HKU Exposure expositie and Fashion Show
Report by Branko Popovic, Artistic Director FASHIONCLASH
On 28 June, HKU Exposure opened with a performative fashion event. Exactly at 16:16, also the title of the show, Kay Lambertius Ettema opened the event with an all-black collection followed by two dancing models by Farah Sahupala. Further on in the show, dancing was returned by Jentl Rietdijk who based her collection on researching the connection between her grandmother’s old house and her life in Tallinn.
Similar to other academies, HKU students are working with upcyling, sustainability themes and using existing clothes to create new forms. All symbolic of the recurring search for new fluid worlds where personal stories are linked to social themes. Often hopeful attempts to bring synergy and harmony to the world through fashion.
Berber Struiksma created her own fairy tale with characters inspired by stories she found in second-hand books through which she plays with the autonomy of fashion. Rosa Damen made new compositions from found objects and materials. Marvin Beekman also played with waste and literally called his project WA(I)ST.
In the search for new worlds, André Konings took the most innovative approach by mixing digital and physical and creating a fluid world. “The collection is a series of looks that represent liminal Spaces that are in line with me. As someone who is half Dutch/half Philipino, floating in between genders and sexuality. I find myself not completely one thing. Being in the grey area can be quite stressfull and uncertain.”
Innovative approach we also saw at Roxy van Kemenade where digital and physical lives meet. With this ‘phygital’ collection, Roxy explores a way to make a digital embodiment more tangible.
With Camping Couture, Senne Roeper investigated how to connect the pretentious fashion world with the down-to-earth and earth camping life. This research is symbolic of his own worlds, on the one hand growing up on an island where he lived with people who don’t care about fashion, and on the other hand studying fashion in a city where people usually have no idea what it is like to be in nature and outdoors.
Emma Pastoor found inspiration in the techno rave scene that is unknown to many people – The Unknown – and therefore there is often a negative perception of this community. With her collection, Emma wants to show the other side of this scene where openness to each other and freedom are central.
After the show, the exhibition officially opened where the work of the entire design department was on display including an impressive textile artwork based on the slavery past created by Marleen van der Eerden & Joëlle Wagteveld i.c.w. Peggy Bouva. Also on show was an installation work by product designer Mathilde Hanneuse who created a series of conceptual accessories. She collaborated with Alain Albert Meijnhard van Schor for the show.
Graduates: André Konings, Alain Albert Meijnhard van Schor, AnneSara Jansen van Rosendaal, Kay Lambertius Ettema, Farah Sahupala, Jentl Rietdijk, Rosa Damen, Marvin Beekman, Berber Struiksma, Roxy van Kemenade, Senne Roeper, Emma Pastoor, Iza van Slooten, Isabelle van Manen, Rianne Faasse, Marleen van der Eerden & Joëlle Wagteveld, Luke Spiering, Lisa Haak, Coco van den Hanenberg, Julia Hernandez Krebber, May Chueaduangkaew, Christy Christine Helena Greeve.