Amsterdam Dance Event 2023:

Where Music and Fashion Collide

By Ana Clara Dondoni Braz, Carolina Blumke and Luna Lampikoski | Culture | November 8, 2023

Cover Illustration: ADE 2023. Vera Dvorakova / The Amsterdammer

Culture reporters Ana Clara Dondoni Braz, Carolina Bluemke, and Luna Lampikoski, with photographer Vera Dvorakova, discover the festival fashion of this year’s ADE.

The annual Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is a real treat for electronic music lovers, bringing together music and people for five days and nights in a vibrant, energetic city. The festival attracts visitors from all over the Netherlands and beyond. It is also the perfect opportunity for aspiring DJs to make a name for themselves. This year, the event took place from Oct. 18 to Oct. 22. In addition to music, fashion plays a significant role in ADE, with DJs, locals, and international attendees all showcasing their unique perspectives on style.

Reporters Carolina Bluemke and Luna Lampikoski attended two ADE events to conduct interviews with a focus on fashion and music. The first event, “Music Meets Fashion with Future Intel,” was a 6-hour in-store party and exhibition at the G-Star RAW store in Rokin on Oct. 21. The second event, “Verknipt,” was a 12-hour rave that took place on Oct. 22 and was the biggest event of ADE this year. The interviews were conducted on the streets near the venues and in the queues lining up for the events. 

“I basically wanted to wear something colorful, because the weather is really bad. So I thought: okay, let’s get it and wear something pink. Barbie-style,” expresses Juul. 

When it came to fashion choices, interviewees drew inspiration from a variety of sources, including social media platforms like Pinterest and their everyday experiences. 

“I like almost every style, because you can express your feelings, or just how you want to be as a person, and I think clothing can speak a lot. […] You can maybe know how they are, or maybe how they’re not when they’re dressing up. Maybe they’re dressing down for some reason,” Kay explains, reflecting on the fashion of fellow festivalgoers.

“I usually check Pinterest to get a little bit inspired,” says Shariya. 

On the other hand, Anastasija states, “I don’t have a certain inspiration, I am my own inspiration.”

Outfit sourcing methods varied. Clothes were thrifted, bought new in a store, or gifted from someone else. Some popular brands and platforms were Vinted, Doc Martens, Supreme, Bershka, Zara, and G-Star RAW.

“The jacket is my dad’s, and the top is from Vinted, from the store Miss Sixty. […] My shoes are from Vinted,” explains Eden. 

“My top is from a girl that I met in Novi Sad, a city in Serbia. I told her that I liked her top and she told me that her mom hand-made it for her, so she decided to gift it to me,” says Anastasija.

Stijn and Zamba-Jan, who are part of Future Intel—a non-profit organization that showcases a range of artists shaping the future—mentioned that their outfits were chosen from the G-Star RAW store as part of a collaboration. “Both the outfits are from G-Star because they asked us to pick something from their store and we had to plan this in advance,” states Stijn. 

“This collaboration was very freeing because they were like, pick whatever you want and you can wear it and keep it afterward—so yeah, that’s really nice,” says Zamba-Jan. 

The interviewees dressed according to their personal style or for their chosen event while taking weather and comfort into account.

“This is more my personal style, yeah. […] Baggy. I like baggy clothes. A bit of color. Earrings. Now I’m wearing small earrings, but normally I wear big colorful ones. But today I thought it would be too much with pink going on in this outfit. It would also normally be a bit more workstyle,” explains Juul. 

“I was not going to wear my heels or boots or something, because you just want to be comfortable while dancing and kind of warm and cozy,” Eden mentions.

“I can get my own elements and find the pieces from G-Star that compliment what I want to convey with my personal style. Like this top is me, but these pants are a different element, but they still compliment my style,” says Girish. 

“I just think black is the vibe to go with for a techno festival. Everybody wears black over chains and silverware [silver jewelry]. So that’s why I thought, like, black is so cool,” says Max.

The rotation of DJs, the long duration of events, the anticipation in the queues, and the goal of assembling a perfect dance-friendly outfit were key highlights for the interviewees. A blend of personal style and comfort results in an ideal outfit to enjoy an event in, while remaining stylish and practical. The pursuit of distinct clothing pieces and the art of combining them with personality is shared among the participants. From keeping it simple and minimalist to accessorizing and dressing up extensively, each option allowed individuals to express themselves while having a memorable time at ADE. After all, techno culture is all about the expression of one’s identity, and ADE happens only once a year. You wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity to explore your style!

Cover Illustration: ADE 2023. Vera Dvorakova / The Amsterdammer

Ana Clara Dondoni Braz, Carolina Blumke, and  Luna Lampikoski  are university students in Amsterdam. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Amsterdammer. 

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