(OLD)Fashion(ed) by Andrea Leine

One of the performances from the (OLD)Fashion(ed) project that premiered during FASHIONCLASH Festival 2014 was the performance by choreographer Andrea Leine. She worked together with designer Linda Friesen and craftswoman Ingrid Reinhoud. All dancers are women over the age of 65.
This performance took place between two fashion show blocks and literally surprised the audience.

(OLD)Fashion(ed)
Many older people are still proficient in a craft. They can make something with their hands – jewellery, batik, lace, baskets or glassware. Modernization and technological developments mean that many crafts are in danger of disappearing from our daily life, whereas these crafts could be a source of inspiration for fashion designers in creating new collections. For the project (OLD)Fashion(ed), FASHIONCLASH, Museum aan het Vrijthof and the Dutch Dance Festival asked (retired) craftsmen and women to share their knowledge and skills with young fashion designers. Together, they are making a collection of clothes and accessories. The fashion shows will be choreographed by Andrea Leine, Dunja Jocic, Dario Tortorelli and Ronald Wintjens, and modelled by people aged 65 and up.

After the presentations during FASHIONCLASH Festival (12 - 15 June) and at the Dutch Dance Festival (de Nederlandse Dansdagen, 3 - 5 October) in Maastricht, the project will close with a special exhibition in Museum aan het Vrijthof in Maastricht. Besides presenting the costumes and films from the shows the exposition will feature the stories of the participating older dancers and craftsmen and women.

(OLD)Fashion(ed) is inspired by the long-term European project Act Your Age, in which the Dutch Dance Festival (de Nederlandse Dansdagen) questions and broadens the dominant view of old people through dance and art. (OLD)Fashion(ed) receives financial support from the Cultural Participation Fund as part of the long-term programme Lang Leve Kunst (Long Live Art). This programme focuses attention on the theme of older people (65+) and cultural participation in the Netherlands.

All images are by © brankopopovicblog.