Swiss Pavilion World Expo Japan

Staff outfits for the Swiss Pavilion in Aichi/Japan 2005 Christoph Hefti & Lela Scherrer

The visually defining and unifying element of the outfits at the Swiss pavilion is the fabrics, which were printed exclusively for the exhibition in Aichi. They are a result of the implementation of old print screens from the archives of Swiss textile manufacturers, used in a new way and put into a current context. By combining selected screens and altering the printing procedure, Hefti and Scherrer created new designs and chance patterns, making each piece of clothing one-of-a-kind.

Trends and ideas from past eras were 'recycled' into fabrics which are completely new. They are the unmistakable eye-catchers of the clothing for the Aichi personnel and are to be found at least once in each outfit. Printing as an artistic means, as exemplified by the 'printed mountain' in the pavilion, was adopted and transferred to the medium of textiles. The colours were inspired by Swiss landscape, and contrasted with a palette of the grey and silver tones of the mountain. An image of Switzerland emerged.

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