Ebby Port x KALTBLUT Magazine

Dutch designer Ebby Port has won the KALTBLUT Magazine Talent Award 2017 during FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017 edition. Thanks to KALTBLUT Magazine, Ebby has been invited to present her collection in Berlin during Berlin Fashion Week where she gave showed her collection with a presentation and a showroom at Studio183.
http://www.ebbyport.com

DOES FASHION MAKES SENSE?

The 9th edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival was composed and curated around the theme ‘Fashion Makes Sense’. Through ‘Fashion Makes Sense’ FASHIONCLASH focused on senses and making
sense in relation to fashion.
Several participants of the festival where asked the question: Does fashion make sense?

Video by Daniel van Hauten, WEDOVOODOO.TV

PRE-STIMULIS - Opening FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

PRE-STIMULIS
A project by FASHIONCLASH & MAFAD, in collaboration with the Maastricht Academy of Performing Arts
The opening of FASHIONCLASH Festival took place on Thursday 29th of June at the Forza Fashion House in the LAB Building/Het Radium. This was also the official opening of the The Forza Fashion House, the new breeding ground for creative, cultural and entrepreneurial Maastricht and also the new FASHIONCLASH office. Directed by theatre makers Joost Horward and Nina Willems the evening contained interdisciplinary performances and installations by students from MAFAD and Maastricht Academy of Performing Arts.

PRE-STIMULIS Project
Specially for the opening of the festival, FASHIONCLASH teamed up with MAFAD (Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts and Design). In the context of the new design curriculum ‘BODY, OBJECT & MATERIAL’, the second-year BODY design students were assigned to do artistic research on the ‘senses’ in relation to the festival’s theme 'Fashion Makes Sense'. In addition, each student has been connected to one or two students from the Maastricht Academy of Performing Arts. Based on the research of the design students, each team developed a concept in which they expressed their vision and findings on the ‘senses’ and new ways how to create an enriched embodied experience for the audience.

Marcel van Kan (MAFAD) and Branko Popovic (FASHIONCLASH), togehter with Joost Horward and Nina Willems coached the students during the proces of research and execution of the performances. The project concluded in nine participatory installations / performances.

Participants Students MAFAD: Ashley Luypaers, Max Niereisel, María Voth Velasco, Michelle Cornelissen, Dana Lipka, Julina Bezold, Natalia Rumiantseva, Empar Juanes Sanchis

Students the Maastricht Academy of Performing Arts: Anthony van Gog, Nora Ramakers, Diederik Kreike, Izak Berman, Luca Meisters, Anna Luca da Silva, Maarten Heijnens, Caro Derkx, Mees Walter, Maxime Dreesen, Anoek Oostermeijer

Photography: Team Peter Stigter

1. Michelle Cornelissen & Nora Ramakers
H2O  (ρ = m / V + 70 °C) - sin α = 1 . λ/d (c=f.λ)
Colour Fluctus, part 9

Colour Fluctus part 9 registers an unique footprint, captured by colour. The movement, translated by the pigments, shows a timetable and controls the colours and patterns. The impact of the movement becomes visible once the colour is poured into the water. At the same time, we archive and measure the body movements as manifestations of emotions. The pattern is a memory of this particular moment and tells a story about one's character.  
Performers: Laura Hogeweg, Froukje de Boer, Nora Ramakers, Michelle Cornelissen

Eva Růžičková at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Jewelry designer Eva Růžičková from Czech Republic took part at the designer market at FASHIONCLASH Festival.
She is selected at DesignSUPERMARKET in Prague in December.

Eva graduaged at Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (VSUP) in the studio K.O.V. led by Eva Eisler.
 She likes experimenting with nature materials and technology. Material, shape variations and attention to detail are important elements of her projects.
In her latest project called TIME LAPSE she works with the perception of time, in this case as a journey and process.

 „I was working with the rhythm, cycle, repetition and continuity and also with the returnig to my last projects. I used hammering as a technology which counts by bouncing every moment as well as a rythm of a body. And also I used remaining materials from my last project as a ebony wood, cedar wood, cork, slate, silver and cuper. I perceive jewelry as a deeply personal statement, something very close to the body. Birth, Growth, Balance, Physicality and Emotion are the key principles for me, which I would always like to include in my work” 

Participation is made possible thanks to Czech Centre / Tsjechisch Centrum.

www.evaruzickova.com
www.facebook.com/EvaRuzickovaCreativeDesign

Photography: Eliška Šárková

Fashion Talks at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Looking back to inspiring Fashion Talks 
at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

"We live in a rapidly changing world where progress is accompanied by environmental pollution and ethical issues. The fashion world is a mighty billion industry, and like no other is able to create an illusion and seduce us humans and excite our senses. Today's fashion industry is a reflection of society with a strong focus on aesthetics. Our society approaches fashion as a purely visual phenomenon and doesn’t always see the nature of the interaction with the body (of the wearer), despite the fact that fashion is the most intimate form of art, as it is literally worn “on the body”! As a second skin, clothing also enables us to express ourselves and helps us make sense of the world."
- FASHIONCLASH Team

(Does) Fashion Makes Sense? was the question posed during the 9th edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival. Although there is no answer that can satisfy this broad and complex question the panel at the  Fashion Talks provided positive food for thoughts.
Moderated by Saskia van Stein, artistic director at Bureau Europa, a stage was given to a several festival participants and professionals to engage in a discussion about the topic.
The first talk focused more on the senses and the body. Followed by talk that engaged a more broader view on the industry. Does fashion 'as an industry' make sense.

lecture performance Olle Lundin & Floriane Misslin 

Before the talks started, Olle Lundin and Floriane Misslin, provided the perfect introduction with their joint lecture performance.
By extracting postures and re-contextualizing them Olle Lundin hopes to denaturalize the body-language of high fashion. By doing this he has the intention to show the norms, ideals and invisible expectations that are inherent in the visual language discourse of high fashion advertising today! Floriane Misslin focusses on portraying non-binary identities in the mainstream media.  In the Fashion Makes Sense LAB she presented her current project ‘Uni-Sex’.

The speakers Emanuela Corti and Ivan Parati talked about their 'Sensewear' project. Their primary purpose is to stimulate and improve awareness of our senses, while training us to better use them all. Some Sensewear items are designed to mute physical sensations, some to sharpen them. The collection is inspired by therapies applied to Sensory Processing Disorders and developed with the technical support of therapists assisting people affected with autism. Anxiety, stress, panic attack are most typical autism’s symptoms but more and more people suffers them, therefore the collection is not addressed only to people with disabilities but it is aiming at enhancing everyone busy urban life.

Designer Sepideh Ahadi explained how she works and talked about her slow fashion approach. As a designer, Sepideh feels the responsibility to invite her audience to think about fashion in a different and more interactive way through her designs.

Carolyn Mair, the Chartered Psychologist and Chartered Scientist with a PhD in cognitive neuroscience, became an 'instant darling' with her point of view and knowledge.
She developed the MA Psychology for Fashion Professionals and MSc Applied Psychology in Fashion at LCF.
Another expert that shared her knowledge was Rosemarie Ruigrok. After selling her own company, Promax Corporate Fashion, she worked at Amnesty International, Fair Wear Foundation and as CSR consultance at Elsewear Foundation, known by “Green is the new black and as International cotton manager for Fairtrade. In 2007 Roosmarie founded Clean & Unique.

Another speaker was local designer Ebby Port, who expressed her challenges as being a young designer who wants to change the world but feels not as responsible, her statement was that the big companies should take the lead and take responsibility.

Jeffrey Heiligers and Eva Wagensveld talked about their project online platform SHI[R]T.
"The psychology behind fashion has become less about quality or durabilty and more about being fast, cheap and easy to replace. Does fashion make sense if the quality of the products is high, labour conditions are good and the environmental impact is minimal? In other words: Do you want to buy a shit-shirt, or rather invest in something fair?"

On Friday night they presented a participatory performance in the fashion show program, stirring the audience by literally facing a mirror to everyone.
Several members from the audience were randomly invited on the runway who were then donned with mirrored panels on their chest and back. Mirrors were then held up to seated guests, as questions such as “Do you buy because you can?” and “How come that a sandwich is cheaper than a sweater?” echoed in the background.

Photography Sem Shayne, FASHIONCLASH

Future Petroleum by Annika Kappner at Marres

Future Petroleum by Annika Kappner at Marres during FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Future Petroleum by Annika Kappner is an installation performance adapted for The Painted Bird at Marres to create a multi-sensorial tableau vivant that envelops the viewers. The work explores the layering of perception and the consumption of experiences offered by the fashion and entertainment industries, the corporate world and the art world. It wonders what form of energy source the vast stream of images that are created and consumed on a daily basis will eventually yield.

Annika Kappner (DE, 1980) crafts multi-sensory experiences in the extended field of painting, by reverting principles of virtual and digital realities into the analogue realm to create glitches in perception. Prompted by her experience as an investment banker, her work targets the evolution of consciousness in relation to mental patterns and the underlying forces that shape their systemic counterparts in nature, visual arts, technology and science. She is a co-founder of the cross-modal artist collective Elephants & Volcanoes.

Performers: Fina Anjou (SE), Nicola Baratto (IT), Karolien Buurman (NL), Arie de Fijter (BE), Aurélien Lepetit (FR).

Future Petroleum is made with the support of the AFK (Amsterdam Fund for the Arts). The performance is part of Fashion Makes Sense, the 9th edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival in Maastricht (June 29 – July 2).

All pictures by Karen Kikkert

Dreams and Nightmares of Europe

The Painted Bird is a joint art work by Marie Aly, Cian Yu Bai, Bonno van Doorn, Kim David Bots, Gijs Frieling, Natasja Kensmil Klaas Kloosterboer, Mirthe Klück, Frank Koolen, Fiona Lutje House, Charlott Markus, Kalle Mattsson, Jan the Pavert, Tanja Ritterbex Sam Samiee, Charlotte Schleiffert, Derk Thijs, Sarah Verbeek, Helen Verhoeven, Evi Vingerling and Job Wouters.

Europe 2017. Are we dancing on a volcano? Are renewed nationalism, xenophobia, the distrust of politics and democracy, the arrival of refugees, and economic insecurity preparing us for a terrible meltdown? It is well possible. It shouldering give us hope for this project, since the best art is produced on the verge of despair, When civilizations crumble and we’re about to shift into a new world order.

Marres Maastricht produced a spectacular mural about Europe by nineteen artists who have painted all rooms, corridors, the stairwell, floors and ceilings of the historic Marres House. Having a surface area of ​​about 750 m2, the painting depicts a series of beautiful and frightening environments, zoals a high-tech clone supermarket, the last surviving piece of primeval forest, a Berlin love and hippie fest space, a spider portrait corridor, a new life festival in the year 2050. Gijs Frieling directed the modern Gesamtkunstwerk. The artists Frank and Kim Koolen David Bots developed a comprehensive soundtrack, and Charlott Markus and Kalle Mattsson make a publication.

The exhibition is part of the series of immersive exhibits at Marres previous instalments or How many followers included The Winter Anti Depression Show (2014) and Levi Veluw: The Relativity of Matter (2015).

http://www.marres.org

Zarvich from Uruguay

Meet Zarvich, a new brand from Uruguay, formed by designers Vivian Sulimovich and Florencina Gómez de Salazar. They have won Lumina 11 contest by Punta Carretas in Montevideo. Their price was participation at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017 in Maastricht.
They presented their stunning collection Fungi.

How would you define fashion?
Florencia: Fashion is indefinite and volatile; it presents infinite options and changes constantly. It is a reflection of our society; an act of expression. For us designers, it is an exercise of sensitivity that helps us transform an ideal into something material. It has to do with beauty, tradition, luxury… but also with dreams.
Vivian: Fashion is one of the institutions that creates meaning. It compiles a sociological document that deals with the sensitivity of an era; with the important causes of social change and dominant lifestyles.




What fascinates/inspires you and why?
Florencia: Everything that surrounds us can be a source of inspiration; it depends on the sensitivity with which we perceive it. There is not one thing or person in particular. We always have to be alert and surprised by the world around us.
Vivian: My inspiration shifts and is usually related to daily life’s necessities. In an aesthetic level, I am often seduced by architecture.

Finding your own distinctive voice can be difficult, where and how do you find your personal creativity (before you start designing/during the design process)?
Florencia: I think creativity has to be trained and the only way to generate something different is through experimentation, and that takes a lot of work. Any path is a challenge; we live in a very competitive world. We have to celebrate difficulties because that is what pushes us to become the best version of ourselves. If you want results, you have to go the extra mile to stand out. You sacrifice a lot, but it is worth it.

What challenges did you face during the design process?
Florencia: Not having a team to carry out the work efficiently; one that has the appropriate technical knowhow and that you can trust will deliver in a satisfactory and timely manner.
Vivian: The most difficult part usually is managing the project; to coordinate the different work teams and ensure everyone delivers in due time and form.

Maarten van Mulken wins RADIKAL FASHION FILM AWARD 2017

Maastricht based designer Maarten van Mulken won the RADIKAL FASHION FILM AWARD 2017 by Pascal Baillien

Radikal Film is an experienced creative film studio of director Pascal Baillien. Recently nominated for the Berlin Fashion Film festival and very experienced in productions, that bring music, art and fashion together, he has a strong ability and vision to translate stories into film.

Together with Maarten they will create a new fashion film that will premiere in November during the FFFF - FASHIONCLASH Fashion Film Festival (3 and 4 November 2017 in Maastricht).

www.radikalfilm.tv

Maarten van Mulken show at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017, photography Team Peter Stigter

FASHIONCLASH Festival preview at Catwalk Maastricht

FASHIONCLASH Festival preview performance at Catwalk Maastricht.

Today, the audience in the city of Maastricht experienced a small tasty teaser of to expect during the festival. In cooperation with SESSIBON and MAFAD the newest local talents presented their work at Mosae Forum and Entre Deux shopping areas.

The displayed red outfits are designed by 3-D year students from the Body department at MAFAD. The red represented the urge to protest and speak out. Does Fashion Make Sense? was the question posed while parading among the streets dominated by fast fashion shops.
The statement was not there to judge the people but mostly to engage a dialogue in the streets, afteral the street is the biggest display of 'fashion'.
Moreover the performance happend to give voice to the new generation of designers and the eight MAFAD students: Ashley Luypaers, Max Niereisel, María Voth Velasco, Michelle Cornelissen, Dana Lipka, Julina Bezold, Natalia Rumiantseva and  Empar Juanes Sanchis

Fashion Makes Sense, the 9th edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival will take place from June 29 till July 2 in Maastricht.

More about the FASHIONCLASH Festival program: www.fashionclash.nl

NENUKKO at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

NENUKKO presents vegan collection Interlude.Disrupted at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Saturday 1 July, Polish Nenukko will launch the vegan collection: Interlude.Disrupted on the 9th edition of FASHIONCLASH Festival at the SAM-decorfabriek Maastricht. The genderless NENUKKO models will run the catwalk in show 5 (from 20:30 – 21:00 hrs.). Don’t miss it! For tickets got to www.fashionclash.nl/tickets

STRIKKS | FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Meet Maartje Boer and Suzanne Vaessen, the designers behind STRIKKS. Their studio is based in Maastricht, the Netherlands. Maartje graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Maastricht (NL), and afterwards, in cooperation with her co-designer Suzanne, she opened her design studio. Their main focus is knitting, co-creation with other designers and companies, as well as research of all possibilities in the field of clothing production. STRIKKS has showcased at several design weeks in cities like Eindhoven, Milan or Brussels. Their designs are published in various magazines and newspapers. During the 9th edition of the FASHIONCLASH Festival STRIKKS will showcase a research project regarding the way people respond to a knitwear collection that can be personalized. The project will be interactive and the prize might be a personalized garment from STRIKKS, so don't miss it! Find out more about the program and tickets here.

What are your biggest struggles as a young designer/artist?
Time, I would love to have more time! Time to spend on the knitting machine to invent new knitting structures, samples and yarn trials.

Does fashion makes sense to you? 
Fashion is our second skin, let’s make it worthy. As designers we should cherish our skin and make a beautiful and both functional layer for it. Life is too short for dressing down.

Do you think that fashion can contribute to a better world / better well-being, and what do you do to make a difference?
I find it important that people are aware of their clothes and production. That’s why I am investigating a new way of making fashion: a sustainable collection in which personalization has the lead.

What does a fashion collection look like, when model, color and knitting structure can be customized? 
With an interactive method I aim to engage the customer in the design process and give her more freedom of choice and better fit. This engagement is key for creating emotional value for clothing, and it leads to longer wear.

What senses are engaged in your creation process? 
My collection and our knitted designs are all about touch and sight! Touching fabrics and experiencing the feeling of a knitted fabric, the way the stitches are formed, it’s a very tangible thing.

How does technology change your creation process? 
In our studio technology is used both in the creation and in the production of our designs. More and more we use automated knitting machines to take over the job. But designing is also about zooming out, taking a step back and analyzing results. Craft and manual work will always be part of the process.

What is your bad habit? 
When I’m stressed, I start biting my nails, very nervously. It makes me think faster although it doesn't beautify my nails.

Are you a people's person or a loner?
Both, actually. I am a team player but I enjoy working on my own. Mostly on a quiet location without any music or people around me. In such situations I can deliver best.

Your favorite quote?
“You should not sacrifice your dreams to make other people happy”

Your favorite hashtags #?
#knitistheshit

Your favorite social media app?
Insta! And I think www.instagram.com/strikks is a very inspiring account :)

Maartje and Suzanne have a website where you can check out their collections and other projects that STRIKKS was involved in. If you are interested, click here.

Fashion Talks at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

sensewear
photo Eddy Adlan

Fashion Talks at FASHIONCLASH Festival 
Sunday 2nd of July, at SAM-decorfabriek 
Meerssenerweg 215, free entrance 

(Does) Fashion Makes Sense? 
Come and join the dialogue on July 2. 

Through ‘Fashion Makes Sense’ FASHIONCLASH this year focuses on senses and making sense in relation to fashion. Focused around these two topics the Fashion Talks provide an interactive dialogue with the designers, the audience and the fashion industry.

Moderated by Saskia van Stein, artistic director at Bureau Europa, a stage will be given to a several festival participants and professionals to engage in a discussion about the topic. In addition, this is an opportunity to get to know the designers and discover their vision on the future of fashion.
A space will be given to a few designers to talk about the two subjects and make personal contact with other designers, the audience and the fashion industry.

Files Motwary at the Fashion Talk at FCF 2016

So, Does Fashion Make Sense?

We live in a rapidly changing world where progress is accompanied by environmental pollution and ethical issues. The fashion world is a mighty billion industry, and like no other is able to create an illusion and seduce us humans and excite our senses. Today's fashion industry is a reflection of society with a strong focus on aesthetics. Our society approaches fashion as a purely visual phenomenon and doesn’t always see the nature of the interaction with the body (of the wearer), despite the fact that fashion is the most intimate form of art, as it is literally worn “on the body”! As a second skin, clothing also enables us to express ourselves and helps us make sense of the world.

The Fashion Talks are part of the Fashion Makes Sense LAB Sunday program at the SAM-decorfabriek during FASHIONCLASH Festival.

PROGRAM
13:15 – 14:15 Fashion & Senses
- Lecture performance: Olle Lundin x Floriane Misslin
- Talk panel: Sensewear (Emanuela Corti & Ivan Parati), Sepideh Ahadi and Carolyn Mair (Course leader for MA Psychology for Fashion Professionals and MSc Applied Psychology in the Fashion Business School at LCF).

14:30 – 15:30 (Does) Fashion Make Sense? 
- Talk panel: SHI[R]T (Eva Wagensveld & Jeffrey Heiligers) Lucia Chain (CHAIN) and Roosmarie Ruigrok (Clean & Unique).

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Floriane Misslin is a native French creative researcher born in 1992. Her central focus is on portraying non-binary identities in the mainstream media. She followed an education in applied arts near Strasbourg and moved to Paris shortly after, to learn more about fashion design. Feeling too limited by the educational system she left the school in Paris, and moved to Eindhoven to attend the design academy. The wide approach to design brought her back to a more theoretical and critical perspective. She is currently developing her project ‘Uni-Sex’ and works as a freelancer on the side.

Sensewear is a collection of clothes and accessories that emphasize the use of senses. Sensewear consists of two designers, Emanuela Corti and Ivan Parati. Their primary purpose is to stimulate and improve awareness of our senses, while training us to better use them all. Some Sensewear items are designed to mute physical sensations, some to sharpen them. The collection is inspired by therapies applied to Sensory Processing Disorders and developed with the technical support of therapists assisting people affected with autism. Anxiety, stress, panic attack are most typical autism’s symptoms but more and more people suffers them, therefore the collection is not addressed only to people with disabilities but it is aiming at enhancing everyone busy urban life.

menswear, photo Eddy Adlan

All garments are produced using 3d knitted fabrics Gaetano Rossini and Alcantara. Textile sensors and actuators are produced and developed by Comftech our technical partner. Sensewear has won three health and design related award (Lexus Design Award 2015, Wearable Technology at Venice Design Week 2016, AXAPPP Health Tech & You Future Award 2017).

Sepideh Ahadi, as a multicultural brand, is bridging the gap between her pure Middle Eastern background and European life experience. In her work Sepideh embraces the simplicity of the traditional techniques used in Iran, her home place with the elegance found in Italy where she finished her M.A in fashion design and the practical aesthetic of German lifestyle, where she lives and work now. The brand is dedicated to slow fashion and sustainable practices, in that the designer creates her collections through a considered and experimental process.







The collections mostly reflect social issues in the modern lifestyle where the designer challenges herself to find an artistic way to contribute to making a difference. As a designer, Sepideh feels the responsibility to invite her audience to think about fashion in a different and more interactive way through her designs.

Carolyn Mair is a Chartered Psychologist and Chartered Scientist with a PhD in cognitive neuroscience. She developed the MA Psychology for Fashion Professionals and MSc Applied Psychology in Fashion at LCF. In the beginning of her career, Carlyn was a graphic designer and visual merchandiser, she worked for department stores, where she designed and installed store window displays, in-store installations and advertising materials. She was interested in fashion, this led to her designing clothes for herself and friends.

SHI[R]T is an online platform/webshop for designers that offer fair or sustainable products. Not the dull goatysocks kind we all know. But one supporting [young] designers with their own vision. No mass production but small and local production. As a brand being transparent is key, know what you buy. The two people behind this brand are Dutch designers Jeffrey Heiligers and Eva Wagensveld. The psychology behind fashion has become less about quality or durabilty and more about being fast, cheap and easy to replace. Does fashion make sense if the quality of the products is high, labour conditions are good and the environmental impact is minimal? In other words: Do you want to buy a shit-shirt, or rather invest in something fair?

CHAIN is an emerging fashion label based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Their work has been shown several times at Buenos Aires Fashion Week, Fashion Edition Buenos Aires and International Fashion Showcase – London Fashion week. Committed to the environment, the designs are made by hand with eco, and sustainable fabrics, all natural plant based fibers and uncycled plant based dyes. Zero waste patterns, a-gender fits and sustainable production are important methods of their work and make the clothing to test time.

By extracting postures and re-contextualizing them Olle Lundin hopes to denaturalize the body-language of high fashion. By doing this he has the intention to show the norms, ideals and invisible expectations that are inherent in the visual language discourse of high fashion advertising today!

photo Ayaan Haanewald

Starting as a textile buyer, Roosmarie Ruigrok discovered her passion in fair supply chains. After selling her own company, Promax Corporate Fashion, she worked at Amnesty International, Fair Wear Foundation and as CSR consultance at Elsewear Foundation, known by “Green is the new black and as International cotton manager for Fairtrade. In 2007 Roosmarie founded Clean & Unique. A foundation that help brands and starters in fashion to learn more about sustainability. Today Clean & Unique transformed into an agent for change to create more knowledge and awareness about sustainability in fashion, workwear & textiles by giving advises, training, workshops, inspiration sessions and organizing events. Roosmarie is an International speaker for 15 years and spoke during Premier Vision Paris, Mare di Moda in Cannes but also in Berlin, Rome, London and in the Netherlands. Last March Clean&Unique celebrated it’s 10th anniversary.

FLORIANE MISSLIN - FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Floriane Misslin is a French designer based in Eindhoven. After having pursued classical and technical fashion studies at The Duperré School of Applied Arts in Paris she became interested in analyzing the fashion body from a sociological perspective. She graduated from The Design Academy Eindhoven in 2016.

She is currently working to develop Uni—Sex, a visual analysis that observes how the male and female bodies are represented in an idealized context of gender neutrality.

She is passionate about creative and critical thinking, media imagery, represqentations of the body and their cultural meaning.

Floriane Misslin's work can be seen at FASHIONCLASH
Festival during the Fashion Makes Sense LAB  on June 30 - July 2 at SAMdecorfabriek. On sunday (July 2th) Misslin will join the panel at the Fashion Makes Sense TALKS.

NIKA TOM | FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Meet Nika Čuić, the designer behind NIKA TOM, from Zagreb, Croatia. She is  26 years old and she holds a degree in Fashion Design and Costumography, and also economics. What she loves the most about being a fashion designer, is that she can be herself. At the moment she is involved in the making of her FASHIONCLASH collection and she is also preparing for an exhibition in Zagreb, as well as designing costumes for a short movie. If you want to check out Nika's and other amazing collections, be sure to buy the tickets to the festival here.

What does your brand represent?
My brand NIKA TOM represent the extension of myself. First of all, TOM stands for my mothers shortened family To continue, my work represents me, respectively, my mind, feelings, thoughts and everything that an individual can't describe with words I have always had a need to express that in one way and, by set of circumstances, had always been surrounded with a sewing machine, fabrics and all sorts of materials helped me to achieve that.

What are so far your main achievements in your career? 
I have participated in lots of shows and exhibitions during two years period, and one of the most notable was Berlin Alternative Fashion Week. I was also a part of the Designers Profile in the Mays issue of British Vogue- page designed with the intention of showcasing a range of upcoming designers.

What are your biggest struggles as a young designer/artist?
Lack of financial resources, technology, materials.

How would you define fashion?
I wouldn’t really define it. Every individual speaks and does for himself, respectively, creates something which he or she finds accurate. You can really communicate with clothing, and I think that is the goal here - to speak out.

What fascinates/inspires you and why?
Literally everything! I always have a different inspiration, but there always has to be a reason and connection why did it happen. These inspirations are often connected with my personality, surroundings, everyday situations, emotions, people, art , music…

What do you want to communicate with your work in general?
I want to transfer my ideas and stories through clothing. The goal is to achieve perfect imperfection, meaning a set of rules that you made by yourself and that are not so common but with its wrong unexpected details they become perfect .

Can you tell us something about the project you will present at the FASHIONCLASH Festival? What do you try to communicate with your project?
The project I will present is named 'Peripeteies'. It deals with balance between reality and the inner one made in our thoughts and felt through emotions. The question is what is real and how to delineate it from the mind of a self and is this real just a confirmation of our expectations and beliefs. On the other hand, the mind is living its own reality which is created by interconnectedness of yourself with lived experience, it is a gateway between the finite and ad infinitum. Letting the mind communicate with the reality enables a possibility to create its own reality which is then known only to ourselves. The mean is to represent both worlds, many realities on the same piece and let them connect together. Since the mind of oneself is hard to be grasped with words and expressions, my goal is to express it through clothing and in that way to explore the possibility of functionality of this balance.

Why have you decided to participate at FASHIONCLASH Festival?
I decided to participate at FASHIONCLASH Festival because  it focuses on supporting emerging young designers and gives them the opportunity to experiment with fashion and create something unconventional.

FASHIONCLASH is already working on future themes. What are the topics you find interesting?
Topics that interest me are people, their relations, human body, mind and what can be produced with it.

Does fashion makes sense to you?
Most of the time not, because it had gone to extremes of consumerism, rapidly changeable trends and uselessness. On the other hand, communicating with it, expressing yourself, making something different, long-lasting and with good quality does make a lot of sense.

What are your thoughts on making ‘fashion’ more environmentally-friendly?
I think every individual also has to think and work towards sustainability as much as he or she can for the benefit of the unity.

What are your thoughts on the senses in relation to the human body?

Clothing is in a close relation to the human body because of its tangibility. Body feels the fabric and decides whether it will accept it or not. When they match, they become one. Clothing and fabrics shape the body reacting differently on each person. Clothing serves the body's appearance and also helps a person to express themselves. 

What senses are engaged in your creation process? 
I am using my emotions, intuition and (sub)conscious through every step of the process. Every single sense is engaged , mostly touch and sight as feeling the fabric and seeing its result when its created.

If you want to find out more about Nika and her brand, please check her out at Not Just A Label and Instagram.

SHI[R]T | FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Meet Jeffrey Heiligers and Eva Wagensweld, the designers behind SHI[R]T. Jeff is originally from Voerendaal (a small village in the province of Limburg, in the South of the Netherlands) and Eva is from Woerden, a town located in the middle of the Netherlands. Currently both are based in Amsterdam. Jeffrey graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven, from the faculty of Man and Well-being and Eva graduated from AMFI (Amsterdam Fashion Institute), from the faculty of Fashion and Design. The brand SHI[R]T was born out of a frustration that both designers shared about unfair working conditions and high prices to be able to get promoted. They also find that the price to product ratio when it comes to clothing is distorted because people on the other side of the globe make the garments for as little as a couple of cents per day and customers expect high service for low prices even despite that. With SHI[R]T, Eva and Jeff are trying to convey the message that fashion can be made fair to everybody and also be aesthetically pleasant. The project that they will present on the FASHIONCLASH Festival will be a wake up call to change our consumer behavior.

When did you realise you wanted to work in a field of (fashion)design?
JEFF: I think already as a young child it was clear that I liked creating things. Because my approach was quite technical and focused on movement I decided I wanted to study mechanical engineering. In my 3rd year I realized I couldn't do what I wanted to do as it was all focussed on technology and practicality. Aesthetics was out of the picture and I felt I would be able to translate technology into simple shapes and object, that look pleasing and still keep their function. Thats when I started a pre-art school program for the art academy in Maastricht. During this course I felt like a world opened up to me and I applied to the Design Academy Eindhoven and got in.

EVA: When I was hooked on the series ‘The Hills’ in high school. I totally wanted to have a Lauren Conrad life. I had no idea what I wanted to do and it’s kind of crazy to make this decision when you’re 16 years old, but I’m glad she inspired me.

What are so far your main achievements in your career?
JEFF: I think both my graduation projects (Posture and Momentum) are a good representation of what I stand for as a designer. In both I succeeded to translate a technical device into something aesthetically pleasing, with full functioning simplified technology applied.
 Posture had been picked up by the press and was a hit during Dutch Design Week ’15. I have gained a lot of knowledge out of this experience, about your work being recognized and promoted. Making money of it on the other hand is the biggest struggle.

EVA: Graduating without delays before my 21st birthday with my collection ‘We’re flying over the Cuckoo’s nest’ and finding my own design style. Taking this to the next level with BLACKBLEACH and keeping on evolving.

In what projects are you involved at this moment?
JEFF: I just launched a new collection with my studio that is existing out of 5 basic pieces that can be made-to-measure with the sizing tool I designed for Posture. The production process is done in fair way and the pieces are unisex. Next to that I work as freelance prototyper/production manager for Lokbi Enterprises and started collaborating with Eva Wagensveld. We both share the same view on society and we both want to do something about it, but in our own way. Although alone is alone and together you can do more. SHI[R]T for me was born out of a slight frustration of unfair working conditions and high prices to enter competitions or shows to promote your portfolio. I had quite some job interviews over the past 2 years and was mostly offered an un-paid internship or very ridiculous working conditions. I am aware that still we shouldn’t complain about these things because on the other side of the world people are sewing garments together for a couple of cents a day. It feels like society is loosing its touch with what is fair and what isn’t. Especially when it comes to prices products are sold for. I mean… customers expect high service, for low prices and that actually should be impossible.

EVA: Currently I am working on my own brand BLACKBLEACH where I create new garments out of used and/or leftover materials. During AMFI I always liked to design from existing garments because of interesting shapes and details. It started to feel strange to throw away those beautiful ‘toiles’ and only use them for their patterns. So now I handpick beautiful waste and reinvent it. The other project I am involved in is SHI[R]T, together with Jeffrey. SHI[R]T is super exiting to me and Jeff and I are really on the same page, we can have super inspiring whining conversations with each other and then come up with amazing ideas. It’s so cool to find solutions for things that you aren’t happy about.

What do you love the most about your profession?
JEFF: It is amazing to create new things. The feeling that comes with making progress in your process is a kick that gives you drive to keep going with reaching that end goal. When it is finally finished, it isn’t actually finished because of all the new input and inspirations you gathered during the process to start something new. It’s an endless circle of improving yourself and your designs.

EVA: I love to drape around with garments and explore until I am happy about the design. Then finishing it and constantly find solutions by solving detail ‘problems’ is super satisfying. I just really love to create whilst also trying to do something right for the world.


What are your biggest struggles as a young designer/artist?
JEFF: It is annoying to say and sometimes it bothers me, but it is money and time. Unfair offers from big companies and not begin paid for your services. I love what I do, but just as any one else I need to pay my rent at the end of the month. As a young professional I need a job on the side to be able to sustain myself.


How would you define fashion?

'Fashion is a reflection of what is happening around us.'

What fascinates/inspires you and why?
Fast-fashion brands and their customers. The way people don’t think about their purchase. How can a ready to wear garment cost €10,- if you take all the labour-, material- and transport costs in to consideration?

What challenges did you face during the design process?
JEFF: The biggest challenge was creating the measuring system for Posture. It was a big game of trial and error. Making a Posture garment is very precise work and it took a long, long time to create a digital system to produce an individual piece for each customer.

EVA: Finding the time to design and really finish garments. Sometimes I have so many ideas that it’s tempting to create something new all the time and not finish all the details of other designs. It’s also always a surprise if there will be something useful in the thrift shops / markets. And when I don’t find anything I have no material.

Why have you decided to participate at FASHIONCLASH Festival?
Because the theme fits our platform like a glove.

What are your thoughts regarding ‘religion and fashion’?
Interesting, but possibly dangerous.

Does fashion makes sense to you? 
No. Does fashion make sense if the quality of the products is low, the labour conditions are poor and it harms the environment terribly? The psychology behind fashion has become less about quality or durability and more about being fast, cheap and easy to replace.

What are your thoughts on making ‘fashion’ more environmentally-friendly?
It’s necessary!

'People should make conscious decisions about their purchases. Don’t buy because you can, but buy something because you need it.'

What are your thoughts on the senses in relation to the human body?
The relation to the human body got lost. The standard confection measurement is nowhere to be found and models are either super skinny or overweight.

Do you think that fashion can contribute to a better world / better well-being, and what do you do to make a difference? 
Yes, we need society to be conscious and make it easy for the consumer to buy the right things. With SHI[R]T we want to make it easy for people to find fashion forward products that are created by [young] local designers. This by offering all these designs on one webshop. Instead of going to webshops like Zalando, de Bijenkorf or Asos, go to www.shitshirt.nl and buy sustainable!


What senses are engaged in your creation process?
JEFF: Touch and vision
EVA: Vision and touch.

How does technology change your creation process?
JEFF: Without technology there is no process.
EVA: It’s super useful to always have my extended brain [iPhone] with me.

What’s a standard day for you?
SHI[R]T, SLEEP, EAT, REPEAT.

Vegan, vegetarian, healthy diet or any food will do?
Healthy food [vegan].

What’s your favorite song at the moment?
Money - The Flying Lizards.

Best TV-show/movie at the moment?
Minimalism.

What is your bad habit?
Working whilst being underpaid.

Are you a people's person or a loner?
People’s person.

Do you have a pet?
Yes, our boyfriends.

Your favorite quote?
Life would be tragic if it weren't funny. - Stephen Hawking.

What’s your favorite city?
Amsterdam.

Who is your biggest example/idol?
Iris Apfel.

Favorite magazine?
Playgirl, we don’t like fashion magazines.

Your favorite hashtags #?
#shitshirt #fuckfastfashion #savethechildrenofbangladesh

You favorite social media app?
 LinkedIn, to find unpaid internships.

Instagram account you think deserves more attention?
@shi.r.t

Jeff and Eva have a website where you can read more about their stance on contemporary fashion design, and check out their garments. Take a peek at it by clicking here.    

RICO BERGER - FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Rico Berger is a German fashion designer currently based in Stockholm, Sweden. He graduated from the University of Arts and Design Burg Giebichenstein in Halle, Germany and consequently began working as a designer for kidswear at H&M. Besides refining his collection for FASHIONCLASH Festival, he works on T-shirts and brooches that he plans on selling at markets in Stockholm during the summer of 2017.

Rico Berger’s work can be seen at FASHIONCLASH Festival on Friday June 30 at 20:30, during Show 2 at SAMdecorfabriek. Get your tickets here.

STEVENVANDERYT - FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Steven Van de Ryt is a Dutch designer based in Eindhoven. He graduated in 2016 from the School for the Arts Utrecht (HKU). Since his days at the Summa College Eindhoven he developed an interest in fashion techniques and craftsmanship, but also on experimental fashion and couture. 
His work has been published in magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar UK and the upcoming Vogue Talents Italia SS17, as well as French director’s Jalil Lespert new movie.

He is currently working on a new collection for FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017, the first collection under the label STEVEN VANDERYT.

You will be able to see his work during Show 2 at 20:30 on Friday, June 30 at SAMdecorfabriek. Get your tickets here.

How would you define fashion?
How one defines fashion is really open to interpretation. For some it is what they wear, while for others it's what they see on the runways. I would define fashion as everything that has to do with clothing. But there are levels to fashion. Fashion is what we see in the street, but also what we see on the runways. These are two different levels that should inspire each other. We project the world we live in through our way of dressing. The creators of (high) fashion have leading parts in these views on the world through fashion and they work to inspire or demonstrate our world.    

What fascinates/inspires you and why?

Global social issues and differences. Art, music and different cultures.

JEN MM Design - FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Meet Jennifer Moica. She is an Italian currently living in Germany. She studied at the AMD Academy for Fashion & Design in Düsseldorf, Germany and won the “Fresenius New Talent Award 2011” in Fashion Design. She also obtained a “Fresenius New Talent Award 2012 in Fashion Design” upon graduation.

Since childhood she knew she wanted to work in fashion. That was due to her everlasting passion for creativity and art. At the age of 16, she took a sewing course to learn more about fashion and the process of its creation in order to pursue a career in the field. She owns a Yorkshire terrier, whom she misses dearly whenever she is away from home. Her guilty pleasure is cake and her favorite social media app is Instagram.

Here are some insights from Jennifer herself, on the process of fashion design and this year’s theme of the FASHIONCLASH festival.

You can meet Jennifer and buy her designers during FASHIONCLASH Festival at the 'Fashion Makes Sense Lab' from June 30 - July 2. (free entrance).
More information about the program: here.

L’EGSQÈRE | FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Meet Nadia Montero and Laura Searle - the designers behind L’EGSQÈRE, based in Barcelona (Spain).
Nadia originally comes from Bilbao and Laura is from Madrid. They have both studied all over Europe, in the following schools: LCI Barcelona, London College of Fashion and Haute Ècole Francisco Ferrer (Belgium). After having finished their studies, they joined forces and started their own brand - L’EGSQÈRE. The message they convey with their work is freshness, fun, dynamism, versatility and creativity.

In addition to that, they have also worked for international brands such as Viktor & Rolf, Boris Bidjan, Marques Almeida or Preen by Thorton Bregazzi. They both realized that they wanted to work in fashion at a young age, due to their everlasting love for arts and creativity. Aside from fashion, they have also acquired knowledge in fields related to it such as advertising, photography, fashion marketing and business.
They think that it would be nice to explore the relationship between fashion and 3D printing, craftsmanship and local techniques. Their guilty pleasures are sour candy, dark chocolate and tacos. Before the creation of L’EGSQÈRE, Laura and Nadia worked separately.

Read more about that, and other interesting facts about L’EGSQÈRE below:

What are so far your main achievements in your career?
Before creating L’EGSQÈRE, Nadia Montero and Laura Searle worked separately. Nadia’s first collection “Resilience” was selected as one of the top 20 emerging talents in 080 Barcelona Fashion Week, as well as a finalist of the prestigious international contest Arts of Fashion Foundation in San Francisco. She was also a finalist of BIAAF, a contest held by the Guggenheim Museum, which selects emerging talents across the world. Laura Searle’s first collection Litost, was selected to open Mercedes Benz China Fashion Week, as well as a finalist of the ID Awards, in Dunedin Fashion Week New Zealand. She's won the 1rst prize in the Trendipia & Grazia Magazine design contest, as well as the 2nd prize in the Marie Claire young talents design contest. Her first fashion film, has already been part of the Official Selection of festivals all over the world, and actually nominated for the ASVOFF9, by Diane Pernet.

Jo Cope - FASHIONCLASH Festival 2017

Jo Cope is a conceptual fashion designer based in Leicester, United Kingdom. She graduated in 2017 from a Master’s in Fashion Artefacts at The London College of Fashion. She is a founding member of DAP, a London-based design and performance lab. She has been commissioned to design an Aerodynamic Dress for the British Grand Prix by Silverstone Race track and has been funded by the Arts Council to create a solo installation for the Leicester Museum. She exhibits in the National Centre for Crafts, creating concept shoes for the Shoe Museum’s permanent collection.

She is currently working with curator Liza Snook from the Virtual Shoe Museum NL and is about to embark on a collaboration which will culminate in a fashion performance at Sadler’s Wells Theatre London in November 2017.

Jo Cope's work can be seen at FASHIONCLASH Festival during the Fashion Makes Sense LAB on June 30 - July 2 at SAMdecorfabriek.

How would you define fashion?

In literal terms: clothing is a social conditioning and a superficial body covering that allows us to play with our identity. For me it is a wonderful canvas, a projector of the inner self, an evolving interpreter of the world, the outer human layer.

What fascinates/inspires you and why?

Human beings, the cycle of life, repetitive shared behaviors, love, relationships, everything we experience whilst on the earth, abstraction of the literal, symbolic interpretation, conceptual art.

Because art is a great means of expressing, learning and communicating ideas that are the closest to me. I am fascinated by taking something known such as a shoe and leading it into new version of itself by analyzing the deeper aspect of what it really is through its conceptualization.

Abstracting, conceptualizing and creating metaphors is what interests me.

Finding your own distinctive voice can be difficult, where and how do you find your personal creativity (before you start designing/during the design process)?

I am driven by strong convictions about materializing visions that manifest in my mind’s eye. The craft methodology and material evolution is something I have continued to evolve in response to the forms that I wish to create.

What challenges did you face during the design process?

The making is the most challenging, when I start with a mental image it is rarely going to be straight forward in the making process, however this is the part I find interesting, continually experimenting with different making methods and materials to get closer and closer to realizing my dream in 3D. A most recent example was pushing to the limits a traditional shoe making craft process; hand stretching a meter long shoe over hand sculpted wooden forms. It took 2 people to last and many months of prototyping to figure out a way of making the shoes completely hollow yet fully stable in form.

What do you want to communicate with your work in general?

I want to use a known object of fashion that we have a physical connection with to express deeper emotional life experiences. I also want to challenge our visual preconceptions of fashion asking questions like ‘What is a bag?’ and readdressing how they could be reconstructed from a conceptual perspective.

Can you tell us something about the project you will present at the FASHIONCLASH Festival?

 The project is called The Language of Feet in the Walk of Life. The inspiration is life, things personally experienced or observed; the relationship with the self, relationships with others, concepts which include: self-loss, self-abandonment, co-dependency, self-discovery, experiences with the internal self through imagination.

The research included the act of walking, and how we can become our own action and body language where I focused on reading the feet in social situations. The feet are an interesting part of the body because we are often very unaware of their subtle but powerful projection. In the situation of desire the feet point directly towards the object of interest, in the opposite situation the body may continue to point politely forwards but at least one of the feet will be pointing towards the exit. I am materialising the negative or unseen spaces in situations that relate to human cognition, foot and shoe. 

What do you try to communicate with your project?

The idea is that shoes can be deep autonomous objects that can visually communicate something other than the literal function or aesthetics. Each conceptual shoe represents and projects experiences that relate to the concept of ‘Self’. The relationship we have throughout life with our internal and external being and how relationships with others can impact, collide and overlap with our own state of being.

Why have you decided to participate at FASHIONCLASH Festival? 

Because Fashionclash is representing the boundaries being pushed in the progression of fashion as intelligent art object, it gives the opportunity and freedom to create an installation based presentation which is in line with the gallery environment which is where my work is created for.

FASHIONCLASH is already working on future themes. What are the topics you find interesting? 

Things relating to human experience or something very abstract and open.

What are your thoughts regarding ‘religion and fashion’?

I have created work that relates to religion in my own work previously in a more conceptually abstract sense, religion is a part of society and in that sense it creates an interesting dialog that can be explored through clothing.

Does fashion make sense to you? 

Fashion in the context of art makes sense as an evolving form which offers ongoing exploration in understanding the self and in helping me to create connections with others through shared experience.

What are your thoughts on making ‘fashion’ more environmentally-friendly?

Environmental conscience is obviously important in every aspect of life and fashion is part of this. For myself working with alternative fashion materials such as wood, I have to consider materials use in general and the impact I have. From cars to clothing more must be done to lower the impact on the environment, working on one off bespoke fashion art pieces I can often pick up discarded materials and recycle, I’ve been really impressed with the change in attitude in the common household where people have come back to the mentality of leaving things out in the street for others to re-use.

What are your thoughts on the senses in relation to the human body?

The senses are one of the things that make us more sensitive as human beings, connecting us to experiences in an intimate way. The sense of the self and the relationship and development of the inner being and how that might be projected outwardly is explored in some of my work.

Do you think that fashion can contribute to a better world / better well-being, and what do you do to make a difference?

Fashion is a universal object that we can all relate to and in that it can be used as a social, political and personal commentary and voice. When working as a lecturer and workshop leader I use fashion to build confidence in others and help them to understand that we can rid ourselves of preconceptions and operate in a way that is free and truthful to our own ways of seeing.

What senses are engaged in your creation process?

Touch primarily, in the sculpting phase I am using feel to sense the flow and contours of the object and also physical contact too see how the body connects and becomes one with the object. The senses help to create a mind and body connection which becomes the more spiritual experience of art. I am engaged with the mental instinct and the development of mental creativity through the development of the imagination. I am also engaged with the inner self and use the subconscious to process the internal being into metaphorical external objects that have their own humanistic character.

How does technology change your creation process?

Technology has acted as a tool to capture very hand created forms when prototyping and transport them into alternative materials without losing the artist hand, lasers scanners allowed me the freedom to change materials from less stable prototyping ones to more solid milled CNC or 3D printed.

Fun Facts

What’s a standard day for you?

Somewhere between the studio using my hands, prototyping, making, answering emails, and when lecturing in fashion energizing approx 60 students to create and think.

Vegan, vegetarian, healthy diet or any food will do?

Pescatarian and generally healthy.

What’s your favourite song at the moment?

So much music, too little time. Listening to music mainly on vinyl of all description, original 90’s rave is good to work to.

Best Tv-show/movie at the moment?

I’m interested in observing people in relation to love and relationships so things relating to ‘dating’. I watched an episode of Catfish today, tragic and sad in one sense and bizarre and funny in others, but essentially very real life and a product of our time. I have to contrast any trash with something artistic in film or documentary based.

Are you a people's person or a loner?

Goes with the territory, I love being on my own and having all of my head space in working and creating, but when I’m with people I like to have fun and I can be a bit of a joker. 

Do you have a pet?

I looked into it until I read the words ‘as much responsibility as a child’.

Your favorite quote?

'An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way.' Charles Bukowski

What’s your favorite city?

I lost my heart in LA when I was 16 and I’ve been meaning to go back and claim it back ever since.

What do you enjoy the most in life?

Love and Art.

Instagram account you think deserves more attention?

In a social media rebellion I resisted having an instagram account for a long time. But now I have I am enjoying connecting with interesting people, so to help me catch up I would have to say @jocopeconceptualfashion. Also a great paper engineer I came across is @horstkiechle, he’s a supporter of my work and I would like to give him some love back. 

Read more about Jo Cope's work: http://www.jocope.com/