FASHION WEEK TALK

with Edwin Oudshoorn

I don't think I know a woman who wouldn't want to marry in one of his princess dresses. Feel free to call him the king of couture, with his fairy-tale beautiful designs that come into their own best in an intimate setting. Tonight he closed Fashion Week with a bang of a collection. Models walking the catwalk in your clothes? So 2016... 12 white couture dresses floating above a mirror of water, that was the show in one sentence. And since I've been running around backstage for four days, I might as well pull the designer's fashion sleeve, you get that.

Edwin, you almost belong to the interior of Fashion Week by now, right? How was it to participate again?

“I owe a lot to Fashion Week, so I hold it dear, it’s a fantastic place. The Transformatorhuis was a good place to showcase the collection. It provided contrast.”

Are you still as nervous as before your first show? Or are you getting used to the pressure of the moment?

“It’s always exciting because you’re only as good as your last collection, of course. However, things are better organized now than at my first show. That gives a lot of peace.”

You spend a quarter of a year working on embroideries for a twelve-minute show. What gives you the most satisfaction on this evening?

“When we ourselves feel that it’s right. All parts come together and make it a cohesive whole. If there are also positive reactions from the audience, I can breathe easy again.”

I know that choosing between your children is actually impossible. But is there a design from this collection that you have an extra special bond with?

“Funny enough, the set I’m most attached to isn’t even visible during the presentation. This collection consists of different elements that can be combined with each other. We can create about 20 different looks from the 9 capsule looks that were shown on the dolls. My favorite look is the silk blouse with long sleeves combined with the wool crepe pants, with a brooch from House of Eléonore and a long veil.”

Now I’m quite curious about what you’re going to do tonight. Will it be cocktails or will it be catching up on sleep?

“Of course, we enjoyed a glass or two of Cuvée 28+ from Rotari during the presentation, so I think I’ll have another one and then go to bed to catch up on sleep.”

You are a big name within Fashion Week, yet you choose to continue showing in Amsterdam. What is the reason for this?

“Part of my clients is in the Netherlands and I find it very nice to be able to invite them closer to home, so they don’t have to travel abroad just for my shows.”

You recently had a mega-successful Fashion Week in Paris. Do you see a big difference between the shows in Amsterdam and Paris as a designer? 

“There is much more international attention for the shows in Paris and we are part of that. That’s very nice.”

Are you satisfied with this year?

“Definitely! Paris was a great success and our client base has grown enormously in the past year. This show was a very good start to 2017.”

Has anything gone differently this year than you expected?

“Unfortunately, that long vacation didn’t happen. Funny enough, when we thought we would finally have a bit of a quieter time and time to make new plans, it turned into a madhouse. But that’s of course only nice.”

Do you have a favorite model at the moment?

“We really enjoy working with Isabel van De Boekers. A lovely and smart woman who works incredibly hard and always stays focused. That’s really nice during a long day in the studio. And besides, she’s of course also stunningly beautiful.”

And who is the rising star to keep an eye on?
“To capture this collection, we also booked a ‘new face’. We saw her on Instagram and knew she was perfect to do the shoot - together with Isabel. Her name is Annabel and she is with IBE Models. She is definitely someone to keep an eye on, I’m sure she’s going to do very well.”

The funniest thing that happened backstage today?

“Standing in a pond with ice-cold water to light hundreds of candles while you all wait outside the door... Quite a strange sight with my green rain boots on, haha.”