‘The Architects of Fashion’ is a term often used when referring to design duo Klavers van Engelen: innovative and technically interesting with a ‘twist’. Niels Klavers (1967) and Astrid van Engelen (1970) made their name with their experimental and conceptual designs in 1998. They have won several national and international prizes and were partly responsible for Dutch Modernism. This dress, or blouse, is a characteristic example of Dutch Modernism: the pleats are flat and linear, but underneath a ‘flower’ is waiting to burst open. This design was inspired by their Blossom collection from 2002 and especially made for the Woman by exhibition at the Centraal Museum in 2003. After a break from 2002 until 2007 the duo started working together again and immediately won the Dutch Fashion Awards. Their collections have become more wearable, but still have the designers’ distinctive signature. In their own words: “This process was instinctive, dictated by current fashion trends and creativity but also considering the commercial aspect. We feel that our original tightly conceptual ideas are just outdated. That’s one of the interesting aspects of fashion - you are always trying to capture the spirit of the time.”