Diversity Fashion Week in Amsterdam: Photos from 2024
JJ Vreds in a design by B Proud
Amsterdam’s annual Diversity Fashion Week breaks the mould of beauty standards and advocates for wider representation in fashion. Models of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities grace the catwalk in colourful designs from around the world. With fashion shows, presentations, exhibitions and workshops across three days, the 2024 ‘Extravaganza'-themed event was more impressive than ever. Scroll down to find out more about Diversity Fashion Week and how it continues to pave the way for a diverse and inclusive fashion industry.
What is Diversity Fashion Week?
The Diversity Fashion Week Foundation was founded as a non-profit organisation in 2018. The main areas of focus are diversity & inclusion education and ‘inclusion by design’ — for example, fashion that meets the needs of wheelchair users. Diversity Fashion Week was created by co-founders Sensemielja Sumter and Daisy van der Veen, who I had the pleasure of interviewing for a blog post in 2020.
Diversity Fashion Week aims to “break through the "standard" image of (ideal) beauty … and provide a platform for all kinds of talent … with a stronger focus on the representation of people of colour, plus size models and a range of sexual orientations and gender expressions.”
During our interview in 2020, co-founder Daisy van der Veen summed up the foundation’s vision: “We want to challenge current beauty standards and celebrate diversity between models. We’ve had models with disabilities and without, models of all ages: children, teenagers, adults, even mature models. Models with experience and models with no experience who want to give it try. We want to offer everyone a chance to be seen and feel like, ‘Hey, I’m allowed to be here too.’“
Diversity Fashion Week’s designers
Diversity Fashion Week 2024 featured the following international designers:
Annigje (The Netherlands)
ANU Fashion (The Netherlands)
B Proud (Suriname/ The Netherlands)
Colourful Goodies (Suriname/ The Netherlands)
Hallelujah Kimono (Japan)
Joella Verajankorva (Finland)
Juliia Solodova (Ukraine)
Justine de Riedmatten (Switzerland)
MI&ANN (The Netherlands)
Mystic Fantasy Creations (The Netherlands)
Nicola Fatale (Germany)
Sharon Simone (Suriname/ The Netherlands)
Solano Dolls (The Netherlands)
Sultana Diana H
Untag (The Netherlands)
Violetta Riedel (The Netherlands)
Ziza Creations (The Gambia)
Beyond the catwalk
In addition to fashion shows, Diversity Fashion Week included a “Pimp up your clothing” session by Steven Blanco, a photography exhibition by Sara Li, and a showcase of various designs by Hallelujah Kimono. The day came to a close with presentations by 3D fashion designer & game developer Giovanna Marcallo Thereza, and (inclusive) fashion lecturer & researcher Giancarlo Pazzanese.
Diversity Fashion Week in photos
Scroll down for a range of designs showcased throughout the evening at wheelchair-friendly venue Loods 6 in Amsterdam. All photos are the author’s own:
Zoila (left) and Jillstra (right) in designs by Mystic Fantasy Creations
Monica in a design by Solano Dolls
Colourful Goodies founder Ellen Brudet (left) and Romy (right)
Taphelicia in a design by Hallelujah Kimono
Clifford in a design by Nicola Fatale
Liv in a design by Hallelujah Kimono
Selina in a design by Ilse the Label from B. Fashion Academy
Elisiano in a design by Hallelujah Kimono
Mia with designs by Colourful Goodies
Selina in a design by B Proud
JJ Vreds in a design by Mystic Fantasy Creations
Sanne Esmee in a design by B Proud
Ariana in a design by Ziza Creations
Rittika in a design by Justine de Riedmatten
Ariana in a design by Mystic Fantasy Creations
Models celebrating a successful Diversity Fashion Week 2024
For more information about Diversity Fashion Week, check out the Diversity Fashion Week website, follow @diversityfashionweek on Instagram, or email diversityfashionweek@outlook.com
