Our Story
In response to the articles published by Het Parool and NRC around the unacceptable behaviour of Marijtn N. at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI); the ASVA student union, together with (former) students, has launched the action group ‘Time to tell AMFI’. This action group aims to provide a safe and confidential online platform for current and former students to share their stories of AMFI’s unacceptable behaviour(s). This being a movement that has not been possible until now due to the ‘culture of fear’ embedded in the fashion institute. According to the group: “Students tell us that they have been afraid to come forward with their complaints out of fear for potential consequences to their studies,” according to Maarten van Dorp, Chair of ASVA student union.
“The culture at AMFI is corrupt and Martijn N. is a symptom of this.”
This is not the first time that AMFI is in the news for social unsafety. In June 2020, stories came forward regarding racism within the programme. In response to this, the institution has put some measures into place such as the establishment of a work group for diversity and inclusion.
In 2021 AMFI graduate Anne Sarah Dijkhorst shared her experience of being in a toxic learning environment on Instagram. Her aim was to reach out to former and current students because she believes knowing you are not alone can be the start of a healing process. Well…. little did she know this clip would go viral (over 80,000 views) and unleash a flurry of reactions from current and former AMFI students, along with other students in the creative disciplines.
We received support from more than two hundred students who related to her story. “After all these years I wanted to share my feelings. I never expected that this would open up such a large can of worms. It highlights the seriousness of the situation,” according to Dijkhorst. Now, students can share their stories via direct messages to the Instagram account @timetotellamfi or via the email address [email protected] All of which is operated by the student union and the action group. These stories will be shared anonymously and with the sender’s consent.
Trigger Warning
Please be aware of our blanket “Trigger Warning”. Many of the stories may be upsetting for those who still live with the trauma and mental afflictions caused by their time in a toxic learning environment. Many of the stories are the result of a particularly cruel training method at AMFI: ‘breaking down the student, to build them up again’. Commonly known as a method in hazing.
Archival process
Do you want your story to be shared on this website? We are collecting as many files as possible for the archive in order to make future steps and make a bigger impact. This can be done anonymously, or otherwise. Please state in the email what you prefer. Protecting the welfare of current and former students is our priority.
Useful links:
Confidential Inspector phone number: 0900 111 3 111
Dutch Bar Association website:
