Can Amsterdam Fashion Week find a place on the fashion map?

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“We have great talents in the Netherlands, from Daily Paper in streetwear to couture designers like Viktor and Rolf,” says Danie Bles, a high-profile stylist with multiple business interests who acquired Amsterdam Fashion Week in 2017 with business partner Lisanne Van Egmond (the event was founded in 2004 and was previously owned by media company Telegraaf Media Groep). “To bring our talents together and show the best we’ve got, that’s my ultimate goal. And I want to fight for that.”

Currently held once a year, Amsterdam Fashion Week this time round featured a mixture of exhibitions, events and shows, ranging from the catwalk debut of 1/Off to bigger Dutch players such as couture designer Claes Iversen and Rotterdam-based label Francon.

Bles wants to keep the schedule looking fresh every season. “We curate it differently every time [which] keeps it exciting and creative,” she says. Sponsors such as Moët Hennessy and American Express have helped fund new talents and projects this season. The collective spirit of support energises the city’s multiple creative talents. “I’m not so much into themes, but this season, for me, fashion week was community driven,” Bles says.

Beyond shows, accessories brand Wandler celebrated its fifth anniversary with a party and art installation, while Viktor and Rolf staged a bike tour to show guests its work in venues around the city. American footwear brand Steve Madden tapped Dutch upcycling talent Duran Lantink to create a late-night performance at Moulin Rouge, a venue in the red-light district, which featured drag queens Virgin Maria, Angel-Ho and Lyzza, dressed in Lantink.

Focus on upcycling

Arguably the most anticipated show was the debut of luxury upcycling label 1/Off Paris, staged in a contemporary art space to the north of the city. The brand has an international following and is stocked at Selfridges and 10CorsoComo Seoul. The brand’s Dutch founder, Renée Van Wijngaarden, wanted to debut in Amsterdam to help put the city on the fashion map. “I think it is important to build Amsterdam Fashion Week for the next generation of designers,” she says. “Without a fashion week in Amsterdam it is more difficult and costly to get noticed. There is a lot of talent here that we need to show to the rest of the world.”