Encounter with textile designer Joelle Boers

Encounter with textile designer Joelle Boers who just graduated from Academy of Fine Arts Maastricht


Joelle Boers next to her work

-Can you tell us something about your graduation project and collection?

As a child I was always fascinated by nature, that’s why I was inspired for my graduation concept by the seabirds around the “plastic soup” area’s in the Pacific Ocean, which are threatened with extinction, because of all the garbage, plastics and other toxic material that ruins the ocean and the life within,
Using my own photography, detailed with old plastics, metals and other materials, I developed my own kind of “garbage”, old wasted things that took my attention, and used them in my prints.
In my work I play with a mix of geometric shapes and weird material in a bold way. My final collection consists a book of digital printed silk fashion fabrics, a wearable fashion collection based on digital designs mixed with other materials, fashion objects and techniques.







My graduation collection “Hypno Insanity” shows my vision of what the world does to the beautiful sea life and those magnificent birds that are infected and terminated because of us, not caring enough what is happening with the environment.

-What is your fascination?
I was always fascinated by nature; there are so many fluid and geometric forms, interesting structures and magnificent colors! I like to photograph them and make illustrations with a lot of color of details.
Also updated themes in the environment inspire me a lot, because that's something that's going on around us all. And lyrics from artist Bjork, they are so psycho, I like that! I often use them in my moodboards and lookbooks!





-Who is your favorite designer/artist?
That's hard because there are really many good (new) designers! But I'm always amazed by the Alexander McQueen creations, and al the material techniques! It is still so unreal that he’s no longer alive.
I think that Balenciaga, Iris van Herpen and Hussein Chalayan are stunning because of their innovative approach and designs. And not to forget Mary Katrantzou because of the way she plays with forms and digital prints!!