Already 10 year at the front line, advocating for the ascent of  ‘Polder’ creativeness onto the international style radar, the Dutch Fashion Foundation – aka DFF –  undoubtedly stands out as the admiral vessel of the corporate aggregation.

by Joyce Bidouzo-Coudray – Paris

DFF unveiled, earlier this month, the fifth edition of its renowned Dutch Fashion Awards (DFA) 2011. The event, staged inside the stellar atrium of De Grote Kerk in The Hague, welcomed a cohort of dedicated Dutch style influentials joined by streamlined international guests from France, Italy, The UK and Germany…all united for a evening of pure fashion celebration.

Despite the apparently transitional state of affairs, the stakes were as high as ever. More so, the critical imperatives for all competing designers not to withstand the ability to match their creative skills with the apical requirements of an unforgiving global fashion industry.

Conny Groenewegen, who also competed last year, was unanimously voted winner of both the Grand Prize, namely the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Award 2011 and the International Fashion Incubator Award 2011 …for presenting wondrously crafted and highly innovative knitwear pieces, fit for the high-end fashion market.

Along with the €25.000 Mercedez-Benz monetary welfare, additional ‘collaterals’ include the opportunity to show her collection during one of the forthcoming editions of Mercedez-Benz Fashion International Weeks combined with the chance to integrate the A-list sales showroom Biffi / SpazioGenova in Italy…for two consecutive seasons.

Also note worthy, Korean born designer Hyun Yeu who took away the Best Fashion Incubator Award 2011; Yeu presented an overview of his 5 past and current ADO LES SCENTS menswear collections. Pieces we thought to  be truly worthy of a modern-day gentleman’s ‘vestaire’.  Look out for the ADO LES SCENTS Pop Up Store which is said to be unveiled in the Spring of 2012 at the leading Dutch department store De Bijenkorf.

Other competing designers included, Erik Frenken for AVELON, Joline Jolink and Marcha Hüskes all made out for an eclectic – yet  no less creative – crop that does merit further attention.

As part of the official DFA programming, the Résidence de la Mode introduced a wider range of Dutch fashion talents to the general public via a series of pop up stores taking place in a number of locations in the city center of The Hague.

The new MERCEDES-BENZ CONCEPT A-CLASS CAR, also on display at the venue, was nothing short of a creative statement from the allured sponsor; but represented a symbol its years long support to DFF. The 3-door hatchback, which was featured in an international campaign shot by photographer Terry Richardson, starring supermodel Jessica Stam, provided a preview of a next generation of Mercedes compact cars. A production version is expected to debut next year.

Synopsis :

Initially established in 2001 by Angelique Westerhof otherwise known as the ‘High Priestess’ of Dutch fashion, DFF aim is to increase international status towards Dutch fashion as a household discipline. 10 years after, this unprecedented platform is widely recognized for having actuated the callings of creative wunderkind by the likes of Klavers van Engelen, Monique van Heist, Bas Kosters, Sjaak Hullekes and more recently Iris Van Herpen, winner of last years Award.

As a true pioneer of the sort, Westerhof, who holds one of the most authoritative international network in the industry, proves – if need be -that she remains a force to be reckoned: playing an integral part in the further development of Dutch fashion talents  worldwide, for instance by organizing the well noted ‘Dutch Touch Campaigns’ in Paris, Milan, Rome and Florence which are increasingly attracting the attention of key international press and buyers.

We mark our respect and look forward to the greater accomplishments that are yet to be unraveled.