Yoni Lefévre

Preview of Yoni's work

Dutch designer Yoni Lefévre focuses on the visual communication of a message in a social context in her work. Her collection will be presented during the exhibition and aims to change our understanding of aging. Unfortunately, she won’t be present herself as she will be travelling in Indonesia and Australia! 

Hi Yoni! What inspires you in general? 

I’m always inspired by documentaries, both movies and photo documentaries, about honest and pure stories of people’s lives. It’s the little things in life and the story behind an image that’s worth documenting. 

What place or city do you find inspiring? 

I lived a little while in London and I thought the community aspect of this city was very inspiring to see. They stimulate a lot of small interventions and social organizations that help the area. I believe that change starts locally. 

What is it like to be a young artist in your city/country? 

I see a lot of movement and experimental collaborations in Eindhoven. I think Eindhoven really gives start-ups the space for exploring innovative ideas, but on the other hand, it feels like a bubble. There are always the same people. That’s why I am currently looking for possibilities to work abroad. 

Portrait of Yoni

What attracts you about the FASHIONCLASH platform? 

I like how the large field of fashion is shown and presented. FASHIONCLASH really supports different kinds of working fields. It is also a good opportunity for start-ups to show their work to a bigger audience. I think it is very valuable for recent graduates like me. 

The FASHIONCLAH Exhibition is curated under the theme of “Age.” How does your creation relate to this year’s theme? 

My project is based on creating a positive image of aging. It is showing a different perspective on aging by bringing children’s drawings about their grandparents to life. The children interpreted their grandparents as vibrant and exciting characters, and not as being frail or grey. With this new image, I hope to contribute to a more colorful and perspective on aging in today’s society. 

How and why did you become an artist? 

My passion is to create more social awareness in society. Being an independent artist gives me space to challenge myself as a social designer and develop new and exciting ideas to being into society. 

Do you have a muse? If yes, who is it and why? 

Not particularly. It depends on the field I am working in. 

What kind of feeling do you want to transfer with your creation?

I hope it leads to a dialogue between different generations and that people can relate to it easily. There is already a change occurring in society about our vision of aging, but we must make it a understandable for everyone. Good designs speak to people. 

“The trick is not to focus on how gigantic the problem is but to focus on how tiny the solution can be.” Josh Kamler. 

Anneke

What is on your playlist when you are working? 

I love the beats of Bonobo: they are perfect for any moment of the day. 

What book shaped you? 

“The medium is the message” from Marshall McLuhan & Quentin Fiore. 

Who is your favorite artist/designer? 

I really like the work of Ai Wei Wei and Sagmeister. I like the strong and simple ways by which they visualize the message. 

What is the latest thing you bought for yourself? 

I should buy a new pair of sneakers, but I’m saving the money for my trip. 

What is your favorite fairy tale and why? 

When I was little I always loved Belle in “Beauty and the Beast”. Maybe it’s because of the dress or the fact that her beast transformed into a prince? 

Mevrouw Schalk

If your life were a song what would the title be? 

“Incroyable!” 

What made you smile today? 

The three background dancers at the end of the movie clip from Millie Small “My boy lollipop.” Hilarious! 

Twitter or Instagram? 

None. I’m a little bit old fashioned I guess. 

What is your definition of style? 

It’s the way you talk, walk, breath, smell, act, look and feel. It’s a way of living I think. 

What has been the greatest experience in your career so far? 

Being selected for FASHIONCLASH! And also that I have the opportunity to spread my GREY POWER message worldwide. It means a lot to me when so many people relate to it and support the idea. 

What can we expect from you in the future? 

It would be great to expand the GREY POWER project. I hope to come back from my trip with a lot of inspiring new idea. I also want to start my own social design studio, wherever that will be.