HENDRIK VERMEULEN

"There's nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realise that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent." Dave Barry

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This season, the Hendrik Vermeulen takes the audience for a journey from the safe sandy shores to the bottom of the abyss in collaboration with the I Am Water Foundation, in an effort to raise awareness to ocean conservation. This also reignited Hendrik’s first passion for music as he wrote a beautiful poem based on the ocean, and composed a song: Ndingamanzi (I Am Water), in his home based recording studio. He subsequently recorded it with Zolani Mahola and Bianca Le Grange, two prominent South African artists. This song was released, with the profits going to the foundation, during the opening of the I Am Water NYFW showcase. 

As part of Hendrik Vermeulen's continuous efforts to fight for inclusion of minorities, this Spring/Summer collections see the return of disabled models to his New York Fashion Week runway, at the Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Station. During this show Vermeulen introduced Madeline Stuart, Australian Down Syndrome Model, to the world, on her first International Runway Show.

 

The Collections: 

 

• A Resort Collection, under the label Simply Vermeulen, comprising of luxury swimwear, silk caftans, soft over gowns all unique and original with their genuine digital prints, Swarovski crystals, embroideries, hand beading and custom dyed colours.

 

• A Prêt-à-Couture collection, under the label Simply Vermeulen, consisting of lightweight business to cocktail attire, a festival of embossed silk pieces re-embroidered with Swarovski glass beads, pearls and crystals, custom dyed in water colour shades.

 

• A Bridal Couture Collection, under le label Hendrik Vermeulen, is composed of designs fitting the theme and slightly turning their back to the traditional styles while bringing a fresh and peculiar approach to this special segment of the “Made to Measure”.

 

• And a Couture Collection, under the label Hendrik Vermeulen, or the Art of the Made to Measure in all its splendour will be interpreted by creatures found at the bottom of our oceans mixed with fantasy sea deities; all showcasing state of the art hand work and details of the highest quality. A few of the processes used in the making of this collection include: Hand dyeing, hand beading, hand sewing, embossing, molding,  3D printing, hand embroidering, hand painting, air brushing,  hand pleating to name just a few…