Bas Kosters over zijn Chinese afvaltechnieken.

Interview met Bas Kosters tijdens de AIFW. Bas verteld over hoe hij is afgevallen.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/13430014[/vimeo]

Bas Kosters: Freedom Collection

There was something new about Bas Kosters’ womenswear-collection for 2010. The dresses, pants and coats he showed yesterday at Paradiso in Amsterdam seemed more refined, happier and free. His previous collections always had a hint of anger, protest and cartoons, but somehow Bas took a few steps forward now. What he showed yesterday was wearable, beautiful in his own way and colorful. It made us laugh, feel happy and reminded us of our careless childhood-moments. The colors! That glitter! The clogs! The signature Kosters-prints! It felt like a serious ready to wear-collection. And he really made us forget that nasty crisis.

Bas Kosters at AIFW 2009

Bas talks little about piercings, a little about anarchism, and how much he looks forward to being with his boyfriend again.

M-ODE Amsterdam: Thursday Recap

After M-ODE kicked off on Wednesday we had a busy fashion filled day ahead on Thursday. At one o’clock in the afternoon it was Merel van Glabbeek (an her namesake womenswear label founded in 2015) who held the first fashion show as part of the many M-ODE fashion events this week. She presented her collection “Plan-B”. What happens when our world becomes inhabitable? Then there’s a plan B. Humanity will colonize mars. And so plan B was a collection full of experiment, opportunities and dreams. With reused materials (that make Merel such a good match for M-ODE), digital prints, striped and a padded fabric. Merel combined heavy and light materials in a colour palette of blacks, (midnight) blues and orange. See the gallery below.

After Merel van Glabbeek we paid a visit to Bas Kosters “Waste to Want” pop up atelier a few doors further. Here Bas and his team are holding their office for a few days to finish his new collection. For this collection Bas is re-using second hand clothes (collected after Kingsday’s flea markets) and turning them into his signature designs. Designs he’ll be showing on Saturday night during his big catwalk show at the Zuiveringshal. Expect a lot of color, costumes and craziness! Bas as we know him, but even more sustainable this time around.

Ajbilou Rosdorff surprised us later that afternoon when she had a group of Vogue dancers presenting her latest collection. Their moves, their looks and the loud music made everyone in the audience go wild. And although we might have been a little distracted by the crazy dancing the clothes sure looked bad-ass too.

A intimate presentation by HACKED by_ (founded as an answer to the constant overproduction in fashion) was our final stop for the day. Even before their international launch in Paris (the next day) designers Alexander van Slobbe en Francisco van Benthum presented their vision, way of working and their latest collaborations with ASN Bank and H&M at M-ODE. They showed their latest designs and spoke of their way of upcycling; showing their ideas on how the lavish fashion system can be changed from the inside.

An inspiring day it was. In terms of fashion as well as sustainability. Such great, green ideas, so much creativity. It’s hard to even imagine fashion (shows, week) without the sustainability mindset. This should (could?) be the standard. We’re excited to see what M-ODE and their designers/initiatives have in stores for us the next few days. Stay tuned!

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

 

 

Political Runway Catwalk Fashion Show MBFWA SS2018

If there ever was a stereotypical model, that type is complete lost by now. The opening show, Das Leben am Haverkamp sure set the mood for the rest of the week, so we’ve seen all types of people sporting the latest designs on the Amsterdam runway this week. At Politcal Catwalk 2017 politicians walked the walk, one eye brow colored, wearing pieces created by around twenty youngsters with the help of designers like Sepehr Maghsoudi and Bas Kosters. Those politicians included Gerolf Bouwmeester, (current Gemeenteraadslid Amsterdam and future major Heusden), Arda Gerkens (Eerste Kamerlid) Suzanne Kröger (Tweede Kamerlid), Sadnra Doevendans (Provinciale Staten), Ilana Rooderkerk (Stadsdeelraad Amsterdam West), Marja Ruigrok (Gemeenteraadslid Amsterdam), Kirsten van den Hul (Tweede Kamerlid), Michel Rog (Tweede Kamerlid), Diederik Boomsma (Gemeenteraadslid Amsterdam) and Femke Roosma (Gemeenteraadslid Amsterdam). All of whom happily put aside their sober office attires to rock something more colorful. Rainbow colored as a matter of fact. The collection even included a wedding dress, worn by Suzanne Kröger (Tweede Kamerlid Groen Links). But the true message of this show wasn’t any of colors or trends it was about diversity and sustainability. And having some guts, of course.

MBFWA edition SS2018, this was Day 01

That was a good start of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam, with three amazing shows of Das Leben am Haverkamp, Hackedby Van Slobbe Van Benthum and Bas Kosters.

Das Leben Am Haverkamp Catwalk Fashion Show MBFWA SS2018

It’s on! The 27th edition of Amsterdam Fashion Week just kicked off with quite a spectacular opening evening. The creative talents behind young label Das Leben am Haverkamp, Bas Kosters and Alexander van Slobbe were the first to present their Dutch design in the Gashouder show area which was fully booked with fashion lovers and professionals.

At around seven Das Leben am Haverkamp had the honor of officially opening this Amsterdam fashion week. The four designers Anouk van Klaveren, Christa van der Meer, Dewi Bekker en Gino Anthonisse, who each run their own indiviual label as well, once again expressed their joint vision on contemporary design and fashion.

Apart from fashion styles or summer trends diversity seemed to be the main message as a large variety of models walked the runway. They were dressed in nothing more than just a pair of briefs, socks and slippers and carried large prints of the outfits the designers picked out for them. Looks that ranged from bathing suits to puffer jackets.

Lots to see in any case in this Quirky Cruise Collection. One that definitely scores high on originality. The diversity of the human bodies that followed up on each other slightly distracted us from focusing on the designs, but it was interesting in any case. And we’d love to see these clothe actually come to life.

Amsterdam Fashion Week 2016 Dutch Visionaries

And we’re in business! The official programme of Amsterdam Fashion Week’s 24th edition kicked off on Thursday night with two large overview shows. The first one, Dutch Visionaries, was an assemblage of the most diverse Dutch designs. Iconic brands that have shown their collections during previous editions of the previous Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek Amsterdam like Spijkers en Spijkers, Avelon, G-star, Laundry Industry, Tony Cohen, Bas Kosters and Mattijs, yet upcoming young talent as well. All of them presented three looks. No new designs, just a selection of their statement making pieces worn by dressed up models. Gender blended models with a free spirited attitude, XL wigs, bright coloured make-up and transparent plastic masks, that took the designs to a whole new (very different) level. A remarkable mix of Madonna and Diane Vreeland through the speakers, concluded by Britney Spears’ Oops I did it again. Proof that anything and everything is possible during the opening night of Amsterdam Fashion Week. A week all about the diversity of fashion in years, styles, names and visions embraced by Mercedes-Benz. Let’s go!

Amsterdam Fashion Week SS16 Streetwear Day 4

What are they wearing during the Amsterdam Fashion Week? A Bas Kosters dress, this seasons Spijkers en Spijkers summer suit or an asymmetric Tony Cohen trench? We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy (Dutch) fashion and your own personal style.

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