Crafting Heritage: The Dutch Touch Behind a Quietly Exceptional Brand
Insight on heritage, a friend, and inspiration.
I’ve spent a lot of time, unsurprisingly, thinking about heritage recently. It’s a distinguishing pillar of a project I’m working on right now, but that’s for another day.
I mean heritage in its most fundamental form. Heritage in the sense of inherited traits or cultural conventions passed down from seasoned generations before me. It’s both a fascinating and wonderful thing to spend time thinking about. If you know me personally, you know that I tend to do this often. Reflecting on my own heritage has shown me how deeply it runs into the fabric of our lives. It helps shape how I view what earns importance or what I really could not care to give my time to. I’m sure it does the same for others as well.
This article isn’t one on solely heritage, but it does involve it. Several years ago, I was introduced to John from De Dam Foundation, an Amsterdam based clothing brand with an emphasis on proper craftsmanship and Dutch culture. John has been featured on this newsletter before, link here. Back then, we crossed paths on Instagram, of course, and hit it off. John has an astute eye for design as well as an appreciation for heritage, like myself. Though relatively young, his brand, De Dam Foundation, is what I might categorize as a well done heritage brand. Pieces and collections are supported by historical context and a pure intent on being functional. In a world of logo-slaps, this can feel like a rarity to me.
John and I met in person for the first time a few days ago. We grabbed ramen and coffee, discussing the usual topics of menswear and product, but this time face to face. It was a refreshing experience hearing him expand on his creative process and the elements he values most when designing. When you have an opportunity to step inside the creative process of someone else and their intentionality behind their designs, it’s practically a gift. His understanding of Dutch history and how he chooses to weave it into his product offering is what craft truly is. It’s thoughtful and intentional.
On a different occasion, we walked through a handful of different shops and discussed product once more.
Footwear from Lemaire. Materials at Our Legacy. Fear of God influences.
It was nice to talk at length about some of these brands and their products as well as what we enjoyed and what we perhaps didn’t enjoy. John bridged the gaps in our clothing analyses with small contextual anecdotes pertaining to why he designs clothes the way he does. The height of a collar. The circumference of a sleeve. As someone who isn’t from the Netherlands and has never visited, his explanation of the Dutch climate and why he includes certain details in his clothing was satisfying to listen to. It just made sense.
I’m hopeful to see more of that from other brands and outlets I come across. Whether it be from magazines or café owners, that mentality is what I can appreciate most.
A mentality comprised of heritage, utility and timelessness.
A mentality that uses context as a tool to create unique and distinct product.
That isn’t to say that a simple screen printed t-shirt in unacceptable, but it is to say that if we want to create, let’s dive down and find the core reasoning, as meaning is everything. And no, this is not a sponsored post or some kind of insider deal for you to go and browse John’s brand. This is an article on the importance of heritage and how much I value it in a brand. Intentionality. Context. Reason.
That is what inspires me. That is what branding and development should lean on.