As it gets colder outside and we’re busy finding ways to stay cozy, externally with beautiful layers, internally with warming cocktails, it is the perfect moment to look back at what we’ve done and where we’ve been. Reflecting on those special moments of the past 12 months. Reconnecting to the people we’ve met, the ideas we’ve made, the thousands and thousands of clients we served, dressed and styled, helping them to explore and refine their own style. It all strengthens our belief that this universe we are building is really resonating. That the stories we’re sharing are inspiring more people to build their hyper-flexible wardrobe based on this timeless idea of personal taste.

Looking back on the year, we spent it exploring these concepts, stretching our understanding of flexibility and where it could take us, embracing contradiction, and expanding our community. Always searching for others who share our love of craftsmanship, quality, and exceptional personal service.

We started the year with a true performer and devotee of classical music Domenic Seldis, connecting over craft while enjoying the beautiful tones of his double bass resonating in the halls of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw. Soon after we flew to Monaco to meet with Nyck de Vries, the Formula E world champion who has since realized his dream of making it to F1. On the winding coastline of the Mediterranean, we talked about the need for flexible clothing that suits his almost-nomadic lifestyle and how style and ambition breathes through the clothing he wears. Alongside this we created a handmade suitcase for the traveling high-speed star with the centuries-old Swedish brand Alstermo Bruk – combining traditional craftsmanship with hi-tech, the old with the new, the eminently slow with the supremely fast. We continued on this theme of movement, collaborating with Junior Ballet Antwerp’s artistic director, Alain Honorez. Diving deep into the beautiful fusion of classic and contemporary with a performance by the dance company that tested the literal hyper-flexibility of our fabrics on a rooftop in Antwerp.

Atelier Munro was seen on sold out stages across Europe to red carpets around the world. We opened our doors across the globe too. A New York Showroom to serve our fast-growing network all over North America. Eight more shop-in-shops from Europe to the United States. Then in the second half of this year, another Atelier Munro House in Toronto. Marked with a special collection created by Toronto Maple Leafs player Mark Giordano for different aspects of his life. In Amsterdam, our flagship store even became a second home to the Dutch #1 real estate podcast Hou Je Vastgoed, with Sander Schimmelpenninck and Maarten de Gruyter hosting live shows on the shop floor.

Our inspirations were vast and varied. A long-gone tulip sparked Arno Kantelberg to explore the concept of perfect imperfection in a short essay and capsule collection. And more recently, a single football match from 1978 inspired us to team up with the Amsterdam-based, Iranian-owned PAL Sporting Goods, known for their bold and nostalgic take on sportswear to create a small run of limited-edition ready-to-wear.

Now we head into the contradiction that is the end of the year. Full of ebbs and flow of celebration and rest. Seeking out Vice President of Wholesale North-America Daphne’s favorite spots in NYC to explore these holidays and a list of inspiring books to gift and educate ourselves into ways of making our world a better place for those moments of idleness. Before we embrace black-tie season with a timely reminder on how to tie your bow tie. And more from our annual Festive Dinner where we brought a group of great men together at the table of Michelin star restaurant Rijks, digging deeper into some of our special guests’ ideas on gifting and traditions. It was the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of the holidays and the year to come. A year that will bring us more inspiring collaborations, more openings, and most importantly a stronger collection that can reflect your personal taste in order to manifest character.

Cheers!

Joachim Baan
Creative Director Atelier Munro