Loïc Schwaller: I'm 28 years old, I'm French and I live in Amsterdam. My formation is in mathematics, but I've always been interested in graphic design and arts in general. For about a year or so, I've been teaching myself how to screen print. I really loved it from the beginning and started printing loads of t-shirts. Last September I created 'loackme' to sell them so that I would not drown in clothing.
BWS: What inspired the Geometric Grid print?
LS: The initial design of Geometric Grid was realised with tape directly on the screen. I tried to think as little as possible and just let each cell of the grid design itself under my hands. It was really a spur-of-the-moment process inspired by my love for simple geometric shapes.
BWS: Where do you do the designing and screenprinting? What equipment do you use?
LS: The whole process happens in my apartment. I usually use my laptop to create the design, laying on the coach or sitting at my desk. Once I’m satisfied with a design, I transform my bathroom into a dark room to put it on a screen with a homemade exposure unit. For the actual printing, it involves going back and forth between the workshop I’ve set up in the spare bedroom and the bathroom to clean up the screens and the tools. I use a printing press that I’ve made out of wood with my partner.
'The printing involves going back and forth between the workshop I’ve set up in the spare bedroom and the bathroom to clean up the screens and the tools.'
BWS: Why did you choose to use organic cotton and water based inks?
LS: I choose to print in an environment-friendly and organic way because it was important for me. I think that as soon as you manufacture a product, you have a responsibility to do it in a way that does not damage the environment and with respect for all the people involved in the process.
BWS: How would you like your t-shirts to make people feel?
LS: I guess I would like my t-shirts to make people feel like themselves. T-shirts are very personal pieces of clothing and are often used to make unspoken statements. I would be deeply satisfied if people can express who they are through my t-shirts because I definitely put a lot of myself in these designs. And of course, I hope they also feel stylish while doing so!