In the past year I cycled almost every day to De Wasserij, a place where, together with SKAR, I am building a community of innovative fashion entrepreneurs. Because of the Covid-19 situation I now mainly work from home. I have enough rest and space, but it's not always easy. Just like the other members of the community, I miss the energy that comes from being together and working together in our building. I also sometimes feel powerless and wish I could do more. But I still keep up the courage, because: corona does not kill creativity. As a community we find all kinds of ways to mean something to each other and to others. In this newsletter I am proud to share a number of initiatives that have recently emerged in De Wasserij.
Emergency suits
In the studio of AnoukxVera is currently working on research. The design duo can work at a safe distance from each other, because the studio consists of two separate rooms. Anouk and Vera were part of last year's research project Taskforce Fashion, in which they started an investigation into the role of fashion and textiles in emergency situations. They discovered that when it comes to the content of emergency kits, little attention is paid to the role of clothing. This research suddenly became more relevant than ever in recent weeks and the designers are now actively pursuing it. You can follow the findings on their Instagram.
Sewing with Lidewij
Further on, in Lidewij van Twillert's studio, a sewing machine is rattling. She is busy with a new collaborative project that will take place this autumn, but has also set up a new initiative: Sewing with Lidewij. In this vlogs she shares her knowledge and shows how you can make your own clothes. Lesson 1: a holographic swimsuit, which hopefully can still be used during the Indian summer of 2020. On Lidewij's website you can buy starter packs with patterns and fabric to get started at home.
Makerslab Graduate Service
In the Makerslab of De Wasserij, our coordinator Tiemen noticed unrest among fashion graduates in recent weeks. In June they have to finish their graduation collections, but at the moment the school buildings, and therefore the workshops, are closed. The Makerslab in De Wasserij is open for the time being, under strict rules of use and with a limited number of users at the same time. In order to help graduates, the Makerslab cooperates with various courses and we offer tailor-made help. The first graduates have already signed up. Are you or do you know someone who would benefit from our help? Then please contact us via lab@dewasserij.cc!
#Support tour locals
The Covid-19 crisis is of course an excellent opportunity to support local designers. They need it now more than ever. Moniek and Sacha, founders of an.nur and makers of baby essentials, notice that people know how to find them for a personal gift. Now that visits are not possible, they like to send something special to their newborn nephew, niece, grandchild or friends. The production of an.nur, which is also partly made in Portugal, can be delivered less quickly due to the current situation. This increases the need to organize their entire production locally. an.nur is now looking with a number of co-residents from the laundry to see if they can set up a production line together. This will enable them to continue to meet demand and at the same time create work for colleagues who temporarily have fewer orders.
Would you like to invest in products of local fashion entrepreneurs? Take a look at www.dewasserij.cc for an overview of our talented creators and designers. Or follow our Instagram page, where we continuously share initiatives from our community. Do you have other ideas to support our community? Then contact us at info@dewasserij.cc.
Warm regards and stay safe!
Esther Muñoz Grootveld
Program Manager Laundry