The KABK graduation show 2020: an evening full of talent

We had to wait and see if it could go on, but: the show must go on. So last week the annual graduation show of the Royal Academy of Art took place in The Hague, The Netherlands. A spectacular show of talented students who finally got to present their work. Of course FashionUnited had to be there.

Loud music sounds through the speakers while the first models walk up the catwalk to present the collection of Hannakin Henriksson. The models, dressed in mainly cream-colored clothing, quietly walked onto the stage and dressed with the clothes hanging from a clothesline. Some pieces had small embroidered details that gave the mostly quiet outfits a unique twist. Each model wears coarse, thick boots that are painted white. The garments fall loose and wide around the bodies, they are mostly dresses and jumpsuits with spacious jackets over them.

After the calm first presentation, the garden fills with ominous music and five long slender men walk into the courtyard: the work of Hee Eun Kim. Each model walks in a different direction, dressed in deconstructed garments, mostly in monochrome colors such as black, dark blue and white. The whole presentation has a futuristic feel, both intriguing and eccentric. The facemask is seen in the pieces, although in an impractical way, as there are holes in the mask. The men wear mainly pants and jackets, one model wears a one piece.

Immediately after that, quiet piano music is played while four models in ample clothing take to the stage and start dancing. The design of the Dutch Inge Vaandering is up. The garments consist mainly of washed colors, and fall widely around the models.

Haley Kim is next in line. Together with her first model she takes the stage. While she ties the garment around the model, a bright orange two-piece that falls tightly around the body, the other models walk on stage. The way Kim helps each model get dressed, gives the audience a unique glimpse into the design process of the pieces. Bright colors and floral designs come back a lot. The young female models and their youthful garments fit together perfectly.

The last show is from the Greek Eva Dimopoulou. Dimopoulou performs on stage as a DJ in a long burgundy dress. While the music gets louder and louder, several female models in long dresses take the stage, each design in one color. Striking are the shoes the women wear: block heels, but literally, shoes with a large wooden block underneath. The women are exposed and slowly move with the music, after which they end up in a joint pose.

Inge Vaandering wins the Keep an Eye Textile & Fashion Award

The winner of the annual Keep an Eye Textile & Fashion Award is the Dutch Inge Vaandering. The jury, formed by fashion professionals Patrick van Ommeslaeghe and Branko Popovic, believes that Vaandering has earned the award: "In her strong vision on material and design lies a strong artistry, an important characteristic for our time. With the help of the Keep an Eye Textile & Fashion Award she can invest in the further artistic and substantive development of her practice".

This article was originally written for FashionUnited.nl. It was translated and edited in English.

Images: Textile & Fashion - KABK via Vimeo

Images: Peter Stigter voor Keep an Eye Foundation