I saw an image online, not entirely sure if it’s even real or photoshopped, of a street sign saying “Nat bij regen”,

which would roughly translate from Dutch to a warning message of the street being wet by the rain. I found it

interesting because there is a sort of flatness and obviousness to a sign communicating that message. I find

these sorts of things inspiring.

For my third collection, titled after that street sign, I wanted to explore our relationship to rain. From how we have

chosen to clumsily shelter from it via clothing, to how it almost is one of the last untamed encounters with nature

we still experience. Rain tends to have a bad reputation and I feel like our perspectives could use a bit more

magic and play. Magic, from the idea of the rain being revered throughout history, of it being a sign from above, a

miracle, or a symbol of prosperity. And play, from a release of inhibitions and a childlike joy of playing in it without

any sense of worry.

These reflections informed the methodology I applied in this body of work. Rain clothes are often packable and

utilitarian, this shift from the flat to the three dimensional was something I studied a lot while developing the

constructions of the looks. This transformative quality in the clothes felt like the right way to transmit a sense of

wonder, some sort of magic trick. I also found it interesting to dissect the sense of utility in clothes that are

specifically made to be worn for a particular span of time, or an activity, such as biking in the rain, and to imbue

them with a sense of eccentricity, ultimately destroying any sense of practicality in them. I feel that there is an

interesting tension between decorum and utility.

A part of my vision is to celebrate Dutch heritage and culture. I found a deep sense of inspiration in the traditional

dress of Staphorst and Zeeland. Direct silhouette references from these regions made their way into a good

portion of the looks, alongside objects that have been repurposed and recontextualized.

The colour palette, which includes pretty much every colour in the rainbow, was influenced by the illustrations by

Fiep Westendorp, specifically Jip & Janneke. Their graphic language, which is a striking contrast of black and

white with bursts of repeating and geometrical patterns and colour, felt like a way to uplift rainwear in a very literal

and effective way.

Polka dots, a pattern that I have been exploring since the beginning of my career, inspire a sense of joy that felt

welcome for this collection. I incorporated polka dots by experimenting with Staporster stipwerk. A traditional

Dutch printing technique which originated to imitate the look of lace. Intricate dotted patterns are created by

using a stamp made of a wooden or cork block in which nails are hammered, then dipped into paint and pressed

onto fabric.

In a continued effort to establish millinery as a fundamental part of my practice, I dove deep in a series of hats

that often started the design process, instead of them being a finishing touch. From the beginning of my career, I

have considered hats to serve the purpose of a type of personal expression that is complete, from head to toe. In

the case of this collection they also allude to some sort of personal shelter which gives a singularity to each look.