Hermione Flynn: A 3D Performance Artist

A new era has begun at the Berlin fashion-house, Hermione Flynn. As a trained performance artist, Flynn has always pioneered clothing design centered around artistic concept, social commentary and mixed media presentations. As one not to shy away from innovation, Flynn is now embracing and pioneering 3D as her chosen medium of artistic communication.

This shift in Flynn's process has resulted in the creation of a highly accurate and realistic 3D replica of the designer's own physical form. This digital-double will function as Flynn's own 3D performance-art avatar.

"A challenge I have always faced in the art-direction of performance is the unavoidable reality that I cannot "see" myself. It was this restriction that refrained me from ever performing in my own works, and forced me to always collaborate with models, actors or dancers to realize the performances. Now that I have the avatar (I call her "Em"), I have the capacity to direct my own exact form, and analyse and critique my own performance. The other fascinating realization is also that Em obviously does not have a soul (yet!), meaning that I can subject her to scenarios I would never normally put myself (or any person) through. This has opened up a whole new realm to my approach to the art-work as a concept.
In addition to this, the 3D medium also has it's own other-worldly qualities which defy real-life. Em can pass through walls, change her form, colour or appearance in an unlimited number of ways. Em can take on the movement of a ballerina, a soldier or a sex worker (through the use of motion capture technology). This freedom has opened the doors to a reality which is unlike any we can fathom, and as an artistic medium, 3D is truly like no other." - Hermione Flynn

As a first look at the avatar, Flynn has created a 3D campaign "Watermark" which explores concepts of "digital make-up" as well as exposes the texture-mapping of 3D objects.

Hermione Flynn intends to produce limited edition concept-collections, which are a simple by-product of the 3D art and performances created. The introduction of 3D will also drastically inform the creative process - from cloth simulations to 3D printing, the products produced at Hermione Flynn will certainly reflect this new era.

The movement towards 3D-created content is unavoidable. It is sweeping through the entertainment, social media, advertising, VR and AI industries (to name a few), so the influence on fashion and art is now utterly inevitable. Flynn has been able to take advantage of such a movement, through the exclusive partnership with Berlin-based 3D content-creators Synthetic.Studio and sister company Mimic Productions.

"We are thrilled about this new endeavor, and look forward to sharing and creating new content in the field of performance, art and fashion. Whether it's virtual reality, animated videos or 3D stills, we will be embracing the authentic potential and unlimited possibilities of this exciting new medium." - Hermione Flynn

www.hermioneflynn.com

Immaterial - Ultramaterial

Max Stalter

Immaterial - Ultramaterial is an exhibition of hosted by Burg Giebichenstein University Halle at Veem building during Dutch Design Week.

The exhibition is all about demonstrating the diversity and bandwidth of our university.
Young graduates and students have been dedicating their time to rethinking manufacturing processes such as extruding, knitting and 3D printing, resulting in highly tangible (ultramaterial) products. Meanwhile, immaterial ideas and beliefs have been translated into thought-provoking installations to reflect and discuss societal issues.
By bringing together the upper and lower extremities of materiality, they capture the creative spectrum of what is happening in the hands and minds of our dedicated students.
The products and projects on display have been developed within the departments of Industrial Design, Conceptual Fashion Design, Textile Design and Interior Architecture, and including skilled artworks from the Ceramics and Jewellery classes. Every year, the Burg Roadshow curates and presents selected art and design works by our graduates and students at our favourite design weeks in Europe.
http://burg-halle.de/roadshow/2018/dutch-design-week/

Design Academy Eindhoven Graduation 2018

Boris Maas - The Urge to Sit Dry'

The Graduation Show 2018 was the first edition in almost two decades to take place outside the walls of Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE). This move to a venue on the site of the historic Campina Milk Factory reflects a major shift in the public’s perception of design and the role of DAE.  
‘The relevance of design today’ says creative director Joseph Grima, ‘has vested us with a position in which we, as a profession, have unparalleled influence over our collective future. Now it is down to us, as an institution, to extend the horizon of design education in response, questioning and revisiting how we present our work and generate discourse and debate.’
G18 showcase featured 208 projects by 185 graduates, who shared their visions to the wide audience.

www.designacademy.nl

Take a look at my picture report that show most of the highlights.

18th edition of Fashion Weekend Skopje

Theodora Mitrovska

The eighteenth edition of Fashion Weekend Skopje was held from 1 to 4 November 2018 at the exclusive location of F.A.M.E'S and Skopje Marriott Hotel.
FWS has launched a new initiative in Macedonia, the project #Sustainablestorymk based on sustainable desgn and re-use of waste.
With this new project and international cooperations such as with the United Fashion project, FWS has taken a good step into developing new perspectives for their future generations. For a rather small country of Macedonia, that is currently under political radar because of the name-debate, initiatives like FWS are a positive contribution to the development of new narratives through fashion.

Eight young creative artists under the mentorship of the designer Irina Tosheva, in partnership with British Council, created Macedonian sustainable story #Sustainablestorymk. On this capsule collections made of textile waste the following designers where involved: Emanuela Trajceska, Sara Redzic, Eva Zarezankova, Natalie Naumova, Radica Lazova, Katerina Dimitrovska, Mirjana Josifoska and Dana Kjoseva.

The project is realized by the Fashion Weekend Skopje and the Macedonian Fashion Association in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Macedonia with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia within the framework of the New Cultural Wave 2018, the British Council and our partners Textile Trade Association Textile Cluster -Macedonia in cooperation with the factories Okitex, La Dama, Bella, AFG, Monikaand Istkomerc Sanda.
Active participation and support gave civic-led networkAjdeMacedonia! , the companyEcotipwith the ecological bottles for water Retap, Academy for fashion design DJolev and Arts (Seavus educational&development center).

#Sustainablestorymk

Sara Redzic

This season unvealed fifteen new collections. The eighteenth edition was opened by the established designer Lidiya Georgieva, who with her collection celebrated twenty years of work in Paris and Macedonia. From the well known names we have also seen the collections of Irina Tosheva, Silvija Mihajlovska from the studio Alshar and Olgica Gorgieva. Additionally, one of the most famous brands of Italian jewelry Sigma, brought its new pieces exactly to Fashion Weekend Skopje.

Each season we have designers with whom we unite the region and bring Europe to us. This time it was KRENARERUGOVA by talented designer Krenare Rugova who was studying in New York and Paris and selling her creations in several markets across Europe.

Olgica Gjorgieva

YOUNG DESIGNERS
Theodora Mitrovska, who finished her education at the University in London after opening the Riga Fashion Week, presented her collection during FWS. Another creative proposal came from Error Kolektiv and their three brands: ATAMI, Em Ellephantski and [0.10] error of harmony.

Theodora Mitrovska

Aleksandra Jovanovska, who has been creating various creations for ten years, has chosen her best pieces and this time presented them in one collection. Students from the Academy of Fashion Design Jolev and the Arts (Seavus Educational & Development Center) presented their final collections on which they’ve worked under the mentorship of the well known designers Nikola Eftimov and Nikola Buleski-Bule.

More information: https://fashionweekendskopje.mk

HOW&WOW - Studio

Christa van der Meer

Crafts Council Nederland presented the exhibition HOW &WOW - Studio in VEEM building during the Dutch Design Week 2018

Featuring work of: Agustina Bottoni, Astrid Luglio, Babs van den Thillart, Boris de Beijer, Christa van der Meer & Gino Anthonisse – Das Leben am Haverkamp, Christine Jetten, Daan Veerman, David Derksen, De Ploeg, EE Exclusives, Emma Wessel, Foteine Makri, Joana Schneider, Lio de Bruin, Louët, Maartje Trooster, Makers Unite, Making and Metal, Maartje van der Heide, Nane-Sophie Bergmann, Patric Bakker, Sara Ricciardi, Tamara Verbruggen, Wieger van der Heide and Xandra van der Eijk.

More info: https://craftscouncil.nl

Shape Shifters - New Order of Fashion

Chien Hsiang Hung, T'ang Sheng

Modebelofte / New Order of Fashion

Each year, during the Dutch Design Week, Modebelofte is one of the must see fashion showcases. Modebelofte, in the future to continue as New Order of Fashion,  is a project that shows the forefront of young fashion designers who strive towards more autonomy, imagination, and experimentation in how we express the complexities of we shape our identites. The 2018 edition translated the need of humans to transform into the contept of shapeshifting within a bubble-like installation designed by Harm Rensink.
The New Order of Fashion displays a fresh look of the state of the art coming from the new generation of designers.

Participating designers were  Sinéad O’Dwyer, Kota Okuda, Floyd Hogan, Yuting Zhu, Lingfeng ZHU, Pierre-Louis Auvray, Emma Wessel, Anna Dorian, Studio PMS, Stina Randestad, Marie Sloth Rousing, Chien Hsiang Hung, Axel Backlund, Stefan Kartchev, Savanah Avery, River Renjie Wang, Alicia Minnaard, Matilda Söderberg, Juha Vehmaanperä, Paolo Carzana and Lieselot Elzinga.
In addition there were cooperations under the new concept Fellowships, containing two projects: Ecco Leather x Kira Goodey and  Kobe x AnoukxVera.

The magical concept of shapeshifting must be deeply ingrained into our psyche, as it is a popular theme in myths and fairy tales, in shamanism and witchcraft, in religious texts and science fiction, in the arts and culminating in our modern ‘makeability’ cultus.
The New Order of Fashion team perceives an increasing desire to alter not solely our digital selves, but also our actual physical form. By bending gender and appreciating beauty in diversity, and through our fitness fanaticism, cosmetic surgery, and biohacking, the human form is altered to that of a cyborg. A surprising number of young designers are researching new expressions of identity as an answer to a fast changing and multidimensional living environment, considering the increasing influence of technology, migration issues and climate change. Fashion offers an endless toolbox of silhouettes, expressions, associations and identifications.

http://modebelofte.com

ROBOT LOVE

ROBOT LOVE is an accessible and interactive multidisciplinary exhibition about the love between humans and robots.
In ROBOT LOVE, more than 50 artists, designers and scientists ask you whether robots are capable of love. And whether you could love them.

The exhibition is staged in a large setting at the Campina Milk Factory in Eindhoven and open until 2nd of December 2019.

ROBOT LOVE will provide an intruiging journey and awake thoughts on the influence technique and science have on our society.

Robot Love is organised by the Niet Normaal Foundation, previously responsible for, among others, Niet Normaal, Ja Natuurlijk and recently Hacking Habitat. 

For more information: www.robotlove.nl

Portrait by illustrator Mateusz Suda

illustration by Mateusz Suda
www.mateuszsuda.com

Złota Nitka - Łódź Young Fashion 2018

Adrian Krupa

The Final Gala of the National Contest "Złota Nitka" 2018

On Thursday evening, 18th of October, the national contest Złota Nitka took place at Academy of Fine Arts Łódź as part of the Łódź Young Fashion 2018 festival.
The contest is aimed at both professional and debuting designers - artists affiliated with fashion schools, art colleges and freelancers, born after 1988. However, graduating from schools and previous achievements in the field of fashion are not as important as a fresh approach to global trends and courage in presenting one's own style.
The goal of the contest is to present the potential of Polish designers. An important criterion for the contest is how usable the collection is - the fulfilment of the ‘ready to wear’ condition. The collection must be prepared for mass production.  The leitmotif of this year’s edition is HARMONY.

The winner, Adrian Krupa received 30,000 prize in zlotys and opportunity to present his collection during the final gala of the International Contest – Łódź Young Fashion Award 2018.

More information: http://lodzyoungfashion.com/Main/Artykul/zlota-nitka-2018 
All images by brankopopovicblog

Łódź Young Fashion Award 2018

Laima Jurča

ŁÓDŹ YOUNG FASHION AWARD 2018

Since 2017, the city of Łódź repositioned itself as a relevant moment in the year for the emerging young designers. The international contest “Łódź Young Fashion Award” dedicated to professional designers and debutants - artists associated with fashion schools, art colleges and freelancers, born after 1988. The theme of this year's edition was "FREEDOM". On October 20, twelve finalists where given the stage on the last day of Łódź Young Fashion festival.
Twelve outstanding designers presented their collections at the Academy of Fine Arts Łódź, the venue where all fashion shows of Łódź Young Fashion take place. Laima Jurča from Latvia was named winner by the jury.  The main prize - the Manequine statuette and 30,000 the euro was handed over by the Major of the City of Lodz, Hanna Zdanowska. Emilie Thirion from Belgium won the special prize of 2,000 euro by the Academy of Fine Arts Łódź. 
The winning collection, PIECGADES ĢENERĀL MĒĢINĀJUMS, thematically refers to the Soviet era - the period of empty shops, limited choice and all-encompassing drabness, which forced huge creativity and ingenuity, and encouraged to create bold things in the comfort of your home. Her author studied "Art of Fashion" at the Art Academy of Latvia and "Fashion Design" at Latvijas Mākslas Akademy. Her plans are to devote her prize to creating her own brand.
Łódź Young Fashion is a great new event organised by Academy of Fine Arts Łódź and City of Łódź, making it again the most interesting fashion event in Poland.

The Finalists:
Barbara Byleuskaya, Sandra Magdalena Dąbrowska,  Katarzyna Dworecka, Anna Gulbe, Laima Jurča, Baiba Tamane, Emilie Thirion, Tanya Tur, Sara Valenci, Riddhi Vora, Jackob Buczynski, Tjaša Zalar

Jury: Leslie Holden, Alberto Caselli, Branko Popovic, Studio MMC, Hanna Zdanowska, Kasia Sokołowska, Jolanta Rudzka-Habisiak, Tomasz Ossoliński, Dawid Tomaszewski, Joanna Strzelecka,Marta Drożdż, Marcin Świderek

http://lodzyoungfashion.com
All images by brankopopovicblog

ModaLisboa - MULTIPLEX

Nuno Gama

ModaLisboa - Lisboa Fashion Week
MULTIPLEX
SS 2019

ModaLisboa - Multiplex edition took place from 11 - 14 October at the Pavilhão Carlos Lopes, celebrating the multiple ways of living and making fashion. The SS2019 edition of the biggest fashion gathering in Portugal, successfully showcased the most important Portuguese designers, industry professionals, journalists and international guests. It was a real pleasure to be part of this celebration again.

In addition to catwalk shows, Wonder Room and talks a new feature to the programme was introduced, the Workstation. The multidisciplinary platform contained design, fashion, photography and illustration. Five young designers presented their collection on October 11 in the gardens of Estufa Fria. Among them FASHIONCLASH Festival participants João Oliveira and Filipe Augusto and designers Tiago Loureiro, Cristina Real and António Castro. Throughout the days that follow the photographers and illustrators showed their view on the Multiplex edition. In particular, the works of the illustrators Perky Mary, Mafalda Fialdo and Camila Gondo were noticed.

Pavilhão Carlos Lopes

The fashion show schedule kicked off on Friday with emerging designers. ModaLisboa continues their support for new talent through Sangue Novo (New Blood) platform. 10 designers where selected to show their collection, among them the FASHIONCLASH Festival talent Pu Tianqu from China. Since several editions, the platform has been broadened to include international designers, making it an exciting mix.

FASHIONCLASH Festival winner, Carolina Raquel

FASHIONCLASH Festival winner, Carolina Raquel

On behalf of FASHIONCLAH, I had the pleasure to meet all the designers and choose one as winner of FASHIONCLASH Festival 2019. Making the decision was not easy! All candidates presented interesting proposals. Eventually there can be only one winner and this time I named Carolina Raquel as winner. Certainly, worth mentioning are Saskia Lenaerts who will proceed her path at the MA at Central Saint Martins, the conceptual designer Federico Protto, the Spanish designer Victor Huarte and the one-to-watch designer from Portugal, Rita Carvalho.

Away to Mars

The intensive program with shows from well-known and upcoming designers took place in the coming days. Even the threat of Hurricane Leslie could not stop fashion storm that hit the Pavilhão Carlos Lopes and the surrounding parks. Even the National Museum of Ancient Art was hit. The always anticipated show by Nuno Gama took place in the museum. The mannequins were scattered on the floor dedicated to Portuguese painting and sculpture. The models where places as "living" statues among the exhibited works of art. The Saint Vincent Panels, which are on the third floor of the National Museum of Ancient Art (MNAA), were the main reason for Nuno Gama to choose the place to present his collection.

Powered by Portugal Fashion, Alexandra Moura was returned to ModaLisboa, presenting the 'Heirloom' collection inspired by childhood heritage. Telling a story of a girl from the city that spends her holidays on her grandmother's house in the countryside.


Away to Mars again presented a strong collection with beautiful prints and beautiful ready-to-wear garments. Their Drawn by Light collection was not only a complete story, but also the cast models was on point. Aleksandar Protic always presents well-designed pieces where you can clearly see the hand of the couturier who respectfully deals with fabrics and knows how to dress the female body. This time he surprised with a wider range of colours and garments. He succeeded with the application of neon. Other highlights were the collections of Patrick de Padua, Luis Carvalho, Ricardo Andrez, Kolovrat and Constança Entrudo.

Dino Alves, the closing show of the Multiplex edition

https://modalisboa.pt


View my photo report for a summary of the highlights.
All images by brankopopovicblog

Polimoda Duets Series

Polimoda launches documentary series with cultural icons, starting with Marina Abramović

Polimoda has launched Polimoda Duets, a series of documentary interview videos with icons of contemporary culture, whose first installment features pioneer and founder of performance art Marina Abramović. With this new project, the fashion institute opens its doors to the worlds of art, music, cinema and modern culture, broadening its collaboration with key industry figures – currently ranging from the Polimoda Rendez-Vous series to the Fashion Discussion panel discussions – with a new exclusive video format. In each episode, a global cultural legend will be interviewed by a select interlocutor – from top journalists to scholars and experts in the field – to discuss key themes of contemporary society.

Sangue Novo - ModaLisboa Multiplex

Victor Huarte

The fashion show schedule of the ModaLisboa - Multiplex edition kicked off on Friday evening with Sangue Novo (New Blood) platform. Ten young designers where selected to show their collection, among them the FASHIONCLASH Festival talent Pu Tianqu from China. Since several editions, the platform has been broadened to include international designers, making it an exciting mix. 
On behalf of FASHIONCLAH, I had the pleasure to meet all the designers and choose one as winner of FASHIONCLASH Festival 2019. Making the decision was not easy! All candidates presented interesting proposals. Eventually there can be only one winner and this Carolina Raquel was named winner.
Her collection ‘induviae’ explores meaningless and meaningful relationships between ourselves and our garments. By elevating them to the core object of debate, ‘induviae’ ponders new meanings about garments as personal objects and, consequently as a valuable depository of memory.
The Co.Re designer duo won the The Feeting Room prize. Their collection 'Modern Daze' is is inspired by the growing epidemic of anxiety. They aim to show a glimpse of the syndrom and how it restricts the people who live with it daily.

Six designer where selected by the jury for the Sangue Novo Award which gives the the opportunity to show their collection in March 2019. Each of them received a monet prize of 1000 euros to develop their new collection. The same jury will elect the ModaLisboa Sangue Novo prize winner in partnership with Polimoda. The winner will receove a 5000 euros scholarship  and will have the opportunity to attend Polimoda Master in fashion design in Florence.
The six finalists are Carolina Raquel, Opiar, Rita Carvalho, Federico Protto, Rita Carvalho and Archie Dickens.

Certainly, worth mentioning is Saskia Lenaerts who will proceed her path at the MA at Central Saint Martins. She presented 'Rare Fruit' collection that stands for diversity, a stating that nowadays everybody is a hybrid. The collection is based on the remaining effects of colonialism.
"This collection is based in the remaining effects of colonialism. It questions the sustainability of the global garment circulation and simultaneously, challenges and raises humanitarian issues concerning decolonization and otherness, as I believe the two are undeniable intertwined."
Last but not least, the one-to-watch- Spanish designer Victor Huarte, whose collection Britannia is inspired by the celebration of 4th of July at Eton school ships procession in England. Presenting a playful reinterpretation of folklore and experimenting with mens/womenswear clothing codes.

https://modalisboa.pt

Carolina Raquel

i-Classics – Empty Minds

philharmonie zuidnednederland x FASHIONCLASH x playField. 

On 11th October i-Classics Empty Minds premiered at Klokgebouw in Eindhoven, followed by a performance at Complex in Maastricht. Rather than leaning back the audience become a part of a complete new experience of music, fashion design and video in a performance accompanied by more than 50 musicians.

In the past ten years, FASHIONCLASH has developed as an innovative interdisciplinary platform known for the many clashes. Special collaboration projects have been developed in which fashion clashed with theater, dance, film and art. philharmonie zuidnednederland x FASHIONCLASH is maybe not the expected cooperation, but this is exactly what FASHIONCLASH aspires. By placing fashion design in a different context, questioning fashion, discovering fashion in the broadest form of the word, new fashion narratives are born and encounters are born.
For this project FASHIONCLASH has invited the playField. collective to develop a concept and direct the play in which public participation is a guiding principle. In addition, jewellery designer and prop maker Minou Lejeune is invited to design a hat that will be part of the audience experience.

i-Classics Empty Minds is a production by philharmonie zuidnednederland, in collaboration with playField. and FASHIONCLASH.

Credits
Conductor: Erik Bosgraaf and Wim Henderickx
Recorder: Erik Bosgraaf
Sounddesign: Jorrit Tamminga
Concept, direction, scenography: playField.
Hat design: Minou Lejeune
In cooperation with: FASHIONCLASH

Compositions: Fiumara Desprez XL, Henderickx Empty Mind I
Special thanks to: Joost Horward (Karmijnrood Podiumkunst), hat production volunteers (Brenda Prins, Arnold Kuiper, Finnie Kuiper, Tiel Janssen, Ans Limpens)

Supported by: BNG Fonds, Europe Direct

Take a look at the photo report.
All images by brankopopovicblog

Fashion Makes Sense Award 2018

FASHIONCLASH presents the second edition of the Fashion Makes Sense Award. 10 promising young sustainable designers are selected and are in the running to win the jury award and the public award. You can see the designs up close at the exhibition at the Bijenkorf in Maastricht until October 7th. If you can't make it you can also vote online: here
 

After the first edition of the Fashion Makes Sense Award in 2017 (watch 2017 aftermovie) it was clear that sustainability is a vivid topic amongst young designers and that they gladly take the responsibility for sustainable fashion design. Applications from all over the world flooded our inbox again. That is why FASHIONCLASH decided to develop Fashion Makes Sense Award further as a returning annual project. FMSA is intended on the one hand to stimulate promising fashion talent to reflect on sustainability and to offer support in the development of a responsible collection and on the other hand to make a wide audience aware of issues related to sustainability.