Instagram Live Q&A
Last Wednesday I gave a live Q&A on Instagram (@dutch_couture_academy). Super nice to see you there! There was an opportunity to ask me a question – live in the ‘broadcast’. And in between I showed you the main room of my studio.
One of the topics discussed was wearing a white coat. This is a question that I am often asked. I would like to explain the use of that white coat here.
White Coat
THE white coat evokes associations in everyone: one is that of a butcher’s coat, the other that of a doctor. In both cases, the white coat ensures that you know exactly how clean the work is. A nice idea.
In the case of the doctor, there is also that aspect of status: a nurse is wearing a uniform, a doctor is wearing a COAT. This makes his or her status directly clear in the situation of a clinic or hospital.
De White Coat in the Studio
And then of course we come to the white coat in the studio. Why do we use it? Does it give us status? Well, not immediately. In the studio it is seen as ‘work clothes’. Do we see whether we work ‘clean’? Also not immediately, since we generally work ‘dry’.
Why is it that we wear that white coat?
We wear it for the opposite reason: this protects our (embroidery) work against possible ‘damage’ of ourselves, of our clothing.
Imagine embroidering a white wedding dress in the cold winter. Hundreds of hours are spent on a precious and richly embroidered dress. All materials are white or very light in color. And you? You wear a warm mohair cardigan, so wonderfully cozy! But … the fibers of this vest are, however thin, black. As soon as a hair from your cardigan ends up between the threads of your embroidery (which is not unthinkable at all), then it is actually secured with your stitches. This creates a haze of these black fibers over the surface of your embroidery. It is really impossible to take out all these fibers one by one with tweezers.
To protect this wedding dress, we wear a white coat that prevents fibers from your own clothes from becoming entangled in your work. A very practical argument. So it has nothing to do with status.
Couture training
The program of workshops, masterclasses and courses at Dutch Couture Academy is aimed at (future) professionals in the fashion industry who are looking for an opportunity to specialise in couture techniques. Enthusiastic amateurs are also very welcome! In the courses a balance is sought between technology and inspiration, between knowledge and skills and artistic expression. Discovering your own handwriting is seen as crucial in the distinctive craftsmanship of every student.
