They Came from Planet Claire

A KALTBLUT exclusive. Photography by Simon Rogghe. The models are Syl Hendrickx & Tybe Hendrickx. Styling by Cynthia De Blander. Makeup and Hair by Sarah Lumea. The brands used are Liu Zexian, Felix Luyckx, and Louise Luyckx.

“Twin models Syl & Tybe are signed with No Babes Agency, a Belgian non-profit that questions taboos around beauty ideals, seeking to add diversity to the fashion industry by sharing the raw story of real people and showing that it is okay to be vulnerable in our differences. In the models’ own words: “We both have a big nose. We never struggled with it, but we received many negative comments about it. At times, it was tough. But in the end, it shaped us into who we are today—confident about our noses, and we even like to accentuate them. We were also bullied in the past because of our sexual orientation and for being more feminine. Fortunately, our family and close friends are very supportive and we have found a place in the beautiful LGBTQIA+ community.”

The “out-of-the-box” demeanour of the models, combined with the tongue-in-cheek outlandish character of the wardrobe, is what prompted the title of this story, after the B-52s song “Planet Claire,” in which the protagonist comes from a place in the universe where cannot be found within the confines of any charted topography, nor does it conform to our commonly accepted structures of reality.”