In response to the mounting challenges of textile waste, Dutch Design Week unveils ”Icons Re/Outfitted”, a collaborative exhibition showcasing a sustainable intersection of fashion and furniture design. This initiative is sparked by The Visionary Lab, renowned furniture manufacturer Vitra, and denim titan Levi’s.
The week-long exhibition, held from October 21 to 29 in Eindhoven, lets attendees encounter redesigned iconic chairs from Vitra, reimagined using repurposed Levi’s denim.
The re-envisioned iconic chairs have got their makeover by upcoming designers Nkwo Onwuka, Kelly Konings, Barbara Polderman, Norman Monsanto, Sarmite Polakova, Tim Dekkers, and Hannah Brabon. Leveraging modern techniques like digital 3D weaving and bio textiles alongside traditional crafts, these chairs emerge as tangible testimonials to the design industry’s commitment to reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
One re-imagined Vitra piece at the exhibition is The Eames Shell Chair by Dutch architect Norman Monsanto and Swedish designer Kelly Konings. Through the unique process of melting the iconic chair into a sturdy olive tree trunk. The eye-catching ’jeans fungi’ on show are crafted from an innovatively woven fabric, developed by textile artist Kelly Konings from deadstock yarns.
Moreover, the exhibition underscores the potential of giving end-of-life textiles, like denim, a renewed purpose in both the fashion and interior design sectors. It shines a light on redesign and emphasizes these industries’ challenges of sustainable production.
