Last weekend, the 14th edition of the FASHIONCLASH Festival took place. Between the selection of recent graduates, more established designers and up-and-coming local talent, we saw a number of familiar faces pass by. From debuting their collection during Amsterdam Fashion Week to scoring a spot on this year’s FASHIONCLASH schedule; these are the designers whose careers deserve a closer look at.
A few months ago, they debuted the Amsterdam Fashion Week catwalk with their graduation collection as participants of Lichting 2022. Last weekend, they played a crucial role as newcomers at the FASHIONCLASH Festival. Denzel Veerkamp hasn’t sat still since his catwalk debut in Capital C. From showing his collection during Dutch Design Week to announcing his participation in Designblok Prage 2023, his graduation collection ‘The Rebound Parley’ has gained the deserved amount of attention. Channeling his own experience as a mixed person of colour in a post-colonial Netherlands, Denzel touches upon the struggle to belong and protests the privileged perception of how textiles are being valorized in the West. As part of FASHIONCLASH’s ‘New Fashion Narratives #1’, an exhibition celebrating progressive fashion, Denzel’s way of questioning our current social systems fit seamlessly.
Invited to the same exhibition was Pablo Salvador Willemars. His graduation collection ‘Beste Reizigers’ left quite a mark on people’s memories, reflecting an element of humour and irony typically reminiscent of Dutch cultural spheres. Inspired by the Dutch railway company ‘De Nederlandse Spoorwegen’, his collection ‘Beste Reizigers’ depicts travellers morphing into the aesthetics of a Dutch train. Including designs such as a skirt with KIOSK cup holder and a tray table growing out of the sewn-in waistband of a jacket, the collection plays with the idea of what a garment can transform into.
Lichting winner 2022 Ruben Jurriën took the stage during the event’s Open Mic Night as an advocate for inclusivity within the fashion industry. Merging functionality and flamboyance, Jurriën introduced the AFW public to a new take on one-size-fits all, taking signifiers of stereotypical masculinity out of context and playing with the idea of transforming into your own superhero alter ego.
Floor Klaassen made it to the last 25 candidates of Lichting 2022. During FASHIONCLASH, her graduation collection ‘PLAYHOOD’ captured the importance of playing to cope with negative experiences and setbacks. As part of the Open Mic Night, she shared the story behind her collection by creating a playground where models interacted with each other as if they were kids again.
Also designers we consider AFW regulars showed up on the schedule, including Dutch design duo Schepers Bosman who, in 2017, made their debut on the Amsterdam Fashion Week catwalk. Opening the AFW September 2021 edition with an overview show in Hotel Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam, Schepers Bosman presented its most memorable pieces on a cast consisting of artists of Amsterdam record label Bloomer Records. For the 14th edition of FASHIONCLASH, the brand showcased its 23SS collection with a more modest approach. The 23SS hanging installation was a modern take on the mine’s wardrobe arrangements, representing the communal labour, as well as the individual behind the uniform.
PHOTO CREDITS:
photographer – Laura Knipsael
Cover image – Floor Klaassen: PLAYHOOD
