Show report: Frans Molenaar Couture Prize

Designer Frans Molenaar founded the Frans Molenaar Prize in 1996. The competition is still going strong after all these years and this Fashion Week it's the fifteenth time the prize will be awarded to a talented couture designer.

The six young designers who participated this edition are Denise Esser, Ratno Ho, Tishya Oedit, Marie Burlot, Fred Farrow and Piotrek Panszczyk.

This wasn't a usual catwalkshow; it was hosted as it was a competition. So a jury panel was present (as well as Frans Molenaar himself) to hand out the prize to the winner.

The show started with Piotrek's collection. Inspired by the '70's. Think of flower power and disco spheres. Romantic dresses in abundance and not to forget color!

Denise Esser's collection is called "Transformation". She created her collection thinking about the different materials there are and how these can be combined. She combined glitter and sheer fabrics. What stoord out about her creations were the futuristic collars. Iron cubics were weaved into the fabric which gave it a Lady Gaga look.

The third young designer Tishya Oedit got her inspiration from nature. A common inspiration source but she looked further than leaves and nature colors. She captured particular forms of items in nature such as stones and fungus.
The next collection was by Fred Farrow. He tried to ancor neurotic realism by using multiple layers, fierce colors with a high rock and glamour caliber. As he explained "Think of it as a Chanel girl who goes to a party and traded shirts with the bar tender."

Ratno Ho was inspired by mermaids and the ocean. She also couldn't get the oilleak out of het system when designing this collection.

Last but not least Marie Burlot. She wants to tell stories with her designs. That's why this collection is called "Skin of grief". She used divers materials for her balloon like dresses.

And who won this years Coutire Prize? Fred Farrow! "We haven't seen his designs yet, it's unlike anything we've seen" thus Jhim Lamoree, one of the jury members. What did Fred win? He won €10.000 and his collection will be expositioned in Ferry van der Nat's store in Amsterdam. Congratulations to Fred from AIFW!

Text by Stacey Currie - iwritefashion
Photos by Vincent Kos

Show report: The Red Rail

The Red Rail is a new project which has been initiated by Nobel, a non profit creative project agency. The meaning behind the collection is a pretty great idea if you think about it. The aim is to create a new generation of blood donors. Yes, that's right. How will they achieve thats? The only way you can get your hands on one of the designs is to donate blood.

"A collection of clothes you cannot buy with your money but inly with your blood"

18 designers participated and each showed one garment. Although the collection was made by different designers, they had the same inspiration source: the act for giving blood.

The atmosphere in the Zuiveringshal was radiant and it was a full house. The show started off with a red laserbeam representing a blood line. Which was a great addition to the show. As the models walked on stage the beam was the center of their heart.

The show started off with beautiful designs including dresses made of soft and shiny material. Loose fitted jumpsuits. Men were represented as well, the main color was soft blue which fitted perfectly in the scheme.

Overall a great initiative for a good cause. What do you think after seeing the collection? Would you donate blood in return for a piece of garment? I think it will have a positive effect on today's society. It surely does make you think about donating blood and what it means to other people.

For more information, go to The Red Rail

Text by Stacey Currie - iwritefashion
Photos by Vincent Kos

Individuals - collective success

Moment of truth: The students of the Amsterdam Fashion Institute present their spring/summer 2011 collection, which is called ‘Some dreams of running away to the circus”. In early collections, Individuals has a more reserved image. Although, backstage, there was not a word of truth in it. I saw colourful creations and artistic outspoken make-up. This looks promising…

The collection exist of powerful classics with a royal touch. The models look like feminine modern Yasmine’s, entering on their high heels from the Far East. Colours like deep turquoise, camel, black and gold passed over the catwalk.  A lot of draperies and moulage from silk, suitable for different sizes. It was elegance matched with comfortable.

Liesbeth in’t Hout (director AMFI) was speakless: “… It was a perfect combination of shape, colour and fitting. I’m very glad that the AMFI is able to perform on this level, time and time again.”

For more information look @ www.individualsatamfi.nl

By Vivian Sneep

www.vieflavie.com

FASHION LAB show 1: Nicolaas | HerenVanKoster

Thursday morning, another day for fashion! Todays programm shows young talents who have been selected by AIFW.
Nicolaas - once a Project Catwalk participant - showed his first s/s 2011 collection, called EDGE. The collection has an upbeat city energy, with bright colours, executed in uni-toned outfits. Nicolaas showed leather tops and mini dresses, leggings with see-throug edges. An absolute eye-catcher were his jewelry made by Mammoet Gerritsen, his father.

More info: www.nicolaasgerritsen.blogspot.com

Seconcly, HerenvanKoster started the show with a video to explain the audience how wearable the clothes are. They look complicated at first, but the male model in the video easily changed his outfits. HerenvanKoster - designed by Roos Koster - has an humoristic point of view on how to dress and reshape the male body. Her clothes have funny names like 'pikbroek dik 3'. She explained she wants to protect manliness and virility and understress some typical male 'elements'.
On top of that, Koster schminked her handsome male models with cartoonesk smiley faces, a little freaky, like the joker of the Dark Night.

Some reactions: 'a very cool show concept, but to wear it? We don't know yet!' Marc and Raymond from NumberKeys said.

For more info: www.herenvankoster.nl

Roos Koster backstage with the models.

by Vivian Sneep & Marij Rynja
www.vieflavie.com
www.maryscupoftea.blogspot.com

pictures by Vincent Kos
www.vincentkos.com