If you are interested in fashion and you want to do the course, must you always have had a love of fashion? That’s something Michael wondered about when he came across the Fashion Design course. “I felt as though to be able to do this course, you practically had to have been born with a sewing machine. Whereas my interest in the subject was still quite new. I did some modelling work whilst at secondary school and that gradually kindled my interest in fashion and design." In order to explore it further, Michael did the preparatory programme at ArtEZ. There he came into contact with various disciplines, including fashion.
“I'll never get in”
During the preparatory programme, Jeff Montes was a guest lecturer on the course. “He gave me a really good assessment and asked me to do an internship with him. So I did. I learned a lot from Jeff and he also gave me some new insights about the course. At that point I was sure that this was what I wanted to do. I believe there are something like 500 applications a year – there's been a huge increase especially now that it is international. The selection is pretty tough, so I thought I'd never get in. But I did!"
Focused on craftsmanship
At ArtEZ you receive a practical training. Right from the start, all the students are sat at the sewing machines, learn to draw and make books on paper. “What’s so special about this course is that it is very focused on craftsmanship, much more so than other fashion courses. On top of that, there are lots of opportunities if you want to focus on sustainability. So, for instance, I was taught by Ratna Ho of the Fraenck fashion label. She obviously has a lot of experience in that area. You can really go in-depth if that's what you want to do."
Not disposable clothing
There are all kinds of ways of being sustainable. Use of material, how you package things, upcycling or recycling. In Michael's designs, the sustainable aspect is mainly a function of the quality and wearability of the clothing. “I researched how garments are constructed. My collection contains several items that can be transformed by the wearer. That means he or she can wear the same item in several different ways, making it suitable for multiple situations. For me, sustainability is really about the quality of materials, the proper finish, right down to the details, and the functionality of the garment, allowing the wearer to really live it."
Studying in Arnhem
There are a number of well-known fashion courses, but studying in Arnhem was the best choice for Michael. "Of course, ArtEZ has the best reputation. Apart from that, I have found that precisely because Arnhem is much smaller in scale than Amsterdam, say, you really find yourself in a kind of creative bubble. Our class got so close, but you also get to know people on other ArtEZ courses. They in turn help you to develop creatively in different ways. And then you bump into them in town, which makes it really fun and personal."
The people on the course work hard – sometimes Michael would be there from 8 in the morning to 11 o'clock at night. “That's your choice, because you can put as much time into it as you want to. I just want to do everything really well, and that means you have to work hard. But when you've submitted something or done an exam, we go down to Sonsbeek to enjoy the weather, have a beer and toast to our success. Sonsbeek is the perfect place for that."
Roll up, roll up
Because like last year it won't be possible to hold a big show for the finals, a different format has been chosen – film. “On the one hand that's a pity, but it also offers opportunities", says Michael. “You can show it to a much bigger audience and you are also left with a great document which you can send out. On top of that, there's much more room for detail – on the catwalk you only really catch a glimpse, but on film you can add different elements. Using material that reacts to skin contact, for example. Or colours that change in a particular light. My collection really comes to life on the screen."
What is Michael going to do after the finals? “I have plans to set up a label with a good friend. It's going to happen, but I don't know when. I am also really keen to go out into the world and learn everything I can from it. I have already been offered some great opportunities, I am looking into which ones I'm going to take."
Michael de Geus and his 14 fellow students are the 63rd generation of ArtEZ Fashion Design.You can see their graduation collections at FOCUS Filmtheater from Wednesday 30 June to Sunday 4 July. The film was directed by ArtEZ Fashion Design alumnus Diek Pothoven and filmed by ArtEZ Interaction Design alumnus Niels Zweekhorst.
