AIFW insider: 07/15/10

Fashion A La Carte @ De Culinaire Keuken

During Fashion Week De Culinaire Werkplaats presents their vision on fashion on a plate. The first thing we asked ourselves was: how is this combination possible? Can fashion be food? Can food be fashion?

Yes! Eric and Marjolein explained us: "Fashion and Food have many similarities. First, what you eat, tells who you are. This counts for clothing too. Secondly, fashion is a big inspiration to our work. We monitor fashion magazines for future trends. This can be very literal, for example polkadots, a texture like wool or a specific colour or shape.”

But also the conceptual approach to fashion is represented in their food-design. Concepts like ‘black’ or ‘faith, hope & love’ are guiding their creative perspective on food and eating. No wonder Viktor & Rolf are designers they feel most related to. Like Viktor & Rolf, they work conceptually and have unique visions on how to approach a design. “...It's about the whole context, the story you tell”, they said. This is similar with their food.

De Culinaire Werkplaats has a mission: to make people aware of their eating lifestyle. They focused on veggies, fruits and grains. Sustainability and social responsibility plays an important role in this food studio in New West. They emphasized: “It is a misunderstanding that healthy food can’t be surprising and amusing. It can be an artistic experience, which helps you by appreciate your dinner.” Eric and Marjolein also work with artists from other art disciplines. In two months they are cooperating with a poet. Words will be the starting point for the food they will then work with.

For the fashion week they made a special menu/collection called “wear to eat”. You can order a whole fashion menu, which exist of five small dishes. So, maybe you like to try the ‘coupe make-up’ as a starter and continue your dinner with ‘Dress to impress’. Taste Green is the new black or be inspired by Black Dress Red Coat.

And there is an interesting undutch edge to their conceptkitchen: what it costs is up to you! you decide the price on your bill.

Go visit this unique restaurant and enjoy fashion a la carte. Eat with a conscious mind and fill your spoon with food for thought. After dinner you must absolutely agree that fashion and food are into each other.

Written by Vivian Sneep and Mary Rynja, pictures by Chelsea Syrett

www.vieflavie.com

www.maryscupoftea.blogspot.com

Winner GSTAR RAW LICHTING 2010: Marije de Haan, menswear designer

Not everyone can win the LICHTING 2010 award, but showing during this show is maybe as important as winning. In the audience were several higly influential fashion professionals, who will see and headhund new talents.

Marije de Haan won the price of 10.000 euro and the opportunity to show during New York Fashion Week this year. But do not forget about the other designers of LICHTING 2010, like Karolina Nieslony, Floor Kolen, Mariko Ferrier, Ruby Verhoeven, Ingo Binder, Matthias Louwen, Merel de Jong and many more. More information about LICHTING 2010 and the nominees: click here.

Karolina Nieslong ↑

Floor Kolen ↑

Mariko Ferrier ↑

Ingo Binder ↑

Matthias Louwen ↑

Merel de Jong ↑

Musa Shah ↑

Janneke Lemmers ↑

Tony Marcus Sacharias ↑

Ruby Verhoeven ↑

Lotte van Schijndel ↑

Bianca Herranz van Roeden ↑

Pictures: Vincent Kos

Interpretations on the little black dress, by Indra Welman

'Une Petit Robe Noire' is the fashion label of Indra Welman. This eccentric and artistic lady has designed an ungoing collection of little black dresses, all sexy and erotic.The one of a kind dresses are available at the webshop.

Sesame Streets Big Bird has become a fashion icon @ Jimmy Paul

For Jimmy Paul fashion is show, a theatrical play to perform. Jimmy Paul and Mary Me designed a over the top collection inspired by the American Beauty Pegants, little girls with pinks, big hair, pattycoats, glitters and scary smiles. Sesame's Big Bird would have loved this collection! So soft, so chearfull, so poufy. Jimmy Paul explained that the fantasyworld of children is his latest 'thing' and bring this world into a grown up world but without losing the playfullness. Jimmy Paul and his mysterious partner Mary Me (she had a bunny-mask on during the show) stressed that this show is not about presenting a trend or a wearable fashion collection. It is more about artistic expession.

photo's: Vincent Kos

FASHION LAB: MARLOUS BLAAS & QUOC TANG

MARLOES BLAAS

Entering the first summer collection, called ‘Derived’ by Marloes Blaas, a sweet girl offers me a wooden stock to eat. With this gesture, Marloes Blaas, shows visitors her appreciation for old Dutch traditions.

Backstage Marloes talks openly about her thoughts: “... This collection is inspired on the freedom after the Second World War. I asked myself the question: How do you wake up, when such terrible disaster has just ended?”

The show started with a very lively country music turned on quite loud. This immediately gives you the feeling that you are on a (fashion) farm. Models breeze in, with a smile on their faces and with hair plaited nonchalantly. The designs are based on fluid lines and were dipped in a natural palette of pastel colours. The outfits are very similar to work clothing -all with a playful touch.

The total show looks like a very pleasant country movie, with off course a happy end. Marloes entered the catwalk as well, and bowed proudly . The audience applauds.

more information on www.marloesblaas.nl

QUOC TANG - INTO THE WILD

One minute before the show of Quoc Thang, everybody was surprised about the strong smell that was spread. What is this smell and where does it come from? It smells like fresh grass and when the first model entered the catwalk slowly, in a adventure outfit, and the sound of whistle birds came to my ear, we all realize the smell is actually part of the concept.

This collection originated in a outdoor swimming pool, the designer in total silence. This feeling was the starting sign for Tang’s’s creative brain to go to work. This way of brainstorming is very logical for him. He confirmed: “… My experiences are the best source of inspiration for me, I like to translate emotion in my designs.”

The collection was rough and controversial. Fabrics like woolen, cotton and leather were combined with high tech polyester. The jacket has a central role in his collection. He trandformed the jacket into a t-shirt.

More information on www.quocthang.nlhttp://www.quocthang.nl

images by Vincent Kos

by Vivian Sneep

www.vieflavie.com

Strong Fashion statements of three Fashion Masters

Franciscus (l), Jitske (m) and Oda (r), ready for the real fashion world.

Franciscus van der Meer, Jiska van Rossum and Oda Pausma graduated this summer at the Fashion Masters ArtEZ Arnhem, and proved they really are masters of fashion. Remarkable was that although they have different characters, their collections fitted well together and faded over very nicely.

FRANCISCUS VAN DER MEER - 'Passant, souviens - toi / passer - by, remember'

Franciscus van der Meer showed a collection based on social suppression versus freedom. He have used fashion to communicate on a human scale, because to him fashion is a powerful phenomenon in our society. A designer can use that power to make people more aware, like 'living in fear', 'be suppressed by others' or 'freedom of speech'. Van der Meer translated the journey of suppression to freedom in a collection that started with a lot of black, coats cut in half, held together with suede belts. Also he used stripe motives with a subtle reference to the camp-uniform of World War II. But then, the collection gets enlightened and focus on liberation. The clothes gets les dark and shows less belts, more volume and more freedom in movement, all very well executed.

JISKA VAN ROSSUM - 'Adorned in Elegance'

Jiska van Rossum showed a tough menswear collection. Van Rossum presented her interpretation of the 'New Man', a man who is seductive by showing his vulnerability. She translated this concept with covering and uncovering the naked body, with slits and openings in classic pieces of clothing. It is clear that her fashion puts men in a new spotlight of being looked at, to stand out. Van Rossum used hard and soft materials, knitting’s, curved as well as straight lines, big draping shapes versus rigid and classical elements of masculine silhouette. Very strong silhouettes and a promising new talent in the fashion field.

ODA PAUSMA - 'Hobohemian Heaven'

Oda Pausma is a one of a kind fashion designer. Highly triggered by the stories, poetry and mysteries around the Chelsea Hotel New York of the 1970s, where actors, writers, musicians, artists and designers lived for months, Pausma created a poetic collection with folded leather, padded necklines, blacks silks, and ochre yellow. Surprising were the finishing of wrinkled curtain bands, the curtain hooks still attached!! One look was a little uncomfortable: a more or less naked model entered the runway in a leather bustier without the cups. Maybe a reference to the sexual liberty and bra-less times of the 70s, where rock'nroll happened in the Chelsea Hotel.