champion Tears' collection here.

Shop the 'Abloh Tears' collection here

Get your tickets for the live "STREETWEAR" Q&A with Guillaume Schmidt from Patta and UNRUN founders Elodie Ouédraogo and Olivia Borlée & Dominique Nzeyimana at Modemuseum Hasselt on Saturday December 18 2021 - 3PM here.

Days before securing a highly coveted grant from the city of Antwerp, Australian-born, Belgian-based fashion designer of digital fashion company Mutani, Shayli Harrison sits down at the loft. She and Dominique lock in for a critical talk about the future of fashion and the metaverse rabbit hole she had your host falling into preparing for this episode.

But first there is time to listen to the designer explain what it's like growing up with survivalist interests in the unique nature-scape of Perth and how she cut her teeth in the fashion industry. From club kid life in Sydney to taking the leap to the prestigious Antwerp Fashion Department Shayli talks about learning to trust her own instincts and the need to help build a new fashion system.

The pair discuss interning with Manish Arora in India and how talented young designers can wield NFTs to earn an income outside of traditional fashion.

Shayli also lays out her goals for Mutani, the challenges for traditional brands stepping into the metaverse & being a 'creative beast' in an entrepreneurial space.

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Dominique talks to internationally renowned curator, researcher, programmer and artistic director Amal Alhaag who is the driving force behind essential projects, platforms and cultural spaces such as Africa is Hot, Metro54 and SNAP SPEAKEASY.

Amal is also a senior researcher and programmer at the Research Center for Material Culture in Amsterdam and a curatorial and research fellow at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha. She is currently part of the curatorial team at Sonsbeek2020-2024.

Working as an independent and highly-requested initiator, facilitator and connector Amal's projects zoom in on global politics, post-colonialism, counter-culture, oral history, pop, hiphop and visual culture and archival work.

Amal talks about the "dirty work" that a lot of cultural institutions require, how she is embracing her rude auntie-era and why it is essential for Black people to start building their own spaces.

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Get tickets for Dominique Nzeyimana in conversation with Guillaume "Gee" Schmidt , Elodie Ouédraogo and Olivia Borlée on December 18, 2021 here

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This episode of The Most is made possible with the support of Modemuseum Hasselt and 'Activewear', the acclaimed fashion exhibition running until December 30 2021. Get your tickets for their all-new expo "STREETWEAR" – curated by Dominique Nzeyimana and for the upcoming Q&A with Guillaume "Gee" Schmidt from Patta, Elodie Ouédraogo and Olivia Borlée on December 18, 2021 .

Episode 42!

Premier tastemaker Robin De Flô aka 'Flo' founder of former Antwerp streetwear cult label A Cut Above and now also of high end sustainable repurposing project a:(r)kaiv (read as: archive) joins Dominique Nzeyimana for a beginning-to-future talk. Flo opens up about runway memories & re-appropriation stories with Raf Simons, a life of success, stumbles & forever growth. The two discuss the importance of self-reflection, good music, how to move on after loss, falling in love with vintage, wedding-saving & being the plug for Virgil Abloh.

For more info on this episode go HERE

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Follow Robin de Flô & a:(r)kaiv on Instagram HERE & HERE

This episode of The Most is made possible with the support of Modemuseum Hasselt and 'Activewear', its acclaimed fashion exhibition running until December 30 2021. Get your tickets for the opening of "STREETWEAR" an addition to 'Activewear' and join Dominique Nzeyimana who is hosting two live Q&As with Guillaume Schmidt from Patta and 42I54 founders Elodie Ouedraogo and Olivia Borlée on October 7 2021. Episode 41! Guillaume "Gee" Schmidt, co-founder of Patta, joins Dominique Nzeyimana for a special, season 5-opening sit-down.

Together with long-time best friend & business partner Edson Sabajo, Guillaume Schmidt grew Patta from a small sneaker store in 2004 to an international mainstay and the most successful Lowlands streetwear brand ever.

Today, Patta encompasses an ever-buzzing Amsterdam flagship, a sought-after clothing line and an incredible run of high-profile collabs, devoted followers all over the world, London & Milan brick-and-mortars, a successful e-commerce, a mobile app, a Soundsystem, a Running Team and the Patta Foundation.

On this episode, Guillaume dives into the Patta origin story from early influences to building a love-for-all community from the ground up. For all who aspire to create, connect, collaborate, inspire, grow and give back: listen very carefully, because here comes the blueprint.

For more information on this episode visit KNOTORYUS.com