Sjaak Hullekes wins Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Award
Festive celebration of Dutch fashion in The Hague
Last Friday, 6th of November, the Dutch fashion Industry was highly represented at the third edition of the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion awards in The Hague. The jury consisting of prominent professionals in the international fashion system awarded the prestigious prizes to the talents they felt have most potential to expand their brand internationally.
The award-ceremony is in 2009, according to the Jury has great relevance for the future. De Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Award, the main award being a financial grant of 25.000 euro to be invested in activities related to the international expansion of the brand, went to the designer Sjaak Hullekes because of “his crystal clear proposition of menswear full of new post-crisis values and his well thought through business strategy”. The Dutch Fashion Incubator Award, with support of several partners including department store De Bijenkorf and the wholesale hub World Fashion Centre, went to Bas Kosters.
From left to right: Winners Iris van Herpen, Sjaak Hullekes and Bas Kosters.
Winner Sjaak Hullekes: “The award is an amazing support for the further international development of our label”, Jury member Wilbert Das, creative director of Diesel: “In the postcrisis fashion industry of today, it’s important that a new generation of designers searches new ways to inspire the public. In that it is of paramount importance that the designer is able to effectively communicate his work and his brand. Both Sjaak Hullekes and Bas Kosters show that they posess the characteristics of designers of the future. They are the personification of their brand.”
Iris van Herpen won the Dutch Fashion Media Award, a financial reward of 2.500 euro and a brand coaching and guidance program offered by parties in the field of brand strategy, personal marketing and PR. Dutch fashion stylist Ferry van der Nat won the Dutch Fashion Icon Homme, while stylist Bonnie Orleans Voss was honoured with the Dutch Fashion Icon Femme. All awards are designs made by the renowned Dutch jewelry designer Studio Ted Noten.
This year, the gala event of the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards took place in The political capital The Hague. Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade Frank Heemskerk underlined in his speech at the awards ceremony the great importance that the fashion industry has for the Dutch economy and the image of Holland in general. Angelique Westerhof, director of the Dutch Fashion Foundation and organisator of the event: “We are excited that together with our partners we have given yet another strong impulse to the further internationalisation of Dutch fashion. We realise that this event being of great value for us now is also a great investment in the future of our creative industry.”
Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards 2009
www.dutchfashionawards.com
This year The Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards were hosted in the 'Grote Kerk' in The Hague.
