December 10, 2017

Instagram Worthy x Yellow + Pink / Glitter =

Dutch Design Week 2017

'The Future City is Flexible' by MVRDV
On the market of Eindhoven


This year I could attend the Dutch Design Week as a fully recognised member of the press, jippie, so I could enter everywhere for free. I didn't get to visit everything I wanted, because it was a full program spread over Eindhoven City and I only had one day, but I enjoyed it very much! 
Every edition, I missed last year, I have been writing a review. I try to capture the main trend. This year I saw a lot of recurring trends; we still try to save the planet while creating more stuff, but I also noticed something else. I noticed that everything was sooo pretty, so "Instagram Worthy", so hashtag-able... Of course logical, you want your stuff to be shared. Before I went I saw so many things on Social Media that turned out to be more a photo opportunity then anything else. Not that there was a lack of stuff... the opposite, but I just felt everything was designed to look good online. And maybe that is precisely what it is about these days... I participate to this culture just as much, so don't read it as a judgement. I myself walked around DDW with my phone in my hand and a constant stream in my insta-stories.

Back of 'Off the Grass' at Veem during DDW

'How & Wow' by the Crafts Council during DDW 


I started my DDW 2017 with a visit to a new building for the festival. The former parking garage was turned into an exhibition space on two floors. The entrance was were normally the cars drive up. They decorated it with these fluor yellow strips of fabric. It was walking through a mix between a car wash and curtains.  I loved it!
In the building the Crafts Council made a big exhibition promoting the crafts & platforms they support. In bright yellow with hot pink 'How & Wow' showed classical things like Staphorst dot work and soap making. I liked the almost 80's kind of setting for these Dutch traditional things.

Collaboration of fashion designer Walter van Beirendonck 
& Staphorst dot-maker Gerard van Osten at 'How & Wow' at DDW

What you can do with flax, part of 'How & Wow' at DDW

What you can do with flax, part of 'How & Wow' at DDW

 
What you can do with flax, part of 'How & Wow' at DDW

Woven works by Marian Stubenitsky at 'How & Wow' at DDW


In the former V&D the 'Modebelofte' presentation was held. I always like how it is set up, previous years in the stadium, and now in this fitting setting of a former department store. The outside of the building already promised a iridescent experience. In a rainbow foil labyrinth the new "Fashion Promises" were shown. On and off turning spots on pounding music revealed futuristic looking fashion, some more wearable sculpture, others surprisingly wearable cool outfits. 

Outfit by Fabio Bigondi at Modebelofte which I love for obvious reasons

.......

Outfit by Han Kim at Modebelofte


In the same building Vlisco made a really nice presentation. I got totally green-eyed by it, wish I would be invited one day from a collaboration like this. They invited 'Fashion Promise' Sander Bos to design new prints and clothing with inspiration from their archive. The piece from the archive was this 1920's headscarf from the Haarlemsche Katoenmaatschappij. The design on it was inspired by Pagi-sore batiks, day and night batiks. Traditionally one side, normally on a sarong, was worn during the day, the other side in the evening. Also the design is light and dark. Both in color and in motif. I inspired my own Batik 'Difficult Time' on this design as well (read more on see www.sabinebolk.nl). 
Inspired by this wax print version of an original Batik design, Sander Bos made a glow in the dark wax print. On 4 mannequins in a separate space the glow in the dark wax print was designed into 4 outfits showing the different effects of the textile. I'm looking forward to how they are developing this later, and if more people get invited to do collaborations like this (hint hint).

Day and Night by Vlisco at DDW

Day and Night test textiles


Detail of 1920's Wax print headscarf from the Haarlemsche Katoenmaatschappij

Day and Night by Vlisco at DDW

Day and Night by Vlisco at DDW

Day and Night by Vlisco at DDW

Day and Night by Vlisco at DDW


Day and Night by Vlisco at DDW


Next to Social Shareable-feel of the DWW, it seemed like Fun & Future were themes too. Captured in a setting of many colours. Populair were yellow & pink, but also glitter. Yes Glitter! Looking back at the pictures, I was reminded of this article in the Volkskrant about the Unicorn-trend two weeks ago. DDW showed a world filled with glitter, rainbows, iridescent colours, tiny houses, longing for craft, yet very now and very futuristic... Unicorny, a theme-park ride almost. It was an escape, not really an answer. Yet I enjoyed the ride fully with iPhone first! Strange how you can enjoy it so much, yet feel uneasy about it...
In the end I felt more entertained then inspired. DDW is meant as a stage to present developments, but it seems that nowadays we don't really care about this story, we just want a pretty picture. It was still a lot about "Getting Stuff" instead of "Creating Better Stuff". So get ready for a year getting entertained without any real solutions.

ECAL Graphic Design at Veem at DDW

Vlisco rug by Simone Post, 
I missed the exhibition at DDW...

At Veem at DDW

Precious Plastic at Sectie-C at DDW

At the Klokgebouw at DDW

At Veem at DDW, can anyone tell me more on this? Please comment below

At Sectie-C at DDW, can anyone tell who made the jumpsuit, please comment below

Präsentation upcoming collaboration Zeeuw Museum and Das Leben am Haverkamp

Upcoming collaboration Zeeuw Museum and Das Leben am Haverkamp



For more on the Dutch Design Week visit www.ddw.nl

For previous reviews on the DDW see label 'Dutch Design Week


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