Going up-market in Amsterdam

Some cities have a reputation that is hard to live down - or change. Judith Crosbie reports.

The clothes of Bas Kosters undoubtedly stand out. Not every man would be tempted to buy the flashy purple, orange and yellow sequin jacket adorning the mannequin in the Dutch designer’s shop window. But even this outfit pales compared to what is being sold next door. "Peep show - video cabinet €2, private cabinet €2", declares one neon sign while another boasts, "live sex show - boy & girl/girl & girl".

A total of 14 designer fashion shops are now operating in the heart of Amsterdam’s infamous red light district in an attempt to broaden the image of the district. Deputy Mayor Lodewijk Asscher insists that he is not against the city’s sex industry but is concerned about crime in the area. "It does have a reputation for violence. There will always be sex sold here, but now it is time for a change," he says, strolling past ground-level windows where women wearing lingerie sit on high stools and signal to passers-by.

But he admits that he wants to change the city’s image to attract not just male tourists seeking sex. "We want to get some changes and bring some other people in," Asscher says.

The designers say they also get inspiration from the ‘lively’ surroundings. "It’s inspiring, with its own beauty. I don’t see why fashion won’t go well here," says Kosters.

"It’s a great place to work. Often I’m here working away at 3am and I always think ‘at least I’m not the only one working around here at this time’," says Edwin Oudshoorn, another designer.

But not everyone is happy about the changes. Jan Broers runs the Royal Taste Hotel and, nearby, he also rents out eight ‘windows’ and rooms behind them to self-employed prostitutes. He says people like him are being pushed out of the district. He says tough new laws mean that the city authorities can refuse to renew licences. He believes the fashion designers - who do not pay any rent - will eventually be replaced by big investors who will alter the area beyond recognition. The city authorities say they have bought other houses in the district and have yet to decide what to do with them.

"What we have here is special. You won’t find it anywhere in the world. One of the top things we offer is the red light district," says Broers.

Wim Boef, who used to own windows for prostitution, is organising proprietors opposed to the city’s reforms under a campaign entitled Platform 1012, the postcode for the red light district. He says: "There are strict rules on how prostitution operates. Illegal people are not working here - ten years ago, yes, but not now…the atmosphere is now that all business here is illegal."

Boef says that he will take the fight to The Hague and beyond for what is becoming a battle over the heart of one of Europe’s most beguiling cities. "If they think there’s a problem with criminality then they need to sort it out, not close down the whole area."

Some cities have a reputation that is hard to live down - or change. Judith Crosbie reports.