Fashion collection inspired by Europe

How Europe inspired fashion designers to design conversation piece collection

In the Pop-up Atelier Europa of Studio Europa Maastricht and FASHIONCLASH, ten young European fashion designers worked together to develop a Europe Collection within one week. They did this from a glass house at Mosae Forum from 2 to 8 December. Designers from countries like UK, Finland, Ukraine, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Netherlands, Serbia and Russia drew inspiration from the Dress to Protest workshops that were organized earlier this year for young people from the Euregion.

In addition, the designers were paired to performers, the students of the Toneelacademie Maastricht and iArts Maastricht, with the aim to express their concept through a short performance. The result is a collection of ten different approaches and visions about Europe translated into fashion creations.

On Sunday, 8th of December the ten outfits were unveiled with a performance during the Maastricht Europe Days closing show in the Eiffel building in Maastricht.

DESIGNERS
Beatrice Sangster (UK), Benedetta Marcucci (Italy), Julina Bezold (Switzerland), Kateryna Boiko (Ukraine), Michelle Cornelissen (Netherlands), Nevena Ivanović (Serbia), Julia Montin (Finland), Marko Feher (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Maria Ossaba (Belgium), Yana Monk (Russia)

Designers in fornt of the Pop-up Atelier Europa

PERFORMANCE

Directed by Giovanni Brand
Performers: Giovanni Brand, Amber Rozema, Romy Moon, Nina Wilson, Melanie Barelds, Seppe Salomé, Cecilia A. Thoden van Velzen, Bo Oudendijk, Tijn Hoekzema, Tomas Claessens

Dress to Protest
Pop-up Atelier Europe is one of a series of activities organized in 2019 within the context of 'Dress to Protest'. With this project FASHIONCLASH and Studio Europa Maastricht are calling on young people to participate in design workshops to exchange ideas about Europe. With the imagination of fashion, they shape their visions and personal stories about Europe. During the workshops in May and September, a total of 180 students from different schools and nationalities, spoke about the meaning of European peace and cooperation for their personal freedom. The students then translated the outcomes of their brainstorm sessions into creative designs.

More information about the project: www.fashionclash.nl/dress-to-protest 

Dress to Protest workshops

Orlando Opera - Vienna State Opera

On December 8, Orlando premiered at the Vienna State Opera. The opera is an encounter of female creative minds across time and countries: It is based on the novel by Virginia Woolf, composed by Olga Neuwirth, with a libretto by Ms. Neuwirth and Catherine Filloux, directed by Polly Graham, with costumes by Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons.

Orlando is the first opera commissioned from a female composer by the Vienna Opera in its 150 years of existence, and the first time Ms. Kawakubo has designed for the stage.

https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/

Photography by David Payr for The New York Times

Courtesy: Read the full interview with Rei Kawakubo for NYTimes

Press & Fold - Issue #1 Luxury

Press & Fold is an independent fashion magazine that aims to explore alternative fashion forms and narratives. The magazine provides a platform for critical fashion practitioners who actively seek out the cracks and fissures in the current fashion system to propose new opportunities for making and doing fashion.

More than 20 contributors – ranging from visual artists and writers to fashion designers and researchers – present their view on the issue’s theme: luxury.

Press & Fold Issue #1 Luxury, will be available from December 7th onwards at selected retailers and online at pressandfoldmagazine.com.

Press & Fold is an initiative by Hanka van der Voet in collaboration with art director and graphic designer Beau Bertens.

Landscape as Cult - Bureau Europa

Landscape as Cult. A changing view on our nature 
28 November 2019 – 3 May 2020 

The exhibition 'Landscape as Cult. A Changing View on Our Nature' puts the people/landscape and culture/nature relationships into sharp focus. The stage for our actions us has always been the landscape around us, but have we almost outgrown this podium? Given the increasing awareness of our disastrous treatment of nature, are we still able – or willing – to feel connected to it? Or are we more inclined to attract the landscape towards us, or even to spend more time in nature?

Is the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve a realistic representation of a typically Dutch landscape? How 'Romantic' is our contemporary image of nature? Are we still self-reliant? Can technology and landscape architecture help us to reverse environmental decline?
This exhibition pits the Romantic experience of nature against the raw reality of cultivation. Landscape architecture is traditionally a historical analysis: a spatial design that strikes the right balance between ecology, biodiversity and culture. But what happens when instead of tackling the landscape horizontally you construct it vertically, from archaeology to satellite? What layers does it reveal and what meanings do we find embedded in the nature around us?
We examine our stewardship of planet Earth by looking at some notable figures who have changed our thinking forever, such as Eugene Dubois and Ian McHarg; by reflecting on the dying coral reefs as presented in 'Teatro Della Terra Alienata' (Theatre of The Alienated Land), the prize-winning Australian pavilion at the Milan Architecture Triennale; and by critically reflecting on our societal image of nature.

Featuring:
Jean-Baptiste Castel | Benjamin Earl | Fabrique & Q42 | Tracy Fullerton | Grandeza + Bajeza (Amaia Sanchez-Velasco, Jorge Valiente Oriol, Gonzal Valiente &Miguel Rodriguez-Casellas, University of Technology Sydney) | Lodovica Guarnieri & Gabriela Baka | Pascal Leboucq & Nieuwe Helden | Arjen de Leeuw | LOLA Landscape Architects & Piet Oudolf & Deltavormgroep | Next Architects & H+N+S Landscape Architects | Giacomo Nanni & Julian Peschel | RAAAF | Dirk Sijmons | Studio Marco Vermeulen | WEST8

Curator: Saskia van Stein
Co-curator: Remco Beckers
Graphic identity: Nina van Tuikwerd

https://www.bureau-europa.nl 

Rebecca Carrington - FASHIONCLASH Festival 2019

Rebecca Carrington, graduate from Manchester School of Art, presented her Ruby Ribbon collection during the 11th edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival in Maastricht. The collection is inspired by her pet parrot Ruby who died few years ago. Rebecca has had multiple success with her collection, the latest being awarded first prize at iD Dunedin Fashion Week. 

"I celebrated her by creating a narrative. The story of Miss Ruby Ribbon. Ruby Ribbon is a girl who works in a supermarket on the checkout tills and is stuck in a rut of 9-5. She retreats to her bedroom where she plays with all of her childhood toys even though she is 21 years old, she still loves toys. Her favorite toy her cash register transports her into a new world, a place called Childhood City where she meets a parrot called Dream, a dalmatian dog called Kid, her inner child Miss Lola Child and the evil presence in the story Mr Baddie who lives in the sky and throws out weapons, illegal substances etc which makes all the toys and women in the city go crazy. All of the characters live in a castle which is surrounded by brainwashed women and toys. Ruby Ribbon is there to save them all from Baddie, but she discovers that everyone in Childhood City has a bad side to them and that Baddie is more upfront about his. She discovers that Baddie is actually a good person inside and that not everything is what it seems in life."

www.instagram.com/beckscarrington

Photography by Pasarella photography

GARCIABELLO - FASHIONCLASH Festival 2019

Argentinian designer Garcia Bello made a successful debut at FASHIONCLASH Festival, not only did she impressed with her collection CAMPO, she was also named the jury winner of the Fashion Makes Sense Award 2019. With her brand GARCIABELLO, she presents a no-gender aesthetic with unique designs based on up-clycling process combined with biodegradable cotton and zero waste pattern cutting. The brand is based and produced in her homeland Arengina,  looking for representation of the national identity

"CAMPO works on the idea of the land both literally and metaphorically. It brings up those sensations that come to us when traveling upcountry to the heart of Tierra del Fuego, the most southern place in Latin America. We can recall a shelter made out of a tarp over some trees, or filling a drawer with the items needed to survive in the wild, all of which is strapped with a string and covered with a cloth. It also reminds us of tying a knot in a rope to fasten a mug and throwing it into the river to collect some water. Or spending a day in the wild and surviving the crude Patagonian winter. 
The garments in this collection are made out of discarded raw material donated by fishermen, hunters and adventurers from the area. Its mold design is inspired by up-cycling methods to create genderless and sizeless clothes out of the entire roll of cloth, with nowaste at all. Lastly, tailoring and outdoor style blend into this classical but unique collection of clothing from the Tierra del Fuego region."

http://garciabello.com.ar
Images by Pasarella Photography

Taskforce Fashion - Fashion After Flood

Taskforce Fashion - Fashion After Flood Pilot Presentation

On November 3rd, the interim results of the Taskforce Fashion - Fashion After Flood pilot where presented at the Jan van Eyck Academy. Narrated by Joost Horward, the presentation contained several speakers such as Hicham Khalidi (director Jan van Eyck Academy), Afke van Rijn (Director Media & Creative Industries at Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, OCW), Syb Groeneveld (Executive Director Creative Industries Fund NL), and the participating designers who during four months dove into the topic of Fashion After Flood.
The presentation featured performance by Toneelacademie Maastricht students Romy Moons and Olivier Herter.

Exhibtion& Interim results
On November 3rd, the exhibition Taskforce Fashion - Fashion After Flood was opened to public. The three teams, all existing of five designers, presented their interim results in the exhibition.

Team Amsterdam
What impact does the flood and status as a refugee have on the identity of Amsterdammers? Team Amsterdam of shows us how diversity and identity can be enriched by finding common ground. Al Mamoun Benmira, Lisa Konno, Gino Anthonisse, Lidewij van Twillert and Dewi Bekker, each pass their answer from a personal perspective to the next designer. It eventually merges into one story. How will the storyline deform, enrich and change visually as well as verbally from designer to designer? Find more about it here: Team Amsterdam

Team Arnhem
Team Arnhem of shows us a world of people who stay behind, people who are living on land and all the new realities in between. The rising (sea) water level changes more than only a transformation in landscape. Discover through the eyes of Linda Valkeman, Jessica van Halteren, Karin Vlug, Rosanne van Wijk and Carmen Hogg how people form along his/her environment and naturally find a way to make it wearable and suitable - be it out of necessity as a second skin or as a new coat.
More about: Team Arnhem

Team Maastricht 
Christa van der Meer and Anouk van Klaveren from team Maastricht outsourced the problem of the flood to Prof. Sayon. They recently received this flyer from him, which promises to solve many of your problems, even the most desperate things. They visited this medium in The Hague to hand over the problem of the rising sea water level. With great respect, they present his confidence about change. More about their findings here: ChristaxAnouk

If climate change continues at its current pace the sea level rise could create a future flood that would cover half the Netherlands. The flood will most likely cause mass migration from west to east due to the search for a safer haven while leaving behind a home. What should you take with you in the event of such a large scale evacuation? Anouk Van de Sande and Vera De Pont (Team Maastricht) interviewed themselves and others to formulate a possible answer to this complex question for Fashion After Flood. Discover the quotes from their interviews with others, as well as brainstorm sessions on a protective Flood Suit here:AnoukxVera

Yamuna Forzani of Team Maastricht did research among the queer community that she is a part of.

Taskforce Fashion is a research-based collaboration and multidisciplinary partnership of FASHIONCLASH, M-ODE and State of Fashion. Taskforce Fashion is commissioned by Creative Industries Fund NL and is made possible with the support of the municipality ofMaastricht, the municipality of Arnhem and the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts.
www.taskforcefashion.nl
Instagram @taskforcefashion

De Wasserij Opening

De Wasserij creatives

Rotterdam has a new creative hub for fashion related designers, artists and initiatives. In the weekend of 16 and 17 November, De Wasserij fashion incubator, officially opened with the Getting Closer Fashion Festival. During this festival the local designers and participants of De Wasserij opened their studios and several activities took place.

De Wasserij is a brand new breeding ground for innovative fashion professionals. The building offers studios, a fashion manufacturing lab and a program of events.

De Wasserij residents include AnoukxVera, Ari Van Twillert, Berend Brus, Studio Dennis Vanderbroeck, Kukka design, Marlou Verheijden, De Naaister, EIJK, Studio Markx, Tiemen Visser, Tegendraads, Mevan Kaluarachchi, Femke Schaap, Elise Leeflang, Atelier Markx, Inez Naomi, Esther Muñoz Grootveld and many more.

More information: http://dewasserij.cc

Here are some impressions.

FUCKING DOWN - Fatal Tiger

Fucking Down is latest music video directed by Spanish filmmaker Amanda Lago for musician Fatal Tiger. The video explores the struggle we face in accepting ourselves by portraying and engaging with the most extreme aspects of our personality. Produced by Lapiscina.

Fashion Shows at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2019

Bruna Ignatowska

The 11th edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival contained a two-day programme with five show blocks consisting of multiple designers: NextGen, Clash, NextLevel, BODY ALUMNI and Partner & Awards show.

The Fashion Show program is a great possibility to discover the latest fashion talent from around the world. This year, the festival once again offers a stage to fashion designers such as Bruna Ignatowska from Brazil, Fabio Bigondi from Italy, ANNJOY from Germany, Marie Lamberechts from Belgium and Annais Yurca Mancilla from Peru. Dutch design talent was also well represented with Maastricht based Chiron Floris, Carlijn Veurink, Berend Brus, Ode Aan Oma, Roos Boshart Prins and TEUN, who impressed with his new collection.
One of the blocks, namely the Clash, consisted of designers who show fashion as art or question the boundaries of by experimenting with shapes and form or by the way fashion is presented. In this block both imaginative as innovative pleasures of fashion design where showcased by multidisciplinary designers such as Courtney Makins, Sarah Ama Duah, TVDB and Angelo Castro & Belen Fusco.
Part of the Clash show block, that also contained the presentation of the CLASH Project that was specially initiated for the festival. For this project, a number of non-fashion designers have been asked to translate their vision of fashion into a fashion outfit. 
Body Alumni, the 2019 graduates from Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts and Design where also part of the show programme.
The show programme was concluded with the Partners & Awards show, where designers from the collaboration partners such as ModaLisboa and Czech Centre are shown. In this show there was a special performance where fashion and opera will clash and costumes from the Fantasio (Opera Zuid) are shown, accompanied by a live performance by the soprano Kristina Bitenc. Fantasio is a romantic comedy by Jacques Offenbach, the grandmaster of comic opera. Costumes for the fools were designed by four fashion designers Ferry Schiffelers, Teun Seuren, Dusty Thomas and Maarten Van Mulken.

Photography by Laura Knipsael

Hair: KEVIN.MURPHY
Make-up ELLIS FAAS Cosmetics with Pop-Up Make-up Team by Rachel
Choreography: SESSIBON

Hanneke & Tosca - FASHIONCLASH Festival 2019

photo Laura Knipsael

With their Computer Says No! collection, Dutch designers Hanneke Klaver and Tosca Schift, presented a playful experience.

"The other day I had this conversation with my printer. When I sent my digital input, he responded with his voice on paper. We disagreed. He fired his paper as a rocket into the air. My holiday images turned pink and the mountains were full of stripes. He tries to show he is more than a computer. I can look at him as a disposable article, but to me he is a friend. Error makes his character.” It requires the eyes of a child to look beyond habit and convention. Welcome to the printer unknown to you."

Clash Project - ‘SICK OF SINGLE SOCKS’

Hanneke & Tosca call themselves movement designers. They joined forces after gradua- ting from the ArtEZ Product Design depart- ment. Playfully they experiment with objects, film and performance. With their work they advocate for a more humane relationship between man and object and for a revalua- tion of daily habits and products.

In addition to their collection of transformable printers, their contribution to the Clash Project with the washing machine is already a classic. Their playful approach shows the power of imagination that we also need in our lives.

For the costume ‘SICK OF SINGLE SOCKS’ they used the washing machine as the base, questioning the fact that the washing machine eats their socks. And about the unusual habit of humans to crawl into the machine. Where do the socks go? And how would it be for humans to run along with a wash?

Follow their cooperation on Instagram: @anteye_land

Catwalk photography by Pasarella Photography

Roos Boshart Prins - FASHIONCLASH Festival 2019

Cover Your Fake Nudes, But Show Me Your Real Skin

Dutch designer Roos Boshart Prins impressed during FASHIONCLASH Festival with her high-end lingerie collection.

This collection will explore the boundaries of the human body. A celebration of physicality in all its organic complexities and the sometimes contrasting sides of identity we show. An uncensored ode to sensuality, this collection praises the carnal instinct of the sexual human being in an honest but elegant way. Constructed from different layers of skin- imitating materials, searching for the moment where covered-up morphs into exposed.
Photography Laura Knipsael
https://www.roosboshartprins.com

Maarten Van Mulken - Violent Transgressions

Maarten Van Mulken presented his new collection during the 11th edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival.

"We became a docile audience that reacts, judges and comments on today’s social and environmental issues as long as it’s from our comfortable position. I want to show that change is inevitable, but at the same time some changes can only take place if we take action. This resulted in a collection of things that need change (plastic soup, etc), things that can’t be changed (nature-events) and things that are already changing (active-participation). The collection should raise questions about all superficial boundaries we feel in our everyday life and create new boundaries together"

Photography by Laura Knipsael

https://maartenvanmulken.com

FASHIONCLASH Festival 2019 Aftermovie

Berend Brus - I haven’t started yet

Rotterdam based designer Berend Brus presented his new collection during FASHIONCLASH Festival. After his successful graduation collection, that earned him a spot in the prestigious Lichting show in 2018, Berend stepped it up and proved his promising status with a more mature collection.

The collection ‘I haven’t started yet’ is inspired by a journey of rebellion, coming from kicking against social norms.The fight for the freedom of expression which deviates from the social norm has been strengthened by the invention of the nuclear family. A continuous clash between the free spirits, the colorful souls with the government preferred suburban bliss. We have to evaluate the norms and values of the mold that we were created in, and decide for ourselves what holds value, and what parts we want to burn down. A search for the similarities and visual language between the two dichotomies. The persistent exchange between pull and push has been the inspiration for Berend Brus’ new collection.

Instagram @berendbrus
www.berendbrus.nl

Photography by Pasarella Photography