Koos van den Akker's 'live': "Hey, i would sure beat those fashion reality shows. Get the money together and I'll do the work! "

As special guest SALON/2 presents “Koos van den Akker” live from New York City. Using a live feed, from his workroom in New York directly to Amsterdam, the viewer can gain insights into Koos’ daily world and work, starting July 7^th. You are invited to peek over the shoulders at how he thinks, works and how he creates his unique pieces. Koos participates directly with the audience. Please come and enjoy this direct dialogue. Koos van der Akker ‘LIVE’ is generously supported by AFK - Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunsten.

In 2009 Koos van den Akker was interviewed by W-Magazine and he told that one day he would have a one-man-show as a reaction on the bad quality real life fashion shows on television. He said: "Hey, it would sure beat those reality shows. Get the money together and I'll do the work!

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Now, in 2011, he gets his one man show he wanted at SALON/2. Come to DROOG to meet Koos in person. Maybe he is out, maybe he is working, maybe he is drinking coffee with you.  

Read the interview below:

W-Magazine's interviewed Koos van den Akker in 2009 (by Vanessa Lau)

"[...] His name is practically synonymous with patchworked clothing. He's the guy responsible for Bill Cosby's colorful collage sweaters from the Eighties, after all. W-Magazine hunted him down to his Madison Avenue store, where Van Den Akker continues to deliver on his crafty creations. We're happy to report that the designer, at age 70, is as feisty, droll and engaging as ever.  

W: Where do you think the fashion industry is nowadays (2009, red.)? 


KOOS: Right now, everything in the kitchen sink works. And very often, it's not pretty. But that is just the freedom that people have today. There's all this craziness, and a lot of it is done for the "do-ing" of it. But I have nothing to do with this. I mean, I'm totally out of the loop. I'm very much a one-man band.



W: What about collections that get their inspiration from you? For example, there was Balenciaga from spring 2002 and, even this season, the Marc by Marc Jacobs line was partly inspired those old Bill Cosby sweaters you did.


KOOS: What I like is that the designers give their own version, which is so much freer. I'm a 70-year-old man; I come with that era. But the kids today can see this and out comes something completely different. That's delightful. 



W: OK, what about celebrity designers? Did you see Lindsay Lohan's debut at Emanuel Ungaro?


KOOS: Oh, that's bullshit. That is total commerce and total, total bullshit— and you can write that down too. No, I don't go for that. That's a waste of time. The only one that does it well is [Gwen Stefani of] L.A.M.B. Not Lindsay Lohan. I mean, who the f-ck cares?



W: Fashion reality shows? 


KOOS: Forget that. They're poison. That f-cking [Project] Runway thing—that is the worst thing in the world. Those reality shows do nothing for the kids. The thing is that all the people are making money on them, except for those kids. 

W: You had your own line on QVC for a long time.

KOOS: I loved that, and I was good at it too. I was good on camera and all that. I'm not very good with customers, face to face.



W: What was it like working for Dior? 


KOOS: Those were my most difficult customers, in Paris. Those French women, they had you by the balls. 



W: You really should have a one-man show of your own. Your career's packed with terrific stories. 


KOOS: Hey, it would sure beat those reality shows. Get the money together and I'll do the work!



www.wmagazine.com/w/blogs/editorsblog/2009/10/15/where-are-they-now-koos-van-de.html

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