In an industry dictated by fast fashion production and strict categorization of maker, wearer, and buyer, JOIN Collective asks, what can clothes be? What constitutes a maker? How does garment come into contact with a wearer? The garment deconstructs, this process acts as a system of perspectives which participation is itself the question: how fashion is produced and made to be seen as such? Interrogating these invisible processes of creation, JOIN asks, “What if we open up the fashion system and explore it as a non-fixed entity, a system where people can playfully join in, where everyone is invited to produce fashion together?” Made by various makers, JOIN creates a whole outfit.

Amongst questions of roles, hierarchy, ownership, and identity, this project and active collective by Anouk Beckers in collaboration with graphic designer Beau Bertens never stops creating itself. Prospering amongst many designers, makers, and wearers, the garment becomes a fluid object able to hold many identities at once. Fashion is collective, community-driven, and community-made: creation with no end in sight.

How did JOIN Collective Clothes come about?
During my studies at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy (Amsterdam, NL), I started to think about my future as a maker and what my position and practice added to my surroundings – to society in general. I realized that ‘just’ making garments was not enough for me. It did not feel relevant. I started to develop a working method that could continue after my studies. This working method became a way to explore the different ideas of what a fashion practice could be. It became a philosophy, a story I wanted to share through connecting with others.

From draping textures to wispy tassels, what inspires JOIN’s large range of aesthetics?
The value of beauty is something I have always been fascinated by. In relation to fashion it’s a very interesting question to ask: what is beauty? We are used to quickly deciding if we think something is (or is not) aesthetically pleasing to us. To be honest, in the beginning I did not realize how important this question about beauty would be in relation to JOIN. At a certain moment, when the collection started to grow I realized a broad variety of aesthetics. So, what I am really proud of is that JOIN has built its own aesthetics and values concerning beauty.

It is not a visual thing, it is more about the fact that so many different people, in different places with different backgrounds, interests, and skills all come together. Within this project they are able to create something very special together. Within JOIN, beauty is not measured by just the outcome or the visual aesthetics, but by the process behind all these pieces and what every individual adds to it.

Your clothing concentrates on individual pieces as well as full body assemblages, how does the action of “joining” fit to your collective’s name?

So, the manual of JOIN consists of a set of shapes, of patterns based on well-known garment patterns. Using the shape of these common patterns as a starting point is important in order to communicate the story and build a universal language. These shapes, on their own, tell the story of garments and the relationship they have with fashion as a practice and the industry. On these shapes I have added marks so every individual participant knows where to put ribbons which make sure that all the pieces eventually fit together. The shapes and connective points make sure that the pieces of every participant, whether from Amsterdam or any other place fit together, can join. Therefore, it mixes parts and makers into a versatile ongoing assemblage.

In your mission statement, you say JOIN invites people to create four different shapes that create a complete outfit. How did this template develop?

I’ve been researching the idea of an (open source) modular clothing system for a long time. For me, it was very important to find the right balance between a system which has rules and restrictions, and on the other hand – freedom! – to be able to create something that feels like it is yours. The great thing about using classic garment-patterns is that it educates someone on the construction of a garment. The shape of a sleeve for instance is very special if you see this for the very first time.

On the other hand, a professional fashion designer can elaborate using these patterns and challenge this system. This way, both professional and non-professional designers are able to participate in JOIN. To create shapes that can work for a broad audience, I have collaborated with a tailor, Tanja Bindels.

Your collective reaches many thanks to the internet and the accessibility and transparency to tools. How important is collaboration when there’s no set location?

Good question. First of all, it has to do with what you define as a collaboration. I see this project as a collaboration between everyone participating. A while ago, someone asked me why it would be a collaboration if you are able to create the pieces individually (besides the workshops you can also download the PDF of the manual from the website or buy a manual and create your piece at home). I think this is a good question as well. To me it is a collaboration because I see the pieces as parts of a puzzle. You need them all to be able to create a whole, a wearable garment in this case.

This was an idea I wanted to show: the system, the project itself depends on the input of others. This input can be made together, but also individually – this does not change the set-up of the project; a big collaboration between everyone participating.