Caribbean couture hits G-Star Raw

The morning after fashion’s biggest night, the Met Gala, I jump on a virtual call with Lisi Herrebrugh and Rushemy Botter, the visionaries behind Dutch label Botter. A few days earlier they were named creative directors for G-Star Raw’s premium collections.

Having carved a unique path as creative directors at Nina Ricci between 2018 and 2022, the dynamic duo bring their genderless approach to fashion and that much-loved signature “Caribbean couture” style to the equally eco-friendly G-Star.

Their biggest challenge? Reintroducing Raw Research, the cutting-edge G-Star collection where the fashion lexicon is defined by pushing boundaries, introducing bold, creative ideas, and shaping the future of denim. In January 2026 they will debut their Raw Research collection at Paris Fashion Week, with a first taste coming out next month.

Is this a marriage made in sustainability-fashion heaven? 

Herrebrugh: We believe so. For us it’s very important that everything feels natural. We are super excited. 

How are you bringing Caribbean couture to G-Star? 

Botter: Caribbean couture is about being curious and thinking innovatively. When I think of Caribbean couture I think of my family; they don’t have a lot and work with what they have — it’s working with less material but with a rich feel to it. 

G-Star has collaborated with the likes of US musician and designer Pharrell Williams and designer Walter Van Beirendonck in the past. Which collection stood out? 

Botter: Walter has been a mentor for a long time, since when we studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. He has a big place in our hearts. Walter is always a big dreamer and we are also big dreamers.

How do you preserve the G-Star heritage without compromising on modernity? 

Herrebrugh: We are in a lucky position because we were given time to do profound research in the archives. G-Star has one of the largest general archives. We have been going through all of those and the lookbooks. That’s our way of informing ourselves of the DNA, so we infuse ourselves with knowledge of G-Star and eventually process it. 

What surprised you about the G-Star archives? 

Botter: A lot of stuff we found from the beginning of the 1990s were still modern, with these intelligent cuts and innovative seaming. So, sometimes we just changed the fit, tweaking it. 

Herrebrugh: It was the same for me. The quality of the refinement of the garments, the finishing, seaming, buttons, stitching. In the past, they loved to have intentionally wrong stitching but in the right placements. That inspired us. 

Botter has been worn by Madonna, Lewis Hamilton, and Burna Boy. Who would you like to see the Raw Research collection on? 

Botter: We are always inspired by African artists. I recently found out that my roots are in Nigeria. So, when I’m listening to the music, I’m feeling these similarities. I’m inspired by [musicians like] Asaki, Davido, Burna Boy, and Rema. For me, it’s also about giving the podium to up-and-coming artists. 

Herrebrugh: It’s beautiful how they blend everything … in a way that makes it their own. In terms of fashion, mixing women- and menswear. In music, mixing different cultures. They make the storytelling so personal — that’s why we feel connected. 

What should we expect with the preview next month? 

Herrebrugh: The first collection is very curated. We were in love with the Elwood jeans. Why has this strong patent piece never been explored more? So this is something we played with, thinking about the Elwood details but implementing them in a jacket. We loved the 3D cutting of G-Star and the washings. You are going to see some visual washings that inspired us when we were on a trip in Dominican Republic, where my family is from. 

Do you know yet what the Paris Fashion Week collection will look like? 

Botter: I have had some dreams about it. We have been working on it for over a month. It’s heading in a direction, but it’s still open.  

* This article forms part of a commercial collaboration with G-Star Raw