The Handkerchief Project has been initiated by Ailsa Kay to challenge conventional ideas surrounding cotton handkerchiefs. With fewer and fewer people using this sustainable yet traditional object, Ailsa has collaborated with Amsterdam-based contemporary artists to give the old-fashioned 'hankie' a new context and a fresh lease of life.
As an Illustrator Sue often plays with simple forms and colour blocks to create compositions. Inspired by the music of the boogie woogie and the wobbliness of bogies (that end up in handkerchiefs) 'Bogie Wogie' is an experiement with shapes and paper cuts to create something that seems to wobble or move. The shapes were moved under the scanner, so the result is always a surprise.
This design is inspired by Beyonce's 'Grown Woman' video. Studio Ikkai has reformulated the afro-futuristic aesthetics of the video and combined it with elements of traditional handkerchief design.
Intrigued by organic forms and colour compositions Ailsa created 'Jupiter' by playing and experimenting with the unpredictability of water colour and inks. Is this what it would look like to float in one of Jupiter's rings?
The Ginko tree originates from China and is considered a living fossil as it has remained unchanged for 200 million years. It inspired the poet Goethe and features greatly in art and literature. It is considered a symbol of friendship but also endurance due to it surviving adverse conditions.
Heleen was working during the winter when she suddenly had a vision of overwhelming heat and a leopard relaxing high above his tropical territory, which temporarily transported her away from her small and drafty Hoog & Droog studio to a lazy summer's day.
Use a handkerchief to wipe away a tear, a runny nose, a sweaty forehead or as a pochette/pocket square for a special occasion.
The handkerchiefs are printed on soft 100% cotton in Germany using eco friendly inks.
In Amsterdam they are then sewn and carefully packaged with an information folder about the project and its designers. Each design is a limited edition of 100.
They are 25cm by 25cm and can be washed up to 60 degrees centigrade.
Ailsa's goal is to change the world of handkerchiefs as it is and to get people to pay attention to this forgotten object. She found existing designs were uninspired and often gender based and wanted to bring something new to the table.
Passionate about traditional textiles and crafts she wants to experiment with handkerchiefs in many shapes and forms. Collaborating with contemporary artists and traditional textile techniques are areas she wants to expand on.
Making her handkerchiefs as environmentally friendly as possible is also an important goal for Ailsa. Although cotton handkerchiefs are better than disposable, in the future she would like to work with materials like hemp and bamboo combined with natural dyes.
