BRANKOPOPOVICBLOG: KABK Fashion Show 2016

Woody 's-Gravemade

The Fashion Show 2016 at Royal Academy of Fine Art The Hague (KABK)
In recent years the KABK has delivered multiple talented designers, such as Bastian Visch, Marije de Haan and Nikki Duijst who all won the prestigious Lichting Award.
Under leadership by the avant-garde designer Jurgi Persoons, the fashion and textile department of the KABK has become the show to scout talents. What stands out the KABK is the expressive approach not only with design and material but also with narrative.
Perfect example is the graduate Woody 's-Gravemade who made a poetic statement with his collection 'Dutch' Culture. In his collection he mixed Western and Middle Eastern culture, exploring the culture clash by blending street wear with islamic garments such as the burqa and niqab with typical Western garments such as shinny wadded jacket. Returning in the collection is the 'Turkentas', Dutch word for the cheap plastic bags mostly related to the stereotypical image of migrants.

Woody 's-Gravemade

Nadie Borggreve found her inspiration in hoarders, who have the urge to collect things because they get emmotionaly to attached to things. With her collection 'Emitional Hoarder', expressing the human tendency to collect memories and emotions.
"My collection is a visual display of my vision of the process of hoarding, as if the wearer wants to escape the disorder., but the pieces of clothing are clinging on to him and keep hanging on the body. By moudling different pieces of clothing I created my language of silhouettes, using the clothes differently than they are supposed to be.

Nadie Borggreve

Nadie Borggreve

Nadie Borggreve

Sarah Lauwaert presented an activistic menswear collection speculating the future world where we have lost the North Pole. She aims to give hope and engage people to be more aware of the value the North Pole has for all of the mankind. "I feel strongly connected to the North Pole and therefore I am taking my chance to raise attention to what is happening to it. My aim is to create garments that protect our bodies from the environmental catastrophes to be." The collection containts slogans such as 'I Need To Be Protected' and 'Mind Your Step', expressing the importance of the North Pole to our mind and immagination.

Sarah Lauwaert

Lot Louwerens graduate collection is about the American Dream and the self-made man; the dream catcher. But also about the downside of it, the feeling of unsatisfaction and the need to show off, vain as the bird of paradise.

Lot Louwerens

'Keep Your Mouth Closed, Your Comments Closer' is statement collection by Jenske Sypkens Smit expressing the social media influence on our daily life. She shows the middle finger to the comments made online that effect the offline world. With her elegant and mostly black womenswear collection she is mixing volumes and blurry prints on sheer fabrics.

Jenske Sypkens Smit

Berta Pous Infante

Next to the fashion show graduates, the show featured work of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year Bachelor fashion design students but also the work of the textile design students such as Fieke Ruitinga and Yamuna Forzani.