A/W16 workshops

The preparations for the AW16 collection have started and Trine Lindegaard has continued her collaboration with ITMV (In Line with the World) in Ishøj and Rødovre. It is a pleasure as always doing workshops with the immigrant women at ITMV and the collection is taking shape. The theme for the new collection is; favourite dishes. The women have therefore been asked to describe their favourite dish and transform it into embroidery. It has been a couple of days filled with laughter, new food experiences and interesting talks about culture and food. Trine Lindegaard wants to focus on the way we present, eat and experience food between cultures.

The workshop started with a questioner about the women’s favourite dishes, how they like to eat, what they think of the Danish food and what differences they see between food from their own culture and the Danish.

With fabric remnants from former collections, fishnets and other materials sponsored by a retired fisherman in Jutland, the women were asked to embroider their favourite dish. The library in Rødovre, where ITMV have their daily routine, was transformed into a colourful kitchen with tomatoes, meat, rice and potatoes cut out of fabric.

The women at ITMV start their day with yoga, to prepare the shoulders, hands and fingers to embroider and sew for the next few hours. The atmosphere is light and cheerful and spending time with the lovely ladies always gives you something to smile about.

At ITMV in Rødovre the women introduce the local to new food experiences by serving lunch every other Tuesday.  The women decide what to cook and usually make something from their home country. This is a way for the women at ITMV and the locals to meet between cultures and try new things. The library is open for everyone everyday and usually the local pensioners join for at cultural taste every other Tuesday.

The Trine Lindegaard team was lucky to be at the library one day, where the Turkish dish;  Dulmas was served. Two of the women were in the kitchen while the others embroidered. The women told us, that they are proud to be serving the food and that the locals usually like the different tastes, even if it is a bit more spicy than the more traditional Danish food they usual eat. Eating together is a good way to meet between different cultures and we at the Trine Lindegaard Team wish we could join the lovely ladies from ITMV for lunch in Rødovre everyday. 

All photography by Casper Vildrik

A/W15 LOOK BOOK

For A/W15 Trine Lindegaard collaborated with the great photographer Luca Berti  and went back to Avnstrup in January to take some pictures of the residents wearing the clothes that some of them had taken part of designing. There was no use of styling or makeup throughout the shoot as we wanted the pictures to be as much about the people involved as the actual collection. 

 

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Avnstrup Asylum Centre
 

Thierry, Rwanda
 

Aliyah, Ethiopia
 

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Sulaiman & Abd, Syria
 

Sekandar, Afghanistan
 

Sasa, Serbia
 

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Fields, Avnstrup
 

Osmand, Nigeria
 

Jude
 

Nay Zar, Burma
 

Nay Zar

Nay Zar is a 23 year girl who is originally from Burma, she came to Denmark about a year ago and is currently living at Avnstrup Asylum Centre while she is waiting to find out if she will receive residency. We first met in December 2014 and we have been in regular contact since. Nay Zar has an amazing positive energy. Every time I meet her at the centre she is in the middle of helping someone in one way or another....
 

Nay Zar kindly agreed to share her story, thoughts and view on the Danes and our society. 


Tell us a little bit about yourself?
My family belongs to the minority ethnic group Rohingya in Burma. The Rohingya people has  been the victims of ethnic cleansing and are known as some of the most oppressed people on earth. In 2010 my father was targeted by the Burmese officials and they raided our home. They found critical and hidden documents relating to anti-goverment and their oppression to our people. At the time my father was working with the Rohingya leaders in Burma fighting for basic human rights for our ethnic group. Since then, my father has taken refuge in Denmark. Today he is active in the European Rohingya Community and still works for justice to be served.

In 2012, two waves of Genocide against the Rohingya community flew through the Arkan state in Burma. Subsequently the incidents of horrific and inhuman acts made by the government was widely opened for the world to see. At that point I was a student in Malaysia and actively involved with the students and local communities in Kuala Lumpur,  we were campaigning to spread awareness of the Rohingya people and their sufferings. Upon graduation, I came back to Burma and I was interrogated by the police. I received letters threatening me of rape, torture and death. I felt unsafe and I was extremely scared and in the end I fled my country too. 

How do you like it here in Denmark?
I love it here. It is quite hard for me to adapt to the weather though, since I come from a tropical region. 
really appreciate Denmark's welfare system, it has high taxations which contributes to higher living standards with free education, healthcare etc. People in Denmark live in harmony and value human rights and justice. Denmark has beautiful city life and breathtaking countryside. 

What do you think about the Danes? And have you met many people outside the centre?
Yes, I have met some people outside the asylum centre. I would say Danes are a little reserved and private but once you make the first move and get to know them they are kind, warm and friendly. Danes speak their mind and are very honest. And last but not least they all love their bikes. 

How did you like the creative workshop with Trine Lindegaard? 
I personally loved it. Even though I am not a good drawer, the workshop made me reflect and it gave me the opportunity to know more about my inner self. The facilitators were very friendly and made the environment fun and exciting. I must say we created some very interesting ideas and drawings together. 

What are your dreams for the future?
My ultimate dream is to live a happy and fulfilling life where I am content with myself, help others and give back to the society I live in. To start I would continue my education, get a stable ground and get myself a place to call home. 

AVNSTRUP ASYLUM CENTRE - CREATIVE WORKSHOP

Here are some examples of the illustrations produced during the workshops we did back in December 2014. We worked together with some of the residents on the themes of Dreams, Future and their views on Denmark 

Denis, Ukraine

Denis, Ukraine

Denis, Ukraine

Denis, Ukraine

Jamal, Syria

Jamal, Syria

Jude, Uganda

Jude, Uganda

Josephine, Liberia

Josephine, Liberia

Mariam, Syria

Mariam, Syria

Josephine, Lyberia

Josephine, Lyberia

Galau, Burma

Galau, Burma

Jamal, Syria

Jamal, Syria

Avnstrup - Workshop 2

We recently had the pleasure of doing a workshop togehter with the nice people from Foreningen For Social Innovation at Avnstrup Asylum Centre. The residents designed a team T-shirt, which we later printed for them. Here is the result.

Avnstrup Asylum Centre

For A/W15 Trine Lindegaard is teaming up with the Danish Red Cross, developing the collection in collaboration with asylum seekers from around the world. The goal being to put a focus on and tell the individual's story through new mediums whilst increasing self esteem and building a process where fashion, art and design work together in unexpected ways.

 

Accra, Ghana

I rarely get a day off when I am working with the weavers in Ghana. I am generally at the workshop from 5am until it gets dark everyday, so it was great to spent a day seeing a bit more of the city. What a beautiful place!