AMSTERDAM FASHION WEEK

words by NIA TOPALOVA

Last Saturday, for the first time ever, Amsterdam’s A10 highway was transformed into a 75-meter-long catwalk, celebrating Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary.

Cropped tailoring layered over sheer knits, sporty shapes softened by satin, and denim… lots of it! Clean, frayed or reworked with contrast stitching, focusing on texture and layering. Each of the five designers was given archive or repurposed Levi’s denim to deconstruct and build their pieces. That denim was the backbone of the presentation, appearing in everything from structured jackets and patchwork skirts to hybrid silhouettes layered over tailoring. The denim was historical, sustainable, and tied the collection back to Amsterdam’s identity. Earlier in May, Levi’s worked with the three mentors - Borre Akkersdijk, Guillaume Philibert, and Renée van Wijngaarden, to release 750 limited‑edition T‑shirts as part of the “Op de Ring” build-up. 

The collection, titled Past, Present & Future, brought together five designers: Armia Yousefi (Joone Joonam), River Moojen, Jannah Erdtracht, Vince Reece Hale, and Emma van Engelen, each of them mentored in the lead-up by Borre Akkersdijk (BYBORRE), Guillaume Philibert (Filling Pieces), and Renée van Wijngaarden (1/OFF Paris).

The project was made possible with support from Meester Koetsier Foundation, MAC, and New Balance. After the show, the sixty pieces will move to the Amsterdam Public Library. From July through December 2025, six looks per designer will be available to borrow through the library’s Fashion Rental Program.