Frans Molenaar Prijs 2009 Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

Today Dewi Sarah Pfeiffer, Jimmy Paul, Dido Yland and Hyun Yeu showed their collections at the Frans Molenaar Prijs 2009. Hyun Yeu won the price.

Lichting 2009 Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

By Ivo Wiermans

Lichting 2009 presented the best of each of the 7 Dutch fashion academies: Nathanya Zwart, Erna Einarsdottir, Ratna Ho, Ireneo Ciammella, Kai Salomon, malousebastiaan, Joran de Kok, Bregje Cox, Liesbeth van Gemeren, Aida Saracini, Ann Boogaerts, Marina Krunic, Twan Meijerink and Manon Boertien. Ann Boogaerts won the G-Star Raw Talent Award, a price worth 10.000 euro.
Lichting 2009 turned out to be one of the most spectacular catwalk shows during this season’s Amsterdam Fashion Week. Lichting is a unique platform founded to fill the gap between Dutch fashion academies’ most promising students and the professional fashion industry.
This season’s Lichting show covered the collections of 14 students, 2 of every fashion academy and was sponsored by G-Star Raw. The best designer won a price worth 10.000 euros and a trip to G-Star’s presentation at NYC Fashion Week. Ann Boogaerts of ArteZ won the G-Star Raw Talent Award.
A panel, consisting 4 of Europe’s most important fashion professionals (Wendy Dagworthy, co-founder of London Fashion Week, Garance Doré, writer and photographer, Susanna Lau, editor of Dazed & Confused and Lucas Ossendrijver, designer for Lanvin Homme) chose Boogaarts as best young designer.
All collections captured of-the-moment elements in global fashion. Like the pastel color gradients and oversized pieces with focus on shape. Also deconstruction, showed by studded and bead-covered outfits. Some collections looked like chaotic outfits made from ripped, cut and draped materials.
The best collections were the ones that were least on-fashion, showing something new. Like Ratna Ho’s collection, inspired by the ugliness of tribal tattoos, which resulted in curvy pantyhoses, pleated skirts and tops made of see-through materials. Designer-duo Malousebastiaan chose to use a round shape which doesn’t have a start or finishing point. Round curves were translated into blown-up silhouettes and dresses looked like they were grown organically.
Bregje Cox was inspired by big cities’ super structures and rare etnical images. Cut-open dresses and big mirror elements looked like Asian symbols or an aerial road map.
Manon Boertien used her positive memories of religion and spirituality and sunlight reflecting crystals as inspiration. The outfits in bold shapes and facet-like prints looked truly happy and positive.
Although each member of the panel praised the collections for their high quality, young Belgian designer Ann Boogaerts from ArtEZ was happy to receive the award. Her collection was inspired by Belgian royalty and Dutch artists like Mondrian. There were beautiful geometrical shaped dresses in bright colors like yellow and red. Fine embroidery and stylish hair and shoes made the outfits look royal-worthy. The Dutch national anthem played during the show. Boogaerts seemed to be proud of her being a young Dutch designer.

Daryl van Wouw Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

By Ivo Wiermans
Daryl van Wouw’s spring summer collection for 2010 offered his usual key-items: the one-shouldered shirts, sweat dresses, hoodies and other sportswear inspired items. Prints were graffiti-like, dominant colors were white, grey and black, with accents of lime and fuchsia.
For this collection Daryl van Wouw got inspired by the game itself. The many squares on a board game were translated into braided shawls and tops and at the end of the show into bold 3-dimensional cube dresses. Although the clothes looked sporty, there was something chic and exotic about this collection as well. Like the many fringes, converted into exotic bright-colored turbans or shirts turned into scarfs. Jackets and dresses made of layered black leather looked exquisite and took Daryl’s street fashion to a next level.
Some good old Levi’s were added to the outfits as well. The jeans (some in shocking lime) were ripped, deconstructed, torn apart and some inventively used as a jacket. Daryl en Levi’s turned out to be a perfect match.
The accessories were cheerful and elegant. Board game coins were used as bracelets and shiny earrings, creating an almost African look. There was also tribute to the late King of Pop: white socks and glitter shoes! ‘Beat it!’ seemed to be Daryl’s message for hard times to come.
Wonder how one can combine so many elements into a cohesive collection? Daryl knows how to play the game!

AMFI Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

By Ivo Wiermans
Students of Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI) showed their seventh collection for the school’s label Individuals. The young designers presented a collection called LaLaLa. A title that perfectly described a series of fascinating pieces.
Besides the prints with LaLaLa, it was a collection with a true LaLaLa attitude. Strong and soft looking outfits were mixed, there were sharp looking artisanal white jackets with big shoulders. Some were knee-long, looking beautifully powerful. The Margiela-esque corsets made of leather ice-skateshoes in skin colors were attached to soft shirts, or mixed with skirts creating a confident look without being too severe. The golden leggings looked like armor All pieces were in soft colors – eggshell, skin, off-white – which gave the strong outfits an air of lightness.Sheer tops and pleated blouses covered more rigid pieces, making the outfits look not too serious. Evening dresses looked elegant, due to flowing materials. This collection proved that  hard-edge fashion can be comfortable and fragile at the same time.

Cold Method Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

By Ivo Wiermans

A sharp looking suit, a well-fitted shirt, or the perfect jeans: a modern man can’t live without these essentials. Basic items he can easily mix for different events and which are fashionproof. Mark Ainsworth and Alex Jansen understood the power of basic, regarding their spring summer collection for Cold Method. The collection brought us the 9 aesthetics of a men’s wardrobe: T-shirt, shirt, suit, pants, jacket, sweatshirt, jeans, accesories and CM2 (cosmetics and other products to complete the Cold Method lifestyle).
The show started with a very James Bond worthy dark suit. More suits followed in soft colors like beige and white. Single blazers were casually mixed with printed shirts, shorts and sneakers. Even from a distance one could see the perfect tailoring and the outstanding quality of the materials. Sporty outfits looked perfect for a summer’s boat trip, proved by a double-breasted coat and some jackets in icy blue or sunny orange. See-through v-neck sweaters and fine woven cardigans in soft colors looked as comfortable as nightwear.
The collection got even more relaxed, when taking a closer look to the pants. These were straight fitted, sometimes even baggy. The designers of Cold Method seem to be sure about one thing: slim-fit is over.

Ilja Visser Backstage SS10

It’s always fun being backstage watching the models transform from ordinary girls into real women. It’s a real tough job getting them ready in time, but you can leave that to the Redken & Mabelline-team. And did you see those eyelashes?

Ilja Visser Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

Ilja Visser is growing fast. Instead of one collection, she has three different lines she presented during the first day of AIFW: Ilja (couture) , Ready to Fish (business line) and Valizz (affordable fashion). All collections have that relaxed, fluid silouet and a soft color-palet. Next year she will open her first boutique in Amsterdam. Valizz looked very wearable and commercial with soft pastels, fluid fabrics and easy pieces like simple jackets, jeans and wide trousers. Ready to wear consisted of dresses, jackets and skirts in softer colors and faded prints. Couture by Ilja is extreme volume in dresses but also pieces in summer-tweed.

Front row at Badgley Mischka and Ilja Visser

Mexx by EnD Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

A collaboration between EnD by Eva and Delia and Mexx Europe bv marks the beginning of bold new moves for this international fashion brand. Mexx asked the EnD-duo to remix ten seasonal looks from Mexx, to be produced in the style of EnD. This collaboration is an experiment in ‘Mexxing’ things up, twisting the traditional and corrupting what is classic in fashion. Set aside the make-up – why did the models looked like clowns? – a Mexx-collection never looked so spicy and streetwise. Especially the graphic effects the ladies created by putting different fabrics and color together. It worked with the opening outfit (miniskirt & sweater), elegant tops and a sporty dress, but the knee length skirts and other dresses need some reworking. They looked frumpy and didn’t do anything good for the girls. As an experiment it worked out rather well.

Elsien Gringhuis Catwalk Fashion Show SS10

It was Elsien Gringhuis’ first  show at the Amsterdam Fashion Week that she presented individually. Gringhuis studied at Artez in Arnhem and works for G-Star at the moment. What she showed at AIFW looks rather strict, with a clean cut silhouette, straight lines, minimal and very constructed. ‘Focus’ was her theme, a collection about all the stress and chaos we have to got through all day and the need to focus. Although it’s not certain she will produce her collection – because she is still looking for ateliers – you can buy a real Gringhuis soon at the Hema. The designer won the Hema-designcontest with her raincoat made of biological cotton and rubber coating.

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