Little Italy event | Westergasfabriek 1-3 february

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Op 1, 2 en 3 februari 2019 staat de Amsterdamse Westergasfabriek voor de vierde keer helemaal in het teken van Italië. Kom naar Little Italy event voor vakantie-inspiratie, de lekkerste Italiaanse proeverijen en de leukste workshops.

How to Hox | Hoxton hotel event

Last month we were part of the Design event at the Hoxton hotel, a really nice informal day with different workshops and interesting panel talks. The Hoxton is such a nice place even if you are just popping in for a coffee, lots of people came especially for the event and many walked in for a bite, a drink and design inspiration. 

A day filled with lots of interaction, next to run the interior design blog  
vosgesparis for over ten years, I am co-founder of w/ Style and together with co founder Wen from BeeldSTEIL I took care of the styling and were part of the panel talk. It is always interesting to hear how other people live and what choices they make for their own home and being able to inspire others. 

The event location is really colourful and I loved to see how we changed the look by bringing in soft colours, natural materials and a good dose of black with selected items from Frama, Moebe, Paper Collective, Just Right, Pillah, Elle Decoration, and Nomess

Travel Products Selected w/ Style
I think we all have things we love to take with us when travelling and for the occasion of the event we selected some of our favourite items and handy products we personally love.

I often take my laptop with me and love the leather goods by SPRDLX, I do not only use a laptop cover but really love to use different smaller bags which are handy to keep your business cards and cables ordered on the go. No need to say I am a huge fan of the travellers note book, this one we borrowed from Miscellaneous also the address for the Frama and Moebe products we showed if you live in Amsterdam, I use them in different sizes, not only the bigger notebook but also the small passport size comes in really handy.

Different products also from the travel selection of Nomess with the Konjac sponges being my all time favourite. Watches from Leff Amsterdam, including their small speakers in the Nomess perspex boxes and skin care products from Amsterdam based Marie Stella Maris. 

Written in collaboration with the brands mentioned in this blogpost
© w/ Style Previously posted on Vosgesparis.com

photography Wen van Woudenberg | styling Desiree Groenendal

Winter in Amsterdam | December Christmas markets

December is here... Time to bring in the Christmas lights, lots of candles and think about a tree for the upcoming holiday season. Amsterdam is giving you tons of ideas with several Christmas markets around town over the next weekends... let me share some with you and get inspired for the best time of the year.

Must see panoramic view | “The Garden Which is the Nearest To God”

There is always something happening in town, and I really wanted to show you the wonderful pictures Silvia made of the project of Taturo Atzu on the roof of the oldest church in town. Silvia is an Italian photographer and we previously worked together on some blogpost for my interiors blog Vosgesparis and an article about Amsterdam Next, that will come out at the end of September.

These pictures were made during a photo shoot on the roof with Tania, a jewellery designer from Sydney. You can see those pictures on Silvia's website, and maybe you love a photo shoot with her yourself, she made some lovely portraits using Amsterdam as a backdrop!

Japanese artist Taturo Atzu is internationally renowned for his temporary art projects which transform our experiences of monuments, statues and architecture. Atzu's first public project in the Netherlands centres around the historic weather vane and the small roof turret, with the Angelus Clock, of the Oude Kerk. 

The Garden Which is the Nearest to God
Oude Kerk Amsterdam
Oudekerksplein 23
1012 GX Amsterdam
website: Oude Kerk 
Running time: June 27 to September 6 2015
area: Dam area

Come Closer is a series of public gatherings on the roof of the Oude Kerk. The evening programme, running from August 13 to September 6, brings together thinkers, musicians, artists, Amsterdammers, neighbourhood residents, and the curious up in art installation “The Garden Which is the Nearest To God”

by Japanese artist Taturo Atzu: a panoramic terrace with a spectacular view over Amsterdam. In the midst of a city in motion, Come Closer offers a moment of reflection. For 12 evenings special guest speakers share a new perspective, a unique story or a performance with the public. High above the city in the open-air, a sort of contemporary hagenpreek (open-air sermon), Come Closer invites you to listen, look, experience, think collaboratively and to speak up. You will find more information on the events here | text and info via de Oude Kerk

pictures ©Silvia Falcomer

Amsterdam Denim Days 2015 | Westergasfabriek & downtown

Amsterdam Denim Days is an annual event for fashion forward denim lovers and throughout the city several events are set up for both consumers and professionals. Blueprint is one of the main events at Westergasfabriek Westerpark | Spaarndammerbuurt area. Expect big denim brands, seminars, exhibitions, workshops, a vintage market, live music and more. Downtown there will be a range of events in Amsterdam finest Denim stores. For denim professionals there is an invite only trade show at Westergasfabriek, Kingpins on April 15-16 and seminars on April 17.


Amsterdam Denim Days 2015
April 13-18  City centre events
April 17-18 Blueprint at Westergasfabriek
April 18  Seminars ‘Towards a brighter blue’ with key speakers from the denim industry

Invite only:
April 15-16 | Kingpins show | invite only
April 17 Seminars | invite only


Denim makers and beautiful stores
For this occasion I made a small selection of Amsterdam Denim makers and brands, and I love to show you some of the most beautiful Amsterdam Denim stores here on the blog, while you can find a new Denim days Top12 on where to purchase your denim in Amsterdam in the highlights section of my Amsterdam City guide APP  New tips are welcome, just sent me an email

Lets kick off with Amsterdenim and last years video!

Amsterdenim

Amster Denim, founded by Ben Fokkema is a denim brand packed with details telling the story of Amsterdam over the last centuries. By showing the history of Amsterdam on the inner pocket and giving them the same colour brown like the sails of the former ships that ones sailed over the Amstel, dark blue yarn in the stitching and Amsterdenim logo. The three crosses of Amsterdam and other details can be found back in the logo, used on the nodes and garments.

Website: Amsterdenim
Available at: Jacob Amsterdam, Angel-Agudo, Cosmic Cowboys  and Johnny at the Spot 
Blogpost & pictures: Dépôt by Johnny at the spot

Good Genes
Born in New York. Designed in Amsterdam. Made in Italy. That is style, quality, tradition and attitude all in one. Good Genes delivers a contemporary casual uniform of jeans with a variety of essential tops, jackets and coats. They have an amazing store downtown at the Pijp area, that is definitely worth visiting. 

Good Genes Store B.V.
Albert Cuypstraat 33-35
1072 CL Amsterdam
+3120 3080688
website: Good Genes
area: De Pijp 

Tenue de Nîmes
With two stores downtown, the one in Haarlemmerstraat being my favourite, and not only because they pour out some really good wine on weekend afternoons, Tenue de Nîmes is a really accessible store for both the denim lover looking for selected brands including their private label, think Blue Japan, Momotaro, Orslow Jeans, Big John The Real McCoy, Levi's Vintage CLothing including their private label, as well as the tourist looking from all ages looking  for something new to wear or buy. 

Both the store at Haarlemmerstraat 92-94 and Elandsgracht 60 have amazing interiors with a mix of fashion, shoes, books, jewellery and a selection brands for your interior. I am madly in love with their collection of Mad et Len candles & lava rock stones, in black handcrafted metal design. 

Tenue de Nîmes
Haarlemmerstraat 92-94
1013 EV Amsterdam
Area: Haarlemmerbuurt

Tenue de Nîmes
Elandsgracht 60
1016 TX Amsterdam
Area: 9 straatjes
Website: Tenue de Nîmes 
Blogpost & pictures: Tenue de Nîmes Haarlemmerstraat 

The dark and moody Red Wing Shoes store has an amazing interior that pays tribute to the rich history of the brand. The shoes are displayed on top of steel and antique glass show cases, which are filled with coal. 

The dark, concrete walls have been decorated with workman''s tools that date back to the days when Red Wing was a fledgling company. One wooden wall, which itself was made from materials from an old Amish water tower, is used to exhibit most of the accessories on offer. Definitely a must see!

Red Wing shoes
Reestraat 15
1016 DM Amsterdam
Website: Red Wing Shoes 
Area and more pictures: 9 straatjes

BDD | Benzak Denim Developers
Created in Holland - crafted in Japan
BDD is an Amsterdam based denim brand, founded by Lennaert Nijgh, aka benzak. Out of the passion for jeans and inspired by the unique fading capabilities of denim, bdd was born. Rather than seasonal collections, bdd develops timeless pieces that can go anytime, anywhere. bdd focuses on pure products and functional design.

All denim products are the beginning of a journey, which needs to be developed by the wearer. By wear and wash the denim of your pair will develop its personal character. No single pair will be the same. Be the developer of your denim and become part of the world of benzak. 
In Amsterdam available at Tenue de Nîmes

Denham | Jeansmaker
Englishman Jason Denham established DENHAM in the city of Amsterdam. Having already established his reputation in the European market as a consummate “jeanmaker” known for mixing denim modernism with workwear tradition, he resolved that the jeans category needed an injection of something fresh, new and undeniably mouth-watering.  

Denham Woman | Runstraat 17, 1016 GJ, Amsterdam
Denham Men| Prinsengracht 495, 1016 HR, Amsterdam
Website: Denham
Area: 9 straatjes

Denham Showcase store

At Denham they are delighted to have secured the iconic corner-shop location at the intersection of the Prinsengracht and the Runstraat. The new location creates a dynamic visual link between Denham’s mens store at Prinsengracht 495 and its womens store at Runstraat 17.  
The showcase will feature a regular rotation of focused product presentations expressing the most exciting elements of each seasonal collection – from premium concepts in traditional 5-pocket denim and head-to-toe indigo ranges to innovative programs in outerwear - as well as accessory groups and seasonal design collaborations. A small coffee corner is part of the Showcase store. 

Denham Showcase store

Prinsengracht 531 / Runstraat

1016 HR, Amsterdam

Website: Denham
Area: 9 straatjes

blogpost & Pictures: If it's not Indigo it's Black

Olaf Hussein
Denim brand born out of the designer's curiosity of exploration and travel. His love for the Evisu denim brand inspired him to get into jeansware and after being spotted by the Tommy Hilfinger team, releasing his own label in 2011. With his latest collection he's putting the mod back in modern, and drawing inspiration from the stylish young men of the late 50's, lifting a classic look to current modern standards. 

Available at Tenue de Nîmes and online
website: Olaf Hussein

levi's
No need to explain...One of the oldest denim brands. Between the 1950s and 1980s, Levi's jeans became popular among a wide range of youth subcultures, including greasers, mods, rockers, and hippies. Levi's popular shrink-to-fit 501s are still Levi's number one selling product.  In Amsterdam there are two Levi's brand stores

Levi's Brand store
Kalverstraat 167-169
1012 XB Amsterdam

Levi's Brand store
Leidsestraat 8
1017 PA Amsterdam
Area: Dam | Spui | Munt
Website: Levi's

K.O.I.
Kings of indigo produces quality denim, tops and accessories inspired by American classics and designed with a Japanese eye for detail.

Available at Sukha, Spoiled, Number Nine More on the website
website: K.O.I.

Gstar 
G-Star specializes in making raw denim—an unwashed, untreated denim. G-Star is influenced by military clothing. Inspirations of their designs come from vintage military apparel from around the world. Some examples include special pockets constructions and the use of trims.

G-Star's flagship stores are located at PC Hooftstraat and a female department at Leidsestraat

G Star M/FPc Hooftstraat 26-28 
1071 BX Amsterdam Area: South | Museum district

G Star / F 
Leidsestraat 11 
1017 NS Amsterdam  
Website: G-Star

Scotch & Soda
Though Scotch & Soda has been around since the 80s, the Amsterdam-based fashion brand as we know it today originates in a brave new start in 2001, when three new owners joined their broad experience and shared love for making great garments.

Scotch’s most ambitious project Amsterdams Blauw hit the stores in December 2010; a compact high profile denim collection. The name Amsterdam Blauw (Amsterdam Blue) comes from the color of paint used to Paint Dutch porcelain in the Golden century. 

Scotch & Soda | Atelier Scotch
Heiligenweg 45
1012 XP Amsterdam

area: Spui | Munt

Scotch & Soda | Denim, men, women and fragrance
Berenstraat 15
1016 GG Amsterdam
Area: 9 straatjes

Scotch & Soda | Denim, men, women and fragrance
Huidenstraat 3-5
1016 ER Amsterdam
Area: 9 straatjes

Scotch & Soda kids | Denim
Wolvenstraat 14
1016 EP Amsterdam
Area: 9 straatjes

Different opening hours, find them at the website or in the APP 
Website: Scotch & Soda 

LEE
Lee was formed in 1889 by Henry David Lee at Salina, Kansas producing dungarees and jackets. The growth of Lee was prompted by the introduction of the Union-All work jumpsuit in 1913 and their first overall in 1920.

Later in the 1920s Lee introduced a zipper fly and continued to expand. Around this time, the first children's overall line was sold. During the 1930s and 1940s the company became the leading manufacturer of work clothes in the US. In the 1970s Lee shifted its focus from the workwear business and began catering to fashion cycles.

Lee Store

Wolvenstraat 8

1016 EP Amsterdam

Area: 9 straatjes

Website: Lee

Circle of trust denim & Conceptstore

Circle of Trust was founded in 2005 with one main focus: creating unique denim for Men, women and kids, Early 2015 they opened their concept store at the Pijp.

Circle of Trust Concept Store
Ferdinand Bolstraat 47
1072LB Amsterdam
area: De Pijp 
website: Circle of trust
Blogpost & Pictures: 


More denim:
Tim Collins photography 
The Denim Daily

A new Denim days Top12 on where to purchase your denim in Amsterdam can be found in the highlights section of my Amsterdam City guide APP  New tips are welcome, just sent me an email

Chocoa festival | March 6-8 Beurs van Berlage

The 3rd edition of Chocoa Festival, the Amsterdam chocolate festival for all chocolate  lovers, will take place from March 6th to 8th at the Beurs van Berlage, in the heart of Amsterdam.

For this occasion I collected some of the best chocolate addresses in town, and personally tried and tested some, not really the worst job to be honest! Find a selection here on the blog, and a list of all my favourite places to get your daily dose of chocolate in the highlights section of my Amsterdam City guide APP

Chocoa Festival
Tasting, enjoying and discovering new flavours is key during Chocoa Festival. Other products complimenting the chocolate will be present as well such as wine, coffee, tea and craft beer. Take a journey trough the cocoa chain and learn how chocolate is being made from bean to bar.  

Learn to recognize the qualities of good cocoa and discover the wide variety of flavours that exists. There are no less than 700 different flavors which can be tasted in better chocolate. Develop your senses and appreciate extraordinaty pairings. Chocolate makers from Brazil, Peru, Mexico, England, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands and many more will tell you about the origins of their products and how they contribute to positive changes in living conditions of cocoa farmers and their environment. Buy your early bird ticket at the Chocoa Festival website

Chocoa festival
Beurs van Berlage
Damrak 243
1012 ZJ Amsterdam

Website: Chocoa festival
Area: Dam  

Pucinni Bomboni
A chocolate tasting at Pucinni Bomboni may easily let you forget all other chocolate you ever tasted before. Chosen in Europe’s top 10 list of best chocolatiers, Pucinni Bomboni offers a variety of flavours from ginger to mint and from caramel to cognac and spicy or sweet. They have the best sprinkles in town... you might know we Dutch love our chocolate sprinkle sandwiches. All chocolate is without any preservatives, handmade in their own kitchen and for sale at 3 different locations in town.

Pucinni Bomboni
Staalstraat 17  
1011 JK Amsterdam

Opening hours:
Monday noon  - 6PM
Tuesday to Saturday 9AM - 6PM
Sunday noon  - 6PM
Area: Waterlooplein

Pucinni Bomboni
Singel 184
1016 AA Amsterdam
Opening hours:
Monday noon  - 6PM
Tuesday to Saturday 11AM - 6PM
Sunday noon  - 6PM
Area: Dam 

Pucinni Bomboni
Oudekerksplein 17A
1012 GX Amsterdam
open every day from 10AM - 10PM
Area: Dam 
website: Pucinni Bomboni

Metropolitan Deli
Bonbons, pastries and authentically delicious Italian ice-cream. As soon as you enter the store you'll smell their 70% pure home made chocolate. The place to have a warm chocolate, cacaotea or taste a cacaobeer! Check the website for different choclate tasting workshops.

Metropolitan Deli
Warmoesstraat 135
1012 JB Amsterdam
Open 7 days a week
Website: Metropolitan deli
Area: Dam

Lite dark
Healthy concept based on fresh fruits and healthy dark chocolate in any form and combination

Lite Dark Choclate
Utrechtsestraat 22
1017 VN Amsterdam
Opening hours
Monday to Friday 8AM - 7PM
Saturday & Sunday 10AM - 7PM
Area: Utrechtsestraat

Lite Dark Choclate
Zeedijk 59A
1012 AS Amsterdam
Opening hours
Monday to Friday 9AM - 7PM
Saturday & Sunday 10AM - 7PM
Website: Lite Dark
Area: Dam

Urban Cacao

Urban cacao is the place for where refined chocolates are produced, celebrated and sold. Chocolate bars, pralines, cake, ice-cream and coffee with a large factory at the back

Urban Cacao Amsterdam
Rozengracht 200
1016 NK Amsterdam
Opening hours:
Monday Noon-7PM
Tuesday to Friday 10AM-7PM
Saturday 10AM-6PM
Sunday Noon-6PM
Area: Rozengracht
Website: Urban Cacao

ArtiChoc
The finest chocolate in combination with fresh fruit and cream, nuts and alcohol and wine from their neighbour all made in the open kitchen in the back of this stylish store in the South of town, a great place also for customers with different allergies or food intolerances.. we personally tried the ‘truffels with cream’ and ‘Cherry liqueur’ bonbons 

ArtiChoc
Koninginneweg 141
1075 CM Amsterdam
Opening hours:
Tuesday - Friday 9:30AM - 6PM
Saturday 9:30AM - 5PM
closed on Monday and Sunday

area: South | Museum district
website: ArtiChoc

Dutch Homemade
When walking in at Dutch Home made this store with a large selection of Macarons might look a macarons only store but is also an address for bonbons, pies and coffee. The picture of the interior of the Haarlemmerstraat store, which I really like is made some months ago on a quiet moment. You can sit for a coffee and try the macarons, the beautiful pies or bonbons. I tried the 70% pure 'Vietnam' bonbon!

Dutch Home made 
Haarlemmerstraat 122
1013 EX Amsterdam
Area: Haarlemmerbuurt

Dutch Home made 
Vijzelstraat 69
101 HG Amsterdam
Area: Dam Spui Munt

Dutch Home made 
Oude Hoogstraat 31
1012 CD Amsterdam
Area: Dam Spui Munt
Website: Dutch Homemade

Find all my favourite places to get your daily dose of chocolate in the highlights section of the Amsterdam City guide APP  tips are welcome, just sent me an email

Design Icons 2015 | Vintage design and raw industrial

Like last year I had a quick visit to Design Icons, with the new ferry departing from the Eastern Docklands where I live, I literally only had to cross the water this year. Even though I am not a huge vintage fan, I do appreciate the iconic Scandinavian and Dutch design pieces and particularly love the few industrial. 

The Industrial hall where the event takes place has one of the best Photo backdrops I know which make every piece stand out. Showing you a few pictures on the blog, for more have a look at the slideshow above.... with a small focus on the many work-desks I spotted today!

Pictures © Amsterdam Next