Introducing: Thijs van der Laan

Thijs van der Laan, 19, The Netherlands

What did you do before AMFI?

I did Havo and applied at AMFI straight after my final exams. So I had barely no sowing and fashion experience, but I knew that I wanted to do something creative. I always loved to draw when I was younger but I didn’t wanted to study art. I chose for fashion because I like the fact that people can actually wear your creation.

Why did you want to do the honors program?

To further develop my personal handwriting in design and to challenge myself to experiment as much as possible to create something which is really personal.

Who is your favorite designer?

Craig Green, I love the way he combines sculpture with clothing. Every look becomes a statement with a lot of layering and big shapes.

What inspires you at the moment?

At the moment my inspiration comes from a feeling of being lost in dreams. I get inspiration from surrealistic artists like Yves Tanguy and Jean Tinguely and also from the objects of Panamarenko.

What are your strenghts?

I’m a very technical designer so I work a lot from construction and shape. I’m also good at making a story around a collection and translate this into garments.

What do you want to achieve at the end of the honors program?

I would like to present a collection which is really personal and where I can be proud of.

Introducing: Sarah Bruylant

Sarah Bruylant, 24, Belgium

What did you do before AMFI?

I did a bachelor oriented towards Pattern making.

Why did you want to do the honors program?

I wanted to do this program to improve my creativity and find my very own style. I was also attracted by all the interesting activities & encounters that the program proposes.

Who is your favorite designer?

Martin Margiela

What inspires you at the moment?

For the moment I am inspired by people. The way they act, they think, they are. I could spent day and night just watching people in the street and guess their life.

What are your strenghts?

I have some background in technique so I guess it's my strenght. I am also well organised and I am a hard worker

What do you want to achieve at the end of the honors program?

Try to be able to think more out of the box & create a collection I couldn't even imagine making before this program.

Introducing: Joyce van den Berg

Joyce van den Berg, 23, Netherlands

What did you do before AMFI?

High school, MBO made to measurement (Nivea 4).

Why did you want to do the honors program?

Because I think it will help me grow, get new opportunities, discover things I didn’t do before and what will make it mine.

Who is your favorite designer?

Hussein Chalayan, Jan Taminiau and Alexander van Slobbe.

What inspires you at the moment?

Lingerie, the beauty of the body with all the “imperfection” makes it beauty and tells a story. Photographers and art.

What are your strengths?

Pattern drawing, the will to challenges myself, perseverance.

What do you want to achieve at the end of the honors program?

My goal for the honors program is to have a strong lingerie collection with a daywear movement. It’s a whole new world for me, I will learn a lot from it an discover new interesting side of fashion.

Introducing: Sara Akhtar

Sara Akhtar,  23, Luxembourg

What did you do before AMFI?

Before AMFI I used to do Art and Graphics in High school and later studied fashion at London College of Fashion. I wasn’t quite satisfied with the program so I applied at AMFI and some other fashion schools. I ended up going to AMFI because I liked the subjects and programs they offered and I really loved Amsterdam.

Why did you want to do the honors program?

I wanted to do the honors program because I wanted to have a project that allowed me to completely experiment and develop my skills. I also wanted to find out what I enjoy doing and what I don´t and the honors program gives me freedom to do so. I was attracted to do this program because it was all about my creative work and development; I was given the opportunity to make everything creative decision myself with great teachers supporting me and advising me. I was also really excited to do trips to Katwijk and Paris and have fun with my classmates.

Who is your favorite designer?

I have a lot of favorite designers but I especially like Riccardo Tisci, Alexander Wang and the designers from the menswear brand MAN. I also admire Ximon Lee´s work a lot. I am very much into streetwear brands.

What inspires you at the moment?

I mostly get inspired by travelling. I love getting to know new countries and cultures. I get very inspired by watching people´s street style in different cities. I also love concept stores a lot and different designs and graphic trends they show. Independent fashion magazines are very inspirational too and give me a lot of new ideas.

What are your strengths?

I mostly enjoy the translation from the concept into designs. I think my strengths are styling and designing from concepts. I also like working on the presentation of my work.

What do you want to achieve at the end of the honors program?

At the end of the program I am hoping to have completed a great and innovative collection that I am proud of. I am hoping to develop my skills and become more confident about my work. I would like to organise a fashion show with 11 amazing collections that will inspire others and show how much work we put in. I´m hoping to develop as a designer and grow a lot during this program.

Introducing: Simone Schampers

Simone Schampers, 23, The Netherlands

What did you do before AMFI?

Before AMFI I first finished my high school.  Right after that I started at Koning Willem 1 College in Den Bosch where I studied Fashion and design.  In the last year of the study I went on a internship at JANTAMINIAU. There we worked together on two collections. As an intern I started with embroidery, which I already found amazing and beautiful. Step by step I learned more and did patterns, sewing and some design experiments. But the most inspiring part I found the handcrafts and how beautiful the clothes look outside and inside. I remained to work another year there for the weekends.

After KW1C I worked for about 6 months at MEXX to save money to go on a little trip by myself. That was one of the most amazing times of my life so far, I loved the atmosphere of the hostels, meeting new people and discovering everything the countries and cities.

Why did you want to do the honors program?

I never expected to be a part of the honors program. I wanted to do the program, to improve myself, my design skills. I thought it would be a very good opportunity to go deeper in the design part and make a collection which  is really your own collection. 

Who is your favorite designer?

My favorite designers are Rei Kawakubo and Dries van Noten. I love everything about Comme des Garcons and I get super happy feeling inside from the colors, fabric, handcraft combinations of Dries van Noten.

What inspires you at the moment?

My inspiration at the moment is hair. Hairy textures- fabrics, hair extensions, fake hair.  

What are your strengths?

Strenghts, um I think that will be a feeling for colour, fabrics in combination with handcrafts. 

What do you want to achieve at the end of the honors program?

I really want to achieve a collection that is wearable but still outspoken. I want to improve myself at design and making a good collection where you can see that it is from me. 

Introducing: Sharon Jochemsen

Sharon Jochemsen, 23, The Netherlands.

What did you do before AMFI?

Before AMFI I did made and measurement in Amsterdam, and worked two seasons for the brand Jutka & Riska.

Why did you want to do the honors program?

 I want to do the honors program because I want to challenge myself, and make myself a better and understandable designer.

Who is your favorite designer?

Ann Demeulemeester

What inspires you at the moment?

My inspiration at the moment is the pure connection between people, and what those emotions can do with people, two opposites fear and happiness translated into a collection with pure emotions.

What are your strengths?

A good feeling for draping and materials in proportion with the body by using a handcraft technique. 

What do you want to achieve at the end of the honors program?

A collection that reflects my own vision and feelings as a designer. 

Introducing: Morane Havet

Morane Havet, 20, France

What did you do before AMFI?

Before AMFI, I studied textile design for two years in Roubaix, France. I was mostly creating prints, and designing knitted and hand-woven fabrics. I came at AMFI last September to do an exchange and I loved it so much that I decided to stay there until I graduate.

Why did you want to do the honors program?

I really wanted to do the honors program because I think it is an amazing opportunity to develop my own handwriting and grow up. It is also a program, which gives me the possibility to meet very interesting people from the fashion world.

Who is your favorite designer?

My favorite designer is Alexander McQueen. I really like the imaginary he developed in his collections, always full of fantasy and rebellion.

What inspires you at the moment?

At the moment, I think that the people around me and their need to escape a bit the reality inspire me. We are living in a pretty dark society and I would like, through my fashion, give some fun and lightness to people.

What are your strengths?

I have a lot of knowledge in textile, especially with knitting and printing. I develop a lot of handcrafts in my garments. I often give an arty feeling to my work.

What do you want to achieve at the end of the honors program?

With this program, I want to learn more about my personal identity and what I want to say with my work. I want to develop my skills, especially in pattern techniques.  And I want to have fun.