This is the story of the creation of a collection, the collection of Mieke Van Poucke. A story that begins with 79-year-old Mieke’s extensive collection of clothes, and unfolds to become a collection of Mieke’s daily performance: getting ready for her day, every single day.

In 2023, Freek Persyn’s mother, Mieke Van Poucke, fell seriously ill. Mieke’s three children each reacted to their mother’s condition in their own way, with Freek proposing a project: to unpack and capture her extensive collection of clothes, the pieces she dresses herself in every day.

So the work to record the practice of clothes being selected, combined and worn began, with sartorial demonstrations captured on smartphones, either by Mieke herself or Freek’s father. In addition to the flow of images between mother and son, Freek invited photographer Sepideh Farvardin to photograph Mieke, bringing a new perspective and fresh energy. In front of Sepideh’s lens, Mieke opened up and began sharing not only what she was wearing but what was on her mind. Her daily messages now offered insights into her plans for the day ahead, along with succinct meditations on fashion, life, nature, philosophy and more.

Designed by OK-RM, the book is intimate in both scale and intention. Hand-held in size, it invites the reader into Mieke’s world, bringing you close to her. Structured into three distinct sections, the book guides the viewer’s perspective from Mieke’s daily lived experience to her past, with photographs from Mieke’s own photo album, encircling past and present. My Collection is Endless… is Mieke Van Poucke’s oeuvre, an invitation to all on the joy of living life as an endless rehearsal.