Ruitersporen @ GRA (2025)
My graduation work centers the suit, serving as a symbol of legacy that is prolonged through reinterpretation.
The looks are conceived as a variation on a theme, inspired by color schemes of paintings, philosophies of music genres, and tailoring techniques. While every look reflects upon its predecessor, it also embodies distinct characteristics. Additionally, equestrian influences pay homage to my last name, de Ruiter / the Rider.
This project illustrates my artistic evolution: exploring personal interests while honoring influences from family and friends.
The looks are conceived as a variation on a theme, inspired by color schemes of paintings, philosophies of music genres, and tailoring techniques. While every look reflects upon its predecessor, it also embodies distinct characteristics. Additionally, equestrian influences pay homage to my last name, de Ruiter / the Rider.
This project illustrates my artistic evolution: exploring personal interests while honoring influences from family and friends.
1.
This is the first of five looks, forming the foundation for reinterpretations in the subsequent designs.
The suit serves as the starting point, paired with classical music to highlight their shared precision and calculated structure. Equestrian influences personalise the suit, evident in the jodhpur-style trousers and a jacket that borrows its length and waist shaping from riding attire, while retaining a double-breasted front with a peak lapel, characteristic of classic tailoring.
The pattern is drafted using Rundschau, the German standard. Key materials include black deadstock wool by Armani, cotton-horsehair interfacing, and viscose houndstooth lining. Polyester threads are used for construction, with silk and cotton threads reserved for basting. More than a thousand handstitches have been used for the canvas which remains visible due to the half-lining. Overall, it took over fifty hours to create the look.
The first successor in this series continues the exploration of classical themes, paired with concert settings where original symphonies are preserved and reinterpreted by successive generations—mirroring the continuity in tailoring techniques.
Silk layering and bias binding draw inspiration from the garment bag, which at its showcase was worn as an accessory. This bag displays the original patterns from the final version of Look one, symbolising the blueprint carried forward into new creations. The recurring jodhpur-style trousers are complemented by riding boots, reinforcing the equestrian influence.
Key materials include black deadstock wool by Armani, paper-feel cotton, and two matching shades of silk organza. Construction employs polyester threads, with silk and cotton threads for basting. The look required over thirty hours to complete.
Silk layering and bias binding draw inspiration from the garment bag, which at its showcase was worn as an accessory. This bag displays the original patterns from the final version of Look one, symbolising the blueprint carried forward into new creations. The recurring jodhpur-style trousers are complemented by riding boots, reinforcing the equestrian influence.
Key materials include black deadstock wool by Armani, paper-feel cotton, and two matching shades of silk organza. Construction employs polyester threads, with silk and cotton threads for basting. The look required over thirty hours to complete.
3.
The second successor, Look Three, introduces a shift towards futurist aesthetics, characterised by complex, geometric forms.
The design features a machine-stitched windowpane pattern, reflecting industrial influences inherent in futurism. The dominant red hue draws inspiration from traditional fox hunting jackets and the symbolic association of red within the futurist movement.
Key materials consist of red Kaban wool and a cream viscose houndstooth lining. Structural integrity is enhanced through fibrefill reinforcement in the trousers and sleeves, complemented by boning at critical points. The silhouette maintains continuity with the original double-breasted suit, incorporating a full canvas, peak lapel and half-lining construction. Over one thousand hand stitches contribute to the craftsmanship, with the production exceeding sixty hours.
The third successor, Look Four, offers a stark contrast to the preceding extravagant design, drawing inspiration from the musical genre of minimalism, where subtle shifts in focus lead to clear transformations.
Here, the layering of the suit jacket is reimagined: the collared shirt assumes prominence, leaving only the suggestion of traditional suit elements such as the double-breasted closure and the collar. The trousers are intentionally cut short, highlighting equestrian influences through the prominent display of riding boots, which would otherwise remain partially obscured. A riding helmet serves as an accessory.
The primary materials include white paper-feel cotton paired with charcoal deadstock wool. Inside, a lightweight canvas and blue viscose houndstooth lining provide structure, while a double vent subtly nods to contemporary jacket styles. This piece required around 25 hours of production.
Here, the layering of the suit jacket is reimagined: the collared shirt assumes prominence, leaving only the suggestion of traditional suit elements such as the double-breasted closure and the collar. The trousers are intentionally cut short, highlighting equestrian influences through the prominent display of riding boots, which would otherwise remain partially obscured. A riding helmet serves as an accessory.
The primary materials include white paper-feel cotton paired with charcoal deadstock wool. Inside, a lightweight canvas and blue viscose houndstooth lining provide structure, while a double vent subtly nods to contemporary jacket styles. This piece required around 25 hours of production.
5.
The final successor, Look Five, embraces the visual freedom introduced by the minimalist aesthetic of look four, going towards a modern, conceptual realm.
Diverging from the conventional forms and proportions of classical tailoring, this look is crafted on a horizontal mannequin using flat pattern drafting techniques. While equestrian motifs previously explored with restraint, the design's silhouette echoes the contours of an actual saddle, incorporating multiple straps as closure mechanisms. The accompanying shorts break from traditional trouser conventions, both in length and style. While simultaneously some traditional elements such as the peak lapel return.
The Materials used are black recycled leather, black flock sheet, black deadstock Armani wool, and white paper-feel cotton. The production process for this look extends beyond 20 hours.