Individuals by AMFI Amsterdam Fashion Week Preview FW2013

For the very first time Individuals by AMFI, a collection designed by student, will have the honor of opening Amsterdam Fashion Week. We caught up with Peter Leferink, Principal Design Lecturer at AMFI and creative Manager of Individuals, to talk about the design process, the collection and the success of Individuals.

About Inviduals
AMFI’s Individuals project is a 6 month minor that BA students at AMFI can take during their third or at the beginning of their fourth and final year. A total of around 24 – 30 students from the 3 different departments Fashion & Design, Fashion & Management and Fashion & Branding together design, produce and deliver to retail a collection for the school’s label Individuals.

Why is it important that Individuals gives a show during Amsterdam Fashion Week?
“First of all it is a big honor. For the students a show at the end of their period with Individuals. Those 12 minutes of fame are quite fundamental to the process. Showing in a professional environment like AFW gives the students such a boost. This year we were asked to open the fashion week, which is the ultimate moment and compliment. It means people take us seriously and appreciate what we do with our students. To me personally it means a lot. The fact that our show is held in the Gashouder is extra special too; when I graduated from the C Montaigne Academy in 1994 with a small group of students we rented the same Gashouder for our show. At that time we felt it was the coolest spot in Amsterdam, I believe we had to pay 400 Gulden for it. Being able to see our students shine there as well makes it very special.”

What is the most important aspect of holding a show?
“If you bring it down to the basics a show is a form of PR. You want to reach the press, the retailers and your audience. Yet as a school we believe there a more platforms on which you can show your collections and creativity. There is lots of new media via which you can reach your audience quickly and effectively. But, to be honest, for a lot of students a catwalkshow is the ultimate highlight; the spotlights, the people, the camera’s clicking and the feeling that comes with such a live event. It gives them such excitement, which is hard to match. Therefore I feel catwalkshows will always be there, even though lots of new platform (digital or non digital) will be introduced.”

How did it happen that Individuals is opening Amsterdam Fashion Week?
“We have been showing, with smaller and larger shows, during Amsterdam Fashion Week since the start. This definitely is the icing on the cake for AMFI and Individuals. Especially since around 800 extra young people, students and teachers will be able to see the show through live stream, thanks to Vodafone. I’m very excited how it will all turn out, but I am sure it will be a great happening.”

What part of the collection will eventually be sold?
“It’s hard to put that in percentages, since it depends on the styling of the show, which is planned for the second week of January. We always create Production Pieces, which retailers can buy and Unique Pieces (for the catwalk and photoshoots). Eventually the Production Pieces will be sold in a total of 10 boutiques ranging from high end casual to designer/luxury across the Netherlands.”

Is the collection sold in your own AMFI store as well?
“The Inviduals sales to retailers is organized via our By Amfi store. Every season we change the store in a way that it matches perfectly with the collection and invite our retailers there. After a period of about three weeks the store becomes a By Amfi store again; a very pleasant and dynamic collaboration.”

One of the design students spoke to us about inspiration, colors and materials

What was the inspiration for the upcoming collection?
“We were inspired by the current state of the world. We provide a contemporary solution for how to deal and live within it, partly inspired by Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest. We draw the line. We tell the story of the Neo-Pioneer who dares to settle within the unsettled. For fall/winter 2013/2014 we’ve communicated it like this

A multitude of choices has resulted in an inability to move forward in the world. The time has come to confidently step forward and set the underlying tone for this generation. Armed with a desire for progress, we draw the line in order to create an enhanced state of protection. We attract because we dare. We survive because we protect. We are an energy to be reckoned with. We are the Neo-Pioneers and ELEMENT is the key to our survival. 

This collection boldly draws the line by settling within the unsettled. An action towards survival defined by a magnetic attraction of angular and curved shapes. A mix of unconventional fabrics sculpts this modern day armour. Each piece makes its own statement, building a positive tension thus, empowering the wearer. An air of artificiality emphasizes the evolution of crucial details in design.

What can we expect to see?
“We will see colours that are derived from a dark uniform palette. Think about a dark oil stain on a wet pavement. Furthermore we want to put the spotlight on the strong and the vulnerable parts of a woman in order to provide her the protection that she needs to face the world. As for the fit, think pronounced angular and curved shapes mixed with a touch of tailored design. We chose new materials that are more technological than we have ever used before. We also used leather and other materials that enhance protection and are key iNDiViDUALS materials are used in every collection.”

Individuals By AMFI will present their latest collection on Wednesday night, the 23rd of January at 07.00 P.M.

See our gallery below for some sneak peeks of the collection.