Van den Akker, Koos

Koos van den Akker (1939 – 2015) was from the Netherlands. He studied at the Netherlands Royal Academy of Art, then went to Paris where he continued his studies and did an apprenticeship at Christian Dior in the late 1950s. He opened a boutique in the Hague, where he sold his designs.
In 1968 van den Akker went to New York where he did designs for Eve Stillman, a lingerie manufacturer. He then opened his own women’s ready-to-wear business. He became known for his collage clothing, which incorporated lush fabrics, beading and laces.

Taking his inspiration from fabric, Van den Akker created clothes that were highly individual and boldly colored, using collage and patchwork. His collections continued right through the 1980s and 1990s, showing multi-fabric, bright, floral garments.

Koos van den Akker designed a small capsule collection manufactured by Ben Kahn Furs in the early 1980s. He and Peter DeWilde collaborated on a ready to wear sportswear collection in the 1990s. In the 1990s van den Akker started a line for TV retailer, QVC, called “Koos, of Course”.

Written by Sweet Melissa, and ikonicvintage

from a 1970s peasant dress

Courtesy of northstarvintage

from a 1970s collage jacket

Courtesy of SweetMelissasVintage

from a 1980s patchwork and lace dress

Courtesy of JoulesVintage

from an early 1980s two piece dress

Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1980s knit dress

Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1980s college dress

Courtesy of bigchief173

from an early 1980s fur collage coat for Ben Kahn

Courtesy of SweetMelissasVintage

from a 1980s patchwork dress

Courtesy of SweetMelissasVintage

from a 1990s collage raincoat

Courtesy of SweetMelissasVintage

from the 1990s QVC Koos line

Courtesy of ikonicvintage