What happens when twelve talented designers can’t show off their graduation collection due to a pandemic? Exactly, they come up with a solution, as one might expect from a bunch of creative youngsters ready to take over the world of fashion. The Amsterdam Fashion Academy decided to take a different approach and came up with the idea to make a fashion movie to celebrate the graduates once the news came out that the usual graduation fashion show could not take place. The final result which the students premiered on the 6th of April via livestream for their family and loved ones is a stunning fashion movie that celebrates the talented and vision of these twelve graduates.
 

WATCH THE FILM HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXeWqp7b7oA&t=1s

As soon as the Amsterdam Fashion Academy and its graduating students, who come from six different countries, heard that the annual graduation show that should have taken place in June of 2020 could not happen due to COVID-19, they came up with other ideas that would provide them a platform to showcase the final collections to the public. Therefore, the Amsterdam Fashion Academy, the graduating students and the Amsterdam-based RISE Agency joined forces realising a fashion movie that highlights some of the pieces from each of the twelve collections. Over the course of three long days, the movie was shot at different exceptional locations, such as the Berlage Stock Exchange, Frederiksplein and inside the beautiful building the Amsterdam Fashion Academy is located. Students of the Arts of Colors school where in charge of the hair and make-up. The final outcome is a modern music video-like film that represents the perfect chance to show the collections and the talent of these young fashion designers to the world.
 
 

Watch the fashion movie of the Amsterdam Fashion Academy graduates here
 

Deborah Pulleyblank, Academic Director, comments: “It is in the DNA of the Amsterdam Fashion Academy to be inclusive and supportive. Therefore, we have involved also current students from all our programmes in the production of the film, who participated as models or in the backstage”.

 

The graduates about their collections (in order of appearance):
 

Rebecca van Caem (The Netherlands/Spain)
“La Feria” is a collection based on a week full of tradition, pride and culture for all of the national Spanish people.
 
Alexandra Poláková (Slovakia)
“The women’s collection is based on a subtle combination of modern tailoring techniques. The collection embraces the heritage of crafting by using traditional crochet techniques.
 
Maria Sole Novelli (Italy)
“Teddy-Army” is a menswear collection inspired from the Teddy movement in England meeting practicality chic and street.One of the main focus was to use fabric made out of food waste and this is why I used pineapple leather. I created my own camouflage print using pixelated pictures taken from some primary research.
 
Sabrina Marinus (The Netherlands)
“Royal sweetness” is about breaking the rules and being yourself with no apology. By embracing the feminine body, we dare to make statements, we don't have to hide from.
 
Gabriella Frempong (The Netherlands/Ghana)
This collection empowers and reconstruct the female power and strength inspired by the cultural heritage from Ghana, in western silhouettes.
 
Tricie Bergmann (Austria)
For games, character design depends heavily on silhouette, as it is the first introduction to a character the player receives. Therefore, for this collection, the shapes and features of six Dungeons & Dragons races were studied to find the initial silhouettes.
 
Ellen Hawes (Great Britain)
The collection is inspired by my grandad who passed away. His garden was his most prized possession so this I came up with this concept as a kind of memorial for him.
 
Sophia Pohlmann (Austria)
This collection is inspired by movies from the ‘70s, such as Dog Day Afternoon and Taxi Driver. Silhouettes and designs remind ‘70s style icons such as Mick Jagger and David Bowie.
 
Robin Hubert (The Netherlands)
The beginning point of the concept of my collection is the Amazon rain forest, especially focussed on the fires that have been happening in 2019. My aim for this collection is to make people more conscious about the bad influence we have on nature and environment, and how bad the consequences are if we keep polluting the Earth.
 
Cristina Noya (Spain)
My collection, which is about human alter egos, simulates different personalities: the outside visually looks unpleasant but the feeling is actually comfortable. This is all achieved with macrame technique.
 
Merel van der Laak (The Netherlands)
For the design of my final collection 2020 I chose to focus this project on colour, illustration and prints. A big source of inspiration for me is looking at interior design and this will be reflected in the my collection.
 
Edurne Goikoetxea (Spain)
The main inspiration for this “Dotes” is the great Italian painter Caravaggio. On the one hand, the collection is inspired by his excellent technique, and unique shapes and colours, constantly used and implemented in his paintings. On the other hand, the influence of his disturbed personality and his dark thoughts and behaviours.

 

The Amsterdam Fashion Academy


The Amsterdam Fashion Academy (AFA) is a private international top-flight fashion university that offers university-level Bachelor’s degrees with Honours in Fashion Design and Fashion Business, both accredited by the reputable Buckinghamshire New University in the England. Amsterdam Fashion Academy has been acquired by Luiss Business School in January 2020. Luiss Business School based in Rome, is part of the Luiss University, a prestigious and world-renowned private university affiliated with the biggest Italian employers’ organization, Confindustria.


 
The different between AFA and other schools is that AFA is a dedicated hub of small- scale, student-centred learning in a personal and supportive environment. This ensures that every single student counts and is treated as an individual. All students at AFA are unique with their own needs and talents which AFA fosters, supports and assist, so they can all develop to their full potential.