Designers Matthieu and Nicolas hailing from Belgium behind the label Mouton Collet, bring their creativity to the millinery world by playing with forms of nature and threatening gothic elements in their styling. Inspired by the Belgian countryside, the designs include a very distinctive antlered helmet which has already been photographed on Lady Gaga. We find out what they have to say their first foray into headgear.

Dazed Digital: As your designs seem quite in touch with the world of nature yet ethereal, what inspires you?
Mouton Collet: Most of our influences are taken from the Belgian countryside. A world of silence in the middle of nature. Our focus is on farm animals, the gardens, meadows leading to the rural, and forest of jewellery. The aspects of taxidermy, laboratories, and hunters of insects fascinate us. We are influenced by Jacques Tati, Marcel Duchamp, Matthew Barney... MoutonCollet is a game of contrast and opposition. "By far nice but far less about ..."
Our signature adopt another language and confronts the beautiful and the ugly, attraction and repulsion. The object becomes jewellery, jewellery becomes the object. Our jewellery tells a story, a world that becomes the message, a memory, a smell, a magic talisman borrowed.

DD: What is the story behind the spiked and the antlered helmets?
Mouton Collet: A treasure hunt. Armed to the teeth. Ready for adventure. Imaginary Imagining. Promenade does not limit itself to the skyline, Cradle of a Touching and violent Fancy. The panoply of the predator...

DD: What did you think about Lady Gaga wearing your creations? Do you feel she represents who you ideally design for?
Mouton Collet: Lady Gaga is becoming The Only One! She’s amazing, avant garde, creative, glamorous...! We are very happy and honored to be in part of her wardrobe. With our first hat... That was a perfect combination between the Hunt and the MoutonCollet universe. And a big star like she is!

DD: What do you want to achieve with your designs?
Mouton Collet: Never forget: “Break is Creation!”

DD: Where do you want to go next?
Mouton Collet: In the future we still want to do creative endeavours to create a (wider) universe and as MoutonCollet, (secure out) position in the jewllery industry and to address products with a line of shoes, bags, fine jewellery...