TEXT: Iwona Kulińska
T
PHOTO: Magda Lipiejko
he synergy between luxury products and eco-philosophy is an element that stands out in the projects of Van Markoviec, a brand with a Polish pedigree, based in Wageningen, Netherlands. The impulse for the project comes from the two initiator’s passionate discussions about environmental conservation and the harm done by conventional fashion (in its manufacture) to Nature and to the people employed in the industry. The two creators of the brand are Kasia Markowska, Łódź Art Academy alum and Zuzia Andziak, ecologist with scientific experience gained in the Practical Ecology Department of Łódź University and Wageningen University in Holland. They emphasize, that the idea came from the need to manifest the moral values that they both adhere to. An important point was also their wish to show ‘green fashion’ as something stylish, feminine and beautiful. The concept behind the project is connected firmly with minimizing the negative effects of conventional fashion manufacture on the natural environment. This is how Van Markoviec addresses the fast, unfriendly for the environment, mass approach of the clothing industry. Zuzanna and Kasia create their designs according to the 7-R rule. Projects created by this rule make Van Markoviec collections ecofriendly and sustainable, at the same time extremely stylish. This originality is a result of promoting of the ‘slow fashion’ movement and a timeless style that respects Van Markoviec’s characteristic forms, cuts and silhouettes. The unique VM feature, emphasized by the designers, is that there are no traditional colour characteristics for each season’s collection. This is replaced by numbers identifying collections with the same inspirational origins. A perfect
110
DRESSME
FOT. MAGDA LIPIEJKO
Over the centuries, the idea of luxury in the fashion world has had many facets all accentuated by a diversity of colours. Never before has fashion, created with a consideration for human rights and ecology in the broad sense, found so much appreciation as it does today. This tendency, hidden under the name of responsible fashion, is pushing through the veils of luxury, out of the salons, onto our big-city streets. The definition of fashion has acquired a new catchphrase, personified as it were in clothing created with new found respect for Nature and, what’s most important, for human rights.
example of this is the creation of a one – year, consistent line of spring-summer and autumn-winter attire. Behind the creation of consecutive collections is the distinct concept to extend the range through each season by the use of different patterns, but not always leaving previous patterns out of the range. Thus, the collection becomes fuller and more complete and respects previous patterns that may be re-used, for example, on other fabrics or on new clothing elements. Markowska and Andziak find Nature, above all, a never ending source of inspiration and a leading force in their creativity. This has had an effect on the projects, which are first of all Nature-friendly. The collections are made of eco-cotton, grown without the use of pesticides, certified by JOCA (Japanese Organic Cotton Association) and 100% Indian Cannabis mixed with raw silk. Each piece of attire assembled in clothing companies in Łódź contains elements such as buttons and zippers which are nickel-free and made of recycled materials. The finished fabric is dyed with natural plant pigments or conventional dyes with low toxicity. The Van Markoviec founders also emphasize the concept of zero waste, which is a response to the thoughtless overproduction of waste – an environmental problem. Any textile and food waste, like skin from the Amazon Catfish, find usage in their creations in the form of decorative elements. The demand for eco-friendly fashion is enormous and the interest will only increase. The dream of Kasia and Zuza is to create a solid brand, and to deliver refined products created with respect for the human effort involved and the environment, with a stress on education. An important aspect of the brand’s development is also governmental understanding which may result in support (mostly financial) and this is, putting it simply, all about Van Markoviec’s to be or not to be. Kasia and Zuzia are well aware of this. They have received a financial award from the Enterprise Incubator in Wageningen for their idea. Thanks to this aid, their clothing can be found in many places around the world, not only on catwalks, but soon in a Berlin boutique as prêt-à-porter.