Bianco meets: Bonne Reijn / Bonne Suits
There are too many cool events in Berlin, too many cool people floating around, too many free drinks available at the next fancy get together and I do not rate this lifestyle at all. Actually I always try to hide from these kind of events because at the end of the day I will always shake a couple of hands, talk the same bullshit and then vanish after just a couple of minutes to go back to my real world again. So usually I do not even know what's going on unless something really good happens or someone really special drags the anti out of my social.
So a couple of weeks ago I got a message from Olive Duran about this upcoming event hosted by Indie Mag and her good friend Bonne Reijn and his brand BONNE Suits - Something really good, someone special, get it?
Olive is a boss, one of the realest people I know and a good friend; BONNE Suits is a very, very interesting brand that has created a badass collection of badass suits that totally fit everybody and do not cost a fucking fortune, even though they are handmade in Spain. Olive gathered a crew of Berlin creatives around that event for a look book shooting by the most talented Daan Dam and we all literally looked like the new world order was run by Puff Daddy, Hunter S. Thompson and Kate Moss.
After buying two suits, chatting with all the old and new homies I found some time to have a little chat with Reijn and exchange emails for this little interview. Yes Interview.
Hey Bonne, could you please tell us something about you, your life and work?
Hey Bianco, nice seeing you and meeting you in Berlin! So yeah im Bonne Reijn. Im born and raised in central Amsterdam and 26 years old. I started working and assisting as a stylist since I was 17 and started Bonne suits 2 years ago. I've got 2 cats, Bims and Bonnie, 10 room mates, one girlfriend and the best friends in the world
What is BONNE and how you you describe it to someone who has no idea about fashion (like myself)?
Bonne suits is a suits brand that try's to change the way we are programmed to think about fashion. We offer one product for a good price in good quality for any way or circumstance in life.
"You should not care about what other people wear, if you do, you really are focussing on the wrong things in life" - someone sent me that quote of yours. (If it's yours) Could you please explain your thoughts behind this genuinely good mindset?
Yea I said that and I feel that. It's just as absurd to judge someone by their clothes or better say condemn them than to condemn that by color of skin or sexual preference. Judge people based on how they treat people or how they carry them selves.
Why suits?
I wanted to make them part of the street scene again. And I don't mean street scene like Street wear scene. I mean street scene as in seeing people "normal" people wear suits again.
Accessibility of Fashion is another thing that someone mentioned when we talked about your suits and I pretty much would say that hits the nail on the head. Are you down with this statement?
Yeah. So there is all this information and all these super smart kids coming from all different backgrounds now because of internet. It's amazing. Why would fashion keep this elite way of thinking. It just doesn't fit with the current situation to my opinion.
How come all your suits fit that fucking perfect, like literally everybody looks good in them but not everybody looks the same. What is the secret behind your fitting?
Thanks so much man. Its almost an exact copy of a Dutch farmers suit. I changed a few things but kept most of it like that.
All your suits are handmade in Portugal, right? I really do wonder how you make money at all to be honest, the price is too good, the quality is so on point - this combination is kind of super special in fashion right now. How you do that?
I'm just being super honest with my price. For now this works super nice for us. And we do make money with it!
I heard people in Amsterdam can visit you at home and fit in the suits at your place, so how do you feel about having this personal connections to your customers?
I love it! I build my whole life out of my house on the Oudeschans 15. I'm super happy that I can have this many people over.
So what do you think about Berlin and the people you met there? How was your weekend in our lovely city?
Man I want to open my first international store here. For me Berlin next to Amsterdam is the best city in Europe.
I saw your recent collaboration with Patta and I guess there is even more about you and this Amsterdam powerhouse. What is your affiliation with the Patta gang?
So Gee from Patta helps me out al lot. He set me up production wise and advised me along the way. I owe him everything and he is like my big brother. After the first year I guess it was only natural to make something together.
What’s our vision for BONNE for the next years? I saw you making some nice leather boots, too. So what’s next, Bonne?
I have no idea. One thing I know for sure is I want to establish Bonne suits first as a classic like the All Star's and the 501. After that I want them issued by The Government.
I do love food and I will always ask this question to everybody I interview. Please name us three spots we should not miss in Amsterdam to have the greatest food of our lives?
Pfff you're at the right address. When you're in Amsterdam we can go together!
For best Thai food outside of Thailand go to Mae Somjai
For best restaurant in Amsterdam go to: BAK
The man who fathered contemporary Amsterdam cuisine: As
Thanks for your time and words Bonne, Hopefully see you again soon!
Yeah come to Amsterdam! We'll eat!
