The theme elaborated in the collection of Peter - the tension between freedom and restrictions in a changing world - has partly biographical origins: Peter experienced the rigid restrictions imposed during military service as a stark contrast to the self-evident freedom of his youth amidst the Swiss Alps. Peter makes this tension palpable by bringing together seemingly opposite elements in his idiosyncratic fashion. Freedom and rules imposed from above may move along different paths, but they really do exist by the grace of each other, is the thought behind it.

Peter's selection of material, form and colour testifies to a sophisticated socio-cultural frame of reference. ‘The combination of technical refinement, depth of content and a highly individual visual ability makes ‘Lost Product of Society’ grabs you and won’t let go,’ the Heden jury stated.

Research

Peter's creations are the three-dimensional result of a complex process, for which research and co-creation are key pillars. In the research phase, he searches for subtopics that say (in-)directly something about the main theme of the collection. For ‘Lost Product of Society’, for instance, he looked at the traditional attire of the Inuit living in extreme cold and the clothing worn during polar expeditions from the late 19th century onwards. For his work, Peter also draws on the military domain and visual art.

Peter takes the knowledge of materials and form language contained in all these sources of inspiration and gives them a contemporary twist. In doing so, he likes to use materials that can withstand long-term use, such as heavy denims, suede coated with aluminium, latex, and nylon. The specific properties of the materials are related to Peter's design choice, so that form, knowledge, and material are intrinsically linked.

Co-creation

Characteristic of Peter's working method is co-creation. He involved 15 makers in ‘Lost Product of Society’: craftsmen, film students, a film director, a photographer and models.

Jelle Koiter's photographs, which play a leading role in this exhibition, are characterised by technical perfection, innovative space suggestions and an ominous atmosphere that further enhances the expressiveness of the models and garments. Film director Luuk Sieben made the video featured in this exhibition. The footage, which Sieben shot in an asphalt production centre, lends extra dimension to the garments. This once again demonstrates the great power of collaboration in Peter's creative making process.

Lichting 2024

Peter Wertmann also takes the first place of Lichting 2024, the 18th debutante ball for the cream of the crop in up-and-coming design talent. He impressed the jury with a technically impeccable collection based on profound research.

On Friday September 6, Lichting 2024, the 18th debutante ball for the cream of the crop in up-and-coming design talent, took place midst the regal ambiance of De Hallen. The 10 best graduates from the seven Dutch fashion academies met their crowd for the first time after proving themselves to an international jury during a nerve-wrecking panel pitch.