“Burned Child” S/S 2015 collection by MADS DINESEN

The saying, “burned child fears the fire” expresses our ability to learn from our personal mistakes and not repeat our failures. Our collective history and volatile present however shows that we have not learnt from these lessons. In a self-amplifying chain of events, we are repeating the same tragedies, crimes and catastrophes in the name of politics, race and religion.

“Burned Child” raises exasperated questions to statements put forward in MADS DINESEN’s previous collection “Smoke-clad Warrior”, a celebratory tribute to all historical and contemporary pioneers risking their honor, freedom and occasionally their life in order to change the world for the better.

To fight for political and social change, one must go on an introspective journey to be convinced of the idealistic fight ahead. Only by accurately determining our own beliefs, it becomes possible to conquer any injustices we face. But where does an individual encounter his own limits?

This instinctive way to construct a worldview is comparable to an inner journey where each and every one of us becomes our own spiritual leader. We transform into shamans, priests, or holy men, who through knowledge and experience attempt to shape the world to our personal ideals; that is the main theme of this ethnically mystical, yet youthfully provocative collection.

The MADS DINESEN collections are a fusion of elements inspired by history, ethnic cultures, and youth culture. The cuts and fabrics are an interplay between light and heavy, construction and draping, and of order and coincidence.  Several of the pieces and details are inspired by the designers own childhood memories. MADS DINESEN’s very specific universe is a personally spiritual and ritualistic one, he casts a spell in order to wake the world.

As in all MADS DINESEN collections- prints, fabric manipulation and knitwear are the primary stand out elements of „Burned Child“. The color range is predominantly black, white and grey, though an occasional touch of color does appear. The evocative print is an artistic collaboration with the Belgian artist Tim van den Oudenhoven. Oudenhoven’s series of found children portraits are partly burnt, leaving haunting remnants, shrouded faces and veiled motives. The abstract images directly refer to and explicitly express the collection’s poignant theme.

Out of an idealistic point of view there will be no leather or fur in the collection. The focus in the choice of fabrics include natural materials such as cotton, wool, linen, silk and cupro. Recycling, ecology and environmental sustainability are key factors when selecting the fabrics.

„They danced down the streets like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I´ve been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”“

„On the Road“ (1957)

Jack Kerouac