Meet the Founder Behind Senscommon
Senscommon produces lifestyle clothing and accessories that fit seamlessly into urban life. The Dutch label blends function with the haute-couture design expertise of founder Laura Silinska. After studying fashion design in Paris, she worked for Alexis Mabille and Viktor&Rolf. Laura designs in 3D, draping around the body or a specific lifestyle need.
Who are you?
Laura, founder and designer of Senscommon.
What is your passion?
I'm a material nerd, passionate by science behind fibres, materials and the ideas of utility in uniform dressing.
What is the aim of your brand?
My preoccupation is to build a timeless range of clothing that caters to well-being which is why I get easily carried away in researching social behaviour trends, technology and innovation in general, always looking out for science that can improve the products I design.
What about sustainability?
Sustainability and innovation go hand in hand in our fabric selection process, further building our reputation in cutting-edge use of smart materials. We use fabrics not for their aesthetic value but for their performance attributes. In our process, we constantly rely on new technologies as well as sourcing manufacturers know-how to optimise existing techniques to customer needs. Longevity of our products is not an option but a characteristic integrated through the use of smart materials featuring self-purifying qualities, utilitarian durability or displaying a low-maintenance profile.
At Senscommon, garment recycling is taken into account from the design phase. Since clothes made of fibre blends, fabric mix or having garment applications (print, embroidery) make quality care and recycling extremely difficult to nearly impossible, we try to use only strong enough to stand alone mono-fibres and mono-materials. Recycling can go a long way in sustainability, though we went even further by striving towards 100% usage of biodegradable fibres, like merino wool or Tencel™, to name a few.
What do you love the most about your job?
The research and ideation phase is what I love the most about what I do. And I cannot be happier when customers reveal that the clothes I designed are the most intuitive and smart garment they have ever owned...
Vasili Lights - How to Assemble the Jellyfish Lantern
Vasili Lights' lampshades are papercraft designs, which are fun and easy to assemble at home. Each lamp is delivered as a flat-pack with handy instructions, so you can make each lamp in no time. Inspired by the Nordic seaside and the oceans’ many bioluminescent creatures, Amsterdam-based design studio co-founded by Vasili Popov and Lidiya Koloyarskaya create paper craft lampshades in the shape of aquatic animals.
In cooperation with Rankellfoto, photographer Jessica Rankell tried her luck to assemble the Jellyfish Lantern by Vasili Lights. While doing this, she shot some beautiful images of the assembly process. It looks like Jessica did a pretty good job putting together the lampshade. Her insight about the assembly process "...take breaks, refill your coffee cup and enjoy the moment. Practice patience while creating a beautiful lampshade..."
The Jellyfish Lantern consists of 13 pre-cut perforated templates made of strong and durable paper, along with step-by-step instructions. In order to make the assembly process straightforward and pleasant, the edges and flaps are numbered.
Glue together the edges and flaps with a UHU All Purpose Adhesive or a regular Wood Glue (PVA-based).
Jessica and her Jelly Fish Lantern "It gives me a cosy light, a stunning interior detail but also a mindful break."
The Jellyfish DIY lampshade is just one big highlight for any room or space. The lampshade will fit around an existing ceiling light bulb (LED only). Cord set and bulb are not included.
Photography: Jessica Rankell
Did you like this story? For more stories, subscribe to our Newsletter
New Brand - Pop Music Wisdom
The best advice quotes from pop songs on beautifully designed and printed on posters. This is an original and unique gift for music fans and design lovers that will definately put a smile on your face. Now availble on our webshop.
The School of Life Offer - 3 for 2
Use the following discount code at checkout: TSOL-CHOOSE3GET1. The offer is valid until Friday, June 10.
The Happy Maker
This guy is making our life way easier during the C-19 period. When we spontaneously brought him from Switzerland to Sweden, we didn't really know what a second dog would add to our current life...but now we know. We hope that you are surrounded by these kind of happy makers too. Stay healthy!
Photo: Jessica Rankell
Good News - Waldraud Webshop Reopens
Dear all, when we closed our physical store in Zurich, we learnt from our customers that they didn’t only pay a visit to our store to buy products. They came to Waldraud for inspiration and to take a break from their everyday life – like a hideaway from the real world. So in these challenging times, we have some great news for you: we are reopening our webshop.
We want it to be a place for inspiration and joy and also offer our support to our community of brands. Browse through our new arrivals and maybe get some of them delivered to your castle. We will continuously expand our selection with sustainable (and working-from-home-ready) wow factor.
Take care, wash your hands and stay healthy,
Ann xxx
Photo: Jessica Rankell
Waldraud Temporary
Our time with you at Waldraud in Zurich has been an unforgettable journey with many bright memories.
We would like to say thank you to all of you kind people who came by the store to say hi until the very end. We were overwhelmed with your kind words and we even received some sweet handwritten letters.
Your words and stories made us realise that we really made an impact in district 5 and in Zurich and that we didn’t just run a store. Waldraud was literally a place where people could have a good laugh, collect inspiration and recharge their batteries. It even served as a platform where designers found new collaboration partners. That’s how Marcus Kraft x Zäringer Weingut and Natalie Born x ZigZagZurich met and developed amazing creations together.
As we were looking back on all the good times, we serendipitously got the opportunity to stay on a little longer in district 5, and decided to jump on it!
Opening Times Waldraud Temporary:
Thursday, 16 - 19 o’clock
Friday, 12 - 19 o’clock
Saturday, 11 - 17 o’clock
Get-Together, Movin' Glühwein - December 8, 2018
As some of you already know, Waldraud will change. We are moving to Sweden and Waldraud to the digital space. Our physical store in Zurich is open until December 31, 2018. Thus, we hope to see many of you before our big move and we'd like to invite you for a Zähringer Glühwein this Saturday!
If you can't make it on Saturday, please join us at our Goodbye Party on Saturday, December, 15. 2018.
Cordially,
Ann & Lorenz
Waldraud Changes - Ciao Züri, Tja Malmö
It's about time we break our big news. We, Ann and Lorenz, the founders of Waldraud, are moving with the whole family to Sweden and Waldraud into the digital space for now.
We thus invite you to continue enjoying the physical space of Waldraud at Josefstrasse 142 in Zurich, before it is time to close the doors on December 31, 2018. As always, we'll have a wide range of inspiring products for you and yours this Christmas. Throughout the festive season we will drop some special offers in store and via newsletter.
We'd like to thank all of you - employees, customers, brands, collaborating partners and the press for an unforgettable time throughout our 7 years at the shop in Zurich.
Cordially,
Ann & Lorenz
The story of bigstuffed
During Paris Fashion Week in March, we had the opportunity to visit BigStuffed at their studio space in Paris. The studio is situated in a beautifully quiet courtyard in the central part of Paris.
Dana welcomes me and excuses the creative chaos in the studio which I don’t mind - it is charming to see a space in action and the creative development of the creatures. Dana Muskat is the designer and owner of BigStuffed.
When did you produce the first BigStuffed creature and for whom?
Dana - I produced the first creature many years ago for a friend in Israel that just had a baby, and I didn’t have the possibility to visit her so I decided to make her an octopus, as they are apparently the best mum’s in the world. I continued making more of them as my friends fell in love with them too and so it all started.
What is your backround?
Dana – I studied fashion design. But as a fashion designer I got bored, and the fashion market is too crowded with brands, it feels like there is no space for more. With BigStuffed I get to work on a 3-Dimensional level too which gives me a lot more satisfaction, and I feel that there is definitely space out there for my creatures.
How does your creation and production process look like?
Dana - It all starts with collecting cross board inspiration from different materials, colours, animal types, objects and interiors. The sketchbook with simple drawings simplifies the animals to a certain extent. Afterwards I work with the patterns and the first mook-ups/prototypes, that will be sent to my factories in order to further work on the creature shape, material and filling. Depending on the shape of the animal, it can take several rounds until the final shape is created and put into production.
Which part is the hardest?
It is a different thing to design a fashion piece on a mannequin where you know most of the body shape in comparison to design the shape of different creatures. Still, the hardest part concerns the sourcing for materials.
Each creature’s personality and eyes are very impressive. Do you visit the animals you create in order to get the right emotional touch?
No, I find aquariums sad, studying pictures and watching movies is enough inspiration for me.
Are you working on new designs and further product launches for this year?
Yes, I am launching several new colours of the Beluga, Minis and Manatees. I am also finally beginning to design a new collection, but here I am only in the starting phase.
Private View - Artwork by Natalie Born
For Kreislauf 345, we host an exhibition of Swiss illustrator and designer Natalie Born. Nathalie will show her playful work - exploration of humorous characters, whimsical animals and graphic botanicals - in large-scale posters and wooden figures. Join us and Nathalie for a drink.
