Dutch Design Awards 2021

The Fabricant

The Fabricant is the winner of the Dutch Design Awards 2021. 

The winner was announced on Sunday, during the Dutch Design Week online tv program. Jury consists of Iris Ruisch (chairman), Martijn van Strien, Rachid Naas, Mehtap Gungormez and Branko Popovic.

Every year, Dutch Design Awards (DDA) honours the best Dutch designers and their most impressive and groundbreaking projects. Various disciplines, viewpoints and solutions are judged in light of the impact they have on our society. Dutch Design Awards thereby gives a boost to the profession as a whole. The best Dutch design, viewed in perspective and placed on a pedestal.

With their project LEELA, The Fabricant took home the award in the Fashion category of DDA.

Digital fashion house The Fabricant launched a beta test of a new digital fashion platform: LEELA. LEELA – which means ‘to play’ in Hindi – enables users to create a photo-realistic avatar that they can dress in digital couture from the specially created collection FLUID. Using 3D technology, they can make pictures of their digitally dressed avatar from various perspectives and share them on social media. A revolution in the physical experience of wearing fashion, and a new business model for the post-pandemic fashion industry.

Jury Panel
"In terms of new business models and a less wasteful fashion industry, The Fabricant is an international frontrunner. They cleverly anticipate an inevitably digitally focused future, enter into interesting collaborations and at the same time continue to create a desire for fashion with great design power. With LEELA as a playing field for expression, The Fabricant introduces a more democratic and commercial level to the digital fashion industry, without losing sight of their immense creative quality. It sketches a new-artisan scenario for the future of our identity and how fashion can play a role in this." 

XHOSA

XHOSA
KABRA is a contemporary men’s collection by XHOSA in which traditional Surinamese patterns and designs are innovatively incorporated into a modern, western silhouette. A wearable collection for everyone and with recognizable prints it is a way for Surinamese men to culturally identify, express themselves and pass on their culture. In close collaboration with Surinamese artists and craftsmen, traditions are not only displayed but they are also given a new context. The collection, the documentary KABRA and the fashion film TERI form a cohesive whole, whereby KABRA portrays the technique and TERI tells the story of the rich Surinamese culture.

Jury Panel
"The prints, the layered designs, the documentary; everything about KABRA exudes sincerity. Celebrating craftsmanship, the continuation of traditions and cultural identification, and expression all come together in a strong story and beautiful clothing. This collection finds itself on the cutting edge of couture and ready-to-wear and has achieved a delicate balance between handicraft and wearability, so that it can really reach the target group. In this work, XHOSA shows just how connective fashion can be and thereby provides a much-needed addition to the current landscape."

Schepers Bosman
Schepers Bosman is surrounded by a tight-knit group of friends, musicians, creatives and colleague-designers. The collaboration between these creative individuals forms the foundation of the collections, which puts the designer’s ego out of play. The 21SS collection visualises this connection. The collection includes graphics that refer to the colours and elements of flags, as a metaphor for unity and solidarity. The silhouettes are a modern interpretation of the concept of uniformity and workwear, made using raw collage techniques and patchwork constructions. The collection consists of unlined suits inspired by painters’ jackets, workwear coats and trousers, jumpsuits, square jerseys, jogging trousers, lightweight shirts, jackets and a new series of Dutch Denim garments.

Jury panel
"The entrepreneurship of Schepers Bosman is admirable. Their collaborations are discipline-transcending, they stick their neck out for other designers and with their upcycling collections and local production, the collective is a great example of sustainable Dutch design. With the 21SS collection, they maintain their aesthetic and working methods, while at the same time also placing more emphasis on the Schepers Bosman community. They demonstrate the power of the collective with a recognisable signature of clashing patchworks, while the uniform clothing also provides space for the personality of the individual. The further expansion and increased visibility of their methods and community offers opportunities for the development of Schepers Bosman"

More information: https://www.dutchdesignawards.nl