Simon Vallez Veldkamp

My work reflects a frustration with the way we humans interact with the living world, especially in our careless consumption of materials. I aim to challenge this dynamic by centering the material itself in the design process. For me, fabric is not a neutral starting point—it is a living archive, a carrier of history, of wear, and of time. Noticing this life is central to my practice. I work predominantly with existing fabrics and historical garments, allowing their imperfections, textures, and embedded stories to shape the outcome. My garments resist seasonal or gendered categorization; instead, they inhabit a timeless, ambiguous space, textured with decay and layered meaning.

My graduation collection is a reflection on how we relate to the world around us. It is about noticing—noticing the things we overlook, the subtle systems and habits that shape what we accept as normal. Clothes are never just clothes. They are cultural artifacts, shaped by the body, by time, and by circumstance. By emphasizing the materiality of garments, I try to take clothes out of their expected context and reframe them through acts of attention and care.

The collection is built largely from historical garments sourced through several Dutch museums, combined with deadstock fabric. However, my point goes beyond simply using secondhand materials—I see this as the baseline for responsible practice. But it’s through the process of making that the fabric is truly seen. In cutting, sewing, and shaping, I engage directly with its history and texture. These tactile actions are more than technical steps—they are ways of paying attention, of honoring the value and complexity embedded in the material.