Amsterdam Faces: Mangalisa van der Heide

Next up on Amsterdam Faces – a series dedicated to the city’s creative trailblazers – is Mangalisa van der Heide. A stylist, model, and art director-in-the-making, she is stamping the capital’s fashion scene and international Fashion Weeks with her sleek yet poised aesthetic. Hanging around in the latest Dr. Martens Maybole collection, Mangalisa shares the experience of working both in front and behind the camera, the challenges she has faced in her journey, and spills her top styling tips!

Hey Mangalisa! First and foremost, can you give us a little insight into your creative practice and what you do?

I’m a model, stylist, and working on becoming a creative director.

Being both a model and a stylist, what brought you close to fashion?

I gained several benefits from it, such as getting a real perspective behind the scenes in the fashion industry.

If you had to describe your personal style in 3 words, what would you choose?

Confident, refined, archive.

Are there skills that you’ve learned throughout your modeling career that are helpful when styling and vice versa?

I observe how stylists work with different models and the tricks they add to enhance the looks when I’m modeling. Similarly, when I’m styling, I observe the models when they shoot in the clothing.

What’s the most unexpected place you’ve found inspiration?

My old neighborhood, Merenwijk in Leiden. I recently discovered that it played a big role in shaping who I am, and with the community I have there, it helps me move forward in Amsterdam.

Let’s talk Dr. Martens! Styling Dr. Martens can say a lot about a person’s vibe, and especially when it’s a new model of boots and not the classic shape. How did you interpret the boots for this shoot, and how do you see them fitting into your own personal and professional styles?

I love their versatility with both casual and edgy outfits. They add a nice touch to my personal style and make a strong statement professionally.

Give us some styling tips! How would you style the new Maybole Chelsea boots?

I would style them with some nice Levis, or pair them with a skirt or shorts to show off the boots!

What’s one fashion rule you think is made to be broken?

You can make any colour combination work, but it needs to make sense. If you want to wear a very bright colour, tone it down with a neutral bag or use different fabrics to give it a different feeling to the outfit.

If you could have dinner with any fashion icon: who would you have it with and what questions would you ask them?

Jay Jaxon: “How was it working with people like Yves Saint Laurent and Dior during a time when you were one of the first Black couturiers?”

What are some of the challenges that you’ve had to overcome during your career?

When I first started modelling, I had to understand what type of model I wanted to be. Initially, I thought I could only work in commercial modelling, but as I gained more experience, I started shooting higher and gained confidence – and now I’m walking in fashion weeks.I learned to aim higher to reach my goals and that goes hand in hand with styling.

Lastly, what has been the biggest accomplishment so far?

Walking for Fashion Week! I’m so excited to walk shows not only as a curve model but to show off my fashion sense as a stylist. It gives me such a big thrill the moment I step onto the runway, and I can’t wait to walk this season. 

That’s so exciting! Can’t wait to see you on Friday <3

See you!