AMFI Amsterdam Fashion Institute

AMFI is the largest fashion institute in the Netherlands, covering the entire fashion chain through the disciplines of Fashion and Management, Fashion and Branding, and Fashion and Design. AMFI distinguishes itself in its interdisciplinary approach in the curriculum, ensuring that students can collaborate to address industry challenges. As a forerunner in fashion digitalisation, sustainability and diversity, AMFI combines creativity and craft with ethical innovation. 

AMFI was established in 1992 as a result of the merger between Meester Koetsier and Charles Montaigne, two institutes that had thrived since the early 1950’s. HTS Meester Koetsier was founded 60 years ago as a technical and commercial school. Academy Charles Montaigne, founded in 1951, was initially a private school for couture that grew into a styling and design school. Both institutes were founded to produce qualified professionals for the textile and apparel industry and to safeguard the future of the industry in the Netherlands.

Meester Koetsier became part of the General Amsterdam School of Applied Sciences in 1987. In 1992 when the merger took place, the newly formed institute became part of Amsterdam School of Applied Sciences. The new institute was named Fashion Management and Design and moved to the current building on the Mauritskade in 1994. In that same year a new department was created, now named Fashion and Branding. 

This development was a response to the evolving requirements of the fashion world in which brands, identities and innovative sales strategies were becoming increasingly important. The institute now had three departments covering the entire fashion system. In 2002 the institute was renamed Amsterdam Fashion Institute: AMFI.

Per the website: ‘At AMFI we combine creativity and craftsmanship for an ethical future. We mix theory with practice in a reality school approach, by working together with (international) organisations, business partners and other educational institutions. We believe in collaboration and interdisciplinary team work; through these collaborations, valuable expertise is developed and exchanged to drive change and innovation.’

In 2024 CEO World ranked AMFI as the 41st Best Fashion School in the World.

Amsterdam Fashion Institute in the Netherlands typically publish employment and internship statistics for their graduates. Generally, fashion institutes like AMFI report high job placement rates within their field, often exceeding 80-90% within a certain period after graduation. However, these figures fluctuate depending on the economic climate, industry demand, and the specific program. 

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