Hanneke Overdiep interviews Souraya Bouwmans-Sarraf, the new director of AMFI as from January 2011.

Souraya Bouwmans-Sarraf


‘Fashion is an expression of yourself. That interests me. And I’m interested in designers. I don’t have a favourite brand; I like to put my own combinations together. My wardrobe has changed since I started working here, it’s less stiff and serious than before. And I wear clothes by our own AMFI-brand Individuals, too. People notice my clothes now, and I’m always proud to tell them that they are my own students’ creations.’

What did you think after your first day at the AMFI?

‘What a fantastic job! I met motivated, ambitious people and an institute with great potential, so it felt good right away. Thinking ‘out of the box’ is very much my thing and I want to go on developing this at the AMFI. I think the combination of people who think creatively, who know about education, and my own background can produce some special creations.’

What else do you do, besides the AMFI?

I’ve got a busy family life, with two small children. What free time I have, I devote to my family. I’m in the third generation of working women, so combining work and family is nothing new.’

What are your ambitions with regard to the AMFI for the next five years?

‘The AMFI should be among the best of its kind in the world. We have enormous potential and a rich history. The AMFI is a creative place, but it is also conceptually strong, and it has a good curriculum. The curriculum needs to be focused and deepened. As a historian, I’ve always been interested in the past. I recently read an article which described how Karl Lagerfeld found inspiration in the Chanel archives. I want to look at AMFI’s rich past to find new inspirations for the future. We’ll be doing that together.’

Why did you choose to leave Randstad and come to the AMFI?

‘A year ago I couldn’t have imagined this happening, but it does make sense. I come from a family of teachers; both my parents were professors and many of my relations work in education. Working for Randstad I was often talking to groups of young, enthusiastic people. My link with fashion is through my husband, who works in the fashion industry. As an external examiner he knew the AMFI better than I did. At Randstad they were surprised by my choice, but they thought it would suit me well.’