The Das Leben am Haverkamp collective is characterised by an unpolished approach and the exploration of boundaries between (art) disciplines. The four designers behind Das Leven am Haverkamp – Anouk van Klaveren, Christa van der Meer, Dewi Bekker and Gino Anthonisse – wanted to find a four-part approach that would provide them with an appropriate way to present their individual collections. The result of the Bravado collection was a very unique aesthetic, formed by beauty versus the abject. Performance is an important part of this disconcerting and absurd total experience, which the collective uses to completely remould the ‘fashion show’ medium.

In the committee’s view, Das Leben Am Haverkamp has successfully used its collection to showcase the strengths of Dutch fashion: experimental and always seeking to push boundaries. By focusing on artistic expression, rather than on the saleability of clothes, the designers are exploring the limits of the discipline. The coming together of their creative spirits culminated in a show that could not fail to impress with its fresh interpretation of the concept. Combined with a knowledge of tailoring, this produced carefully-crafted pieces.

Das Leben am Haverkamp puts artistic expression first and shows how thorough – and, specifically, unflinching – research can look: it sizzles with joy. This, paired with skilled tailoring, yields original, beautifully crafted apparel. The jury considers the combination of individual design and collective output to be radical and engaging. The collection of Das Leben am Haverkamp raises questions, poses questions, and challenges conventions. A strategy that playfully disrupts the Dutch context of fashion. Now, it’s up to the collective to take the next step and develop a signature style that straddles the surreal and the speculative.