Sad Hanky by Luc d’Hanis & Sofie Lachaert

Luc d’Hanis & Sofie Lachaert
Sad Hanky, 2010

Lot: #4224 (1500 handkerchiefs)

Handkerchief + silkscreen print

From a lot of 1,500 plain handkerchiefs, Luc d’Hanis and Sofie Lachaert created a quiet reflection on beauty and melancholy. Delicate printed patterns reveal gentle scenes overlaid with sombre imagery, turning a simple cloth into a small emotional landscape. Both tender and ironic, the handkerchief becomes more than a tool for drying tears; it becomes the reason for them.

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Droog bought 5,135 leftover items from Dutch liquidation auctions: everything from handkerchiefs and dog baskets to mirrors and salt shakers. They invited 14 designers to “revive” the lots into a collection of 19 products, each sold in editions limited by the size of the lot, and launched the result during Salone del Mobile, Milan, 2010.

The concept was accompanied by a short manifesto (about re-directing creative energy and redesigning lifecycles) and a charming “new owner” photo campaign that documented each purchaser right after checkout.