Pablo Salvador Willemars

In a continued fascination with train travel and the rich tapestry of stories that unfold when being in transit, I decided to write a second chapter to the story I began with my 2022 collection titled “Beste Reizigers”. Delving deeper into the history and heritage of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), the company that serves as the main Dutch rail network operator.
I titled this collection “La Voie” which translates from French to “the road”, It is my intention to make this body of work the equivalent of a love letter to the history of Dutch railway and my family.

It all started by researching the history of the Dutch railway alongside stories from my family, that for the last 3 generations have been employed by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS). Evidently the history of the Dutch rail- way uniform was very important for my process. The collection shows a scattered journey through time thanks to the material that was donated to me from the archives of the Spoorwegmuseum (railway museum) in my hometown Utrecht.
I wanted to focus on a lyrical perspective of the research I started with my 2022 collection. Being inspired by the feelings evoked by looking through the window at the landscape while on the train. The rhythm and timeless allure of the iconic yellow NS trains, gliding through the endless horizons of The Netherland