Elise Kim Preview Amsterdam Fashion Week

Today we will start a new series of previews of fashion-collections as an appetizer for the coming Amsterdam Fashion Week. We will start with designer Elise Kim.

Of course we will write and post our review after the official show or presentation plus photos of the complete collection. We’ll keep you posted!

Elise Kim will show her fall/winter 2012/2013 collection on Thursday 26 January at 06.00 PM. She spoke with us about her brand new collection which is all about the moment we fall asleep…

Time
“The collection is already finished, so we can be quite relaxed. I always make sure I’m right on schedule with my work; I am a real planner. Besides, I got a little help too from one intern, and two seamstresses.”

Amsterdam Fashion Week
“This is going to be my third collection. I am very glad to be able to show my work during Amsterdam Fashion Week. If Grazia had not supported me I should have held a smaller show. I hope that through this show people will get to know my work better. I hope it will result in some extra publicity and maybe, just maybe, some extra sale points. Yet this won’t happen so easily, since my clothes are pretty expensive. In Paris, where I will go in March, I will probably do better.”

Inspiration
“Epiphenomenon is the theme of this collection. It’s the first part of a trilogy. I will show the second and third part in my upcoming collection. It’s all about the fragmentation of reality at the moment you’re starting to fall asleep. The collection will be an abstraction of the moment in which you loose sense of collateral things. You move into another dimension.”

Looks
“The theme of the collection is visible in every single one of the 30 looks. It will be translated through (pretty vague) music, the use of fabric and my choice of colors. For instance the order of the clothes will represent the phases from being awake to falling asleep; from dreamy and soft to tough and real.”

Colors
“Shades of blue, deep blue, black, nude and black again will represent the phase you go through from being awake to falling asleep as well. The nude stands for the moment right before you fall asleep and wake up just a little bit.”

Materials
“I used silk, cotton, leather and a special kind of wool, which doesn’t even look like it comes from sheep, cause it’s so long. New for me is the knitwear I used, for instance on a long knitted dress. I also created my very first own print at the Textielmuseum in Tilburg. It’s a kind of feather print, printed on white silk.”

Women
“I make clothes for women who know what they want and who stand for quality. I would love to see women like Carice van Houten or Anne Hatthaway wear my clothes, but then again I’m flattered by every single woman who puts on my designs.”

Photography: Jeannette Huisman@Team Peter Stigter

Dutch Fashion Awards 2011 (part 2)

In half an hour the very first guests will arrive and the award show can start. We already spoke to the designers backstage, who all seem to be pretty nervous. Apparently the international judges gave them a hard time during their presentations. But let’s see that as a good sign, ‘ cause those Dutch Fashion Awards are not just handed out for fun, right?

Below you can find a preview of all the collections of the five Dutch designers.

Hyun Yeu, Ado Les Scents

Korean born and raised designer Hyun Yeu is, despite his first nomination, not nervous at all today. ,,Now it’s just waiting for the moment. I’m not really worrying, it comes when it comes.“ He might seem relaxed, but the designer is definitely aware of the other opponents. ,,It’s a presteges award and there are some strong designers nominated. But we’ll see what happens.” Tonight Yeu will show us what he has made so far for his menswear label ‘Ado les scent’, five years of Hyun Yeu, and a sneekpeak of his new collection for next season. He already showed the judges. ,,I had a tough time, they had some good points. I’m still learning.” Yet despite the critics, he’s still positive about tonight. ,,I’m just enjoying the moment.”

Joline Jolink

This year it’s different. I’m feeling more confident now”, tells nominee Joline Jolink, while she’s working backstage. For the second time the designer is nominated for a Dutch Fashion Award, and she feels great. ,,I have a good businessplan and my collection has been growing.” Showing her collection in front of the judges today was still a tough moment though. ,,At that moment I was definitely shaking (laughs). They were quite harsh for me, I must admit.” Tonight Joline will show us her new collection inspired by Jane Goodall, an English antropologist, who lived in the jungle, which we can see in her collection. ,,You will see a lot of jungle details and some poppy colours and cloudy details, which stands for the haze.” After a few weeks of hard work Jolink is a bit tired of all the tension, but no worries there for tonight. ,,When the show starts I will probably get a huge energy boost.”

Marcha Hüskes

Her designs are all about functionality and fit. She designed a few little black dresses with some funky details in gold and orange. They look simple and minimalistic, yet never boring. Marcha: “I mostly designs dresses, cause I think they’re a neverending source of inspiration.”

Conny Groenewegen

Conny not only designed clothes, she came up with a fabulous collection of shoes as well. The shoes, shown on the runway tonight, will be sold at several Sacha stores in the Netherlands from the 5th of November. Quite an accomplishment, we think. Conny’s designs are, like she says, very pure. She mixed sheer fabrics with heavy materials. But enough said, it’s showtime!

Erik Frenken, Avelon

While he’s busy getting his models ready for the rehearsal, there was still time to relax and laugh for Avelons Erik Frenken. ,,I’m feeling okay now. Showing the judges was a bit of a stressful moment, I mean, they’re not just somebody.” It was a tough moment standing there, he says. ,,At that moment you have to present your collection to so many people, it’s difficult to say everything right while you’re so stressed.” But Frenken is feeling confident and is not afraid to say he might win tonight. ,,About the award, we immediately tought: let’s do this. We’re at this point that we think we can make it internationally.” And what if he wins tonight… ,,There will be a huge party!” And what about the not so bad money prize attached to it? ,, Of course we will invest in our brand. For instance the interior of our shops. And we want to find a good PR- agency to promote our business.”

Preview AIFW – Jan Boelo SS2012

It will be Jan Boelo’s first time to show during Amsterdam Fashion Week and from what he tells us, it will be a show to remember.

Long Nights
With just a few days left until his show Jan Boelo and his team are working late every day. “I’m finishing the collection with three other people and I’m getting some help from friends and family. It’s usually not until 2 or 3 a.m. that we stop working and go to bed. But I’m making sure I have one more relaxed day before the show, so I wouldn’t be all tired and stressed out on Sunday.”

Jan’s collection (it’s the second collection he has made) will exist of men- and womenswear. “The biggest part will be womenswear, but there’s a small menswear section as well. All together we will present about 26 looks.”

Inspiration
“Those looks are inspired by the late seventies. It’s all about the rise & fall of punk and glam rock. There will be a lot of leather and chains. Almost anything in the collection will be shiny. The fit will be tight, but there are loose pants too and I stressed some of the shoulders. It will feel like Alexis herself (from Dynasty) walks into the room.”

Fabrics
“We got a special kind of denim from Italy and we had our leather custom made in an Italian factory. I personally went there this spring to make a selection of the leather I wanted to use.”

Rock ’n Roll
“Since I’m a big Rock ’n Roll fan; I translated this to the collection. Songs from bands like The Sex Pistols and Patti Smith inspired me. The soundtrack of the show is going to be very rock ’n roll too. It will be a pretty fierce mix, made by Tim Holland.”

Jan has already convinced Dutch rock singer/actress Ellen ten Damme of his talent (she wore his clothes to several official events) so we’re very curious to see what everyone else thinks of his designs.

Jan Boelo will show his collection on Sunday 17 July at 3 p.m.

Preview AIFW – SIS by Spijkers en Spijkers SS2012

This upcoming edition of the Amsterdam International Fashion Week the twins sisters Riet en Truus Spijkers will be the first to show their  SIS collection. We spoke to the sisters about this new collection and what kind of story they will be telling during the opening event.

“We’re very excited to be part of the opening show this season. For us that’s even better than just doing a regular fashion show. It results in a lot of media attention, which is one of the reasons we decided to show during Amsterdam Fashion Week. More media coverage results in more requests for our collection and that’s always good.”

It’s only one year ago that Spijkers en Spijkers launched it’s little sister SIS, yet so far the new line is doing great. “We are getting applications for the collections from abroad as well. SIS is now being sold in countries like Italy, Japan and Australia.”

As for the new summer collection we can expect nothing but summery/sunny clothing. “The collection is sunny, optimistic and a little naughty. The theme is Bain du Soleil. Again it will have some twenties references, which we also used in our music. The soundtrack will be modern but with a definite twenties twist.”

Like in every collection the sisters chose a certain woman as their female muse for the collection. “This time Olympic swimmer Zus Braun gave the designers their inspiration. Due to that the collection has some slightly sporty details in it, but mostly done in a very feminine way.”

“The clothes will have a tight fit and come in colors like rose, pistachio, amber and nautical blue. There are some bright Au Bain de Soleil prints as well. We used cotton, crêpe de chine and some very comfy jerseys. It’s just a fun collection, so we’re very much looking forward to the show.”

SIS by Spijkers en Spijkers will be shown on Wednesday evening 13 July at 6.30 p.m.

Preview AIFW – Quoc Thang SS2012

With his new collection of menswear (Quoc Thang has been making menswear for the past 1,5 years) Quoc Thang is about to head into a whole new direction. It will be his third time presenting his collection during Amsterdam International Fashion Week and he couldn’t be more excited.

AIFW
“Presenting my work during fashion week is a great way to reach a big audience. Perhaps it doesn’t directly result in making a lot of money, but artistically it’s the right thing to do.”

Adventurer
Thang’s new collection tells the story of an adventurer defying cold area’s in search of security and safety. “It’s called A Place Over There (Een Plek Daarginds in Dutch) and – like all my collections so far – it has something to do with the vulnerability and transitory of life. My inspiration comes from conversations, exhibitions and every day things. I always write things down.”

Shades & fabrics
“The new collection is pretty silent when it comes to color. We used multiple blues and greys and a touch of green here and there. The designs are made of fabrics like high tech nylon and wool. We also used a waxed cotton, which we’re very proud of since it’s hard to get.”

Changes
“Everything will be completely different; our strategy, our philosophy and the way we built up the collection. We used the 3 x 3 x 3 concept, based on the idea of a pair of pants, a top and a jacket.” It might sound somewhat vague right now, but according to Thang everyone will immediately be able to see the changes he made during the show.

Thang’s motivation to head into this new direction seems reasonable: “We noticed the big audience wasn’t really getting our collections when we showed them. We – and I think fashion in general – are ready for something new.”

And with just a few days ahead before the show Quoc Thang couldn’t be more prepared. “Our collection is completely ready, so we’re not worrying about time. I’ve done this a few times now so I now the ropes.”

Quoc Thang will present his collection on Saturday 16 July at 6 p.m.

Amsterdam International Fashion Week Preview: Elsien Gringhuis FW2011

Elsien Gringhuis took her inspiration for her fall winter 2011 collection from the Dutch countryside, with it’s endless view, clear fields and lots of wind. She called her collection ‘One of these days’, after a Pink Floyd song. Giving away a bit of the ominous feeling this seeming fresh collection has.

For her 18 different looks Elsien used natural materials like hand painted silk, bamboo and wool and opted for colors like black, white, green and (light) blue.

For this new collection she focused more on the wearability of her designs. She also developed her way of pattern making. ‘I challenge myself trying to use the minimal amount of parts for my patterns, maybe one or two’, Elsien said. ‘I also tried to give the collection more of an airy feeling then I did with other collection.’

Elsien’s favorite outfit of her new collection is a silk jumpsuit.

Amsterdam International Fashion Week Preview: Sage & Ivy FW2011

The young fashion label Sage & Ivy will not be part of the official Amsterdam Fashion Week schedule, yet it’s show on the 28th of January is definitely a must-see. Designer for Sage & Ivy Alexia van Engelen chose to give her fashion show at the Felix Meritus center in Amsterdam. ‘I really wanted the show area to contribute to the feeling of my collection. I only have about ten minutes to explain to everyone what I’ve been working on for half a year, so I want everything to be in line with what I have to say.’

Alexia used St. Petersburg as an inspiration for her new winter collection. ‘You’ll see looks inspired by Russian costumes and folklore. I played with volume and alternated different materials and colors’, Alexia explained.

In the collection light colors like white, soft grey, lavender grey, moss green are used as well as shades of black, silver and gold. Alexia came up with some great outerwear for winter like a cape and a coat of faux fur and mohair. ‘We also used stretch satin and a tweed with threads of gold. Most items are great for winter, but on some of the designs you might wanna put an extra cardigans’, she says.

As well as all of the designs Alexia gave the collection. The words ‘My Beating Heart’ therefore will be visible in different ways throughout the collection. ‘I chose this name, because for this collection I stayed very true to my heart; I listened to myself. I used the name My Beating Heart on a body of gauze, on the sleeve of a sweater and on a belt’, Alexia says.

The collection will exist of 19 looks, which will all be accessorized by some amazing vintage jewelery Alexia got to borrow from someone in her family. ‘That lady had tons of great jewelry and was very cosmopolitan; the jewelry will really add something special to the looks in the show.’

Alexia’s favorite look is one of the three evening dresses of the collection, called Anastasia: ‘It’s a dress made from organza with a baroque fit. The sleeves and the skirt have a lot of volume and the body is very tight.’

A trend Alexia predicts for next fall is a mix of light, transparent fabrics, heavy knitwear and rich fabrics like jacquard.

The music of the Sage & Ivy show will be a clash between an old song from the band Black Cat and a new one, Runaway from Kanye West. We’re looking forward to hearing that mix and seeing the collection. Everything already looks promising.

Photograpy: Jon Loek @ Team Peter Stigter

Amsterdam International Fashion Week Preview: Tony Cohen FW2011

Tony Cohen usually presents his new collection during New York Fashion Week, yet this year he decided to give a fashion show in Amsterdam. ‘One of the new owners of the Amsterdam International Fashion Week is a friend of mine, that’s the main reason I will be present. I also think it will be great for my friends and family to finally attend one of my shows’, Tony told us.

His new collection was inspired by the couture of the sixties. ‘Especially some of my new jackets were inspired by that period. Yet we also looked at Gugenheim for all the different materials and textures. You’ll definitely see those textures in the collection too, as well as very fluent shapes.’

While Tony usually works a lot with asymmetry in his collections, that’s not the case right now. ‘The silhouette is very clean and straight this time, therefore the collection feels more classic than usual, yet it still has a very modern twist.’

Tony used a lot of ‘muted tones’ for fall, like black, grey, taupe, red, deep purple, gold and copper. His fabrics range from wool to silk, lammy, leather, Japanese polyester and handmade fabrics. The music for Tony’s show will be a mix of music by Thom Yorke, Massive Attack and God is an Astronaut.

‘We still have to do a lot of work. Many designs of the 30 looks have handmade details like embroideries and handmade pleats, so they take some time. If I had to describe the collection in one word I would therefore call it detailed’, Tony says.

With one week left till the fashion show and still a lot of activities abroad Tony already predicts he’ll be working the night before the show: ‘We only start putting everything together next Saturday, so it will be hectic, but fun.’

Photography: Jeannette Huisman@Team Peter Stigter

Amsterdam International Fashion Week Preview: Bas Kosters FW2011

We have one week to go till the Amsterdam International Fashion Week starts. So to get you in the right mood for all the great Dutch fashion you’re going to see next week, we will present you some previews of the collections of several Dutch designers. We kick off with rebel designer Bas Kosters, who will show on Thursday evening, the 27^th of January.

Bas Kosters has had a lot on his mind these past weeks. Besides putting his collection together he is busy with some other projects as well, including a new commercial job, which we will hear more about soon. Yet despite the rush Bas is pretty calm: ‘The days I was finishing my collections in the middle of the night are in the past. Now I make sure I rest when I need to, otherwise things get out of control. And there’s really no need in wearing yourself out, cause at the day of the show you still have to be presentable (you have to talk to the press and you’ll get photographed).’

And Bas is right on schedule, cause the biggest part of the collection, inspired by mutants, is done. For those of you who’ve seen Bas’ show at the Dutch Fashion Awards, this – indeed – is the same collection, yet expanded. ‘The collection we’re going to show during the AIFW is more prêt-à-porter. For the Dutch Fashion Awards we were in hurry, we finished the collection (of 15 items) in three weeks. This time everything is far more balanced. Plus, we’ve added five menswear looks.’

According to Bas this collection is very different from what we’ve seen before. ‘The last couple of collections were very dark, this time we brought back the color. We also used some new techniques. For instance, we used special painting techniques and we used screen prints and digital prints.’

Bas continues: ‘The collection will also be more refined and there will be more shape in the designs. My favorite look is one of the outfits from the finale. It’s a dress made from silk pastel strips and when the model walks in it, it moves beautifully.’

Like almost everything Bas works on next week’s show will definitely not be your average fashion show. He promises a great spectacle and we sure can’t wait to see what he’s got in stores for us…

Photographer: Jeannette Huisman@Team Peter Stigter

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