Mariette Hoitink: “Lichting has been the debutante ball for young fashion designers for twenty years”

Twenty years ago, Lichting began as a platform for the best graduate collections from Dutch fashion academies during Amsterdam Fashion Week. It has since grown into an important launchpad for a new generation of designers. Former participants have started their own labels or gone on to work for fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Dries Van Noten, Gucci and Viktor & Rolf. For some, Lichting was their first professional platform; for others, it was the decisive push towards an international career.

Founder Mariette Hoitink reflects on two decades of talent development, changing selection criteria and a fashion world in constant motion. FashionUnited also speaks with four former participants about the impact of their involvement and the doors Lichting contest has opened for them.

Platform for the best graduates

The idea for Lichting emerged at almost the same time as the founding of Amsterdam Fashion Week. Mariette Hoitink already had an extensive network within the fashion industry through her recruitment agency, HTNK, and became involved in the organisation of Fashion Week under the direction of James Veenhoff. Initially, the HKU (University of Arts Utrecht) wanted to organise its graduate show during Amsterdam Fashion Week. Hoitink and Veenhoff immediately saw an opportunity. “Why don’t we bring together the best graduates from all the fashion academies in The Netherlands?”

That idea grew into Lichting: a single, joint show where the best Dutch graduate talent takes centre stage. “The Netherlands is a small country, but we have a great number of excellent fashion courses. I wanted to connect those worlds.”

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Only constant of twenty years of Amsterdam Fashion Week

Twenty years later, according to Hoitink, Lichting remains one of the few moments where the Dutch fashion industry is introduced to a completely new generation of designers in a short space of time. “Lichting is essentially the debutante ball for young fashion designers.” The platform remains dynamic precisely because a new class takes to the catwalk each year. “It’s always zeitgeist. What has emerged that year, or over the four years someone has studied – what’s been cooking – that’s what comes out. You can actually see the changes in fashion through Lichting.”

The fact that Lichting has been running for twenty years is all the more remarkable because during that period Amsterdam Fashion Week has changed owners and direction several times. Lichting endured and is also embraced by the current owners, Danie Bles and Lisanne van Egmond. “Danie never had any doubt about whether we could continue with this. She had always attended Lichting. Bles and Van Egmond recently added a new dimension: the winner gets the opportunity to present their own show during Fashion Week the following year.”

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From academy selection to open call

The way designers are selected has also changed considerably in twenty years. For a long time, the academies themselves decided who they would send to Lichting. For Hoitink, this was initially the fairest method: every course was given the chance to put its best talent forward. Gradually, however, it became clear that this system had a downside. “We discovered that it was also becoming a real competition between academies, whereas we just wanted to offer a platform.”

Since 2022, all graduates have therefore been able to apply independently via an open call. They submit images of their work, their concept and their CV. Around one hundred submissions are received annually. A Dutch pre-selection jury selects twenty-five candidates from these, who then present their work in person. From this group, ten designers are chosen for the final show, which is judged by an international jury.

“The open registration ensures that every graduate has an equal chance of being selected, regardless of an academy's preference.” The number of participants is deliberately limited. Hoitink: “Ten designers works best for a show in terms of maintaining engagement. We always want to show more, but you can't sustain that as an audience.”

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No checklist of criteria, but ‘a feeling’

The international jury traditionally consists of four different profiles: a creative, a commercial, a journalistic and an educational voice. For the judging, Lichting deliberately chooses not to use a strict scoring system. Hoitink: “Fashion is emotion. It's about being moved by something.”

Ruben Jurriën, who won the Lichting competition in 2022 after his studies at AMFI, knows all about that. His graduate collection, ‘Pak van mijn hart’ (the title is a Dutch play on words that translates literally to a clothing suit close to the heart while idiomatically meaning a weight or load off one's mind, ed.), revolves around inclusivity and the way dress codes determine who identifies with certain clothes and who does not. He incorporated the story into a hand-drawn comic strip, full of Dutch puns. It was not exactly the easiest concept to present to an international jury.

The fact that his work, with its distinctly Dutch perspective, was chosen by an international jury felt like a validation for Jurriën. “That you are heard, seen and appreciated. That was very special for me.” Hoitink remembers his victory well. “The jury couldn’t read his concept. He won, however. Apparently, the words weren’t even necessary. The feeling he conveyed had come across.”

After his win, ‘Pak van mijn hart’ was followed up with his show a year later. Jurriën used the prize money to further develop that collection. Stylists used his clothes for photoshoots in magazines like Vogue and Numéro. “Lichting gave me recognition. A kind of right to exist: this is fashion.”

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Not just the winner who benefits

David Laport participated in 2012 with his graduate collection from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. He did not win, but it did gain him a lot of visibility and press attention. He also received freelance assignments and was approached by two large companies asking if he would like to work for them. Another great opportunity came from department store de Bijenkorf. A dress from his collection ended up in a national campaign for the store, with the design featured prominently in window displays and videos.

“Participating in Lichting was the icing on the cake for me,” Laport reflects. “You’ve already had your final exams, you’ve passed, and then suddenly you get to be on such a big stage with everyone.” Despite the offers, Laport chose not to work for a company straight away. He started his own business: during the day he worked behind the till at The Movies cinema in Amsterdam, and spent the rest of his time on freelance jobs in his studio above. A grant then gave him the space to focus fully on his design practice.

Less than a year and a half after graduating, his first solo show at Amsterdam Fashion Week followed. In retrospect, Laport wonders if he started his own business a little too quickly. “It all happened so fast, it was almost impossible to keep up. Perhaps I should have taken those jobs at big companies. That would have been quite good for me.” He now works as a freelancer alongside his own label and from his design studio for various international clients, including Cartier in Tokyo and Singapore, and as a creative director for a start-up in New York.

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To London with the prize money

For Henriette Tilanus, the step up took a different form. She won Lichting in 2013 after graduating from ArtEZ in Arnhem. Her victory came at a time when she herself had no idea which direction she wanted to go in. “At the academy, I was still searching quite a bit and my collection only really came together just before the show.” The Lichting week felt like ‘a pressure cooker’ to her. There were workshops, jury interviews and presentations, and finally the professional show. “It was very strange when my name was called out. It was so overwhelming.”

The prize money then gave her the peace of mind to take the next step: a master’s degree at Central Saint Martins in London. After that, she entered an international playing field. She worked as an assistant designer in embroidery and print for companies including Dries Van Noten and Vlisco, and regularly travelled to India for her work. During her master’s, her work, along with that of her fellow students, was published on Vogue Runway, which led to new international commissions.

After seven years as a print and embroidery designer at Fabienne Chapot, Tilanus is now making way for a new phase. In September, she will return to ArtEZ University of the Arts as a lecturer in Textiles. She is also working on her own studio where she wants to give existing fabrics a new life with embroidery, among other things. She would like to combine freelance print design with embroidery within her own studio. Looking back on Lichting, it has mainly given her more self-confidence. “When you do things your own way and trust in your own quirkiness, and that is appreciated, it’s a huge gift.”

Her Lichting year also turned out to be a remarkably fruitful one. Duran Lantink, who was also among the participants at the time, is now head designer at Jean Paul Gaultier.

Direct line to Paris thanks to Lichting

For former participant Nina Pen, who graduated from ArtEZ in 2018, the win was mainly in the experience. Lichting gave her the chance to present her collection again, this time to an audience outside the familiar academy environment. “A confirmation that my work was also considered interesting outside the walls of the school.” On the jury was Alvise Bullo, at the time junior research manager creative talents at LVMH Fashion Group. “He gave me a lot of feedback after Lichting. We are still in touch. He was one of my first contacts in Paris.”

After graduating, Pen took part in design competitions in China and Prague and worked from her own studio on print design and paintings. The pull of fashion remained, however. In 2019, she moved to Paris for an internship at Lanvin. There, she worked on prints and paintings by hand for collections. “Then I thought: wow, I can actually do this as a job!” After various roles at Lanvin, later with the accessories team, a new opportunity arose in Italy. “Gucci was looking for a designer for the embroidery department. I had sent my portfolio four years earlier and never heard back. Now they invited me to apply.” She seized the opportunity with both hands.

Pen has now been working in Gucci’s embroidery team for several years, currently on haute couture and special projects. She designs textiles for special dresses and pieces and is given a lot of room for artistic research.

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More than a competition

The diverse careers of former participants illustrate that the value of Lichting extends beyond the competition element. The professional catwalk photography by Peter Stigter, the international jury, the visibility during Amsterdam Fashion Week and the attention on social media give all selected designers a flying start. Stylists, fashion houses and talent scouts are quicker to know who the new names are after Lichting.

“It’s not always the winner who ultimately goes the furthest,” says Hoitink. "Participation in general proves to be a real launchpad for many designers. That’s why I always say: everyone who is in Lichting is already a winner!”

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Changing generation

Interestingly, the participating designers also reflect the times in which they graduate. “Twenty years ago, the emphasis was much more on individual expression. Now, sustainability, inclusivity and material experimentation are almost a natural part of many graduate collections.” Hoitink sees more and more designers working with deadstock and reusing materials through upcycling. The academies have also become more international and diverse over the past twenty years. “Young people from all over the world come to study here. That brings with it different stories and histories. It’s an enrichment.”

Another change is the way young designers interact with each other. Whereas fashion education used to be a predominantly individual discipline, Hoitink now sees more collaboration. “Designers help each other more behind the scenes. For example, they share their models, but they also exchange knowledge. New duos are even emerging: Ülkühan Akgül and Batuhan Demir met at Lichting and are now showing at Amsterdam Fashion Week.” According to her, it fits with a broader change in the fashion world. “In the past, you were trained in a very solitary way in this profession. Now, young designers understand that you get further together.”

“It’s not always the winner who ultimately goes the furthest. That’s why I always say: everyone who is in Lichting is already a winner”

People behind the scenes

The fact that Lichting has existed for twenty years is also thanks to a dedicated group of people behind the scenes. Catwalk photographer Peter Stigter has captured every show since the very first edition. This has created an extensive visual archive of two decades of Dutch fashion talent. “We probably have the most beautiful fashion image archive in the Netherlands.”

DJ and music producer Joost van Bellen has been providing the musical direction for the show for twenty years, together with his husband Sander Stenger. Production duo Bas Andrea and Nathalie Haelermans of Frontrowbackstage have also been involved for many years. Hoitink: “These are people who do it because they believe in the concept and want it to continue. I find that incredibly special.”

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Lichting 20: looking back and forward

The Lichting anniversary show on September 2 will traditionally take place during Amsterdam Fashion Week at a special location: the Passage of the Rijksmuseum. The evening will open with the collection of 2025 winner Youngjin Choe, followed by the new Lichting of 2026. In addition, there will be a two-day exhibition in the AFW hub featuring twenty participants from twenty years of Lichting. A photo exhibition will also be curated with twenty images by Peter Stigter, which will be on display to the general public for a month in the Hallen Passage in Amsterdam.

For Hoitink, the anniversary is above all a moment to reflect on the people who have supported the platform. “We have done our best to invite everyone who has ever contributed to Lichting, including the now-retired heads of academies. It is a special milestone, which we would like to celebrate with as many people involved as possible.”