WEEKEND TWO - AMSTERDAM

WEEKEND TWO - AMSTERDAM

I have just had an incredible meeting with Orsola, that I keep pinching myself to see if this is real. I have arrived in Amsterdam within 30 mins of the plane taking off. I depart at 8:45pm and arrive at 11:05pm (Amsterdam 1 hour ahead of London). Flights take only 30mins from London (Gatwick) to Amsterdam (Schiphol).

I needed to wait for my transfer back to Hotel at meeting point. 1hr 20mins later, my driver arrives at the Sheriden meeting point across the street.

NEVER USE THE TRANSFER SERVICE HOLIDAY TAXIS AS AN INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER SERVICE!

1) AIRPORT TRANSFER = 1 HR 20MINS LATE TO PICK ME UP FROM AIRPORT

I checked into my hotel around 12:30am. I stayed at the Hampshire Hotel, Plantage Middenlaan 48 Amsterdam.

Stayed in a beautiful room

Gorgeous view from my room

24 HOURS IN AMSTERDAM

My first stop of the day was Museum of Bags + Purses. If your love vintage, bags, fashion, history this is the place for you! Entry costs = $12.50€ for 5 levels of vintage heaven and fashion history. 

ABOVE: These are the artist tools + utensils they used to create these one of a kind handmade masterpieces

RED LIGHT DISTRICT EXHIBTION SHOWCASE
EMERGING DESIGNER FASHION EXHIBITON + POP UP STORES

Next stop the Emerging Fashion Designer Exhibition showcase held within the Red Light District. (See below - Map of locations)

The Amsterdam Government has linked up Red Light District with Emerging Fashion Designers/ Brands to create a fashion initiative called Redlight Fashion Amsterdam. Giving a different approach and new fashion platform for emerging brands.

Redlight Fashion Amsterdam offers the top dutch fashion talent to display their work and themselves to the public.

 

* I was trying to be sneaky and make sure no ladies were working and on display otherwise I would get told off for taking photos.

LENA FASHION LIBRARY

LENA is a fashion library exclusively created for women's clothing, ranging from tops, skirts, dresses, shorts, purses. LENA is  based in Amsterdam. 

This library gives you have access to a high quality collection of the finest vintage, upcoming designers and eco labels, which you can swap whenever you like. They've put together an amazing collection with care, from which you can buy as well as borrow everything.

MEETING WITH SABRINA KRAS LOPEZ
Next stop on the agenda was my meeting with Co-Founder + Fashion designer - Sabrina Kraus Lopez from Ode to A.

Sabrina Kraus López is a designer specialising in research and development for the textile industry. Following her fashion design BA in milan she recently graduated from an MA in Material Futures at Central Saint Martins school of art and design. This multidisciplinary course taught her research driven design that lead to observing and analysing social, political and economic trends to inform future, sustainable design applications.

Fascinated by craft sabrina has worked with a remote peruvian weaving community for her final MA project before undertaking the Common Thread residency for the British Council.

We met at De Plantage - beautiful place to meet for coffee. After initial small chat, we began to  listening to each others backgrounds and stories next minute we were talking for hours til sun went down. It was amazing to hear her community background and her business and what her next steps for the future.

I was so impressed by her integrity and passion. I hope to work with her in the future towards establishing this new relationships that will hopefully lead to working with my community in Australia.

LAST MINUTE EXPLORE AROUND AMSTERDAM

I went back to my hotel to refresh myself after amazing meeting, thought I would go check out the city for my final night in Amsterdam.

I went and got myself some souvenirs and presents for family, then went and purchased a beer and some traditional pomme fries + mayo and walked to the streets of Amsterdam.

I had to get a taxi back to the hotel because uber service is non-existent in Amsterdam.

TIPS FOR AMSTERDAM

PLEASE SHARE AROUND - NEVER EVER USE HOLIDAY TAXIS AS AN INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS SERVICE
THEY PROVIDE THE WORST CNUTY CUSTOMER SERVICES - HUNG UP ON ME 3 TIMES! WHEN ASKING QUESTION ABOUT TRANSFERS
BOOKING - TO BE PICKED UP AT 930AM - WILL ONLY PICK ME UP AT 630AM

NEVER USE THIS PIECE OF CRAP SERVICE!


GOODBYE AMSTERDAM

I had to go to bed by midnight, as I checked out at 6:00am of Hampshire Hotel. (not at 9am) I pre-packed and ordered a taxi to be picked up at 9:30am.

Instead the hotel transfer arrived at the hotel at 6:30am so I arrived at the airport at 7:30am and my flight wasn't scheduled until 12:15pm. I had five hours to kills so I found myself a nice corner of the airport near a phone charger and went to sleep for 4 hours.

After quick 30 mins flight back to London, 1 hour  train ride transfer back to apartment - I was happy to be back at the London apartment to say the least. After re-grouping myself, now I needed to make sure I was ready  and prepared for meetings next week.

Stay tuned for more behind the scenes of 2015 British Council - ACCELERATE program for final weeks!

Keep working hard, believing in yourself + never stop dreaming!

TJ xo