Christiaan de Vries

'When I started at AMFI, I had never even sat at a sewing machine before. That turned out to be no problem, because in my first year I learned all the industry basics. The first year is good preparation for the rest of the degree programme. As an AMFI student, you've gotta have nerve. The world has hundreds of designers – think about what you yourself have to offer. AMFI focuses on commercial design. You are expected to create products that are well put-together.’

‘At first I found it difficult to deal with criticism. Teachers are sometimes strict, and pay very close attention to your technical skills. You're making clothes, not art. My second year was when I made collections for the first time, including one for Burberry. For that assignment it was important to research the company's brand identity. In my third year I completed an internship at McQ by Alexander McQueen in London – what a fantastic experience! One of my jobs there was to work on the fittings for the 2015 spring/summer collection. I also sewed samples, designed prints and drew patterns, and they sent me into town to research fabrics. My internship at McQ improved my self-confidence, and I was glad of the opportunity to put my two years at AMFI into practice.’

‘AMFI offers a programme with a practical focus that meets the needs of the high-end fashion world. I am currently completing my minor ‘3D Hypercraft’, which focuses mainly on 3D virtual prototyping. We learn to draw patterns using software, which enables us to see and experiment with our designs on the models straight away. I think that I will be using it a lot more in the future. I also hope to be able to start my own label one day, that's my dream. But first I want to gain even more experience in the industry and do some travelling.’