I’ve visited Amsterdam once before, on a family vacation where we tracked down old relatives and visited ancestral haunts, and the country is beautiful. From the old, sleepy Dutch towns that never see foreigners to the smaller cities to the cultural meccas that are Amsterdam and Groningen, the country is simply stunning. The people are nicer, the food is better (the Dutch have a skill for stealing recipes from other nationalities and copying them) and the history is simply awe-inspiring. It never really crossed my mind that The Netherlands were as old as they are. I mean, it feels just like west Michigan in a lot of ways, but the traditional houses are older than any standing structure in the United States. It really just gave a wonderful perspective of the world around me.

I guess that’s the beauty of being able to travel. To see something and to have that thing (a piece of art, a building, a cobblestone street) spark some sort of internal dialogue. Something I missed while I was there however, was the fashion scene. I mean, it really hadn’t possessed me at that point like it has now, and I regret not taking the time to visit and shop at some of the interesting companies that naturally have sprung up from a place like Amsterdam. Like the city and the culture, the garments sold inspire another sort of internal dialogue (at least for me).

The flagship location for Bonne is located in downtown Amsterdam on Zeedijk, known for it’s current diversity as well as past notoriety (being a boarder of the red-light district made it a hive of sailors, drug dealers and prostitutes for a significant portion of time). Now it has undergone a revitalization and emerged as a diverse center for different ethnic groups, religious practices and LGBTQ+ individuals. This environment is what allows Bonne to serve in the capacity that it does, offering tailored unisex style suits that boast an aesthetic of hard, laborious work rather than the refined, luxury suits so popular the world over. It’s a welcome breath of fresh, unique air that’s sorely needed in the suit world.

Bonne is located in the same building as two other clothiers (The New Attitude and Sumibu) and refers to the storefront collectively as Zeedijk 60. Maybe I’ll do another blog post about The New Attitude, but the focus today is on Bonne’s wonderful, practically high-class creations.

Aside from non-traditional cuts, the company is also not afraid of experimenting with materials that are commonly not seen as very “high fashion”. The newest line of clothing is created with leathers from the dairy and meat industry in Amsterdam, highlighting the ability of all materials to be used in new and exciting ways.

This is just a smattering of some of the patterns, colors and styles that they offer on their website. Aside from being relatively affordable, the company clearly has their fingers on the pulse of what is “new” in an industry that needs constant innovation.

Have you ordered one of their suits? Have you worn them around? If you have any experience with Bonne at all (or if you’re interested in learning more), I’d love to hear from you! This is as always an experiment and I hope some interest is piqued as you look through the couple of styles I’ve selected. I can’t wait to see what they come up with in the years to come, so be sure to check back and I’ll attempt to keep up with the whirlwind of innovation that is pouring out of Amsterdam, from a small little shop affectionately titled Zeedijk 60.