SO DUTCH FASHION

SO DUTCH FASHION - The Dutch Fashion Foundation showroom is the headquarter of the PR-unit So Dutch Fashion, a collaboration of the Dutch Fashion Foundation and So PR. So Dutch Fashion is an unique initiative of the Dutch Fashion Foundation and So PR with the objective to promote the best of Dutch Fashion design and to assist its designers in developing their labels into a commercial brand.

So Dutch Fashion is located in the World Fashion Centre in Amsterdam.
Kon. Wilhelminaplein 13 / Tower 1 / Floor 13
Tel: +31 (0)20 6170957 / +31 (0)20 4081868
E-mail: info@sodutchfashion.nl

The following designlabels are presented in the So Dutch Fashion showroom:

Corné Gabriëls - Bas Kosters - Catta Donkersloot - Roswitha van Rijn - Dr. Finkelbaum - Conny Groenewegen - Sanne Schrijver - Sebastic - Sjaak Hullekes - Markoviec - Ignoor - Lifu Hsiao - Julia Eichler - Fashion Institute Arnhem Generation 9 for Sacha

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SO DUTCH FASHION DESIGNERS

Corné Gabriëls

The new menswear collection ‘Storm’ of Corné Gabriëls is based on a guy named Storm. Showing the connection between weather and emotion, he symbolizes the more poetic side of atmospheric conditions. When a raincloud bursts into tears and thunder into anger, Storm shows that he is only human. Sturdy but sensitive, bold and vulnerable, this guy stands
for stepping out of the mainstream and daring to show character, without being afraid to raise a storm of protest. With violent and noisy outbursts, he has his tender and happy side that will finally show. His new collection consists of knitwear, prints, and trompe l’oeil effects, the latter can be seen as Corné Gabriëls trademark. The collection is divided in two parts, the haute couture clothing and the prêt-a-porter accessories. The accessories are also available in his online shop and the clothes are presented in the So Dutch Fashion showroom.

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Bas Kosters

Bas Kosters could be called an all-round-designer more than just a fashion designer. His refreshing clothing designs, his bags and his doll designs caused a national hype, followed by many interviews and fashion editorials in magazines. Returning themes are applications and fabric designs. His style is so recognizable and applicable, that Bas is also intensely working on creating accessories, drawings and paintings. Even when he's not designing or creating, he is always the centre of attention at events and parties, where together with his friends and (b)assistants, he will make the crowd go wild during inventive music performances. Bas presented his new collection with 'Le Salon Explosif de Bas Kosters Studio' on March 22nd 2007 with a spectacular catwalkshow in the basement of the World Fashion Centre. Now, he created a new mini collection of outfits and accessories. This ‘Performance’-collection has been presented by his band ‘Superior Experience’ during several performances they did in the last months. These items are an addition to Bas Kosters ‘Red Carpet’- collection which is still presented in the showroom.

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Catta Donkersloot

For her new collection ‘Shadow of Perception’ Catta Donkersloot collaborated again with photographer Lisa Kortenhorst. Each outfit of this collection is based on the photos Lisa made on her travels to China and Nepal. With strong silhouettes formed by rever jackets in wool, pencil skirts and white blouses, a fairy-tail like collection is created by a playful combination of color and form. Catta Donkersloot was already interested in fashion at an early age. After finishing a pre-university education and travelled the world, she decided to follow the 4-year fashion design course at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute. During her studies, she did an internship at H&M in Stockholm. After graduating in 2004, she followed the MA at the Fashion Institute Arnhem (FIA). She presented her FIA-graduation collection in Amsterdam and Paris in 2006 and won a Mittel Moda Fashion Award in Italy with this collection. In January 2007 she had her debut as an independent designer with the collection: ‘No strings attached’. The collection was presented and exhibited in the Melkweg Gallery, Amsterdam and during the Dunedin fashion week in New Zealand. Catta presented her second collection ‘Symbiose’ and thirth collection ‘Shadow of Perception’ during the Amsterdam Fashion Week.

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Roswitha van Rijn

In shoedesigner Roswitha van Rijn’s new collection of pumps, wedges and open-toe platforms, different kinds of leather, among which fish leather, and wool are combined in natural colours as grey, brown and red. In search of a new lining, the wedge is formed after a fish-pattern: the sole leaves a fish print in the ground. This collection featured in the last presentation of fashion designer Ilja Visser during the Amsterdam Fashion Week last January. In her designs Roswitha van Rijn uses well-considered leathers and natural elements to draw people closer to nature, to see the beauty of nature and the necessity not to neglect it. Roswitha van Rijn prefers to look at the spirit of the age rather than follow trends.

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Dr. Finkelbaum

What is the Dr. Finkelbaum fashion product? A good sock! That’s all you need. The designs of the socks are made by talented fashion designers, such as Corné Gabriëls, who is also presented in the So Dutch Fashion showroom. The socks are produced in Italy, using the finest materials. Dr. Finkelbaum sells the various sock designs through his website www.finkelbaum.com. The doctor is not into making a profit; a percentage of every pair of socks that is sold goes to the designers. The rest is invested in projects all over the world in order to develop the talent of young people. At this moment Dr. Finkelbaum makes sure that 126 homeless kids can go to school for a year. Dr. Finkelbaum’s label was officially launched last year and presented the “Socks Only” fashion show during the Amsterdam International Fashion Week last July. Although it was announced in exactly that way, everybody looked a little surprised when the 4 naked models stepped up on the catwalk wearing “socks only”.

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Conny Groenewegen

The woman represented in the autumn/winter 2008-2009 collection of Conny Groenewegen has many layers; peal her off and what you get is a group of more outspoken personalities representing the feminine and masculine, the elegant and the brutal, the dreamy and realistic. To shape this layered personality in one collection, Conny Groenewegen uses different fabrics, such as leather and knitwear and she connects this woman to an era in history where she finds a fresh optimism and newly gained freedom. The contours of a trench coat are folding over the remains of a corset, layers of materials with different characteristics show the ambivalence and give contrast to the inside room and the outside skin of the designs. The woman represented on the catwalk gives a sense of a strong curiosity for the future and an optimistic belief in her own contribution. This new collection of Conny Groenewegen is a mix of prêt-a-porter and couture. She uses sophisticated materials and a combination of hand craft, semi hand craft and digital techniques to realize her designs. With voluminous coats which are structured by a hand knit layer stitched between silk and leather, invisible for the eye though indispensable for the shape and touch, this collection works on an expressive as well as on a personal level.

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Sanne Schrijver

In the collection ‘My Man’, which she created as a graduation collection for the Fashion Institute Arnhem, Sanne Schrijver searches for a contrast between masculine and feminine. With big, round and voluminous shapes, combined with slim, small and straight effects, she experiments with off-the-body versus close-to-the-body. Her colours are masculine: dark blue, chocolate, anthracite and bronze. Feminine: soft skin tones, white, beige and faded pink. And bright: yellow like ochre, fuchsia and red like a flame. Her materials are heavy, cool, tough and masculine: thick felt, cool wool, washed silk, velvet and a woven check. And transparent, lightweight, satin shine, and fluid: chiffon, crepe, parachute nylon, tulle, mohair, thin cotton and satin silk. Different fabrics are combined into one item: parachute nylon and satin silk, felt and tulle, lightweight cotton and nylon. There are layers: chiffon putover stiff tulle, parachute nylon put over fuchsia silk, dresses over dresses, colours over colours.

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Sebastic

The new autumn/winter 2008-2009 menswear collection of Sebastic, the label of Sebastiaan Kramer, is one in which (erotic) fantasies, dreams and self-glorification of a handsome boy are poetically translated. Combined with a great dose of longing desire after sultry summer nights, it evolved into a collection with an emphasis on the beauty of a young Adonis. Drab autumn and winter skies are translated by Sebastic into a colour palette predominantly consisting of blue and grey tones. By adding bright accents he also brings the longing for summer into the colour scheme. Sebastic is a menswear label that can be subscribed as naïve, young and positively anarchistic, with a tongue-in-cheek sensibility. His imaginative muse stays true to his innocence and harmony from his early years and so keeps fresh and naïve in dealing with daily reality. In the beginning of 2006 Sebastiaan Kramer and his companion Sjaak Hullekes founded their Arnhem based company Arnheim Fashion, coordinating both their labels, Sjaak Hullekes and Sebastic.

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Sjaak Hullekes

‘Un Soir d’Hiver’, the new Sjaak Hullekes autumn/winter 2008-2009 collection is build up with a feeling of staying anonymous in a capital. The fabrics are a combination between warm and comfortable, cold and smooth. The colour pallet is build up with dark colours of night but mixed with a serene white representing a naïve, young adolescent. Fashion designer Sjaak Hullekes grew up on an island in the Dutch province Zeeland and felt the isolation that comes with living on an island. It now inspires him when designing a collection. Also a source of inspiration are the Calvinistic Dutch origins, allowing him to create a sense of duality in, for example, his choice of fabrics. At first glance, the label might appear as traditional but when taking a closer look, a more modern and fresh touch can be seen. Hullekes aims to find a balance between androgyny and the conservation of tradition. This collection is made possible with support of the Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture (Fonds BKVB).

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Markoviec

The eco-philosophy label Markoviec of fashion designer Kasia Markowska and environmental scientist Zuzia Andziak is started out of the vision to integrate the latest trends in fashion with innovative technologies to create a sustainable quality fashion brand with an eco-phylosophy. From conceptual haute-couture collections through theatre and musical costumes and working commercially, designer Kasia Markowska search for a way to establishing an own line that brings balance between ‘art & commerce’ and ‘fashion & green’. In this equilibrium she sees the ultimate solution - to follow the way of ethical fashion. While creating her own style she connects a sophisticated look with a sustainable manner of production, using environmental friendly textiles such as bamboo, organic cotton, hemp and recycled plastic (PET). Van Markoviec ready-to-wear is a feminine line primarily dedicated for women who seek fashionable design, good quality and eco-philosophy. Always exploring innovative technologies, Markoviec has created several new items as an edition to their previous collection.

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Ignoor

In 2004 designer Noor Wentholt started her own label Ignoor for her custom made leather bags. Ignoor is a pun of the words ‘I am Noor’ and ‘Ignore’. This ‘I am/ am not’ feeling is also characterising her design style. Every bag is ergonomically adapted to the body, while keeping a classic base. Noor’s fascination for the human body is the source for the interaction between an object and the body, blending together without each losing its independent. In the Ignoor collection ‘The Body Serie’ the bags are integrated so that an optimal wear comfort for the body is created. Where the bag touched the body, it curves along with the specific body part. On the outside however this does not show: it’s the secret of the wearer. The combination between ergonomics and design give the bags a unique twist. In this bag collection the bag names refere to Greek goddesses as an ode to femininity and feminine shapes, with a metaphor referring to the quality of the bag. The bag ‘Cleone’, for instance, is referring to the goddess of water, with pleats of supple leather falling like a waterfall.

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Lifu Hsiao

The collection which Lifu Hsiao created as graduation collection for the Fashion Institute Arnhem, presents a 1920’s lady look inspired by author Virginia Woolf, Lifu Hsiao’s new collection presents 1920’s lady look infused with inspiration from the streets of Amsterdam - arched window frames with curtains hanging behind them, the ArtNouveau and ArtDeco influences in Amsterdam architecture. Itresulted in clean shapes. Small, round shoulders and a low waist. There’s a lotof construction around the body, corresponding with the ArtNouveau and ArtDeco architecture. Fabric choice is very crucial for the final result. Tricky fabrics, sometimes, like double-faced yarn chiffon show differentcolours and shine when looked atfrom differentangles. Contrasting fabrics, like metal silver fabric and chiffon with a metallic liquate touch; make the clothes young and modern.

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Julia Eichler

The collection “Die Quadratur des Kreises” which Julia Eichler created as a graduation collection for the Fashion Institute Arnhem is inspired by modern African art. The way people in Africa use materials is the main inspiration. They recycle trash and make art out of it. The attitude towards the material inspired Julia. In the same spirit, she worked with paper and tape on rough shapes on a full size doll. She works with graphical images in colour and shape - with squares, stripes and plain surfaces. Julia combined the graphical elements with drapes and added wires and circuit boards and other electronic trash and used it for prints, patterns and accessories. Her fabrics are basically natural fabrics as wools, silks and cottons, which she combined with other materials such as paper, tape and wires. The colors are based on the inside of a computer next to a human body.

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Fashion Institute Arnhem Generation 9 for Sacha

A unique collaboration between Sacha and the Fashion Institute Arnhem has resulted in a 6 months during master class in which renown teachers and people from the industry helped the students to create their own shoe designs. The results were presented at the Fashion Institute Arnhem Generation 9 graduation show during the Amsterdam International Fashion Week. A professional jury has selected Julia Eichler as the winner of the Sacha Golden Heel Award 2008. The shoe designs of Sanne Schrijver, Lifu Hsiao, Julia Eichler and Claes Iversen are, together with several outfits, presented in the So Dutch Fashion showroom.

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