Max Zara Sterck Amsterdam Fashion Week 2023

Dutch designer Max Zara Sterck presented her first collection during Amsterdam Fashion Week, edition september 2023. Her debut was about movement and harmony, encapsulated as “Body following, body flowing,” and this became a guiding principle that underscored the essence of the designer’s work.

Schueller de Waal Paris The Gateway to Fashion

Please enjoy our reportage of the Dutch design-duo Schueller de Waal who presented their fashion-installation in Pailais de Tokyo yesterday named The Gateway to Fashion. It was a so called Fashion Therapy session with film launch and installation. Soooo relaxing!

Backstage at David Laport Amsterdam SS2019

Take a look backstage at the first show of this Amsterdam Fashion Week. Hair, make-up and dressers getting the models ready for the show of David Laport.

M-ODE Amsterdam: An Introduction

Like any other year this week the Westergasterrein is (more or less) our temporary office. Yet this time around we’re based here for something other than Amsterdam Fashion Week. It’s M-ODE and it’s first edition of We Make M-ODE (part of We Make the City) that has us and other fashion professionals and fanatics gathered at the Westergasfabriek the upcoming days.

M-ODE is a completely new fashion initiative by fashion teacher Peter Leferink (48) and former Amsterdam Fashion Week director Iris Ruisch (43). It is a foundation which focuses on sustainability and therefore each and every fashion show, presentation or event this week is sustainable in a way. Whether it is a designer who chooses not to produce new collections every other season, a design collective producing eco-fabrics or someone like Bas Kosters who produces his new collection out of old (not sold Kingsday) clothes.

A fashion event with a 5 day programme like M-ODE turned out to be wasn’t even what Iris and Peter had in mind when they first decided to join forces. But as they spoke to the first designers interested (a few of whom were planning on showing during Amsterdam Fashion Week in January anyway) more people become enthusiastic and new ideas kept coming. And so for four months straight it was like a M-ODE roller coaster for Iris and Peter. Apart from fashion shows at the Westergasfabriek – with Bas Kosters’ show on Saturday evening being the biggest spectacle – there are lots of sustainable activities organized. Like workshops, a clothing exchange market, readings and a sustainable fashion route leading consumers to workspaces and (pop-up) shops. Not just the Westergasfabriek, but VondelCS and het Bos en Lommerplein have their own activities organized as well.

If you’d look at the schedule you’d hardly believe that M-ODE didn’t even start as an event hosting initiative. Supporting/coaching young fashion entrepreneurs for at least one and a maximum of three years, teaching them about the right balance between creativity, finance and the importance of collaborating, that is what Iris and Peter had in mind in the first place. A wonderful initiative that is off to a good start with a great first week filled with events . Stay tuned for more M-ODE updates on our Instagram, Facebook and blog.

We Make M-ODE, 20 t/m 24 juni, Amsterdam

 

 

Jef Montes Tormenta Paris Catwalkshow & Presentation

Collection Tormenta is Jef Montes’ first international presentation and Paris debut during the International Art Fair. The collection consists of thirty creations and a material installation. Collection Tormenta is inspired by the maritime industry. Tormenta means Storm in Spanish and the collection exploits Jef’s family heritage with their love for ships. He studied materials that are used in the process to build ships. Materials like nylon, brass, carbon and fibre-glass were used to create technical fabrics. Jef’s grandfather gabriel inspired him to create the dessins for Tormenta. When he was younger he worked on several ships in the south of Spain catching sharks. A few years ago he gave Jef a miniature ship that he handcrafted out of wood. Jef got inspired and that meant the beginning of Tormenta.
Like a ship caught in the storm, Jef designs materials that arise and develop like a storm around the body. Through technical fabrics that take on a new dimension, the essence of the collection is captured in the material installation. Sustainability plays an important role in the p[rocess of Jef’s projects. For Tormenta, several creations from previous projects are further developed and recreated.
Jef Montes is a Dutch designer, whose work balances between the borders of fashion and art.

Backstage at Fabienne Chapot SS2018-show

Take a look backstage at the show of Fabienne Chapot, collection SS2018.

Fabienne Chapot Catwalk Fashion Show SS2018

Move over avocado, it’s time for the papaya to shine and take over as it-veggie! That is, if you leave it up to Fabienne Chapot and her design team. For SS2018 they decided it was all about papaya’s. An exotic story starting as soon as the guests received their papaya-themed invite. On Wednesday night the story unfolded at a show venue completely turned into a sixties style garden party. An entrance covered in papaya print and rainbow colored stairs sure got everyone in the mood for some cocktails, watermelon and jelly pudding. And as all guests took their seats a little later it really actually felt as if we were witnessing a Beverly Hills hotel scene from 1957 and we could almost feel the Hollywood heat (so those papaya printed fans on our seats came in handy).

Fashion wise the collection was everything you’d want a summer collection to be. Colorful, effortless and super feminine. Loose blouses, maxi dresses, wide pants and cropped jackets in the mix. Soft and silk fabrics were embroidered with papaya shaped beads, palm leaves, citrus shapes, lobsters and exotic flowers. Signature items which were even featured on the matching jacquard loafers. Silhouettes were flowy and sexy yet sophisticated, a uncovered shoulder here, a bare back there. Colorful high heels, statement bags (in the shape of tropical fish or shelves), bold sunnies and crazy hairdos topped it all off.

And as we headed back home we thought about that SS2018 Fabienne Chapot girl that got in her car, headed West and gazed outside. It might have been rainy in Amsterdam, but we imagined ourselves out on the warm open road at sundown, driving 60 miles per hour with all four windows down, feeling the wind in our hair and the Hollywood heat on our skin.

Esmay Hijmans + TRINHBECX LAB Fashion Week Amsterdam SS2017

What happens in room 237, doesn’t stay in room 237. Cause we were all invited tonight, by designer Esmay Hijmans (started as intern at Mattijs van Bergen). Her newest collection is based on the movie The Shining and happening in a dark surreal world where night creatures come alive. What happens between dream and reality? ‘The dark night of the soul is a journey into the light, where she becomes a tender dreamer with an artistic freedom.’ This collection was inspired by fashion photographer Guy Bourdin’s seventies inspired dark glamour. Which means a lot of black, black and black. Feminine womenswear and comfy couture with a bedroom/evening dressing feel to it. We saw some white silky jumpsuits, silk trousers, narrow tops with flared sleeves and lingerie inspired finishing touches like embroidered moths, butterflies, flowers, beads and sequins. And who’s daring enough to wear the black bra with off-shoulder flowy sleeves attached to it?

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The label started by Tung Trinh en Tim Becx, both coming from ArtEZ Hogeschool van de Kunsten Arnhem, first participated in the Global Denim Awards before entering the actual fashion arena here in Amsterdam. This saturday they showed their SS17 collection called ‘Drift’, named after the 1960’s sculptures of British artist Philip King. A big pink paper roll covered the runway, creating a colourful backdrop. And it got even more exciting from the bubbly music beat from Jessy Lanza’s ‘It means I love you’. It was a perfect match with a collection that was all about the sensual balance between masculinity and femininity. Cause where is the border? You probably won’t find the solid answer here on the catwalk, neither do you find it somewhere else, cause it’s all up to you. You decide. But these two young designers will definitely help you shaping your thoughts on this matter, by using heavy shapes, straightforward and oversized silhouettes, extravagant fabrics and quirky volumes that emphasize or negate the conventional ideal of the body. Time to reconsider the definition of male and female. Men wearing a pink patent leather trench, why not? A woman showing off her boxer over her sagging pants? Sure do. And we couldn’t keep our eyes of the ankle length black coat with slits so high up you may want to train your bum a little bit more next time you hit the gym.

ArtEZ Graduation Show 2016

It’s time for Graduation-shows again. The fashion department of Academy of Fine Arts in Arnhem (ArtEZ) kicked off with a big show, followed later this month by others. This year 24 students graduated at the Academy in Arnhem, and they presented their collection in the Elektrum in Arnhem. Among them are two graduates which are nominated for the Frans Molenaarprijs 2016: Johannes Offerhaus and Liesbeth Sterkenburg. Two other students will represent ArtEZ during Lichting 2016 which show will take place july 7th, Ailene of Elmpt and Johanna Bas Backer.
Other designers are participating in international contests. Laudy Verschuren, Boaz van Doornik and Maartje Janse (alumna from 2015) were nominated for the Mittelmoda Fashion Award 23rd Edition in Italy. Alissa Nicolai and Max Beets are selected for the Apolda European Design Award in 2017, a fashion contest that takes place in Germany once every 3 years

All graduates will show their collections in an exhibition about ArtEZ Finals 2016 in Arnhem from june 29th till july 3rd during the ArtEZ Finals exhibition in the Rietveld building at Onderlangs 9 in Arnhem.
Here are the highlights of the show and groupshots of all the collections.

Liselore Frowijn Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear FW2016

Let’s hear it for the Lions is the theme of Dutch designer Liselore Frowijn’s collection for fall 2016. Art has been an important source of inspiration in het work and for this collection Liselore Frowijn would like to give a big shout out to all feminine artists making a change and showing  a different perspective. The collection is an homage to all  strong women who are living or have been living in this world, with Niki de St. Phalle as a muse. The beautiful round volumes this artist created with her Nana’s together with the energetic and edgy approach the women Frowijn admires have towards life formed an inspiration to this collection.

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