Ann Demeulemeester Five Button Waistcoat

Ann Demeulemeester doesn’t design clothes. She composes them. In a world consumed by noise and spectacle, her work whispers. It speaks delicately, yet with quiet defiance, cloaking the wearer in soft silhouettes and shadowed elegance.

At the heart of her world is Patti Smith. Not just a muse, but a kindred spirit. Their friendship went beyond fashion. Ann didn’t simply dress Patti. She designed in conversation with her. The rhythm of Smith’s poetry, her raw honesty, her refusal to conform all became part of the Demeulemeester language. Literature, philosophy, and music lingered in her atelier like incense. You could almost hear Leonard Cohen in the drape of a coat, or see Baudelaire in the fall of a sleeve.

In her universe, black does not represent austerity. It serves as a canvas for emotion. Fluid shirts, deconstructed blazers, asymmetrical cuts, and laced boots form the foundation of her style. Gender is blurred. Silhouettes are poetic. The human form is not corrected, but celebrated. As she once said, “I always wanted to make a man more beautiful, not less masculine.” That same philosophy flows into her womenswear. It elevates the body without reshaping its truth.

Her silhouettes prove that minimalism does not have to feel cold. In her hands, it becomes romantic. Sometimes even rebellious. These garments are meant to be lived in. They are made to hold stories. Each piece changes with the wearer. Not against time, but alongside it. This is why she remains a pillar of archival fashion. Her work does not expire. It has endured since 1985.

This five button waistcoat has been a staple of Demeulemeester. At first glance, it’s straightforward. But there’s depth in the details: the choice of fabric, the cut, the way it sits on the body. It’s versatile and understated, with a presence that grows the longer you wear it. Like much of Demeulemeester’s work, it’s not about making a loud statement but rather saying exactly what needs to be said and nothing more.

Tagged Size 38

Measurements:

Chest: 46cm - 54cm (cinchable back)

Length: 70cm

Shoulder: 32cm