Amsterdam. Netherlands. Yesterday was the last day of the Modefabriek, which calls itself the only real fashion trade fair in The Netherlands. You can find here everything what will be in sale for summer season 2008. Especially the commercial stuff. A lot to see – more to forget. Here’s my selection of things and people you should have seen.

| gio-goi | Exhibit one, the great facial expression of gio-gio.
I like the brand’s slogan:’ Those without vision will perish’ – the womens’ collection seems to be very much in style with amy winehouse, even too much so

| vasuma |
Two, the glasses by vasuma. Originally a Swedish rock band, now a company for design and sales. Damn, I want one of this glasses. But in purchase price, please … How can we still buy in a shop when we know how much good things could (should) cost, I wonder.

Pieter de Caluwé | his “Hanging Lamp” is Number 3.
you can hang your clothes on the lamp shade

Four, you should have meet toby paul | dj | amsterdam

Five, iris satijn | stylist and one sweetheart from the oopsadaisies (band from amsterdam)

Six, | charlotte wooning | – and her lovely and delicate jewellery!

Seven, an absolute must: james | 3 years old and meeting him was the best part of the day – he knows what to wear (or possibly his mother), too

| individuals | – ,a brand from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute. It gives students the first insight into real fashion buisness – they are the creators of the collection. I wonder how many of “student brand” like this are out there. Do you know any ?

Amsterdam. Netherlands. Progressive fashion, 7 fashion shows and 1 party – that’s off schedule.
A fashionable event – I couldn’t belive that at 8 pm 300 people were waiting in front of the door to get in. In the beginn, not been impressed of the first 4 shows, I was finally suprised of the last 3 ones. Compliments to belle suavage, gyasuda and especially to nikoline liv andersen. My highlight of the evening: Carlo Wijnands who touched my shoulder – yeah!

the babes

location | het sieraad

| gyasuda |

| belle sauvage |

| nikoline liv andersen |

| nikoline liv andersen |

fluor kid

chicks with dicks

sponsored by code magazine

| off schedule |

After the full impact of furniture and products I will make my way to Amsterdam for The Fashion Week.

| off schedule | event – platform for progressive fashion
| modefabriek | fashion trade fair

Cologne. Germany. Some impressions from the last 3 days. I had a great time. Wanna know more? coming soon.

the 3 good ones from berlin

wetterpanorama, almdudler, glatzel, mozartkugeln –
how to use a warderobe in the austrian way
| m & g interiors |

alberto – the italian way to dress on a fair

qreamteam – venloer design team
| qreamteam |

bernhard – a software engineer on the path of design

chequita nahar on a rowing trip

design hereos
| designmetropole-aachen |

hannes – he does everything besides production at haseform
| hasefrom |

cozy corner

self-marketing

I will be in cologne the coming 3 days. design is going on.
On thursday/friday I will be at the ‘meetingpoint’ stand in hall 2.1. almost the hole day. Feel free to meet me there!

| imm cologne |
| design talents – imm cologne |
| passagen |
| designspotter |

Valentin is student of product design, connoisseur of the art of living and is host of the ‘weplayyoudance’ partys in maastricht which he does with his older brother jonas.san. But his real passion is interior design. Constantly he is remodeling his direct ambiance.
This is his ‘new’ kitchen:

I like the ‘zaha hadid organic touch’ in the mix of the ‘jackson pollock was there and was drunk again style’

| myspace valentin loellmann |
| weplayyoudance |

At home. Today I got my first issue of ‘polenplus’. It’s a magazine on poland. And on life, art and the economy in particular.
You open it, you start to read and you don’t want to stop. It pokes out of the bulk of existing magazines. Every issue is arranged in one continous colour, on the outer edge you always find an explanation to the themes or people who are mentioned in the articles (like a wikpedia abridgement), you find an ‘easy-to-read’ font size (my mum will be thankful for that) and most important: you don’t feel penetrated by advertising.’polenplus’ is authentic and well-defined.

If I wouldn’t be polish – now I would like to be polish.

| polenplus magazine |
unfortunately the magazines is only available in german

Maastricht. Netherlands. Today I went to the ‘New Year’s Reception’ in the NAI, dutch architecture institution. For drinks and cultural input. A film, made by the research group ‘ traces of autism’ from the design department of the Jan van Eyck Academy, was presented. It deals with the area around the large Sphinx building in maastricht and the urban development which is starting to be developed around there.
I watched it together with a bunch of very important people and during the presentation I was looking around. My conclusion: nobody really got the aim of the film. me also. I felt like they want to brainwash me. but thank god, this were the first research results. so, we are waiting for the following lectures and the solution. To be continued wednesday, 30th january / 2 pm.

hand out . the content of the film
I underlined ‘das unheimliche’ because it makes me grin when foreigners speak german

top view of the area

NAi | Avenue Ceramique 226, Maastricht, NL
| nai maastricht |
| jan van eyck – academy |