AIFW insider: Strong Fashion statements of three Fashion Masters

Franciscus (l), Jitske (m) and Oda (r), ready for the real fashion world.

Franciscus van der Meer, Jiska van Rossum and Oda Pausma graduated this summer at the Fashion Masters ArtEZ Arnhem, and proved they really are masters of fashion. Remarkable was that although they have different characters, their collections fitted well together and faded over very nicely.

FRANCISCUS VAN DER MEER - 'Passant, souviens - toi / passer - by, remember'

Franciscus van der Meer showed a collection based on social suppression versus freedom. He have used fashion to communicate on a human scale, because to him fashion is a powerful phenomenon in our society. A designer can use that power to make people more aware, like 'living in fear', 'be suppressed by others' or 'freedom of speech'. Van der Meer translated the journey of suppression to freedom in a collection that started with a lot of black, coats cut in half, held together with suede belts. Also he used stripe motives with a subtle reference to the camp-uniform of World War II. But then, the collection gets enlightened and focus on liberation. The clothes gets les dark and shows less belts, more volume and more freedom in movement, all very well executed.

JISKA VAN ROSSUM - 'Adorned in Elegance'

Jiska van Rossum showed a tough menswear collection. Van Rossum presented her interpretation of the 'New Man', a man who is seductive by showing his vulnerability. She translated this concept with covering and uncovering the naked body, with slits and openings in classic pieces of clothing. It is clear that her fashion puts men in a new spotlight of being looked at, to stand out. Van Rossum used hard and soft materials, knitting’s, curved as well as straight lines, big draping shapes versus rigid and classical elements of masculine silhouette. Very strong silhouettes and a promising new talent in the fashion field.

ODA PAUSMA - 'Hobohemian Heaven'

Oda Pausma is a one of a kind fashion designer. Highly triggered by the stories, poetry and mysteries around the Chelsea Hotel New York of the 1970s, where actors, writers, musicians, artists and designers lived for months, Pausma created a poetic collection with folded leather, padded necklines, blacks silks, and ochre yellow. Surprising were the finishing of wrinkled curtain bands, the curtain hooks still attached!! One look was a little uncomfortable: a more or less naked model entered the runway in a leather bustier without the cups. Maybe a reference to the sexual liberty and bra-less times of the 70s, where rock'nroll happened in the Chelsea Hotel.