AMFI - Amsterdam Fashion Institute (English programme)

From an early age, Jip was into fashion. She learned to make clothes from her grandmother and her childminder, and was constantly designing, sewing and upcycling. At an AMFI open day, she knew straight away. ‘I felt intuitively that it was right. The all-round first year and the space to discover what I enjoy gave me confidence. After that I stopped looking at any other programmes,’ she says. 

Creative energy in a gap year

On leaving secondary school, Jip decided to take a gap year before moving on to further study. She used the time to expand her portfolio as well as create her own magazine. A project that was spontaneous, but ultimately a decisive factor in her admission to AMFI. ‘I’m visually oriented and fascinated by storytelling. Everything came together in that magazine: image, text, design. It felt like a natural extension of who I am.’ 

Doing something good

A lecturer advised Jip to take the Fashion & Branding specialisation. That seemed the perfect choice at first, but Jip gradually started having doubts. ‘Branding is mainly about positioning and selling products. But during my studies I learned more and more about the darker side of the fashion industry: pollution, exploitation, overproduction. I suddenly found it very difficult to start branding that,’ she says. This inner turmoil led to a conscious decision: she took six months to redefine where her strengths lay and which programme was a good match. And also: how this could enable her to start doing something good for the world.

Room to invent yourself

In the months that followed, Jip took a good look around her. ‘I considered doing more photography, but then realised that at AMFI you can really follow your own path. After the second year, you follow a flexible programme and you are given a whole load of tools. You can work in the Makers Lab, for example, and there are plenty of lecturers around to help you, but you have to take the reins yourself. That knowledge made me stronger and more motivated.’ 

From doubt to deepening

Jip decided to pick up her studies again and continue with Fashion & Branding, as it could take her in all sorts of directions. In her third year, she chose the Fashion Theories minor to further develop her analytical skills. ‘I knew imagery was my strength. But that’s exactly why I wanted to challenge myself in terms of writing and research. When I graduate from AMFI, I want to have gained experience in that field too.’

Internship with social impact

During her internship at Rambler Studios – an organisation that supports vulnerable young people through fashion and creativity – Jip found her niche. She worked on branding and social media, but also conducted research within the organisation. ‘In the end, I wrote a brand report that really made an impact. The team suddenly saw how branding could contribute to their mission long term. That’s when I knew: this is why I’m doing it.’