Dutch designers shine in Paris

Paris is for many young fashion-designers still the place to be during the international fashionweek. They hope editors and stylists find a little hole in their schedule and visit their showroom and presentation. Well, it was certainly worth visiting Esther Dorhout Mees at the Totem showroom at 6, avenue Delcassé in Paris. Her feminine and conceptual style is still there, this time reminding of a aquarel painting.

Two other designers who presented their latest designs were Lotte van Dijk and Klaudia Stavevra,the 18th generation of the fashion design master of ArtEZ University of the Arts Arnhem. At Atelier Néerlandais they showed their highly personal visions on the future of fashion and femininity.

Lotte van Dijk (the Netherlands) based her collection on the way painters depict textiles. The bold and striking brushstrokes of Marlene Dumas inspired van Dijk to start her process by painting large images of garments including floral dresses, denim pieces, lace gowns and army coats. These paintings were used to create her
bold silhouettes, painted on top of the final garments or translated into jacquards.
Oversized, easy shapes in combinations of jacquards with plastic, canvas or tarpaulin are manipulated by belts, gathering towards the body, or by folding the big darts outside. Lotte is nominated for Hyeres 2017.

Klaudia Stavreva (Macedonia) presented her collection BOSSTVRVA. Inspired by the Sworn Virgins of Albania – women who assume the life and rights of a man, vowing not to marry or have children – she proposed a new, inverted way of power dressing – both sensual and strong. Modified garments, shapes and embellishments reference classic menswear, work wear, military dress, and Macedonian folkloric dress. Luxurious detailing, embellishment and fabrics clash beautifully with the hard signature menswear references.

Dorhout Mees Catwalk Fashion Show MBFWA FW2015

On the closing night of Amsterdam Fashion Week Esther Dorhout Mees decided to do things differently. Not just a straightforward catwalk show, but the loveliest of settings. The show area all cozied up by hundreds of light bulbs, an orchestra in the back. Stages is the name of her ninth collection, for which Esther got inspired by declined and decayed circuses. Old, ruinous theaters in which applause can be heard as a far away echo against the worn out walls (translated through beautiful colored prints). Decline, velvet, broken concrete, handmade shoes; a collection of contrasts in both shape and form. Two of the many fascinating dresses had sheer tops and dip dyed knitted skirts. Another one had tons of deep blue velvet dots attached to it. Waists were extremely small, sleeves puffy, shoes towering high. The final four looks were made out of a stunning shiny fabric which made it possible to create 3D applications. ‘This moment, contains all moments’ – CS Lewis

Dorhout Mees Catwalk Fashion Show FW14

Passage is the name of Dorhout Mees’ seventh collection. A collection meant for vulnerable yet powerful women based on organic forms and contrasts in material, colors and prints. Inspiration for prints and accessories came from wood and bark. Esther Dorhout Mees also presented her fourth shoe-collection, this time inspired by pieces of wood and made by 3D-print-technique. Take a peek at this beautiful show.

Esther Dorhout-Mees Fashion Week Amsterdam FW2014

Esther Dorhout Mees showed her seventh collection at Fashion Week Amsterdam. The collection ‘Passage’ consists of powerful designer pieces with organic forms in contrast with sharply hard contours. The underlying inspiration is the parallel with our human life. Mees merges apparent contradictions in a perfect symbiosis. Smooth and shiny fabrics are gracefully combined with rough textures. Even cracks in trees are reflected in the pattern pieces. The clean, straight lines of pants and tops contrast with voluminous folds and flowing dresses. In the knitwear we see this vulnerability and strength woven into each piece.