Since she was little, Jo De Visscher [°1976] is bitten by the fashion bug. She starts working with scraps of fabric which she turns into full silhouettes for her Barbie dolls and gets her mother to knit matching miniature sweaters.
While growing up, she sews her first skirts on an old sewing machine without having any formal training.
She studies maths and science and, as a teenager, becomes fascinated by an article on the restoration of the frescos in the Sistine Chapel. The article has such an impact on her that she decides to enrol in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent, where she studies painting and specializes in restoration of contemporary art. She graduates in ’99, learns the ropes at the S.M.A.K., MuHKA and Kunstmuseum Bonn and finally starts her own restoration company (contemporary art conservation) in Brussels.
She’s asked to collaborate on the exhibition ‘Mutilate?-Vermink?’ — curated by Walter Van Beirendonck — at the MuHKA and this project rekindles her passion for fashion. Jo follows her heart, says goodbye to restoration and hello to fashion and clothing. She does an intensive course in pattern making, learns proper sewing properly this time and studies fashion design at night school. She also freelances for the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp.
In 2007, her final year show generates such a buzz that she decides to design and market her own ‘jodevisscher’ collection.
SUITE – GHENT
At Suite, you are offered the time and space you need to complete your wardrobe with exclusive pieces which strengthen your personality and view of life.
Cutting-edge fashion and personal service in a relaxed and intimate interior: Suite had represented the love for slow fashion since the very beginning.
Carefully composed into a consistent and balanced ensemble, the Suite collections focus on craftsmanship and authenticity. Behind every collection stands an exceptional designer with powerful ideas and a unique take on ready-to-wear fashion. Convinced that beauty lies in the detail, Suite allows no room for mass production or excessiveness. Screened for cut, quality of materials and origin, the featured collections all contribute to a timeless story in which fashion embodies so much more than thoughtlessly adapting to fleeting trends.
Combining established and respected designers with fresh emerging talent, founder Lut Soens never fails to experiment. Minimalism and avant-garde are the key values on which Suite is based.
The interior, designed by architect Glenn Sestig, reflects the Suite principles. Warm colors and soft materials tuned Suite into the perfect environment where creative women can develop their personal style on their own terms. Do not expect imposed make-overs from Lut: with considerate advice she will assist you in finding those pieces that align perfectly with your personality and views. Her professional and no-nonsense approach guarantees sustainable choices, respecting each woman’s individuality.
At Suite, you are offered the time and space you need to complete your wardrobe with exclusive pieces which strengthen your personality and view of life.
