Sophie Hardeman graduated from the fashion arm of the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and focuses on denim with her label. She believes that jeans are the ultimate example of social conformism; they have developed from men’s workwear to a symbol for freedom, to an everyday piece of attire for the masses. With her collections, she attempts to free herself from this kind of convention. Through playing with existing relationships and structures, she questions that which makes a pair of jeans such a readily recognisable piece of clothing. With her various perspectives, she mirrors – with a touch of self-mockery– how people think they have to dress and live.

This up-and-coming fashion talent has captured the contemporary Zeitgeist in fashion: a little cheeky, authentic, innovative, comical and with a conscious impact. With her surprising way of showing and representing she breaks with all fashion clichés. From a recent decision to film her collection in a residential new build neighbourhood, it is clear how she likes to poke fun at convention and manages to raise this to a consistent and unique vocabulary of her own. She disposes of the right qualities to make it in fashion, uniting various disciplines, like film and photography, intelligently to strengthen her brand.