The Most

Bad Boys For Life at the loft! Directors Adil & Bilall take time out of their packed schedule to talk to Dominique Nzevimana about their latest fantastic theatrical release 'REBEL'.  The three examine creating art at the intersection of culture, religion and race but still making it pop.  Over the years Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have made seismic waves and box office gold with their big, bold films that don't flinch in the face of explosive action as well as put forward commentary on class and crime. From Brussels film school to Marvel to Disney to Netflix to NAACP Awards & half-a-Billion-dollar-generating movies, they are the blueprint of undeniable talent meeting hard graft and manifestation. The duo discuss why they make the movies they do and how they knew they were ready to make their paranoia inducing whirlwind feature 'REBEL'. Dominique wants to explore their poignant portrayal of motherhood and family and dive into their proces for writing convincing & complex Muslim characters.  Of course you will hear all about what it meant making 'Bad Boys For Life' and we get to hear some pivotal lessons from Will Smith. Follow Adil El Arbi here. Follow Bilall Fallah here. WATCH 'REBEL' in cinemas now! Watch 'Image', 'Black', 'Soil' and on Netflix. Watch 'Bad Boys For Life' on iTunes. Watch 'Snowfall' and 'Ms. Marvel' on Disney+. THE MOST MERCH is here!  Subscribe to the newsletter to get 15% off. 

Owner of one of the best singing voices in the world and triple threat Monique Harcum aka Mo is at the loft. The powerhouse keeps Dominique on the edge of her seat with stories about high-stakes auditions, signing to Boyz II Men's label, working with Spike Lee, performing in front of Brad Pitt, being a part of the singular and NAACP Award-nominated Zap Mama as well as the history behind Mo & Grazz.  As a fierce collaborator and relentless make-it-worker, Mo also elaborates on what true success means to her and how she handles last-minute requests to go on stage at The Eurovision Song Contest or to replace Rita Ora live in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers. For more information go to www.KNOTORYUS.com  Follow The Most: on Instagram. on Facebook. Follow Monique Harcum here. Follow Mo & Grazz here. Buy 'Defiant' by Mo & Grazz here.

Jan-Jan Van Essche, the mystical Belgian designer who has garnered a cult following around the globe for his timeless and poetic series of garments is joining Dominique Nzeyimana at the loft. An award-winning Antwerp Fashion Academy alumnus, Jan-Jan is the co-founder of experiential treasure-hunting store Atelier Solarshop. His namesake work is sold at design temples from Ginza to London and counts fans among culture-shifters like Rihanna and Oscar winner Barry Jenkins. On this episode of The Most, Jan-Jan talks his love for music, contemporary dance, working with luminaries like Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui as well as Jurgi Persoons and he shares his hopes for the brand as he prepares for the upcoming Paris Fashion Week. Follow The Most: on Instagram. on Facebook. Follow  Jan-Jan Van Essche here. Follow Atelier Solarshop here. Get ticket for 'Vlaemsch' by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui at KVS Brussels here. Jan-Jan Van Essche will present his SS23 collection at Paris Fashion Week on June 24 2022.

The simply singular Jewelry and Accessories phenomenon Stephanie D'heygere takes Dominique on the oddissey of how she broke into fashion. On her first ever podcast, the designer melds together her career from multiple rejections to securing major-league internships with JC de Castelbajac, Marc Jacobs, Lanvin, Zac Posen and Jeremy Scott to then steering the Jewelry departments at iconic labels like Maison Margiela and Dior to flying out of the gate ultra-strong as creative director of her ANDAM Accessories Prize-winning and Dover Street Market-coveted brand D'HEYGERE.  Stephanie details collaborating with arguably the most important fashion protagonist working today: her good friend and mentor - and previous The Most guest -  Y/PROJECT and Diesel Creative Director Glenn Martens. She and Dominique also discuss the seemingly unlimited Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture-budget and the reach-for-the-stars dreams Stephanie is still harbouring.  Follow  D'heygere  here. Follow The Most: on Instagram. on Facebook.

Ray Fuego is a once-in-a-generation artist & phenomenon and Dominique is honoured to finally have him sit down at the loft as she's been trying to get him on the show since its inception. As an original member of Amsterdam activist art collective and cultural movement SMIB, award-winning solo artist,  Ploegendienst frontman & best-dressed man according to GQ, Ray Fuego is a singular stage-killer and cultural waymarker streaming meaning and music from The Netherlands to the globe. This episode, Ray talks good days, school struggles and breaking through cycles. Weaving insights on mental health and energy-protection into his creative process, Ray takes us back from before BUMMY BOYS to SMIB to the mood and build of his upcoming album 'Open, Bloot N Paranoïde'. Discover the luminous mind behind the music who is showing next gens the way through education, loving hard and utter freedom of thought. Follow The Most: on Instagram. on Facebook. Follow Ray Fuego here 'Open, Bloot N Paranoïde' - The new album by Ray Fuego OUT MAY 13, 2022 Follow SMIB here. Listen to Ray Fuego here.

In the span of the past couple of months, Karina Zharmukhambetova has walked Pieter Mulier's first ALAÏA runway show, conceptualised supportive structures and programs for minoritized and underrepresented youth, all while building an archival fashion platform with one of her best friends - previous The Most guest Maude Van Dievoet. Dominique and Karina discuss how modern work-circumstances for models can be improved, how losing a steady job in the very early stages of the pandemic felt, why Karina decided to write the mail that changed the trajectory of her career and how she sees the future for their STOF endeavour.  Dominique also has some special requests involving Tom Barman from dEUS and both A.F. Vandevorst-s.  Follow The Most: on Instagram. on Facebook. Follow Karina Zharmukhambetova here Follow STOF here. Get the 'KAMASUTRA met STOF' editorial posters here, supporting Antwerp human trafficking non-profit Payoke. 

Maude Van Dievoet is a Belgian archival fashion entrepreneur, stylist and model.  She is the co-founder of archival designer and vintage store and platform 'STOF' (together with Karina Zharmukhambetova) and as a passionate champion of Belgian design she dedicates herself to unearthing extremely rare pieces and making them accessible for new audiences. Maude talks to host Dominique Nzeyimana about how her parents' affiliation with the Belgian and international fashion world deeply influenced her. The two also take a deep-dive into Maude's troublesome high school years, the strategic move that eventually saved her, going to fashion school in Paris and moving to London before finally returning to Antwerp and setting up STOF. Follow The Most: on Instagram. on Facebook. Follow Maude Van Dievoet here Follow STOF here.

The abundantly talented painter Bahati Simoens sits down with Dominique Nzeyimana at the loft for an extensive talk.  From growing up happy-go-lucky in Burundi to a less comfortable life in Belgium, Bahati shares how she finally found her footing becoming a raved-about artist within 2 years of first putting a brush to canvas. Channelling and reflecting her Black gaze on the bodies she brilliantly paints with palpable tenderness & light, Bahati Simoens' figurative work self-contains an entire universe. If fine art's on your radar, you'll know a Bahati Simoens without second-guessing. On this episode, the artist relives almost instantly selling out her ever so recent Belgian solo debut 'Jasmine, Like Summer' and explains how going through all the feelings bolstered the therapeutic nature of her practice. She also shares a word on how South Africa is 'the vibe' and how her subjects expanded along with her confidence. On top, pick up priceless advice on creating a fully independent exhibition and how to shift the narrative when it comes to your work.

As an annual holiday tradition Dominique invites a special guest to look back at the year past and to put some intentions towards the future. This year who better to invite than recently published author, husband and business partner Stefaan Pauwels for a talk about taking up space in museums, publishing the traditional way, new mantras learned from The Most guests, the loss of Virgil Abloh and of course Stefaan's stellar poetry debut and event. Dominique also ponders some things she really needs to do better next year.  Happy holidays everyone!  Get some rest everyone! Follow The Most:  on Instagram.  on Facebook.  Buy "Nog Iets Dat Ik Weet Over Jou" by Stefaan Pauwels here Visit "STREETWEAR" & Activewear at Modemuseum Hasselt  Visit MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp and MoMu Late Night during the month of January 2022. The Most is written and produced by KNOTORYUS. 

Tune into a captivating sitdown with the ultra-magnetic rapper and absolutely stellar performer Miss Angel and your host Dominique Nzeyimana.  After blowing up with her debut single 'Ghetto Supahstar' in 2018, Angel landed slots at top European festivals and stages like Rock Werchter and Pukkelpop, released 2 acclaimed EP's and got hand-picked by Spotify to light up NYC's Times Square. Hear BIG Miss Angel travel back to her days as a precocious, outspoken kid who used to be a 'proper dancer'. Angel and Dominique bond about the push, pull and pitfalls of navigating the world of dancing & teaching from a young age as the artist retraces feeling lost and unseen, battling early burnout to finally stepping into her purpose and landing high and mighty in the "concrete jungle where dreams are made of".   Follow Miss Angel here and get 'Ghetto Mami, Vol. 2' here. Follow The Most:  on Instagram.  on Facebook.  The Most is written and produced by KNOTORYUS.  For more info on this episode go HERE

This episode of The Most is made possible with the support of Modemuseum Hasselt.   Get your tickets for the 'Activewear' and "STREETWEAR" fashion exhibitions running until December 30 2021.  On episode 45 of The Most, cultural current-shifting artist, designer & creative consultant Tremaine Emory joins Dominique Nzeyimana in conversation. Tremaine Emory is co-founder of music, style and nightlife collective No Vacancy Inn and widely known by his alias & artistic clothing label Denim Tears (collabs include Virgil Abloh, Levi's, Converse, Champion, A$AP Mob, Nike, New Balance, Machine-A…). Above all, Tremaine Emory is a storyteller- and conductor, creating a bridge towards deeper understanding of the human condition and the global impact of the African diaspora.  For this special episode, Tremaine travels back from music memories and early life lessons instilled by his parents, family and neighbourhood of St. Albans, Queens NY to the revelations, challenges and breakthroughs that lead him to build up the confidence – and most crucially, the community – to thrive in spaces like the international fashion and art world.  Tremaine also discusses the importance & subversiveness of sharing the story of Alvin Ailey and his tribe of dancers through new clothing collab together with Champion dubbed 'Champion Tears', highlighting the intersection of the dancer as athlete and artist.  Find out which iconic legacy brands Denim Tears is inspired by and how he ventured from his position at Marc Jacobs to being art and brand director-at-large for Stüssy and how it felt seeing his work for the first time immortalised at The Met museum.  Join in for an episode with a brilliant, generous mind who shares his insights on the dance of finding work-life balance, the friends and collaborators who played a major part along the way, how to stop looking for outside validation, plus what's next for Denim Tears.  Follow The Most: on Instagram. on Facebook. Follow Tremaine Emory here, Denim Tears here and No Vacancy Inn here. Shop the 'Champion Tears' collection here. Shop the 'Abloh Tears' collection here  Get your tickets for the live "STREETWEAR" Q&A with Guillaume Schmidt from Patta and UNRUN founders Elodie Ouédraogo and Olivia Borlée & Dominique Nzeyimana at Modemuseum Hasselt on Saturday December 18 2021 - 3PM here.   

Days before securing a highly coveted grant from the city of Antwerp, Australian-born, Belgian-based fashion designer of digital fashion company Mutani, Shayli Harrison sits down at the loft.  She and Dominique lock in for a critical talk about the future of fashion and the metaverse rabbit hole she had your host falling into preparing for this episode. But first there is time to listen to the designer explain what it's like growing up with survivalist interests in the unique nature-scape of Perth and how she cut her teeth in the fashion industry. From club kid life in Sydney to taking the leap to the prestigious Antwerp Fashion Department Shayli talks about learning to trust her own instincts and the need to help build a new fashion system. The pair discuss interning with Manish Arora in India and how talented young designers can wield NFTs to earn an income outside of traditional fashion. Shayli also lays out her goals for Mutani, the challenges for traditional brands stepping into the metaverse & being a 'creative beast' in an entrepreneurial space. Follow Shayli Harrison here. Follow Mutani here. Follow The Most:  on Instagram.  on Facebook. 

Dominique talks to internationally renowned curator, researcher, programmer and artistic director Amal Alhaag who is the driving force behind essential projects, platforms and cultural spaces such as Africa is Hot, Metro54 and SNAP SPEAKEASY. Amal is also a senior researcher and programmer at the Research Center for Material Culture in Amsterdam and a curatorial and research fellow at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha. She is currently part of the curatorial team at Sonsbeek2020-2024. Working as an independent and highly-requested initiator, facilitator and connector Amal's projects zoom in on global politics, post-colonialism, counter-culture, oral history, pop, hiphop and visual culture and archival work. Amal talks about the "dirty work" that a lot of cultural institutions require, how she is embracing her rude auntie-era and why it is essential for Black people to start building their own spaces. Follow Amal Alhaag here. Follow Metro54 here. Get tickets for Dominique Nzeyimana in conversation with Guillaume "Gee" Schmidt , Elodie Ouédraogo and Olivia Borlée on December 18, 2021 here Follow The Most:  on Instagram.  on Facebook. 

This episode of The Most is made possible with the support of Modemuseum Hasselt and 'Activewear', the acclaimed fashion exhibition running until December 30 2021. Get your tickets for their all-new expo "STREETWEAR" – curated by Dominique Nzeyimana and for the upcoming Q&A with Guillaume "Gee" Schmidt from Patta, Elodie Ouédraogo and Olivia Borlée on December 18, 2021 .  Episode 42!  Premier tastemaker Robin De Flô aka 'Flo' founder of former Antwerp streetwear cult label A Cut Above and now also of high end sustainable repurposing project a:(r)kaiv (read as: archive) joins Dominique Nzeyimana for a beginning-to-future talk. Flo opens up about runway memories & re-appropriation stories with Raf Simons, a life of success, stumbles & forever growth. The two discuss the importance of self-reflection, good music, how to move on after loss, falling in love with vintage, wedding-saving & being the plug for Virgil Abloh. For more info on this episode go HERE  Follow The Most on Instagram HERE Follow Robin de Flô & a:(r)kaiv on Instagram HERE & HERE

This episode of The Most is made possible with the support of Modemuseum Hasselt and 'Activewear', its acclaimed fashion exhibition running until December 30 2021. Get your tickets for the opening of "STREETWEAR" an addition to 'Activewear' and join Dominique Nzeyimana who is hosting two live Q&As with Guillaume Schmidt from Patta and 42I54 founders Elodie Ouedraogo and Olivia Borlée on October 7 2021. Episode 41! Guillaume "Gee" Schmidt, co-founder of Patta, joins Dominique Nzeyimana for a special, season 5-opening sit-down. Together with long-time best friend & business partner Edson Sabajo, Guillaume Schmidt grew Patta from a small sneaker store in 2004 to an international mainstay and the most successful Lowlands streetwear brand ever. Today, Patta encompasses an ever-buzzing Amsterdam flagship, a sought-after clothing line and an incredible run of high-profile collabs, devoted followers all over the world, London & Milan brick-and-mortars, a successful e-commerce, a mobile app, a Soundsystem, a Running Team and the Patta Foundation.  On this episode, Guillaume dives into the Patta origin story from early influences to building a love-for-all community from the ground up. For all who aspire to create, connect, collaborate, inspire, grow and give back: listen very carefully, because here comes the blueprint. For more information on this episode visit KNOTORYUS.com

Director & Chief Curator of MoMu – Fashion Museum Antwerp, Kaat Debo, joins Dominique Nzeyimana for a sit-down. Kaat Debo is one of the foremost guardians and champions of Belgian fashion as well as a noted author whose staple publications shed new light on greats like Martin Margiela, Olivier Theyskens & Walter Van Beirendonck. On this episode, Kaat retells her journey from academia to getting that first foot in the door as a curator. Peer behind the seams of MoMu as Kaat remembers the museum's beginnings, shares what makes an exhibition magical and outlines the inclusion work to be done. You'll also hear Kaat Debo's choice memories of working with designer legends like Walter Van Beirendonck, Dries Van Noten and Stephen Jones and the importance of trust to build an exhibition. She also shares how she is pondering the future of sustainability at MoMu and what it could mean to be a true hub for fashion culture. Kaat and Dominique also discuss what is to be expected from the grand reopening of the renovated MoMu and its accompanying exhibitions & events this September. More info on the official reopening programme 'Fashion 2.021 Antwerp – Fashion/Conscious'. Follow MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp here. Follow The Most: on Instagram. on Facebook.

Quinsy Gario, the Award-winning performance poet, writer, visual artist & activist visits Dominique Nzeyimana. Quinsy's most famous art project took on the racist figure of Zwarte Piet or 'Black Pete' bringing about a fundamental shift in the Lowlands. But Quinsy and Dominique have a lot more to talk about of course: like amazing Sint-Maarten memories, debate team battles and the cliché reason that got him into poetry. Quinsy also talks academia, the art of archiving and his recent performances at Beursschouwburg. All with that brilliant laugh peppered in between. Follow The Most: on Instagram. on Facebook. Support The Most on Patreon HERE.

The title of graphic designer doesn't really do justice to the entire world of high-voltage kick and verve that Paul Boudens brings with him – both professionally and as a human being.  For one, his work has become entirely synonymous with Belgian fashion. He's also internationally prized as one of the must-hire artisans propelling the visual language of art, theatre and dance forward. You immediately recognise a Paul Boudens-original when you see it as his work has this yet unmatched kinetic energy, containing a multitude of layers with a standout hand-crafted finish.  From his early-day bombshell Jurgi Persoons and Walter Van Beirendonck artwork, his forever resonating work as the co-founder of (N°) A Magazine to his book designs for Yohji Yamamoto, Myung-il Song or MoMu Fashion Museum Antwerp, there's no denying the Paul Boudens signature.  A former military kid, Paul spent a few years flailing around Antwerp as a self-described "80s Kim Kardashian", when a chance encounter sent him on the path of graphic design and illustration  After an initial introduction to Walter Van Beirendonck that got him working on his 'Fashion is Dead' newspaper, Paul was asked to design prints for the Antwerp Six-member's collections, which later on meant living through and thriving during Walter's iconic W.&L.T. days. Thirty years later, the two are still working together.  Paul talks to Dominique about navigating the inception, growth and eventual loss of (N°) A Magazine, how he tries to embody the multitude of personalities of his clients without losing his own way. The two also discuss how much blood is needed to design a 90s Jurgi Persoons invitation and what it was like to have Jun Takahashi's UNDERCOVER team biking through your Versailles-sized flat. 

On this new episode: Melat Gebeyaw Nigussie, Artistic and General Director of Brussels multidisciplinary arts centre, Beursschouwburg, sits down at the loft. Melat, who is also a writer, speaker and activist is the Ethiopian-Belgian champion for true intersectionality, shifting the way artists and the general population perceive public cultural spaces. Hear Melat in conversation with Dominique Nzeyimana, sharing her story of growing up in Leuven and the expectations being a child of the diaspora brings along to discovering Black critical theory and how that opened a whole new world of thought. She also lays out how she checks her own blind spots & privilege, what transparency towards creatives and artists looks like for her and she indulges Dominique with some fond memories of the inspiring global art scenes she encountered on some of her trips. 

Over the past decade, the work of visual artist, graphic novelist and art professor Brecht Vandenbroucke has graced the virtual and paper pages of The New York Times, Variety, Le Monde, Humo, Adult Swim, Wired, Têtu and many more. Fashion quickly came calling too as he has created shirt prints for Prada and collaborated with Walter Van Beirendonck, Diesel and Lacoste. As a cultural reflector and narrator, Brecht mirrors every little detail and perversion of our existence through hand-painted comic strips and fills them with candour and pop iconography. His signature style is unfettered by any medium, standing out on a giant painting as well as a skateboard deck. After the impact of his 2013 debut visual album 'White cube', Brecht has just released his second graphic novel 'Shady', a self-defined transitional book that delves into morality and our inability at self-reflection. On this episode of The Most, Brecht lays out his story from early farm life to running a precocious publishing house as a kid. He also opens up about having to mature quickly as a teen, why he took a break from pop culture once and how reading Joseph Campbell connected the dots for him to parse out cultural narratives. He talks dealing with the tension between chaos and order, holistic world views and the challenge behind weaving the 'Shady' storyline. Hear how the acclaimed artist works to figure out his own art, future ambitions and the importance of humility and self-improvement.  Follow Brecht here. Buy 'Shady' online via Bries Publishing here. You can visit the expo 'Assembled Stories' featuring the work of Brecht Vandenbroucke and Sarah Pschorn from May 15 till June 20 2021 at Galerie 10a. Brecht Vandenbroucke's work is part of the permanent collection of the MiMa museum in Brussels.