Amsterdam fashion brand Bonne Suits, founded in 2014, is taking a refreshing step on the occasion of its tenth anniversary. Although the brand is known for its gender-neutral suits, a full-fledged collection is now being introduced alongside this line. These strategic changes, which go hand in hand with entering the wholesale channel, feel like a logical step. Bonne Suits founders Bonne Reijn and Justus Cohen Tervaert underline in an interview with FashionUnited: “We don’t want to keep our brand to ourselves.”
What remains unchanged is the brand’s ethos: bringing people together. This is not only done through fashion, but also through various forms of art, as can be seen in the store and gallery at Warmoesstraat 67. In addition to being a sales location, this location also functions as an art gallery, bookstore and music studio.
‘The Gardener’: inspired by the story of Mien Ruys
Bonne Suits’ first multi-item collection, called ‘The Gardener’, is an ode to landscape architect Mien Ruys, Reijn’s great-aunt. The book titled ‘Moerheim’ tells how she serves as the brand’s muse. Ruys made gardening accessible to the Dutch middle class by using simple, affordable materials such as railway sleepers and gravel tiles. Her story inspires Bonne Suits to strive for the same accessibility in fashion.
‘The Gardener’ consists of 14 complete looks consisting of multiple items, including shorts, vests and skirts. The colours are red, blue, green, brown, grey and white.
‘The Gardener’ is the starting point for a series of full-fledged collections. “Workwear makes sense to us,” Reijn explains. “It’s universal and that fits perfectly with our ideals of equality,” Cohen Tervaert adds. For the next collection, aimed at carpenters, the brand is already working with an Amsterdam workshop.
With the addition of designer Matty Hofstede to the team, the brand also focuses on material innovation and more complex designs. “His contribution takes our designs to the next level,” says Reijn.
The move to wholesale is intended to reach a broader target group, Cohen Tervaert explains. In addition, the brand has prepared for the collaboration with new retailers for the ‘The Gardener’ collection. About the margin price for wholesalers, Cohen Tervaert says: “We are now around 2.5 – 2.7 for the wholesaler.”
Inspiring retailers for Bonne Suits
When it comes to inspiring retailers, the founders immediately think of a store that no longer exists, but that they had worked with in the past and where Bonne Suits sold well. “Opening Ceremony in New York was a cultural meeting place with a revolutionary retail concept,” says Reijn. “They offered a unique mix of brands and had a dedicated team that made the store an experience. It was a place to go to be inspired, not to be ripped off.”
In addition to Opening Ceremony, Bonne Suits praises stores like Labour & Wait in London for their focus on timelessness, and Traders Pop in Maastricht, a cultural hotspot. “These places embody what we strive for: a mix of culture, sustainability and timeless design,” adds Cohen Tervaert.
Bonne Suits has big ambitions. The brand wants to contribute to a world in which clothing represents a universal value. “Imagine: everyone gets a suit when they pay their first taxes, as a symbol of responsibility and equality. Not communism, but ‘communalism’”
By working with retailers, Bonne Suits wants to attract a larger group of customers. The brand has an international customer base of people who appreciate fashion, but don’t necessarily want to spend all day on fashion. Reijn explains: “I sold a suit today to a young woman who studies neurology and just wants to look good without having to think about it for hours. That is exactly the power of our suits: they are timeless, for everyone and fit everywhere.”
