The artist — G · J · vS
A dreamer, I am driven by a passion for clothing and for image, which I express as much through the cut of my pieces as through photography.
Biography
Gert-Jan van Sonsbeek has drawn garments and photographed the world in parallel for as long as he can remember: on one side the cut, the material, the gesture of the studio; on the other, the image caught by chance on a journey, a wall, a stone. The two practices feed one another — a photograph becomes a print, a print becomes a piece to be worn.
With GJVS, he creates high-quality, handcrafted, ungendered pieces, released in short, exclusive collections. In a world of mass production, he stands for originality and beauty, made from deadstock fabrics, repurposed garments and eco-responsible materials.
Maison GJVS extends this approach: his photographs of minerals and blooms, enlarged to the point of abstraction, are printed onto silk squares and stoles. Each edition remains short; each piece is an image you can wear.
“In a world of mass production, I want to offer originality and beauty. Every piece is made with care.”
Corpus
The works that feed the Maison's editions: mineral photography, prints on voile, upcycled garments and commissioned projects.
Photographic series — Photographie
Close-ups of minerals reveal surreal landscapes: shimmering textures, soft hues, crystalline patterns — dreams frozen in stone. The series also questions the ruthless extraction of natural resources from an economically exploited nation. Subjects: cornubite, barite, malachite, cuprite, azurite. Origin: DR Congo.
Digital print — Pareos
A collection of scarves in organic cotton voile, digitally printed, inspired by pareidolia. Each design captures nature's hidden patterns and turns them into wearable art. Format 180 × 120 cm.
Clothing collection — 2024
A collection born from the relationship between form, nature and print, nourished by a deep attachment to Asia. Organic shapes and cultural influences, premium fabrics and repurposed materials: the loose #GREEN GRANITE jacket, the #HOKUSAI wrap vest in ribbed denim, the #FRANGES fringed top in deadstock nylon-lurex.
Clothing collection — 2023
A collection celebrating inclusivity, diversity and individuality. Premium fabrics, meticulous finishes, repurposed garments and materials: the #BLANKET coat, made entirely of wool from a reclaimed blanket, ombré-dyed upcycled sweaters, twisted knits with beaded-eye snake motifs.
Costume & art direction — Projet
An unexpected adventure: designing a costume for the Manneken Pis for the twentieth anniversary of the Courts Mais Trash festival in Brussels. Inspired by Divine's cult role in Pink Flamingos, the costume embodies the legendary drag queen's fearless spirit. The project also included the poster artwork and a dedicated beer.
Photographic series — Photographie
Intuitive photography, capturing fleeting intersections between nature and human presence. Compositions and silent stories gathered in Kyoto, Hanoi, Dalian, Arles, Marrakech, Tinos, or the Hautes Fagnes: the beauty of the ordinary, the kind most often overlooked.
From images to pieces