Review: Dutch Design Beads Capital Line
Beaded bracelets can be used to inject an unexpected pop of colour into your outfit. Layering bracelets can also look stylish by mixing different materials, weight and width. The beads can be made with anything from stone to wood. Keep in mind that the bigger the bead the more casual the bracelet. For a more formal & sophisticated look, keep it simple with the smaller beads.
The new Dutch Design Beads Capital Line is inspired by the cities and regions of the Netherlands. For example, the Amsterdam red beads portray the famous red light district while Maastricht rich brown beads depict the beautiful country side of Limburg. Carl Middelkoop send me a bracelet for review. I received the Lelystad model. Lelystad is the capital city of Flevoland. Flevoland is the largest man made island in the world and completely formed through land reclamation. The dark blue beads represent the water and sand that form the province more than 50 years ago. I like that each bracelets has its own unique story of the Netherlands. The use of natural stones and the craftsmanship is amazing.
I also had an opportunity to interview Carl Middelkoop the CEO of Dutch Design Beads.
What is your background?
My background is because of the interest in menswear I have combined with my psychology bachelor degree and my business administration degree. I am interested in fashion but in the mean time I wanted to do something with my university degrees as well. So I started thinking about a brand, which tells a story next to the product. In my opinion you bring an experience with it as well when you make this possible. I live in a beautiful country, the Netherlands, and wanted to bring this into the product as well so decided to combine all my knowledge with my passion for fashion.
How would you describe DDB aesthetic?
I would describe it as a twist to your style in which you want to ‘bead the ordinary’. It brings a nice addition to the menswear accessories and will stand out against the mainstream fashion.
How would you see the brand evolving?
I would like to see the brand evolving on an international level. We have just started a collaboration with several stores in the Netherlands and one store in Istanbul but would like to evolve this a lot more in the future. For us this is the main target.
With starting a company there are always ups and down, most important lesson you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to trust in yourself and be polite and patience with everybody. Make a good connection with your customers because at the end of the day, they will be the ones who make your brand. A brand without a customer is no brand at all.
Check out the new Dutch Design Beads Capital Line: http://www.dutchdesignbeads.com
