With Amsterdam Fashion Week, the first fashion week of the season is behind the industry. Thanks to the packed programme, there was plenty to see and do, but not every event stood out positively. As expected, there was a lot of waiting for the shows, there was bombastic music to be heard and fashionable visitors could be seen everywhere – but five events left a lasting impression. FashionUnited reviews the highlights of Amsterdam Fashion Week.
The flamboyant Ruben Jurriën floods the audience with love and emotions
On the sixth floor of the landmark Felix Meritis building, a place full of positivity, love and joy awaited the guests on Friday afternoon. The round hall with its balcony, colored purple, pink and red by the lighting, fills up quickly. Cheerful murmurs circulated and it became clear that young designer Ruben Jurriën had already won a number of fans.
At the start of the show, the purple, pink, and red spotlights switched to white and yellow beams. As Jurrien pointed out before the show, his clothes are meant for everyone and that was reflected on the catwalk. For example, models representing the queer community walked through the hall and two children were loudly cheered by the audience. His father also ran in his fashion show again this year.
The collection and the mood that the models exuded made the audience emotional and gave them goosebumps. The color palette consisted mainly of red and pink. A few denim garments also appeared here and there. All garments were provided with hearts. The mascot Toetie was of course also part of the party. As the icing on the cake, Jurriën also designed his own “Super Femboyant” shoes, all with block heels that were 3D printed. Needless to say, Jurrien turned the event into a celebration and left the audience full of love.
Tess van Zalinge kicks off Amsterdam Fashion Week
Ironically, this year’s opening of Amsterdam Fashion Week took place in Rotterdam. Designer Tess van Zalinge presented her latest collection on the top floor of the Boijmans van Beuningen Depot. “Clover three”, the title of the collection, is an ode to the Dutch summer. So it was a good thing that on the morning of the show it remained unclear for a long time whether it could take place in the dry. The night before the event, invitees were therefore reminded to bring an umbrella. Luckily, the rain clouds cleared an hour before the show.
Van Zalinge played with volumes and emphasized the female form with corsets. As usual from the designer, the collection is made of deadstock fabrics. White dominated the color palette, complemented by pink, turquoise and yellow.
Max Zara Sterck presents her own silhouettes through modern dance
The guests of the Max Zara Sterck fashion show were received in an industrial warehouse in Amsterdam North. At 2:30 p.m. sharp on Wednesday afternoon, the audience was led up the steel staircase. A pitch-dark room stretched out behind a dark curtain. Soon the audience took out their flashlights and looked for the best seats. The show opened with a modern dance, in which five models danced over a white tarp to actress Cynthia Nixon’s monologue, “Be a lady, They said.” The models wore minimalist silhouettes with diagonal lines and cut-out elements. There was a lot of skin to be seen. Max Zara Sterck’s message was therefore very clear: the female body should be celebrated.
Atelier Reservé focuses on maximalism and an abundance of details
One of the most impressive locations this year was the Atelier Reservé. On the roof of the Adyen office on Oosterdokskade next to Central Station, in the quiet high altitude, one found a moment of serenity between all the shows. The hustle and bustle in the center of Amsterdam could no longer be heard. However, there was the wind, complemented by piano sounds, which easily surpassed the sound of a drone flying by. The models also seemed to find peace in this place. Each look offered enough time to let the impressions sink in before it was the turn of the next. You didn’t get bored, because in contrast to the serenity of the location, most of the looks are downright maximalist and provided with a wealth of details. Something to take a moment for.
The promise of “breaking away from clichés” and “breaking the norms of society” was fulfilled with a diverse cast and the courage to make cultural references. They didn’t shy away from prints, colors and theatrical hairstyles either. All in all, Atelier Reservé showed a successful implementation of the reuse of old clothes and leftovers.
Optical illusion: Elzinga’s clothes change color
For the final show on the third day of fashion week, the fashion world headed to the Vondelbunker in Amsterdam’s Vondelpark. Those unfamiliar with the bunker hidden under one of the bridges had to tread carefully, but were fortunate to be led by a stream of fashionably dressed people. Since space in the bunker was limited, Elzinga put on several short shows in a row.
The show was accompanied by the band Baby Berserk, in which the designer Lieselot Elzinga herself played. Gradually, the models appeared and took their places on a revolving platform in their looks. Thanks to the lights aimed at the platform, the designs appeared to change color thanks to an optical illusion. The thought behind the collection was based on the idea of designing garments that react to the stage lighting. Still, some of the voluminous looks wouldn’t be out of place offstage.
This article was created with input from FashionUnited editors Sylvana Lijbaart, Marthe Stroom and Caitlyn Terra.