Have you ever wanted to step into a designer’s shoes for a day? You’ll shortly be able to. Well … into their socks, to be precise. Because from 26 September 2020, visitors to the TextielMuseum in Tilburg will be able to create their own personalised designer socks and scarves on a new state-of-the-art knitting machine. This special experience will take place in the TextielLab, the fully equipped development centre that’s a home-from-home for many well-known designers.


Visitors to the TextielMuseum are invited to reserve a timeslot to make a pair of socks (€20) or a scarf (€120).

To kick off this new activity, which is called Design Studio, the museum is collaborating with Dutch designer Bertjan Pot. Together, they have developed a digital application which enables museum visitors to design their own items around the theme of “colour”. A creative process that is also completely coronavirus-proof!

Bertjan Pot: “A single colour has no meaning. As I see it, colours only count when they’re blending and contrasting with each other. This is something we’re now trying to achieve with this innovative knitting machine. Socks and scarves are basically very simple. It’s the use of colour that ultimately sets them apart.”

Design Studio:

Design Studio, which consists of three different spaces, will be a permanent feature within the museum, with each space covering a different phase in the design process: inspiration, design and production. The first ‘inspiration’ space is where you explore the world of leading designer Bertjan Pot, who extends an invitation to get started via a set of design principles. Moving on to the ‘design’ space, it’s time to play with colours to determine an individual design. Finally, in the ‘production’ space, visitors use the workstations to translate ideas, which may include customised text, into digital instructions. These are then sent to the knitting machine for production. It’s a unique experience and opportunity to dip your toes into the world of being a designer. You’ll be able to take your socks home with you, and scarves will be sent on afterwards. Either way, Design Studio knitwear is a fantastic gift, either as a treat for yourself or to give to someone else.

With on-demand fashion, local production, sustainable materials and zero waste now more relevant than ever, Design Studio certainly has its sights on the future of fashion. 

https://www.textielmuseum.nl/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1sLwjsGd7AIVyYBQBh0gUAE7EAAYASAAEgJhqvD_BwE

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