Post-Couture Collective's Martijn van Strien wins Henry van de Velde award

By

Shomara Roosblad

Published
Feb 2, 2018

Dutch fashion designer Martijn van Strien, founder of The Post-Couture Collective, has been awarded the Belgian Henry van de Velde award. The prize acknowledges initiatives that have a positive impact on the economy and society through design.

Van Strien won the prize in the category Eco-design Award by Ovam. The Post-Couture Collective, founded in 2015, aims to offer an alternative to the current production in the fashion industry. With the platform, the Rotterdam-based designer intends to make what he refers to as a "polluting and dishonest" industry, more sustainable.

At the same time, the designs should be more affordable and customized to the clients’ wishes. The collective develops on-demand collections for production with laser cutters and 3D printers, using bespoke technology.

For the very first international collaboration, Van Strien partnered with five Antwerp-based fashion designers, which resulted in the Post-Couture Antwerp collection. The designers were able to produce their own ideas, however, the main themes throughout the collection remained the recognizable laser-cut assembly technique; the carefully selected materials; and the fact that all designs are possible to download.

The jury of the Henry van de Velde award consisted of 19 international design and/or fashion professionals, including: Product designer Jan Boelen, Belgium; Hong Kong-based designer Michael Young; and Heleen van Loon, Coordinator at Cultuurplatform Design Limburg, the Netherlands.

The Henry van de Velde prize has been awarded for the 24th time. The ceremony took place on 30 January. Until 15 April a free exhibition celebrating this years nominees and winners is running at exhibition center Bozar in Brussels.