PRINT & PATTERN INSPIRATION: COMMON PEOPLE

Here's the latest Print & Pattern trend moodboard for A/W 2017-2018 I created for online fashion platform Fashion Vignette.

A/W 2017-2018 TEXTILE TRENDS

I haven't been this excited about trend forecasts for ages! Time goes by too fast already, but these trends make we want to fast-forward to next Fall. Spin Expo, a leading fibres, yarns, knitted fabrics and knitwear show, shared their A/W 2017-2018 trends for new yarns and fabrics.

HOW TO RUN A LINGERIE BUSINESS ACCORDING TO NIKI MCMORROUGH FROM MADE BY NIKI

After a decade of stylish lingerie design, the UK lingerie brand Made by Niki is closing. Made by Niki was one of the first brands that started doing fashion lingerie after Agent Provocateur had paved the way. She also pioneered in sexy shapewear. I was obsessed with the brand when I started out freshly graduated as an in-house lingerie designer in 2008.

TEXTILE TALK "WORKING IN THIS INDUSTRY"

Yesterday evening we gathered around in the TextileLab Amsterdam for the 2nd Textile Dialogue since the opening: Working in this industry. Different approaches to a more fair and sustainable industry were discussed. We listened to five inspiring guest speakers followed by a Q&A and discussion.

MOTIFLOW PATTERNS

Last September Motiflow launched a new platform for print on demand textiles and paper. Motiflow is a Dutch startup based in Friesland, offering a European platform for surface pattern designers and illustrators, to enable them to sell their designs on fabrics and other materials. There are several print on demand platforms around, but Motiflow has a clear focus on a cleaner environment, by using non toxic ink, eco-friendly paper and bio cotton. Fabrics are printed with the newest digital techniques and the best quality available, reducing fabric and dye waste to a minimum.

TEXTILE ACADEMY AT WAAG SOCIETY

So this is my 2nd home for the next 4 months. Pretty neat huh! This building is the Waag in Amsterdam. It is home to Waag Society, an institute for art, science and technology. I'm participating in their course program called Textile Academy.

In the Textile Lab I will investigate - together with a team of experts from various disciplines - how the textile and fashion industry can benefit from new technologies, processes and business models. I will learn a lot of new techniques and do a vast amount of experiments. I look forward to discover new ways of designing prints and patterns, dying and manipulating textiles. There's also a Fab Lab and Open Wet Lab where we will do our experiments and research.

View from the Waag (photo: Eddo Hartmann 2012)

The building itself is amazing. The Waag (weigh house) is a 15th-century building and the oldest remaining non-religious building in Amsterdam. It was originally a city gate and part of the city walls of Amsterdam. The building has also served as a guildhall and anatomical theatre, among others. The Waag is depicted in Rembrandt's 1632 painting The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. The Surgeon's Guild commissioned this painting for their guildhall in the Waag. The anatomical theatre still remains intact for the most part, it is incredible to walk around there, imagining what experiments have taken place there throughout the years.

Now it's our turn to follow in their footsteps.

Can we make a minor or major change in the industry and within ourselves?

The fashion and textile industry is still a very polluting and exploiting industry. Influencers in fashion and textiles are still very set in their ways and making high gross margins seems paramount. Sustainability is on the rise but for a lot of brands and retailers sustainability is just a clever new way of marketing their product. Also the mass consumer is not convinced they should buy less, choose consciously and make it last. I have to admit I’m not completely there yet either although I feel the urgency to make a change. Follow my creative process and find out.

SURFACE PATTERN DESIGN LOOKBOOK

The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design released its new Surface Pattern Design Lookbook, Volume 2. The book is filled with patterns created during last year's Make It In Design summer school. The lookbook is a wonderful bundle of inspiration for everyone in and outside the industry.

KUKKA BY LAURA LUCHTMAN AT FASHIONCLASH FESTIVAL 2016

In anticipation of my Launch Collection, which I will present both online and at the FASHIONCLASH Designer Market, FASHIONCLASH did a Q&A with me on their blog.

Since I spend most of my time designing for someone else’s brand or design style I started longing for something of my own. I wanted to search for my own voice and put it out there. That’s why I’m presenting my first silk scarf collection at under the Kukka label. It is a small but focussed collection of digitally printed, locally produced scarves in wonderfully soft silks.

Preview of one of the Entomology silk scarves by Kukka

The collection titled “Entomology” magnifies and visually dissects wondrous insects in striking unusual prints. Their colours, patterns and symmetry fascinate me. They’re an infinite source of inspiration. This collection shows how fragile and yet powerful nature is. The Entomology collection will also include some other products like printed notebooks and postcards.

Inspiration behind the Entomology collection

In the Q&A you will find out more about my collection, design process and things that inspire me. Read the full Q&A here.

PRINT & PATTERN INSPIRATION: SCRATCH THE SURFACE

My latest A/W 2017-2018 trend inspiration post for Fashion Vignette is about scribbling & scratching. Norwegian fashion designer Edda Gimnes turned her drawings and sketches into great designer runway pieces at A/W 2016-2017 ready-to-wear London fashion week. So save your doodles and turn them into fashion fun!

BOOK REVIEW: DESIGNING TEXTILES FOR THE FASHION INDUSTRY BY MICHELLE FIFIS

I really wish this book were available when I started my business in 2010. Designing Textiles for the Fashion Industry is a very comprehensive guide for new and aspiring textile designers. It is full of tips and advice taken from inside the industry. The 96-page eBook is a quick read and the Kindle app helps you to easily highlight sections and add notes and bookmarks.

KUKKA X FASHIONCLASH FESTIVAL

I'm super proud & excited to be selected to take part in this year's FASHIONCLASH Festival! The 4-day festival program with Fashion Shows, Exhibitions, Performances, Designer Market, Fashion Talks, Awards and Parties gives more than 150 designers and artists from all over the world the opportunity to show their work to a diverse international audience and industry professionals.

PRINT & PATTERN INSPIRATION: SIRÈNE

My latest trend inspiration post for Fashion Vignette is about mermaids, sirens, water nymphs and the underwater world. Immerse yourself!

KUKKA X JAPANESE TEXTILE ARTS

Last weekend I enrolled in a Japanese dye and pattern techniques master class at Textielfabrique, Rotterdam. During this one-day workshop we learned the process of dying with natural indigo, different Shibori dying techniques, dying & weaving with Kasuri yarn and creating patterns by applying Sashiko stitching.