MODEFABRIEK Blog
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Transmissions in Berlin
written by José Klap
Raf Simons, who started his his own eponymous menswear label in 1995 and who is the head designer at Jil Sander since 2005, touched me many times. Not only because of his work and his collections, but also for his choice of music, his unique vision and the artists he is working with, he sets himself apart as one of the most talented people of our generation. Two weeks ago Raf Simons curated AVANT/GARDE DIARIES Berlin, during the three-day festival Transmission 1.
The idea of the festival was to invite the international avant-garde as well as the general public and offer a creative platform for the discussion of social and contemporary issues relating to art, fashion, music, culture and automobile (the event was initiated by Mercedes-Benz). At first, the production and program were not completely clear to the invited press, however the blend of artist curated by Raf Simons was interesting. The selected works and performing artists clearly showed Raf Simons’ personal taste in modern culture, something he often refers to in his own collections as well.
What struck me most, was the photographic installation by Belgian artist Peter de Potter. The series shows pictures with a remarkable size of the artist’s personal archive. The way of presentation fitted perfectly with the aesthetics of the Berlin Congress Center. This huge arena-like building was built in 1961 and was initially named ‘House of Teachers.’ The architect, Hermann Henselmann, chose a box-shaped form for the 12-storey building, which was a typical alternative to post-war modern skyscraper architecture. Influenced by contemporary Mexican murals, the building was given a monumental, multi-colored frieze by Walter Womacka. The Congress Hall (now known as the BCC) is striking for its transparency, clear forms, and many interesting architectural details.
Scottish dancer and choreographer Michael Clark and his dance company performed one of his famous pieces to the music of David Bowie at the Studio. While Dutch artists Germaine Kruip was asked to show two gigantic art installations. Converting a space into a stage on which the visitor becomes an actor is typical of Kruip’s approach to installation art. Her work is all about the interesting tension between light and space.
The program also included art director Peter Saville, industrial designer Konstantin Grcic, writer Jo-Ann Furniss, electro rock band Goose and band These New Puritans. Cinema-lovers could watch some of Raf’s favorite movies during the three-day festival, including one of my personal favorites Christiane F. – Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo.
The Internet of Things
Jan Agelink talked about it in his trend presentation at Modefabriek. Internet is not only in computers anymore but in all kind of objects that are around us. During the Milan Salone del Mobile, designer Pieke Bergmans presented together with Lustlab the project Res Sapiens. A project that merges the digital world with the physical. It brought up a lot of questions about how our life is changing in a very fast way through the digital revolution. The demonstration of Res Sapiens showed 13 ordinary IKEA lamps on one table. They used the continuous stream of twitter tweeds as their mental energy. According the sentiment of the tweeds they lighted up, moved and projected differently. It looked like if the lamps had facial expressions and by showing these they became like personalities. The fuse of product and information design is making in this way technology invisible, working and building on humanizing the unhuman.
Zoo Finest
Get your credit cards ready! Being an avid online shopper, I absolutely love Zoo Finest – an exclusive collaboration between online boutique thecorner.com and Zoo Magazine, the beautiful magazine I work for.
As you may know, thecorner.com is part of YOOX Group, the global fashion e-tailer. On thecorner.com, its high-end online department store, you can shop for labels such as Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Haider Ackermann, Rick Owens, Marc Jacobs, Raf Simons, Kris Van Assche and Adam Kimmel. But what sets them apart from the rest is the fact that thecorner.com is also devoted, just like Zoo Magazine, to cultivating art and encouraging the creative process with talented artists in the world of fashion, art and music. And that’s how Zoo Finest came into being: the collaboration originated from the need to strategically support creativity, authenticity and originality on an international level.
Zoo Finest is the first online mini-store curated by a style magazine, featuring the collections of four emerging fashion talents. We have selected three womenswear brands from Germany (Kaviar Gauche, Issever Bahri and Hien Le) and one from the Netherlands (Anne de Grijff) to participate in this project. It’s quite a struggle (and that’s an understatement) for up and coming designers to set up an international distribution network. But thanks to this project, their collections are available in more than 50 countries, giving them a global reach.
The introduction of Zoo Finest took place during Berlin Fashion Week, on the evening of July 6th. We organized an intimate get-together at the lovely Direktorenhaus, the new, central venue for Berlin’s design and art scene. Guests included photographer Miron Zownir, artist Michael Kunze, musician Wende Snijders, editors from the likes of Style.com, i-D, and Sleek, and the designers from Kaviar Gauche, Issever Bahri, and Hien Le. DJ Yourhighness (Rollerboys / Ultracity) played an exclusive set at the cocktail. During the event, we showcased a short movie curated by the Zoo Magazine team. In collaboration with Amsterdam-based photography duo Bill Tanaka, Zoo’s Sandor Lubbe directed a poetic video that stars Dutch model Nora Ponse, stylishly modeling the best looks of each of the four designers participating in Zoo Finest.
The collections will be available as of this week, so I suggest you go to thecorner.com for some fall/winter wardrobe essentials now. Sorry guys, it’s only womenswear for now. But I can already tell you that this might change next season…
Let them eat cake
Fashion is everywhere. Even in food. And that happens to be my next favourite thing after fashion. Not only can you find me (and my very food-addicted colleague) near where the fingerfood and bites are served on almost every occasion, we also thrive to find food that has FASHION written all over it. Luckily for the sweet tooth amongst us, pastry is very suitable for a fashion twist. That’s actually how Pierre Hermé became known outside his Parisian patisserie. He made his pastries according to the fashion seasons. His (huge) macarons now rise above the famous ones from Ladurée.
If you happen to be in London, and in need of a fashion-injection during tea-time, you should try the Pret-a-Portea at the Berkeley. The Pret-a-Portea is not your usual high tea, but with a different take on scones, salmon- and cucumber sandwiches. Every six months the menu changes according to the seasonal fashion trends. This S/S ‘11 season includes a Victoria Beckham sponge cake tote, a Tom Ford dress biscuit and Jil Sander colourblocking jelly. While in London you should also stop by Cox Cookies and Cake in Soho; shoe-designer Patrick Cox’s own cupcakeshop. Where the staff wears leather studded aprons and the Alexander McQueen-ish skull on your cake is not scary, but yummie.
Blue Square by IosifVasilodimitrakis
written by Frame Mag
An accessories boutique in Chania, Greece, resembles a giant industrial-looking jewellery box.
In decorating the small space, interior designer IosifVasilodimitrakis created an ‘open jewel box’ to specify zones and give the illusion of it being bigger than reality. A wooden structure extends over the floor, one wall and ceiling, defining movement and operations through the space while offering a sense of organization.
‘When someone stands on the raised area of the wooden box, they have the impression of being in a separate section of the shop,’ Vasilodimitrakis says.
On the opposite wall are a series of OSB (Oriented Strand Board) boxes. Remaining walls and floors are made of concrete, while the main desk is made of plywood.
‘The wooden box separates the small store into three zones: the space of the window and entry, the space where the jewellery is displayed, and the space where customers move and see the laboratory where products are made,’ Vasilodimitrakisexplains.
Preview– Jan Agelink Style Forecast Summer 2012
Craft & Create
The need for meaning in our daily consumption grows as counterpart for our pressured lifestyle.
Loneliness is a big problem in this 21st century.
We crave for personal attention and customized service.
Ad a result for this quest, fashion & design stories for 2012 handle about craftmenship and creation.
Giving personal attention and control back to the consumer.
Slowing down a fast pace lifestyle, reducing clutter and sharing knowledge.
1.Internet of things
The internet is coming out of the computer and creeping into our daily products. It creates a nervous system that is smooting our daily patterns and providing us with up to date info. Science and nature colide to create a transnatural world.
2. Rurban revolution
In search of a natural rythm we find inspiration in mother earth.
Being more instinctive and grounded we get nourished and energised. As a result of world population conglomerating in cities, rural surroundings emerge in urban landscapes, creating romantic hide-out spaces.
3. The cornershop
‘Local’, ‘small scale’ and ‘personal’ gain interest. ‘Design it yourself’ mentality translates into ‘workshop’ and ‘atelier’ retail where craftsmen create products and can interact with consumers. Historic and vintage design gets explored and re-interpreted.
4. Reduce
Measured and effective design has our interest to unclutter our minds. Clear lines and bold shapes help us to regain grip in uncertain times. This clear design language has strong connotations with 60ties and 70ties, giving us upbeat styling and new silhouettes.
The Burning House
‘If your house was burning, what would you take with you?’ With this simple question Mr. Foster Huntington, designer at Ralph Lauren, presents his latest solo project The Burning House.
His introduction continues with the words: ‘It’s a conflict between what’s practical, valuable and sentimental. What you would take reflects your interests, background and priorities. Think of it as an interview condensed into one question.’
Since its launch last April, I visit this great initiative almost daily. Next to the unique concept, the variety of contributors makes this website very interesting. Every day new posts from all over the world are displayed.
The majority of the submissions is from creative people like photographers, musicians and designers, but I have also found nice collections from engineers, bankers & lawyers.
Mr. Foster created a source of inspiration and a good reason ponder about which possessions really matters to you.
On the above image Mr. Foster’s own entry.
Regards,
NEW AT MODEFABRIEK: ELSIEN GRINGHUIS
written by Coen Wulms
Our immediate surroundings are an important source of inspiration to Elsien Gringhuis. Until recently the Dutch designer focused on urban landscapes with its oppressive conditions But since her collection f/w 2011/12 the source of inspiration has changed and appears now to be the organized space of the Dutch landscape with its suggestion of quietude and endlessness. And with the omnipresent wind symbolizing permanent movement en therefore energy.
For spring/summer 2012 this has resulted in a small collection of 14 styles. Striking: Gringhuis limited herself to only two pattern pieces in each garment. As a result the collection comes across as very constructed and minimalistic.
Gringhuis uses only natural materials such as silks, bamboo and a cotton that is coated with bee wax. The main colours are white, black, orange and ochre. Elsien Gringhuis second line, Basic Ones, is included in her main collection.
The designer is a former winner of The Green Fashion Competition.
Amsterdam inspiration guide for cosmopolites
The Brandretail Company LIGANOVA recently launched an Amsterdam inspiration guide for the cosmopolitan traveler, in cooperation with FRAME publishers.
This Amsterdam edition is part of the ‘Inspiration Guide’ series. Following Paris, Berlin, and Copenhagen, the Amsterdam Inspiration Guide is the latest edition, featuring the coolest in-scene tips for cosmopolitan travellers and metropolites.
The collector must-have appears in three fresh neon colours and offers insider tips away from the mainstream with some cool photography. 15 Amsterdam-based contributors from the fields of fashion, design and media have been selected to all exclusively reveal their favourite hang-outs and must-sees. Amongst the contributors are Programme Director of Amsterdam International Fashion Week, Merle Deterink, Editor-in-Chief at FRAME, Robert Thiemann, and It-Girl of the current Mango blog campaign, Andy Torres from Stylescrapbook.com.
The ‘Amsterdam – Inspiration Guide for Cosmopolitan Travellers’ is available in a selection of bookstores and at liganova.com and framemag.com.
Working together with Modefabriek, this Sunday and Monday, LIGANOVA and FRAME Publishers provides each brand exhibitor at Modefabriek a free copy. More Amsterdam Inspiration Guides will be found in the goody bags front row at the Next & Cutting Edge catwalk show. The guides are also being sold at Mendo’s pop-up bookstore .
