Hi Merel! Thank you so much for taking the time out during your busiest season to talk to FtC. Tell us a little about the concepts and inspiration behind this gorgeous collection. This year’s collection is partly inspired by the ceremonies we do with tribal people from different parts of the world and their different traditions and customs. There is a lot of symbolism; like the wheel of the four races, feathers, drawings of birds used by different tribes and later we made embroideries out of them that you can find in our tunics, blouses, men’s shirts and dresses. Another part of the collection has a rock ‘n roll touch to it; where we used blacks, reds and combined them with metal studs that were handmade for us in Afghanistan. Then there is a third part that consists of dresses and kaftans made of stamped silk materials and beadwork. All this can be combined together, which means that the collection with different elements becomes a whole…it becomes one. Your collections are deeply infused with culture and creative expression. During your travels, what country left the biggest impression on you and why? Out of all the countries we have been to, I can say that the two countries that inspire us most are India and Mexico. India; because of the unbelievable colours and the endless creativity… which I adore. Because of the great contrast that you can find in this country, between beauty and ugliness, wonderful smells and bad smells, between rich and poor, yet the wonderful artwork comes from the humble people. Mexico is one of those amazing colourful countries, where you can still find many men and women dressed in their traditional clothes and where the way of embroidering changes from region to region. In both countries handwork, music and religion are tidily woven together. Tell us the story behind some of the special pieces/ items you collect during your travels, which you then incorporate into your collections. After all these years of travelling, we have of course our special addresses where we buy. One time we were in India at the house of a collector of www.facethecurrent.com
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