First edition

For the first edition of Les Canaux de la Mode, five Dutch fashion designers were linked with four French couture craftsmen. The selected fashion designers were: …and beyond (Brigitte Hendrix and Jolanda van den Broek), Monique van Heist, OSCAR (Oscar Raaijmakers), Iñiy Sanchez, and Jeroen van Tuyl. The French couture craftsmen were: Romuald Lamy (jewellery), Severina Lartigue (silk flowers), Vanessa Ruiz (leather) en Laetitia Schlumberger (corset). In different teams of craftsmen-designer, they co-created 13 unique artworks.

In November 2007, the craftsmen and designers met, after which a collaboration and co-creation followed. A year later, the 13 artworks, in which both fashion and craft are represented, were finished. The products varied from an installation of 365 paper brooches to a leather sculpture/coat in the shape of a dragons head.

In November 2008 Les Canaux de la Mode presented itself for the first time with an exhibition and a symposium in Amsterdam and Paris. With the project, a catalogue informed about the artworks, the craftsmen and the fashion designers.