View source for Christophe Coppens

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{{Infobox person
| name        = Christophe Coppens
| image       =
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1969|11|21|df=y}}
| nationality = Belgian
| website     = [http://www.christophecoppens.com christophecoppens.com]
}}
'''Christophe Coppens''' (born 21 November 1969) is a Belgian artist, designer and opera director, living and working in Belgium.  Trained initially as a theatre director, Coppens started his own label as an [[fashion accessory|accessories]] designer at the age of 21, a career that would span over 20 years with several outlets, international press following and buyers the world over, and that he would combine and nurture with his first stunts and solo shows as an artist.
== History ==
[[File:Deer Cape, Collection Dream Your Dream, Winter 2005. Christophe Coppens 2.jpg|thumb|Deer Cape & hat, from Coppens's haute couture collection 'Dream Your Dream', Winter 2005]]
Coppens created his first experimental hat collection in 1990 which was picked up from the start by international buyers and press. Through the years his activities extended to complete accessories collections for men and women and opening outlets in Antwerp, Bruges and Brussels. He would also present his collections twice a year during Paris and Japan [[Fashion Week]]. Alongside he worked on collaborations for the fashion shows of international renowned designers making hats for the likes of [[Issey Miyake]],<ref>[http://blog.tlmagazine.be/2011/10/issey-miyake-christophe-coppens-magic/ Issey Miyake & Christophe Coppens = Magic!]</ref> [[Guy Laroche]], JuunJ and [[Manish Arora]], and he created one of a kind presentations for high-end world class retailers Charivay (New York City), Frank et Fils (Paris) and [[Joyce Boutique]] (Hong Kong and Paris), among others. In Japan he found distribution and representation in fashion group HP France.
In addition Coppens has made accessories for pop stars such as [[Rihanna]], [[Grace Jones]], [[Scissor Sisters]] and [[Beth Ditto]], and he has worked most closely with [[Róisín Murphy]],<ref>[http://loft965.com/2011/09/23/roisin-murphy-releases-a-video-for-christophe-coppens-springsummer-2012-collection/ Christophe Coppens Women Of The Fields...]</ref> particularly on all the costumes worn by the performer during her 2008/09 Overpowered world tour. Coppens presented his first couture accessories collection in 2006 during Paris [[haute couture]] Fashion Week, displaying spectacular theatrical skills and the surreal undertone that has become his signature style since the early beginnings. That same year HP France opened his first shop in Tokyo, and he presented his couture collection during Japan Fashion Week.
In 2010 he was named [[Royal warrant of appointment#Belgium|Royal Warrant Holder in Belgium]], recognition that came after more than 15 years making accessories for the [[Belgian royal family]]. At the end of 2011, to celebrate his 20th anniversary as a [[milliner]] and artist, Coppens opened an exhibition to show and auction some of his most outstanding couture pieces and artworks, hosted by [[Pierre Bergé]] & Associates in Brussels.<ref>[http://www.pba-auctions.com/html/index.jsp?id=8542 Christophe Coppens – 20 Ans de création]</ref> In early 2012, following this event, he launched a retrospective book ''Homework'' encompassing these pieces and other highlights of his career.<ref>[http://rizzolibookstore.com/title/christophe-coppens-home-work/ ''Homework'' by Christophe Coppens: a remarkable book] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20131020155052/http://rizzolibookstore.com/title/christophe-coppens-home-work/ |date=2013-10-20 }}</ref> The book was listed among ''[[The New York Times]]''{{'}} "Summer's 2012 must-reads".
2012 would also mark a very important episode in his career, when, after 21 years of making work on the edge of art and fashion Coppens decided to close his company to focus exclusively on his work as an artist. At this point his label was sold in 140 shops worldwide, his name was heard among fashion connoisseurs and he had become arguably one of the most celebrated milliners in Japan.
Coppens expressed his view on this transition in the exhibition "Everything Is Local: Landscape 1" at the prestigious [[Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen]] in Rotterdam.<ref>[http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/videozone_ENG/1.1571540 Christophe Coppens dazzles in Rotterdam]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.arttube.nl/en/Boijmans/Christophe_Coppens#.Ukncq-DongI |title=Christophe Coppens: Everything is Local |access-date=2013-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024164821/http://www.arttube.nl/en/Boijmans/Christophe_Coppens#.Ukncq-DongI |archive-date=2013-10-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.boijmans.nl/en/7/calendar-exhibitions/calendaritem/1269/christophe-coppens |title=Christophe Coppens – Everything is Local, Landscape Part 1 |access-date=2013-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020162756/http://www.boijmans.nl/en/7/calendar-exhibitions/calendaritem/1269/christophe-coppens |archive-date=2013-10-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.sleek-mag.com/miscellaneous/2013/03/coppens-makes-a-cut-with-designing-cuts/ Coppens makes a cut with designing cuts]</ref> The show is a journey through the first six months following this violent break, how to deal with loss, letting go of the past and looking at the future.
In 2015 Coppens was appointed head of a new Master Program at the {{ill|Sandberg Instituut|nl}}, Amsterdam.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sandberg.nl/fashionmatters|title=Sandberg Instituut}}</ref> That same year he designed the costumes for [[Pascal Dusapin]]'s [[opera]] ''To Be Sung'' at [[La Monnaie|De Munt]], Brussels.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.demunt.be/nl/opera/571/To-Be-Sung |title=La Monnaie ¦ de Munt ¦ Opera ¦ to be Sung |access-date=2015-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210183616/http://www.demunt.be/nl/opera/571/To-Be-Sung |archive-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and also designed 15 new masks for [[Róisín Murphy]]'s world tour. In March 2017 Coppens returned to the theatre and directed his first opera at De Munt/La Monnaie in Brussels, [[Leoš Janáček|Janáček]]'s ''[[The Cunning Little Vixen|Foxie! The Cunning Little Vixen]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lamonnaie.be/en/program/161-the-cunning-little-vixen|title=''The Cunning Little Vixen''|website=La Monnaie / De Munt|access-date=2016-10-18}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/arts/music/a-hat-designer-for-rock-stars-turns-to-opera.html "A Hat Designer for Rock Stars Turns to Opera"] by Hettie Judah, ''[[The New York Times]]'', 22 March 2017</ref>
In 2018 he directed Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle and The Miraculous Mandarin at De Munt/La Monnaie, Norma in 2021.
At Noord Nederlands Toneel CC directed Dorian, a new play written by Javier Barcala based on the Oscar Wilde novel "The Picture Of Dorian Gray".
From 2013 till 2017 he lived and worked in Los Angeles. From 2017 till 2019 in Madrid. In October 2019 he moved back to Belgium.
<br />
== Art exhibitions ==
=== Solo shows ===
*2001 – The Dollhouse – Museum Charlier Brussels, Belgium
*2002 – The Dollhouse II: Life Goes On – Brakke Grond Amsterdam, Netherlands
*2003 – The Dollhouse III: Return to the Dollhouse – Z33 Hasselt, Belgium
*2005 – Dream Your Dream – Yoyogi Stadium Tokyo, Japan
*2006 – Dream Your Dream II – Gallery Joyce Paris, France
*2008 – No References – Platform 21 Amsterdam, Netherlands <ref>[http://design.nl/item/christophe_coppens_demystifies_couture Christophe Coppens Demystifies Couture]</ref>
*2011 – Barbra – Highlight Gallery San Francisco, USA
*2011 – CC 20 years – [[Pierre Bergé]] Auction House Brussels, Belgium
*2013 – The Hills Are Alive : Landscape 2 – Tokyo, Japan
*2013 – Everything is Local : Landscape 1 – [[Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen]] Rotterdam, Netherlands
*2014 – Early Paintings HPGallery NYC, USA
*2015 – Works On Paper Stephane Simoens Gallery Knokke, Belgium
*2016 – 50 Masks Made In America at Please Do Not Enter Gallery Los Angeles, USA <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/christophe-coppens-art-exhibit-features-893817|title=Christophe Coppens' Art Exhibit Features a Demon-Like Trump Mask|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2016-10-18}}</ref>
*2016 – The Treasure at Joyce Gallery, Hongkong <ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.joyce.com/fashion-article/launches-joyce-cabinet-with-artist-christophe-coppens/|title="The Treasure" by artist Christophe Coppens|newspaper=Joyce|access-date=2016-10-18}}</ref>
*2019 – ESWC in Huis De Uil, Temse, Belgium
*2021 - A Lovely Little Shitshow, Zwart Huis Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
*2023 - Playdate, Zwart Huis Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
=== Group exhibitions ===
*2009 – The Art Of Fashion – Boijmans Van Beuningen Rotterdam, Netherlands
*2011 – ARRRGH Monsters in Fashion – Athens, Greece
*2011 – The Art Of Fashion – Wolfsburg Museum, Germany
*2014 – The Future Of Fashion Is Now - Boijmans Van Beuningen Rotterdam, Netherlands
*2020 - Kette und Schuss - CC De Binder Puurs, Belgium
*2021 - Belgicart - Stichting Ijsberg Damme, Belgium
*2021 - Look! - Marta Museum Herford, Germany
*2021 - Kunstenfestival Damme, Belgium
*2021 - The 10 Kids Trail - KMSKA Antwerp, Belgium
*2024 - Gideon Invites - Home Before Dark / De Uitstalling / Zwartberg, Belgium/ March - June 2024
*2024 - Les Liaisons Désireuses - Kasteel d-Ursel / Hingene, Belgium/ May - October 2024
== Opera ==
*2017 The Cunning Little Vixen|Foxie!- Leoš Janáček at De Munt/La Monnaie in Brussels
*2018 Bluebeard's Castle - Béla Bartók at De Munt/La Monnaie in Brussels
*2018 The Miraculous Mandarin - Béla Bartók at De Munt/La Monnaie in Brussels
*2021 Norma - Vincenzo Bellini at De Munt/La Monnaie in Brussels
*2024 Turandot - Giacomo Puccini at De Munt/La Monnaie in Brussels
== Books ==
*''Home Work'' published by Lido {{ISBN|9789491301087}}<ref>[http://rizzolibookstore.com/title/christophe-coppens-home-work/ Christophe Coppens ''Home Work'']  {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20131020155052/http://rizzolibookstore.com/title/christophe-coppens-home-work/ |date=2013-10-20 }}</ref>
*''No References'' published by d'jonge Hond {{ISBN|9789089100634}}
*''Fashion and Accessories'' published by Artez/Terra {{ISBN|9789058976772}}
*''Not a Toy'' published by Pictoplasma Berlin {{ISBN|9783942245029}}
*''Werken met woorden'' published by Ludion {{ISBN|9789055448197}}
*''Art & Fashion'' published by Kerber Art {{ISBN|9783866785380}}
*''The Art of Fashion'' published by Bojmans Van Beuningen {{ISBN|9789069182407}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
*{{official|http://www.christophecoppens.com/}}
* {{Facebook|christophe.coppens}}
* http://instagram.com/christophecoppens
'''Publications'''
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131024164821/http://www.arttube.nl/en/Boijmans/Christophe_Coppens#.Ukncq-DongI Art Tube NL]
*https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/christophe-coppens-art-exhibit-features-893817
*https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/arts/music/a-hat-designer-for-rock-stars-turns-to-opera.html?_r=0
*https://www.wsj.com/articles/where-art-and-fashion-meet-1395272585?tesla=y
*https://parismatch.be/culture/scene/148281/quy-a-t-il-dans-la-tete-de-christophe-coppens-video
*https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2018/10/01/exuberante-dorian-in-uitzinnig-decor-a2040562
*https://www.trouw.nl/cultuur/-dorian-is-een-wellustige-aanklacht-tegen-kunstvermarkting~a64f51bf/
*[https://www.lesoir.be/161822/article/2018-06-10/un-mandarin-trash-et-un-barbe-bleue-classe ]
*https://www.lalibre.be/culture/scenes/foxie-transformation-reussie-par-christophe-coppens-58d0304acd705cd98e106141
*https://www.current-obsession.com/the-way-of-the-future-4/
*https://www.forumopera.com/foxie-la-petite-renarde-rusee-bruxelles-ne-regardez-pas-la-renarde-qui-passe
*[http://www.pba-auctions.com/html/index.jsp?id=8542 PBA Auctions]
*[http://weekend.levif.be/tendance/lifestyle/expo/la-nouvelle-vie-de-christophe-coppens/article-4000260462120.htm Weekend / Le Vif]
*[http://design.nl/item/christophe_coppens_demystifies_couture Design NL]
*[https://archive.today/20131020155052/http://rizzolibookstore.com/title/christophe-coppens-home-work/ Rizzoli Bookstore]
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[[Category:Belgian artists]]
[[Category:Belgian fashion designers]]
[[Category:Belgian milliners]]
[[Category:Belgian costume designers]]
[[Category:Belgian opera directors]]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]