3 September 2021

ROXANE MBANGA AND MARCO BLAZEVIC WIN LICHTING 2021
On Friday the 3d of September Lichting 2021, the debutantball for emerging fashion talent, took place in Capital C, as a part of Amsterdam Fashion Week. The thirteen best graduates of the seven Dutch fashion academies presented themselves and their work to an (inter-)national audience of fashion professionals and the panel.
LICHTING
Roxane Mbanga, graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, is chosen as the winner of the Lichting 2021 award; a cash prize of €10.000,- and a show at Amsterdam Fashion Week 2022 together with Lichting 2020 winner Darwin Winklaar. The panel decided to give the second part of the prize, legal support and advise with regard to creating and developing a fashion brand and -business (with a value of € 5.000,00) of Van Kaam IP, Media & Privacy, to Marco Blazevic graduate of ArtEZ University of the Arts Arnhem , for his talent and vision.

ROXANE MBANGA
In her immersive installation NOIRES, Roxane challenges the prejudices of the viewers and highlights black female bodies. NOIRES is a multimedia conversation that combines a book, videos, sound, tapestries, garments, sculptures and prints. As a part of this installation, Naked underneath or, How to use clothing to assert oneself? is a series of videos suggesting women from different countries to reappropriate their bodies through the sensation of nudity within public space.
For this roaming project, Roxane Mbanga revisits a traditional unisex garment from West and Central Africa: the Boubou. In collaboration with local tailors and artisans, she designs a series of four Boubous. Thanks to its loose fit, the boubou allows a unique experience of intimacy. Freely, the air runs over the body and the soft fabric caresses the bare skin.

MARCO BLAZEVIC
Marco’s collection “The Humble Hustle” serves as a monument for the people at the borders of our society and the hustle to overcome their situation. “From rags to riches” is deeply rooted in our capitalist society. The paradox in this principle is beautifully illustrated by hustlers doing whatever it takes to live the high life, to be the riches. To form an ecological statement against overconsumption, Marco reversed this principle to “from riches to rags.” This creates a story which expresses the paradox of fighting to make a living, while having way too high living standards, culminating in a humble yet satisfied existence.

JURY REPORT
This year’s international panel was formed by Margreeth Olsthoorn (high-end fashion store owner), Guillaume Schmidt (co-founder Patta), Amber Jae Slooten (co-founder & creative director The Fabricant) and Borre Akkersdijk (co-founder and chief creative officer BYBORRE). They met all participants during the panel pitches and spoke extensively about the participants’ work and vision. The panel debated intensively about the participants and agreed on the winners right before the announcement.

The panel said: “Roxane and Marco both presented important topics that, especially now, are very relevant. Their work delivers a message that has to be heard by the world.”

Photo Credits: Team Peter Stigter