Cellulite (Picture credits: Lies Vogelzang/Francois Eyck)
As Dutch Design Week 2024 approaches, one of the biodesign projects generating buzz is Cellulite by Agnes van Dijk. Known for her avant-garde approach to fashion, Agnes pushes the boundaries of sustainability and aesthetics with designs crafted from bio-waste and residual materials.
Cellulite challenges fast fashion's obsession with perfection by celebrating natural decay and imperfection, especially inspired by the concept of Cellulite. Through this thought-provoking collection, she questions societal norms surrounding beauty while promoting environmental consciousness.
In this exclusive interview, Agnes goes into the inspiration behind Cellulite, her process of mummifying bio-waste into wearable art, and her mission to reshape how we view the human body and materials in fashion. Let’s explore her journey and how this project reflects her deep commitment to sustainability and innovation.
Cellulite (Picture credits: Gwen Qwerinto)
Agnes, what motivated you to incorporate bio-waste and decay into your designs to challenge the fast fashion industry's perception of "cellulite"? How do you anticipate this approach will impact views on beauty and sustainability?
The idea of Cellulite came about years ago for two reasons: my fascination for the skin as our largest organ that protects us internally and determines our appearance. And because I wonder what drives people to manipulate their appearance and how far this can go.
Mummification is very simple and can be found on the internet. It is an age-old technique. I do it with water, vegetable glycerol in the right proportions and at the right temperature. You just must have a lot of patience for it. The leaves or peels must lie in the mixture for a week and then “rest” for a few weeks before they can be processed into a creation.
Detail cellulite (Picture credits: Agnes van Dijk)
Seaweed was a complication, because the salt in the seaweed attracts water. The process of desalting must be done thoroughly before it can be mummified. The substructure of the design is important, it absorbs the pressure of the movements that the body makes.
Your designs in Cellulite have a strong mission to challenge the idea of the human body as a "manufacturable object." How do you think this message resonates with audiences in today’s consumer-driven fashion world?
It's about the idea. I don't pretend to make biomaterial for commercial use. I'm interested in drawing attention to the beauty of the structure of the material and nature that is ultimately unsurpassed in ingenuity, creativity, and survival.
Sustainability
Sustainability is central to your practice, particularly in how you utilize bio-waste. Could you share some insights into how you source these materials and the factors that guide your decision to integrate them into your projects?
We eat a lot of mandarins and oranges, and the peels are our own biowaste. As I indicated earlier about my fascination with the skin, and the choice for citrus fruits is obvious. Savoy cabbage and seaweed are also “a kind of skin” in my opinion.
The materials used in Cellulite are both skin-friendly and moisture-resistant while remaining aesthetically striking. How do you balance beauty and practicality in your creations when working with unconventional materials?
By carrying out the preparation process properly and not using poison. I had to experiment a lot for this and hired chemists to let the experimentation process take place in a targeted manner.
The moisture resistance is not a problem, nature itself provides for that: peels and leaves are already water resistant. In addition, I work with liquid latex I often use as a base material for the upper part of the creation. This is skin-friendly and does not absorb moisture (sweat 😉).
Cellulite (Picture credits: Lies Vogelzang/Francois Eyck)
You’ve been nominated for prestigious awards like the Cultuurprijs Eindhoven and the Green Concept Award. How have these recognitions influenced your creative direction, particularly in pieces like Cellulite?
These nominations have not influenced my creative direction, but they have been very beneficial as recognition and appreciation for my work and ideas.
Looking beyond Cellulite, what are your aspirations for your overall body of work? How do you envision your designs influencing the fashion industry and inspiring the next generation of designers and consumers?
Development, deepening and being surprised by new possibilities of citrus peels, cabbage leaves and seaweed. By contributing to fashion education, I hope to be an inspiration for the future generation of designers.
Whether it influences the fashion industry? If man remains a greedy (and warlike) creature and our society remains money-driven, not so much will change I am afraid. But…every change, how little is profit and worth it.
Thank you Agnes. As Dutch Design Week 2024 approaches, we hope this conversation inspires you to rethink beauty, fashion, and sustainability. Stay tuned for more exciting previews, and thanks again for reading. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
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