The end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century saw the widespread use of the Internet and the appearance of e-commerce. It is when today’s e-commerce giants, such as Amazon, Net-a-Porter or YOOX were born. Brands and retailers, especially in fashion observed this trend with astonishment and then rushed to develop their…
All I want for Christmas is… a smart jacket
With Christmas fast approaching aren’t we all looking for new gift ideas? But forget warm socks and reindeer pullovers, there is a new generation of clothes that can keep you warm (and I mean really warm) and give you a new, unique experience. Urban biking in style In May Levi Strauss announced the Levi’s® Commuter™…
Fringes of Beauty, Textiel Museum Tilburg
Fringes of Beauty is a new exhibition of Textiel Museum in a town of Tilburg, the Netherlands. The museum commissioned a number of artists to develop artworks that balance between good and bad taste, attraction and repulsion, fascination and discomfort. Artist Bart Hess who works across visual arts, performance and design created a set of…
Silk: a good reason to visit Lyon
The silk industry in Lyon dates back to the 15th century. King François 1ér granted Lyon a monopoly to produce silk in France and the city became the real capital of silk. By early 17th century there were more than 10,000 silk looms in the city and the technology of weaving silk had flourished. In…
Crafts: how to protect them from disappearing
For many of us, the term “craft” brings to mind something old, out-dated, maybe even kitschy. You may think of one of those touristy stalls that you see while on holidays, selling tacky wooden figures, kitchen plates with Eiffel Tower painted on them or yellow amber jewellery that you would buy for your grandmother. But…
Delvaux: the noble craftsman
A couple of years back, Delvaux was a rather unknown brand anywhere else than Belgium. Still today not many people know that Delvaux is one of the oldest leather goods companies, older than Hermès. Delvaux dates back to 1829 when Charles Delvaux started making and selling leather trunks. This was a right moment as shortly…
Can a scarf charge your phone?
Silk is one of the oldest fibres known to man. It originates from China which remains the biggest producer in the world. It is characterised by low density which results in light, soft and comfortable clothing. Silk has always been perceived as a luxury material and today it still holds the aura of beauty and…
Manus x Machina, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Manus (hand) and machina (machine) are often seen as the opposites. It’s either one or the other. The hand-made symbolises craftsmanship, tradition, individuality, exclusivity. Machine-made is mass, fast, modern, progressive. The Industrial Revolution of XVIII-XIX centuries was one of the most important steps for the industry and society. Modern production methods replaced manual workforce and lead…