Sad news from the fashion world. Just heard that a sweet, versatile, incredibly talented designer has left this life. Fashion designer Dennis Diem, a beautiful person, a warm person, and an incredible source of inspiration, has passed away at the age of 42.
Diem was born in Amsterdam, but grew up in the United States. When he was 22 years old he returned to the Netherlands and attended the fashion course, where he graduated in 2000. During a Pink Ribbon event in 2007, the born Amsterdammer showed his first collection of his own, which he had also financed independently.
The body changes through a corset. It’s almost like sculpting.
Dennis Diem, fashion designer
A year later he opened his studio at 144 Oudezijds Achterburgwal. Japan was the basis for his second collection, Yurei, where he went on a study trip. He showed his spring / summer 2012 collection ‘Fool’s Gold’ to the general public during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam in 2011.
Next came the collections ‘Asphalt Jungle’, ‘Florence Nightingale’, ‘Opium Dream’ and ‘Trouble in Paradise’. The couturier mainly focuses on autumn / winter collections. His last major show was in 2016. He became known for his ornate creations, which showed a great love for craftsmanship. The designer was specialized in making corsets.
The big breakthrough of the born Amsterdammer was the famous red dress that he made for Trijntje Oosterhuis. The singer wore the dress in 1996, when she sang the equally impressive song ‘De Zee’ (The Sea) during the opening of the Amsterdam ArenA. Many famous Dutch women such as Romy Monteiro, Georgina Verbaan and Victoria Koblenko wore his creations. For Dennis, great style icon Els Pynoo, singer of Vive la Fête, he designed all kinds of corsets for her tours. Dennis also made outfits for ‘The Ladies of Soul’, Berget Lewis, Edsilia Rombley, Glennis Grace, Candy Dulfer and Trijntje Oosterhuis.
During Amsterdam Fashion Week in the summer of 2014, Victoria Koblenko wore a Dennis Diem couture dress, made from 10,000 Thai ‘green’ beetles. Two holes were made in each beetle to attach it to the dress. The actice wanted a green dress and Dennis Diem, who was always looking for natural materials, found this special Thai Jewel Beetle. When the bugs are dead (a natural death) they are picked up and then the shields are used for art and fashion projects, among other things – they are so beautiful. A dress with a story and beautifully made!
We encountered his creations not only in the Netherlands, but also internationally. Iconic was the golden dress for model and performance artist Nina de Lianin, which she wore during the fourth Cine Fashion Film Awards 2017. Very special also because Nina has been the muse for years, and a good friend of the French couturier Manfred Thierry Mugler, and the face of his perfume Aura Mugler. In The El Capitain Theater, in Los Angeles, the winner shone in her special creation. The fashion designer’s creations were also worn at the Oscars and Golden Globes by his muse Dorith Mous.
What beautiful creations came from his hand. And not only in terms of couture. The most beautiful creations also appeared with paint and brush and through other art forms. Because in addition to fashion, the couturier was mainly involved in making art in the last years of his life. And running a Bed and Breakfast…
Where Dennis was, was warmth, love and beauty. You will be missed terribly, the world is a lot less colorful without you…. Thanx for all the fun adventures during AFW, in the studio and on ‘the boat’. Bye dear, talented, inspiring man, the sky will shine like you did with your creations on the catwalk and everywhere! Thank you for the blossoming collaborations, so inspiring, you were and will remain unique…. a very beautiful person.
Dennis leaves behind his beloved parents Eugénie and John, his brother John-John, friend Bram, Joost and little dog Brammetje. We wish your family and friends a lot of strength, what will you be missed…. Dear, sweet Dennis, I sincerely hope that you are at peace now…
Yakymour 