In January, lecturers from the Department of Fashion Design of the Faculty of Arts and Design at the Higher Education Institution participated in a creative traineeship in the Netherlands, during which they visited fashion and art exhibitions and explored the cultural spaces of Dutch cities.
The main goal of the traineeship was the exhibition Sculpting the Senses by haute couture designer Iris van Herpen, held at Kunsthal Rotterdam, which impressed with its interdisciplinary approach to fashion. The exhibition presents more than 140 haute couture creations alongside objects from art, science, and nature. Iris van Herpen’s work transcends the boundaries of traditional fashion by combining 3D printing, laser-cutting technologies, and the craftsmanship of handmade haute couture. The designer showcases not only finished garments, but also fragments of creative processes, material experiments, and sketches, revealing the transformations of design from idea to material form.
An equally significant part of the experience was the exploration of Amsterdam’s cultural spaces. The lecturers examined Dutch art ranging from classical heritage at the Rijksmuseum to contemporary and conceptual art practices at the Moco Museum. At the Van Gogh Museum, engagement with the artist’s creative context, use of color, and the significance of emotional expression deepened the understanding of artistic expression, which is highly relevant in the context of contemporary fashion design.
The lecturers value the experience and the insights gained, which will be integrated into the Fashion Design study process. This will strengthen students’ ability to critically analyze fashion within a broader cultural and artistic context and to purposefully apply this knowledge in their creative projects.
