Denim for Earth

April 22nd marks Earth Day, a day on which people worldwide join to consider the well-being of our earth. Reason for the MOCO Museum to support DENIM FOR EARTH, a creative platform that draws attention to the environmental impact caused by the denim industry, while forging a positive statement: Fashion is an art of change.

Creative agency The Visionary Lab invited fashion designers and artists – Karim Adduchi, Charlotte Bakkenes, Yuki Isshiki, Yulia Ivanova, Bagua Jody, Majid Karrouch, Ferry Schiffelers and Tess van Zalinge – to create couture out of circular denim innovations and denim waste of G-Star RAW. The result is an artful ode to both craftsmanship and the planet, proving artistically that the denim industry can in fact reduce their ecological footprint.

The artworks were on show on the Rembrandt square, in the heart of Amsterdam, during the open-air exhibition ‘DENIM FOR EARTH’ (22 April – 31 May 2021). MOCO Museum x Studio Irma added an extra dimension with a unique Augmented Reality experience, bringing the exhibition to life.

Wendelien Daan signed on for the distinctive photography of the designs; with her keen eye for both humans and nature, she photographed in desolate places, creating surreal images that transcend time and space.

‘Where Eagles Dare’
Made with circular denim, this hat piece by designer Yuki Isshiki symbolizes a future where the carbon footprint of denim is minimal.

‘Paint it Pink’
Designed by Tess van Zalinge and photographed in the garden of the MOCO Museum on Marc Ange’s ‘Le Refuge’, this coat is dyed with upcycled beetroot waste. It demonstrates that beautiful colours can be achieved without toxic chemicals.

‘Tribe Earth’
Designer Ferry Schiffelers made this dress with circular denim. This denim is produced with revolutionary techniques that save energy and natural resources. Not one drop of water is dumped in the local environment.

‘Creature of the Blue Lagoon’
Made of upcycled denim waste, this artwork by Majid Karrouch symbolizes the magnitude of the textile-waste problem, worldwide.

‘Western Sakiori’
For this couture dress, Ferry Schiffelers used a traditional Japanese weaving technique to breathe new new life into discarded rags.

‘Wind of Change’
For this dress, designer Charlotte Bakkenes was inspired by traditional Dutch costumes. It is made of sustainable black organic denim, which is developed for circularity to lower the impact on the environment.

‘Mottainai Hat’
Embracing the Japanese ‘Mottainai’ philosophy - the Art of not being Wasteful – designer Yuki Isshiki made this couture hat of strokes of recycled denim.

‘The Tapestry of Life’
THE VISIONARY LAB designed this coat by upcycling garments that were made of denim, developed out of plastic bottles collected from the ocean. Bagua Jody used it as a canvas for his artwork and Yulia Nova added embroidery. A statement to raise awareness of plastic pollution.

Concept & Creative DENIM FOR EARTH: The Visionary Lab
Photos: Wendelien Daan
Designers & Artists: Charlotte Bakkenes, Yuki Isshiki, Yulia Ivanova, Bagua Jody, Majid Karrouch, Ferry Schiffelers, Tess van Zalinge using sustainable denim innovations by G-Star RAW.
Augmented Reality: MOCO Museum X Studio Irma
Hair & Make-up: Sandra Govers and Jan Fuite
Models: Naoki Jansen, Lieke Jentink, Lisanne Jonkman, Aisha Musse and Robin van Zutphen