Mercedes Benz Dutch Fashion Award 2012 for Mattijs van Bergen

The winner of the Mercedes Benz Dutch Fashion Award 2012 is… Mattijs van Bergen!! He also won the International Fashion Incubator Awards 2012. Double luck for the designer who wants to use the money to improve his sales abroad.

The other Dutch Fashion Awards went to:

Fair Luxury Award – Elsien Gringhuis
Dutch Touch Paris Award – Anne de Grijff
Dutch Incubator Award –  Hyun Yeu
Dutch Style Icon (male) – Carlo Wijnands (programm director for Amsterdam Fashion Week)
Dutch Style Icon (female) – Liesbeth in ‘t Hout (dean at Amsterdam Fashion Institute)

All dressed up at the MBDFA 2009

Since it was storming outside and the red carpet was all up in the air, there were no good picture-moments during the arrival of the guests at the Mercedes Benz Dutch Fashion Awards last friday at the Grote Kerk in The Hague. So when everyone was inside and had modelled their hair and powdered their noses we took our chance and spotted some interesting guests in striking outfits.
It appeared Dutch design was well represented. While a few people wore outfits from upcoming designers, others wore clothes from well-known brands. Many women wore dresses by Klavers van Engelen, the winner of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Award 2007. The designs of Bas Kosters, one of the night’s nominees, were clearly present too.
Of course we asked everyone which nominated designer they thought should win. Although every designer was named a few times, Bas Kosters en Mada van Gaans seemed to be the favourites of the audience. Yet, unfortunately for them, the jury gets to decide who will win on this important Dutch fashion night.

And hopefully next year, we will spot men in the designs of Sjaak Hullekes, this years winner.

Tess van Daelen

Sjaak Hullekes wins Dutch Fashion Award 2009

Sjaak Hullekes won this years Mercedes Benz Dutch Fashion Award, and received a price of € 25.000,- to extend his brand. Last friday the third edition of the MBDFA took place. After being held in Amsterdam twice, for this edition the Dutch fashionscene was gathered in The Hague.

For these annual award five Dutch designers were chosen by an international jury. Bas Kosters, Iris van Herpen, Mada van Gaans, Sjaak Hullekes en Jeroen van Tuyl were all nominated for their distinctive designer style.

The most important award of the evening is the Mercedes Benz Fashion Award. It goes to the designer who is most likely to succeed on an international level.

On the night of the awards Sjaak showed an enlarged version of his summer collection, called Oscar. Backstage before the show he told Team Peter Stigter: ‘The Fashion Awards are something I look forward to every year. Winning an award on this special night is really a great way to get noticed on a national and international level. It’s a great boost for your label and your career.’

Sjaak thinks he won the award because he distinguishes himself in the use of fabric. ‘I use natural materials, light fabrics like silk or linen. These are materials you usually wouldn’t expect for a menswear collection. My tailoring and the many details I use in my designs are aspects that mark me off as a designer too.’

Apart from his way of designing Sjaak also stands out because of the niche market he designs for. ‘In Holland everything always has to be favoured by the crowd. I’m glad I design for a special group of intelligent, classic, sensitive men unafraid to address their feminine side.’

The money-prize Sjaak won will be invested in his label. ‘We will continue doing what we were doing. We can use the money to maintain the status we reached. We also want to explore the new vision we have on men.’

Sjaak thinks he will be successful in Japan, America, Italy and France. In time he wants to build a strong and independent fashion label. We wish him all the best.

Tess van Daelen