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GISPEN CLASSICS - LIMITED EDITION: A UNIQUE INTERPLAY OF COLOUR AND MATERIAL
In conversation with Annemieke Koster of Enschede Textielstad and Christoph Brach of Raw Color
For the Gispen Classics collection, Gispen collaborated with two leading partners on a limited edition. Enschede Textielstad designed and wove the fabric. Design studio Raw Color developed the colour concept. The collaboration brings together everything Gispen stands for: heritage, craftsmanship and sustainable design.
What was the starting point when designing the fabric?
Annemieke Koster, Enschede Textile City: "Gispen came to us with the request to design a limited edition fabric for the Gispen Classics. As inspiration, they showed us an iconic tubular steel frame Gispen chair. This chair was upholstered in a light green fabric with a subtle floral pattern. We dived into the fabric and measured the pattern with a ruler. That original motif formed the starting point for our design. Not a remake, but a contemporary reinterpretation in the form of a repeating pixel pattern. The fabric was named 'Repeat': a nod to the reinterpretation and repetition of the pattern."
And what role did colour play in this?
Annemieke: "We often get quite graphic assignments, for example to design a bird print or a logo in a fabric. Our product developers create that design, and sometimes we work with textile designers to weave out their designs. Now that it was a reinterpretation of an original fabric with color as a common thread, the idea soon came up to ask Raw Color. With their extensive experience with textiles and expertise in colour, we found in them the perfect partner."
"The historic Gispen pattern was the starting point for our design."
Enschede Textielstad
How did you come up with the right colours?
Christoph Brach, Raw Color: “Based on the developed pattern, the yarn colours from Enschede Textielstad and a selection of Gispen lacquer colours, we developed a colour concept. We started playing with the colours and the pattern to achieve a beautiful balance. In doing so, we tried various colour strategies. For example, a mono concept, in which we applied a single colour in different shades. In the end, we all felt best about the version with the strongest contrast. That is how we created four powerful contrasting colour combinations, with the colour of the motif reflected in the tubular frame. It really stands out.”
What is the power of colour?
Christoph: “Colour is the most powerful visual characteristic, even stronger than form. When you describe an object, you often mention its colour first. You might say ‘that red car’, for example, rather than ‘that angular car’. And with a forest, the first association is usually green, not the shape of a leaf. Colour also has a major influence on behaviour and on how you experience things. Blue food, for example, is not something you would readily put in your mouth. Colour is also a basic human need: people feel better in an environment where colour plays the leading role.”
“Colour is a basic human need: people feel better in an environment where colour plays the leading role.”
Raw Color
What makes the collaboration so special?
Annemieke: “Gispen is an iconic brand with values we believe in: sustainable Dutch design, produced locally and with an eye for quality. In other words, the opposite of fast furniture. The collaboration with Gispen and Raw Color is a dream come true - a gift to mark our 12.5-year anniversary! In the limited-edition fabric, everyone’s signature comes together perfectly: the iconic Gispen design, Raw Color’s powerful colour combinations and our sustainable reinterpretation of the classic Gispen fabric. Everything fits!”
Why does designing for Gispen appeal to you?
Christoph: “Gispen Classics represents unforgettable Dutch design heritage. It is an honour to be able to give such icons a contemporary refresh through colour. And to do so together with Enschede Textielstad. They are well on their way to restoring industrial weaving techniques and production in Enschede and the Netherlands to their former glory. Their sustainable yarns and pattern design, combined with our colour combinations, come together perfectly in the limited edition.”
What do you think of the final result?
Annemieke: “It has turned out brilliantly! When I see the fabric combined with the tubular frame lacquered in a matching colour, it instantly makes me happy. What is lovely is that everyone in our company has a different preference. Some are drawn to the sunny yellow version, others to the blossom pink. The great thing is that it can be used in so many ways. As a colourful eye-catcher among your other furniture. As a set of four chairs in the same or different colours. Or as part of an extensive set of Gispen Classics, together with a sofa, table and accessories.”
About Enschede Textielstad
In 2013, Annemieke Koster founded Enschede Textielstad, a sustainable weaving mill that develops and produces fabrics with natural and recycled yarns. In 2023, the company purchased an industrial robot-controlled machine – unique in the world. The raw materials for the yarns come from nearby. Preferably from the Netherlands – think of wool – and never outside the European Union. In this way, the company keeps a close eye on the supply chain and the working and environmental conditions within it. The weaving mill works demand-driven and only makes what is necessary. In this way, every client receives a unique fabric and unsold stocks are prevented. "Our starting point is always the most circular choice for the requested application. Sustainability does not only mean that we work with recycled materials, but also that we meet the technical requirements of a product so that it lasts as long as possible with our fabric. Our R&D helps with this: we can carry out many tests in a short time. This way we quickly arrive at the best solution that suits the product."
Enschede Textielstad works for, among others: G-Star, Zeeman, Joline Jolink and Wikkelhouse.
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