Pakhuis de Zwijger*, Amsterdam played host to a spirited night of brewers, beers and brands at the 7th edition of the Indie BRANDS Event. Showcasing 16 of the best microbreweries in the Netherlands, the Indie Brands Brewery Special featured an inspiring evening of fascinating talks and exquisite beer tastings. With more than 243 independent breweries emerging over the last 10 years, craft beer making is rapidly becoming a Dutch phenomenon. While the market remains relatively small (roughly 5%) compared to other countries (15% in the US), microbrewers in the Netherlands are optimistic that there is ample room for growth.
Indie BRANDS Event | Indie Brands on Wheels
Bicycle fever struck Pakhuis de Zwijger* Amsterdam during the 6th edition of the Indie BRANDS Event (28 March 2014). Bringing together an exceptional corps of bike makers, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts to the bicycle capital of the world, Indie Brands on Wheels featured an extraordinary night of compelling talks, independent brands and their highly coveted products. The evening’s festivities rightly honored the Netherlands’ most beloved mode of transportation: the bicycle.
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Unveiling Creativity | Stepping Behind the Digital Curtain
Success is often followed by admiration. In any given field, even the most accomplished of individuals are inspired by someone else’s example. Indeed, our fascination with those whom we admire stems from our desire to walk in their footsteps, or in some cases, to surpass them. Thanks in part to the rise of social media, never in the history of humankind has following the success of other people been so conveniently possible. Still, there has always been an air of mystique surrounding these public personas.
At the 2nd anniversary of CreativeMornings Utrecht (14 March 2014), documentary photographer Marije Kuiper offered us a peek into the hidden lives of world-renowned creatives. As co-creator of the online documentary series Like Knows Like, she and filmmaker Bas Berkhout profile a host of talented artists, designers and musicians (among others) across the globe who are deeply beloved on social media. Throughout her career, Kuiper has worked tirelessly behind-the-scenes, in search of unique individuals, stories and settings, making the invisible visible.
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Indie BRANDS x phillipqgangan: Professional Rebel Q&A
Innovation is an act of rebellion. Indeed, every new concept, service or system is essentially a departure from the way things were. Since no breakthroughs have ever resulted from sameness and routine, defying the old is the only way to begin anew. For innovation catalysts Linda Vermaat and Melissa Marijnen, only a rebel is brave enough to spark a revolution.
Recognizing the need to challenge the status quo in a rapidly changing world, the pair founded Professional Rebel in May 2012. Together with Meret Muntinga and Max Verloop, the team regularly organizes bike tours, programmes and events that inspire individuals to become rebels themselves. Convinced that independent brands are in fact rebels of their own revolutions, the agency has teamed up with Indie Brands for a very special startup tour.
Professional Rebel co-founder Linda Vermaat tells us more:
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CreativeMornings Utrecht | Hidden | Marije Kuiper
CreativeMornings Utrecht | 14 March 2014 | In De Ruimte (Oudegracht 230A) | 08:30 (AM) | A creative presentation on Hidden by Marije Kuiper of Like Knows Like
CreativeMornings is a monthly breakfast lecture series for creative types. Each event is free of charge, and includes a 20 minute lecture, plus coffee!
In celebration of its 2nd year anniversary, CreativeMornings Utrecht will host its 23rd creative lecture at “In De Ruimte” (Oudegracht 230A) on 14 March 2014, opening at 08:30 (AM). Presented by Marije Kuiper, her talk centers on this month’s global theme: Hidden. As a photographer and documentary filmmaker, Kuiper often works tirelessly behind-the-scenes in search of unique individuals, stories and surroundings, making the invisible visible. Her latest project Like Knows Like draws back the curtain on well-known artists, creatives and the like, revealing the person behind the persona. In order to step into the light, Kuiper herself steps away from her camera to discuss her experiences with making choices, sacrifices and following her heart. ✌
☞ For more information on Marije Kuiper, Like Knows Like, CreativeMornings Utrecht and CreativeMornings™, visit the websites listed below:
Marije Kuiper, Like Knows Like
CreativeMornings Utrecht and CreativeMornings™
Follow CreativeMornings Utrecht on Facebook and Twitter for more information on how to register or sign up for their Official Newsletter
Changing Course | In Pursuit of Our True Calling
Following our passion is easier said than done. From a very early age, we were convinced that life is comprised of a linear set of milestones that must be achieved in order to give it meaning: go to school, get a job, buy a house, get married, have kids, and the list goes on. By the time we realise that there is more to life than an archaic list of someone else’s goals, we may have given up on what interests us the most, assuming that we have already discovered what that might be. As a result, most of us tend to endure our chosen profession rather than enjoy it.
At the 22nd edition of CreativeMornings Utrecht (21 February 2014), psychologist-turned-illustrator Ellen Vesters proved that it is never too late to do what you love, as long as you are willing to work for it. As an artist and founder of online illustration concept store Urlaub, Vesters is undoubtedly a rebel-at-heart, leaving behind her former career to pursue her true calling. Although she admits that her change in course was not the smoothest of transitions, her struggles did not keep her from having fun along the way.
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Indie BRANDS On Wheels
On 28 March 2014, Indie BRANDS presents the 6th edition of the Indie BRANDS Event at Pakhuis de Zwijger* (Amsterdam). Featuring a night of compelling talks, independent brands and their highly coveted products, the evening’s festivities honours the Netherlands’ most beloved mode of transportation: the bicycle.
What was once considered a cheap and primitive way to get around has been (re)elevated into a symbol of freedom, creativity and regard for the environment. As a result, Indie Brands On Wheels brings together a bevy of bike makers, brands and enthusiasts –from bicycle magazines and accessories to bikes made from bamboo, wood and recycled materials– to talk shop, share their ideas and inspire us with their stories. With more than a million bicycles sold in the Netherlands each year, these ambitious entrepreneurs have set themselves apart from the rest of the competition and are more than willing to show us how to do the same. ✌
Friday, 28 March 2014
17:00-22:00
Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam
Tickets: 15 Euros
☞ For more information on Indie BRANDS, Anneloes van Gaalen and the 4th Indie BRANDS Event, visit the websites below:
Indie BRANDS, Anneloes van Gaalen and the 6th Indie BRANDS Event
Follow Indie BRANDS, Anneloes van Gaalen and phillipqgangan on Twitter: @IndieBrands, @Anneloesvgaalen and @phillipqgangan
Learning the Code | Educating the Next Generation
“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X
Be it a mystery, what you make of it, or whether or not it is in your hands, everyone hopes for a brighter future. In many ways, we are led to believe that the sum of our everyday actions reflects our desire to achieve a better tomorrow: “Dreams don’t work unless you do,” “Control your own destiny or someone else will.” Indeed, society’s attitude towards things to come has evolved from total resignation (“Que sera, sera.”) to taking responsibility – not only for ourselves, but more importantly, for our children.
At the 21st edition of CreativeMornings Utercht (31 January 2014), digital media expert Remco Pijpers declared that it is never too early to prepare for the future. As CEO of youth knowledge and (digital) media centre Mijn Kind Online (My Kid Online), he is a staunch advocate of teaching children how to code at a very young age. Together with Sanoma Netherlands publisher Suzan Schouten and media educator Pauline Maas, Pijpers is convinced that coding will ultimately be a vital skill in the years to come.
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CreativeMornings Utrecht | Rebel | Ellen Vesters
CreativeMornings Utrecht | 21 February 2014 | In De Ruimte (Oudegracht 230A) | 08:30 (AM) | A creative presentation on Rebel by Ellen Vesters
CreativeMornings is a monthly breakfast lecture series for creative types. Each event is free of charge, and includes a 20 minute lecture, plus coffee!
On 21 February 2014, CreativeMornings Utrecht will host its 22nd creative lecture at “In De Ruimte” (Oudegracht 230A), opening at 08:30 (AM). Presented by Ellen Vesters, her talk centers on this month’s global theme: Rebel. As developmental psychologist-turned-illustrator and founder of online graphic design concept store Urlaub, Vesters is undoubtedly a rebel-at-heart, leaving behind her former career to pursue her true calling. Combined with her passion for all things creative, she also organizes a number of creative and creative-entreprise workshops together with a corps of like-minded artists, illustrators and entrepreneurs. Proving that the road to rebellion has its own rewards, Vesters shares her views on being a rebel and the lessons learned from swimming against the tide. ✌
☞ For more information on Ellen Vesters, Urlaub, CreativeMornings Utrecht and CreativeMornings™, visit the websites listed below:
CreativeMornings Utrecht and CreativeMornings™
Follow CreativeMornings Utrecht on Facebook and Twitter for more information on how to register or sign up for their Official Newsletter
Indie BRANDS x phillipqgangan: Daily Paper Q&A
Style is all about self-expression. After all, the way we dress speaks volumes of who we are, where we come from and who we choose to be. In order to stand out in a sea of sameness, Dutch menswear label Daily Paper embraces its own uniqueness.
Prominently influenced by their African heritage, Abderrahmane Trabsini, Jefferon Osei and Hussein Suleiman founded Daily Paper in 2008. The trio proudly designs and tailors rugged, street-couture staples –from printed shirts and snap back caps to varsity jackets and jerseys– at their atelier in Amsterdam. Inspired by Mali mud cloth and the Kenyan Maasai tribe, the label’s latest collection (Fall/Winter 2013) showcases a range of bold, menswear pieces, celebrating a myriad of African cultures through contemporary design and vivid aesthetics.
Daily Paper co-founder, Abderrahmane Trabsini tells us more:
As a contemporary menswear label, Daily Paper blends African culture with street-couture. What made you decide to start your own brand?
We all had the same interest in traditional clothing, but we wanted to find a way to use these traditional fabrics and prints and translate them into modern street-wear.
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