By Editor Design.nl / 28-07-2009

Hotel Sofitel Amsterdam The Grand was transformed into a temple for fashion during the SS 2010 edition of Prelude.

The bi-annual presentation of emerging designers by the Dutch Fashion Foundation was held on a more intimate scale this time in special function rooms throughout the hotel in the tradition of salon presentations, with catwalks held in the entrance courtyard of the hotel. Quality, simplicity and craftsmanship were definitely high on the agenda of the four designers presented: Mattijs van Bergen, Catta Donkersloot, Conny Groenewegen and Sjaak Hullekes.

First up, Mattijs van Bergen showed his new collection 'Florish Odalisk', inspired by flowers which capture the essence of Spring and Summer. For his fourth ready to wear collection, Van Bergen took his inspiration from all aspects of the flowers from their structure, to colour and beauty. In contrast to the more conceptual and controlled nature of his previous A/W 2009/10 collection, this follow up presentation sees more fluidity, femininity and lightness. The lively collection comprises jackets, dresses, skirts, tops and blouses made from airy constructions, featuring plenty of Van Bergen's signature pleating. Bright pink and red shades and cobalt blues are combined with softer pastels and metallics. Alongside silks that melt around the body, coated cotton, wool and the multicoloured metallic Lurex are also used.

The romance of the spring and summer continued into the work of Catta Donkersloot where the Poppy flower and birds formed the main inspirations for her collection 'Poppy Dreaming'. Inside the hotel, Donkersloot's dreamy new collection was presented throughout the lobby. Models (complete with fake blonde moustaches) lounged on sofas, draped over chairs and stood statuesque in an indoor garden, resembling Scandinavian midsummer goddesses. Flowing, layered maxi and short dresses and skirts in natural, soft fabrics and muted colours - pale greens, greys, white and pink tints - and printed with poppies and birds, told a poetic and romantic story.

There is no symmetry in wearing a symmetrically cut design - the simple act of wearing causes a design to fall, fold and pleat in unpredictable ways. It is from this point of asymmetry that Conny Groenewegen designed the S/S 2010 women's- and men's collection ‘Open Ends’ for her label CG. This collection features the use of moiré light weight cottons, shiny satins in combination with draped linen and transparent organza knits in a palette of beige, cheek red, menthe green, old blue, gold and peach. These fabrics are free to gather, pleat, suspend, loosen up, fold and wrap around the body with a feminine interpretation of masculine silhouettes. A teaser performance of the new collection which was later presented in full on the catwalk, took place inside one of the marriage chambers interplaying Groenewegen's fashion with seduction, love and the body.

There was a nostalgia and vintage edge present in the new SS 2010 collection of Sjaak Hullekes, known for his focus on fine detailing, comfort and quality fabrics. This collection presented inside one of the hotel's impressive function rooms, is a result of the search for sophisticated finishing techniques that complement Hullekes’ classic yet modern use of woven materials, cottons, linens and silks. Craftsmanship was at the forefront of this rather androgynous collection: all the collars and stands were stitched by hand. The palette of classic, natural colours included blue, brown, various greys and luminescent salmon.

Main image: Mattijs van Bergen
Images 1&2: Mattijs van Bergen
Images 3&4: Catta Donkersloot
Images 5&6: Conny Groenewegen
Images 7&8: Sjaak Hullekes
Photography Peter Stigter

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