denim for the next generation – thats the tag line of the DESIGN CHALLENGE 2015 and I really like it. how can we be more sustainable, how can future generations benefit from us? did you know that the jeans industry is one of the most poluting one? I will get back to this topic but first I wanna talk about three of the winners and their design:
JOHN-RANDY ANTHONY, 23
Taking his inspiration from the families of Amsterdam, John-Randy’s aspiration is to develop sustainable, more durable denim for everybody. He wants to design denim garments that are timeless in design, so people can wear them for a lifetime. John-Randy chose the 501 Levi’s Jeans 1954 as his iconic denim style, because these jeans made histo- ry as the first denim for women and were also worn by Marilyn Monroe.
DONNA VAN LANGEN, 21
Donna’s style is understated and comfortable and this is what she brings to her design, too: clothes that look good, but are ultimately wearable. She is inspired by women who want clothes that they love but who also care about their beloved family and the environment. Donna chose the Rockmount Western Shirt as her iconic denim piece, because it is the ultimate basic garment. Wearable all year round, it transcends sea- sons and it works for a diverse range of styles.
MICHAEL BLES, 27
Michael is a passionate and hardworking team player who loves to be creative and thrives with challenges. He takes his design inspiration from the cafe racers and rebels; the young, wild and free of the 60s. His aspiration is to fuse the old with the new, giving it a contemporary twist that takes the design into the modern day. Michael chose the trucker jacket as his iconic denim style, because it’s a piece of history that will always be reworked by designers and customizers.
“The Design Challenge was launched by C&A two years ago to support up-and-coming design talent and explore new creative routes. For the 2015 edition of its annual competition, C&A has partnered with the Jean School of Amsterdam, putting the focus on creating Denim for the Next Generation. As one of the largest players in denim retail on the European high street, the partnership with the Jean School underlines C&A’s dedication to denim. For this year’s competition, eight emerging denim developers from the Jean School were invited to reimagine an iconic denim style for women, men or kids into an innovative and stylish, yet accessible, denim piece that meets a variety of criteria such as price range, sustainable material sourcing and production as well as craftsmanship. Both the sustainability and craftsmanship aspects of the challenge are key components for C&A as part of the company’s long-term strategy.”
It was really nice to talk to three of the winners unfortunately I didnt meet the fourth winner:
JULIE VAN LUIT, 19, she designed the ladies denim trucker jacket: 
