MR ELAN PANACHE: PRE-AFW

Amsterdam Fashion Week is in town again. Yes, boom-bada-boom! The Dutch designers will show us what SS13 will look like and they definitely know how to do it. Fashion-me is so excited. Bring it on!

AFW. For those who can't figure out what the hack this twitter-kinda abbreviation means, well I'm talking about Amsterdam Fashion Week, yes I do. Deviation, there I go again. Let's stick to the subject. The actual AFW counts 5 days, the SS13 shows will find place from Wednesday the 11^th of July till Sunday the 15^th of July, but there's more. Way more. Ahead of AFW there's a buzz. Oh my, I love buzzes. Don't you love them?! Talking about 'a buzz' I mean that there are more cool fashion events and shows that find place before the actual AFW starts. I went to some of them and I now will point out the ones that caught my eye. In other words the ones I loved, ranging from a men's wear fashion show on a Sunday at the church to a pop-up concert. Damn, I love these times. Let's dress up denim, make a little love and do a little dance on patent shoes!

On the 5^th of July Stockholm based - clean swaggy freshness - label Weekday decided to do a little dance by arranging a pop-up concert. Par-té time is what we call that. The event was there to celebrate that Weekday will, finally, come to Amsterdam to sell they're cool fashion. Almighty, I will welcome them with open arms! At the event South African/Dutch band Skip&Die spoiled us with some amazing tunes and vocals. They brought us a mix of global bass, rap, afro beats, blazing sun and dusty roads. Check them out, because they're cool. Weekday and Skip&Die: I'm a fan, big time. Weekday will open its doors at Rokin 84 in Amsterdam on the 31^st of August this year. Can't wait for that.

On Sunday the 8^th of July Ado les Scents by Hyun Yeu presented his SS13 collection. The show's location was amazing: an ancient chruch in the city center of Amsterdam. The contrast with the clothing was perfect. Where the church was old and brown, Hyun Yeu's designs were cripsy clean and white. What I really love are the semi-transparent white shirts showed in his collection. They are simple, but perfect. A holy white Sunday it was!

On Monday the 9^th of July By Borre showed his SS13 collection. The collection presentation was held at two places. A day and night-spot. Catwalk at daytime, drinks at night. I am really crazy about the innovative set-up of this event. The day-spot was at one of Amsterdam's most authentic gyms: The Apollohal. By Borre showed us structured designs. The structure of the designs was even stronger because the fashion show was combined with gymnastics. Pretty impressive! The night-spot was at hot spot Ludwig II. It was a Monday fashion bash: fashion, poetry, drinks and beats. Manic Monday? Hell to the no!

On Tuesday the 10^th of July Dutch label Cold Method introduced us to their SS13 collection. Compared to other years Cold Method decided to do it different this time. The presentation was intimate, instead of a big fashion show. Something that was kinda awesome in my opinion. For this collection designer Dieter de Cock came with clean and fresh layered looks. You know I love layering, so that's a 'yes' to me! The collection showed us cool colours, lovely chino's and a nice fit. If it's up to Cold Method SS13 is going to be preppy fresh!