Why I bought: The Ann Demeulemeester shirt

She´s back in black, shopping preloved fantasies

My fashion No Buy-year came to an end 1st January. That was also the day I made a bid for this preloved, black, oversized silk-cotton shirt by Ann Demeulemeester:

And I got it, making it my first buy in over a year.

Before my No Buy-year, I was faithful to buying (almost) exclusively second-hand clothes, since 2021. So I know from experience that buying primarily second-hand/preloved can easily come to be unsustainable, in the sense that you “overbuy” because of fomo.

It´s the only one! It can sell out asap! I “need” to get it before it´s gone!

My No Buy-year removed this fomo from my life (for now). I didn´t need this shirt – but I really wanted it, so I got it, after having had it on my watchlist for six months or so.

Also, a black, roomy shirt in a silk or cotton material was on My List (of Future Buys).

I feel like “me” in a buttoned-up shirt. And I feel sensual and at ease in a slightly unbuttoned silk shirt.

So why this particular shirt?

During my No Buy, and starting this Substack, I re-connected with my life-long love of clothes, but also my interest in fashion. That also meant actually looking up and caring about certain brands and/or designers. And this purchase was partly brand-motivated.

Fantasy

Ann Demulemeester is one of the very few names I actually “care” about in fashion. Caring, as in a sense of a mild appreciation, more than “I am Ann D-obsessed and know every image from every runway and hunt archive pieces”, which I guess some fashion-people refers to as “caring” about.

I remember learning about the Antwerp Six around the time I started reading both international fashion magazines and about fashion history, in the late 90s and early 2000s.

I was very fascinated with how they interpreted “avant-garde” in different ways, exuding an off-kilter, rebellious approach to fashion.

Even though I´ve never actually dressed in a strict Ann Demeulemeester “aesthetic”, I have all along loved the sober but edgy, slightly gothic-romantic and androgynous designs from the brand. And while I don´t necessarily like overtly drapey clothing on myself, I can appreciate it as design.

Random selection of some Ann Demeulemeester pins on my Pinterest boards

How romantic <3

Ann Demeulemeester´s fashion has been mostly a fantasy, to me.

And getting dressed and buying clothes has an element of fantasy or daydream to it. Who and what will I become when I dress like this?

I picture the fantastic images of Ann Demeulemeester runways, and of Patti Smith, who once told the origin story of their friendship like this, when Demeulemeester managed to track down Smith and sent her her clothes:

“I was raising my children and living a very quiet life in Detroit then. It was a time of deep loneliness. But out of nowhere one day comes this package—this exquisitely wrapped package, tied with black ribbons—and I opened it and found three beautiful white shirts inside, and I thought, whoever made them, whoever this person is, really understands me. It really felt as though they were made for me.”

“Eventually,” Smith continues, “we did find each other, and we became friends—no, sisters. We are sisters.”

She continues:

“I derive great power from wearing Ann’s clothes. Since I began performing again, after that first gift, I have never gone onstage without wearing a piece by Ann. All of Ann’s clothes are significant. A jacket, a vest, a shirt . . . they are such a part of me. They make me feel confident, they make me feel truly like myself. They are talismanic.”

Ouff! Branding does NOT get better than this. I too want to feel as confident as the godmother of punk rock!

Images via Pinterest

So this simple shirt is then imbued with these images and stories. They add want and value.

Reality

Ok, so enough about the fantasy, here comes the reality of acquiring my new black shirt.

When I started looking for a (slightly oversized) black shirt to add to my wardrobe, it made sense to look for one by a brand that does a lot of black shirts and tailoring.

So I put in a search for “Ann Demeulemeester shirt” on the Norwegian platform finn.no.

And there it was. Preloved, but unused.

In what is normally a size or two larger than I would wear, but as it turned out, in a fit perfect for the aforementioned sense of ease.

It feels very nice. The material is 60% silk and 40% cotton. It is very lightweight without being “flimsy”, and is soft to the touch.

The price was nice as well, just over 100 euro/1250 NOK.

I can wear it to the office, or going out to dinner. I can tuck it into an a-line skirt, or wear it on top of a pair of jeans.

Importantly, it´s also a 12 Mo´er. I can layer a wool turtleneck underneath in winter, or wear it as a cover-up in summer.

Was this a good buy? I think so!

When writing this, I came to think about

Irene Kim (김애린)

and her Five Questions:

009/ Five Questions I Ask Myself Before I Buy Anything

I didn´t have her questions in mind when I made the bid and bought the shirt, but let´s try it out, in retrospect:

1. Did I love it? As in: Do I look in the mirror and love what I see? Does it fit me well, and does it feel good on my skin? Does it evoke feelings in me (!)? Does it take me places in my imagination? Yes.

2. Did I need it? As in: Does it fill a gap and add to the overall functionality and versatility of my wardrobe? Yes.

3. Was this a placeholder piece? No.

4. Could I afford it? Yes.

5. Was it reasonable for me to buy it? Yes.

I´ve also read several people recommending asking yourself it you can picture yourself wearing it in five (or ten?) years. That answer would also be: Yes.

This post might come across as a result of overthinking. It´s just a shirt!

But I think we should think a bit more about the why´s behind our buys. At least, I should. And I´ll keep on sharing my thoughts with you, on upcoming buys throughout the year.

PS. I also bought the black suit mentioned in my previous post. Hehe.