Hendrik Vermeulen
Encyclopedia
Hendrik Vermeulen is a South African fashion designer (couturier
), specialising in Haute Couture
and Corsetry
.
, Free State, South Africa. After losing his father to cancer at age 6, he spent most of his time with his mother, Gerbrecht Christina Naudé, in her sewing room, learning the basics of dress making. At age of 15, Hendrik Vermeulen sold his first evening dress. He started to focus all his attention on the fashion industry by attending various related workshops and classes. In 2001 he enrolled in an intensive Haute Couture course at FDI in Pretoria
. At the end of 2002 he received a diploma in Haute Couture
and was presented with the coveted Student of the Year award. Shortly after finishing his studies, Hendrik Vermeulen relocated to Cape Town
where he worked for various fashion designers to gain real-world experience. At the same time he was building his own business on the side.
followed by a small warehouse in Diep River. In 2008 Hendrik Vermeulen opened a Studio in Bree Street, Cape Town, as a business partner of fashion designer, Gert van de Merwe. In 2009 Hendrik Vermeulen relocated to Simon's Town
, in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, and opened an upmarket Atelier in Westlake Lifestyle Centre, in Steenberg. In May 2010, Hendrik Vermeulen was described as the best example of young talent in the South African Fashion industry by Swiss and German lifestyle magazine, Faces.
Hendrik Vermeulen's work has been featured locally in One Small Seed Pop Culture Magazine, Konfetti online magazine, Fair Lady
Bridal Magazine, Full Circle Magazine, internationally in Swiss and German Lifetsyle Magazine, Faces, as well as the following exclusive fashion shows, Style In The City with Trinny and Susannah
, Cape Town Carnival Couture Show, Bear to be Vogue (for Tygerbear Foundation). His work has also been seen on the following TV programmes: All Access, Glitterati.
Hendrik Vermeulen's client list includes the Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille
, TV personality Tammy-Anne Fortuin, models and public figures Tracy McGreggor, Rouxmia Bougas and the following Miss South Africa
winners, Tansey Coetzee
and Tatum Keshwar
. Hendrik Vermeulen is also involved with the MyLife foudation and Sunflower Fund.
Couturier
A couturier is an establishment or person involved in the clothing fashion industry who makes original garments to order for private clients. A couturier may make what is known as haute couture. Such a person usually hires patternmakers and machinists for garment production, and is either employed...
), specialising in Haute Couture
Haute couture
Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses,...
and Corsetry
Corsetry
Corsetry is the craft of making corsets and corset-like garments and accessories most of which incorporate stays. It is also a subfield of fashion that deals with those garments and accessories and it is common term used for those garments and accessories...
.
Life
Hendrik Vermeulen was born on April 7, 1982, in the small town of FauresmithFauresmith
Fauresmith is located 130 km south west of Bloemfontein. The town, named after Rev Phillip Faure and Sir Harry Smith, is the second oldest town in the Free State....
, Free State, South Africa. After losing his father to cancer at age 6, he spent most of his time with his mother, Gerbrecht Christina Naudé, in her sewing room, learning the basics of dress making. At age of 15, Hendrik Vermeulen sold his first evening dress. He started to focus all his attention on the fashion industry by attending various related workshops and classes. In 2001 he enrolled in an intensive Haute Couture course at FDI in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
. At the end of 2002 he received a diploma in Haute Couture
Haute couture
Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses,...
and was presented with the coveted Student of the Year award. Shortly after finishing his studies, Hendrik Vermeulen relocated to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
where he worked for various fashion designers to gain real-world experience. At the same time he was building his own business on the side.
Business
In 2006 Hendrik Vermeulen started to focus on his own business. He started producing custom made wedding dresses and formal evening wear from his garage. The garage was soon replaced by a flat in Tokai, Cape TownTokai, Cape Town
Tokai, a large residential suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, is situated on the foothills of the Constantiaberg, and is bordered by, Steenberg and Kirstenhof to the South, Bergvliet to the East, Constantia to the North and the SAFCOL pine tree plantations against the mountain to the...
followed by a small warehouse in Diep River. In 2008 Hendrik Vermeulen opened a Studio in Bree Street, Cape Town, as a business partner of fashion designer, Gert van de Merwe. In 2009 Hendrik Vermeulen relocated to Simon's Town
Simon's Town
Simon's Town , sometimes spelled Simonstown; is a town in South Africa, near Cape Town which is home to the South African Navy. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. For more than two centuries it has been an important naval base and harbour...
, in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, and opened an upmarket Atelier in Westlake Lifestyle Centre, in Steenberg. In May 2010, Hendrik Vermeulen was described as the best example of young talent in the South African Fashion industry by Swiss and German lifestyle magazine, Faces.
Hendrik Vermeulen's work has been featured locally in One Small Seed Pop Culture Magazine, Konfetti online magazine, Fair Lady
Fair Lady
Fair Lady is often considered as the sister publication to the Afrikaans Sarie. With their offices in Cape Town, this title is one of the most popular female reads in South Africa....
Bridal Magazine, Full Circle Magazine, internationally in Swiss and German Lifetsyle Magazine, Faces, as well as the following exclusive fashion shows, Style In The City with Trinny and Susannah
Trinny and Susannah
Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine are two British fashion advisors, presenters and authors. They originally joined to write a weekly style column in The Daily Telegraph which lasted for seven years, but they are best-known for presenting the BBC television series What Not to Wear for five...
, Cape Town Carnival Couture Show, Bear to be Vogue (for Tygerbear Foundation). His work has also been seen on the following TV programmes: All Access, Glitterati.
Hendrik Vermeulen's client list includes the Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille
Helen Zille
Helen Zille is the Premier of the Western Cape, a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, leader of South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance political party, and a former Mayor of Cape Town.Zille is a former journalist and anti-apartheid activist, and famously exposed the truth...
, TV personality Tammy-Anne Fortuin, models and public figures Tracy McGreggor, Rouxmia Bougas and the following Miss South Africa
Miss South Africa
Miss South Africa is an annual beauty pageant in South Africa that began in 1956. The winner of the pageant represents her country at the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants....
winners, Tansey Coetzee
Tansey Coetzee
Tansey Coetzee is a beauty queen who won the title of Miss South Africa 2007, and later represented South Africa in Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam, where she placed among the top 15 semifinalists...
and Tatum Keshwar
Tatum Keshwar
Tatum Keshwar is a South African fashion model of Indian origin who was crowned Miss South Africa 2008 on 15 December 2008.Keshwar was one of the top ten finalists of Miss Universe 2009, finishing in 7th place...
. Hendrik Vermeulen is also involved with the MyLife foudation and Sunflower Fund.