Four Fashion Design alumni reach the final of Lichting 2026

Since 2007, Lichting has brought together emerging fashion talent from Dutch fashion academies. In addition to ArtEZ, six Dutch fashion academies are taking part in the 2026 edition: AMFI Amsterdam Fashion Institute, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, HKU, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK), MAFAD Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts and Design and Willem de Kooning Academy. The annual competition provides a meeting point between emerging designers and the professional fashion industry. The selected graduates present their work to an international jury of fashion professionals, who decide who will receive the Lichting Award.

Jillian-Blair DeRose

With Commedia Dell’Arte, Jillian-Blair DeRose tells the story of the sad clown Pierrot. Through character design, DeRose explores themes of sadness, humour, care, adventure and resilience.

Casper Naafs

In SuperMen, SwagKnights, Young Boy Prince, Casper Naafs explores how clothing is connected to growing up and identity. His collection traces a journey from insecurity and discomfort to the freedom and confidence to express yourself.

Stasha Pigkou

In The Great Escape, Stasha Pigkou explores the desire for change and the urge to escape from oneself. Inspired by the myth of Icarus, Pigkou presents transformation as a process of becoming. Asymmetrical and distorted silhouettes, layered constructions and manipulated surfaces reference feathers, wings and movement. Motifs of the human body and anatomical structures come together in a collection about vulnerability, change and resilience.

Julia Verberne

In Memoria Blanca, Julia Verberne explores the distance between memory and the present, reflecting on the time she spent in Nicaragua, where she lived for part of her childhood. She reconstructs recognisable garments and patterns from her grandmother’s wedding dress, translating them into new forms.

On 2 September, the finalists will present their collections during Amsterdam Fashion Week. They will showcase their work to the international jury and to professionals from the fashion industry, including fashion journalists, stylists and industry representatives.

For ArtEZ, taking part in Lichting is particularly special. Over the years, the academy has produced several successful Lichting participants and winners. Last year, Youngjin Choe won. 

For Jillian-Blair, Casper, Stasha and Julia, the twentieth edition of Lichting marks a next step after graduation: an opportunity to present their work beyond the academy and further develop their position as emerging fashion designers.