Amsterdam fashion week 'escapes the crisis' [January 22, 2012]

The 16th edition of the Amsterdam Fashion Week kicks off on Wednesday and the organisers say the economic crisis is barely noticeable, the Volkskrant reported at the weekend.

New sponsors have come forward for the event and the sale of designer clothing has scarcely been dented by the downturn, the event's director Bart Maussen told the paper.

Maussen says the ambition is to propel the Amsterdam event from sixth place to fifth place in terms of being the place to promote fashion. This year, designers such as Tony Cohen, Bas Kosters and Sjaak Hullekes are holding shows at the Westergasfabriek in the city's Westerpark