Blue

Blauw

Wit is wit, zwart is zwart.

Blauw is groots, wijd, koud, warm.

Jouw blauw is niet mijn blauw en mijn blauw is niet jouw blauw.

Kies je een kleur blauw, dan doe je een uitspraak over die kleur blauw.

Voor ceesnco wilde ik het blauw van de lucht op een mooie dag.

Fris, met een tikje geel erin, meer warm dan ijzig.

Blue

“How do you know, when you think blue — when you say blue — that you are talking about the same blue as anyone else?

You cannot get a grip on blue.

Blue is the sky, the sea, a god’s eye, a devil’s tail, a birth, a strangulation, a virgin’s cloak, a monkey’s ass. It’s a butterfly, a bird, a spicy joke, the saddest song, the brightest day.

Blue is sly, slick, it slides into the room sideways, a slippery trickster.

This is a story about the color blue, and like blue, there’s nothing true about it. Blue is beauty, not truth. ‘True blue’ is a ruse, a rhyme; it’s there, then it’s not. Blue is a deeply sneaky color”.

Christopher Moore, Sacré Bleu, A Comedy d’Art

Weetje

Weetje

Wist je dat een overhemd zeer bewerkelijk is om te maken? Zo bestaat een goed wit overhemd uit tenminste acht patroondelen. De kraag heeft er bijvoorbeeld al twee; de staander en de kraag, maar onze kraag heeft ook nog steekzakjes voor de kraagbaleinen. En in de staander van ieder overhemd wordt een uniek nummer genaaid. Dat betekent vier verschillende onderdelen en drie extra handelingen. Los van de kraag, is eigenlijk het hele in elkaar zetten bewerkelijk: de manchet met split, het schouderstuk, de naden, de knoopsgaten, de zijsplit met ‘gusset’, de knoopjes etc. En dat zit ‘m dus niet alleen in de onderdelen die perfect op elkaar moeten aansluiten, maar ook in de nauwkeurigheid van al deze handelingen. Toch leuk om te weten, als je je zwarte overhemd aantrekt.

cees n co Perfect Blue Button Down

http://repositorymag.com/tops/shirts/cees-n-co-perfect-blue-button-repository-reviews/

A while back we reviewed a white button down shirt from Dutch brand cees n’ co, the brainchild of Arien de Vries. If you missed out last time around, she’s an Amsterdam based designer born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Having worked in Holland for many years as a costume designer, de Vries learnt the importance of making actors feel good in their costume both on stage and in front of camera. No surprise then that she’s turned her attentions to making the wearers of her shirts feel like they might be movie stars as well when they’ve got on her wares. The feel, fabric, look and fit have all been so well considered, this almost feels more polished than the first white button down we were lucky enough to try – quite the compliment.

The packaging of the cees n’ co parcel is still one of the best I’ve seen. The perfectly packed shirt sits in its own mesh bag underneath a couple of elegant postcards and washing instructions as well as a nice set of collar stays. Right out of the package, the feel of the shirt is pretty wonderful, a sign of an exceptional wear to come. I feel reviewing this like I might seem over the top, but really de Vries does such a good job with her shirts that they warrant every little bit of praise I can squeeze out.

Feel:

As with the first, white, button down, this feels pretty much like the perfect dress shirt. Simplicity is still the leading edge of the design process as there is no excess whatsoever in the finished product. From the front, the simple mother of pearl buttons, noticeable lack of a front pocket and semi cutaway collar all speak to a refined final product. The back of the shirt holds the same feel, where the typical pleated design has been removed and replaced by flat fabric to maintain simplicity. Though you might expect this would sacrifice somewhat the fit, it doesn’t. The angular cuff with two buttons and unique serial number sewn into the collar add further design details to a remarkably well designed shirt.

Fit:

It doesn’t get a whole lot better than the original white shirt I was able to review from cees n’ co but this blue slim-fit option manages to improve on an already great product. While the cees n’ co original was a classic fit, the slimming down has made the shirt even more fitted and I have to say it wears pretty amazingly. It’s not skinny so you can’t move, it’s just slim so you look a bit like you’ve had it tailored when you slip it on. You can’t say it much better than that. The tall shirt tail as well is a real bonus as there’ll be no slipping out of your pants once the shirt is tucked in, something many other dress shirts can have problems with.

Fabric:

One thing that feels instantly notable when pulling this shirt on for the first time is the quality of the fabric. de Vries has sourced a poplin fabric for the construction of her shirts instead of an oxford or other cotton due to the fact that poplin is thinner and has a higher count of warp yarns, a detail that may seem small but provides a smooth, soft and strong feeling. The comfort of the poplin only increases following washing and ironing as well as the shirt will soften further while maintaining the strength and integrity of the fabric.

Overall:

As de Vries says in her own words when describing the cees n’ co button down “Back to simplicity, but made with great expertise and craftsmanship. A shirt for every occasion, for business (under a suit, with or without tie) as well as casual.” She seems to have hit every point she had been gunning for, this really is a great looking shirt we’d be comfortable wearing under a suit any day, but also wearing open collared for a slightly more casual look. It certainly garners a compliment or two from onlookers and honestly you feel pretty great with it on.

Apologies if you’d read this as well last time, but there’s also an interesting sustainability aspect to the design process. When it comes time to say goodbye to your current iteration of the shirt, it can be returned to cees n’ co and a 15 euro deposit from your original pruchase will be returned to you. The shirts will then be retouched slightly and place on the second hand market for a second lease on life if possible or recycled for materials for new products if refurbishment is impossible. If you wear your shirt for over three years, this 15 euro deposit will end up going to a charitable organization instead. It’s a small touch, but one that also sets de Vries apart from many other designers.

To purchase your own blue shirt (or the white shirt for that matter, may as well stock up), we recommend clicking through to the cees n’ co website where you can also learn a little more about the designer and the shirt itself. Just ask google to translate it for you and you’ll be off to the races. The online shop offers a handy guide to taking measurements as well as a section where you can purchase your new shirt for 99 euros (before the removal of VAT, at which time it comes to closer to 80 euros). Even if you weren’t previously considering needing a new dress shirt or two, go find one or two of the cees n’ co options, you’ll be glad you did.

http://repositorymag.com/tops/shirts/cees-n-co-perfect-blue-button-repository-reviews/

Online publicaties

Artikelen over the perfect white shirt van cees

http://repositorymag.com/tops/reviews

http://www.channelup.nl

http://repositorymag.com

http://www.anothersomething.org

http://dsign-magazine.com

http://geld.planetfem.com

http://www.witteboorden.nl

http://www.hetkanwel.net

http://www.textilia.nl

http://www.vakbladmannenmode.nl

http://www.retailnews.nl

Eco-logisch

Productnieuws.nl

Fashion United

https://twitter.com/SytskeW/status/341533355608780800

Verstild landschap

We fietsen nagenoeg alleen in een hoog tempo. Het lichaam hersteld van de marathon heeft een hernieuwde gretigheid aangewakkerd door de extra zuurstof in de lucht. Als in een roedel jagen we een prooi na die zich nooit laat vangen. Het is stil. De lichte motregen dempt het geluid. Alleen de zangvogels zijn helder te horen. Alle bermen staan in bloei. Er zijn maar weinig mensen buiten. Slechts af en toe een drietal wielrenners waarvan het gelaat duidelijk maakt dat de mannen al meerdere malen van de jongens gescheiden zijn. Zij fietsen altijd. Oudekerk, Waver, Vecht, Baambrugge, t Gein, terug via Oudekerk. 60 k, 28 gemiddeld. Thuis warm ik mij aan de warme billen van Nina, die nog in bed ligt te lezen. Het geen ik wel en zij niet plezierig vindt. Ik douche. Pak een verse Cees & Co van het rek. Ik maak een capuchino met een extra shotje espresso. Bak eieren met in dunne reepjes gesneden zongedroogde tomaatjes en verse kruiden. Zet de pianosonates op. Pak de weekend kranten en zie Gijs in het FD in het zelfde shirt als ware hij de nieuwe directeur van de Munchener Kammerspiele. She dressed me. Ik ben blij dat ik gegaan ben.
Cees

Unieke shopper ervaring

Onze Creative Director Roel Tiemessen was opzoek naar een nieuw wit overhemd waardoor hij op de website cees-n-co terecht kwam.

Het verhaal achter ‘the perfect white shirt’
Arien de Vries is de bedenker en eigenaresse van cees n co. Tijdens haar werk als kostuumontwerpster merkte ze dat het niet eenvoudig is om het perfecte witte overhemd te vinden. Daarom vond zij dat mannen ‘the perfect white shirt’ zouden moeten krijgen, zoals vrouwen een ‘little black dress’ hebben.

Cees en Co
In de zoektocht naar het perfecte overhemd komt Arien een foto uit het jaar 1943 tegen van haar vader (Co) en zijn broer (Cees). Een foto van twee jongens die fris in de lens kijken met een stralend wit overhemd aan. De foto staat symbool voor het gevoel dat Arien heeft bij ‘the perfect white shirt’. Het staat voor fris, droog en knisperend katoen. Het overhemd is eenvoudig, klassiek en gemaakt met vakmanschap. Geen toegevoegde chemicaliën waardoor hij automatisch gladstrijkt. Nee, het overhemd moet iedere keer gestreken worden.

Statiegeld
De webshop draagt bij aan een duurzame wereld. Bij ieder overhemd betaalt de koper € 15,- statiegeld. Wat je terugkrijgt als je hem terugstuurt wanneer het overhemd is afgedragen. De knopen worden opnieuw gebruikt en het katoen wordt verwerkt tot grondstof voor nieuwe producten. Ieder overhemd heeft een uniek nummer, wanneer het shirt niet binnen drie jaar wordt teruggestuurd gaat de € 15,- naar het goede doel.

Shopper ervaring

De shopper ervaring werd uniek toen Roel zijn overhemd kreeg thuisbezorgd. Bij het overhemd zat een persoonlijke kaart, waarop stond dat het overhemd alvast was gestreken zodat hij meteen gedragen kon worden. Ook wenste Arien hem veel draagplezier toe. Enorm sympathiek! Zo’n persoonlijke benadering zijn we helemaal niet gewend van webwinkels.

24-02-2014 crowdfunding campagne geslaagd

Het is gelukt!!!! Gisteravond hebben we met de crowdfunding campagne ons eerste doelbedrag van 20.000 euro bereikt. De campagne is op 22 januari gestart en op 23 februari, precies een maand na de start is ons eerste doel bereikt. Onmiddelijk nadat we hoorden dat dit het geval was zijn de shirts besteld. Ze worden eind april geleverd. Super bedankt aan iedereen die heeft bijgedragen aan dit feest. Later meer….. Nu op naar het tweede doelbedrag (nog eens € 20.000) om ook met PR en marketing cees n co een boost te geven.

The fabric really echoes the quality of construction

From the moment you open the packaging from cees n’ co you know you’re in for a treat. Everything from the wrapping around the box to the handwritten care instructions and the carefully packed shirt ooze quality and thoughtfulness. It came as no surprise then that the actual shirt was one of the most comfortable and well fitting button downs I’ve had the pleasure of sampling.

A little bit of background before we get into the shirt itself, cees n’ co was founded by Arien de Vries, an Amsterdam based designer born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Having worked in Holland for many years as a costume designer, de Vries learnt the importance of making actors feel good in their costume both on stage and in front of camera. This in turn inspired the redefinition of a classic staple of the men’s wardrobe to make it feel even more timeless and comfortable, making the wearer feel good in any situation. The fit, the look, the feel and the fabric have all been given equal weight in the design process and it shows in the quality of the finished product.

Design:

Arien de Vries has clearly put an awful lot of thought into the entire cees n’ co experience, a sentiment immediately reflected in the aesthetic of the shirt itself. Simplicity is at the fore as there is no excess whatsoever in the finished product. From the front, the simple mother of pearl buttons, noticeable lack of a front pocket and semi cutaway collar all speak of good design and removing the unnecessary details. This is echoed again looking at the back, where the typical pleated design has been removed and replaced by flat fabric to maintain simplicity. The angular cuff with two buttons and unique serial number sewn into the collar add further design details to a remarkably well designed shirt.

Fit:

As one would expect from a dress shirt that bridges the gap between casual and business, the fit of de Vries shirt looks quite slim though the designer maintains that the fit is ‘regular.’ The back of the shirt differs from some dress shirts in that there is no pleats, the back is smooth which takes nothing away from the quality of the fit while giving a little something different to the eye. As with some other garments designed in Holland rather than North America or Japan, the fit is also on the longer side with a great tail shirt bottom. Not only does this make the fit of the shirt better for anyone tall, it also resolves the problem of shirts losing their tucked state when the wearer reaches up.

Fabric:

One thing that feels instantly notable when pulling this shirt on for the first time is the quality of the fabric. de Vries has sourced a white poplin fabric for the construction of her shirts instead of an oxford or other cotton for the reason that poplin’s thinner and more numerous warp yarns provide a smooth, soft and strong feeling. The comfort of the poplin only increases following washing and ironing as well as the shirt will soften further while maintaining the strength and integrity of the fabric.

Construction:

The whole package put together in the cees n co white dress shirt is great, but would quickly fade to ordinary if the combination of ingredients was put together with anything less than perfect. Luckily de Vries clearly considered this when she was working through her samples and starting production. It’s quite impressive to note the calibre of construction for a 99 euro shirt as the stitching feels hardy, buttons feel like they’re going to stay on for a long time and the fact that you can easily pick up a new pair of collar stays is very convenient should those wind up lost in the wash. The fabric really echoes the quality of construction and the whole shirt does have the timeless feel to it that de Vries was aiming for thanks to the overall level of craftsmanship.

Overall:

As de Vries says in her description of the shirt, the cees n’ co button down is “Back to simplicity, but made with great expertise and craftsmanship. A shirt for every occasion, for business (under a suit, with or without tie) as well as casual. Cees n co strives to be the next favourite classic white shirt in his wardrobe.” We at REPOSITORY feel she’s done a pretty exceptional job, turning out a finished product that will definitely be the one I’ll be reaching for when I need a white shirt for a long time to come. The combination of fit, feel, look and fabric mentioned in the introduction comes together perfectly when you pull the shirt on. There’s not much higher praise we can offer this shirt than that.

One final thing to note before considering a purchase of this shirt is that there’s also an interesting sustainability aspect to the design process. When it comes time to say goodbye to your current iteration of the shirt, it can be returned to cees n’ co and a 15 euro deposit from your original pruchase will be returned to you. The shirts will then be retouched slightly and place on the second hand market for a second lease on life if possible or recycled for materials for new products if refurbishment is impossible. If you wear your shirt for over three years, this 15 euro deposit will end up going to a charitable organization instead. It’s a small touch, but one that also sets de Vries apart from many other designers.

To purchase your own perfect white shirt, we recommend clicking through to the cees n’ co website where you can also learn a little more about the designer and the shirt itself. The online shop offers a handy guide to taking measurements as well as a section where you can purchase your new shirt for 99 euros (before the removal of VAT, at which time it comes to closer to 80 euros). Should you be in the market for a new white button down shirt or two, we couldn’t recommend these highly enough.

Our little black dress is a man’s ‘Perfect white shirt’

Dutch costume designer Arien de Vries, a theatre costume designer for 25 years, invented “the perfect white shirt” and with success. The design is inspired by a photograph of her father and uncle in post-war attire. A time that there was so delicious little to choose from, according to the designer. The shirts, made by cees n co, are probably the first with a numbered label and a deposit. Perfectly made with craftsmanship in a quality fabric and with wonderful details. The crispy and fresh shirt has a stiff collar and cuffs. The buttons and even the box in which it is sent, are all designed not to be fashionable, but with a good old sense of classic value. The shirts are numbered and when you return the shirt within 3 years of purchase, the deposit will be paid back to you. If you do not return the shirt within these three years, your deposit will go to a charity, Terre des Hommes… The shirts which are still in a good condition will go secondhand stores, if not they will go to a recycling company to be made into new raw material.

In this time of abundance and excesses, there are companies which make us aware that we need to start thinking of the future. About the sustainability of products. Not only is the nature of our resources of importance, but the lifetime of a product as well , thus stated by cees n co. The environmentally friendly and geniun concept of cees n co, is without a doubt a good example for this new way of working with durable products. Good examples are BleuLab an American company or the kiloknaller who sell clothes per kilo and not individual. But what is the reason for the sidestep for Arien de Vries after 25 years working for the theatre and winning, “the Wijnberger Award”. The prestigious prize for theatre productions.

Reason to ask more about this new concept and the woman behind it, whose work revolves around theatre, fashion and her atelier. I met this amazing woman in Amsterdam to find out more. When I congratulated her with the success of cees n co. She answered that she is dazzled by all the attention. I found it quit charming and sweet, her being surprised by the enormous interest. And the enthusiastic reactions she got from clients and professionals as well. She found it most fulfilling to work on this project and where it all lead to.

Inspiration: The first question is about your inspiration; why did you decide to make “the perfect shirt”?

Working as a costume designer you have the responsibility to help the actors to feel good in their costume on stage or in front of the camera. Fnding a classic shirt not always a simple task. There were always details which weren’t quite right, the collar, the cuffs, the buttons, the stitching, the finishing and above all the fabric. This made me realise that I wanted to make the perfect shirt. A shirt, when freshly ironed, becomes soft whilst wearing and will still keep it’s fresh and crisp look. Classic, not ‘fashionable’. Back to simplicity, but made with great expertise. A shirt for every occasion, for business (under a suit, with or without tie) as well as casual. “It is not my intention to be adding a trendy shirt but one which will become your most favorite shirt”, she stated.

Idea: But how to translate all that to a shirt was quite a challenge. For me the design came together when I found a picture of my father and my uncle in white crisp shirts. Looking at the Photo I could almost feel the fabric and recall the smell of the ironed shirt. Then I knew that this was the type of shirt I wanted to make. The concept model was designed in collaboration with Henry Perdon and Edu Martens from atelier EL TALLER in Amsterdam. I have been working with them for many years and find them always very precise and they have a great eye for detail in making costumes for theater, opera and film. A manufacturer for the shirt I found together with the help and knowledge of friends who have the company ,MPD accessories. The productioncompny is situated in Mumbai, India, the place where I lived with my parents and know very well. The PR was in association with TopiQ a PR and communication consultancy in Amsterdam. It all seems to come together.

I started with with a website for cees n co and introducied the concept and shirt to friends and family. And asked them to buy the shirt and so through crowdfunding I started the business. It seem logical to thank this people for their trust and support, so what more to do than invite them for the grand launch of cees n co in the Lloyd Hotel in Amsterdam in the presence of my father Co and the family of my late uncle Cees after whome the company is named. It couldn’t have been better to make the circle complete in this way.

Theatre: I started working in theatres when I was sixteen, I loved the atmosphere and the creativity that was always buzzing around, and was immediately drawn to this work. I love to work in a team and share the creativity. I decided to go to the Rietveld academic for theatre education and to make this my choice of carrier.. “In the beginning I did everything in the theatre, décors, costumes, styling. But whilst working during the first years I realised, that I was more interested in doing costumes. Theatrecostumes is close to fashion but also to art and you can do so much on stage. After a number of successful years I was mostly asked to do costumes. Therefore I started my own atelier and builded up a extensive collection of vintage and classic costumes. Of course I have my favourites designers. I find Martin Margiela very inspiring and really innvantory , Westwood, McQueen for their knowledge of the curring, history and theatrical approach, Lanvin and Jill Sander for their classical quality, Prada is also always good… etc. But also small innovated companies have my attention. I have no intention to leave the theatre as a designer, I will continue working on projects next to cees n co she smiles and says; “My roots and love are too deep to disconnect” and I have several new project for this and next year to work on.

Will there be more products in the future? We already extended the model with one; with extra long sleeves and a really big size shirt. Next year we will be introducing “the perfect blue shirt” and in the near future a perfect white shirt for women. Like the men’s shirt , with the same quality details. I don’t want to go to the perfect suit or socks, or to open shops. I want to keep it in line with the concept. The idea of Pop Up store is something cees n co can relate to and offers possibility for the future.

Some facts: Arien de Vries, was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. When she was four her parents moved to Bombay where she lived for 6 years. Since 1980 she lives in Amsterdam. There she successfully finished her study theatre design at the Rietveld Academy in 1986. Since then she has been working as a costume designer (also internationally) for different theatre companies, opera houses and films. Arien won the Wijnberg Scenography Prize for the production of ‘a view from a bridge” by theatre company Oostpool. together with setdesigner Marc Warning and lighting designer Gé Wegman.

Theatre productions, national and international.

TUP Essen, Entführung aus dem Serail, 2012
National Theatre, De Driestuiversopera, 2011
Comish Oper, Don Pasquale, 2010
Theatre Basel, Madama Butterfly, 2009
Opera South, The Barbier from Sevilla 2008

Story by: Gabriëlle Voogt

crowdfunding campagne

Met de lancering in het Lloyd Hotel maakte “The Perfect White Shirt” vorig jaar juni een vliegende start. Het overhemd is in de picture. Dat komt niet alleen door het model, de stof en de afwerking maar ook vanwege het duurzame business concept van cees n co. Door het statiegeld kreeg het veel aandacht van de pers (NRC, Parool, Spits, RTL boulevard en Eenvandaag) maar ook lifestyle magazines en bloggers gingen schrijven.

Coming soon

“Vanuit de klanten kwam al snel de vraag of we ook een “Perfect Blue Shirt” zouden willen ontwikkelen. Dat is vanwege de behoefte aan focus tot nu toe uitgesteld. Ik wilde eerst het witte overhemd optimaal hebben. Dus nu “the perfect white shirt” zijn weg naar de markt kent, ben ik begonnen met de ontwikkeling van The Ultimate Blue Shirt” aldus De Vries. De planning is om het shirt vanaf April te kunnen leveren. Via de voorverkoop in de shop kan je mee investeren in het project. Daar krijg je 10 % korting met de code “cnc1401”. Maar ook via Crowd About Now kan dat er geïnvesteerd worden. Daar staat precies hoe een investering via hun platform werkt en wat er bovenop de 10% rendement nog meer mogelijk is. Alle kopers en investeerders worden ook uitgenodigd voor de lancering.

De crowdfunding campagne staat nu op € 11.250,–.