IN DE MAAK – IN THE MAKING

Fashion is inseparable from making. A century and a half ago, de Bijenkorf started a small fabric and haberdashery store, where everything needed to make your own clothing was available. This inspired Room on the Roof to the traveling exhibition IN DE MAAK, which sheds light on the creative process in a contemporary way.

IN DE MAAK – IN THE MAKING takes you on a journey through the creative craftsmanship of makers and designers. All works are made in white test fabrics, also called toiles, and produced in honor of this exhibition.

The makers map out the history of de Bijenkorf. This group carefully studied the historical posters, illustrations and patterns of de Bijenkorf. Ranging from shoes from the space age to the flapper dress of the 1920s, they all brought them back to life.

These makers come from the Meesteropleiding Coupeur and Dutch Shoe Academy, two vocational schools specialized in making clothing and shoes. Unique in their kind, these two educational institutions are preparing a new generation of professionals. With all this acquired knowledge and special craft in lease, they know how to accurately translate the vision of designers into form and material. This makes them indispensable in the workshops and the driving force behind fashion.

We also give nine (inter)national designers, artists and design collectives a platform to share their inspiring vision of the future with us. After all, bursting with creativity and dedication, they form the spirit of tomorrow. They also respond in white toiles to contemporary topics, such as inclusivity, sustainability and creativity: values that fit in seamlessly with the identity of de Bijenkorf.

Room on the Roof is the artist-in-residency platform of de Bijenkorf. The name refers to the room in the tower on top of de Bijenkorf in Amsterdam. This place in the heart of the city is a place for reflection, creation and a platform for new ideas. Since 2015, De Bijenkorf has been inviting local and international artists, writers, musicians, architects and designers to create new work here as artist in residence. From the Room on the Roof, the work is visible in the store in various ways; music in the fitting rooms, a poem in the book department or exhibitions in the atrium, the stairwell and the shop windows.

The early years (1896 – 1929)

De Bijenkorf once started as a fabric and haberdashery store. Fashion lovers set to work at home with hobby sewing machines and patterns. In the end, ready-to-wear got the upper hand: quick available fashion, ready to use on the shelf. At the end of the nineteenth century, continuous atria and narrow waistlines determined the street scene. Slowly but surely, the desire for a more modern, freer life arose, which encompassed the 1920s.

Made by: Meesteropleiding Coupeur & Dutch Shoe Academy

Turbulent times (1931 – 1955)

During the dark years there was a great shortage of provisions. Laying your hand on fabrics and haberdashery was therefore impossible. Households had no choice but to entertain old cast-offs. The big reconstruction put an end to this shortage. Those who could afford it enjoyed a new fashion marked by an abundance of fabrics.

Made by: Meesteropleiding Coupeur & Dutch Shoe Academy

Freedom & happiness (1965 – 1976)

Change was on the horizon. A new generation saw this post-war era as a fresh start, which was visible in fashion. Skirts got shorter and confidence increased. Futurism as a fashion style emerged with a view to the future. Today’s baby boomers stood together on the barricades for more peace in the world: flower power was everywhere.

Made by: Meesteropleiding Coupeur & Dutch Shoe Academy

Subcultures (1980 – 2000)

You are what you wear! With certain clothing choices you belonged to a group of like-minded people. In addition to clothing, such a subculture was also characterized by shared interests and hobbies. Trendy clothing filled the dance floor while film and music heroes turned out to be true style icons. Fashion hypes and styling trends attracted the general public to the shopping streets. After the millennium, old styles served as inspiration for new trends.

Made by: Meesteropleiding Coupeur & Dutch Shoe Academy

Tastemaker

Fashion offers a universe for expression and creativity, down to the absurd. Magnified proportions, optical illusions or theatrical forms appeal to our imagination. Marie Lamberechts also does this with her extreme silhouettes. Inspired by the 1759 wedding dress from the Rijksmuseum archive, she managed to convert age-old status symbols such as the crinoline into an immensely broad design that stimulates the laughing muscles.

Made by: Marie Lamberechts

Remade

This gigantic crinoline or manteau feels historic. That’s right, because it is a replication from the Rijksmuseum archive and was designed around 1760. To wear this on your wedding day, you had to come from a good family. It is by no means practical, yet these bizarrely wide hip volumes inspire today’s fashion.

Made by: Flora van Egeraat

Makeable future

The future of fashion isn’t just about fit. In fact, a clear fashion image faded as the 21st century emerged. The consequences of this system also came to light. Reuse, digitization and use of natural materials are important answers for a more sustainable future. Armia Yousefi, Studio PMS and Margherita Soldati (textile lab Waag) each put their money where their mouth is.

Made by: Studio PMS, Armia Yousefi, Margherita Soldati (Textiellab Waag)

Self-made

Every wardrobe starts with a set of good basics. You could cut out the clothes of designer Camiel Fortgens yourself. Durable and stylish basics to which the spectator puts the finishing touches. Until the 1980s, clothing was sewn together at home with pattern pieces and fabrics for sale at the Bijenkorf. After years of success in ready-to-wear, self-made fashion is experiencing a revival.

Made by: Camiel Fortgens

Make do

The alteration of old clothes has already been discussed before, during the economical years of the Second World War, for example. Deconstruction now offers opportunities for revaluation and even sustainability. Lisa Konno shows the elaborate and contemporary beauty of this by transforming discarded white shirts into a coat of her hand in three steps.

Made by: Lisa Konno

Made to measure

For years, the woman’s body was constricted to meet beauty ideals. An unnaturally thin waist and a large bust are socially imposed expectations that many do not agree with. Fortunately, a new generation is breaking this pattern. There is beauty in every shape and size. Designers and artists respond to this momentum by empowering the female body with her corset.

Made by: Romy Yedidia, Sinéad O’Dwyer, Tess van Zalinge

Behind the Seams: het archief

Making fashion is one thing, preserving it is just as important. Why? Every design choice is a response to the spirit of the times. To understand the present, the past must be studied. Archives of fashion houses, designers and museums are real treasure chests and offer inspiration for deepening, an innovative view and astonishment.

Made by: Tess van Zalinge, cultureel erfgoed de Bijenkorf, Armia Yousefi, Tess van Zalinge, Dutch Shoe Academy

Behind the Seams: het atelier

A sample is anything but perfect. It is a snapshot towards the final design. To achieve the perfect end result, a designer uses everything possible to give shape to the idea. Color research, fashion sketches, fabric tests, moulages and notes are all part of the process. It is precisely the space for intuition and coincidence that makes the design profession special.

Made by: Camiel Fortgens, Meesteropleiding Coupeur, Sinead o’Dywer, Marie Lamberechts