THE NAIL(S) ON THEIR HEAD

Leave it to the Spijkers sisters to stylishly close Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam. True to their ritual, they share a bit of each other's makeup before the show. Call it superstition, but Truus and Riet stick to it. Last time it was the same lipstick, this time the same eyeliner had to be used. One gets her makeup done by one of the makeup artists, the other does it herself. “I can do it much better, haha, I'm much more precise.” Backstage, the thirteen-year-old dog sniffs between the black curtains. He is not startled by excited models and busy PR ladies; he is now used to the fashion week chaos.

Meanwhile, the models are ready to leave. They are briefly talked into the mood by coach Kim Vos. “A little spice in it, that's what we like,” the sisters joke. And then the lights in the hall dim. The front row is well filled. We see Karin Swerink, Winonah de Jong, Harriet Calo, Sunny Bergman, Marianne Verkerk, and many many many VIPs who want to savor the last remnants of fashion week. The projection made by their favorite illustrator Martina Johanna comes to life, the music (composed by Joost van Bellen) plays. We smell Jules Verne and are taken on a journey around the world. We taste a travelable, cheerful world because with mind travelling you are in New York in a second and in a breath in Tokyo. The cloud theme is reflected in the clothing, in prints and in lines, and I am already in love with the flower-embellished top and skirt. Especially the soft pink takes me to, what shall I think of, the campo dei fiori in Rome.

The applause sounds, the guests rush to the bar. For Truus and Riet, it is now time for a strong drink. A champagne and a red wine, please. If anyone deserves it, it’s the Spijkers sisters.