Miriam Reikerstorfer + Elke van Zuylen LAB Fashion Week Amsterdam SS2017

Funny how we can ignore such a big and influential thing like our subconscious. It was the key to the new collection of Austrian born designer Miriam Reikerstorfer. “This particular collection is inspired by suppressed feelings and fears. The subconscious influences our daily decisions, even if we don’t realize it. It is the part of our psyche that is just below the conscious mind and is capable of jumping to the forefront at any time. On a daily basis, people suppress their feelings, dreams, and fears, as well as their sexual desire, I believe it is an endless pool of inspiration.”

Are we afraid? Is there not enough awareness? Why not see the beauty in it and see what it can teach us. Let’s make the dark light again, and the bad good. The contradiction is very obvious in the soft versus hard elements. Tender fabrics with hand-dyed details and delicate drapery. Hand-sewn sequins and hand-cut pieces, references to Miriam’s believe in the old traditions of haute couture. The harsher elements were seen for example in the cornrow-hair, straight trousers and the top with huge hoodie (it might become a favourite for Dutch songstress Kovacs). The bright pink mixed so well with the taupe and dark (red) hues. ‘Things I get obsessed about’, the music echoes over the venue. Oh yes, there are definitely some things in this collection we can obsess about.

Elke van Zuylen
The second part of the show was for Elke van Zuylen to show her new collection named ‘NoNoCake’. Another show that was about emotions, to be more precise: shyness. She calls it the ‘The Shy-Movement’. Why? Perhaps she’s tired of people putting themselves out there all the time, feeling like the centre of the universe. Always online, always present. And more or less we all suffer from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Extravert people are celebrated, introverts are considered less fun and exciting. But is it? According to Elke there’s more to shy people than meets the eye. ‘Stille wateren hebben diepe gronden’, as we like to call it in Holland. Take this and her fascination for Japanese and Korean (sub)cultures, and we’re talking the core of this collection. It showed in the pom pom hair of the models, the komono-ish jackets, soft and silky pyjama fabrics and other geisha and Harajuku references. Interesting was the layering part, such as a white see-through bralette sewed on a maxi-dress or a XL tulle skirt worn underneath a night blue velvet tunic. If this resembles shyness, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.