When Desire Heiss and Ines Kaag from Germany came together in 1993 to form their conceptual fashion label BLESS (debut in 1996) – little did they know they would be having a retrospective over a decade later. Their label is about taking fashion and redefining what are the ‘norms’ or perhaps disposing of the ‘norms’ altogether. With each collection they do, there is a strong intent and cohesiveness even though one collection can vary wildly from the other – it could consist of functional objects, a piece of fashion art, reconscructed clothing – anything goes. There’s always a twist, a touch of the comic (they have an inate ability to laugh at fashion) but most of all a cleverness which I’m awed by.
The retrospective will consist of all the collections no.00 – no.29 at the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam (30 April – July 9). The exhibition will be laid out amongst folding screens filled with BLESS products – a sight I must try to see!
Here are some of my favourite products….
Collection: No.9 Merchandising, Product: Stitched Starcut t-shirt (designer’s face to satisfy press demands) // Collection: No. 10 Scarfs, Product: Scarf sliced from the front of a former outfit
Collection: No. 12 Team-Ups, Product: Bedsheets printed with a sleeping couple // Collection: No. 14 Shopping Supports, Product: Bagcollector, made to enhance the shopping experience
Collection: No. 16 Shoe Escorts, Product: Handknitted leather shoes with other materials acting as the ‘escort’ // Collection: No. 18 Allround-Wear, Product: Espadrillo sneakers to balance summer needs with winteroptics
Collection: No. 19 Uncool, Product: Knitted sweater like your nan would make you // Collection: No. 23 The Bringer, Product: c-t-shirt visor – a multifunctional garment
Collection: No. 20 o.kayers, Product: Chairfile – an attempt to meet the needs of travellers
Collection: No. 22 Perpetual Home Motion Machines, Product: A clothes mobile to display and store your wardobe.