Blueprint Denim Fair in Amsterdam

Last week for four days Amsterdam turned into the denim capital of the world. World famous denim brands, field innovators, novice and just denim lovers gathered together to celebrate the first edition of Amsterdam Denim Days. A number of interesting and inspiring events were organized all over the city from 7-10 of May.
Of course, I could not miss such an opportunity to look inside of the denim kitchen and get to know the latest innovations in the field 🙂 Hereby I share with you the pictures from the Blueprint denim fair.

Custom made jeans by Jeans School students

Live music by students of Amsterdam Conservatory

Creating my own shade of blue @ Natural Indigo Dye Workshop by Kings of Indigo

Custom painted jeans by Jeanim Hengelmolen

Customizing denim clothing @ Pepe Jeans London

A couple of seconds under the laser ..

…and my customized jeans piece is ready 🙂

Origami workshop for the youngest visitors of the fair @ HTNK Story Store

The sound of water in Underwater live concert @ Tavex booth

Denim cactus 😉

Jeans clothing from different decades

Levi’s Jeans , 1960

It was a fun afternoon with lots of denim around 😉 including denim toys, mobile cases and a DENIM CACTUS! 🙂  There were many interesting things to see and to do, but three things caught my attention in particular.
I really loved the idea of custom painted jeans by Jeanim Hengelmole. Not long ago I was thinking that it would be interesting to  paint on jeans. When I saw the artist painting shapes on jeans, I could not stop watching his work. It’s a very good idea if you want to freshen up your summer jeans 🙂
Another thing I really liked was the customized jeans pieces by Pepe Jeans London. With a special laser, just within a couple of seconds, you could get a beautiful picture on your jeans. Unfortunately I did not have any jeans items with me except my trousers (which obviously I could not take off  for customization 🙂 ), so I got a customized jeans piece in the form of a trouser pocket as a souvenir.
I completed my denim afternoon with a relaxing Underwater live concert organized by Tavex denim manufacturer -which, by the way- due to its revolutionary technology reduces about 12 liters of water consumption during the dyeing process per garment!
I will finish my story in this very environmental friendly note and let you enjoy the pictures. 🙂

The S.H.O.E.S. in Rotterdam Kunsthal

“Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.”
   Marilyn Monroe

André Perugia, 1937

André Perugia, 1930, 1950

André Perugia, 1955

MAX, 1930

Karl Lagerfeld, 2005

Pietro Yantorny, 1920

Sergio Rossi

Sergio Rossi, 2006

Manolo Blahnik, 2008

Jan Taminiau, 2013

Jimmy Choo, 2007

Vivienne Westwood, 2006

Creaciones Antonio, 1976

Ton Pret, 2010

Jan Jansen

Jan Jansen, 2010

Renate Volleberg 1987, 1995, 2007

Inge Helena Rietjens, 2008

Katrien Herdewijn, 2012

Andreia Chaves, 2011

René van den Berg, 1993

Iris van Herpen & United Nude, 2011

Sebastian Errazuriz, 2013

Fashion Day @ New Babylon

OTAZU

OTAZU

OTAZU

OTAZU

Trash To Treasure

Trash To Treasure

Trash To Treasure

Trash To Treasure

Last Saturday I visited an amazing fashion event organized at New Babylon in The Hague. Pop-up boutiques, D.I.Y. projects, beauty treatments and a nice fashion show presenting the collections of New Babylon’s stores. I had a great time and I am happy to share with you my experience.
After designing my own T-shirt within the D.I.Y. project, I visited a  beauty treatment department and got a bright springish manicure from a nail-stylist of Essie. Armed with my new T-shirt and a stunning manicure I went to scout the shopping area.  Along with the stores of New Babylon, two pop-up boutiques – Trash To Treasure and OTAZU– were presenting their unique collections. The cherry of the event was a fashion show accompanied by charming tunes of a saxophone.

Card-Suit T-shirt designed by….me!

One of the most fun activities during the Fashion Day at New Babylon was the initiation of fashion designer Catta Donkersloot. She came up with a nice idea for a D.I.Y. project. The aim was to  design your own T-shirt.
As you can see my T-shirt was inspired by card-suits 😉  After half an hour of “struggling”, my card-suit T-shirt was ready!
Cool, isn’t it? 😉

Fashion Day in New Babylon (preview )

What an AMAZING start of the weekend!

DESIGNED my own SHIRT, got a nail treatment & viewed a nice FASHION SHOW!

And all these during the FASHION DAY in NEW BABYLON.

Stay in touch! I will share the details about the event soon! 

Have a NICE WEEKEND!

“God Created Fashion” Downtown MBFWA

Hi everyone,

Here are some pictures from the 9th day of Amsterdam Fashion Week Downtown. “God Created Fashion” was all about young designers and their creations: fashion shows, indoor market, designers, labels, art, music and sales !

Opening Show, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam

Yesterday evening Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Amsterdam has officially started! MATTIJS van Bergen received the honor to open the Fashion Week with a beautiful fashion show.
It was an amazing evening! It seemed as if multiple catwalk shows were taking place at the same time. Interesting looks were everywhere – in the showroom, among guests – everywhere!!! Everyone was dressed very special, interesting and sometimes even extravagant 😉 Here are some pictures from the evening:

The video from the Fashion show and interview with Mattijs van Bergen (in Dutch) you can check here. Enjoy 😉

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam: catwalk show of MATTIJS van Bergen

OMG, I am soooo excited! Just received an email from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam inviting me to Catwalk show of MATTIJS van Bergen on Thursday evening!!!!!

Rooms Dressed Like Models (part 2)

Hi everyone,

As promised, here is the second part of “Rooms dressed like models”. Enjoy 😉

MARIE-ANTOINETTE (by Roos Soetekouw)
This room is dressed in 18th century costume, portraying a mix of romantic and luxurious fabrics, as well as typical details from the era: corset with slimming paneling and lacing on walls and a huge hoop skirt covering the bed. Following the sweet taste of Marie-Antoinette the fabrics are embellished by hand with stitched or stamped flower patterns in pink tones.

LIVE HAND DRAWING (by Iris Kloppenburg)
Even though the room is dressed in simple electric cord with ditto nails, there is an indisputable charm in it. Colorful curtains brighten up the black-&-whiteness of the room.
BTW, this is a very good idea if you do not know how to hide electrical cord in your house 😉

EPAULETTES (by Malu Gehner)
The room is dressed in trimming of hand braided pale blue ornamental shoulder decorations hanging from the celling in front of the windows and bathroom.

EIGHTIES ROOM (by Roos Soetekouw)
Eighties rotro style inspired the designer to create this room. The room is dressed in oversized black and white sweater and a tight fitting tube skirt in rainbow colors.

XXX,

Rooms Dressed Like Models (part 1)

Hi guys,

I am just back from Amsterdam and will tell you now all about the 2nd day of Downtown event organized within Mercedes-Benz Amsterdam Fashion Week.
Today it was all about interiors. We had an amazing tour in Hotel The Exchange where some of the rooms were dressed like models!!! Sounds intriguingly, doesn’t it ? 😉
It was a very interesting experience! Fancy cocktails, new interior ideas, very nice people and lost of fun! Excited? Let’s begin!
After fancy cocktails followed by the speech of Suzanne Oxenaar, artistic director of Hotel The Exchange, a long-waited tour around the Hotel started!
We have been guided to 9 different hotel rooms: MESTIZA (by Juanita Koerts), CRINOLINE (by Sofie Sleumer), THE PLEATS ROOM (by Paul Hanraets), HISTORY REPEATED (by Anne Wolters), MISUNDERSTOOD CREATURES (by Roos Soetekouw), MARIE-ANTOINETTE (by Roos Soetekouw), LIVE HAND DRAWING (by Iris Kloppenburg), EPAULETTES (by Malu Gehner), EIGHTIES ROOM (by Roos Soetekouw).
As there are lots of picture and information, I decided to break this post into two parts. In this part  I will present only five rooms.

MESTIZA (by Juanita Koerts)

This room is dressed in an evening gown with a mix of traditional handcrafted techniques (pick up skirt technique) and a voluptuous caption design portraying a typical Dutch folklore pattern.

CRINOLINE (by Sofie Sleumer)
How about getting under someones skirt ;)? A giant skirt tent hangs over the bed in this room. This huge 19th century skirt shaped support structure is patched up together using vintage scraps of lace and linen.

THE PLEATS ROOM (by Paul Hanraets)
The pleats and folds on a simple white T-shirt inspired Paul in creation of this room, where walls are dressed in giant size pleats.

HISTORY REPEATED (by Anne Wolters)
The room is dressed in its own memory. Photographs of the original seventies style decorated hotel room have been reproduced in the modern room. The old curtains printed on the new curtains, decorative painting  and bed lights integrated in the wallpaper have the exact positioning then and now.  

MISUNDERSTOOD CREATURES (by Roos Soetekouw)
The room is dressed in lovely yet troubled illustrated creatures, dark tears falling down the white walls from a pitch black celling, and accessorized with hand drawn strange proportioned furniture. Small colorful sparkles on the white floor and along the black tears break the gloomy setting of the room, adding a magical touch to it.

So what do you think so far? 🙂

BTW, one of the designers told me that these rooms are actual rooms, so if it happens that you are visiting Amsterdam you can always stay in one of those rooms 😉

Have a good night!

XXX,

P.S. I will post the second part soon.