blog team
ABOUT LISA ANNE STUYFZAND
This is Lisa Anne Stuyfzand (26). She studied at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam and graduated in 2009. In 2010 Lisa Anne joined the Elle Style Awards as one of the finalists and won the show as the most promising upcoming stylist. Now she works as a freelance fashion stylist for brands, shows, cultural projects and magazines, including Dutch Elle.
RAW POWER
I still can’t help thinking of London as the greatest city in Europe, at least when shopping is concerned. Calculating pounds sterling to euros only adds to the sheer fun of it. On one end, the well known Oxford Street shopping giants, and on the other, more arty and alternative streets and squares of east London. Just the place to wave your plastic about in exchange for the bags full of goods.
Less likely found on the high street, Shoreditch harbors smaller one-off shops and vintage markets (in abundance), and it’s pavements and bars are patrolled by often edgy and cool looking people.
Walking through the first Topman General store in Shoreditch (they recently opened a second one in Covent Garden) made me think of one particular T-shirt label of two guys I have met, sold at Topman.
Michael started RAW POWER in 2002 and re-established the brand together with Ben two years ago. So, for their ten year anniversary, I think they deserve a little blog party here with us.
What they are on about, besides of hand printed graphics on 100% cotton, is celebrating both the success and failure of celebrity culture. The rise and fall of a star. The birth and death of an icon. Mugshots in your face and bold slogans in print put a social comment on our times of reality soaps, social media and style icons. Let’s hope they can be more then a hype themselves, because they are doing insanely good! Selling points like Selfridges, Topman, Asos.com and Harvey Nichols make it even odd to me that they are not yet available in Dutch stores. So if anyone knows a good agent, give me a call and I’ll hook you up with them. For now, you can take your digital earoplane: http://shop.rawpowertshirts.com/ and they have Twitter And Facebook obviously. Lets ‘like’ the page, as a present.
THE LAST CRUMB
While looking for “places you should go to”, I’m always trying to not think of the cool places set by the cool people, because often I feel ignorant when I start complimenting them, particularly when it’s about food. So this “hot spot” might not trigger you if you want entertainment translated in hip hats and shoes, indie music and in-your-face photography on the wall. If you’re thinking “why I am I looking at cute pictures of self-made bar stools, handwritten menu’s and half-empty shelves?”, let me try to tell you why.
.. ahum! .. Because in a world of copy-paste, we shouldn’t forget to appreciate the authentic and the genuine, I believe. The ones who not only don’t have to shout, because they’re just unpretentiously good, but as well don’t want to be shouting, because they are modest people. (And because of the shelves are just filled with fresh, home made products, there is no good reason for putting more on there.)
The only thing is, you have to know where they are, since they are often quiet and working too hard to be out and about.
Well, my idea was telling you now: In a small street, which you normally bike trough screaming and ringing at tourists wondering why you didn’t pick another way, you can find opposite the coffee shop Kadinsky this cute little breakfast slash lunchroom called “De laatste kruimel”. It’s in the center of Amsterdam, in a area where you often have a hard time finding any proper places to eat during the day. Run by a passionated couple Ivelina and Pavel, this place guaranties you a fresh break and contentment. I met them during a photo shoot for ELLE, when they brought our team the best lunch I’ve ever had on location, including fresh and refreshing juices. From sweet cakes to pot pies, brownies, soups and sandwiches, they make it all. With love for ingredients and your desire. So, for a quick healthy bite, you can visit them and fight for one of the few seats, or give them a call to order for bigger groups. You can Google-earth the address to see where they are exactly located. And to see if I’m right about the tourists. Njoy.
De Laatste Kruimel, Langebrugsteeg 4, Amsterdam. tel. 020-4230499
Open everyday from 08.00 – 20.00.
Great minds think alike WON HUNDRED
“Clothing is about emotions.” That is what Nikolaj Nielsen told us as a reason to not always follow the made plans. And I’m sure he’s right. As well in fashion there are many moments of making decisions. A lot of us will probably recognize them as moments of comparing different outcomes, often by visualizing them in your head for they’re yet a work of imagination in a lead in to, what we hope to be, the right picture. Sometimes it may only cover the question about a certain lipstick color, or whether the choice of footwear for your model will fall on high heels or a pair of flat shoes. Having made up our mind on details as such will lead us to knowing how they will affect your general picture and help to chose for a day light instead of flash light, or vice versa. But with the other things, bigger things, the things that will take months or years before you even get a glimpse of a concrete result, you can only stick your gut feeling and hope for the best.
For the founder of the Danish brand Won Hundred, it was an exciting but easy decision. Sometimes things cross your path and they just feel right. So together with the great brains behind the multiple brand store Centre Neuf, Cindy Bonenberg and Frans Torque, they opened a first flag-ship store outside of Denmark, here in Amsterdam on the corner of Utrechtsestraat en Prinsengracht. Maybe it wasn’t the exact plan, but a very nice opportunity in combination with the right people and the right spot for this pretty brand that is known as a typical Scandinavian-one, with the perfect mix of the familiar comfortable minimalism and refined finishing touch. Just like the brand new store itself, the collection is clean, fresh, and with subtile details that make it authentic and recognizable without screaming branding. Exactly like we are used to of our northern neighbors.
But! It’s not completely inarticulate for Won Hundred to be based in Amsterdam since the head of design is the Dutch Kelly Konings. Graduated at ArtEZ in Arnhem, she started working for H&M in 2004. After this experience with one of the biggest fashion companies on earth she moved on to the Swedish label Velour, and in 2009
ended up as head of design of Won Hundred in Copenhagen. In my opinion they set a good example of a team of people that fit together rather well. It feels right and that you can tell from the moment you you walk into the shop. For a new pair of fresh jeans, the must-have nerdy sandal, or your new favorite knitted sweater. Open: from 23rd of March, Utrechtsestraat 117, Amsterdam
WE OWN THE STREET // FROM TRADEMARK STARS TO GUEST HOUSE
Loads of shopping streets in Amsterdam centre are much better known by the name of established shops than by the name of a street itself. A good example of this is the alley where you can find RIKA. I find it to be quite an achievement for someone who started her own brand once by creating one single bag as a prop for a photo shoot.
Designer Ulrika Lundgren , the owner and creative director of successfully running RIKA boutique has come up with yet another project worthy a mention, that alongside a few other cute shops and properties, is set to enrich picturesque “Nine Streets” area of Amsterdam.
MAISON RIKA is a newly opened guesthouse occupying the corner of Oudespiegelstraat and Herengracht, just across the street of her shop.
With her background as an successful interior stylist she designed both rooms that are for rent herself in her own individual, tasteful style that I would label as warm but yet clean, comfortable and classic with an urban feel. A perfect mix of modern and vintage, it’s bright and fresh and comes with a beautiful view over the canals.
Next to the rooms upstairs, the first floor lobby houses the Gallery Boutique. This space will be available for POP-UP events organized by friends in fashion, music & art.
Well worth popping in to get inspired by the creative and welcoming atmosphere and art works of Sang Ming, or to get tempted to buy yourself one of the RIKA books, candles or jewelry that are displayed in the brand new Gallery Boutique.
OUDE SPIEGELSTRAAT 12- 1016 BM AMSTERDAM – THE NETHERLANDS
+31 (0)20 33011 12 – www.rikaint.com – MAISON@RIKAINT.COM
PUT YOUR HEART IN TO IT // 331WEST in BoLo
You’ll probably agree when I say that we all know what the purpose of going around bars at night is but how about during day time? I am of the opinion that being out and about, in general, is a part of our search for inspiring impulses. And, alongside our quest for fresh ideas, we’d like to be surrounded by nice people and drink better coffee than our Nespresso’s at home. Unless George Clooney is serving it himself.
Pick a random bar in Amsterdam. Without even trying to be too negative, I would say it’s hard to find good coffee, or George Clooney for that matter. More often then not you’ll be served burned, weak and watered out bleak excuse for what they dare call espresso, or cappuccino that, by the amount of (often boiled) milk carelessly splattered in you coffee cup, exceeds even a definition of cafe latte… But what’s there to expect of a dispassionate owner who, with the equal amount of enthusiasm may as well be selling peanuts or a grass mower spare parts.
So, “Where is the love?” is my question, hoping my readers are willing to understand the difference between doing something out of passion or a desire for easy money.
Unfortunately, certain governmental bodies are still not convinced that the world would be a better place (even for themselves) when being creative and putting your heart into something would be motivated and rewarded. So why not making it harder for all the people that try!
The reason why creative Dutch people love visiting Berlin so much, is because of its “no rules” vibe. Allowing people to smoke pot in their own houses may seem enormously liberal to the outsider but surely nowhere near enough liberties that the city that pretends to be a metropolis should offer. So that doesn’t hold me from hankering for the freedom to make Amsterdam a more interesting city. Interesting it gets when there’s a room for creation. When people start doing what they love doing and stop living out of fear. Which is very hard when everyone keeps on freaking you out.
Starting your own company feels like risking your life nowadays. And not because of recession and the fact that people might not be interested in your product, but because of risk-taking-punishment by the government on top of it. All the little rules just make it almost impossible to become successful. Depending on certain rules, in some cases you are not even allowed to promote your own little second hand art shop!
Luckily, there are still lots of brave people around that don’t give up. Not on creating and not on good coffee. Inspired by our neighbors in the East, like people behind Bonanza Coffee Heroes (best coffee in Berlin), Kaufbar, Salon Schmuck, Bar 25 (unfortunately closed), more and more daredevils are starting up their own places where they simply collect everything they love. One of these inspiring places is 331west. The new owners of this former butcher’s shop are serving great coffee (made with love), Bionade and biological tea, exposing and selling art from amongst others Marilyn&Marlon, as well as fancy VanMoof bikes, clothing of Ena & Marlow, soap, books and so on. They think a gallery shouldn’t be a quiet space with a bored-looking girl waiting for posh people to come and buy overpriced art works, but decided to go for a more fun, accessible, free minded and above all genuine version. The only boundary is one of good taste. And just like in Berlin where it’s well worth leaving touristic Alexanderplatz area and visit the suburbs, Bos and Lommer is worth going to for a nice 7,50 euro breakfast.
Koffiebar-galerie & winkel 331west
Admiraal de Ruijterweg 331 in Amsterdam
Woensdag t/m zaterdag 10:00 – 18:00
TAKE ME TO THE WINE BAR
Café Cox, De “oude” Dep, or however you wish to call this unoccupied bar, used to be actors cafe in the past but seems to be the perfect place for the trendy pop-up formula since Dep was formed here last year. It’s central, cosy, dynamic and has a nice smokers area up stairs. And I mustn’t forget to mention the endless bar that stretches right trough the middle of the space that half-way 2011 was ready to get picked up by a new liquor based pop-up concept, this time a different one. Perhaps one less legendary for hipsters than Dep used to be, but one with a different quality. Taste.
If you don’t like wine at all, you may as well stop reading now because I’m not going to bring you anything else than grape exaltation. Just like founders of the Pop-up Wine Bar, I’ll be wine minded for the rest of my life. Especially after my trip to Palermo last month where I met my new love, Nero d’Avola, I can’t think of anything else when someone asks me what I want to be drinking (after 17.00). Luckily, the Pop-up Wine Bar doesn’t vend any Sicilian wines, so more to discover for me. I am the most curious about the Chateau Montelena from California since the movie “Bottle Shock” (2008), that is based on a true story, showed me how American soil as well can be a great base for succesful wine.
The Pop-up Wine bar is initiated by Bubbles & Wines Amsterdam, East Village concepts, Just out of the Box and By the glass. Four companies with clever minds. Everything took shape in 6 weeks. And as fast as it got born it will disappear again. For 32 days you can taste 41 quality wines out of a unique selection. Per bottle, glass, 1/2 glass or per sip, at ideal temperature and served by wine guru’s in proper wine glasses. And I do mean proper wine glasses. Cause when Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) once taught the people “Wine is sunlight, held together by water”, he didn’t think it would ever be served in a duralex.
The fact that quality is hidden in more than a cute designed label is as clear as a glass of Sancerre Blanc to the owners of the temporary bar. So if you’re still with me, don’t hesitate to go there for a sip, a glass or a bottle, just for fun or to learn a bit more about wine. The place is nicely decorated and made into different rooms, so even the visual part has been taken care of. And don’t forget to watch the brilliant movie. Alan Rickman is in there.
The Pop-up Wine Bar Marnixstraat 429, Amsterdam.
November 17th – December 23rd
Wednesday – Sathurday 16.00 – 24.00
Sunday 14.00 – 21.00
Monday and Tuesday opened for private events and tastings.
ART TO THE PEOPLE
With the (unoffical) number of 51 museums and 141 Art galleries counting, and with a pretty much settled art culture, one could ask themselves if Amsterdam needed yet another? Nicole and Kasper of VOID beg to differ and defy that question, which they seem to have a number of good reasons for.
Claiming to be the new art/design agency, organizer, exhibitor and sales promotor with a twist and a place for artists who are looking for a different approach and art buyers, they pledge to surpass the conventional and formal methods utilized by most of the established galleries around.
VOID is built upon a variety of skills the pair have acquired in the prior activities that range from the extensive experience in art and artists onto web programming design and on-and offline marketing, which they intend to use to scout talent wherever is one to be found. The detected artworks will be exposed in the shop at Ferdinand Bolstraat where they will be throwing a monthly “get together” where artists and art-lovers can meet and mingle.
Right balance of ideology and commercial strength, artistry and know-how-to-sell skills? I believe so. And believers are exactly what VOID and the artists need. That is why Nicole and Kasper came up with a new finding system. After all the bad news about the cutbacks the government is making, this, together with all the tools needed nowadays to communicate a product through (blog, magazine, online shop, phone app) will hopefully inject the art scene of Amsterdam with a bit of support and availabilities. Check their website and maybe you will want to become one of WE ARE VOID.
Open from the 4th of November 2011. Ferdinand Bolstraat 145, Amsterdam.
30 DAYS OFFLINE
Being nominated for Dutch Fashion Awards 2011 together with Erik Frenken, Hyun Yeu, Conny Groenewegen en Marcha Hüskes, designer Joline Jolink (1981) has even more to celebrate at the moment. With 10 collections it is time for her 5 year anniversary. And that moment is one to share.
Joline has been known for her modest and timeless clothing lines, high quality jerseys and use of natural colors. She designs her clothing for “women with something to do” and since there are not many women doing nothing, I guess you are right to conclude that she doesn’t stick out with particular, extravagant designs that will only fit your weirdest family member, but is special because of her honesty, divine eye for detail and goes for wanted(!!) comfort. Based on strong feminine characters as Eileen Gray, Maria Sibylla Merian, Georgia O’Keeffe and Katharine Hepburn, her collection always fit the concept of feeling good, looking better.
Joline Jolink was the first Dutch designer with her own web shop and to celebrate her 5 year anniversary she will open an OFFLINE shop for 30 days in the 9 little streets of Amsterdam where you can see, feel, fit and buy the beautiful items of her AW2011 collection. The story of her newest is about the adventurous American Amelia Earhart: the first woman that crossed the Atlantic Ocean back in 1932 in a little airplane.
With almost equal courage I will cross the Rozengracht on my way to Huidenstraat 21. Joline Jolink will be OFFLINE from the 8th of October.
Dear Bookworms
Selling his vampire paintings as a little kid in his little self-made open-air gallery in front of Art Cologne (Germany) back in 1970, Benedikt Taschen already sensed on that books could open doors to different worlds. Ten years later he opened his first store TASCHEN COMICS. This, including Bene’s huge desire to be part of a world full of artist and free-minded spirits, turned into a publishing house starting with the realization of the first TASCHEN original publication: Picasso, 1985.
This all happening in the eighties, Benedikt got a helping hand from his talented punk mates, and together they laid foundation for the team that is now responsible for selling more than two thousand subsequent titles all over the world.
After Paris, New York, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Miami and Brussels, at last the city of Amsterdam will be enriched by a brand new TASCHEN store. A place where one can hang out for visual pleasures, absorb, ponder, and get absorbed. A place where one can meet Mario Testino and Kate Moss, LaChapelle, Helmut Newton, 100 contemporary fashion designers…
Books really, still are the best thing you can buy for yourself or anyone else. Who ever tries to convince you that books will disappear only to become scrolling pages on screens is forgetting about a few things. Let’s think for a second about the smell of new paper and ink, the sound of flipping pages. The feeling of tiny little bumps when you move your fingers from left to right reading about your favorite artist, or the texture whilst discovering a photograph so beautifully printed that you forget for a few seconds that you’re standing in a quiet shop, on a very busy shopping street, in a big buzzing city saturated by people, hurdy-gurdy’s, manic shoppers, car horns, bicycle bells, city noises and din. And there you stand, hot and sweaty. With the huge desire of taking that book with you so you can discover it again when no one is around.
…Ahum. I do have to admit, I have a huge weakness for art books. As well because they are clean in their aesthetics. Completed and done. No links to other books, no menu bars, un-expected sounds and adverts, poker competition pop-ups and other visual noises and din. No distractions at all. Everything you see is suppose to be exactly at that certain place. Shot, edited, designed, produced, printed and published. Ready to be lived and loved.
TASCHEN opened the twelfth store on 19th of September 2011 on P.C. Hooftstraat 44, Amsterdam.
ROPAROSA X BEATRICE // FEMINISM ANNO SS2012
The power of cooperation, that’s what two talented young creative’s are showing us. And with young I rather mean fresh looking than unskilled. Fashion designer Roos van der Kamp and stylist Beatrice Jolly are working together for three seasons now on the ROPAROSA collections and the presentations of them. They are fighting something different than a life without flat-irons, but still you can feel the drive for stimulating individualism and inner power of female beings. The last collection of Roos was called “Come as you are” where the designs took shape from the centre of intuition: the abdomen. These hidden messages were a motivation for Beatrice to speak up.
Next to helping Roos as a stylist she will be giving birth soon to her own jewellery line BEATRICE. This line will be showed together with the SS2012 collection “Let go Let go” of ROPAROSA on Monday the 18th of July in the catwalkshow Modefabriek presents ‘Next & Cutting Edge’. The line will consist of statement pieces, of which the statement is not the excessive size showed to others, but is hidden in little engraved messages towards yourself…
