Fortis Bank to show premieres at AIFW

Dutch designers Jan Taminiau and Mattijs van Bergen are bound to dazzle on the catwalk of the Fortis Bank Opening Soirée on Wednesday 27 January. This will be Mattijs van Bergen’s debut at Amsterdam International Fashion Week. Jan Taminiau will kick off the event with his Duality show, which will also be shown live online, a first for the Opening Soirée. Later this week Fortis Bank Nederland will present another premiere: the first fifteen young, talented designers to complete its Fashion Fasterclass.

Fortis Bank Nederland wants to build bridges between creativity, designers and business. Jan Taminiau and Mattijs van Bergen are two talented designers who will demonstrate why they are successful on the catwalk. Design collective Painted will grace the Opening Soirée with Painted A M U S E. Jan van Rutte, Chairman of the Fortis Bank Nederland Management Board: “The Amsterdam International Fashion Week has become a firm fixture in the international fashion world. As the sponsor of this event, we are proud to offer the stage to young, talented designers.” Spectators can take first-row seats at Jan Taminiau’s show online at www.fashionunited.nl www.jantaminiau.com, www.fortis.nl.

While the Wednesday evening of the AIFW has traditionally been devoted to the Fortis Bank Opening Soirée, Friday’s agenda now includes the Fashion Fasterclass. Jan van Rutte: “Many designers who have recently launched their own business or label need support and guidance as they enter the market. We and our partners – AIFW, Allen & Overy, Amsterdamse Innovatie Monitor, Ernst & Young, Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce, Modint and Syntens – have responded to this need by developing a programme for a select group of promising designers called the Fashion Fasterclass.”

The first Fashion Fasterclass will officially conclude on Friday 29 January.

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Background
Fortis Bank Nederland has sponsored the Amsterdam International Fashion Week since its debut in 2004 and has been the main sponsor since the summer edition of 2008. Fortis Bank Nederland: The Bank of Fashion!