Bekkers, Rien

Rien Bekkers, is the most famous Dutch custome designer and is the originator off these sophisticated scaled costumes (scale is appr 1 to 7). These scale costumes, based on the Shakespearean period, were first shown at the Lockmuseum Seoul, South Korea during the World Stage Design exhibition 2009.
Bekkers is inspired by several different historic styles that he reflects and interprets in his own way, in other words never simply copies. As much as the clothing of a certain period functions as a starting point for the costume design, his costumes are not historically correct. Like his theatre cosutumes the scaled objects are true costumes that can be put off and on, the blouse underneath is a true blouse, with buttons and everything like a true costume. He uses the original patterns from the time they are inspired on (Shakesperean for this selection) and with the materials and small amendments he brings them to his unique (timeless) time period.

Bekkers is known to mix all eras, cultures and styles together and his creations turned out to be renaissancistic, exotic, modernistic, recognisable and utterly original at the same time. This post-modern mix of styles and cultures can be labelled as a completely original, very personal style with a number of common characteristics.

 Rien Bekkers makes all the drawings himself, designs the patterns, picks and selects every material he uses himself. It is about craftmanship and love for the materials. Varying from paper and barkcloth he used for a translation of The Golden Age Costumes of family portrait Dirck Bas to the rich embroided silks in his Shakesperean series.