Britt van As

28/9

28/9, the collection that I created tells a very personal and contemporary story. Researching subcultures, I came across a subculture I could identify myself with, ‘The City Dwellers’.

‘The City Dwellers’ are a group of people that live their life in the city, but very often escape into nature. They consider nature as a given, something that is always there. But at the same time, they feel that other humans do not enjoy nature enough. This mindset suited my vision as a designer, but also my behaviour in daily life. I am someone who loves to be outside, but in the end, I always return to the city. The balance between these two aspects fits me perfectly.

For 28/9 I mainly utilise used tents as base material with a combination of deadstock fabrics. By using tents as fabric, I can fully explore their potential and all the technical aspects of the tents, while turning them into functional clothing. On the other hand, by using these recycled fabrics, the collection is fully environmentally friendly and encourages the people who wear it to explore and enjoy nature, while respecting nature at the same time.

Finally, I added an extra personal touch and dimension to my collection. My grandfather, who played a major role in my childhood and always encouraged me to enjoy nature to the full, is also prominent in the collection. I have subtly intertwined photographs of my grandfather in my fabrics. This gives my collection a more personal touch and a story behind the prints.