In our image-obsessed world, the need to produce content -and spectacular events- has become more and more important. We consume a lot more visuals than any previous generations, while all creative industries deal with the entire world, addressing a global and style-conscious audience on a daily basis through technology.

For Karel Burssens, whose multidisciplinary practice ranges from performance and interior design to architecture and scenography, there isn’t one single way to address the concept of the performative. Within his directional and varied body of work, Burssens likes to challenge conventions while making us question the meanings and values we all take for granted. He’s also interested in fashion and how ephemeral events such as the fashion show itself can generate long-lasting -and sometimes unforgettable- memories.

You trained as an architect, but your work has embraced a much more disciplinary approach. Could you tell us more about your creative vision?

I studied Civil Engineering and Architecture in Leuven. Very quickly, I understood that civil engineering wasn’t my thing, and I was searching for innovative ways to use my skills. Eventually, I realized that fashion attracted me and that there was something I could bring to that industry in terms of creative input. At the same time, I was collaborating with a choreographer and started doing scenography in a duo called ‘88888’, a collaboration with Jeroen Verrecht. My input there was not only the set, but starting a dialogue on the whole visual package, including how dancers appropriated the stage. I’m very interested in the relationship between what is purely human and what is considered artificial or constructed.

Was it the performative edge that appealed to you specifically, or was it the transient nature of those events that felt seductive instead?

I always think of how my work can elevate someone else’s creation. In that sense, it can be a fashion show or setting a tone through space for a performance. My realizations comes across as fairly simple, but they’re actually conceptual and multilayered, with several elements that influence -and interact with- each other. Over the past few years, I have indeed been into the performative quality of spaces and the duality that shapes the relationship people have with their environment.

You’re a performer yourself, aren’t you?

Unfortunately not, although I did create a dance performance exploring the tension between man and machine, which is in fact a notion I keep investigating within my practice. We’re in a productivity-driven society where people constantly have to deliver the goods, and in a way we are handled like machines.

Do you handle interior projects for private clients?

I designed the interior of Salon Vega in Brussels -together with Michael Langeder- which was my idea of what a hairdressing salon could look like. I wanted something very minimalist and pure-looking. Quickly the idea of the mirror came along, as well as furniture just big enough to hold all the tools and products hairdressers use. In the end, it’s all about the client, their image and how each hairdresser must focus on new cuts. It deals with the essence of their work, really

I find that place wonderful and quite futuristic. Did you also work on the scenography of the ‘Belgium is Design’ exhibition Bold Dualities at Milan Design Week in 2024?

Yes! It showcased 30 Belgian designers, as well as their studios, and the challenge was to respect everyone’s individuality while promoting them as a group. We created a layered installation with light, sound and a central mirror curtain reflecting the objects.

You collaborated with Villa Eugénie on the scenography of Dries Van Noten’s beautiful farewell show, which I was lucky to attend in June last year. That was an emotional moment. Do you feel that fashion shows are becoming too commercial -and almost robotic- in a way?

It’s difficult for me to comment as I am currently deeply involved in that field, but it is true that certain shows have become predictable or increasingly standardized. Still, if you look at a designer like Miuccia Prada, there’s always an exciting -and conceptual- dimension in her sets. I think OMA does a great job for the brand and I often find it quite creative. I like the Balenciaga shows, too, which are designed by SUB.

Is there a show you’ve worked on recently, which you are particularly proud of?

The Moncler Genius show, which took place in Shanghai in October 2024, was a highlight for me. First, it was done on a huge scale, and it made me realize that I could contribute to projects that size. We had 20000 square meters available and there were so many experts working on that event. It was very humbling.

When it comes to fashion, which designers inspire you the most?

Rick Owens is a fascinating figure within the industry. I’m also interested in a new generation of Belgian designers, such as Meryll Rogge or Marie-Adam Leenaerdt. I am curious to see Julian Klausner’s first show for Dries. I am not a big shopper myself, but I love special garments that you can wear for a very long time. In that sense, I love the work of Jan-Jan Van Essche and the values epitomized by the brand, from his fabric choices and production methods to his aesthetics and inspirations. I recently wore some of his pieces for a photo shoot and feel really good in them.