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Poul Brouwer Graduate Collection

Poul Brouwer Graduate Collection

Inspired by personal experiences and the shame felt from being caught listening to his mother’s Spice Girls album, Poul Brouwer’s graduate line is certainly unique. The ‘Shame’ collection stems from the designer being caught off-guard by the camera during his childhood and is a celebration of such cringe-worthy memories, because they ultimately compose our identities. Graduating from Gerrit Rietveld Academy in 2012, Brouwer’s debut collection made an impact with its digital watercolour patterns, strong shapes and imaginative silhouettes. Championing a clean aesthetic, Brouwer took a white cotton palette and infused it with subtle tie-dye-esque colouring and geometric grid lines. The work apparently originates from the designer taking a cigarette break in the rain during an unproductive day. He noticed the way the water ran down the tiles of his wall, changing their colours and accentuating their patterns. That would explain the marker pen grid lines, then. After being immersed in water, Brouwer found the lines bled into colourful stains… and voila! We have his second source of inspiration. As for the sculptured silhouettes, Brouwer drew inspiration from photographs which show him wearing bed sheets. Continuing his research in a bizarre experiment involving a Ken doll and mini pieces of cloth, he conceptualised miniature versions of his jackets and jumpers. One very fashionable Ken doll later and the Shame collection is no longer just a twinkle in Poul Brouwer’s eye. Clever and ultimately unique, the debut offering from this designer strays from the beaten path of design in a relatable and nostalgic fashion.

Poul Brouwer Graduate Collection

Nicole Whitaker