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Fashion |ISSUE I

ARE COLLABORATIONS THE NEW BLACK?

​​​​​​​​​​​​By Marthe Seydel

But new technologies are not the only way to stand out in the fashion crowd. Take the famous Dutch fashion designer Bas Kosters. Enfant Terrible pur sang. With his returning Anti Fashion Parties, he goes against the conventional ways of fashion. Kosters designed a line of briefs and nightwear for the Dutch textile store ‘Zeeman’. A very inexpensive low segment-store, specialized in textile and household textile. Their motto ‘Good clothing and textiles does not need to be expensive’ and Kosters is a match made in heaven. The idea that design does not have to be expensive fits the "anti-fashion” philosophy of Kosters.


So one can conclude from this, that to distinguish oneself, designers have to collaborate with science, technology and other disciplines one have never dreamt of before.  With such open-minded reception worldwide, no one can escape from the value of collaboration.

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There is a tremendous development going on: collaborate is the new black, so it seems. So stop for a moment and observe what is really happening. At this time, there is an enormous development going on that will add value to the world of fashion and design.

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Science, technology, art and fashion were distinct disciplines, with different languages. Today we see more and more cooperation on content, value added to each other and less caring about the money. To survive the fashion jungle nowadays, many designers seem to seek their fortune in collaborations and innovative ways of working. It seems counterintuitive, working together to distinguish individuality. But working together with unconventional brands or using innovative techniques is the way to differentiate oneself.

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Take for example the great Dutch young designer Iris van Herpen, who recently showed her collection “Micro” during the Haute Couture Week in Paris. Time Magazine named the Dutch couturier Iris van Herpen’s 3D printed dress one of the 50 Best Inventions of the 2011, which was the result of a depth cooperation’s between science, technology and design.  The designer collaborated with the leading New York based .MGX by Materialise and well-known architect Daniel Wright in a prestige project of 3D printing.

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Bore Akkersdijk is another inventive, young Dutch designer, who graduated from the Eindhoven Design Academy. For its final collections, Akkersdijk has developed a new type of knitted fabric by making use of a so-called circular knitting machine, which is actually intended to sew mattress covers. This new way of sewing resulted in huge thick fabric with relief on them. Even designer Issey Miyake was so impressed that he wanted to collaborate and even buy the technology.

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Marthe Seydel, age 27, lives in Amsterdam  and currently works at a PR agency focused on fashion and lifestyle. Seydel has a great passion for art, fashion, cooking & music.

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