Catwalk Junkie is on its way to revolutionise the stereotypes associated with sustainable clothing. Focussing on comfort and self-confidence, their seasonless everyday essentials are attracting every powerful woman and girl alike. The fashion brand will present the new campaign of their line ‘COMFORT STUDIO’ during Amsterdam Fashion Week Edition 2022. In the midst of the preparations for their exhibition, we spoke with the brand about their sustainability policy, the Catwalk Junkie x AFW campaign and their collaborations with photographer & creative director Dion Bal and artist and fashion illustrator Beth Fraser.
‘COMFORT STUDIO’ is a sustainable line from Catwalk Junkie that is replenished every year, and focuses on sustainable and comfortable active wear. How do you ensure that these items are produced sustainably?
We strive to be as transparent as possible at every stage of the process. That is why we have made every Comfort Studio item fully traceable. By scanning the QR code ‘follow my journey’ on the hangtag or the care label of your sustainable garment, you can follow the unique journey from start to end product. We tell you how your garment is made, where it was made and when it was made. During AFW our Second Skin Seamless collection will be on display. With this collection we aim for a long lifespan. The items are largely made of recycled GRS-certified polyamide that is stretchy and comfortable and therefore feels like a second skin. We chose this soft material because it dries quickly, is super strong and therefore durable. And so sturdy that it offers ultimate comfort and maximum support and freedom of movement for the woman. The fabric we use comes from worn garments that have been recycled into new yarns in Italy. This is then used to create a completely new fabric. Each design eventually comes to life at Hi-Tech in Turkey. This factory has passed an amfori BSCI audit, which means they embrace and respect internationally recognised core labour standards. This includes fair wages, good working hours, environmental protection, health and safety at work.
The new campaign consists of 10 unique images that will be presented during AFW. What is the concept of this shoot?
For Amsterdam Fashion Week we collaborated with photographer & creative director Dion Bal, known for his artistic eye and bold imagery. The freedom of movement of today’s women is central to this campaign. Focusing on the body movements of our muse Gwen Pique and exaggerating them in an almost surreal way makes the composition and photography very interesting. The repetition and the use of colour make the images powerful in its simplicity and gives a hint of 90’s pop culture.
Can you tell me something about the collaborations behind this shoot and the subsequent exhibition that will take place during AFW?
For this campaign and exhibition, we worked with an insanely strong editorial team. All very talented in their own field and perfectly fitting to the vision we had for this project:
Photographer: Dion Bal
Illustrator: Beth Fraser
Model: Gwen Pique
Stylist: Julia Muller
MUH: Marsha Calorie
BTS videographer: Yvet van der Naalt
BTS content: Danique den Hollander
Creative direction: Danie Bles & Charlotte Veenemans of 8 The Agency and Marieke Willemars, founder & Creative Director of Catwalk Junkie.
Artist and fashion illustrator Beth Fraser will also be part of the exhibit. How did you get to know her?
Beth Fraser is an esteemed fashion illustrator from London who works with the likes of Nick Knight (SHOWstudio), British Vogue, The V&A Museum and Selfridges & Co. She combines collage and inking techniques which make her artworks dynamic and unique. With her art, Beth finds her creative freedom in reshaping the human body to create a new aesthetic. This is precisely what we find so interesting, and we thought it fits perfectly with the concept. The freedom of movement of the woman is magnified and accentuated, creating a new reality. Surrealism makes it surprising and tells its own story, so that Beth’s artworks are not only a translation of Dion’s images. Her use of colour and collage technique give off a refreshing and playful effect, which fits seamlessly with Catwalk Junkie.
What can our visitors expect from the exhibition during Amsterdam Fashion Week?
With the exhibition in collaboration with Amsterdam Fashion Week, we want to invite everyone to be inspired by the images of Dion Bal and artworks by Beth Fraser. The images and artworks are displayed in a creative and modern way, which fits perfectly with the Catwalk Junkie brand. Beth Fraser herself will be in attendance. The Catwalk Junkie pop-up exhibition will take place on Saturday September 3d in the Oode, Singel 159A, and can be visited from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Catwalk Junkie will also participate in the HUB of Amsterdam Fashion Week where the Second Skin Seamless collection will be displayed. The HUB is open in The Collection Amsterdam at Stadhouderskade 85, on Friday September 2nd and Saturday September 3d from 12:00 – 19:00.
