Tim Van Steenbergen graduated Magna cum Laude at the Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts (fashion department, textile creation and theatre costume). Subsequently he took classes in drapery and couture techniques and worked as the first assistant of Olivier Theyskens.
His first collection was launched in 2001 in Paris and in the same year he set up his company Mitzlavv bvba.
Meanwhile he's up to his nineteenth collection/fashion show and the label Tim Van Steenbergen is being sold in the best designer shops all over the world. His style evolves into a refined pureness and female elegance. He is a master of contemporary drapery and every detail, high quality standards, tradition and craftsmanship are being cared for.
"Le Petit Livre Blanc", a publication on Tim is a booklet printed on hand-layered paper evokes his special story.
Tim Van Steenbergen also created jewellery for Swarovski UK, shoes for Novella Italia, "Barbie" outfits, a jean for Xfit by Lycra, an haute couture dress for the Museum of Fine Arts and Lace in Calais (France) and the bag "le Seau Elsa" for the French label Lancel.
He presented a fashion show for Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde on the Belgian Gala Night during an economic mission in Warshaw (Poland).
Further Tim Van Steenbergen exposed four haute couture dresses within the project "Framed", in The Groeninge Museum in Brugge, UCAD Louvre Paris and at the occasion of the motion pictures festival in Cannes. He also set up an installation "Stills" at the Biënnale of Venice in 2003, besides several other expositions into which he participated.
As artistic director of the fashion company Donaldson he designed 3 collections.
He created the uniforms for the attendants of the Flemish Parliament.
In collaboration with the well-established shoe manufacturer Ambiorix, Tim van Steenbergen is enlarging his women and men’s collections with a selected choice of shoe designs, made by hand in Belgium.
For Theo, he creates the sunglasses ‘Theo by Tim Van Steenbergen’.
International personalities as Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Dita Von Teese, Kimberly Stewart, Hilary Duff, Katy Perry, Axelle Red, Micha Barton, Kim Cattrall, Jared Leto and George Michael have been spotted in Tim Van Steenbergen.
Tim Van Steenbergen is artistic director for the label Luc.Duchene, well known before as Chine, Belgian Design.
Tim designs the costumes for international movie, theatre, dance and opera creations as for Anne Teresa de Keersmaecker and Guy Cassiers.
‘Hanjo’, opera, Festival Lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence / the Monnaie Brussels.
‘Hersenschimmen’, theater, Ro Theater Rotterdam.
‘d’Un Soir un Jour’ and ‘Steve Reich Evening’, dance, Rosas / the Monnaie Brussels.
‘Triptych of Power; ‘Mefisto’, ‘Wolfskers’ and ‘Atropa’, theater, Toneelhuis Antwerp / Festival d’Avignon / Théâtre de la Ville de Paris.
‘The House of the Sleeping Beauties’, opera, LOD / Toneelhuis Antwerp / the Monnaie Brussels.
‘Adam in Exile’, opera, Opera of Amsterdam.
‘La Chanteuse du Tango’, movie by Diego Martinez Vignatti with Eugénia Ramirez.
‘Das Rheingold’, Teatro alla Scala / Staatsoper Unter den Linden.
‘’Blood & Roses, the Song of Joan and Gilles’, Toneelhuis Antwerp / Festival d’Avignon.
‘Die Walküre’, Teatro alla Scala / Staatsoper Unter den Linden.
‘Labyrinth’, National Ballet Amsterdam, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Between 2010 and 2013 Tim Van Steenbergen is creating the costumes for Richard Wagner’s opera cycle ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’.
Belgian director Guy Cassiers, who has astonished Europe with his highly original productions, gets this long-awaited Ring off to a start at La Scala. Conducted by Daniel Barenboim, the perfect Wagnerian.
Der Ring des Nibelungen is a co-production by the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin.
‘Tim Van Steenbergen, act(e)’, a book by fashion journalist Veerle Windels has been released by Ludion Publishers.
Recently ‘The Metronome’, a light design by Tim Van Steenbergen for Delta Light, has been launched and will be available beginning of 2012.
Philosophy
The challenge in my work is the search for authenticity and artisanship in fashion.
The difference between confection and prêt-à-porter or couture is to be found in how it is made.
Handwork, quality of fabric, building a piece layer by layer, differentiates my work from confection.
I’m in search of old values in a new world.
The motivation in my work is to transfer craftsmanship and the old values into different and modern designs.
Due to my belief in artisanship, every garment is created by hand on the dummy to develop its characteristic shape.
These traditional construction process and unique draping techniques guarantee a high appreciated quality and an exclusive collection.
Studio Tim Van Steenbergen
The atelier of Tim Van Steenbergen is located in an old sewing factory in the Antwerp suburbs. During the 60ies the building was the atelier of a traditional couture label that designed and produced every garment in that factory due to an established textile industry in Flanders. The atelier was completely furnished with different kinds of machines needed for the various production processes. The offices and the showroom were located in the front house.
Today, the atelier is still maintained like it was years ago and it reflects the history and the philosophy Tim believes in when creating his designs.
The studio Tim Van Steenbergen is the optimal place to realise his ideas, situated in the pocketsize metropolis Antwerp. This refreshingly cosmopolitan owes its reputation to the mighty port, the world diamond centre and its trendsetting vision of fashion.
This welcoming multicultural city-on-the-river the Scheld, is an intelligent, complex, fascinating and surprising habitat with a magnificent contemporary architecture, opera and theatre, monuments and artworks as well as its historical medieval centre.
The home of the Flemish Baroque master Rubens.
The Red Star line company set off its ships on the transatlantic voyage with millions of emigrants who set out for a new life in the States and Canada.
Nowadays Antwerp is one of the fastest growing cultural cruise destinations in Europe.
Due to its excellent access it pushes you to travel the world looking for new impressions and personal experiences.
After all it is an attractive place to come home from where you can work independently and with an open minded view on the rest of the world.
