Li Edelkoort Goodbye Party

{sorry for the poor quality of the images, it was an emotional moment!}

Last Thursday evening a very special Party took place in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The Design Academy did say goodbye to Li Edelkoort, who was during the last 10 years the Academy’s Creative Director. The party was held in the city music hall, 500 guests (teachers, students, and the Dutch Design Ghota) gathered for thank this very special Lady. It was a very sentimental and inspiring moment.

Li gave a presentation about the Trends for the 2010-2050 seasons, with the title “The Farm of the Future”. She is absolutely sure that there is a return to the “farm”; the new city will be a new “rural urban space”, where the farmers will feed us, fuel us and be powerful. The farm life is also to find in the material which will be used for the interiors, simple wood and hearth, naturals colors. In the fashion we will see a use of the patterns, patchwork and layers. The evening was full of thank you moments, like the introduction of a special Design Award with Li’s name, the very important title of Order of Orange-Nassau from the Queen, and the Academy Departments Heads who surprised her with a beautiful and very much alive chicken called “Li”. Symbolic was also the huge biscuit swar, personally gaven to her by Job on the name of the many already famous Alumni of the Academy, and as a thank for how she did promote the students works outside the Academy. Li also introduced her successor from january 1st, Dutch fashion designer Alexander van Slobbe. I had the pleasure to get to know and to work with Li, I did learn really a lot, she has an incredible intuition, great taste and she can spot creative talent from far and in any form. I think the Design Academy Eindhoven is going to start a new phase, at Alexander the task to print his mark now and to bring this istitution to next level. Fo what concern “la Li” is already busy with new projects and ideas, perhaps she will start her own “farm”, she will still inspire us from her Studio in Paris, but I am sure she will be missed in Eindhoven. Dear Li, a special thank you for the inspirational years! Anna