Published by

How a NATO summit got me sucked in and thought me something

Watching the recap of the concluding second NATO day in The Hague, I couldn’t help but feel enthralled by the spectacle of it. World leaders physically coming together, all with a certain cache, making decisions which will shape the world of tomorrow on topics that are of international significance – it’s a theater show that is hard to look away from, even for someone who doesn’t regularly like to be engrossed in the news cycle at all. It’s particularly interesting to see how the former Dutch prime minister, now NATO secretary general Mark Rutte presents itself, in stark contrast to the current Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof. And then the Beast as they call him; Donald Trump, whose second term as president of the US is developing quite differently to its first it seems. Where his first term was more about being a frontier and fighting the establishment, now it seems he is developing more as a leader of his newly formed establishment – he seems more likable and universally political. But this is where I’m also confronted with the horror of the whole spectacle, as the confidence of Trump is also a sign of dictatorial quality that is developing within him and his regime.

I don’t like to get sucked into the new cycle because it’s based on entertainment en awe, more than information and education. Most things that are covered in the news don’t have direct influence on my day to day life and life decisions, and they therefor feel only distracting to that which matters most to me; my family, health and creative pursuits. When being distracted by the news, you are being entertained with thoughts of a world that is colliding and collapsing all the time; negativity is the main protagonists. Change and growth happens by being aspirational to a future that can be better and improved. For that you do need problems to solve and issues to deal with, but you mostly need a positive and change mindset, which can’t be fueled with doomsday thinking.

The NATO top was an amalgamation of these thoughts coming together for me; the scale of the theater was so huge that by being entertained I could see more clearly the thoughts I have had lingering in my mind for a while.

I’m interested in developing a brand that can talk about world issues in an inspiring and positive way. Today has brought me this HMW (How Might We) question; How might we use tactics of political leaders and news cycles to take part in – and form a conversation about – restorative change and inspirational development around the world?

Published by

Celebrating locality

Cross-cultural dialogue

No matter if we are able to travel to far-flung places or not – the mixing of cultures, nationalities and heritages happens all around us. It has done so for generations, though today it happens on a larger scale and to a wider demographic. Living in a multicultural world provides us the opportunity to see and understand life on earth from different perspectives, from which we can learn and grow. Globalisation has contributed to a faster and easier transfer of goods and thoughts. We have moved away from locality and diversity to a shared global aesthetic. The modern world stimulates homogeneity globally.

[BRAND NAME] wants to stimulate a more diverse understanding of our modern world by creating clothing that takes locality as inspiration for transforming globalised garments into localised expressions of our multicultural world.

Locally made & sold

Some things can only be found in very specific places in the world. However we have now access to almost anything from anywhere through the convenience of online shopping, international shipping and an interconnected world economy. Almost everything from anywhere is within our reach. The accessibility to such a wide gamma of goods from around the world has made us into greedy and unappreciative consumers. There is value in things being made and sold locally only, as it means the producer and consumer create a stronger connection; in physical contact the meeting of cultures can exist.

[BRAND NAME] wants to stimulate a cultural, personal and emotional exchange between brand, people and product by making certain products only available locally, close to its source of inspiration and/or production.

Published by

Global vs Local, Fashion vs Clothing

Current trends in fashion seem to be mostly self referential, in the sense that the clothing designs feed off (street)style and archival pieces/references. This creates a strong image that is coherent but refreshing as it’s based on designs and styles that float around in the subconscious minds of the wearer and creator simultaneously (at least amongst those that closely follow/relate to the fashion world). Extending beyond this realm of reference, it has become apart that a wider perspective on art has become a secondary source of inspiration (e.g. music, sculpture, painting).

Although it seems to be aspirational for many to become familiar with these reference points that have instigated pieces of contemporary fashion, it has become less important to know (or show, in the designs) a cultural background and history. Taking Louis Vuitton (Virgil Abloh) and Givenchy (Matthew Williams) as examples here, there is a certain influx of American perspectives within the fashion world (and within traditionally Parisian houses). But also beyond that, when you look at Balenciaga for example, Demna Gvasalia (Georgian) uses inspiration found in Eastern Europe. This however often seems to be a referencing a certain styles, which in turn is often an aspirational versions of an American one.

Thinking about this further

Is it possible to express locality in fashion design? Within the current day and age, in which everything is instantly shareable and readable online, is it even appropriate? Or is that precisely the reason why it would be important to share local identities, exactly because we are so connected and therefor loose a sense of place within the world?

How does expressing locality within fashion design look like? Is clothing design the same as fashion design? Can clothing more effectively represent a local identity than fashion, as fashion suggests a globally shared acceptance of something being “fashionable”?

Published by

Archive: Moving towards an understanding

Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. … What is soft is strong.

― Laozi

China has spend much of the last 300 years lurching from one disaster to another. From military crisis to crisis of identity. Yet, perhaps because China’s past is so full of loss and it’s future is so uncertain, many artists seem passionate to preserve their Chinese sense of identity.

Andrew Graham-Dixon in the BBC 4 documentary series Art of China (2014), SE1 E3

Although Andrew’s quote focuses on artists who work in the field of traditional Chinese art (with it’s ancient background which is still highly appreciated as an art-form and practice), it is also applicable to modern Chinese art. Modern Chinese artists often show their culture in a very honest way. Chinese people have a big sense of community and although there might be inequality, anger and things that need changing; they always feel strongly related to their own culture and country.

Chinese art is growing towards a more abstract practice. But still it relates itself to the country’s origins and culture (seen for example in the work of Ai Weiwei and Song Dong). Referencing its own cultural background, you often find in their work comments or a call for change. The culture of China, its origins and its rigidness towards change, are solid like a rock. Its embedded in peoples minds and souls. Moving slowly forward but not forgetting their past. Modern (Chinese) art however, is fluid like water. Wanting to go forward and moving quickly. It makes people nationally and internationally aware of China’s current position and its potential. Perhaps modern Chinese art can wear away (smooth) a rigid rocks and make change happen. At the same time, modern Chinese art comes forth out of its tradition. Its part of the same culture. It doesn’t want to wear off the rock it is made of. It shapes/reshapes itself but stays true to its origin.

Another perspective found in the BBC series, is that on capitalism: Perhaps there exists a thought that China is becoming more western and westernised. But seen in the following quote and connecting that with the previous statement, you could say that neither art nor culture in China are changing. Rather they are developing.

After all, what could be more Chinese than worrying about materialism. Chinese thinkers have been worrying about that for more than 2000 years. And the tiger economy is hardly new [referring to an artwork shown by Xu Bing]. Capitalism is not a Western import, but a Chinese invention. Visit the financial hearth of Shanghai, gaze up at it’s towering monuments to getting and spending, and what do you see? A bold new skyline, yes; but expressing an ancient Chinese impulse to make money. Modern Shanghai is just another version of Emperor Qinzong’s city of Kaifeng, immortalised in the Qingming scroll [referring to the artwork Qingming Shanghe Tu by Zhang Zeduan], where paper money changed hands, back in the 11th century. It’s just another version of Emperors Qianlong’s Prosperous Suzhou with its 260 shops.

John Tamny in a Forbes article (22 January 2025)
Found teared-up 100 RMB note on the street in Hunan province

Developing, moving forward with links to its past and staying true to its origin: I have experienced this myself during my time in the country. China is nothing like a western world and not in any way moving towards becoming westernised. China is a country with a very unique culture. I’m interested in understanding more of this and I see the importance of showing it and trying to explain it to others. China does not need to become more western – The west should rather become more understanding of other cultures, including China. By looking at objects of daily life, current culture (its origins and histories) I hope to provide a more complete perspective and understanding of China.