Albert Jan Metselaar
During the design process I concluded that aesthetics are my constraints and that coincidences translate to freedom in my version of conceptual thinking. My collection portrays conceptual aesthetics of a contemporary rebel.
Contemporary Rebels
By Albert Jan Metselaar, The Willem de Kooning Academy
What’s the current status on ‘conceptual thinking’? Marcel Duchamp was the first to direct major attention to the concept as did Comme des Garçons in fashion. One could argue that we all think in a conceptual manner, but on what level?
By creating a menswear collection, I was confronted with my constraints in conceptual thinking, but paradoxally at the same time, experienced endless freedom. My collection embodies a reaction to the traditional perception of mens fashion. Contemporary Rebels represents a modern view on mens fashion, which is inspired on the theme ‘FUCK THE CONTEXT’. My personal life philosophy of making concessions plays an important role. It’s a detailed research into the perfect balance between materials and contrasts; creating new shapes out of overly complicated or down to earth, simple patterns. Coincidences in fittings influenced the design process. For example, pants that fitted too tight brought me to the idea of incorporating a sophisticated translation of an open fly in my final design.
During the design process I concluded that aesthetics are my constraints and that coincidences translate to freedom in my version of conceptual thinking. My collection portrays conceptual aesthetics of a contemporary rebel.
Photo: Liselotte Vollebregt
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About Lichting
The concept of ‘Lichting’ is simple: the best academy graduates of one year in 1 central catwalk show. In the audience are the 700 most important people for the next step in their careers: fashion journalists and influential stylists, ready to spot the next big thing; CEO’s and design managers on the look-out for talent; and the all-important players-behind-the-scenes, all eager to see what the nation’s academies have brought forth this year.
