Interview with Rens de Waal, Voddenmannen
https://www.instagram.com/voddenmannen/
What does ‘de voddenmannen’ mean and why did you use this name for your brand?
A voddenman was a person who bought old clothing from households in the city. He would then re-sell these for the fabrication of paper and cleaning cloth. The name voddenmannen (loosely translated rag men) and its historical function stem from a time where clothing had value, something we have forgotten in our modern consumer society.
It shows there was more of a standard of quality back then, that made it also possible to re-use these pieces, something that has become more and more tricky in the last 20 - 30 years. By using this name, I want to translate this function to the time we live in now and show the value of clothing and the potential to create something new with discarded clothing.
You have been described as a fashion remodelist. Can you explain what this means and how this relates to your approach to design?
A friend and loyal customer of mine called me a fashion remodelist and I found it most fitting. On the one hand it shows the method of working, that is remodeling existing garments into a new version. Reacting on individual pieces instead of making a sample for production or a runway. The speed and pressure to create new products felt more and more unnecessary for me. As a designer I find a lot of inspiration and freedom from reacting to existing garments, much more than if I would design and make something new form scratch.
The term also has a link to fashion as a bigger system. With voddenmannen I am looking for a system that is different and workable for me as a designer/maker. I have been working in fashion since 2007. In this time, I saw how it was to work for commercial brands and high-fashion brands, as well as co-founding my own brand and figuring out how to manoeuvre through this system. I am playing with the boundaries of this fashion system and questioning this fashion system and to determine how it is relevant for me.
I am now at stage where the classic system does not make sense for me and the way I work. Therefore, I choose to make small batches of remodeled vintage that I sell to my customer base directly. It is a direct and regional approach, building a relationship with the customers and getting inspired by their feedback and response.
It is also a very physical way of working as I do not sell online, the items are all unique pieces in shape and size, therefore it is really important to fit them before buying. I work on a batch for about 3 months after this I organize a pop-up weekend where the items are available to buy.
How can we learn from the fashion remodelist approach to design? Do you have a simple tip for remodeling a piece of clothing that has some damage, for example a shirt with a small stain?
The design process of reacting on existing pieces gives a clear framework. Especially if something is wrong with the item to start with, such as a broken closure a hole, a stain, whatsoever.
I find it useful to use these damages as a starting point to redesign, by just doing it and not so much thinking about it. If there is a stain, I cut it out and then I need to find a solution for the hole I have created. I rather work from the item itself so I would alter the piece in shape or length so that I have some fabric from it to patch this hole with.
Credits photo: Floor Reitsma
Can you talk us through an example of your work, and briefly describe how the design came about and the decisions that you made.
The most important thing for me is to engage with the item at hand and trust the process of redesigning. I find it to be a continuous reaction, making every decision in an intuitive way.
I start with an observation of the piece of clothing - I iron it, locate the damages and the weak points of the garment, asses the things I like about it and the things I don't like about it, put it on myself or somebody else. At this point I mostly already have an idea of the kind of garment I want it to become and start with what is bothering me about the piece. This could be the stain, the shape or curtain details. I cut these away or cut it open to create space, once you cut into it the process starts and step by step the item will transform into a new version. The challenge is to keep checking what's happening and during the process you adapt or form an idea of where it will really go.
When you start opening up garments you never know what you will find; beautiful discoloration or contrast stitching, inside layers etc, even alterations the wearer made themselves, this can be of great inspiration and influence the process. This also works the other way around sometimes, that you find more challenges along the way, but that is part of the way of working and I love it.
Credits Photo: Lonneke van der Palen