Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands is known for many things other than denim. The city stands for liberty, hope, freedom of speech and is famous for its beautiful canals, artistic heritage, coffee shops, and the Red-Light District. The city of Amsterdam has become an example of groundbreaking and revolutionary changes, that thereafter have been adopted by the rest of the world (not always without a struggle). It’s a liberal city that is open to new ideas, new initiatives, and new ways of living. What Amsterdam doesn’t have, like the rest of the Netherlands, is a significant influence on the history of denim. Unlike France, Japan, or the USA, the Netherlands association with denim only dates back a few decades, rather than centuries. However, over the last 5-10 years, many denim brands and manufacturers have moved to Amsterdam and the city is becoming known as a denim capital, much like Nimes, Tokyo, or San Francisco. In Amsterdam, denim is more than just a fabric, and jeans are more than just a garment. In Amsterdam, denim is an invitation to come together and build community, it is an expression of togetherness and a statement for freedom. Today, the city stands for the future of denim and acts as a hub for bringing together denim professionals from all over the world.

The Amsterdam Denim Culture

In Amsterdam, 95% of its citizens wear a pair of jeans regularly and the average person in the city owns six pairs of jeans, wearing them four to five times a week. In contrast to people from fashion cities like Milan, London, or Paris, in Amsterdam people care more about functionality and comfort rather than fashion. Of course, Dutch people care about fashion and style, but first of all the garment needs to fit well, be comfortable, be practical, and be affordable. These demands evolved into a smart casual city style, which has now spread across the Netherlands, with denim as one of the important ingredients to this way of living. In Amsterdam, denim is widely accepted in every social layer of its colorful and rich society and is respectable to wear for every occasion. Important properties of denim like comfort and durability are perfectly fitted for the bicycle culture of the city, and factors like breathability work well for the moderate maritime climate. In Amsterdam, it is never too cold, and never too hot (but always too rainy), for a pair of jeans. But, why Dutch people really love denim, is because the fabric fits their mindset. A popular Dutch saying is ‘doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg’, which literally means ‘act normal, as that’s crazy enough’. Traditionally, Dutch people are encouraged to be ‘normal’, to follow the crowd, to act and perform under the radar. Translate this to a garment, and a simple pair of jeans with a discrete wash or natural wear, which is easily combined with almost every other garment, and which is worn by almost everybody in the country, and there you have it. Denim is loved in Amsterdam for its comfort, its versatility, its discreetness, and its ease.

The Amsterdam Street Scene

Amsterdam’s love for denim is obviously reflected in the street scenes of the city. Walking around in the city center and its famous neighborhoods like the ‘Nine Streets’, and you’ll instantly see the influence of denim on Dutch fashion trends. Not only are the shoppers generally wearing denim, but stores are abundantly decorated with denim. In Amsterdam, denim is literally everywhere… The denim culture in Amsterdam turned out to be a great playground for brands. World-famous brands like G-star and Denham the Jeanmaker were born and raised in the city before they conquered the rest of the world. In addition, brands like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger now have a large presence close to the city. With denim at all levels of society and all levels of retail, supported by the success stories of G-Star and Denham, as well as the famous ‘Denim City’ located in De Hallen, Amsterdam is more than just a denim-loving-city, it has become the denim hotspot of Europe.

Celebrating All Things Indigo

In 2012, the Jean School was established in Amsterdam. The first denim-oriented school in the world, the Jean School educates and trains denim talents with the knowledge and skills leading denim brands and mills need. Leading denim brands that are located literally around the corner, make it easy to accommodate students directly into their work, gaining valuable experience in the denim journey. In 2014, the widely respected and leading denim trade show, the Kingpins Show, opened its doors in Amsterdam for the first time, alongside the first edition of the Amsterdam Denim Days. Both shows, attracting thousands of companies and professionals from the industry, turned out to be a great success, and both grew into household names in the industry. The gathering of brands, mills, knowledge, and education has made Amsterdam into a denim hotbed, pushing everyone involved to keep on developing, innovating, and improving the denim industry. In the past ten years, the city has made more than promising steps in the world of denim, it has created an environment that has all the facilities required for a future proof denim industry, with a strong focus on sustainability and environmental impact. While Amsterdam might not have as long of a denim history as some, the city is ensuring that it remains on the map for the future history of denim.

Ever Evolving Talks by Calik Denim

One company that has been investing in the denim industry in Amsterdam is Calik Denim. The passionate denim manufacturer brought the 'Ever Evolving Talks by Calik Denim' to the city, providing a platform to educate and share knowledge. During the Ever Evolving Talks by Calik Denim; they bring leaders from the fashion world and influential figures from a variety of global disciplines to the stage in order to share their experience with an international audience. With events in 2018 and 2019, Calik Denim provided a moment to refresh, reconnect, and rethink key topics within denim. A moment of great inspiration, the Ever Evolving Talks by Calik Denim provided a fresh opportunity to discuss new challenges for everyone involved. Unfortunately, COVID-19 delayed this year’s edition but we’ve got our fingers crossed for an edition in 2021. Head over to everevolvingtalks.com for more info about the Ever Evolving Talks by Calik Denim. Photo Credit:Hans Jellema https://www.instagram.com/hansjellema/?hl=nl