RETRO53 IS THE PART OF MY WORK THAT SHOWS ME MOST CLEARLY AS AN ARTIST.
THIS PAGE BRINGS TOGETHER THE IMAGES THAT I USE FOR MY PATCHES AND THAT REFLECT MY PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE. YOU WILL FIND PHOTOGRAPHS I TOOK ON FILM AND DIGITAL, ALONG WITH BEHIND THE SCENES FOOTAGE FROM SHOOTS AND FROM THE MAKING OF THE PATCHES.
EACH PATCH STARTS WITH ONE OF THESE IMAGES. I PRINT MY PHOTOGRAPHS ON SECOND HAND CURTAIN MATERIAL, WHICH IS THEN BACKED WITH A SECOND SUPPORT LAYER AND EMBROIDERED ON. THE PROJECT WAS DEVELOPED WITH THE SUPPORT OF FASHION TECH FARM IN EINDHOVEN AND NEW ORDER FASHION. EVERY PIECE CARRIES A REAL MOMENT INSTEAD OF A RANDOM GRAPHIC AND TURNS LEFTOVER MATERIALS INTO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE WORN AND REPAIRED.
THIS WAY OF WORKING GOES FURTHER THAN MOST CIRCULAR BRANDS. IT IS NOT ONLY CIRCULAR WITHIN ITS OWN PRODUCTION, BUT ALSO REPAIRS AND UPGRADES GARMENTS FROM LABELS THAT ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE THEMSELVES. A DAMAGED ITEM FROM A FAST FASHION BRAND CAN BE TURNED INTO SOMETHING MORE DURABLE AND PERSONAL INSTEAD OF BEING THROWN AWAY. THIS EXTENDS THE LIFE OF CLOTHES, REDUCES THE NEED TO BUY NEW, AND USES EXISTING TEXTILES IN A CAREFUL AND CREATIVE WAY.
RETRO53 IS WHERE ALL OF THIS COMES TOGETHER. IT IS AN ARCHIVE OF THE IMAGES BEHIND THE PATCHES AND A LOOK INTO A SMALL SYSTEM OF FASHION THAT VALUES REPAIR, MEMORY, AND THOUGHTFUL USE OF MATERIALS.
