About the jury

An international jury of fashion industry professionals and media professionals, representing a cross-section of the international fashion industry, decide objectively which designer they expect is most likely to bring his/her label onto the international market. All jury members invited by the Dutch Fashion Foundation believe in its mission of promoting Dutch fashion on a national and international level.



Christine Ellis
Director luxury consult group - Paris, Milan, London, New York

 Expert luxury fashion consultant Christine Ellis, who started her career at Jil Sander and worked as senior buyer for AGA Group representing Bergdorf Goodman for the past near decade, just started her very own luxury consulting group Christine Ellis Associates with offices in Milan, Paris, London and New York.

"The Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards is a generous and dedicated event during which we are able to see the results of hard, dedicated work of budding designers and our aim is to introduce them to design houses, the retail world or wholesalers so they can grow and create a realistic business from their dream."

Terron Schaefer
Group Senior Vice President Creative and Marketing, Saks Fifth Avenue - New York
As Group Senior Vice President, Creative and Marketing at Saks Fifth Avenue, Terron Schaefer is responsible for Marketing, Public Relations, Fashion Merchandising, Creative Brand Management, Catalog Operations and Visual Merchandising. Prior to this position he held several senior marketing positions at Warner Brothers, Macy's, Harrods, and Bloomingdale's.

"The Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards are very important in the search for new talent. Who are the designers of tomorrow? Who will replace Jean Paul Gaultier, Alber Elbaz, John Galliano? Saks Fifth Avenue conducts these competitions worldwide. The world is small now and we have Saks stores everywhere, so we try to find new talents in every corner of the world. Mercedes-Benz is an important party that funds and understands the value of these competitions."

Franck Jacquard
Headhunter Sterling International - Paris
Specialized in luxury brands marketing, Franck Jacquard started his career at Dries van Noten followed by various positions at Printemps, Louis Vuitton and Prada. He currently holds a position as headhunter and consultant for Sterling Executive Search in Paris.

"Fashion designer brands that succeed and grow are those who have already reached a certain level of professionalism in their organization. Creativity alone is not sufficient, and has to go hand-in-hand with marketing, sales and communication. Regarding communication, international prizes like the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards, are another valuable element casting the light on designers, very brightly... but also very briefly. The winner's reactivity is key to have the benefits of the prize last as long as possible."

Paul Helbers
Head menswear design Louis Vuitton - Paris
Paul Helbers was born in Holland and graduated from the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam in 1994. He launched his own label, Inch, a complete collection of ready-to-wear and accessories for men and women, which he designed for several years. He was then appointed Design Director of GentilUomo, a classic menswear specialist with a dedicated store network in the Benelux countries. He subsequently moved to Paris as Menswear Studio Director for Martin Margiela, where he stayed almost four years before joining Louis Vuitton.

"Today it is much harder for designers to live up to the demands of the fashion industry. Either you learn to play the business on a grand scale or you have to find a way to stay small. In the past a designer had a lot more time to develop his label. Now you have to come with something revolutionairy, a new way of dressing, something which consumers need and want."

Andreina Longhi
Director Attila & co, Integrated Communication Agency – Milan
Andreina Longhi is the director of Attila & Co, a communication agency in Milan with a large focus on fashion. She is also the co-founder of the WHITE fashion salon. WHITE is considered as a reference point for Milan and takes place two times a year, at the end of February and at the end of September in the heart of the Milan Fashion Week dedicated to WOMEN. The minimalist image conquers the world of the most qualified buyers; the most sophisticated collections by emerging and well-known designers find their place within WHITE’s special areas.

"I think that Mercedes-Benz is to praise for its worldwide investment on young talents in fashion and yes, my expectations are very high. Dutch fashion, practically not existing only few seasons ago, is starting to have its own image and strong values. I am very curious to see it from the inside and very pleased to be amongst the first to know and appreciate it."

Beppe Angiolini
Director Camera Italia dei Buyer della Moda – Milan
Beppe Angiolini is the director of the Camera Italia dei Buyer della Moda, the assosiation for fashion buyers in Italy. Angiolini is also the owner and buyer for Sugar, an apparel and accessories for both men and women stores located in Arezzo.