'About The Undiscovered Future' is premiering during Dutch Design Week 2020

‘About The Undiscovered Future’ publication by Content Story is premiering during Dutch Design Week 2020. The publication features contribution by co -founder of FASHIONCLASH as well as other professionals who have been involved in FASHIONCLASH projects such as Matylda Krzykowski, Diane Pernet and Philippe Pourhashemi.

To retain the thoughts that were extremely loud when coronavirus began to spread, we asked the creative community to answer two questions: -What are you grateful for? (It can be a small, personal thing that you have learned during this time) -What is your dream? (for the world after the pandemic) 

The outline of the project was created at a time when the Corona virus began to spread aggressively across Europe, North America, South America, Africa and other continents, with a declaration of a global pandemic following soon after that. The mission was to retain the values that were extremely clear during those days. 

Among the 25 personalities who shared their thoughts and dreams were: Alice Rawsthorn, BCXSY, Branko Popovic, Dominic Wilcox, Fernanda Torre, Formafantasma, James Auger, Jan Boelen, Karolina Hałatek, Kathryn Best, Koert van Mensvoort, Marije Vogelzang, Matylda Krzykowski, Ross Lovegrove.

About Content Story

Established in 2017, the foundation has the purpose of implementing projects on the peripheries of design, art, technology and experience. Content Story believes that there is power in creativity, conscious design and quality information, a power that enables people to create social change. To date, the foundation organized 3 major projects: "BODY" exhibition during European Capital of Culture, "OVERLOAD" at Gdynia Design Days, and the conference "Undiscovered – Stories about Experience”.

Fashion Makes Sense Award 2019 winner GARCIABELLO wins REDRESS DESIGN AWARD 2020

Environmental charity Redress concluded the Redress Design Award 2020 Grand Final of the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition with menswear designer Le Ngoc Ha Thu (Vietnam) and womenswear designer Juliana Garcia Bello (Argentina) winning significant sustainable design collaboration prizes with global leaders, respectively VF Corporation’s Timberland and award-winning upcycled brand, The R Collective.

Redress’ 10th anniversary competition cycle, with lead sponsorship from Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, catapults bold new sustainable fashion talent into the spotlight as fashion’s waste crisis mounts due to Covid-19.

The Redress Design Award 2020 prize winners are:

• The Redress Design Award 2020 Womenswear Prize with The R Collective: Juliana Garcia Bello, Argentina

• The Redress Design Award 2020 Menswear Prize with VF Corporation and Timberland: Le Ngoc Ha Thu, Vietnam

• The Redress Design Award 2020 Runner-up Prize with Orsola de Castro: Ruth Weerasinghe, Sri Lanka

• The Redress Design Award 2020 Hong Kong Best Prize Winner: Grace Lant, Hong Kong

“Fashion’s waste crisis can’t be swept under the carpet any longer,” says Christina Dean, Founder of Redress and The R Collective. “Covid-19’s retail and supply chain disruptions have stranded materials in warehouses, factories and stores globally. Now is the time to catalyse the circular economy - and this is Redress’ focus. The Redress Design Award has for 10 years educated designers about circular design. The industry must not waste the opportunities that Covid-19’s crisis is offering.”

The two winners out-designed hundreds of applicants from 48 countries. Menswear winner Le Ngoc Ha Thu shared, “These last few weeks with the Redress Design Award has been such a nourishing and beneficial experience and joining the Timberland and VF teams is going to be an honour. They are such an amazing brand when it comes to sustainability - I am ready to learn everything I can from them.”

“I have learned so much during my participation in the Redress Design Award and have definitely come out of this with a reinforced feeling that collaboration is the key. We designers need to share our strengths and be inspired by each other to keep finding solutions to the mounting levels of textile waste,” womenswear winner Juliana Garcia Bello added.

Victor Tsang, Head of CreateHK, shared his congratulations to the awardees of the competition, “The Redress Design Award has established as a recognised brand in the sustainable fashion design community over the past years by educating emerging fashion designers in order to drive growth towards a circular fashion system”.

In the two weeks leading up to the live Grand Final, the 10 finalists, from 10 regions, successfully completed a gruelling series of virtual design and business challenges, which focused on real life sustainability business cases

with a spotlight on Covid-19 impacted waste, supported by VF Corporation and TAL Group, makers of one in six dress shirts in the US. The ‘Digital Up-cycling Challenge’ saw the finalists using Browzwear digital design and sampling software to create up-cycled concepts to turn TAL’s Covid-19-impacted deadstock garment waste into new products for retail. The ‘Made for Change Timberland Challenge’ saw the finalists develop sustainable and scalable business concepts, focusing on responsible design and re-manufacturing fabric deadstock.

“Our collaboration with Redress, now in its second year, connects us to talented, emerging designers who are passionate about creating fashionable, compelling designs with environmental responsibility in mind,” said competition judge Kevin Bailey, VF’s Executive Vice President and Group President, Asia Pacific Region and Emerging Brands. “We are constantly inspired by their commitment to circular design and creativity. These are the future leaders who are going to help drive lasting and positive change throughout our global industry and we are proud to be part of their journey.”

Education forms the Redress Design Award’s core with sustainable and circular design content delivered to more than 50,000 designers since the inaugural cycle through in-person lectures and academies, and online materials available in a combination of English, Chinese, and French. The competition has the support of 140+ universities worldwide.

Celebrating a decade of impact

To mark Redress’ decade of impact, the Grand Final also celebrated the Redress Design Award 2020 Alumni All Stars. This accolade was awarded to highest-achieving competition alumni, who were shortlisted from over 200 designers from 37 regions. Pat Guzik (Poland) and Annaiss Yukra (Peru) were awarded the All Star Prize, each receiving a retail partnership for their brands with sustainable marketplace, Staiy, and all seven All Star Alumni were awarded a significant showcase at Galeries Lafayette Shanghai forming part of the ‘Fashioning Change, Today and Tomorrow’ campaign and gaining brand promotion within China’s fast-growing fashion market.

Urgent need to find solutions for worsening waste crisis

Fashion’s waste is a significant challenge. The industry is estimated to generate 92 million tons of textile waste annually worldwide . Covid-19 is set to increase this; 60% of textile and clothing companies expect their sales to drop by half in the short term2 and with this deadstock and cancelled orders. The Redress Design Award 2020 finalists’ collections demonstrate numerous solutions to reduce waste throughout the entire fashion supply chain and also across industries. The appetite for change and collaboration has never been greater.

Become part of Culture.Fashion and work on a future proof fashion sector!

At the opening of State of Fashion 2018, Minister of Education, Culture and Science Ingrid Van Engelshoven announced that she wants to give an impulse to Dutch fashion by starting a (pilot) fashion program that connects initiatives and increases the cultural power of fashion in society. In February 2020 in Arnhem, the program was introduced with a broad working session. Since than, various fashion parties in the Netherlands have been working on an activity program, on a mapping of Dutch fashion and on a joint narrative.

Culture.Fashion is an open, value-driven, network in the field of fashion and textile that brings dedicated people together. Culture.Fashion will start new local initiatives, stimulate a culture of collaboration, present tools to highlight the Dutch fashion landscape and explore and shape the future of fashion of The Netherlands.

Become part of Culture.Fashion and work on a future proof fashion sector! Go the website of www.culture.fashion to stay updated and connected. More information will be revealed soon.

Culture.Fashion is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

Initiators: Erasmus University Rotterdam, FASHIONCLASH, MAFB, M-ODE, State of Fashion and TextileLab Amsterdam | Waag, Lisa Wolters and a growing network of partners.

(NL) Creatief tijdens Corona: FASHIONCLASH in De Limburger

Dit artikel werd gepubliceerd in De Limburger, 25-05-2020.

‘Het enige mode-event in Nederland dat dit jaar misschien wél doorgaat’

Hoe komen mensen in de cultuurwereld deze crisis door? In de rubriek ‘Creatief tijdens Corona’ komen Limburgse muzikanten, auteurs, kunstenaars en theater-makers aan het woord. In deze aflevering Branko Popovic en Laurens Hamacher van het Maastrichtse modeplatform Fashionclash.

Foto: Peter Schols

DOOR RON LANGENVELD

Uiteraard hadden ze de voorbereidingen voor de twaalfde editie van hun Fashionclash festival in Maastricht liever onder normale omstandigheden getroffen. Zonder de restricties en onzekerheden die de coronascrisis met zich meebrengt. „Maar eigenlijk is dit ook best spannend”, vertelt Branko Popovic in het kantoor aan de Maastrichtse Batterijstraat. „Want je kunt deze situatie ook gebruiken om bijzondere dingen te doen.” Ze zullen ook wel moeten. Want een traditionele modeshow met een catwalk en een volle zaal publiek is komend najaar niet mogelijk. „Maar je kunt modellen bijvoorbeeld ook in een kamer neerzetten en het publiek erlangs leiden”, zegt Popovic. „Of we gaan dingen doen op bijzondere locaties, in huiskamers misschien”, suggereert mede-organisator Laurens Hamacher. „We zijn creatief, dus we gaan dit ook creatief oplossen.” En ze prijzen zich gelukkig dat hun festival pas in november op de kalender staat, als de coronaperikelen hopelijk alweer wat verder geluwd zijn. „We zijn straks misschien wel het enige mode-event in Nederland dat dit jaar wél doorgaat”, zegt Hamacher.

“Je kunt deze situatie ook gebruiken om spannende en bijzondere dingen te doen. ”

— Branko Popovic

Zuur

Maar dat de coronacrisis een diepe impact heeft op de mode- en kunstwereld, zien Popovic en Hamacher overal om zich heen. „Ontwerpers die in één keer al hun opdrachten zien wegvallen. Beginnende designers die plots met lege handen staan. Of de komende lichting afgestudeerden van de academies, die allemaal zonder afstudeershow hun opleiding moeten verlaten”, zegt Popovic. „Hoe zuur is dat!” Ook zelf hebben ze diverse projecten zien wegvallen. „We zouden onder andere voor de Museumnacht hier in Maastricht een event organiseren samen met studenten van de Toneelacademie”, vertelt Hamacher. „Dat is uitgesteld naar het najaar.” Maar of dat nog doorgaat en in welke vorm? Ze hebben nog geen idee. „We gaan hier zelf ook niet schadeloos uit komen”, voorspelt Popovic.

Podium

De Fashionclashers weigeren desondanks zich door het virus uit het veld te laten slaan. „Zeker nu niet”, zegt Popovic. Met hun initiatieven en events gelden zij als aanjagers van de modewereld en een podium voor jong talent. „En dat podium is juist nu harder nodig dan ooit.” Daarom proberen ze naast hun festival de modewereld juist nu van impulsen te voorzien. „Wat kunnen wij doen om de community van makers en ontwerpers te helpen?”, zegt Hamacher.

Een van de initiatieven die daaruit onlangs is ontsproten, is het project Digital Door Sale. Waarbij jonge Limburgse ontwerpers middels een filmpje op de website en sociale media van Fashionclash een creatie mogen tonen, toelichten en hopelijk verkopen. „Om jonge ontwerpers zichtbaar te maken in deze moeilijke tijd.” En om de modesector een beetje hoop te geven in bange dagen. „Want deze crisis gaat de komende jaren onherroepelijk gevolgen hebben.”

Alexandra Pisco in conversation with Jessica Michault

Alexandra Pisco (founder of PISCO&CO and Maisons de Mode) is currently one of the coaches of the Fashion House Business Development Program by FASHIONCLASH. She recently shared her vision for the future hold for independent fashion designers and brands during an Instagram Live conversation with fashion journalist Jessica Michault.

Watch the full video and hear her thoughts. What’s your opinion on this topic? Please share your vision in the comments!

www.jessicamichault.com

Trend Agency Move launches new trend book

Trend Agency Move launches new trend book: Trend Movement AW2021/2022. Featured on the cover is the work of designer Teun Seuren.

The Dutch trend watching agency Trend Agency Move has launched their new trend book ‘Trend Movement AW2021/2022’. The theme of the book is ‘Feel Xtreme Feelings’ and explains the leading trends on a consumer, market and design-level. The publications offer trend insights that help you to stay connected with your customer in a trend savvy way. It explains the trends, offers conceptual ideas and translates these into colours and shapes that offer inspiration for product development and design, in several industries. Especially in this new-normal-era that has appeared after COVID-19 infected the world, it is important to understand what the new values and desires are of consumers.

This visual and textual trend book is your guideline for new concepts and brand strategies in markets like retail, fashion, beauty, technology, sports, home decor, media, marketing and other lifestyle-related industries. Also manufacturers in fashion are keen on the leading trends for the next season. Trendwatcher Renske Mennen: “By knowing what is now and what is next, it is possible to come up with concepts and design strategies which make this world a more beloved place to live. I do this all for the growth of care, confidence and respect for our future-self.”

You can download the first chapter of Trend Movement AW 2021/2022 for free. The first chapter, Humanize Emptyness, describes the end of the ‘owning-ere’. “It’s all about meaningful connection. That’s it. Nothing else.” It gives you a perfect impression of the way the trends and developments are important to be aware of, as a company or organisation, and also offers inspiration and a guideline about how to cope with these developments and leading trends.

The book contains four trend-chapters and next to that the book contains colour cards colour-cards that contain 132 seasonal colours. The consumer, market, and design trends are spotted by trendwatcher Renske Mennen. The cover photo is made by Gijs van de Veerdonk, and de fashion design is made by Teun Seuren. The text edit is done by Richard Todd.

The trend book can be found here and costs €1400,00. For more information, trendwatcher Renske Mennen can be contacted via renske@trendagencymove.com.

COVID-19: support for entrepreneurs, self-employed & freelancers in The Netherlands

COVID-19 is, first and foremost a global humanitarian challenge and a medical emergency. However, we are well aware of its impact on creative entrepreneurs and freelancers. The ecosystem and sector is hit really hard economically and probably many of you have seen their clients and projects decrease in the last few weeks.

The Dutch cabinet has announced a support package for SME entrepreneurs, self-employed people and freelancers as well as large companies. In short, the measures which are now in place are as follows:

• TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT FOR COMPENSATION FOR WAGE COSTS (MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND EMPLOYMENT)
  An entrepreneur who expects a loss of turnover (at least 20%) can apply to the UWV for a salary contribution for a period of three months (maximum 90% of the wage bill, depending on the loss of turnover). UWV will provide an advance of 80% of the requested contribution. This allows companies to continue to pay their staff. The condition is that no staff may be made redundant for economic reasons during the subsidy period. This Temporary Emergency Measure Bridging for Work Retention (NOW) will be opened as soon as possible and will replace the current working time reduction scheme. No new applications can immediately be submitted for this to SZW. Applications that have already been made but not yet settled will be handled in the new scheme. Entrepreneurs can apply for the allowance for a decrease in turnover from 1 March.

• EXTRA SUPPORT FOR INDEPENDENT ENTREPRENEURS (MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND EMPLOYMENT AND MUNICIPALITIES)
  The cabinet is introducing a temporary, relaxed arrangement to support independent entrepreneurs, including self-employed persons, so that they can continue their business. The scheme is implemented by the municipalities. Self-employed persons can receive additional income support for subsistence for a period of three months through an accelerated procedure. This supplements the income to the social minimum and does not have to be repaid. There is no asset or partner test in this temporary assistance scheme for self-employed persons. Support under this temporary scheme is also possible in the form of a working capital loan at a reduced interest rate.

• RELAXATION OF DEFERRAL OF PAYMENT OF TAX AND REDUCTION OF FINES (TAX AND CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION)
  Affected entrepreneurs can more easily apply for deferral of tax. The Tax Authorities will then immediately stop the collections. This applies to income, corporate, wage and turnover taxes (VAT). Any default penalties for late payment do not have to be paid. Moreover, it is not necessary to send evidence immediately. The entrepreneur gets longer to do this. The recovery interest that normally starts after the expiry of the payment term is temporarily reduced from 4% to almost 0%. This applies to all tax debts. The rate of the tax interest also temporarily goes to almost 0%. This reduction will apply to all taxes subject to tax interest. The cabinet will adjust the tax rate as soon as possible.

• BROADENING OF THE GUARANTEE FOR ENTREPRENEUR FINANCING (MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS)
  Businesses that experience problems in obtaining bank loans and bank guarantees can use the Guarantee Business Financing scheme (GO). The cabinet proposes to increase the GO's guarantee ceiling from 400 million to 1.5 billion euros. With the GO, EZK helps both SMEs and large companies with a 50% guarantee on bank loans and bank guarantees (minimum 1.5 million - maximum 50 million euros per company). The maximum per company is temporarily increased to 150 million euros. The Cabinet is committed to providing all warranty space that is required.

• INTEREST DISCOUNT SMALL ENTREPRENEURS ON MICROCREDITS QREDITS (MINISTRY OF EZK)
  Microcredit provider Qredits finances and coaches a large group of small and starting entrepreneurs, who often find it difficult to obtain financing through the bank. These include entrepreneurs in the catering, retail, personal care, construction and business services. Qredits opens a temporary crisis measure: for small entrepreneurs affected by the corona issue, a repayment of six months is offered and the interest during this period is automatically reduced to 2%. The Cabinet supports Qredits for this measure with a maximum of 6 million euros.

• COMPENSATION SCHEME FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR (MINISTRY OF EZK)
  The government's health measures have enormous consequences for income in a number of sectors in particular. Such as the (mandatory) closure of food and beverage outlets and cancellations in the travel industry. Moreover, this income is difficult to catch up when the coronavirus is over. The Cabinet is therefore introducing a compensation scheme that also applies to the Arts and Culture sector, and the government proposes to grant companies in these and other such sectors a fixed fee of € 4,000. The conditions for this compensation are not yet known. This is now being worked out and urgently submitted to the European Commission for the assessment of (permissible) state aid.
  
  WHERE CAN ENTREPRENEURS GO?
  Entrepreneurs report to their credit company regarding the loans provided, and for tax measures they can contact the Belastingdienst (Tax Authority) Belastingdienst.nl/coronavirus You can also call the Kamer van Koophandel (Chamber of Commerce) Advice Team on +31 (0)800 2117 on weekdays from 8:30 to 17:00.
  
  Image: Emilie Thirion by Team Peter Stigter during FASHIONCLASH Festival 2016

OCW Modeprogramma Work Session in Arnhem

On Thursday, 27 february 2020, a large scale work session was organized in the town hall of Arnhem.

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in The Netherlands plans to boost this development for a more innovative and future-proof fashion system; one that focuses on inclusivity, circularity and addressed the cultural value of fashion. By doing so they invited diverse fashion stakeholders - FASHIONCLASH being one of them - to come together and look into the potential of Dutch fashion. As a collaboration is the core of our values, FASHIONCLASH has taken this opportunity to dive into the possibilities of today, to improve tomorrow.

In 2018, Minister Ingrid Van Engelshoven announced her plans to give a boost to Dutch fashion. In recent years, various organizations and networks have emerged, in which professionals from the Dutch design field, business, education and science work together to contribute to a healthier fashion industry, and thus to a better future. By connecting these initiatives, increasing their visibility and joining their forces, the cultural impact of fashion on society can be increased.
In the past months, The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has engaged in conversations with several cultural organizations that are trying to reform the existing fashion system. Following these talks, a number of work sessions will be organized. In these sessions we will work towards a joint plan for an activity program, a mapping of Dutch fashion initiatives and a future-proof narrative for Dutch fashion.

The OCW fashion program is an initiative that is growing network and is gradually being expanded with several parties.
Connected participants so far: ArtEZ, AMFI, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Fashion + Design Festival Arnhem, FASHIONCLASH, Gemeente Amsterdam, Gemeente Arnhem, Gemeente Rotterdam, MAFB, M-ODE, Modint, Nannet van der Kleijn, NL Next Fashion and Textiles, Pauline van Dongen, State of Fashion, Waag TextileLab