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Nov 2019
Almost four years ago, I was walking on the Prinsengracht with a friend. We walked passed a place on number 491 that looked like a pop-up store, so we peeked inside. There I found out that it actually wasn’t a pop-up store, but that the contract of the current store was expiring soon, ready for me to take over. I instantly fell in love with the idea of opening a store there.
Shortly after, we opened The Fitting Room. Everything was designed and organized by ourselves in a very short time, with a lot of help from our friends. It was the perfect time for us to be there, even though we had never had a physical store before. The Nine Streets area was up and coming, with cool neighbors around us like MENDO and DENHAM. I like to compare it to Shoreditch in London, or SoHo in New York - areas that have a vibrant atmosphere, with cool stores and cafes.
That’s also the reason why we’re moving to Bilderdijkstraat 112-114 four years later. The Da Costa neighborhood has that same new energy: an area where you’ll find many new restaurants and stores, just outside of the city center. When my friends from Daily Paper opened their store across the street in 2016, we were already talking about the possibilities of “claiming” this area together. Now we’re able to empower each other, and possibly work together in the future. Together we can contribute to creating a new creative environment in what is already one of the most exciting neighborhoods in Amsterdam.
Opening a new store is not easy. Besides all the construction and logistics, you have to make sure that your clientele finds you. We’ve decided to use this space as our flagship store as well as our office. By doing this, the distance between the drawing table and end-consumer is as short as possible. I have to admit, the future of retail seems rocky. But for a brand like us, it’s essential to be able to offer a physical experience for our products. It’s a meeting place and event space, it’s a way to highlight collaborations and artists, and it’s the perfect way for us to have personal contact with the people who wear our brand.
Our store is open every day, starting now. A new big space that will represent everything our brand stands for. A new start. Hope to see you there.
Olaf.
03 Jan 2023
03 Jan 2023
“I studied industrial and fashion design in Berlin and Paris. Since then I’ve worked for over a decade as designer, design manager and creative director for a variety of European fashion brands. And since a couple of years as creative director for a brand in Berlin."
“After working nonstop in the fashion industry, I was longing to take my creativity out from behind a corporate computer and create something with my own hands which led me to experiment with clay. It initially just started off as some sort of meditational practice and developed over time into my passion and second business."
“As I had only worked for other people's companies, I eventually felt the urge to create a brand that would represent my own aesthetics and values that would help enable me to share what inspired me personally. Therefore, I decided to merge this idea with my passion for crafts and interior and started my own brand 2222STUDIO under which I design, make and sell interior objects. 2222STUDIO was inspired by my lucky number and time 22:22. Since I was a teenager, I have been superstitious about it and believed that catching this time over and over was no coincidence. I always felt compelled to make wishes for a whole minute until this magic alignment of numbers passed. "
“Just do it! I believe that it’s important to start somewhere with a vision and then figure things out along the way. Too much overthinking and doubting upfront will just block you. "
“That it's so versatile, creative, and that I am independent."
“Intuitive, meditative and passionate."
"Okwukwe Na Nchekwube by Celestine Ukwu & his Philosophers"
“Following and building a career for myself that reflects what I am passionate about."
“Taking on an order that exceeded my capacity and really challenged my entire setup."
“Mexico, Japan, Venice."
“Minimal and eclectic."
"All my Jackets and coats."
"I really like the work of Alicja Kwade. But my brain just picks up on everything that I see around me. It could be super and abstract, light, textures, shapes."
