Walter Van Beirendonck’s W< (Wild & Lethal Trash) was more than just a label. It was a neon-drenched love letter to everything 90s. Defined by its hyper-charged collision of high-tech materials, pop-culture, fluorescent colors, irreverent graphics, and over the top presentations. W< stood at the pinnacle of European underground rave culture with slogans championing ecology, queerness, and rebellion, his clothes weren’t just worn. They were declared. (Also they were rave ready, and cool as fuck.)
Part of the legendary Antwerp Six, Walter never played by fashion’s rules. His shows were part futuristic spectacle, part underground party, casting bodybuilders, “bears,” delicate boys, and fantasy creatures to shatter conventional beauty norms. His garments, a riot of cybernetic prints, fetishistic undertones, and oversized silhouettes, carved out space for radical self-expression in an industry often fixated on restraint.
In 1993, W< was born. A partnership with German denim manufacturer Mustang. The brand’s glitchy graphics, plasticized textures, and a fearless embrace of techno-futurism soon garnered widespread acclaim. Though it shuttered in 1999 due to investor conflicts, its legacy still looms large.
W<’s Autumn/Winter 1997 collection, “Avatar”, blurred the lines between reality and fantasy, unfolding across three parallel runways separated by translucent gauze. Three groups of 40 models, each embodying a distinct faction, walked simultaneously, creating a layered, dreamlike experience.
The American Avatars had their faces half-obscured by transparent blindfolds, evoking the unbreakable optimism of comic book heroes. The African Avatars was a procession of warriors, their bodies adorned with metal headframes and bold war paint, embodying strength and resistance. Lastly, Asian Avatar was Walter’s first foray into womenswear, inspired by the delicate armor of ladybugs.
The show featured 120 bespoke hats from legendary milliner Stephen Jones amplifying its theatricality. Its materials were equally unconventional. Neoprene, Tyvek (resembling paper), reflective vinyl. All engineered to catch the light and warp reality.
This pair of show-worn denim from Avatar features fine, pen-like scribbles of some of Walter’s most iconic catchphrases: “Boom!” “Kiss the Future!” “Create Your Own Idol!”
Tagged Size 32
Length: 110cm
Waist: 40cm
Rise: 32cm
Inseam: 78cm
Thighs: 22cm
Knee: 20cm
