Anna Kushnerova has owned the fashion shop Ra in Antwerp’s Kloosterstraat since 2009. She runs it with the designer and buyer Romain Brau. The shop serves as a platform for young talent, including Cedric Jacquemyn, James Long, Sara Vidas, Charles Anastase and Juun J. Ra will open a Paris branch in January. What’s the best way for a designer to get their attention? “Be talented,” Kushnerova says. “That’s what it’s all about.”

What was your impression of Lichting? Romain: “We also follow other European fashion competitions. For instance, we’re really addicted to the Hyères competition in southern France and ITS in Trieste, Italy. We weren’t familiar with national competitions that bring together academies, like Lichting. It’s a good idea, and we’ve seen that it works.” Anna: “For me, the best bit was spending time with the students, seeing their portfolios, inspiration and sketches, and being able to touch the clothes. That’s very important—you get to know the person behind the clothes, which usually isn’t the case at catwalk shows.” Romain: “Our approach is always very personal.”

Your personal approach to business is entirely unlike that of other fashion shops.  Romain: “When we were studying at the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerp, Anna and I had the idea of starting a platform for young talent, in fashion as well as art, music, cooking, all the way to dance.” Anna: “We felt we should start something, because we’re young and understand our contemporaries’ needs.” Romain: “Ra started very organically and grew into a monster, with more than 75 designers. We discovered so many talents. It’s fantastic—a shop that works like a museum—but it got to be too much. It drove the accountant crazy, too.”

Ra attracts particular designers and transcends trends. Romain: “Ra fills a niche. A lot of concept stores have opened in the last few years, in imitation of Colette in Paris. Most of them are terrible and make me think of cashmere sweaters. That’s why we call ourselves a platform, not a concept store.”

What do you love? What’s your taste? Romain: “Strong pieces. Original, unique things. We particularly like British and Japanese designers, because they have a kind of craziness, a freedom, and a lovely aesthetic. Those three elements inspire us.

“Where Dutch designers are concerned, we only know Iris van Herpen and Viktor & Rolf. They’re wonderful.

“Our customers buy the craziest pieces. It’s been like that from the beginning. Other retailers shy away from making their selection too specific. They want and need to earn money, and they think big. We’re not like that. We value creativity most of all. If we see something amazing, we buy it. We can’t stop ourselves. We have to have it.”

How hard is it nowadays for designers starting out? Anna: “I can imagine that it’s easy for designers to get disillusioned when, after years of working in the creative bubble of the academy, they get to know the industry, from sales and fashion weeks to production. The industry’s dynamic moves too fast for most designers; they just can’t keep up.” Romain: “That’s why we try to help them as buyers. If someone delivers late, we overlook it. Every year we give the Ra Award to young talent. We don’t award money—we don’t believe in that—but we give them a show space in Paris and free publicity. I hope that by doing this we give designers confidence—a soft landing.”

Which developments do you see under way right now in fashion? Romain. “I feel an underground wave emerging, with alternative, often off-schedule presentations instead of catwalk shows. And more and more independent magazines are appearing. Films instead of shows—that doesn’t do anything for me. I’m sure it’s fun for designers making a film and working with light, music and models, but I think it can come at the expense of the clothes’ workmanship. Also, I want to feel the fabrics.” Anna: “There’s a certain rebellion against traditional shows. If it’s arising out of a natural process, and if it fits the brand, then yes, I can get behind it. But it’s not good if it’s a preplanned concept.”

What’s the best way for a designer to get your attention? Anna: “Be talented. That’s what it’s all about. We don’t expect total professionalism from a designer who’s just graduated.” Romain: “Sometimes we see a designer dancing, and we want to see their work. A dancing designer—it’s amazing! I mean, that’s got to be somebody with a strong personality.”

What about being discovered on the Internet—how realistic is it? Anna: “I only look at blogs if I have time. I do open emails, but for me, physical contact is more important.” Romain: “I often get tipoffs from friends who say, “You’ve got to see this designer,” and I check them out. The Internet is handy, but it’s not how we do things. It’s wise for designers to do research themselves and find out which form of selling suits them best. They have to know which shops they’d like to be associated with. When somebody says, ‘I’d love to sell my stuff at Ra,’ that’s when communication starts.”

By Georgette Koning