Fresh approach: Exhibition held in dry cleaners

The exhibition by van Joolen, a graduate of Parsons The New School For Design in New York, is a culmination of her master’s research. She asked designers for donations from their archives, samples and excess stock, and then refashioned them into 11” x 17” crew-cut sweatshirts.

Van Joolen’s choice of exhibition space was unique. ‘A dry cleaners is a place where different garments from diverse origins come together, from designer pieces to mass-market clothing, and leave the shop as new,’ she tells LS:N Global. ‘The function of the dry cleaners therefore fit perfectly with my conceptual starting points for the 11” x 17” project.’

The finite amount of urban spaces means people have to be creative with the space they find. Van Joolen’s clever use of her local dry cleaners is emblematic of Symbiotic Architecture, a movement you can read about in our Symbiotic Branding macrotrend.