For Heimtextil 2019, Mimaki is collaborating with more than ten different leading designers. Working in various disciplines – fashion, interior design and art – these designers will showcase the power of digital textile printing. In this interview, the designers talk about what we can expect to see of their designs.
Claire Vos – Interior Designer
Who is Claire Vos?
“I run Studio Roderick Vos with my husband. We met at the Design Academy in Eindhoven and have worked together ever since. Roderick is a product designer, while I’m much more focused on interiors and fabric design. Together, we work for major furniture brands, among other clients, and a few years ago, as Art Directors, we breathed new life into the furniture brand Pode. I was recently asked by Textiles & More to design an interior textile collection and it’s through this collaboration that Mimaki found me.”
What will you be showing at Heimtextil?
“I will be mixing all kinds of textile printing disciplines in my space at Heimtextil. Working from the theme ‘The Dressing Room’, my Textiles & More collection will form the basis. I’ve applied various prints from this collection to pillows, curtains and carpets, but also to all the objects at the stand. These include a chair by Pode, a footstool by Leolux and, to put the finishing touches on ‘The Dressing Room’, shoes by Anousjka Röben and a kimono by Deux d’Amsterdam. I see this collaboration with Mimaki as an opportunity to really show off all that’s possible in the area of textile printing. That fits perfectly with my own style, which I like to think of as ‘fashion for furniture’. It’s more than just interior design, I often look for the fashion element too. That’s the combination that makes my work stand out.”
What does the collaboration with Mimaki mean to you?
“I think it’s a really terrific to have the opportunity to collaborate with Mimaki. It’s a fantastic company with highly advanced machines and I’m so glad that Textiles & More brought us into contact with each other. The innovative printing techniques offered by Mimaki, such as sublimation transfer, open a whole range of new possibilities for me. For example, the layered construction of designs that it enables, results in very beautiful colour blending and extra depth.”
Sigrid Calon – Visual Artist
Who is Sigrid Calon?
“I’m a visual artist and I have a degree in textiles from the Academie voor Beeldende Vorming in Tilburg. After graduating, I spent several years focusing on the applied side of textiles, including design, styling and merchandise, and then in 2005 I decided to begin working as an artist in my own right. I soon got involved with graphics and I’ve continued to experiment with printing techniques and materials ever since. So, the collaboration with Mimaki is quite a logical step for me. I first came into contact with them in 2015 when they sponsored an exhibition of mine in Amsterdam, and now we are continuing our collaboration at Heimtextil 2019.”
What will you be showing at Heimtextil?
“Many years ago, I developed my own distinctive visual language that appears in all my work – this was also my starting point for Heimtextil 2019. Mimaki offered me the opportunity to work with new printing techniques and materials. For example, we started working with copper foil and we created a fantastic design using Mimaki’s latest print head technology. While copper foil is normally used more for things like packaging, by using it at Heimtextil in an artwork and in a completely different context, I wanted to inspire visitors and show them all what digital printing has to offer. What’s great is that we’ll be using this material together again for my exhibition in January at the De Pont museum in Tilburg. For this, we’ve also reprinted some of my existing artworks on other materials including one measuring 2×2 metres.”
What does the collaboration with Mimaki mean to you?
“First of all, I think it’s supercool that Mimaki is open to experimenting with its technology, as well as proactively supporting ‘the arts’. A couple of years ago Mimaki sponsored me, and now they’re helping me again with my new exhibition – today, we’re working together for Heimtextil 2019. It’s great to have a company behind you that supports and believes in you. Through Mimaki, I’m also exposed to new techniques and materials that open up all kinds of new possibilities for me. Finally, I know that the results are always good when I collaborate with Mimaki. No matter how much my requirements may vary, the prints are always top quality. That gives me incredible peace of mind.”
Tessa Koops – Fashion Designer
Who is Tessa Koops?
“I’m a womenswear fashion designer, specializing in clothing that feature floral/textural prints. My designs are sold through over 50 retail outlets across the Netherlands, and I also dress a number of Dutch celebrities. I focus on women who want quality, great fit and originality. I use quite a lot of prints: 90% of my work involves print and, of course, that makes this collaboration with Mimaki very appropriate.”
What will you be showing at Heimtextil?
“At Heimtextil 2019, I really want to demonstrate the possibilities of digital print. My goal is to give visitors a fantastic experience. I do that by combining art – I’m also a painter – with fashion. I normally use a lot of prints that I purchase, but this collaboration with Mimaki allowed me to completely think outside the box in terms of design. At the Mimaki stand, we will be showing one of my own paintings in different ways as a recurring motif, including as a print for dresses. Together with the other designers, this will let me really show all the diverse ways in which the Mimaki printers can be used.”
What does the collaboration with Mimaki mean to you?
“I think it’s awesome to be working together with Mimaki for Heimtextil, and I hope we can do more together in the future. I’m really excited about the possibilities that Mimaki printers can open up for me. As a fashion designer, you don’t generally tend to come into contact with machines like this. Mimaki’s technical capabilities and know-how are a terrific match for my creative input – we can truly inspire one another with our respective expertise. And that in turn enables me to think bigger, even beyond fashion design.”
