Claes Iversen wins tenth Cultuurfonds Mode Stipendium

The tenth Cultuurfonds Mode Stipendium was awarded on Tuesday. Fashion designer Claes Iversen received the prize.

The tenth anniversary ceremony took place on Tuesday Cultural Fund Fashion Stipend place, an award for established names in the fashion world. None other than the Dutch-Danish fashion designer Claes Iversen walked away with the win. It is the largest prize that a Dutch fashion designer can win. Text: Patrick Stoffer
Image: SPICEThe Cultural Fund Fashion Stipend has been awarded to talented and advanced fashion designers since 2011. Iversen will go home with a challenge trophy, designed by Atelier Ted Noten, and €50.000, which will be given by a generous donor from the Cultural Fund.

The fashion designer received the award from Cathelijne Broers, director of the Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund, in the Amsterdam cultural center Felix Meritis. Iversen takes over from Erik Frenken, who won the title in 2019. Previous years included Ilja Visser (2011), Francisco van Benthum (2012), Truus and Riet Spijkers (2013), Jan Taminiau (2014), Youasme Measyou (2015), Iris van Herpen (2016), Ronald van der Kemp (2017) and Bas Kosters (2018) won the coveted fashion prize.

“A huge pat on the back for my work. I am very happy and grateful to be the tenth recipient to receive this award. It is a beautiful, but also difficult industry to maintain as a self-employed person, this award creates space. I will spend it carefully to further develop myself.”

The committee report reveals the following about Iversen: “Claes Iversen has walked a long and apparently confident path, in which a marketing strategy has never been leading, but the continuous research into the contemporary nature of fashion design. Against the currents of the times, with quiet elegance and determination, sublimating one's own craftsmanship and serving women remained central.”

Claes Iversen regularly makes creations for Queen Máxima and recently has his own bridal collection. However, it is not the first time that Iversen has won prizes. Among other things, he was named Best National Designer by Marie Claire and was named Creative of the Year in 2016.