Meet our first year’s
Fashion Design students. Studying the same, but each with their own vision and ideas. That’s what makes it so great to study at The Amsterdam Fashion Academy, the freedom for creativity and development. They are currently working on their garments for the Frankfurt Style Award (for which they all got selected!), choosing either Unisex, Unicult or Uniform as their starting point... Getting curious? Read further and find out what drives them to become the next ‘it’ designer!
”I
hope to show difficulties in social lives through my designs”
“I don’t want to make fashion to make fashion. I want to make fashion as a form of communication, to provoke a discussion”
Originally from Vietnam, raised in Gent (Belgium) and living in Amsterdam, she decided to challenge herself and come to the Fashion Academy. A born perfectionst with lots of contradictions, a strong opinion and open for opportunities. Choosing this school, she felt that there was space for experimentations, to find out who she wants to become. A challange to see if she would be able to combine her love for architecture and fashion... Architecture has always interested her, something that is strongly visible in her designs. It’s the history, the strong lines and the story behind the buildings that captures her eye the most. With that in mind, she starts designing her garments, with for this season the theme Unisex. Creating the modern Burka, she wants to show the combination of architecture and geometrical forms that she loves. Being the perfectionist, she is never satisfied with the final outcom. There is always something that can be improved, to bring it to the next level. It keeps her awake. And that’s how she wants to reach her main goal: being recognized in what she does, respect herself and the decisisons that she makes. NOT AFRAID TO SHOW WHO I AM.
Thi-Lien Kuijl
Meet Thi-Lien Kuijl, 21 year old student from the Amsterdam Fashion Academy, and currently in her first year of Fashion Design.
Thi-Lien Kuijl
Body made by: Thi-Lien Kuijl Styling: Britt Mansveld
Laura Lepre Meet Laura Lepre, a 21 year old student who just recently decided to come to the Amsterdam Fashion Academy. A place where they allow you to represent yourself rather than the school... Jere
my
Changing schools was the right decision she made. She feels more happy and free, able to explore and show the creativity that is inside her. She is open for everything, but hasn’t find her one true ambition yet. Having changed so much the last couple of years, she just wants to enjoy the moment and explore everything that the fashion industry has to offer her. Laura is defenitely a bold person. Someone who loves colours and is influenced by high tech fashion, the internet and Jeremy Scott (creative director Moschino). Starting her designs she believes it’s the research that is the most important. It is the foundation for the entire process. The process however lets you discover new things. It enebles you to experiment with different fabrics and patterns, something she has been doing a lot lately for her Unicult theme. Asking her if she has an icon she admires she immediately said NO: “ I don’t want it because I want to be my own person. I do want to get inspired by other people, but I don’t want to have to pick just one. I want to appreciate everything and everyone” .
“I am enjoying the moment”
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Outfit made by: Laura Lepre Styling: Laura Lepre
“Go for whatever makes you happy”
“I like simplicity in clothes”
Rei K awak ubo
“I want to create fashion that you can wear every day for every occasion”
Beata Micialkiewicz
Meet Beata Micialkiewicz, a 36 year old young woman from Poland, who decided to change her life and come to the Amsterdam Fashion Academy to chase her dreams.
There couldn’t be a better place than Amsterdam to study fashion. A place where everything is possible and creativity is not limited... Beata is a person who is open to new things and changes. Her goal is to have her own company one day, where fashion and non-fashion related fields will meet each other. An environment where people are able to show their creativity and have the chance to inspire one another.
Her vision as a designer is to create simple clothing which you can wear every day for every occasion. Simplicity is the key to her designs, and it is the story behind it that she wants to bring to the people. Rei Kawakubo is a huge ispiration to her. The way she makes her designs, the different ways of wearing the garments, and the story behind it. Those are just a few examples why she looks up to Rei Kawakubo. Being extremely passionate about colours and the round shapes of bubbles, this is something you will find back in the garment she is currently working on. Having Unicult as her theme, she was inspired by Japan, a country she loves to visit one day. Leaving everything behind to start a new life is not that easy. I takes a lot of courage and self-knowledge, but then again this describes exactly who Beata is. I AM WHO I AM AND WHO I AM IS GOOD
Beata Micialkiewicz
Top made by: Beata Micialkiewicz Styling: Sophie van Broeckhuysen
Suzanne Kop Meet Suzanne Kop, a 23 year old Fashion and Design student at the Amsterdam Fashion Academy, who’s always had a passion for fashion.
Su
Having had this long time passion for fashion design, she decided to come to the academy to get the freedom for creativity and personal attention. She shows who she is through her work and her outfits. Having a striking style, she considers herself a bold person, always working with a lot of details, prints and colours. Suzanne loves every aspect of the design processes. All of them are different. The research shows the beginning of the story, the process allows you to be very creative, and the final outcome is something you can be proud of. Insipriation is something she finds in everything that shows details. You will also see this when you look at the blouse she is making for her Unicult theme, based on religion in Brazil. With this strong vision and style, she would love to work for a company one day that represents the same ideas. Dolce & Gabanna and Roberto Cavalli are just a few examples...
“I have a striking style, I show who I am through my work and outfits”
zan
ne’
sB log
Top made by: Suzanne Kop Styling: Britt Mansveld
Shoes!
“I am minimalistic, but I like to surround myself with bold people”
“Most important thing is how women would feel wearing the clothing I make”
Alicia Nastenko
Meet Alicia Nastenko, a 35 year old young woman. Orignally from Ukraine, it was love that brought her to the Netherlands...
She is currently living in Amsterdam with her husband and daughter, and decided to study Fashion Desgin at the Amsterdam Fashion Academy to fulfill her dream of becoming a designer. Driven by curiosity, she is always looking forward, what will be next, what can be done better. It is self-improvement that keeps her going. Her life experiences is what makes her different than someone else, and she sees this as her advantage.
When designing, the most important thing for her is to make sure that women feel comfortable in the clothing. They must feel right the moment they are wearing the clothing. She feels satisfaction when finishing a project, the feeling of having done someting right. Currently working on her Uniculut theme, inspired by the Amazon, she wants to show strong women in her designs. Considering herself a minimalistic person, it is bold people that inspire her. Their attitude, what they do. Her obsession with shoes have a good story behind it. Shoes can show in what kind of mood she is. It’s her personality that is reflected through her shoes. They can spice up your outfit, make you feel sexy, vulnerable, confident etc.
Alicia Nastenko
Outfit made by: Alicia Nastenko Styling: Sophie van Broeckhuysen
Manuel Castaño Meet Manuel Felippe Castaño, 22 year old Fashion and Design student. Probably the most spontaneous, open minded person who lives life to the fullest...
Originally from Colombia, he was looking for a professional fashion education. That’s what brought him to the Amsterdam Fashion Academy. It’s international, personal and a lot of individual attention. Asking him what really represents him, he named the colibri, a bird which means infinity to him. That’s what Manuel wants, to be free and to go his own way. The thing that inspires him the most is music. Where you hear music, you will find Manuel. Loving fashion in a lot of different ways, he is especially interested in what is happening behind the scenes. That’s where also the designer aspect comes in. His designs are very diverse. He can both be minimalistic and bold, depending on what the customer wants and what the theme and concept is. When he works, he especially likes the process, because it gives him satisfaction to discover new things and to experiment. Going back to Colombia to start his one main street fashion brand is his biggest dream. Making products that sell wel, and are of good quality. Arthur Calla is his inspiration, an entrepreneur who established his dreams and goals by working really hard...
Entre ser y no ser you soy... (I am between being and not being)
Pants made by: Manuel Castano Styling: Laura Lepre