On the opening day of Amsterdam Fashion Week 2026, fashion, craftsmanship and social impact come together at United Repair Centre in Amsterdam. From 4PM to 6PM on September 1, United Repair Academy will present an interactive event exploring how repair can extend the life of clothing while creating new opportunities for the people behind the craft.
United Repair Centre (URC) is an Amsterdam-based repair hub working to transform the way the fashion industry approaches clothing repair. Founded with the belief that extending the life of garments can go hand in hand with creating meaningful employment, URC brings together brands, repair professionals and people who are distanced from the labour market. Through its repair services and United Repair Academy, the organisation is building an inclusive and diverse workforce while developing the skills needed to make repair a central part of fashion’s circular future. Its ambition is to process millions of garments while creating direct jobs at scale, demonstrating that extending clothing lifetimes can have both environmental and social impact.
For AFW26, United Repair Academy will bring this work to life through six creative looks made from Levi’s® deadstock denim. Created by students of United Repair Academy, each look draws on the cultural heritage and personal story of its maker, bringing together different perspectives from across the Academy’s community. The garments offer a contemporary take on repair while highlighting the people and skills behind each piece.
The event will open with welcome statements from Amsterdam Fashion Week’s Danie Bles, United Repair Centre founder Thami Schweichler and Levi’s®. Michelle Lievaart, who leads United Repair Academy, will then introduce the six looks alongside some of the students involved in creating them, offering insight into the ideas, techniques and personal stories behind the designs.
Rather than a traditional panel, the programme places the focus directly on the craft and the people practising it. Guests will have the opportunity to tour the repair hub and Academy, meet the makers and take a closer look at the garments before joining an interactive print and bleach workshop, hosted by Amstel Bleach. Together, participants will contribute to one large collective denim artwork, using their stories, messages, and visual expressions or transform their own garments. There are several possible techniques to explore: bleaching and screen-printing. Amstel Bleach will guide participants in choosing and developing the approach that feels most meaningful to them.
The collaboration also highlights the wider role repair can play within the fashion industry. United Repair Academy provides tailoring training and career opportunities for people who are distanced from the labour market, while helping brands develop more circular approaches to their products. Through its work, United Repair Centre demonstrates how extending the life of clothing can simultaneously create employment, develop skills and bring brands and consumers into the repair process.
“Everything we wear has been built with human hands, and it’s very easy for us to forget that,” the organisers explain. “Repair reminds us of the skills and the people behind the product.”
United Repair Academy | Levi’s®: “Repairing Futures”
When: September 1, 2026 | 4 PM – 6 PM (doors open 3:30 PM)
Where: United Repair Centre, Krelis Louwenstraat 3, Amsterdam
Invite-only event