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
