Laer-Akkermolen - The Lost Suitcase

To whom does the blue suitcase belong?

Shortly after the 2023 Corso, Ronald and Martin were asked by the board at Laer-Akkermolen to come up with a design, preferably something which was in keeping with the hamlet. With Dave, Steven and Stefan ‘in the background’, the thirteenth idea was ultimately elaborated upon and presented to the hamlet mid-March. But there was no scale model at this point. The photo of the blue suitcase which was shared by social media, is not at all reflected in the final design. The idea came about after a funny situation with doors was discussed during one of the brainstorming evenings. Martin: “And hotels have multiple doors and rooms so that was precisely appropriate for this theme.”

In ‘The Lost Suitcase’, a suitcase has been left at the reception desk of a Grand Hotel. The main question is, to whom does this blue suitcase belong? The porter on duty goes from room to room in this luxurious hotel in an attempt to return the suitcase to its rightful owner. Ronald: “The title of the float is just like the title of a film or play and that is a justifiable association.”

The various rooms at the hotel are depicted as if you are looking into the rooms with a wide-angle lens. Such a representation is similar to the way that hotel rooms are photographed on the travel site booking.com, for example. Some thirty performers are staying or working at the hotel. Because the idea and the performers are closely related, the designers only started the definitive scale model at the end of April. Martin: “We are making the scale model now slightly under pressure. Because the design has to be swiftly constructed on the float and we do want to have the scale model finished beforehand.”

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Ronald van Loon (47) and Martin Straver (48) are the signed-up designers, but Steven van Erck and Stefan van Steen (former designers at Laer-Akkermolen) and Dave Roelands (old companion of the duo) are actively thinking along with them in the background. Ronald, who is a road traffic noise specialist, has been designing since 1994. Martin, a gambling consultant at a casino in Breda, is designing for the twelve time.

Original Dutch Text: Jeroen Vriends
Translation: Mary Tine
Photo: Eefje Fotografie

Hamlet Laer-Akkermolen
www.laer-akkermolen.nl

This article is brought to you by Corsief. An independent magazine about corsos in general and the Zundert flower parade in particular. The magazine is produced entirely by volunteers, who are all more or less active in the Zundert flower parade world. Corsief is entirely full-colour and appears four times a year.