folklore
concept & collection
The aim is to create a concept and collection based on the old Dutch costume. After the research phase, the collection phase starts. This has to result in one unique piece and a line-up of five dresses.
It all started with the Zeeland smock. The smock has inspired me, because it consists entirely of one piece of fabric and is made to measure for the wearer. This ensures that the woman has little room to move and she is literally constricted in her clothing. Also the many layers of clothing and decorative elements such as caps, jewellery and ear irons make the women uncomfortable dressed and therefore almost caught in their own costumes.
In addition, there are all kinds of rules attached to traditional costume and this is determined by events in life. In a period of mourning, for example, clothes are worn in many dark colours such as purple, green, blue and black. Red was not done at the time of mourning. The smock itself and these rules make me feel suffocating.
research
a cry for help
The bad and unpleasant feelings at the sight of the smock and traditional costume in general has resulted in this concept.
In all images the suffocating element recurs, being stuck in the established rules.
This creates a contrast between being well-ordered and chaos, between the organic and the geometric elements. The concept is, as the title says, “a cry for help” : an attempt to free oneself to free from the suffocating feelings.
diminishing
repeating
These keywords are the most important when I thought of the "jak". I visualized these keywords to give them more meaning.
layered
Together with the keywords, this folding technique was the starting point for my toiles and my collection.
Toile photoshoot
Model - Julia Visser
