In an attempt to clean-up Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light District, the city council has purchased a number of brothels in the area as part of its Red Light Fashion project. Former prostitutes’ windows have been converted to showcase couture collections from the crème de la crème of Dutch fashion. With call girls as neighbors, and tourists passing by on the canals, this new setting provides a very different working environment for these young designers– one such being Bas Kosters.

Known for his explosive use of color, hand-drawn prints, and recycled materials, the multi-disciplinary artist also works as a painter, illustrator, and DJ. With such a colorful and dynamic palate, Kosters made a proper subject to test the equally flamboyant and charming dessert specialist De Taart van M’n Tante.

Dutch for ‘My Aunt’s Cake’, this sweet shop serves homemade cakes, in the shape of cartoon heroes, Barbie, animals, and many more designs that magically transport one back to more innocent times. De Taart van M’n Tante is a favorite hang out for Amsterdammers enjoying a romantic date, girly get-together, kiddie party, or a quick game of camped-up bingo.

Surrounded by fake flamingos, brightly colored velvet cushions, and lots of big fluffy cakes, psychoPEDIA joined Bas for tea-time topics from fighting crime to working in a brothel.

What’s it going to be?
I just had a quick look at the cabinet, but there’s not a lot left. I guess it’s quite late in the afternoon, but I noticed they have some carrot cake, and some apple with amaretto, and a mango Bavarois. They all sound appealing to me, but I’m going for the hot chocolate with cream and the carrot cake.

How did you get involved in the Red Light Fashion project?
A few other young labels and I are involved in another project called Turning Talent Into Business, which helps young designers to build their businesses, and we were basically all approached. It was quite easy for me to get involved.

The project was set up to clean up the area, partially in a fight against crime. What way do you think you’ll have an influence in that?
They didn’t think that fashion would actually change the crime here, but they just wanted to do something different with the area and use the buildings for different purposes. In an indirect way, we want to fight the crime, but more than that, we wanted to give the area a cultural factor. It’s also a great media pull, attracting a lot of new people to the area. The media is going totally mad for it. The red light district has always been an interesting talking point, but since the project launched, I’ve had so much more attention from the media.

How are the residents responding to the project?
Everyone feels very different about it. Some of the residents are happy with it, some think the area should just stay the way it was.

The waiter arrives with the cakes.

Hmm nice. [Bas, squeals like an excited child at the arrival of his cake] But as I said, everyone has a different opinion about the project. As a designer who is involved, I would say that I think it has a positive impact on Amsterdam as a city. It’s good for people to see that the area is not just about trashiness, but it’s areas like these that are actually the places where creativity is born.

I read that the rooms are kept intact and that they didn’t actually convert the spaces. Is it weird that you’re now working next to those beds?
Yeah, there are red lights, black lights, and these big built-in beds. Very bizarre. The building itself is also very funny. It’s really like a labyrinth, with all its corridors and crazy little rooms. It really seems to lead it’s own life.

Does this different and crazy environment inspire you in a different kind of way?
I’m actually doing a series of paintings with very explicit sexual images. It’s quite funny, because we had to sign a contract about not showcasing work in the windows that is linked to alcohol, degradation, and addiction. It’s quite a contrast, because of course you feel different when you work in that space, but we’re not really allowed to do anything with that feeling. I am actually not trying to think too much about what happened in there, you know…

Are you enjoying the carrot cake?
It’s lovely! Hahaha. [asking his assistant] Would you like to try? It’s such a nice little piece of cake!

I’m guessing you’ve been here before?
I come here every once in a while. I’ve actually had this carrot cake before. I like it here. The café has this has this really cozy vibe. But how nice would it be if it were open at night? It’d be so nice to come down here at night, with some friends, have a bit of cake...

What’s happening after this year–- will Bas Kosters go worldwide?
I don’t know. But I am going on a holiday to Jamaica soon, for Jamaica Style Week. It’s going to be busy. We have so much planned, which I am happy about. I’m not too psyched, though. I heard 36 gay men were killed there last year. Apparently they’re not into white gay men over there. So, I’m going to leave my Dior sunglasses and gold rings at home. I’m so used to being explicit and communicating with my outfits, but I don’t want to communicate the wrong things over there, so I have to dress a bit more quietly. Here in Amsterdam I am creating freedom by being different, but over there, I will be creating freedom by not being different.

- Frederieke Janssen