Collection of 4 one-of-a-kind garments with encrypted narratives about sustainability.
A common challenge for fashion brands and department stores today is dealing with large amounts of returns and damaged goods. De Bijenkorf – one of Selfridges Group’s iconic department stores – regularly deals with this issue. Nevertheless, these items consist of high quality material and are suitable for a new life.
De Bijenkorf asked De Wasserij to design new items from a diverse collection of clothes. 10 designers showcased their unique approach in store. These items were available for purchase to thousands of customers that visit De Bijenkorf each day.
As part of this collaboration, Gianni Antonia (Design lead at Cypherloom)designed4 one-of-a-kind garments that show data regarding sustainability within De Bijenkorf. Each tells its own narrative you can read using an Instagram filter.This way you can wear a unique piece from De Bijenkorf with focus on a green future, and learn more about their approach to become fully sustainable by 2025.
This collection was on view at De Bijenkorf between 1st of February and 20th of March 2022 and included a live talk with Designer Gianni Antonia.
As information designers we saw a challenge in exploring a new way of wearing. One that not only includes sustainable fabrics but also provokes a sustainable consciousness. All the materials, which were returned and damaged goods, have a history of their own. We aspired to use these in a way that shares their collective story: a peek into what sustainability really means atDe Bijenkorf.
The first being feasibility: how to design a process that works with any given material? Designing new items based on the specific features of each garment would add new design challenges and production time continuously. Instead, we designed our collection based on a responsive system, inspired by PietMondrian’s paintings.We cut all garments – 67 pairs of Levi’s jeans – in 9 predefined squares and rectangles and composed these digitally within our pattern outlines until we found a certain balance. This way, we made sure we used as much fabric as possible, while maintaining a consistent design process and language. Quilting the elements together added a unique texture and stability to each item and in some occasions, a diverse mix of materials.
The second challenge was communicating data through fashion.We experienced this as a continuous battle between functionality and appearance. Important here was to visualize the information with elements distinctive enough to recognize at speed but also collaborated well enough to form an aesthetically pleasing pattern.
First, we looked at all product categories and compared their sustainable offer. We analyzed statements, targets and products from De Bijenkorf. To make sense of this large amount of information, we clustered all data into separate themes. This way each garment could share a specific, well-curated story that contributed to the collection as a whole.
Secondly, we developed a custom algorithm that translates our data into specific design elements. This algorithm made sure every bit of information was translated correctly and placed within the garment. Most useful was the opportunity to prototype different versions quickly. Because of this, we could easily switch between printmaking and creative coding until we developed a print that worked well.
For accessibility we developed a custom Instagram filter foreach garment. The reason for this decision was the pace in which people digest information. Nobody visits a department store to spend time reading (trouble!). Also we had to bear in mind that the garments, once worn, would be a moving source of information (even more trouble!). Therefore, quick access was essential for the audience experience. Luckily, our filters provide this.
Every filter gives an instant overview we can update from time to time, once new data is available. This way, our collection is not just a snapshot. For De Bijenkorf and their audience it is an ongoing narrative towards becoming the most sustainable department store. For us, a new ste
Design & Art Direction – Gianni Antonia
Assisted by Demi Martinez, Maaike Bisschop
Photography – Gianni Antonia
Styling – Eliza Hijzen
Make-up & Hair – Kieu Le
Modeling – Melanie Kranenburg, Jobert Tremus
Production – Maaike Bisschop
Digital Fashion – Omar van Dok
Moderating – Jill Ensink
Video – Daniel van der Kolk
