AVADEM by Anouk van der Meij

Anouk van der Meij is a 24 years old Dutch designer based in Utrecht. She founded her own fashion label, AVADEM, in September 2012. Her label stands for more comfort and spirituality in the (fashion) world. With loose fits and lots of layers, her goal is to make people wearing AVADEM feel happier in their own skin. Her collection will be presented during the Fashion Show Programme.

Hello Anouk! What inspires you in general? 
Spirituality, nature and our society.

What place or city do you find inspiring? 
Anywhere surrounded by nature and my studio are places where I find most inspiration. I haven’t found a truly inspiring city yet, because most cities are too crowded for me. I need the quiet to think, reload and get inspired.

What is it like to be a young designer in your city/country? 
Challenging, but I guess it’s the case in any city.

Would you agree if we claimed that you are obsessed with oversized clothing? Why? Why not? 
Haha, “obsessed” makes it seem like it’s a bad thing. I have to agree I love the look of oversized and loose fit pieces a lot. It has this nonchalance and toughness to it. But it’s not an obsession, more a lifestyle. AVADEM is all about combining fashion with comfort. I try to achieve this with oversized pieces and lots of layers to give some breathing space to the body.

AVADEM by Anouk van der Meij

Please introduce yourself: 
AVADEM is the fashion label by Anouk van der Meij, a fashion design graduate from the School of Arts in Utrecht. With AVADEM she stands for more spirituality and comfort in the (fashion) world. It gives you the option to wear something comfortable and look edgy and fashionable. She encourages dressing in more lounge and oversized clothing, with wide shapes and lots of layering. This way she tries to make people wearing her clothes feel more happy in their own skin.’