A Moment With: Vejas
Vejas began as a Toronto-based label and within a short period of time shot to international acclaim. Vejas Kruszewski started the eponymous brand in 2014 and two years later won the oft-mentioned LVMH Special Prize and at nineteen, made him the youngest designer to ever be nominated. During the three years of the brand’s existence Vejas cultivated a distinct aesthetic, marrying sculptural silhouettes and luxury craftsmanship. VSP has the privilege of stocking exclusive pieces from Vejas’s final collection, which take inspiration from classical garments found in Renaissance portraiture. As Kruszewski makes Paris his new base, moving to heritage brand Pihakapi as creative director, we look to the remarkable legacy of Vejas.
What have been some of the primary influences you've gone back to each season that epitomize the spirit of Vejas?
Some of the primary influences that epitomized the brand are futurism, utility, and abstraction.
How would you describe the legacy of the brand?
The brand was really personal, and in hindsight uncompromising. It took so much work and strength for everyone involved to build this brand.. everything we put forth was steeped in emotion.
Your pieces are instantly recognizable, how do you approach the construction of a garment?
I try to hybridize and abstract different elements within the garment, reference historical construction details and catapult them into a new context, while retaining a wearable quality.
What are some of the key aspects in terms of consistently evolving as a designer? What propels you forward?
I think that stasis is scary, and creating something, anything of any sort, is a really important catharsis!
Text by Marlowe Granados
Photos courtesy of Vejas