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.