CONNY GROENEWEGEN EXPLORES THE EVOLUTION OF IDEAS AT THE INTERFACE OF FASHION, TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN. SHE SITUATES HERSELF WHERE INVENTIONS IN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY DEFINE THEMSELVES INTO NEW ARTIFACTS THAT CHANGE HOW WE PERCEIVE OURSELVES. WHILE BEING FASCINATED BY THE TECHNICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE INDUSTRALISATION OF FASHION DESIGN, HER WORK IS ALWAYS A REFLECTION OF THE HUMAN MEASURE. THE TENSION BETWEEN MECHANISATION AND HANDWORK, INDUSTRY AND ARTISAN, IS CLEARLY OBSERVABLE IN HER DESIGNS. SHE DEFINES HER STYLE AS “SOFT TECH”, TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDS AND GIVES US A HOPEFULL VISION FOR THE SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN HUMAN AND MACHINE AND CREATING A MORE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND THE BODY. MERCEDES-BENZ DUTCH FASHION AWARD WINNER —2011 “THE JURY WAS INSTANTLY AND UNANIMOUSLY CONVINCED BY THE ARTISTIC INTEGRITY OF THIS DESIGNER WHO PROVIDES THE FASHION INDUSTRY WITH MUCH NEEDED OXYGEN” MRS. FABIANA GIACOMOTTI, THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF FASHION ILLUSTRATED, AND MR. ARMAND HADIDA, OWNER OF L’ECLAIREUR AND TRANOÏ IN PARIS DECLARED ABOUT THE WINNING DESIGNER CONNY GROENEWEGEN, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE JURY. CONNY GROENEWEGEN TEACHES ”DESIGN AND FASHION” AT SEVERAL (INTER)NATIONAL FASHION AND DESIGN INSTITUTES. SHE IS MASTERING BOTH TECHNICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF FASHION DESIGN WHICH SHE COMBINES WITH AN INTUITIVE CURIOUSITY IN THE IDEAS OF HER STUDENTS.