Maria Hees: 30 years of design

In 2009, Maria Hees was celebrating her 30th anniversary as a handbag and jewellery designer. The publication Maria Hees 30 years of design will present some of her latest collections as well as designs from the last thirty years. Maria Hees has been an independent designer since 1979, specializing in utensils and objects, such as handbags and jewellery.

Her handbag designs are characterised by the use of highly diverse materials such as wood, metal and fish leather, as well as particular methods, for instance, water jet cutting and padding. Her new collection is an interpretation of the smock technique through the use of rivets. In Maria Hees' designs, techniques often give rise to the form: The exterior of the handbag is as important as the interior. The bag needs to be primarily functional inside, yet remain pleasing to the eye.

In 1979, Maria Hees (Bergeijk, 1948) graduated from the Academy of Visual Arts Arnhem, having specialized in Metal and Plastics Design. Her work has been displayed at various (inter) national museums (MoMa New York, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam) and sold through many galleries (Galerie Marzee Nijmegen, Leley Graze London, Galerie Hilde Metz, Antwerp).

Maria Hees' handbags are designed and manufactured in-house and are produced in limited numbers.

Writings by: Lotte Menkman, Joep Sterman, Threes Moolhuysen-Coenders and Maria Hees 
Texts in English / Dutch
Book design: Marlous Bervoets

Including the DVD by Ivonne Zijp, Peter Krijnen and Anand Mahabier.