Amsterdam is in the midst of five days of fashion; all the latest Dutch designs can be seen at the Amsterdam Fashion Week DOWNTOWN.

Fashion Week began Wednesday evening with shows by two young Dutch designers, Jack Hullekes and Bas Kosters, both of whom have their own fashion houses. And the catwalk at the Westergasfabriek, on the western outskirts of town, is busy all week with daily shows from both established designers and fresh young talent.

Looking forward
For the 16th edition of fashion week Dutch designer Tony Cohen worked exclusively with Man Made Fibres, "innovative materials" created by chemical company DSM. Other innovations are on display at the Green Fashion Competition, focusing on environmentally-friendly fashion production.

Eight finalists will compete Friday for the top sustainable fashion prize. Elsien Gringhuis, winner of the first Green Fashion Competition in 2011, will show her latest creations and Princess Máxima will be in attendance.

Looking back
Meanwhile, on the other side of town in the Tropical Museum, old and new hang side by side as students from Antwerp display designs inspired by traditional clothing: Culture Couture. The traditional costumes are also worth a look - some could even be mistaken for contemporary designs - no wonder they inspire the young designers.

Amsterdam Fashion Week DOWNTOWN ends Sunday 29 January.