MODEFABRIEK Fashion
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Fashion
FASHIONTECH: WHAT’S NEXT? (PART 3)
The past weeks I have been blogging about fashion and technology, so called wearables. I discussed experiments, gadget- ish items and small steps towards collections where the estranged disciplines emerge in a fashionable manner. What’s next?
On the 17th and 18th of may V2, an institute that is experimenting with wearables for decades, is organising a conference called Crafting the Future. There will be a debate, a workshop and a chance to meet the international innovators in the fields of fashion and technology. Moritz Waldemeyer, the man responsible for Hussein Chalayans moving dresses will elaborate on the role of craft in his daily practice. Cutecircuit, a wearable label that introduced the galaxy dress, a dress with dozens of moving and colourful lights, will talk about the relevance of their practice. Syuzi Pakhchyan, author of the book Fashioning Technology: A DIY Intro to Smart Crafting and founder of the website Fashioningtech.com, will be moderator during the debates.
I urgently recommend all fashion designers to take a visit. Wearables have been in the experimenting fase for years. The Netherlands has been stimulating these developments through grants. The time has come to use them for fashionable, preferably Dutch, collections.
It is an idea that has popped up in the mind of innovator and stylist of Lady Gaga; Nicola Formichetti as well. Mid 2013 he will present a line that will include fabric that molds to a wearer’s body (to avoid having to use zippers), and solar power-enabled fabrics.
Until then, or rather, before then, let’s try to get inspired by the techno trend that is surrounding us on a growing scale. Not only in fashion we see proposals for the future, also art is getting more techno driven. What about ‘posthumanist’ artist Orlan who transforms herself into an alien through plastic sugery? Artist Ryan Trecartin involves internet aesthetics in his hysterical videos. Graphic designers Pinar and Viola created an app that allows you to transform into a panda bear!
Concerning young fashion designers we left were we have taken of – at the London Masters Fashion Design Technology. Take a look at the designs of Kay Kwok that consists out of printed neoprene fabric and 3D hats. Growing up in a day and age where technology was as normal as going to the supermarket, maybe we have to count on the next generation for the real innovation. Sooner or later fashiontech will define our future.
A short interview with Dutch stylist Majid Karrouch
There is no doubt that the 28-year-old Majid Karrouch is into fashion. It is clearly recognizable in the moment you see him. But instead of being the exemplary fashionista, he stands out for his distinctive style. And it is exactly that what makes not only himself so special, but also his work as a stylist. Magazines such as Zoo Magazine, L’Officiel Hommes NL, Indie and labels like Louis Vuitton draw on it.
You are working for different clients, which are as varied as the results that you are individually developing for them. What does fashion mean for you; is it about following the latest trends or finding an own style that is modifiable with the looks of the different seasons?
My starting point has never been fashion. In the process of developing my concept, I start asking myself: “What would this person wear?” Or, “What story do I want to tell?” I’m not a stylist implementing trends. I actually don’t even know much about it. For me, fashion is an accessory that vivid my stories.
Is there then a certain style that you are already following for years?
Shirts with condensed collars.
And one that you rigorously dissent from?
I really don’t like broad collars. They make the neck less elegant.
Do you have a personal “fashion”-addiction?
I’m a big fan of printed suits. Almost all my suits have a print. I think prints make suits less dull but playful instead. I’ve the feeling that people tend to dress more and more pale. Of course, trends on catwalks aren’t especially the trends that you see on the streets. Lots of catwalk trends are too extreme for the regular daily life. But colors or prints, can be a simple step to make daily life more fashionable.
Did you already buy a piece of clothing from a spring / summer 2012 collection?
I proudly got myself a nice double breasted suit with vertical stripes in light blue and white. It is from Hugo Boss and I can’t wait to wear it!
Majid Karrouch is represented by Manja Otten X Cake.
FASHIONTECH: WHAT’S NEXT? (part 2)
We can’t imagine our daily life without technology. Why don’t we see this development reflected more on the runway and in the way we dress?
Last week I ended my Fashiontech part 1 blog with the issue of the fashion aspect in techno clothes. There is a whole lot of experimenting going on when it comes to gadget- ish dresses and T-shirts. Look at this clip for instance where the so-called climate dress is shown. It lights up when there is a high concentration of CO2 in it surrounding. Or, the Intimacy Dress, designed by Dutch designers Anouk Wipprecht and Daan Roosegaarde. The closer a person gets, the more transparent the gown becomes. Last but not least: the spray on shirt.
Great experiments, but where is the fashion part? The part that makes the piece of clothing feel modern and makes the wearer feel refreshed; makes her dream about what you could be when wearing a dress like this?
Gradually a bridge is being created between the world of technicians and fashion designers. Two groups that you could imagine needed the time to get to know each other.
A great example of how the two can melt into a fashionable sculpture is a dress by Canada based designer Ying Gao. It seems as if the subtle moving gown is not just a gadget, but really adds to the fairytale atmosphere of her show. In other words: it makes you dream of nymphs and princesses in a windy forest.
Next week the last fashiontech blog will be about the activities concerning wearable technology on DEAF Festival, held from May 16th till June 3rd in Rotterdam. In the meantime the Dutchies can contemplate further on the subject by watching a talkshow I presented commissioned by Vodafone. Among guests are fashion designer Pauline van Dongen and Natasha van der Velden; researcher on sustainability and industrial design at the Technische Universiteit Delft. What if the two would start a structural collaboration?
Neue Berliner Welle
Over the past decade, Berlin has become recognized as Germany’s fashion capital. The city is bursting with creativity and always leaves me excited and inspired after each visit. Every season, the presence of young Berlin designers is growing, and gaining support internationally. I reckon it is the Berliner’s sense of imagination and willingness to experiment that makes their fashion scene so interesting. I recently came across three emerging Berlin-based menswear designers that are definitely worth keeping an eye on in the near future.
During the recent Berlin Press Days, Martin Niklas Wieser caused the biggest buzz. His minimalist and discreet designs – holding the balance between fashion and art – impressed editors and stylists from all major German publications. Wieser’s work is aimed at creating exciting products and at the same time provoking discussion on contemporary social and cultural issues. Wieser can boast on thorough experience in the international fashion industry, through his work for the Viennese label Fabrics Interseason, Paris-based designer Bernhard Willhelm, and most recently New York designer Tim Hamilton. Martin Niklas Wieser’s presentation during Berlin Fashion Week in July is already tipped as one of the highlights of the season.
Sissi Goetze graduated with a diploma in fashion design from HTW (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft) Berlin and an MA in menswear from Central Saint Martins in London. After showing her almost surgical, all white menswear graduate collection during London Fashion Week in 2010, she is now based in Berlin. Goetze’s refreshing, minimal take on menswear is youthful yet sophisticated and has a subtle edge to it. There is a kind of purity about Sissi Goetze’s work, which stems from her conceptual approach to design. Her collections combine precise simplicity with refined cuts, high quality of materials and outstanding craftsmanship.
The creations of Don’t Shoot The Messengers, the moniker of young designer duo Jen Gilpin and Kyle Callanan, show a clearly defined style, which unfolds with each collection. Attitude is key and black dominates. Experimental craftsmanship and a desire to create precious objects, along with geometry in relation to the body, is the essence of the label. Leather is used to define the lines and contours of the body, while silk adds a sense of fluidity and levity to meticulously crafted forms.
ZOOMING IN ON A FASHION APP: THE COLOR FORECAST
What colour are people wearing on the streets of fashion capitols Paris, Milan and Antwerp? Right this minute, colours like marine and ocean blue, black and various shades of grey are ‘trending’ in Paris. It might have something to do with the rainy weather. In Antwerp it’s almost as if it’s autumn and people match their wardrobe with the windy, grey coloured air of the city. Milan on the contrary is dressed for spring with its fuchsia and bright greens. All of this can be experienced on the new app called ‘Color Forecast’.
How does it work? On strategically placed cameras you see people crossing the streets of the earlier mentioned cities. 24 hours a day. The camera decodes all the colours on the screen and translates them into pie graphics and other information charts – visualized like a traditional weather report. In this way you can see what colour is worn the most and that makes it a fun app: being able to see what people are wearing, real time.
Inspired by the thought that fashion nowadays is more and more determined by streetstyle (think of the numerous streetstyle blogs!) Pimkie created this concept. The French highstreet brand connects the trending topic colours with her own collection; for every colour that is trending, Pimkie offers a selection of items. For example, if today’s colour is Prussian blue then Pimkie ‘suggests’ Prussian blue sweaters, trousers and accessories. The result? Aside from the buzz the items get sold out easily. Combining weather reports, streetstyle and colour forecasting in one app: an inspiring marketing campaign.
Take a look on pimkiecolorforecast.com for todays trending colour.
Fashiontech: what’s next? (part 1)
In 2006 Hussein Chalayan proposed a fashion idea for the future. What if our dresses could move on their own? How would it look like when a hat turns into a mini skirt and when it gets colder, it folds out and you end up looking like a Victorian bride?
Six years later these dresses are not yet for sale, but there are some noticeable developments going on in the field that borders between fashion and technology. Suzanne Lee’s Bio Couture enables users to ‘grow’ a piece of clothing out of tea and sugar. Iris van Herpen makes fashion sculptures out of 3D prints.
In the last week of may, V2 – interdisciplinary centre for art and media in technology in Rotterdam and a leading player when it comes to fashiontech, organises the annual Dutch Electronic and Arts Festival (DEAF). One of the highlights is ‘Crafting the Future’ which will show the latest of the latest on fashion and technology through workshops and debates. It is good reason for some in- depth blogging about the subject that will define our fashion future eventually.
To start with: the collection of Jennifer F. M. Murray, graduate of the MA fashion design and technology in London. A study especially set up to challenge clothing through technology.
Murray’s collection ‘Cirque d’Amen’, in which she compares the role of the catholic church with the circus, proves that fashiontech doesn’t only has to exist out of smart textiles or moving fabric. The 24- old worked closely together with Preciosa, a Czech company that is innovative in combining lights and jewellery. The result is a subtle collection with a tech feel and spiritual references. In other words: fashionable. It’s an element that is somewhat missing in a lot of wearable technology these days. To be continued.
1 + 1 = 3
The sum is greater than its parts. Over the past decade, this age-old saying has been capitalized big time by the fashion world, flooding the high streets with designer collaborations. And there’s no stopping it; 2012 is set to see even more collabs, with H&M leading the pack. However, it’s not only the fashion chains that team up with luxury designers to boost their sales.
To stay ahead, more and more denim brands are getting creative by joining forces with some of today’s leading designers. Denim giant Levi’s, one of the pioneers in this field, began collaborating with Japanese fashion designer Junya Watanabe quite a few years ago. Since then they have been releasing interesting and innovative interpretations of good old jeans, for example the 1966 JWXX Customized (using a vintage pair of Levi’s from 1966) as part of their Comme des Garçons Junya Watanabe MAN and Levi’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection.
Looking ahead to Fall/Winter 2012, two very exciting denim collaborations will hit the stores. American jeans brand Lee introduces a cooperation with Belgian menswear designer Kris Van Assche, revisiting timeless jeanswear styles including their original Rider (denim) jacket as well as the work blazer, denim shirt, chinos and zip-fly jeans. The denim collection will be available via selected KRISVANASSCHE retailers as well as being sold at selected Lee stores from July. Japanese denim brand Edwin and fellow countryman Yohji Yamamoto will launch a new jeans line, called Yohji JEANS, offering a high-end wardrobe of men’s jeans and shirts. The theme of the first collection is ‘Naked’, evoking the pureness of the line and the simplicity of the wardrobe. Yohji JEANS will be available in stores from June.
The Paper Movement
This month The New York Times is named best selling iPad application. The newspaper still in print, which was founded by Henry J. Raymond and George Jones in 1851, decided to release their online version as an application for the first time in April 2010, handing their readers a more easy way of reading while traveling and gaining a bigger audience worldwide. Ever since the first iPad was released, the number of printed publications launching their own app has increased enormously with Apple’s Newsstand Application gaining over $70.000 in sales a day.
Perhaps it can be said that online will be the future in publishing. On the other hand it can also be said that even though online is gaining much more power, printed publications will never disappear. In the current bookstores we are seeing new magazines pop out of the blue each month. Between the emergence of these new magazines and papers, we’re also discovering some papers focused on fashion, and are wondering wether making a fashion-paper rather than a fashion-magazine is a way to stand out or if we may be facing a whole new generation of papers.
Let me introduce you to my personal favorites:
ACNE PAPER
A well-progressed desire that developed into a cult-hit and one of today’s most intelligent fashion papers around. Founded in 2005 by Acne’s Creative Director Jonny Johansson, CEO Mikael Schiller, Editor-in-Chief Thomas Persson and Fashion Director Mattias Karlsson. Their goal was to create a magazine that wouldn’t feel or look like anything on the market, a publication that was about style rather then fashion and journalistic integrity that would balance between historical as well as the contemporary aspect in all creative fields.
Seven years and thirteen issues later the bi-annual selling paper is an established name in today’s art as well as the fashion industry and respected for its very own signature. Their latest issue, #13 The Body Issue, can now be bought in a number of bookshops and stores around the world, as well as through their website acnepaper.com
GLAMCULT
The Style Paper started as an underground tabloid which was distributed by hand to a select group of stores in the Netherlands. Founded in 2003 by Rogier Vlaming and Wiebe de Ridder, the now-a-days Independent Style Paper can be found in most bookstores, cafes, clothing stores and schools through-out the country. With a circulation of 40.000 issues a month the Style Paper became
one of the coolest publications in town and will hopefully spread their wings abroad any day soon. In the mean time you can visit their website to stay updated, glamcult.nl
MANUSCRIPT
The quarterly-printed mens journal created by Editor & Publisher Mitchell Oakley Smith, Design Director Nicholas Adamovich and Fashion Director Jolyon Mason may put its main focus on the new generation of fashion-forward-thinking men, but with their high-end advertisers and top notch names in the magazine, this paper is likely to become an instant hit sailing our way from Australia. For more information you can visit their website manuscriptdaily.com
MR. PORTER
Are men the type of customer to be shopping online was the question. Mr. Porter – the husband of Net-A-Porter – proved anyone thinking this way wrong, shipping their products to over 117 different countries and selling more then 42.000 shoes, to merely mention their success. With over a thousand images being shot for their website’s Journal, it was a matter of time before the online hit would be taking to print welcoming ‘The Mr Porter Post’ in Fall 2011. In the printed publication you will find anything that comes along when talking about style, ranging from the best boots for the season to combining neutral colored items in your daily wardrobe or how to organize your closet. The Mr. Porter Post is send to anyone subscribing through their website, mrporter.com
E-jungle top three list
The WWW is like a jungle, filled with things yet to discover, but so much more accessible than an actual jungle (and so much more safer: if you compare a wormbot or a Trojan horse with tarantulas and piranhas). Within a few mouse clicks you can enrich your taste.. And that made me realize, why not dedicate a blogpost to it? Here are three favourites, that I recently spotted in the blink of an eye on e-jungle:
ONE.
Boo van der Vlist: her work has been exhibited at Blaak10, a gallery / artshop where you can look at the latest installations and shop for jewellery, clothing and interior design as well. All the pieces in the store are one of a kind, made by alumnus students of art-college Willem de Kooning. I came across Van der Vlist’s necklaces made out of power plugs, wrenches and screwdrivers. They are quite refreshing and timeless.
TWO.
Nail decoration: It’s a big thing to decorate your nails all the way and completely let loose, all shapes and colours are aloud. Nail art is emerging and you can see it on all the Pinterest entries labelled with the tag ‘nail art’. It seems like everybody is experimenting nowadays. One of America’s finest nail decorators is Madeline Poole. Unfortunately for us, she lives in Los Angeles, serving clients like actress Zooey Deschanel. Leopard prints, dollar bills or multi-coloured tips: nothing is crazy when it comes to her work. And still she manages to keep her goofy designs elegant.
THREE.
Anntian: This label has the same focus like monsieur Henrik Vibskov: a huge passion for prints. Formed by graphic designer Anne Hilken and fashion designer Christian Kurt the Berlin based duo makes beautiful knitted sweaters, dresses and jumpsuits.
Damn him, Henrik Vibskov!
Yes, it has been said a lot about Henrik Vibskov. Most often described as multi-talented and multidisciplinary, he is multi-prominent and -present as well. Just recently, fellow blogger Nisse Benhaddaoui wrote about his collection. Without a question, Henrik Vibskov is a fashion designer, whereas he describes himself as “a tour guide in a kindergarten.” 18th-century English painter Thomas Gainsborough once famously said of his competitor Joshua Reynolds, “Damn him, how various he is!” 21st-century designer Henrik Vibskov could provoke similar bursts of envy among his own peers. While the multi-talented Dane is indeed best known for his eponymous fashion label, he is also a fine artist and a musician: he is the drummer of electronic band Trentemøller and exhibits worldwide in museums and galleries.
2012 is an important year for Henrik Vibskov: he celebrates the first decade of his career . Honoring his legacy, Gestalten will release a book documenting his work and playful mind. The according video by Gestalten TV is already on view. Both mainly focussing on his fashion, it is Cologne-based Ruttkowski;68 gallery that investigates his artwork. Namely Ruttkowski;68 Vibskovski;72, the current exhibition (April 13th – May 20th, 2012) is a retrospective. Next to early works, there are also new sculptures on view that Vibskov made exclusively for Ruttkowski;68.
A 2001 graduate of London’s renowned Central Saint Martins, Vibskov takes an individual approach when it comes to art. What initially appears childlike, spontaneous and carefree is in fact thoroughly elaborated. Vibskov expects his viewers to be jaded, self-aware and savvy, and his artworks question their prevailing assumptions. ‘Panda People,’ his 2009 work, shows the endangered animal as a cuddly creature, but it could also serve as a warning against their extinction, and possibly – as the title intimates – the end of mankind itself. Vibskov’s drawings and installations reveal mesmerizing universes and sets of logic. Going beyond postmodernism, they could even be classified as metamodernism.
Ruttkowski;68 Vibskovski;72
April 13th – May 20th, 2012
Gallery Ruttkowski,68
Bismarckstrasse 68
59672 Cologne
Germany
