Re-examining Max Heymans

Max Heymans was a Jewish fashion designer, often considered the ‘first Dutch couturier,’ who designed clothing in Amsterdam from the 1940s to the 1990s. His works have long been characterized as ‘timeless’ imitations of ‘French fashion’ by the media and academic literature. This article will re-examine his works, calling into question such characterizations through three folds of examination. First, Heymans’ fashion designs are examined through their physical materiality and representation in film and photography. Second, the personality and background of Heymans are analyzed to better understand his self-identity as a Jewish queer man. Third, the interaction between Heymans’ identity and his designs is reviewed. Through these three lenses of inquiry, it is concluded that Heymans’ designs were not ‘timeless’ but instead developed alongside the trends in fashion. Heymans’ identity as a queer Jewish man minimally influenced his designs. It was rather his Dutch nationality that likely guided his designs.