AMSTERDAM FASHION WEEK KICKS-OFF WITH ‘FASHION WEEKEND’

On Saturday the 6th and Sunday the 7th of July, the 19th edition of Amsterdam Fashion Week started with the public event ‘Fashion Weekend’.

The pop-up catwalk shows in front of the famous museums around Museum Square and the opening party ‘CELEBRATE – Everyone’s fashion party’ were among the many highlights. Together with exhibitions, workshops and discount offers that were organised together with local entrepreneurs, the shows brought thousands of fashion lovers to Amsterdam’s Fashion & Museum District.

A glimpse of Roya Hesam catwalk show

After a successful first edition in January 2013, Fashion Weekend got a sunny sequel last Saturday and Sunday, in which the experience of fashion by the general public was the central theme. Amsterdam Fashion Week aims to bring fashion ‘from catwalk to sidewalk’, to connect fashion and culture and to close the gap between the invitation-only catwalk shows at the Westergasfabriek-grounds (12 - 16 July) and the visible fashion on the streets and in the shops.

Pop-up catwalk shows
The eight pop-up catwalk shows in front of the Rijksmuseum, Restaurant Stedelijk, the Van Gogh Museum and Het Concertgebouw, unexpectedly brought local and foreign visitors in contact with the Dutch fashion culture.
There were shows by OATShoes, Marije Hellwich, Studio Jux, O My Bag & Dido Yland, Tessa Wagenvoort, Roya Hesam, Dorhout Mees and Elise Kim, which were sponsored by fashion magazines Grazia, Fab, Marie Claire, Nouveau and Beau Monde.

A glimpse of Studio Jux Catwalk Show

Tessa Wagenvoort and her designs

Elise Kim and her designs

 

Fashion Bazaar
Other crowd pleasers were the signing session with sisters Spijkers & Spijkers in the Conservatorium Hotel, the Bas Kosters shop window of EDHA Interior, the Mad-men-vintage-sewing-workshop by Marieke Hendriks in Linhard and the exhibition by People of the Labyrinths in their own store. At The Fashion Bazaar underneath the canopy of Restaurant Stedelijk, shoppers could indulge themselves.
Organisers Jutka & Riska had succeeded in bringing together a great diversity of fashion designers, brands, local entrepreneurs and creatives.



CELEBRATE – Everyone’s fashion party
The party ‘CELEBRATE – Everyone’s fashion party’, on Saturday night in AIR, got a sequel too, after a first edition in January 2013. With drag queens and a hair & make-up team by Pierôt Coiffures and Inglot Cosmetics that made sure everyone looked top-notch, the connection between fashion and night life was celebrated exuberantly.


Fashion-icon Aynouk Tan gave a ‘fashion as religion’ theatre performance, including church choir, inspired by a trendwatch talk with DJ Victor Coral. Deezer presented main act Sofie Winterson, who enjoys fame as a singer and model in both the music- and fashion scenes.

Over the coming week, fashion lovers can still enjoy all that Amsterdam Fashion Week has to offer. Through an App developed by Principal Partner Vodafone, everyone can watch catwalk shows ‘front row’ through a live stream and get access to background information and exclusive videos. The App also offers access to photos of Fashion Weekend and is available for free on iOS and Android.

Photo courtesy of Amsterdam Fashion Week by Team Peter Stigter