Sjaak Hullekes (1981)

“With the nomination of the Sjaak Hullekes label for this prestigious award we hope to gain recognition on a national level, which would help us to continue and expand our international strategy.”

With the ongoing sophistication in menswear today Sjaak Hullekes hits a sweet note. The Sjaak Hullekes label, which was launched in the winter of 2006, reinterprets the designer’s romantic taste for early 20th century dandyism resulting in ever so subtle contemporary menswear. With great attention to make and detailing - which not only shows on the outside but is often hidden for the pleasure of the wearer only - Sjaak Hullekes serves style conscious men unafraid to address their feminine side with a refined choice in clothes, yet opting for a quiet, soft toned and ageless image. Sjaak Hullekes’ passion for traditional craftsmanship and nostalgia aims to emphasize a man’s personality and natural beauty, and he shows himself well aware that his soft-spoken fashion statement derives its strength from quality and perfection. His natural palette comes to live with sun-bleached colors in fine fabrics including delicate and sheer qualities. Not surprisingly the Japanese were the first to pick it up. Sjaak Hullekes is sold at seven Croon a Song-doors throughout Japan and at MgH20 in Rotterdam.

Academy of Dutch Fashion Design

To gain an indirect, objective and independent vote the Dutch Fashion Foundation has invited a select group of national decision makers and key-players with a cultural and economical background into the Academy of Dutch Fashion Design. The members of the Academy have all individually listed their top ten of most promising Dutch fashion designers, with a result of 28 designers. Looking at the ranking in which they were chosen and the criteria set up for this award, a selection was formed of 10 designers.

Members of the Academy of Dutch Fashion Design: Amsterdam International Fashion Week - Arnhem Fashion Biënnale - Dutch Fashion Foundation - Fonds voor Beeldende Kunst Vormgeving en Bouwkunst - HTNK - Intres – Klavers van Engelen - Modefabriek - MODINT – Monique van Heist - Prins Bernard Foundation - World Fashion Centre

International pre-jury From an international point of view the precommittee members of the jury Marc Gysemans (Gysemans Clothing Industry, Belgium), Valentina Maggi (headhunter luxury brands; director of Design Practice at Floriane de Saint-Pierre & Associés, Paris), and Diane Pernet (talentscout and journalist A Shaded View on Fashion, Paris) then choose the 5 finalists for the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards 2009. These designers will be presented to the full international jury on November 6th.

Regulations

Each fashion designer to participate in the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards is selected by the criteria that he/she: 

- is graduated from an (inter)national fashion academy, 
- has the Dutch nationality, 
- has its own registered enterprise, 
- has developed at least five collections under his/her own label, 
- has distinguished talent, a unique style and knows
to present this convincingly, 
- has already taken strategic steps to imbed in the international fashion field.