KINGPINS 2024

We’ve been looking back on Kingpins Amsterdam from two weeks ago – it was a good one!

This time, our showcase followed the theme of “Small Trades,” celebrating tradespeople of the past through garments that hold stories, skill, and craftsmanship within each tear and sign of wear. Our six looks, exhibited in the elevator shafts, displayed distressed denim, repaired workwear jackets, patched trousers, and threadbare knits. These looks were some of our favourites yet and were met with a lot of love at the show and online, thank you!

 

We were also proud to organise and co-curate the Key Pieces “Box.” This collaborative effort showcased handpicked items from the wardrobes of our 7 co-curators, all from different areas of the denim community. They were asked to respond to three pieces selected from our archive, which were the starting point for the conversation around the space. These inspiration points included a Japanese boro rug, a pair of heavily patched and repaired jeans, customised by their mechanic owner, and photographs of the ‘Pit Brow Lasses’ of Wigan. Our co-curators responded with exciting pieces, varying from hand-woven textiles, a Silversmith’s early Carharrt Bibs, a serendipitous pair of overalls, a Hakama pants-and-kilt hybrid, Hereford cattle and more.

 

The pieces featured in the Key Pieces Box were also discussed at the seminar of the same name on Wednesday morning. Bringing together four of the co-curators—Sue, David, Miles and Malin—along with Doug from The Vintage Showroom and Vivian Wang of Kingpins, the panel delved into these archival selections and how they inspired them. We loved participating and hope everyone who attended shared our passion for what was discussed.

 

As always, thank you to Kingpins. See you in Hong Kong very soon!

 

Photos: Team Peter Stigter