November 19, 2008


Amsterdam, NL - Monique van Heist is the undisputed winner of the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards 2008. This annual award, which recently took place on Friday, November 7th, is presented to the Dutch fashion designer most likely to succeed internationally.

The international jury awarded the main award unanimously to Monique van Heist for her innovative interpretation of fashion. She convinced the jury by her personality and her consistency of work – through which she offers the fashion world a strong alternative. The designer “involves the core identity of the people in the Netherlands,” said honourable member of the jury Christine Ellis. The jury described Monique’s work as sincere, honest and a source of inspiration.

Apart from the main award of 25,000 euro, the winner also received the Dutch Fashion Incubator Award: products and services of great value to upcoming fashion talent in the development of their own label – thanks to the Bijenkorf, Lectra and the Fair Wear Foundation. The media jury was unanimous as well in her judgement and chose Monique van Heist also as the winner of the Dutch Fashion Media Award, an award made possible by Club Brillant. Van Heist is given the possibility to develop her own eyewear collection with the support of a well known eyewear designer and also received 5,000 euros to invest into the development in her label.

The Dutch Fashion Icon Homme & Femme Awards were awarded to fashion consultant Carlo Wijnands and fashion editor Aynouk Tan. All awards were designed and produced by the Dutch design atelier Ted Noten.

For more information on the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards please visit http://www.dutchfashionawards.com/