For twenty-five years now d’Angelino Tap surpasses the boundaries of fashion design, extending his vision into the worlds of theatre, opera and ballet. The arts themselves are a constant source of inspiration. Whether poetry, music or the figurative arts, he successfully integrates these disciplines into his works.
d’Angelino Tap’s oeuvre ranges from women’s and men’s couture and prêt-à -porter collections shown on international catwalks that include Paris, Antwerp and Berlin, to costume design for commercials, opera-, theatre- and ballet productions. Widely exhibited, his collections have travelled the world. Museum shows include the Kunsthal in Rotterdam and the Gemeentemuseum, Panorama Mesdag and Mesdag Museum in The Hague.
Over the past decade his work has gradually moved into the field of the arts. He now refers to his tailored sculptures as Sartorial Statues. The objects are always made with the human body as a starting point; in extremo his work is always “portable”.
In 2016 he directs his first opera, Bellini’s Bianca e Fernando for Opera St Moritz in Switzerland; here he embraces stage direction, scenography, lighting- and costume design to create a total work of art. Verdi’s I Due Foscari is his most recent project for Opera St Moritz.
The ability to navigate the various art disciplines determines his design philosophy. Starting point is always the “straight piece of fabric” approached in a multi-dimensional way. With an origami-like technique he creates new multi-dimensional solutions simply by folding and cutting the fabric with such precision that the material is hardly compromised and waste is minimal. Many of the materials are manufactured in his studio. Detailed needle felt and richly embroidered fragments also find their way to his tapestries.
Most of his designs derive from his fascination for the almost infinite possibilities of non-Western designs, which he converts into a Western silhouette. Creating his own design language is his ultimate goal; to be trendless; timeless. He only shows collections that encompass renewal, innovation – an essential contribution to the art of vestimentary culture. Summarizing his philosophy in a few words, “I strive to create timeless amazement”.
