AIFW: Blue Blood

Dutch denim brand Blue Blood enjoyed the limelight last Saturday with the opening of its first concept store in Amsterdam and a catwalk show later the same day. Anyone who mattered was there to see the show, which took place during the fifth edition of the Amsterdam International Fashion Week. The Amsterdam fashion scene was in attendance during the show, while the store opening enjoyed a visit from approximately 20 members of the foreign press as well as numerous famous Dutch faces. On the catwalk the audience was given an impression of what was available in the store. The look was clearly that of urban youth culture gone shopping. The models stalked the catwalk in pairs, carrying copious amounts of Blue Blood shopping bags. A short film was project onto the wall of the models shopping on the chique PC Hooftstraat, where the Blue Blood store is located. Skinny jeans were all the rage for women, while the men enjoyed a more loose fit. The slim silhouette is once again on the cards for her next summer, if Blue Blood has anything to say about it, although a solitary female model wore baggy boyfriend jean. For men, the focus is on different washes and cuts, paired with bespoke blazers and casual T-shirts with print for a laid-back, yet worldly look. After the show, the brand’s co-founder Steve te Pas explained that the collection was a reflection of what he and co-founder Jason Denham and their friends like to wear. “We enjoy clothes that are comfortable and we want to offer a mix of affordable and quality wear,” he said. “A T-shirt should not have to cost a small fortune. That’s simply ridiculous. We’re more willing to pay more for a well-cut pair of jeans or bespoke jacket.” The duo is critical about what stores they distribute to. “In Los Angeles we sell to Fred Segal, which offers a great mix of affordable and higher prices items. That is the mix we are looking for.”

www.bluebloodbrand.com
2 August 2006

AIFW: Percy Irausquin

Perc Irausquin is the undeniable darling of the Amsterdam fashion scene. Last Saturday evening fans of his extremely glamorous style filled the bleachers beyond capacity at the Amsterdam Fashion Week showing of his summer 2007 collection. The theme for the collection was ‘Hollywood’ en the catwalk had been transformed into a sort of red carpet event. To the sound of hundreds of camera flashes going off, the models crossed the catwalk as stunning Hollywood divas dressed in Irausquin’s signature styles like his bonbon dress en silk, Halston-esque column gowns. The collection appeared to be a celebration of explosive colours like lemon yellow, baby doll blue and hot pink and red. It was all about glamour as Irausquin played with fabric drapery in Greek goddess dresses and plunging neck lines. With his prêt a porter line made of jersey and a profusion of silk employed for the couture line, the designer demonstrated that drama can be found in any material. The inspirations for his collection were the Hollywood stars, both then and now, he said after the show. His main inspiration was the sensual beauty of Elizabeth Taylor and Anna Mouglalis. “I would love to be able to dress Anna Mouglalis,” he said. Irausquin believes that glamour is gaining ground in The Netherlands. “I can tell by the positive reactions to my new store on the Cornelis Schuytstraat that the Dutch are increasingly aware of glamorous fashion and like to dress that way,” he said.

www.percyirausquin.com
2 August 2006

Let's Go Dutch

Daryl van Wouw

Percy Irausquin

Has the time finally come for Dutch fashion design to come out of the closet? Is it ready to be launched in the global stratosphere of all things fashion? The Dutch have long been cast in the shadows of their Belgian neighbours – due in part to the Dutch government not funding nor providing a platform for young designers to nurture their talent and launch collections as is the norm in Belgium, where design is recognised as an art and viable export commodity.

Take Antwerp for example, where in recent years the city has positioned itself as a unique fashion capital and pioneer of design talent, such as the Antwerp Six. Designers like Dries van Noten, Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester made their debut in the late eighties, taking their collections on the road to London and Paris , and are currently rated amongst the world's most successful designers. Add to that that they didn't feel the need to defect abroad - bar the odd fashion show - they have all kept their design studios, stores, showrooms and headquarters in Antwerp .

In the fickle world of fashion, however, there is such a thing as overload, and with new and up-coming Belgian designers arriving at the international fashion scene en masse (Veronique Branquinho, Jurgi Persoons, Christian Wijnants to name a few) the attention seems to be subtly shifting to that of its Dutch neighbour, where a new fashion movement has quietly been creating its own buzz.

In recent years, Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf made furore with their much-coveted mens and womenswear ready-to-wear collections. Their career, however, only took off when the pair left for Paris , the couture capital of the world. Whilst their creations were well received by the Dutch press, it was Paris that gave them credibility and international recognition. US Vogue editor Anna Wintour would never have featured V&R on the world famous glossy pages had they continued designing for a handful of Dutch fashionistas. Amsterdam may be notorious amongst world-travellers as a must-see destination, it is rarely regarded as a fashion capital. Notably not even by the Dutch themselves.

At present, a small collective of talented and wilful designers are silently taking over where Victor & Rolf left off. The Dutch Fashion Academy in Arnhem, one of the most revered institutions in the world and often dubbed the Central Saint Martins of The Netherlands, is churning out designers who are wanting to conquer the global world of fashion. No longer content with designing conceptual garments more fitted for gallery exhibition than wearable, the new generation of designers seem to weave the spirit of Dutch design with what is contemporary and globally appealing.

In Amsterdam , where the city's third season Fashion Week was hosted last week, it was evident that Dutch design is worthy of an international catwalk audience. Up-and-coming ready-to-wear designers Percy Irausquin (the new Roland Mouret) Jan Taminiau, and Daryl van Wouw showed collections that previously belonged to a unique Dutch elite, like Victor & Rolf, but are now ready to enter the heady world of international fashion. Casual brands such as Mexx, Blue Blood and Mansharey are making a global impact, but for high-end and commercially appealing design, the Dutch were previously overlooked. Until now. New manufacturers are signing up Dutch designers fast and furious, and with the Dutch Fashion Foundation promoting its homegrown talent in New York , Paris and Milan it is only a matter of time before Amsterdam will be regarded as the new Antwerp .

Watch this space, as we predict from next season some of these designers will be found in your favourite stores and gracing the covers of your favourite magazines. It's time to go Dutch.

www.amsterdamfashionweek.com
3 August 2005

Amsterdam Fashion Week

Amsterdam International Fashion Week (AIFW) came to a successful close last Sunday. The four-day event attracted an estimated 7,000 visitors. AIFW is working hard to put Amsterdam on the fashion map, and it appears to be taking effect.

The event included the "New Luxury" fashion fairs District, ten catwalk shows and a host of other fashion presentations. AIFW coincided with the tradefair Modefabriek, but the two fairs do not work together.

District, an upmarket, trendy fair hosting jeanswear and main designer lines, took place at the Westergasfabriek, an old gas factory. The bigger Modefabriek is ultimately more commercial and business-like. Taking place on the other side of town, at the RAI congress centre, the Modefabriek opened its doors for the eighteenth time, while District was conceived last year.

Over 20% of the buyers at District were from abroad, mostly from Japan and Italy. The UK sent buyers from shops like Selfridges and Liberty. Meanwhile, 95% of buyers at the Modefabriek are from the Benelux, which demonstrates the local importance of this fair.

District played host to 105 brands, up from 77 last year. District manager, Debbie Tomkinson, indicated that another hall would be added next season, whereby the number of exhibitors is expected to climb to 150. At the Modefabriek a total of 400 brands took up their stands for the event, up from 300 brands last season.

www.amsterdamfashionweek.com
1 February 2005