If you’re up for something cultural this weekend, then we have a great tip for you. Our friends at FOAM just opened 3 new exhibitions, so plenty of inspiring photography to feast on.

Exhibition number one is Memento, from photographer Lara Dhondt, documenting forgotten and found objects, materials and locations in the urban landscape. Her project resulted in beautifully detailed black and white pictures, printed on rusting steel, cardboard and wood.

Number two is the first retrospective of UK photographer Stephen Gill, Best Before End, with a number of series he shot in Hackney, London. As a chronicler, poetic, anthropologist, sociologist and conceptual artist he uses photography to combine documentary, coincidence, experiment and intervention.

The third exhibition is Look at me and tell me if you have known me before, by Dutch Photographer Monica Nouwens. In this project she focused on the ambivalent attraction of Los Angeles and the current DIY-subculture that lives due to the economical crisis. Expect a blend of rawness, sensuality and emotional moments in timeless pictures.

All three exhibitions will run until the 14^th of July in FOAM Amsterdam.

We just got back from a short trip to Madrid, where we visited our store. Lucky for us, we also had some time to explore the city. For those of you visiting this great Spanish city any time soon, check out our tips for shopping, eating and sleeping.

The Scotch & Soda store is located on Barquillo 38, in the Chueca neighbourhood - definitely one of the most exciting areas of the city, with lots of little shops, bars and restaurants.

For a good lunch we recommend Olivia te Cuida (close to our store, Santa Teresa 8), a small joint with breakfast, coffee, lunch and wine. The interior is exactly our taste, including the DIY toasters on the tables. Another favourite is Mmm_Us (Calle del Duque Rivas 5), that serves amazing organic food in a hip and eclectic setting.

If you’re in the mood for some trendy concept-store shopping, then head over to either Magasand or Kikekeller. Both very stylish, both serving drinks on the side. Also, make sure you don’t miss the Rastro flea market if you’re in Madrid on a Sunday; you can find amazing vintage treasures here.

Obviously you want to eat tapas. A great place to do this is at one of the food markets, such as the San Miguel or San Anton, where you can taste every possible piece of tapa (accompanied by a glass of delicious local wine of course). We also discovered this amazing restaurant La Gabinoteca, serving haute cuisine tapas in a cool and no-nonsense interior.

We stayed at the Praktik Metropol Hotel a very affordable design hotel that is located in the heart of the city – with all the neighbourhoods very nearby.

Muchos gracias Madrid, we’ll be back soon!

Being Dutch and into photography, one can only be over the moon having a new Corbijn publication. Especially when it concerns the celebration of an artistic collaboration that goes back to 1977.

Can you imagine, being photographed by a person - who isn't family - for over 30 years? Even Corbijn says it's rare. "Our work together developed totally organically and that's a beauty in itself. We are very serious about our work but when it comes to working together, we're like children resisting maturity. It's liberating and a much needed legal drug,” says Corbijn.

The book features 200 portraits of Waits taken over four decades by Corbijn and 50 more pages of Waits' photography. Even if you aren't familiar with the Waits phenomenon, the book is an utter beauty. In fact, the linen slipcase is already worth the € 150. The book is limited to 6,600 copies worldwide, which may appear to be a lot, but with the Waits' solid fan base, we were told, this could be selling pretty rapidly.

Waits / Corbijn, available at Mendo.

The moment has finally come: we now have our own store in Los Angeles, California, USA!

Our new abode can be found on 1340 Abbot Kinney, a cosy boulevard in the beach area of LA with lots of boutiques, bars, restaurants and other local vendors.

As always, a lot of effort went into creating a unique shopping experience and ditto interior. The 1200 square feet shopping space includes exposed wooden beams, an industrial concrete floor, vintage furniture and wallpaper, and a custom-made cactus greenhouse (supplied by our neighbour down the street, The Juicy Leaf).

In LA soon and looking to add some new Scotch & Soda and Maison Scotch to your wardrobe? 1340 Abbot Kinney Boulevard is where it’s at.

Arriving in New York City tomorrow is PULSE New York 2013: a much-anticipated annual art fair dedicated solely to contemporary art, and the perfect weekend activity.

Now in its eighth year, the fair has become known for hosting dozens of the best international and national galleries that showcase artists of all mediums including photography, painting, sculpture and installation art, among many others.

We’re particularly excited to visit the booth of Kavachnina Contemporary, a gallery located just around the corner from our store in Miami’s design district. The fair not only features established galleries like this one, but also has a special section called IMPULSE that is dedicated to emerging galleries. Amsterdam’s very own Galerie Roger Katwijk is one of only a few galleries invited to show in this portion of the fair. PULSE prides itself on cultivating talent, and offers one artist featured in IMPULSE a cash award grant to further their career.

The show runs from May 9-12 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC. See you there!

It’s Monday so we figured you could use some fresh denim inspiration that will instantly cheer you up and get you in the mood for Summer.

To shoot the Amsterdams Blauw Spring/Summer collection, we headed to Spanish island Ibiza with models Miles and Hannah. If you’re still looking for the perfect place to go on a vacay; Ibiza might be it with its beautiful bays, hot weather and lots of cool accommodations.

Not only did we have a great time, we also shot the denim campaign and two videos: one for the guys and one for the gals. These two videos will show you exactly what our favourite denim styles for Summer are. And hopefully put a smile on your face as well.

Shop the Amsterdams Blauw Summer must-haves online or in one of our stores.

This month’s best press features were all about the Resort by Maison Scotch campaign that we recently launched.

Our friends at magazines like the Spanish and Dutch Elle, newspaper Volkskrant’s magazine and German publications like Blonde and Loved & Found all fell for the jungle print, that was specially designed for this collection. And we can imagine why; these looks give us an instant high-summer feeling!

Which item is your favourite? The blazer, the shirt, or perhaps the all-over printed pants? Get your hand on these most-wanted items in our webstore.

It’s that time of the year again! The World Press Photo exhibition will be set up and travel the world, starting today in Amsterdam.

World Press Photo is the largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest, exhibiting the winning photographs that are submitted by photographers, agencies, newspapers and magazines. Every single picture is somehow news-related, and all together they give a great overview of what’s been happening in the world over the last year. Of course, lots of pictures will present the harsh reality of some events, but also the beauty of life, art, sports and nature (like swimming penguins).

World Press Photo will be in Amsterdam for the next two months, in the Oude Kerk. After that, it will travel to cities like Zurich, Lisbon, Rome, Sydney and Tokyo.

Are you ready for a tropical surprise? Maison Scotch proudly presents the Resort collection, with hot summer styles for that ultimate high-summer holiday feel.

Resort offers a big mix of vivid tropical patterns, ripped shorts with technical surf-cord closure details, sun kissed LA-vintage inspired T-shirts and colourful tie-dye mesh tanks. There’s a range of items with a specially designed prominent jungle print, including a blazer, shorts, a bomber jacket and even a clutch bag, so you can mix and match like there’s no tomorrow!

The campaign, starring très cool model Stef, was shot in the hot deserts of Morocco.  And boy, it was hot there! Visit scotch-soda.com/resort to see more of the campaign and to shop the looks.

This season, Amsterdams Blauw has all the blue Summer essentials for boys and girls. Tapping into the current denim trends, we have lots of bleached-out items with neon details, tie-dye shorts, indigo tees, and of course lots of denim in poppy colours.

For girls, a real eye-catcher is the Parisienne with a floral all-over print. Flower power! Another great denim is the skinny Voyage in an amazing coral red colour. Also look out for the countless shorts for girls, from boyfriend fit to coloured tie-dye beauties.

When looking at the boys denim, we pick the super comfy Mercer as one of our favourites, which comes in a couple of awesome colours, such as Grass Green and Lip Red. The suspender shorts in the Green Green Grass wash are also a must-have: a sturdy anti-fit in a sun-bleached blue, with suspenders for that cool gentleman’s touch.

See more of the denim essentials in our webstore!

Last Thursday, we threw a party in our Vienna store. The perfect opportunity for us to stay a little longer, explore this beautiful Austrian city, and share our findings with you.

The Scotch & Soda store is located on Seilergasse 12, in the First District of Vienna. This neighbourhood has lots of small, characteristic streets with shops, galleries, café’s and lots of other hidden gems. One of those gems is Rudolf Scheer & Sohne (Braunerstrasse 4), who belongs to the top bespoke shoemakers in Europe. This is your go-to for classic leather gentleman’s shoes.

For the perfect cup of coffee, we recommend Delia’s (Tuchlauben 8). The strawberry with cream next to your coffee is a detail we immediately fell for. When it’s time for lunch, you should head to Orlando di Castello (Freyung 1). A super kitschy white interior, but also a gastronomic highlight and a club at night. Right across the street is the Bank Austria Kunstforum (Freyung 8); a museum with the biggest collection of Austrian art – from Art Nouveau to Temporary Abstraction.

A must-visit in Vienna is the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a stunning Romanesque church from the 12^th century. After that you can recharge at the Kleines Café (also seen in film classic Before Sunrise), a cute little place with no-nonsense bites and great coffee, located on the hidden Fransziskanerplats square.

If you have any energy left, it’s definitely worth it to pay a visit to the Viennese Film Museum (Augustinerstrasse 1). With interesting theme programs and lots of retrospectives, this is a candyshop for cineholics. Time to eat! For dinner, we recommend Procacci’s, right next door to our store on the Seilergasse. A stylish Italian restaurant with typical Tuscan specialties (so lots of truffle!) and great wines.

See below for some pictures we took. Check out our Facebook page for pictures of the party. Thank you Vienna, we hope to see you again soon!

Surfing's Revolutionary 1960s and '70s By John Witzig

If you are the least bit of a surfer, you’d wish you were born in the late 1950s. Only then you could have lived the evolution of surfing in the late 1960 and early '70s to the fullest. Australian photographer John Witzig was amongst the fortunate ones.

Not only did he capture the era, he was part of it. We are very happy with this publication, of which Rizzoli justly says it is soulful, poetic, iconoclastic - filled with rare images, a unique look at surfing's cultural revolution. Rizzoli is right: this dude knew how to take a picture.

A Golden Age - Surfing's Revolutionary 1960s and '70s By John Witzig, available at Mendo.

Located 125 miles east of Los Angeles and to the north of the Sonoran Desert is Coachella Valley. This dry and peaceful landscape is home to retirees, golf courses and… one of the world's most wondrous music festivals. For over 10 years, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has filled rolling dunes with music from greats such as Prince, The Black Keys, Radio Head and many more. This past weekend, the valley and those willing to brave the desert's grueling elements once again received a musical treat. And we were there!

Massive outdoor and indoor stages hosted the likes of The Stone Roses, Jurassic 5, Purity Ring, The XX, Phoenix, Moby and dozens more. Music could be heard atop the fair’s iconic Ferris wheel, and it likely echoed to the farthest corners of the desert. Girls donning neon hues, denim vests, high-wasted shorts, tribal crop-tops and flower halos danced around and floated between performances. All the outfits, along with blooming flowers, stage lights and rainbow teepees brought the best pops of color to the usually bare terrain.

High winds and hard rock concluded the 3-day festival. In the midst of a sandstorm, thousands of people let wind and dirt run through their hair and fingers as they rocked out to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. When it was over, everyone proceeded home in true nomadic style with dust on their faces and stars in their eyes. The valley left behind them is now put to rest under a blanket of sand, at least until this upcoming weekend, when it will be awakened by music all over again for the second part of Coachella!

See below for a little visual diary and, of course, what we wore. Going to a festival soon? Maison Scotch has lots of festival essentials for you, like bright tops, comfy shorts and accessories.

It’s the season of colour, so it’s time to update your denim wardrobe with some bright Summer pieces. Lucky for you, our Amsterdams Blauw collection holds lots of styles in bold pops of colour.

For men, we have ridiculously many summery colours in the current collection. The all-time-fave Ralston fit comes in a beautiful emerald green, ocean blue and a bright red hue. The Mailer, a loose tapered fit, is available in a washed-out green, coral and bleach blue. And then we have all the other countless blue washes, from super bleached ice blue to extreme deep blue masterpieces.

The ladies also have a lot to choose from; especially when you’re into prints. The Parisienne, our skinny fit, comes in three shades of tie-dye: Coral Rock, Memory Blue and Mint dream. You can also go for the short version of these, made in a bit more loose boyfriend fit. We also have this fit in about 8 other colours, from neon yellow to a deep, red-ish pink.

Visit one of our stores or shop online to get your hands on your new Summer favourite.

After being closed for a giant renovation for almost 10 years, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is finally opening its doors again this weekend.

The opening will definitely not go unnoticed, as there will be plenty of festivities in the coming days. A giant orange carpet will guide everyone to the new entrance, where no one other than Queen Beatrix will officially open the museum. After that, there will be music performances and other artsy spectacles.

The Rijksmuseum really is the place to be when it comes to classic Dutch art, with masterpieces from guys like Rembrandt, Rubens and Vermeer. Over 8000 different paintings are divided over 80 halls, telling 800 years (we love how all these numbers match) of Dutch art history. Rumour has it that after the big renovation, Rembrandt’s “Nachtwacht” is the only piece that is still on the exact same location in the museum.

So, don’t miss out on this and visit the Rijksmuseum asap. Good news: entering the museum will be free of charge the first 12 hours. Visit the website for more info.

It’s time to get ready for some warm-weather dressing with the latest Scotch & Soda and Maison Scotch styles. Let our colourful, lightweight pieces with summery prints set the mood for the season. Go for a tropical printed blazer, a laid back tee or a pair of super beachy shorts, and you’re more than ready for the Summer.

Get inspired by watching the video (click here for the men’s video) and shop all the looks that are presented in the video directly online or in our stores.

This week we have a short inspiration trip to Milan planned, where we’ll visit the Salone del Mobile – one of the biggest interior design fairs in the world. The Salone is the kick-off of a new design season and the perfect place to get inspired, with galleries, museums and stores also organizing special events.

One specific part of the fair we’re looking forward to is the Fuori Salone. This is about as hot & happening as it gets in Milan, attracting more people than Fashion Week.  Every night, there are countless exhibitions and parties, all open to the public. Make sure you head over to the Zona Tortona area (near Navigli), which will become the heart of the city with all the cool companies organizing events there.

We can’t wait to hang out with all the other design enthusiasts and look out for the newest trends! More information about the fair on the website.

Ok, so we're not saying the 1920s Great Depression was a fantastic period, but something really cool has emerged from it: the speak easy. A speak easy is an illegal bar hidden behind a discrete facade such as a garage, warehouse, lunch room or abandoned office, with the purpose to serve people's craving for booze.

Despite the fact that alcohol is no longer illegal, these secret hideouts appear to be more popular than ever. This book is the living proof, full of mouth-watering, exclusive hidden cafe's, bars and clubs. Subtle detail: the book doesn’t mention the exact addresses, but just the coordinates.

Personally we are not impressed by the cover design, which doesn’t do justice to the quality of the book’s inside. But doesn’t that (unintentionally) turn this book into a speak easy as well?

Secret Society | Modern Speak Easy Style and Design

We are overly excited to announce the official opening of our second store in New York City, which can be found on 866 Broadway in the Union Square neighbourhood.

The store is 1200 square foot and has all the characteristics you’re familiar with, like herringbone wood floors, vintage rugs and custom built glass cabinets. We sell botch Scotch & Soda and Maison Scotch here, so everyone can come by for a brand new spring outfit. And if you need some help with that, you can also make an appointment with one of our stylists.

Have a look at the pictures below for an impression and come visit us soon on 866 Broadway!

An honest insider's guide to the most beautiful and original hotels in the world, with a huge cool-factor. From high end design to cosy beach houses: A Hotel Life is for every traveler.

As you know we’re always on the hunt for nice websites that inspire us, and A Hotel Life seems to have become our latest obsession. The site reports on what’s hot in the boutique lifestyle and hotel industry, with reviews that are written by tastemakers-in-the-know (musicians, actors, writers, chefs) and other super interesting editorial content.

The reviews are based on the level of taste, dishing on the highs and lows of the writer’s stay and rating things like the vibe, the food and environmental consciousness. Also a big plus: a list of personal highs & lows and must do’s in the neighbourhood.

Founder Ben Pundole wanted to create something unexpected, with integrity and authenticity. To us, he did a great job. Check it out and get inspired: www.ahotellife.com

We proudly present you Souvenir de Tokyo: an exclusive capsule collection for men, traditionally produced in Japan.

Souvenir de Tokyo offers a range of authentic worked-out items in ecru’s and whites, inspired by vintage work wear like old aprons and dungarees. All fabrics are knitted and woven on traditional slow-run machines in Japan. These shuttle loom weaving machines have been around since the early 1900’s and create original and very strong yarns – which takes them about twice as long as modern weaving machines.

Go for an eclectic mix of east meets west and get your hands on one of these exclusive pieces with own special labeling online or in one of our stores.

Every month, we receive piles of magazines from all over the world. Not only for inspiration, but also because there are items from our own collections featured in them. Check out our three favourite press clippings of March.

Let’s start with Blonde Magazine, from Germany. Maybe not world famous, but the cover is simply stunnig and has “summer” written all over it. Plus, the outfit includes 2 eye catching Maison Scotch pieces (jacket and shorts). Inside this issue of Blonde you can also find a very tropical flavoured jacket (available online soon) and chino for men.

Dutch magazine Code has always been on top of men’s fashion, and the new ‘Game Changers’ issue features the very cool Mason Camo denim chino from Amsterdams Blauw.

The Italian Elle Kids did a super fun photoshoot with ditto items from Scotch Shrunk: printed sweatpants (worn by a girl, which makes it even cooler if you ask us) and a hooded camo jacket.

We’ll be back next month with our April favourites! In the meantime you can check out our special Press section.

Ever been to our flagship store a.k.a. the Scotch & Soda “temple”? It’s on the Heiligeweg in Amsterdam, where we sell the best Scotch & Soda and Maison Scotch styles.

The store is open for 4 years now, so we figured it was time for a new and fresh look. We closed the store for a couple of days and voilá, this is the result! We are extremely happy with our new interior, which includes a beautiful tile floor, glass cabinets and gorgeous fitting rooms with long curtains.

It’s safe to say our store is very ready for the new season! Come have a look yourself: Heiligeweg 34-36, Amsterdam.

Isn't traveling just the most enlightening and inspiring activity in the world? Since one has to work and study at times a little as well, books & traveling are the perfect match to survive those moments you're not out and about.

For some years now, we anxiously await the annually printed book by designhotels.com, and also in 2013 they meet our high expectations. A wonderful book with nothing but the best designed hotels across the globe, in the most vibrant cities and the most laid-back destinations.

This year the locations are mixed with in-depth stories from designers and owners, resulting in a 792 pages, 3,6 kg mammoth - a true enrichment for the firmer coffee table. Goodbye to bibles in hotel rooms, hello to the hotel bible.

The Design Hotels Book 2013, € 60.00

The Amsterdams Blauw collection for women holds a lot of must-haves for the new spring season. We repeat, a lot. In our special lookbooks, you can find selection of complete denim looks that we created. All of our favourites bundled up, so you can easily get inspired and mix and match the Amsterdams Blauw spring essentials.

Go for next level denim-on-denim with this first look, combining extreme bleaching with patchwork – just because you can. The patchwork denim shirt is made from a super comfy tencel fabric and has a perfect loose fit.

May we also introduce to you our new ‘Voyage’ fit: a lightweight skinny with power stretch, making it feel like a second skin. To give it some extra edge, we applied an extreme bleaching technique. We call this beauty the ‘Underwater Love’; definitely an eye catcher!

Shop more Amsterdams Blauw denim essentials for women in our webstore.

We have specially selected our best Spring styles for cool teen boys and girls that are a little bit rebellious and packed full of attitude. With a lot of denim and bright colours, this selection is perfect for hanging out in the city on your days off from school. View the campaign gallery to get inspired or go straight to our Webstore to shop the look.

Hamburg is now open for a couple of weeks and is already buzzing bigtime in Rotterdam. Located on Witte de Withstraat 94, quite close to our Rotterdam stores, this is the place to go for everyone who loves a great burger but also wants to eat healthy (yes please!). Hamburg’s answer: fast quality food, made with love, care and the best ingredients. The interior is cool and easy going and inspired by authentic butchers, with white tile walls and staff wearing white aprons.

It seems like everyone who’s young and hip in Rotterdam is eating here; which is no surprise since the Witte de Withstraat is one of the coolest streets in Rotterdam, with stores, galleries, bars and… great burgers. We’ll be back soon!

To shoot a few of our favourite spring looks, we headed downtown NYC with models of the moment Ashley Smith and Erik Andersson. Brooklyn has always been a great place to soak up some underground New York energy and we had a blast again this time. The sun was out, we found a couple of perfect spots to shoot, and Ashley and Erik were very nice and inspiring people to work with.

If you haven’t seen it yet; check out the campaign here. Also, hashtag your pictures with #scotchdowntown and your Instagram upload will appear on the page!

Even though we can’t imagine life without a smartphone or digital SRL camera’s, there’s still a certain charm to analogue black and white photography.

The arrivals of things like Instagram and Lomography cameras made analogue-looking pictures super popular again, especially the apps that offer the conveniences of digital technology. We recently discovered this new app that “brings back the joy of black and white film to the iPhone”: Thirty Six.

Thirty Six recreates the whole analogue experience by offering a 36 photo film, that doesn’t allow you to peek at the photos until you took all of them. After that, you can select your favourites from the contact sheet. Then -thank heavens- it becomes 2.0 again and you can share it with your friends on social media.

So, why go through all these efforts? Because it will make you much more aware of what you’re doing, which will eventually make you snap pictures like a professional photographer. Sounds good to us!

This season, the new Amsterdams Blauw collection has everything a guy could ask for - from classic blue slim fits to hipster black skinnies. Let’s discuss another one of our favourite looks.

If you ask us, this outfit is head-to-toe cool, yet super no-nonsense. All you need is 3 key items and you’re done. First of all, the denim shirt. Fresh, light and blue, as it should be. Button all the way up for a more preppy look (an while you’re at it, why not add a bow tie?) or wear with a loose tee like you see in the picture for a nonchalant I-don’t-care look.

Black skinny jeans are a must for everyone, period. The Skim fit was recently added to our Amsterdams Blauw range and is our skinniest mens fit to date. It has a snug waist and and seat and a tight leg, but because it’s made from authentic stretch fabric, the Skim is very comfi. This black overdye wash is our favourite for this look, also available in the light ‘Wise Guy’ wash and the blue’er than blue ‘Blue Cult’.

See more of the Amsterdams Blauw lookbook for men here.

There is a brand new magazine in town and it’s called F.A.L.L., which stands for Fashion, Art, Literature and Lifestyle. But they had us at new magazine.

F.A.L.L. is made in Amsterdam, but definitely has an international tone of voice. Apart from the fact that it’s written in English, it covers stories about creatives from all over the globe, featuring their artwork, thoughts, fashion or writing.

The fashion section, kicking off with a quote from Einstein, includes shopping pages with things that make everyone greedy (in a good way), interviews and beautiful editorial shoots. We even spotted some Scotch and Maison in those shoots, so they definitely get bonus points from us.

In our opinion, F.A.L.L. is a good read. Period. Give it a shot yourself and visit www.fallmagazine.com for selling points.

To highlight our favourite items of the first spring delivery, we teamed up with models of the moment Ashley Smith and Erik Andersson. To shoot these city-cool spring looks, we headed into downtown New York to capture the duo in a casual and relaxed setting.

In the midst of shooting everything, we sat down with Ashley and Erik and asked them a couple of questions to get to know them a bit better. More on this later, so keep an eye on our blog!

Now hurry and click to www.scotch-soda.com/campaigns/downtown to see all the different outfits, snapshots and drawings by Ashley herself or shop everything directly from our webstore.

If there is one culture that has evolved over the last 10 years, it is the cycling culture. Being Dutch, we needed time to get used to that because our bike lives used to be really simple. As a boy you drove a BMX bike from 11 to 13 and for girls it was something pink. Once you've outgrown that, you got a model that we refer to as an ‘opoe-fiets’ with or without a bar, and that was what we were riding until it was no longer sensible to ride a bike at all. It used to be so simple, but it isn't anymore.

Even in cycling life has become quite complicated - one has to have an opinion about bikes. Not me. Don’t get me wrong - I love the book, love the design of the bikes, but you won’t see me riding around on a ‘Grocery Getter’, ‘Wooden 2-Track’ or ‘Fixed Gear Forgood 2011’ with matching outfit and pretend that’s all normal. So why this book? Because it is a typical Gestalten publication, and it is simply cool.

Velo can be found at MENDO for € 55,00.

London has a new attraction and we have to say we quite fancy it: The View from the Shard, which might just be the perfect place to take a little break from the Fashion Week madness.

On the Shard’s website, the 310 meter high tower is described as London’s most eagerly awaited attraction and we have to admit that it really is a spectacular experience. Situated on the 68^th, 69^th and 72^nd floor, much higher than any other building in London, you have a breathtaking 360-degree, 60 km view over the entire city.

The View is open from 9AM to 10PM daily, leaving you with the difficult question whether you should go by day or by night.

Visit theviewfromtheshard.com for more info.

Paris has always been one of our favourite cities in the whole wide world, so we’re extremely happy to announce the re-opening of our store in Le Marais.

Our Paris store, located in the nicest neighbourhood of the city, is already there for a while now but we felt like it was time for a makeover. A huge makeover. So we transformed it into a women-only store with all the beautiful items our Maison Scotch collection has to offer.

Come in and indulge yourself in that nonchalant Parisian-chique style and atmosphere that we all love so much. You can find us at 42 Rue Vieille du Temple. We hope we can welcome you there soon, a bientôt!

PS. Guys, don’t worry because we have another Paris-related surprise for you very very soon.

We’re not really into the cheesy Valentine’s Day stuff, but when we found out about this project in New York we just had to share it with you.

The Big Apple is not only taken over by fashion right now (it’s Fashion Week, I case you wondered), but also by ginormous billboards with love messages on them. With “I promise to love you”, British artist Tracey Emin used 15 billboards around Times Square for art installations throughout the month of February. The project is part of a public art initiative -Midnight Moment - which turns the Square into a digital art gallery in the evening.

We love how cool street art taps into something actual (and usually tacky) like V-Day. In New York? Then make sure you look out for these cute messages like “You touch my soul” and “Love is what you want” in the evening; a little ego-boost is guaranteed.

The beautifully renovated Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam just recently opened its doors again. The building itself is already worth visiting, but the huge Mike Kelley exhibition should definitely seal the deal for you.

The late Mike Kelley (1954-2012) is known as one of the most influential and versatile artists of today, creating sculptures, paintings, installations, performances, music, video and what not. The exhibition will give you an overview of the last 20 years and is, with about 200 pieces of art, practically taking over the entire museum. Which is not a bad thing.

Expect peculiar pieces of art and a great dose of sharp humor, poetry and criticism. The oeuvre is on display at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam until the 1^st of April, after that the exhibition will travel to Paris, New York and Los Angeles.

Over the last decade, the way people navigate has changed dramatically. Ever since Google and GPS have become our references for navigation, the function of the map has evolved into platforms for cutting-edge illustration, experimental data visualisation and personal visual storytelling. Isn’t that the most wonderful development - that something can lose its original ‘raison d’être’ and transform into something completely different, but equally meaningful? Gestalten, one of our favorite publishers of all time, bundled the best examples from a new generation of designers, illustrators and mapmakers into a book with a dimension that is slightly bigger than Gestalten's usual book size - which works, especially with this maps publication.

Navigation as a creative platform, not published digitally, but in a good old-fashioned book. Some things never change. Or actually, they do, but they remain equally good, or maybe even better. The book is available at MENDO for € 40.00

Kick off the new season in style with the new arrivals for men and women. Bright coloured tees, tie-dye jeans, lightweight knits and shirts in eye-popping colours: pick your new favourites and have them easily shipped to your doorstep.

More and more new denim styles are hitting the shelves, so it’s about time we share some of our favourite Amsterdams Blauw looks with you. Let’s start with this early spring look, which you can definitely already sport these last couple of winter weeks.

The Cinch Back Chino in tobacco colour is one of the eye catchers from the exclusive Amsterdams Blauw Lot 22 line, which holds a couple of innovative jeans for the real denim lovers every season. This loose tapered chino is super comfy and has a great nonchalant look, especially rolled up.
The shirt stands out because of its original fit and indigo overdyed striped chambray fabric. And hey, a denim look always needs something blue right?

Together, they make the perfect team; both not your normal denim garments and definitely complementing each other. Spring, we’re ready for you.

The shirt. A piece that, no matter what colour or fit, has turned into the ultimate must-have for this season. We have always been big fans of the shirt, and we just love the beautiful Maison Scotch designs with their special details. One of the big pro’s of a shirt is that you can wear it with lots of different looks. We picked our three favourites for you (all available in our webstore):
Go for trendy button-up with this pretty silk piece. Fire red would be our number one colour, but the other available colours will also add that extra touch to your nonchalant Parisian look. 

Go denim. Need we say more? Denim will probably always be the love of our life. Choose washed chambray with cool colour blocks or all-over blue with cute beaded details, and pair up with a pair of blue jeans if you dare.

Go for a sophisticated look with a clean, sharp, silk shirt. The black collar and hem add a super cool tuxedo effect, perfect for a more dressed look.

This season, the campaign images of Scotch & Soda and Maison Scotch were shot in Morocco.

The characteristic streets of Marrakesh, dry nature outside the city and rough beaches had Summer written all over them and served as a hot (literally) décor during the photo shoot.

Together with our models, stylists and local cats, dogs and camels we had a great experience in this beautiful country!

Want to see more? Then visit our special Behind the Scenes page.

To shoot the Amsterdams Blauw Spring/Summer 2013 campaign, our creative team took off to the beautiful Spanish island Ibiza. 
This little island in the middle of the Mediterranean is known for its beautiful nature, idyllic little bays and the hippie-ish culture and was simply the perfect location to capture our latest denim styles. 
Want to see more? Then visit our special Behind the Scenes page.

If you follow us on Instagram, you must have noticed we were in Berlin this week for the Bread&Butter fair.  Of course we saw our chance and went into the city to see what’s hot and happening. These are our current favourites:

The Mitte area, where our store is located on Münzstrasse 14-16, is pretty much where it’s at. This is where you can find lots of cool café’s and other must-visit places. Kaffee Mitte is just around the corner and serves a huge range of cakes and pies that team perfectly with their delicious coffee. In the mood for a film? Then walk to Kino Central (Rosenthaler Strasse 39), located in a typical Berlin-style building, covered with beautiful graffiti artworks. The Café Cinema is right next to it and perfect to grab a drink before or after.

Another great hidden (literally) gem is the Barcomi’s Deli, located in a small courtyard on the Sophienstrasse. This is the ultimate place for lunch, serving fresh homemade bagels. On the same courtyard you can get inspired by the Gestalten Space, a creative area where the famous publisher sells its books and offers cool design products and temporary exhibitions.

Hungry yet? Then head over to I Due Forni (Schönhauser Allee 12), a place one can usually only find in Italy. Expect a huge restaurant with long tables, where loud Italians serve you the best pizzas and pastas in town. Fancy a more hip place? Then we recommend Katz Orange, where they serve tasty organic food (and a-mazing cocktails) in a warm, vintage-ish interior.

Thanks again Berlin, see you soon!

We proudly present our exciting Amsterdams Blauw collection for boys and girls. The main theme of this collection is ‘a trip down memory lane’, which is all about sun-faded neons, comfy pieces and tropical surf style. Think tie-dye, floral prints and lots of light coloured jeans, shorts and tees. We can’t wait to start this Summer adventure, so let’s go out and make memories!

The website of our Portraits campaign has been named 'Site of the Day' by our friends from Awwwards.com! We're very happy to be selected for this and a big thanks goes out to everyone who participated.

Haven't seen our Portraits campaign yet? Then click here.

The website of our Portraits campaign has been named 'Site of the Day' by our friends from Awwwards.com! We're very happy to be selected for this and a big thanks goes out to everyone who participated.  

Haven't seen our Portraits campaign yet? Then click here.

New year, new name. Welcome to the first MENDO’S CHOICE of 2013!

Today, Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay) celebrates his 71st birthday. Ali, the “Greatest Of All Time”, has created landmarks in the lives of millions of people. Roy from MENDO shares his Ali landmark with you.

"20 October 1973. It’s 3.30 CET. I’m seven years old and way too young to be awake. Nevertheless I’m watching TV with my mom. Muhammad Ali, best boxer and probably best athlete ever, is on. He’s in Jakarta fighting a Dutch fella by the name of Rudi Lubbers (this is not the nickname of the longest serving prime minister The Netherlands ever had, by the way). Days before the game Ali expresses he is not impressed by Rudi. To him this fight is ‘nothing more than a training session’. He was wrong. Rudi from Heerhugowaard turns out to be one tough cookie. After 12 full rounds Ali wins, on points. To me that was just an unforgettable night. My landmark with Ali got exactly one quarter of a page in the stunning book ‘Muhammad Ali, Greatest Of All Time’, a true MENDO classic that comes in a regular € 100.00 version and a limited edition that currently sells for € 4,000.00. Happy birthday, Muhammad."

Last year the Amsterdam Photography Museum introduced Fashion &Foam, a special themed concept store around the corner from the museum. Last night, they opened the new edition and we were there. 

Accompanied by drinks and music, &Foam proudly presented MOAM; an exhibition where “big names and talented newcomers in photography and design” have joined forces and created a bunch of beautiful images, all based on famous photos by no one less than Anton Corbijn, Erwin Olaf and Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoods Matadin.  So yes, there was a lot to look at, and we liked what we saw. 

Fashion &Foam will be open from today until the 17th of March, so you have plenty of time to go check it out. Click for more info.

Last year the Amsterdam Photography Museum introduced Fashion &Foam, a special themed concept store around the corner from the museum. Last night, they opened the new edition and we were there.

Accompanied by drinks and music, &Foam proudly presented MOAM; an exhibition where “big names and talented newcomers in photography and design” have joined forces and created a bunch of beautiful images, all based on famous photos by no one less than Anton Corbijn, Erwin Olaf and Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoods Matadin.  So yes, there was a lot to look at, and we liked what we saw.

Fashion &Foam will be open from today until the 17^th of March, so you have plenty of time to go check it out. Click for more info.

We are about to launch our super duper new website and we couldn’t be more excited about that. The website will be completely devoted to our Spring/Summer campaign, so expect some tropical heat. Come back soon for more eye candy!

With men’s fashion week in London and the Pitti Uomo fashion fair in Florence happening this week, the dandy look for men is hot like fire. Need outfit inspiration? These are our favourites!

Go for a chino in a bold colour, like blue or orange. Rib cord has made a huge comeback this season, adding an extra stylish touch to your look.

A classic shirt is obviously a must. This light blue example is also available in other dessins and comes with a bowtie, win-win!

Since we’re in the middle of the Winter, a cardigan to keep you warm in quite essential. Go for a chunky one in a colour that teams well with you chino. Want to make it a bit more dressy? Then pick one of our blazers, available in a wide range of fits, materials and colours.

Top it off with a beautiful accessory, like a leather case for your tablet or a checkered scarf and you’ll easily blend in with today’s fashion elite.

It’s that time of the year when all you want to do is get away from the cold Winter weather and soak up some sun. While browsing the World Wide Web to see what our next destination would be, we bumped into this cool travel blog: Gallivant.com.

Don’t expect poshy hotels or massive white beaches with palm trees, this website will show you way more original, hidden gems from places all around the world. The site is divided in a couple of categories, with “epic accommodations, unique emporiums and awesome things to do”. From a restaurant in a cavern in Mexico to a grilled cheese truck in Los Angeles and from kayaking in Chicago to the world’s largest swimming pool in Chile.

Gallivant claims to be a guys-only travel guide, but we’re pretty sure all of us can find awesome thing to do here.
So, where will you be travelling next?

The shirt. A piece that, no matter what colour or fit, has turned into the ultimate must-have for this season. We have always been big fans of the shirt, and we just love the beautiful Maison Scotch designs with their special details. One of the big pro’s of a shirt is that you can wear it with lots of different looks. We picked our three favourites for you (all available in our webstore):

Go for trendy button-up with this pretty silk piece. Fire red would be our number one colour, but the other available colours will also add that extra touch to your nonchalant Parisian-ish look.

Go denim. Need we say more? Denim will probably always be the love of our life. Choose washed chambray with cool colour blocks or all-over blue with cute beaded details, and pair up with a pair of blue jeans if you dare.

Go for a sophisticated look with a classic clean silk shirt. The black collar and hem add a super cool tuxedo effect, perfect for a more dressed look.

This year, Amsterdam is celebrating Amsterdam. Even though 13 isn’t everyone’s lucky number, for our city it will be the year of special moments. 
So, what will we be celebrating? Birthdays! The Artis Royal Zoo turns 175, The Concert Hall turns 125, the Van Gogh Museum celebrates its 40th birthday and our canals were built exactly 400 years ago, to name a few. Therefore, a lot of cool ways to explore the city will take place; from skating on rooftops (how, we wonder!) and 2013-themed museum exhibitions to the biggest-ever public program at Amsterdam Fashion Week. 

It will all start next week, kicking off with “24hr Amsterdam”, an event that will show you what the city has to offer in 24 hours, and the Amsterdam Hotel Night – offering big discounts and events in a selection of hotels. 

Just keep checking our blog and you’ll be the first to know about the best go-to’s throughout this extra festive year in the best city in the world.

View the guide
Video: http://youtu.be/S4mfCAnp-Ek

This year, Amsterdam is celebrating Amsterdam. Even though 13 isn’t everyone’s lucky number, for our city it will be the year of special moments.

So, what will we be celebrating? Birthdays! The Artis Royal Zoo turns 175, The Concert Hall turns 125, the Van Gogh Museum celebrates its 40^th birthday and our canals were built exactly 400 years ago, to name a few. Therefore, a lot of cool ways to explore the city will take place; from skating on rooftops (how, we wonder!) and 2013-themed museum exhibitions to the biggest-ever public program at Amsterdam Fashion Week.

It will all start next week, kicking off with “24hr Amsterdam”, an event that will show you what the city has to offer in 24 hours, and the Amsterdam Hotel Night – offering big discounts and events in a selection of hotels.

Just keep checking our blog and you’ll be the first to know about the best go-to’s throughout this extra festive year in the best city in the world.

What better way to start the new year than with an exclusive sneak preview of our brand new Spring/Summer 2013 collection? Prepare for a colourful season with eye-popping pieces, exciting prints and comfy warm-weather wear.

In stores in about two weeks, so stay tuned!

It has been an amazing year for us. With Portraits coming to an end, we’re rounding up the last campaign of the year. Though we will never be the type to pat ourselves on the back, we can’t resist just one quick glimpse back before indulging ourselves in the exciting new year to come.

In 2012, our garments ended up in the wardrobes of many, we’ve spread our wings opening new stores worldwide and launched exciting new campaigns. But more than anything, we’re extremely proud of how our Scotch family made it all possible. We feel humbled by the dedication of everybody that contributed to these beautiful memories.

We hope it’s been a great year for you too, and wish you all the best for the next. Happy 2013!

With love from Amsterdam,
Scotch & Soda

Happy Holidays everyone! We hope you'll have a couple of wonderful days full of friends, family, fun and food. 
We're taking a little break too, check back with us next week!

PS. Make sure you keep our Portraits campaign on your radar, as we'll still be launching new stories every day.

Unfortunately it is not exactly the season of hanging out on a tropical island, so we might as well make the best of it and indulge ourselves in all the Winter fun Amsterdam has to offer. These are the 5 best activities for the coming 2 weeks.

• At the Music Theatre, the Dutch National Ballet will perform Cinderella from 13 December to 1 January. A classic, with music from the famous Russian composer Prokofiev. And thanks to Mr. Walt Disney something the whole family will like.
• The annual Winter Parade (22-26 December) will also hit the city again, where you can enjoy music and theatre while dining at a 120 m long table in the Old Church of Amsterdam.
• A newcomer this Winter is the indoor carnival (6 December – 2 January) in Amsterdam North. Rollercoasters, live music, skating, snacks, you can find it all high and dry in the IJ-Hallen.
• And last but not least, ice skating! What’s Winter in Amsterdam without some fun on the ice? There are a couple of cosy ice skating rinks in the city, find them at Museum Square, Leidse Square, Dam Square and at the Westergasfabriek. Of course, nothing beats au naturel ice skating on the canals, but then we need at least 10 degrees less on the thermometer.
• For the real deal we advise you to go to the Jaap Eden Hal, where you can find a 400m outdoor rink. On Saturday evenings there will be ice disco’ing too, next level Winter fun guaranteed!

This week, we’ve launched a couple of interesting portraits again; from menswear stylist Clyde to the beautiful Ellen, who is a print designer for Maison Scotch.

MARC
On Monday, Marc’s portrait was added to the list. Marc is a producer of videos and commercials and has a casual modeling career on the side. No wonder, with his super cool and distinguished appearance, right? We can’t wait to tell you more about his connection with Scotch…

CLYDE
On Tuesday it was up to Clyde to take over Portraits. Clyde is a men’s fashion stylist, and when he’s not on the set of a photo shoot he loves to spin his tunes on parties. We guess it’s safe to say he is the best dressed DJ in town!

ELLEN
Ellen is a print designer for Maison Scotch and definitely one of our favourite colleagues. Always kind, caring for others and accompanied by a generous smile; that’s Ellen.

WILLEM
Today, it was Willem’s turn. Willem Baars has been part of the industry for quite some time now, and is now running men’s fashion magazine JFK. He’s a genuine, real and modest man, with a very own rock ‘n roll-ish style.

Stay tuned for more cool portraits, we still have 10 more people coming up!

It is not only the season of eating and partying, but also the perfect time of the year to go to the cinema or stay in with a bunch of dvd’s. This is our top 3 of must-sees during our Christmas break.

Tolstoj’s ‘Anna Karenina’ has been transformed into a film: a costume drama (which to us is already enough reason to be excited about it) with the beautiful Keira Knightley and her love affair in 19^th century Russia. Expect fashion, drama, love and beautiful English accents.

Another book adaptation is ‘Life of Pi’, about a boy who ends up in the middle of the ocean, on a boat, with a tiger. This might sound a bit random but, just like the book, the story is very fascinating and complex. Director Ang Lee (who we also know from masterpieces ‘Brokeback Mountain’ and ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’) did one hell of a job on this 3d adventure, go check it out.

This one is a must for all of our Dutch friends! ‘Alles is familie’ is one of those happy family films, with that typical Dutch edge and a cast full of great Dutch actors. It’s about a family where everyone has his own issues, which is showed in a hilarious way. This is the ultimate film to watch with your own family, that’s for sure.

Just in time for the holidays, our friends from bookstore Mendo share their latest favourite – which happens to be an awesome present as well.

There is a good chance that, in a week or so, the area underneath your Christmas tree will be stuffed with presents. If so, there is - still - a very serious probability that one of the packages contains a book that has something to do with the color grey in all kind of gradients. If you are fed up with the fact that your missy, sister, mom, aunt and grandmother can't stop talking about that exciting book, or if you're a fan of a different sort of shades, you should really consider this fun publication from Reel Art Press. It's fun and it is utterly cool too, with a superb Robert Redford cover to begin with, and quotes like these: "With my sunglasses on, I'm Jack Nicholson. Without them, I'm fat and 60." Check the cool version of 50 Shades here.

We’re almost halfway our Portraits project, and launched a couple of interesting new portraits over the last couple of days, including two successful Dutch bloggers.

Bloggers Sabrina from afterDRK.com and Maurice from Ajanaku.com, are both known for their very own style. While Sabrina’s blog can be seen as a personal fashion diary, with neatly styled outfits, street fashion and other inspirations, Ajanaku.com is more like a lifestyle platform, with stories on fashion, art, design and music. Both blogs are influential in the Dutch online fashion scene and we really enjoyed photographing these talented people!

Make sure you keep an eye on the Portraits site over the weekend, as two new portraits will be launched!

Forget about boring business men in ugly hotel bars, because these days hotels are probably the most “hip” places to go for dinner and drinks. Amsterdam can now add an it-hotel to its list: the Andaz.

Located on the beautiful Prinsengracht in a former library, this hotel offers a unique blend of hyper modern Dutch Design (by Marcel Wanders and Erwin Olaf, to name a few) and old school elements like tulips and Delft Blue - in a non-tacky way. The cultural and artistic personality of Amsterdam, as well as its rich history; that is what the Andaz’ interior reflects. The Bluespoon bar and restaurant are simply stunning and the chef cooks yummy Dutch dishes, so some in-style wining and dining is definitely possible here.

Find the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht Hotel (which happens to be really close to our Amsterdam stores) at Prinsengracht 587.

It’s already the 11^th day of Portraits, and we’re happy to introduce lovebirds Susan and Tim, make up artist Siddharta and our colleague John to you!

SUSAN & TIM
Beautiful brunette Susan and angel-haired Tim are a fashion duo from heaven. Tim’s dreams have come true in 2012 now that he moved in with his love Susan and is pursuing his passion studying architecture. Susan couldn’t be happier to be a Scotch&Soda graphic designer, and aren’t we proud to have her! Click on their portraits to shop their unique looks.

SIDDHARTA
She trots the globe armed with her make up kit and she’s loving it. Siddharta is a life embracing make up artist with a passion for beauty and her beloved city of Amsterdam. Scotch is over the moon to have her in the family, for her skill as well as her style. She can make Rapunzel meet rock babe. Click on her image to shop her look.

JOHN
John has been making Scotch run smoothly as our logistics manager for 25 years! What’s more, every Monday he comes in to start the week afresh, it feels like home. 2012 has been celebratory to the max for John: he’s going to be a grandfather and he’s going on a second honeymoon for his 33^rd wedding anniversary. Have a look at what a quarter of a century with Scotch can do for your style: shop John’s look!

Take a sneak peek at one of our freshest women’s denim designs. This elegantly cut denim jacket pairs up perfectly with any knitwear. The new Amsterdams Blauw women’s collection has everything you expect from Maison Scotch with just that splash of denim.

The first brand new items will hit our stores in festive December, come over and have a look!

Prepare to see Amsterdam like you've never seen it before: magical and full of light in the darkest days of the year. From 7 December till 20 January you can admire Amsterdam's most gorgeous sites sparkling during the city's first ever Light Festival. At Scotch & Soda we are especially looking forward to the Christmas Canal Parade on the 15th of December.

The festival not only provides a lot of amusement, it also highlights the leading role of Dutch light technology in the global 'LED revolution'. The light design is state-of-the-art, realising the most effective and sustainable use of energy possible.

Today we feature three new faces in our Portraits campaign. Take a look and get inspired by Matthijs, Catarina and Koen.

CATARINA
Catarina a.k.a. Cata Pirata is the glamorous front lady of the band Skip&Die. When she thinks of Amsterdam, she thinks of flying through the city on her bike. When she thinks of Scotch&Soda, she is inspired by our diverse range of colours and patterns.

MATTHIJS
Matthijs is a lover of life and of his hometown Amsterdam. When he’s not cycling around enjoying all the city has to offer, he devotes himself to his 100 year old family business Van Tilburg Mode & Sport, a cherished Scotch&Soda buyer.

KOEN
He is Scotch&Soda’s favourite denim vindicator, making sure we all know Amsterdams Blauw is the place for denim delight. His style is sophisticated with an edgy twist.

We couldn't be more proud to introduce our latest campaign: Portraits. From the 1st of December we wil present a selection of 30 people that inspire us with their remarkable personalities and creativity. Read a new story everyday and shop their looks.

SOPHIE
The stunning Sophie is a top model who travels the world enchanting people with her fresh and mysterious look. Take a look at her ravishing sense of style and shop her look.

JOFFRY
Meet Joffry, one of the sales heroes of the Scotch & Soda family. He's a down-to-earth guy with a laid-back and ever-cool sense of style. He has great affection for Paris, but it was Amsterdam's Pitch festival that made his year unforgettable.

SIMONE
With her bright smile and signature coloured hair, the fashion Director of Dutch Marie Claire lights up every room she walks into. She loves Scotch & Soda for translating the current trends time and time again.

December will be all about an exciting project we've been working on for quite a while now. If you've been to one of our stores lately you might have already spotted part of this project in our windows.We just can't wait to tell you more about it, but for now we're leaving you for the weekend with this super exclusive sneak peek image.

Stay tuned for more!

Tomorrow is an exciting day: we’ll be hosting a special event in our Frankfurt store to celebrate its recent opening, and you’re invited!

During this cosy get-together, you’ll have a chance to create the most original, unforgettable, stylish, eye-catching, beautiful, sophisticated, festive Scotch outfit with über stylist Niki Pauls and then get your picture taken by the one and only Uli Holz. How cool is that? We’ll upload your pic to our Facebook page and if you gain the most likes over the weekend, you will win the outfit!

Plus, there will be drinks, bites and a dj spinning his tunes. See you there?
The event will take place from 18:00-21:00 in our store at Steinweg 10 in Frankfurt.

P.S. Make sure you follow us on Twitter, as we’ll be doing some live reporting from the event!

Although we feel self-promotion isn’t that chique, we simply cannot withhold this little project of ourselves in the 3rd edition of MENDO Recommends: Amsterdam, A Metropolitan Village. A photography book about the city we love, and a response to a decade-old question.

At MENDO, located in the heart of Amsterdam, we have been asked the same question almost daily since 2002: "Do you have a good book about Amsterdam?" Invariably, the answer is: "Nothing that is up to the MENDO standard". This book is our answer. And from now on, the answer for all of our curious visitors is: "You bet!"

Initiated by MENDO, photographer Ewout Huibers was given the freedom to wander through the city and capture what he thought was interesting for a whole year. And the result is at least a tribute of great diversity. From the role of the water in the city to the parasols in the front yards. From an architectural point of reference to a cyclist in the snow. Familiar and surprising, like only Amsterdam can be. Get your copy here.

Now this is something that will warm every denim head’s heart: the Blue Jeans exhibition in Centraal Museum Utrecht, running until March 2013. 

Blue Jeans is the first big exhibition in the Netherlands about our favourite material and shows the interesting evolution of it, spread over more than 300 years. On the basis of a couple of themes, showing the experimental, creative and unique side of jeans as well as how they became a product for everybody and how different subcultures interpret them. 

Expect a huge timeline, from the 17th century until now, showing you everything there is to know about denim: materials, accessories, washings, trends and much more. This is a must-visit! Check out the website for more info.

Now this is something that will warm every denim head’s heart: the Blue Jeans exhibition in Centraal Museum Utrecht, running until March 2013.

Blue Jeans is the first big exhibition in the Netherlands about our favourite material and shows the interesting evolution of it, spread over more than 300 years. On the basis of a couple of themes, showing the experimental, creative and unique side of jeans as well as how they became a product for everybody and how different subcultures interpret them.

Expect a huge timeline, from the 17^th century until now, showing you everything there is to know about denim: materials, accessories, washings, trends and much more. This is a must-visit! Check out the website for more info.

We’re leaving you for the weekend with an exclusive peek behind the scenes. While we were shooting the new Barfly campaign, we used our Polaroid camera to capture model Sebastian doing some nonchalant off-duty posing. These pictures represent what Barfly is all about, simple yet extraordinary, casual yet intense.

Click on the image so see more!

Hi there London! We’re happy to announce we finally opened the doors of our very first London stores. That’s right, multiple stores.

On the lovely Westbourne Grove shopping street in Notting Hill, we opened a Maison Scotch and a Scotch Scotch & Soda store. You can find Maison Scotch at number 170 and shop for our men’s gear right across the street at 181.

Our London team is looking forward to welcome you in these new stores!

The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam is one of those places you just have to visit once. This is where you can see and experience the former house of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who lived in hiding and kept a diary during WWII, which made her world famous years later.

The museum is right around the corner from our office, so we couldn’t help but notice there’s currently a special exhibition: ‘So Now I’m Fifteen’, with photos, letters and books from the last years of her life. It all shows she was a clever, curious and talented girl with a critical eye on herself as well as on the crazy world she lives in. Nothing like the lives of teenagers in Holland nowadays, that’s for sure.

Prepare for something beautiful, but heavy. You’re in the middle of the Jordaan neighbourhood so plenty of cosy café’s to cheer yourselves up afterwards!

Have you been introduced to Barfly yet? Barfly is our very own fragrance and part of the Scotch & Soda brand since 2010. With its well-considered mix of citrus herbs, jasmine, sandalwood and musk it is the perfect scent for modern city dwellers with an impeccable sense of style.

For the Fall/Winter 2012 season, we shot a brand new campaign for Barfly with all the ingredients we think Barfly deserves: a super model, an amazing photographer and timeless styling. Curious to see the result? Visit the Barfly campaign page and experience its fresh look & feel.

P.S. We’re still sending out those Barfly samples, so if you haven’t requested one yet: this is your chance!

Tomorrow, the renowned International Documentary Festival will take over Amsterdam again. For two weeks you can enjoy the best and most recent documentaries from all around the world. Expect an extra special edition, because IDFA is celebrating its 25^th birthday!

One of the films we’re looking forward to is John Appel’s ‘Wrong Time, Wrong Place’, which will be opening the festival and has ‘coincidence’ as its big theme. We’re also excited to see ‘The Queen of Versailles’, about an extremely rich American couple and their live in an extremely big (and kind of tasteless) house inspired by the real Versailles. There are countless other documentaries to chose from, so just check out the program to pick your favourites.

In the mood for something refreshing in between? Then make sure you visit the Marie-Stella-Maris IDFA Café, where our favourite new water brand will introduce itself to the world ánd serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. The café is located on Rembrandtplein, right in the middle of all the IDFA happenings.

As promised, an exclusive sneak preview of the brand new Amsterdams Blauw women’s collection today! The collection will offer everything Maison Scotch is known for, with a fresh blue denim touch. Curious yet?

We will launch the new campaign and collection next month, so from then you’ll be able to get your hands on the new season’s denim must-haves.

Every now and then these small places pop up and become an instant hit and a favourite of many locals. Vinnies Deli, recently opened right around the corner from our office, is one of those places.

The moment you enter this cute little deli, you know you’ve come to the right place: a counter full of fresh bread, vegggies and other delights, the perfect coffee machine and a cosy as-if-you’re-at-home interior. They’re open from 8 to 8, so whether you’re in the mood for coffee, lunch or dinner (or a quick to-go dish), it’s all possible. We advise you to take your order to go when you’re in a hurry, because the atmosphere at Vinnies makes you want to stick around as long as possible. That’s also due to the delicious organic food by the way, which is all organic and inspired by the seasons.

So, where do we find this place you wonder? At Haarlemmerstraat 46, which was voted best shopping street in the Netherlands last year. Win-win!

Today, we’d like to talk about something important: water. We were recently introduced to this fantastic new water brand, MARIE-STELLA-MARIS, whose goal is to create a source of clean drinking water for everyone.

MARIE-STELLA-MARIS believes in the power of sharing and by drinking MARIE-STELLA-MARIS water, you share water. Making clean drinking water available for everybody is a pretty ambitious goal, and they can’t do this alone. They need you and your ideas. Your knowledge. Your skills. Your friends. Their friends. And their friends. After all, water is essential for our existence. That's why the United Nations has declared access to clean drinking water to be a basic human right. Yet more than a billion people do not have access to it.

We made it our mission to support MARIE-STELLA-MARIS and help them provide clean drinking water for everyone. At the Scotch & Soda HQ everybody is drinking it now and we hope you will be joining us. Read more about this amazing initiative on the website and like MARIE-STELLA-MARIS on Facebook. Drink and share, that’s what it’s all about!

Welcome to the second edition of Mendo Recommends! Today, our friends from the most beautiful bookstore in Amsterdam have something fresh out the publishing oven…

James Bond is hot, and not solely because of the recent release of block-buster Skyfall, or the fact that Daniel Craig is regularly spotted wearing his Scotch & Soda denim - 007 has been hot for half a century now, making Ian Fleming's creation the most successful and longest-running film series in cinema history. That calls for a celebration by means of a Taschen publication. And if Taschen puts its shoulder to the wheel, you know it's going to be thorough. The James Bond Archives was composed with unrestricted access to the Bond archives and obviously covers all your favorite Bond movies, actors and one-liners. It contains over 1,100 images of which many previously unseen, it has exciting behind-the-scenes stories. And as if that hasn't shaken or stirred you (oh, wow!) the first print run comes with an original strip of the film Dr. No.

Apart from this already seriously sized regular edition, Taschen published two very exclusive golden leather editions, limited to 500 copies in total and signed by David Craig. Although this exclusive edition costs a serious € 750.00 all copies are sold already. One detail: it is not even published yet! Miss Moneypenny couldn't be happier.

Interested in The James Bond Archives first print? Get your copy here.

We’re very happy we finally get to share this with you; a sneak preview of the brand new Amsterdams Blauw collection, which will hit the stores next month.

To shoot the new campaign, we went to Spanish dream island Ibiza, where the beautiful nature, bays and characteristic villages were the perfect setting to photograph our new denim collection. We’ll tell you all about this new collection later, we hope you like what you see.

Stay tuned for the women’s sneak peek!

Every first Saturday of November, Museum Night takes place in Amsterdam. During this super cultural event, about 50 museums open their doors until 2AM, inviting all the youngsters for special activities based on the exhibitions they currently have on display.

From a night full of suspense with Hitchcock in Eye Filmmuseum and kosher bites at the Jewish Historical Museum to a pin-up night in the Amsterdam Tattoo Museum and a workshop boat rowing at the Maritime Museum; it’s all happening this Saturday.

With your ticket you can also use public transport for free and last but not least: you get a discount on lots of afterparties! That must seal the deal for you. Visit the website for more info.

Forget November, from now on we’ll call it Movember. This will be the month where every nice guy out there will grow his moustache, supported by the ladies of course. We’ll call them Mo Bros and Mo Sistas. The goal of all this is to raise awareness (and money) for men’s health in general and prostate cancer in particular. By growing a moustache, the campaign will literally give this issue a face and become a well known phenomenon. 21 countries are “celebrating” Movember, amongst them are Australia, Canada, US, UK, and the Netherlands.

The more men participate, the more people will notice and support! The guys in our office won’t be shaving for the next 30 days, are you joining? www.movember.com

And while you’re growing that moustache, why not wear a tee with one on it?

It’s safe to say Ghent is one of the nicest Belgian cities. Just a couple of streets away from our Ghent store, a brand new concept opened its doors: Wasbar. At Wasbar, you can do your laundry, get your hair done and have a drink at the same time. No more boring hours of waiting in Laundromats, or obligatory visits to your mom and her washing machine.

In our opinion, it is actually just a really nice place to go for a coffee, lunch or drinks, that also happens to house a barbershop and some washing machines. Which is a good thing, since there can never be too many good places to go for lunch. And since old school barber shops are making a comeback, you can always decide to go for an on-trend shave while you’re there!

Find Wasbar at Nederkouter 109 in Ghent, open seven days a week.

Picture Arne Jennard/ Pinkeye

Hey kids! You’re probably in the middle of your Halloween preparations, so we thought we’d give you some outfit advice today. Our Scotch Shrunk collection has the perfect item to wear during those fun holidays like Halloween (or any other play date for that matter): the scary print tee, available in both a monster and a ghost version.

The funny thing about this tee is that the scary print is on the inside, so you can really scare people at an unexpected moment by pulling your tee over your head. For example when they’re checking out the front print, which is also quite interesting. We bet you’ll have a great laugh with your friends. Boo!

Check out there rest of the awesome Scotch Shrunk tee collection here.

Now this is an exciting moment we’ve been looking forward to: introducing our newest section ‘Mendo Recommends’. This is where our friends from the most beautiful bookstore in Amsterdam will share their personal favourites with you on a regular basis. From fashion to travel and from architecture to food; expect the coolest, latest and Mendo-est. Enjoy reading!

MENDO RECOMMENDS: 36 HOURS

36 Hours is the newest thing in travel books. From a book fetish point of view it's a really nice publication. It has a can't-stop-touching cover, five elegant tabs and ribbons and the recycle paper structure feels just about right. Taschen says this book allows you to explore the expected and discover the unexpected. The easiest way to check that is to go to the city you know best, in our case: Amsterdam. Bikes, Van Gogh, Stedelijk, Rijksmuseum - the expected, all represented. But the book also suggests you to visit North Amsterdam "an edgy cultural center populated by the young", with MTV's office, a skate park, The Eye Film Institute, IJ-Kantine and Noorderlicht. Not bad, only Cafe Modern is missing. But altogether The New York Times' Barbara Ireland (love that name for a travel book writer) and her team have made a really fun and reliable new city guide.

Oh, one more thing. In The Nine Streets, the book has a great suggestion in the Berenstraat: Pancakes! We are pretty sure you will find one or two places in that particular street that are worth visiting as well...

Speaking of art, another cool art fair hits town this weekend: the Affordable Art Fair. After New York, Stockholm and Mexico City, it’s Amsterdam’s turn to host this popular fair.

According to the fair’s initiators, the concept is simple but unique: an open and inspiring environment where art-lovers can find thousands of original paintings, prints, sculptures and photography under one roof. The works of both renowned and upcoming artists is exhibited, often hanging right next to each other, which creates an exciting and creative atmosphere. And this is where the affordable part comes in: prices are all under €5000. And yes, that is considered “cheap” in the wonderful world of art. But hey, you might end up with a masterpiece of the future Damien Hirst.

In the coming weeks the Affordable Art Fair will also visit cities like London, Singapore, Seattle, Hamburg, so keep an eye on the website!

This year, the Amsterdam Tribal Art Fair will celebrate its 10^th birthday from 26-28 October. From magazines to food to fashion; we see ethnic influences everywhere right now, so we bet this special edition will get more visitors than ever.

The fair houses lots of different forms of art from all around the world, so you won’t have any trouble with finding a specially crafted vase, a totem pole or an eccentric carpet to spice up your interior. Twenty different art dealers will offer their collections from i.e. Africa, Indonesia, Tibet, Australia and basically any culture that is not Western.

Apart from collecting new inspiration and eye-catchers for your house, you can also contribute to the Threads of Life charity organization at the fair. Threads of Life fights poverty in Indonesia by encouraging locals to continue working on their traditional textile- and handicraft techniques so they can create a better and independent living.

The Tribal Art Fair will be hosted in the beautiful building of De Duif in the heart of Amsterdam, click here for more info.

Flared jeans are back, that’s a fact. If you’re not afraid to take off those skinny jeans and go for something different, we have the perfect pair of jeans for you: the Amsterdams Blauw high waist Birkin with flared legs. Inspired by one of the biggest style icons of all times, the one and only Miss Jane Birkin. Oh how we wish we lived in the seventies, sporting those flared jeans and flowery blouses as if there was no tomorrow.

Wondering how to style those flared jeans anno 2012? Heels are definitely a must, but in our opinion it doesn’t matter if you go for pumps, booties or platforms. Since the Birkin is high waisted, it pairs really well with a loose cropped top or a button-up shirt (tucked in, of course). Make your look extra bohemian by adding accessories like a floppy hat and chunky rings. Seventies meets 2012, we like it!

It’s Friday! What are your plans for the weekend? If you’re planning a little get-away to, say, London or Paris, we found the perfect travel companion for you. Gogo City Guide (available in both print and App form) will take you to the best places in town, based on insider tips.

The guides are divided up by area and then by categories like “Eat & Coffee”, “Don’t Miss” and “Art Culture Design”. They all promise to take you to undiscovered non-touristy places, so you don’t have to be afraid of bumping into a bus full of fellow visitors. You will however bump into the local cool crowd, since lots of those insider tips come from people from the creative industry.

Gogo releases new editions each season so the printed guides are definitely up-to-date, but for the best and most recent unmissable places in Paris and London we strongly advise your to get the iPhone App.

Today, we finally got to launch our first ever shoppable videos! Last week we launched the Winter Essentials, and you can now shop these looks directly from the video.

Click, watch, get inspired and shop the Maison Scotch Winter Essentials.

Click, watch, get inspired and shop the Scotch & Soda Winter Essentials.

If you are a lover of dance music, then you better make sure to be in Amsterdam for the next couple of days. One of the biggest events in dance music will kick off today: the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). Practically the whole international dance scene will be attending the event. The variety of DJ’s is big this year! Commercial successes like Armin van Buuren, Afro Jack, Fatboy Slim, David Guetta and the more underground masters like Solomon, AME, Abstract and Richie Hawtin will delight your ears with their massive tunes.

As an Amsterdam-based brand, we think it’s pretty cool that all the big names will be in town. More than 300 events and 70 clubs will be hosting parties throughout the city, starting today until Sunday October 21st. On Friday, ADE will announce the best DJ in the world, last year the honor went to David Guetta and we’re curious to find out who will be crowned king of dance this year. Our Scotch & Soda team already has their tickets and guestlist spots. Will we be seeing you there as well?

For more info about ADE’s program, with next to dance music also conferences dedicated to specific groups and subjects, click here.

After presenting you the Winter Essentials for women, we’d like to tell you more about the Scotch & Soda must-haves for this season. We made a special selection, which should make it a lot easier for you to update your wardrobe and make it cold-weather-proof.

First of all, you can’t survive the winter without a warm sweater or cardigan – preferably knitted. We’re big fans of wool, so a woolen crewneck sweater is on top of the list. Choose one with a cool print to make it a bit less basic or go for a bright colour, that also always does the trick. Another favourite is the Japanese style cardigan. It’s a heavy quality cable knit, so extra extra warm and easy to layer up with.

When it comes to jackets, you have lots to choose from. Go for an on-trend jacket with leather details and a teddy collar for a cool high-street fashion look or dress up in a classy and timeless coat. One can never go wrong with a black pea coat or a preppy duffle coat. Going outside? Then don’t forget to bring along accessories like ear muffs and gloves.

Visit the special Scotch & Soda Winter Essentials page for more items that will become your best friends the coming season.

There are always certain items in our collection that end up as everyone’s favourite. This season, the official Maison Scotch office favourite is (drums please) the Sleeveless Sherling-look Gilet.

The unpredictable fall weather has reached Amsterdam, and this vest is our warm and wooly lifesaver when it gets chilly. It is the ultimate throw-on-and-go piece, since it matches with basically any top. In our office, we saw our beloved gilet pairing up with denim, silky shirts, printed tees and of course: leather. Trust us, you want one of these in your winter wardrobe. You’ll fall in love with it just like we did!

Girls, we can’t deny it any longer: fall has arrived. You’re probably not really looking forward to this season’s cold weather, but getting your hands on some new eye catchers for your wardrobe is no punishment at all, right?

Maison Scotch presents the ultimate Winter Essentials that will definitely keep you warm and comfy throughout the season. Obviously we have jackets; from technical parkas to sophisticated coats, anything that fits your style. Maison’s favourites? The classic (and super warm) parka and the timeless tailored coat, available in a couple of beautiful colours.

Knits are also key items when it comes to a winter wardrobe. We have a wide range of soft sweaters and on-trend chunky cardigans, so you’ll be just fine when it gets cold. We picked the washed-off crewneck sweater and the cardigan with tassels as our favourites; we bet you probably already spotted both of them in our campaign.

We hope we gave you enough inspiration to keep warm in style this season. Don’t forget to accessorise with scarves, gloves and preferably a cool floppy hat. We’ll discuss the men’s winter essentials later on, so stay tuned!

Even though this hotel has only one guestroom, Droog is definitely worth visiting when you’re in Amsterdam. The hotel - which is more like a concept store and a place you can spend your entire Saturday - offers everything you expect from a design firm like Droog, and more.

Besides spending the night in this big guest suite on the top floor, you can do some shopping in Droog’s design store, have a bite in the dining room (or in the amazing garden), enjoy the exhibition space and even spoil yourself with beauty products from the cosmetics boutique. We love it when art, food and design come together in a beautiful place like this, allowing you to either wonder around for hours or just pop in for a cup of coffee in style. Speaking of style, we think we saw this blue lamp before…

Find this cool hotel meets store meets restaurant on Staalstraat 7 in the city centre of Amsterdam and check out the website for more info.

Let’s talk some denim again today. We assume you are aware of the fact that we also have some great Amsterdams Blauw styles in our Scotch Shrunk and Scotch R’Belle kids collections. This season, we have a wide range of skinnies, loose tapered, slim tapered, regular fits and chinos again in an array of cool washes.

When we designed these Fall/Winter collections, we had those fresh winter days in mind, with crisp cold air and beautiful sunrises. On days like these, all you want to do is play outside with your friends, drink hot chocolate and hang out in front of a bonfire.

To gear up for this weather, you obviously need a warm jacket and a thick scarf, but a comfy pair of jeans is also essential. For girls, our favourites are the loose Naoyo and the velvet La Parisienne, both perfect to combine with a checkered shirt and a cool denim jacket. For boys, we selected the sturdy Dean and the Mercer, a comfy slim fit. Throw on a chambray shirt and your old winter boots and your good to go!

Check out the Scotch Shrunk and Scotch R’Belle denim lookbooks for more key styles and styling inspiration and get your hands on your Amsterdams Blauw favourites in our webstore.

Let us tell you at first that we’re not entirely serious about this. We just thought it was something funny for the weekend. If you’ve been to Japan recently you’re probably familiar with this phenomenon: cat cafés. And yes, as the title suggests these are cafés where you can actually hang out with cats.

So these cat cafés are huge in Japan. Why, you ask? Partly because rental apartments prohibit pets, but also because the fast Tokyo life can get lonely and apparently hanging out in a cosy café with a cup of coffee and a fluffy cat on your lap can be all you need to get some warmth and comfort. Especially for the Japanese, who have a reputation for being shy urbanites. So choosing a cat café over a pub seems logical, right?

Ok, enough with the talking. Check out this video, we hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did. Enjoy the weekend everybody!

After its launch in 2005, L’Officiel Hommes has been an important source of fashion inspiration for men. In 2011, Dutch L’Officiel Hommes was launched with the same look and feel as its French brother: classy and stylish with the perfect edgy touch. The fourth issue hits the stores today and we have to say it looks pretty amazing. None other than Mick Jagger graces the cover, photographed by none other than Bryan Adams. Can you imagine these two legendary musicians working together?

Next to an inspiring cover story with this all time favourite rock-icon, you’ll find the latest men’s fashion trends for the upcoming winter season; is it extravagant or more toned down, prints or colour-blocking, tie-dye or dip-dye and answers to comparable burning questions. Be warned, this magazine will leave you with an enormous wish list. A familiar name working on this issue of L’Officiel Hommes, is one of our favourite up and coming photographers Philippe Vogelenzang. He is responsible for some amazing winter images, with beautiful settings and exquisite styling.

Curious about this fashion-bible for men? Available in bookstores now.

It’s blue, it’s versatile, it’s made of the softest cotton, it’s a no-brainer. Guys, this jacket will become your new favourite.

A jacket like this is what we like to call an ‘inbetweener’, as you can wear it both indoor and outdoor - which makes it a perfect piece for those unpredictable Fall days. Pair with a cool tee for indoor occasions and go for a bunch of layers when you’re enjoying the fresh weather outside. Sweats, knits, scarves, you can go all out! Combine with a no nonsense chino, roll up the sleeves and your effortless ready-for-Fall-look is more than complete.

Check out our webstore for more inbetweeners like blazers and body warmers.

We love photography, from black & white to portraits and from polaroids to Instagram shots – it’s inspiring to see things through another lens. It is one of our favourite ways to waste our time and that’s why we are looking forward to this event called ShortCut at Club Trouw on October 12^th.

ShortCut challenged three teams of creatives (a photographer, curator and blogger) to take photos, print them and present it to the world in one day. Thanks to Social Media, everything is going faster than the speed of light. So, next to organizing this event in one day, the exhibition will only be open for one night! Participants: photographer Sander Dekker, photographer Celine Manz, artist Alexander Tempel , curator Carli van de Kerkhof, blogger Sabrina Beek and  blogger Vibeke Mascini. Because of a short deadline and variety of people, this can result in a very interesting exhibition. Don’t you think?

Visit this quicky at Club Trouw on October 12^th.
Opening expo: 20.00
Entrance: free

Image by Sander Dekker

Paris has been an inspiration for us since the very beginning and it still is. This week the French capital is the beating heart of creativity! Fashion lovers (both professional and hobbyists) from all over the world, are in town to visit the latest fashion shows and presentations. Team Scotch & Soda was also in Paris and when we’re in this exciting city, we always make sure to at least visit the following spots:

1. Merci
   Located on the Boulevard Beaumarchais, this unique concept store is set in a former fabric factory and stocks a range of lifestyle products: homewares to books, plants and design products. This cozy-looking shop makes you want to sit there all day and drink some coffee while reading a book.
2. Barbershop
   This laid-back bar/restaurant regulates a lofty hang-out vibe, with it's dark wood bar, floorboards and vintage furniture. The Parisian young, hip crowd loves to hang out in the big armchairs  for a cultural conversation, whilst sipping on cocktails. The affordable menu boasts tapas and other Southern European dishes. Make sure to take the juicy mozzarella for starters!
3. Wanderlust
   We already mentioned Wanderlust as a must-visit when it just opened, but we just can’t get enough of it. For the ones who missed out that post:  Wanderlust is a restaurant, club and arts destination at the centre of Les Docks (below the Institut Français de la Mode), an area undergoing major redevelopment.
4. Colette
   Ultra-hip lifestyle store Colette offers the best in cutting-edge apparel, homewares, books and food. The constantly evolving fashion and design talent showcased in the minimal, graphic store environment makes this a must-see shopping destination.
5. Hippy Market
   Affordable vintage with a concept store appeal (without the musty vintage smell), the Hippy Market boutiques have become a key part of the Paris vintage trail. Hitting all the right on-trend notes, the stores buy deep into a trend or product area, be it leather bags or classic watches.

We also made a couple of snapshots during our trip, check out the slideshow!

When we were shooting our campaign in ever rocking London, we got the chance to make a video with models Isaac and Mila and have a little chat with them about life, love and what rocks their world. Seeing items you like? Visit the special SCOTCH ROCKS page for more must-haves and inspiration!

Click on the image to watch the Scotch & Soda video.

Click on the image to watch the Maison Scotch video.

If you still think biker pants are for the tough Harley bikers, then think again! Maison Scotch has a full range of edgy biker pants, while always making sure that women can rock any look without loosing the sophisticated feminine touch. The Favourite of this Week is the Biker Skinny, available in a range of colours and detailing.

This skinny has a special a-symmetric button closure and side slant pockets. For a total rock look, match these with a rough jacket, thick knitted scarf, savvy printed sweater and sturdy boots. The ladies with a more toned down look, can combine this striking piece with a more basic tee and a cute jacket.

Get your favourite Biker Skinny here.

We’re still in the middle of our Scotch Rocks campaign, so no wonder this cool exhibition in Amsterdam caught our attention: “Famous Popstars in Amsterdam”, by photographer Claude Vanheye. During the seventies, Vanheye was a popular photographer in the music scene and countless rock stars posed in front of his camera: Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Blondie, Grace Jones and Michael Jackson, to name a few.

The exhibiton displays several never-seen-before portraits, shot in both his studio as well as on the streets of Amsterdam. Vanheye’s goal is to show these stars in a pure and honest way and wants you to feel connected to them when you look at the pictures. Well, we sure feel connected to MJ when we see him wandering the streets of our beloved Amsterdam.

“Famous Popstars in Amsterdam” takes place until the 4^th of November in the Amsterdam Museum. Make sure you also pick up a copy of Vanheye’s book from their shop, so you can take these rockers home with you.

We all know Anna Wintour is thé most famous editor in chief at the moment. But the generation before us had Diane Vreeland. With titles such as Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue under her belt, she ruled for nearly half of the 20th century as the recognized Empress of Fashion.

To keep alive her legacy, Vreeland’s granddaughter in law, directed a documentary about her famous family member. "Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel" is an intimate portrait and a vibrant celebration of one of the most influential women of the 20th century, an elegant icon whose influence changed the face of fashion, beauty, art, publishing and culture forever. Some of Vreeland’s famous friends such as Angelica Husten, Manolo Blahnik, Diane Von Furstenberg and Lauren Hutten, talk about their experience with her.

During her fifty year reign on top of the fashion world, she launched model Twiggy, advised Jackie O and came up with some of fashion's most notorious quotes such as "the bikini is the biggest thing since the atom bomb." She was the fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar where she worked for 25 years before becoming editor in chief of Vogue followed by a remarkable job at the Metropolitan’s Costume Institute where she helped popularize its historical collections. This documentary will introduce our internet-generation to a woman who singlehandedly changed fashion, without the help of today’s technologies.

This documentary is out in theatres now, for more information you can check the official Facebook page.

After being closed for 7 years and 197 days, the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art in Amsterdam has finally opened its doors again. The museum underwent an extreme renovation, with the new white wing (already crowned as “The Bathtub”) as the big eye catcher. Amsterdam had the honour to welcome our Queen this weekend, as she would attend the opening party and cut the ribbon.The Stedelijk is thé museum when it comes to modern art, and with the reopening Amterdam’s mayor Van Der Laan “hopes to bring sizzling and controversial programs that stimulate the senses, make our brains tick and that will loosen the tongues”.

You can currently visit the “Beyond Imagination” (about Dutch modern art) and “Works in Place” (about how contemporary artists deal with space and place) exhibitions. But let’s face it, right now you just want to go there to check out the stunning new building. Located on the Museum Sqaure and hard to miss thanks to the giant white annex.

Visit the website for more info.

Yesterday Milan Fashion Week ‘Moda Donna’ started. It’s a moment when the city comes to life and the Milanese strut their most stylish outfits on the streets. So if you happen to be in Milan now, you will experience four days of fashion heaven, and if you’re looking for something else to do, here are our favourite hotspots.

1. Reffetorio Milano
   This is a new restaurant offering inexpensive, wholesome, simple food in a beautiful, pared-back atmosphere based on a monks' refectory.
2. Biblioteca della Moda
   This characteristic ‘library’ houses the biggest private archive of fashion books, magazines and DVDs in Italy. Expect to find over 45,000 titles all dedicated entirely to the fashion and textiles industries.
3. L'Incoronata
   This small and unpretentious trattoria is loved by the Milanese fashion crowd. The décor
   consists of whitewashed, reclaimed furniture and paper sheets hanging from the ceiling.
4. 10 Corso Como
   Alongside the apparel, accessories and beauty sections 10 Corso Como is a must see concept store featuring an excellent bookstore, situated next to the Galleria Carla Sozzani
5. Bond
   With a sleek, minimalist and dark interior, Bond bar gathers a style-conscious crowd and offers great cocktails and music.

Ofcourse our team spotted some stylish people! Check out the slideshow (click on the lead image) with impressions of Milan Fashion Week, shot by team Scotch & Soda.

Last night, we visited an exciting event: the opening of Unseen, a new photo fair in Amsterdam(organised by our friends from Foam) that focuses on both undiscovered photography talent as well as on unseen work by establishes photographers.

It’s taking place from today until Sunday at the Westergasfabriek, where different galleries from all over the world show work of a huge variety of photographers in different areas. One of the venues is the Gashouder, a giant round hall, where everything is set up like the spokes of a wheel, which allows you to walk around for hours. Not to mention the countless beautiful photographs hanging on the walls.

Another must-visit area is the Fashion! Photographs from the Camera Work Collection. Camera Work owns one of the world’s largest collections of works and books and displays photographs from geniuses like Man Ray, Richard Avedon and Steven Klein in the Zuiveringshal. We’re pretty sure this will serve you with enough fashion for the weekend!

Unseen, from 20-23 September in Amsterdam, visit www.unseenamsterdam.com for more info.

When you think of rock music, tattoos are –together with guitars and leather- high on the list of first associations. With the increasing popularity of tattoos, the most striking movement is its interaction with fashion and art. Once an exclusively underground custom, tattoos are now for everyone. It has become a common sight in modern day society, worn by youngsters, business men, politicians and even grandmothers.

To give us a clear view of this new tattoo scene, publisher Gestalten created this cutting-edge collector’s item called ‘Forever: The New Tattoo’. This book showcases a number of renowned artists within the tattoo world and aims to break the mold of standard tattoo books and their typical displays of flesh, by focusing on current developments in contemporary tattoo culture. This publication features key innovators and presents a broad range of styles and approaches. Next to that it offers quality photos and an exclusive view of a rapidly expanding and extremely creative scene. Basically it is a very good read with an enormous amount of pictures – a real eye catcher for any bookcase.

Need inspiration for some new ink? Get your copy here or here.

Our friends at Dutch Elle magazine have just launched their bi-annual “Stijlbijbel”, which literally is our bible of style during the season. Based on the most important trends, the fashion editors of Elle pick the ultimate must-haves for this Winter. Even though you might not feel like thinking about this new season weather-wise, fantasizing about a new wardrobe is always fun.

So, what are the most important trends? First of all, shiny stuff. Gold, silver and bronze coatings on pants, sweats, jackets and… basically anything. In the Maison Scotch collection you can find a couple of very on-trend, shiny pants with gold coatings and shiny prints (available online soon). You can also add a bit of sparkle with an accessory like a collar, something you have to have this season anyway.

Another important style this season is American retro-ish rodeo, with lots of browns, suede and (printed) Western shirts. Find your favourite in our webstore, from silk to denim and from all-over prints to sequined collars – it’s all there.

According to Elle, a floppy hat, a leather biker vest and fluffy knits are also a must in your upcoming Winter wardrobe. Ready to make that wishlist yet? Click on the image to see some highlight from the Stijlbijbel, available in Dutch bookstores now.

After presenting you our favourite rock-chic Maison look, it’s time to give the gentlemen amongst us some styling advice. We picked this look, which in our opinion is the ultimate Scotch look: modern and classy, but with an edgy twist.

Let’s start with the shirt: a denim shirt has become an essential, something every man needs. Period. Can be worn both classy and edgy, so perfect for a rock’n roll inspired look. Pair with an old school velvet blazer (with a pochet of course) and spice it up with a bow tie. Now this is where the Scotch twist comes in; go for a chino – but pick an eye-popping colour instead of the obvious khaki or black. The finishing touch is provided by the beanie, giving your look a boyish and nonchalant attitude.

Visit SCOTCH ROCKS for more inspiration and get your hands on more Scotch & Soda styles in our webstore.

Sometimes you find a cafe that is just really cool, where a lot of local influencers hang out and where everything falls into place the minute you walk in. Vesper Bar is one of these finds! This bar is located in the western part of the city centre and serves the best cocktails in town. So our hotspot for upcoming weekend is pretty obvious: Bar Vesper.

Vesper has a large variety of surprising wines, beers and an extensive cocktail list, which will make you thirsty right away. After you made your pick, well trained bar tenders will make sure you will have the perfect cocktail experience. We suggest the signature Vesper Martini. Due to the intimate character of the bar, a cozy atmosphere is guaranteed.

Gearing up for a rocking weekend and want to visit Vesper Bar? It’s on the Vinkenstraat 57, Amsterdam.

After London, we decided it was time again to visit our beloved New York City for some more rocking inspiration. You must know by now that the magic not only happens on Manhattan, but also across the bridges in Williamsburg and Brooklyn, with their cool café’s, flea markets and art spaces.

Another neighbourhood we were drawn to this time was the Meatpacking District. The ultimate hotspot there right now? The Gansevoort Hotel (of Dutch origin) with its rooftop bar and a spectacular view on the City. Again, we came back with countless photos, all a big source of inspiration for our SCOTCH ROCKS theme.

Click on the image to see a selection of our photos!

Tomorrow it is Amsterdam’s turn to host Vogue Fashion’s Night Out. A night that allows us to celebrate fashion without limits! And it promises to be a true hipster galore on the vibrant streets of Amsterdam. In a good way.

Don’t know what to wear? Here is one of our favourite looks of the moment.  This rock n’ roll inspired look includes a sleeveless leather jacket, cool printed leggings and nonchalant accessories. The leading part goes to the ‘Sherling-look’ gilet; an edgy piece that instantly updates your look and is super duper easy to flip on when the sudden Autumn cold hits the streets. Maison Scotch is all about mixing timeless design and on-trend pieces, made with some of the finest fabrics. But most importantly: don’t take things too seriously and add a twist to your look. Let us assure you, this one will make you stand out during one of the most exciting nights in fashion!

To us, New York, Paris and London are the ultimate cities to find inspiration. Especially when it comes to that rock ‘n roll feeling that we love so much. London was one of our most recent destinations for an inspiration trip. This time it was most definitely not about tea, scones or the Olympics, but all about vintage markets, street-art and the new places to be. We took about a thousand photos, which gave us plenty of inspiration for our SCOTCH ROCKS campaign!

Click on the image for a slideshow.

If you hadn’t noticed yet; we just started our Scotch Rocks campaign, so we will give our blog some Rock n’ Roll edge this week.

When it comes to Rocking essentials, the leather biker jacket is certainly on top of every city-cool guy’s list! So, if you don’t own this must-have yet, it’s time to invest in one and we just have the perfect example: the Scotch & Soda leather rocker jacket.

This gem is made from the finest goat leather, with bright silver zippers as the perfect finishing touch. An eye-catcher that will definitely match with a pair of ripped jeans, a dark tee and of course (if you’re lucky enough) an electronic guitar. With Autumn coming up, this on-trend piece is a must for local rock stars!

Available here.

Today is an exciting day, because we finally get to launch SCOTCH ROCKS! Scotch Rocks shows you this season’s latest, as it is all about that rock ‘n roll city style.

For men, the signature Scotch & Soda look gets a rocking update by adding deep dark tones and leather. Of course we don’t want to let go of the preppy twist that we like so much, so you can definitely pair those ripped denims with a smart shirt or tee.

Maison Scotch offers a cool range of essentials for a dark and edgy look with a sophisticated touch. Think black jeans with a soft blouse and a tough leather jacket, or very on-trend leather shorts with a chambray button-up shirt.

Visit the SCOTCH ROCKS campaign page for more inspiration, videos and the must-haves and make sure you come back for more SCOTCH ROCKS blog material!

Hooray, it’s that time of the season again! The fashion week madness is about to hit it off again, with New York taking the lead tomorrow. But since the runway shows are only accessible for the lucky few, it’s more interesting to tell you about Fashion’s Night Out – the it-event during Fashion week, open for everyone. New York’s FNO means hopping from spot to spot, seeking out the best events and doing some exclusive shopping while sipping on fancy cocktails. Join editors, celebrities, models and other fashionistas and check out the event listings here.

Not in New York? Good news, FNO is also happening in a bunch of other countries. In Italy for instance, Milan will turn into a burlesque fifties festival. London also has quite a lot in store for us and luckily also a great “map your night” function on the website. Based in Amsterdam? Then we have even better news for you: since we have our own Vogue now, there will also be an official FNO in Amsterdam! It will take place on the 13^th, so you still have time to find an up-to-date outfit. Happy fashions everyone!

The brunch culture is big in cities like New York and London. In the Netherlands however, people really stick to their breakfast and lunch separately. That’s why we at Scotch & Soda, international as we are, were happy to find out about this quirky hotspot in the heart of Amsterdam: G&T Really Really Nice PLACE.

This cozy little bruncherie offers the best late breakfast and we can definitely recommend the Eggs Benedict or the Breakfast Burrito.  And good news: the food at G&T is all organic! Next to the food, the interior also gets a nod. The former “bruincafe” in the popular Jordaan area has been restyled with bright paint on the walls and old-school furnishings. The original bar is fully stocked with what appear to be antique apothecary bottles and vintage bar supplies. To top it all off, local artists display their paintings and photography on the walls, giving the small space a cool speakeasy vibe.

So, brunch starts at 11.30 – who’s joining?

We’re still in a denim state of mind, and we thought it would be nice to share some snapshots we took during the Amsterdams Blauw campaign shoot. Always nice to have a peek behind the scenes, right? Click on the image for a slidehow!

The great city of Tokyo has been a big source of inspiration for years. The crowded streets, the quirky looking fashion people, the shops, the tiny markets, the rich heritage, we love it all. That’s why we went berserk when we heard about the exhibition of the legendary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama at The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York (which is, obviously, our other favourite when it comes to inspiration).

The Whitney continues its exploration of contemporary art with this retrospective of Yayoi Kusama's expansive 60-year career. The artist, known for creating a surreal flowing world of semi-abstract works, continues her world tour followed by an exhibition at the Tate Modern in London this Spring. The museum space is completely transformed into her world, as Kusama's dense dot pattern paintings command some rooms and the lobby is taken over by the artist's atmospheric Fireflies on the Water light installation.

So if you happen to be in New York, make sure to pay a visit to this intriguing Japanese artist’s exhibition. Open until September 30th 2012.

Denim has always been dominated by ‘fifty shades of blue’. Later on, grey and black were accepted by denim heads. In the new Maison Scotch collection, we introduce a refined line of coloured denim essentials for those of you that can’t get enough of the classic skinny pants.

Since we’re celebrating denim this week, we chose the Grease Highline – Skinny – Low Crotch Denim as our Favourite of the Week.

This  skinny puppy comes fresh from our canal design house and has tapered cuffs with zippers including an extra low crotch - perfect for skinny jeans loving ladies. Combine this magnificent piece with an indigo denim shirt and you are ready to hit the city. To top it off, add a scarf with a print or a tight leather jacket for an extra touch of urban coolness. Check out our webshop for more coloured denim.

This week, we’re celebrating the first birthday of the Amsterdams Blauw denim store in Amsterdam. Ever since we opened our very own Denim Deli, Amsterdams Blauw has developed and matured a lot and the store has become a safe haven for every denim lover out there. Part of that denim loving crowd? In that case we want to thank you from the bottom of our blue hearts for your love and support, it’s much appreciated!

If you’re based in Amsterdam, we’d like to invite you to drop by, have a coffee and let us tell you everything about our new Amsterdams Blauw collection. Not in the area any time soon? No worries, you can also get your hands on the latest blue styles in our webstore.

According to cook Jason Hartley, love equals food. After organising pop-up brunches and dinners for 3 years, he decided it was time settle down. The result: Jason Hartley’s Lovefood HQ.  Located in the heart of Amsterdam, this is your go-to for real, authentic, artisan cuisine.

The Lovefood HQ is divided in two rooms; the Dining Room is meant for larger meals (endless dining, yay!) and the Lounge is for more relaxed, small bite dining and drinks. And not just normal drinks, but classic cocktails made with original recipes from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.  Jason just believes new isn’t necessarily better.

Is food your passion and are you a sucker for authentic dishes of more-than-great quality? Then you should definitely visit Jason Hartley and his Lovefood HQ at the Koggestraat 1 in Amsterdam.

This week will be all about denim, as it is the 1st anniversary of the Amsterdams Blauw denim store in Amsterdam. More about this later, let's start with a small report from a special trip our design team recently made!

The real denim lovers out there already know that a pair of jeans is more than just a product - it is a lifestyle. As you can imagine, there are a lot of stories to tell about the best invention since electricity. Our very own denim team was invited to Venice, Italy, by Isko (international leader in denim manufacturing) for a 2 day denim workshop. We're always trying to expand our knowledge, as the technical side of denim is a molto importante part of the story.

Alongside other denim heads from the industry, we learned about special fabric innovations and about the process of treating and washing a pair of jeans. To complete this denim production experience, we also got to  visit the factory where the washing machines are made and learned everything about exciting new technologies, laser prints and colouring denims. So be prepared for some cool new denim from our - blue by heart - denim team in the near future.

Here is a selection of images we shot on the trip (click on image), enjoy and celebrate 'blue' with us!

If you happen to be in London this weekend (or if you’re still there – don’t worry, we totally get your Olympics enthusiasm), you should definitely pay a visit to this cool car exhibition in East London. BMW and London's Institute of Contemporary Art teamed up for Art Drive!, taking over a grimy multi-story car park in London’s hipster Shoreditch area to showcase 16 cars painted by renowned international artists.

BMW's Art Car series was born in 1975 with a car painted by Alexander Calder. Since then, BMW has invited amazing artists such as Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein and most recently Jeff Koons to paint its cars. The designs are inspired by a variety of themes, like speed, nature, tribal heritage and classical art.

Art Drive! runs until the end of August, open noon to 9pm daily. And as BMW is picking up the parking fee, it's free to enter! Visit the website for more info.

Oh, how we love the Maison Scotch F/W12 collection. Since it’s filled with items we just have to get our hands on, it’s super duper easy to pick a favourite week after week. One of the eyecatchers – which you probably already noticed in our campaign – is this week’s lucky Favourite: the bright red silk shirt.

This soft shirt is a perfect transitional, piece with its light and breezy feel and warm colour. For that specific moment when you realise you’re fed up with your Summer wardrobe and ready for something new. This season, it’s all about romantic Paris style mixed with native American and Western influences, and this shirt ties in pretty good with all this. Tuck into your jeans, button it all the way up to be totally on trend (and to flaunt that cool necklace that comes with) and you’re good to go.

Today, one of our favourite Amsterdam festivals will hit it off: Pluk de Nacht (meaning Seize the Night, what a great name). Pluk de Nacht is a free open air film festival, showing lots of small, sometimes even unreleased films that nonetheless are very much worth to watch.

The organisation visits all the international film festivals throughout the year, so they can pick the best ones for Pluk de Nacht. From animations and romcoms to documentaries and road movies, every film will be a visual pleasure. Plus, the location is just perfect: you can find the festival on Stenen Hoofd, a big pier close to Central Station that will be transformed into a creative hotspot with not only film screenings, but also art, music, food, drinks and parties.

Pluk de Nacht takes place from August 22^nd to September 1^st , starting every night at sunset.

The Big Apple is and has been one of the biggest influences in our collections. It’s a concrete jungle where anything is possible and a melting-pot of many different nationalities. After visiting New York, It’s obvious to see why our design team always comes back with an amazing boost of inspiration.

That’s why we are very pleased with the upcoming release of a datebook by famous publisher TASCHEN. They created a 365 day-by-day series which features New York City at its best. Each day you will discover a brand new photograph and an inspiring quote, ensuring a constant source of new and unique ideas, right on your desk. The book also includes the birthdays of iconic New Yorkers and, at the end of the year you can turn back to the beginning and start all over again! It’s the perfect accessory for those who are getting tired of the smartphone-agenda.

The book will be available at your local TASCHEN store and resellers soon.

The innovators behind the Paris night spots Social Club and Silencio(linken) have brought magic outdoors. Located along the Seine in the previously not-so-popular 13th Arrondissement and right under the Institut Français de la Mode, Wanderlust features a terrace and an energetic dance space. Perfect for recreational activities like drinking fancy cocktails and watching fashionable people watching from behind dark and oversized sunglasses.

Just wander your way over to the up and coming 13th Arrondissement and check out all that this must-visit hotspot has to offer. Next to being a club, on weekends in the afternoon, Wanderlust is also a place where you can follow all kinds of workshops – even yoga classes. It’s open every Wednesday to Sunday until October. And make sure you don’t miss the spectacular view of the Seine!

Wanderlust
32, quai d’Austerlitz, in the 13th Arrondissement.
Paris

A denim shirt is an essential in every guy’s closet. Whether you combine it with leather, camo or even other denim, it fits every occasion. That’s why today, our Favourite of the Week is the Naval shirt.

Naturally we want to make our mark on the streets, now even better possible with a dapper denim shirt. This Naval shirt is gently laundered to give it a worn look. The small anchor embroidery reminds of the good old days at sea. Layer this piece under a darkly coloured sweater with a classic blazer and ripped denim for an effortless cool vibe.

Of course our Favourite is available in our webstore.

As you all may know, our little country has its very own Vogue magazine. It launched a couple of months ago and today it was time for their first ever September issue to be presented. We were invited to witness the event called Romantic Revolution.

Times of ‘dressing down’ are over; it’s time for a fashion revolution and according to Vogue we can go all out and dress to impress again! Thirty-eight models entered the famous Dam Square and strutted towards the royal palace, all dressed in beautiful creations by Dutch designers.  Together they unveiled the windows of department store ‘de Bijenkorf’, which were all about Vogue’s first September issue – including Dutch supermodel Imre Stiekema on the cover. Go check those windows out and get your very own Vogue NL, also available from tomorrow at other local magazine shops in the Netherlands.

We’re happy to share our latest discovery with you: Postagram, an App that combines best of both worlds. You must have noticed by now we’re on Instagram (if not, click here), and we hope you like it as much as we do. Postagram takes it to the next level by making a real postcard from your instagram picture. This way, you get to share your best pictures with people excluded from the wonderful world of Instagram. And even with your grandparents if you’d like. We have to admit we do miss the time when we received real postcards on our doormat and we bet we’re not the only ones!

So, how does it work? Easy: download the app, upload an image, write a personal message and add the address where you want the postcard to be sent to. Make sure you have a look on the website for more info and a cute video that explains it all even better. We’re hooked!

As mentioned before, our Fall/Winter denim collection is inspired by our beloved New York City. It’s a place with extreme seasons and when autumn sets in, the colour of falling leafs make Chelsea feel like a small country village and Winter in the Lower East makes you layer up in denim like it was meant to be in the old days. To us, New York feels just like home.

This season, we named our jeans after some spots in NY that inspire us the most. Stumptown Coffee for example: those baristas look so good in their Brewer-type dark rib cords, we just had to name our Stump fit after it. And then there’s the Freemans Sporting Club, where real men can get there bare necessities such as shaving cream and carving knifes. The result? Our worker-based Freeman chino. Another classic hotspot is Café Gitane (amazing breakfast!) where our waiter is a true denim gent in slim fitted jeans and an ever-cool basic white tee. This is how we were inspired to create the new Gitane fit (available soon) for our exclusive LOT 22 line.

Join our trip full of inspiration! Have a look at the Scotch & Soda Amsterdams Blauw collection here and get your hands on your new favourites here.

Since the Olympic Games are still going on, a lot of city hoppers are in London right this instant – discovering the city. Between the bar hopping, swimming, athletics, clubs and restaurants, you might want to consider doing something that involves, say, a museum.

A real must-see in London right now is the exhibition by living legend Damien Hirst at Tate Modern. This is the first exclusive survey of his work in a British institution and brings together his key works from over twenty years. Hirst’s aim is to leave people in awe after showcasing his contemporary and boundary-pushing work. The exhibition includes iconic sculptures from his Natural History series, including The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991, in which he suspended a shark in formaldehyde. We say, this is something you don’t want to miss!

You can visit the exhibition until September 9^th. For more information visit the Tate Modern Website.

Now this is something Amsterdam has been looking forward to: the Parade. A theatre festival, that offers much more than just theatre: a great crowd, tasty food, fresh (and notorious) sangria, music, and everything else one could wish for on a festival.

After visiting 3 other cities the Martin Luther King park in Amsterdam is the Parade’s last destination, where they will settle from tomorrow until the 26^th of August. With their colourful circus-like tents, hang-outs and restaurants, it almost feels as if you’re entering a gypsy camp. You can choose from 60 different shows, and in between there will be pop-up performances and plenty of other entertainment. And did we mention the food and the sangria?

We bet it is going to be a fun weekend! Visit www.deparade.nl for more info. See you there?

Our Scotch Shrunk collection consists of many eye-popping coloured pieces that are just perfect for those sturdy little guys that want to stand out and make a statement with their Shrunk look. Today, we picked this red crew neck sweater from Scotch Shrunk as the new Favourite of the Week. And yes, it’s from our new collection!

This signature Shrunk sweater has a cool Amsterdam print and a special bleach spray was applied to create that had-it-forever look that we love so much. The herringbone elbow patches roughen this one even more, so no one will mess around with your little fella. Match with a pair of comfy denims and spice it up with a savvy gentleman’s hat – Shrunk style to the max!

If you’re as much into film as we are, this is something you don’t want to miss: the World Cinema festival in Amsterdam, taking place from tomorrow until the 19^th of August.  During this festival, the best and most recent films from Latin-America, Asia and Africa will be showcased on different locations in the city.

Like previous editions, one particular country will play an important roll. This year the festival presents Brazilian Stories, showing a selection of Brazil’s current masterpieces. Over the past few years, a lot of Brazilian filmmakers have shown us how diverse and innovative they can be over there, so this is definitely something to look forward to.

Since we’re in the middle of Summer, there will also be a lot of open air screenings. We can assure you it’s quite the experience to watch a film in the Vondelpark! Check out the website for more info about the festival.

Also recovering from an amazing weekend? Here is a cool story that will help you get through the day. As it is Blue Monday today, here’s some background info on one of our favourite jeans from the Amsterdams Blauw Fall / Winter 2012 collection: the Stump, Hell’s Kitchen.

This rough looking ripped denim is all about the notorious Hell’s Kitchen area in New York, where Irish and Puerto Ricans used to fight over who was the boss in the neighbourhood and secretly fell in love with each other’s girls. This denim is the perfect piece for the guys that rock a rough city look! Obviously we didn’t forget about the boyfriend-jeans-loving ladies, so we also offer the ever-cool Naoyo denim in the same Hell’s Kitchen wash.

Every now and then, Amsterdam is in need of an edgy restaurant with a great vibe and an even greater menu. We’ve discovered this tiny restaurant, hidden on one of the canals in the heart of Amsterdam. From the beautiful wooden floor to the custom-designed bar, restaurant "Everything on a Stick" (EOAS) is more than what you will expect on first sight.

For a fixed price per person you can have an all-you-can-eat menu that offers an international mix of dishes, which will make your culinary dreams explode. You probably already figured that everything is served on a stick, from modern western to authentic eastern dishes.

The interior is extraordinary with an eclectic design, featuring an open and contemporary concept for an out-of-the-box dining experience. You can find Everything on a Stick at Prinsengracht 478 in Amsterdam, visit the website for more info.

On rainy summer days like these, you are probably wondering whether you can get away with just a sweater or a tee. Well, we have the answer! This weeks Favourite of the Week is the Fringed Scarf, it fits under coats and over jackets and fills in the gaps on those in-between days.

The star studded fringed scarf is a perfect addition to your accessories-collection and a must-have indulgence that will soften urban looks with bohemian elegance. Mix your off-duty look by draping the Fringed Scarf over a loose tee and skinny jeans for a casual city vibe.

PS. We still have a lot of other Summer must-haves on sale in our webstore, get your hands on them while you still can!

While all the kids are enjoying their summer holiday and showing off their tees, shorts and sunglasses, we have selected our favourite Scotch Shrunk and Scotch R’Belle pieces for a fresh new semester at school. These new cute-meets-cool styles will make savvy little guys and girls rock the school’s playground like no one else! This season, it’s all about mixing colourful, rock ‘n roll inspired outfits with the right accessories. Think ever-cool college jackets, tough jeans and checkered shirt-dresses!

Visit your nearest Scotch & Soda store or go to our webstore and check out these exciting collections of Scotch Shrunk and Scotch R’Belle.

We can easily say that Woody Allen is a living legend. Known for acclaimed movies like ‘Vicky Christina Barcelona’, ‘Matchpoint’,’ Annie Hall’ and ‘Midnight in Paris’- which is the director’s biggest movie-hit in 25 years. Now, after all the movies Woody Allen has made, there is finally a movie about him. The documentary looks at his career from his early days as a joke writer for stand-up comedy, right up to the biggest commercial success of his film career.

The movie is not only about Allen’s work, it also showcases some footage about his personal life. It's basically a pure celebration of his movies and it does well to show the sheer volume of quality he has produced over the years. It's a perfect movie for all the Woody Allen fans out there! If you’re not a fan yet, it’s great way to get to know him. At the cinema’s now!

After releasing 2 successful interior books, Amsterdam based publisher Frame introduced ‘Night Fever 3’. This book is a 600-page resource on the latest in hospitality design.  An architect and design lovers dream, each page is filled with stunning architecture and creative designs that have resulted in some of the world's most amazing dining and hotel experiences.

The book is divided into three sections - EAT which covers a range of restaurants; DRINK which includes bars and clubs; and SLEEP that showcases hotels.  A total of 129 recent and extraordinary hospitality interiors are featured from all over the globe, including projects in the Netherlands, the United States, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia. A perfect addition to your ever growing book closet.

For more information about Frame, visit their website.

Are you guys ready for the Olympics in London? We are! Tonight the official opening ceremony takes place and will show the best of the Host Nation. While the Olympic area in London is packed with a huge amount of people, other parts are still very reachable. We’ve selected some of our favourite hotspots, for all you Olympic visitors in London.

Café 1001
A friendly café where the eclectic Brick Lane crowd hangs out.

Spitalfields Markets
One of the finest attractions in East London, which offers a fusion of Victorian splendor and contemporary architecture.

Lardo
A stylish new pizza and charcuterie restaurant. Don’t miss the melt-in-your-mouth burrata starters.

The Mayor Of Scaredy Cat Town
London’s latest speakeasy bar, hidden in the basement of the popular Breakfast Club on Artillery Lane.

Whisper Gallery
A contemporary art gallery in bustling Soho, showing both emerging and established artists.

Boxpark
A new pop-up mall created out of 60 shipping containers, located in East London's Shoreditch.

When you think of major cities, you don’t immediately think of farms. But guess what? A lot of them have small city farms, where urban dwellers try to live simply and sustainably. Next to cities like New York, London, Stockholm and Paris, Amsterdam also has a green hangout spot hidden in the heart of the centre.

If you fancy getting your hands dirty and growing your own food, you have to visit ‘Stadsboeren’ farm. Don’t have green fingers? No worries! The farm is also a place to hang out and enjoy the Summer weather and the industrial surroundings. This project is only temporary and no one knows exactly  when it ends, so make sure not to miss out.

You can find out more about urban city farming and the location in Amsterdam here.

It’s commonly known that the weather in the Netherlands isn’t very tropical. After weeks of rain and grey clouds, we can finally show off our fresh Summer outfits again. Today we picked this printed chino short as the new Favourite of the Week. We bet you want to sport that new Summer outfit to the max, so we’ve added some extra sizes to our online stock.

Build your Summer wardrobe with timeless basics like this printed chino short. You can perfectly balance the neutral print with toned down colours, so add some beige, soft pink or orange to master the preppy look. To finish it off, you can add a pair of white sneakers or classic loafers. Walking downtown with these kickin’ shorts will make heads turn guys! Check out our webstore for more summer essentials.

As we all know social media took over the internet by storm and pretty much everyone is sharing their whereabouts all the time. If you missed out on the introduction of Instagram, you probably have been living under a rock. We are very excited to introduce to you our official Scotch & Soda Instagram, where we will share some exclusive insider’s info with you on a daily base. Sharing is caring, right? You will get backstage images, teasers from new collections, our favourite hotspots, the ultimate must-haves, outfits and loads more. So make sure to follow us and experience the full Scotch lifestyle. Have an #instagood day!

Let’s talk denim today. A big part of the new Amsterdams Blauw collection is already in stores and online, with not just jeans, but also cool jackets and printed tees. This season, a lot of inspiration came from our second favourite city: New York. Especially its mornings, filled with crisp cold air that is hinted with the smell of hot coffee and freshly baked bagels – and somehow making you want to look at your best.

This eventually resulted in our latest Amsterdams Blauw collection, including new fits for men, like the loose tapered Stump and the slim tapered Freeman, as well as the high-waist Grease Highline and the slim tapered Ace in beautiful coloured washes for women.

We’ll tell you all about our exciting styles and fits later, for now we want to invite you to have a look at the videos we shot, so you can prepare for the new season, get inspired and pick your new favourites! Click on the image to watch the Scotch & Soda Amsterdams Blauw video.

Click on the image to watch the Maison Scotch Amsterdams Blauw video.

Our friends at photography museum Foam introduce a new exhibition in their concept store, called ‘Design &Foam’. Every three months, &Foam engages in unexpected collaborations on the interface between photography and other artistic mediums such as fashion, music, design and film. This year, &Foam kicked off with Fashion &Foam, followed by Music &Foam and, from today, Design &Foam.

Design &Foam will be a perfect inspiration source for all creative’s amongst us,  exhibiting cool design pieces and offering a couple of interesting lectures by the Dutch Institute for Fashion and Design. And since it’s a concept store, you can also feast on books, magazines, posters and other design gadgets in the special shopping section. Hurray!

The Design &Foam exhibition will run until the 21^st of October, visit Foam’s website for more info.

The wonderful World Wide Web is full of places that provide us with inspiration. We all have our favourites that make us come back over and over again, being our daily source of food for thought. Wherecoolthingshappen.com is one of those websites; posting stunning images from all over the world -preferably of places where cool stuff happens- on a daily base. Trust us, this will inspire you (read: make sure you’ll never quit travelling the world).

During today’s visit, we were drawn to one post in particular, probably because of the ongoing grey Summer in the Netherlands: ‘The 50 coolest pools around the world’. From pools with a view on metropolises like Shanghai and Singapore to dreamy infinity pools on tropical beaches in Thailand. Also quite impressing: the largest pool of the world, to be found in Chile. Doesn’t this just make you want to jump on a plane and go on a lazy-by-the-pool-holiday?

Military inspired items keep coming back every season, as they fit a cool rock ‘n roll style we’ll probably never get tired of. Today, we picked this military shirt from Maison Scotch as the new Favourite of the Week. And yes people, it’s on sale now.

This soft shirt, with a bit of a boxy fit, is a typical Maison Scotch take on the military style: low-key and effortless cool, but with pretty embroideries on the shoulders for a feminine and sophisticated touch. Wear it with a pair of comfy denim shorts during daytime, and spice it up with a cute (sparkling!) skirt for fancy evenings.

PS. We still have a lot of other Summer must-haves on sale in our webstore, get your hands on them while you still can!

We only recently discovered this new hotspot in Amsterdam, yet it has already been around for a while now: Rainarai. Located at the Westergasfabriek area, this place will take you to a place far away from the city with its beautiful ethnic interior and nomadic kitchen.

Rainarai’s chef cooks on the basis of 7 principles; tradition, nature, music, adventure, fun, warmth and belief. This results in tasty Algerian dishes, like couscous stews and lamb tajines – all accompanied by the characteristic fragrant African spices. Hungry yet?

The interior isn’t too bad either, with cosy sitting areas full of pillows and candles and a big terrace outside that is just perfect for a sunny lunch. You can find Rainarai at Polonceaukade 40 in Amsterdam, visit the website for more info.

The French are good at making films, that’s for sure. Honestly, how many times did you watch masterpiece Les Intouchables? But that’s not what we want to talk about today. This weekend, we went to see La Délicatesse, one of the latest releases of le French cinema. It’s still a bit hard for us to see Audrey Tatou not playing Amélie, but we’ll get there.

In La Délicatesse she plays a middle aged woman who tries to get back on her feet after her husband passed away. Sounds heavy, but it’s actually very amusing to see how she does that – eventually falling for her unattractive colleague who is the complete opposite of her husband. This is what we call a feel-good film! In theatres now.

Click on the image to watch the trailer.

Forget about your boring daily shaving routine; from now on it can be a complete experience. Shaving salon Barber has just opened its doors in the heart of Amsterdam, where special attention and craftsmanship are key. A place where you can escape from the hectic city-life, spoil yourself and leave all fresh ‘n clean.

While sipping from your coffee, beer or scotch (need we say more), you can choose from six different treatments, from a quick trim – called ‘The Dude’-  to ‘The Hemingway’: a 60 minute full face and shave fix including a mask, scrubbing, hot towels and what not. Not to mention the beautiful interior of the salon, where you can also drop by to get yourself some (manly) beauty products.

You can find Barber on the Binnen Oranjestraat 24 in Amsterdam, visit the website for more info. Fun fact: they will also pop up on several festivals this season, just to make sure you’ll party with a nicely trimmed face. Like!

This week’s Favourite of the Week is a no-brainer; we’re in the middle of Summer (even though the Amsterdam weather isn’t exactly cooperating) so it’s all about bright, eye popping, colourful outfits. May we present to you one of our all time favourites, the sun-faded fluor tee!

We’ve already been sporting this fella for a while now, and we found out we just can’t not wear it. It’s a basic tee, but the faded bright colour makes gives it an exciting touch and makes your outfit extra Summery. And since we bleached it for you, it already looks like you’ve been taking it to the beach the entire season. If it wasn’t your favourite yet, it will be for the rest of the Summer.

It’s that time of the season again; fashion week is in town! For a couple of days, Amsterdam will be all about fashion, with shows, events, parties and what not. The runway shows are only accessible for the lucky few from the industry, but just like previous editions there well be an ‘off-schedule’ programme as well, called Fashion Week Downtown.

Fashion Week Downtown offers exhibitions, shows, launches and parties – open for every single fashionista out there. Most of the events are organised together with local designers, galleries, hotels, and other hotspots – so expect a great fashion-entertainment-blend. Make sure you finish your most fashionable outfit off with a matching wallet, because there will also be a lot of special sales.

Click here for the time schedule and to download the (very useful!) app to be 24/7 up-to-fashion.

Sultry Summer nights in the city call for fun outdoor activities. Watching a film might not be the first thing that pops up in your mind, but wouldn’t it be perfect to watch one in, let’s say, a park?  During the Summer months, you can watch a wide range of films on nice outdoor locations in New York, such as the Coney Island Boardwalk and the Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan.

The screenings vary from classics like Woody Allen’s Manhattan and The Big Lebowski to the Exit Through the Gift Shop documentary and Oscar-nominated animation Kung Fu Panda. In Brooklyn you can also be part of the “bike-in movies”, where you can simply enter the event with your bicycle. Cool!

Click here to read more about the locations and the films, grab your bike and bring your own popcorn!

Last week, the Bread & Butter fashion fair took place in Berlin. During this fair, lots of brands show their new collections and people from the industry get to catch up with each other. After this big event we decided to spend the rest of the weekend checking out Berlin’s latest food hotspots. Grab your pen and write down:

For a good start of the day we recommend breakfast at Café Fleury (Weinsbergweg 20) in Berlin’s Mitte area. Looking for a no-nonsense cup of coffee and classic croissants? The cute Bonanza Coffee Roasters (Oderbergerstrasse 35) is your go-to. The carrot cake at The Barn (Auguststrasse 58) is extremely tasty, and they have lots of other sweets to choose from as well so prepare for a sugar rush! At Pappa e Ciccia (Schwedterstrasse 18) you can feast over delicious eco-Italian dishes – the pasta with truffle is to die for! More in the mood for Asian food? Then you just have to visit Si An (Rykestrasse 36), where they serve amazing Vietnamese dishes. On the it-street of Berlin - the Torstrasse - you can find Dudu (no. 134), where they serve hip dishes in a hip interior.
Click on the image to see some of the snapshots we took.

We love you Berlin, see you again soon!

Let’s talk beauty today; we stumbled upon this cool beauty brand the other day and we bet you’ll like it too. Australian brand Evo claims to save ordinarily humans from themselves, offering a range of no-nonsense products with descriptions on it that are just too funny.

One of our favourites is the ‘Happy campers hard-working moisturiser’; a leave-in hair cream with sun protection. Perfect for the Summer and especially recommended for “those lucky enough to be spending time at the beach in the next couple of days”. We also added the ‘Water killer dry shampoo’ (dry shampoos are ít this season) to our shopping bag, which will save us from the shackles of our water based society. Just great!

Have a look at Evo’s website for their products, styling tips and a big grin on your face.

So kids, how are you celebrating the Summer? Probably by having lots of fun by the pool, in the park or on the beach. We figured the ultimate accessory for you, apart from a bathing suit, would be a funky airbed - so we picked this cool printed one as our Favourite of the week. Not only will this Summer must-have give you the best time ever, a look that is too cool for school is also guaranteed with this colourful tropical print. So let’s go bananas and jump into the pool with this awesome airbed!

On sale now and also available in another cool Scotch Shrunk print.

So we told you about Pitch Festival the other day, but of course some of you might not be into electronic music that much. No worries, because from tomorrow till Saturday the Amsterdam Roots Festival will also take place. This festival will provide us with fusion music from all around the world; from Portuguese fado to Cuban hiphop.

Different venues will be part of Amsterdam Roots, including Paradiso and the Melkweg. On Saurday, you can enjoy the outdoor part of the festival in the Oosterpark with a variety of bands, dj’s and dance workshops. Now all we need is some tropical weather! Visit the website for more info.

Oh how we love new stuff: a new collection ánd a new website, we couldn’t be more excited! We would like to give you a warm welcome to the Fall/Winter 2012 season. We know, we’re still in the middle of Summer – but it’s essential to know what’s coming up, right? Also, the new collections will already hit the stores in the coming weeks!

We invite you to have a look at the collection pages and our video channel to get an impression of this exciting new season full of cool prints, warm colours and soft fabrics. Ready to get your hands on the items? Then just keep an eye on our webstore, as all these new must-haves will come in very soon.

We’d love to hear your thoughts, so visit us on Facebook and let us know if you like our new look.

The festival season has officially started, and this weekend there’s one you definitely don’t want to miss: Pitch. It will take place on Friday the 6^th and Saturday the 7^th July at the Westergasfabriek area in Amsterdam, where a couple of different venues will be taken over by the festival.

So what can you expect? In our opinion, the perfect blend of music genres; from house, dubstep and other beats to pop, disco and UK funk. Bands, producers and DJ’s from all over the world will show you their skills for 2 full days, so we suggest you make your personal timetable in advance. Some of our favourites: British act SBTRKT, musical genius James Blake, upcoming talent Jessie Ware, the crazy Die Antwoord and some late night dancing with Gold Panda and DJ Gomes. We can’t wait!

Visit www.pitchfestival.nl for more info and tickets.

Click on the image to watch the video.

It won’t be long until we launch the new Amsterdams Blauw collections, both Scotch & Soda and Maison Scotch. As always, these collections will be accompanied by ridiculously good-looking images and videos. Curious yet? Click on the images to watch the exclusive Amsterdams Blauw teaser videos!

Shorts, looks like we just can’t get enough of them. As the temperatures are rising, we can finally wear them on a daily base – providing us with happy Summer feelings. This week, we picked these cute star-printed shorts from Scotch R’Belle as the new Favourite of the Week.

Girls, this Summer an American-flag-inspired item is a must in your Summer wardrobe. It instantly adds that rock ‘n roll coolness to your outfit, especially if it’s an all-over print on sturdy shorts like these. Pair them up with a basic tee or go bold and your wear prints on prints (on prints on prints)!

We have lots of other cool printed shorts and skirts for girls, check them out in our webstore or visit one of our kids stores.

When visiting New York City, drinks on a rooftop is an essential on your itinerary. The ultimate place to do that is at the Wythe Hotel at the Williamsburg waterfront. We personally checked it out a couple of days ago, and it is a-mazing.

The hotel is housed in an old factory building in this booming Brooklyn neighbourhood and combines grungy industrial looks with a sophisticated feeling. The Wythe holds countless special details, like rusted ceiling tracks and historical illustrations on the walls. But the real eye-catcher is without a doubt the rooftop terrace, where you’ll find a breathtaking view of Manhattan whilst sipping on your Frozen Margarita. Click here for more info.

Our new Amsterdams Blauw collections, both Scotch & Soda and Maison Scotch, will hit the stores next month. We know Summer has barely started so it might be a bit early to start talking about Fall/Winter clothing, but trust us; you don’t want to miss this.

Click on the image to see the first exclusive Amsterdams Blauw campaign images and stay tuned for more!

It’s been a while since we last wrote about our love (read: obsession) for bicycles, so we thought you could use some new inspiration. We recently discovered this book, which we’ve crowned our personal Bike Bible: ‘The Bike Book: Lifestyle, Passion, Design’.

The Bike Book is a super stylish book – the perfect coffee table accessory -, displaying hundreds of different bikes and the technology and aesthetics behind them. From futuristic carbon race bikes to luxurious bicycles with gold and diamonds, oh my! This book profiles the bicycle as a style icon, just how we like it. We could go on about it for hours, but we suggest you get your own copy of this gorgeous bible and lust over it yourself.

Summer 2012 has landed, which means the schools are (almost) out for all students, big or small. After a year full of hard studying, difficult exams, heavy books and annoying teachers, we reckon you deserve a stylish reward.

To celebrate the Summer holiday, we have a gift for all the hard working kids at school. So if you are proud of your final grades, bring your results to your local Scotch & Soda store to pick up your treat!

* This giveaway will be available in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, from Saturday June 23rd and as long as the stock lasts. Visit www.scotch-shrunk.com or www.scotch-rbelle.com to find your nearest Scotch & Soda kids store.

Summer has officially started today, so it’s time for a really summery Favourite of the Week: espadrilles! They’ve already been on our feet for a couple of weeks now, and we’ll probably be wearing them until it gets inappropriate.

Espadrilles are the ultimate Summer shoes; they’re light, comfy and can be worn in different styles. Plus, they’re hip this season. We have them several cool sun-faded colours, so you can pick your favourite to match your beach look. Or do like us and just get all colours, but be warned guys - you’re going to want to wear them forever!

One of the great things about living in Europe is to have easy-access to foreign countries, enabling you to discover the hottest new places simply over the weekend. Brussels (Belgium) is one of those cities we like to visit every once in while to check out what our Southern neighbours are up to.

One place in particular caught our attention: grand café Flamingo, which opened its doors for the cool Brussels crowd a little while ago. With its 400m2 it is the biggest bar of the city, attracting these it-people with a classic art-nouveau interior with a modern, minimalistic twist. Another remarkable detail is the lighting; special mirrors were placed on the building across the street to reflect sunlight into Flamingo’s direction. Brilliant!

You can find this hotspot on Lakensestrat 171-177 in Brussels. While you’re there, make sure you pay a little visit to our store as well!

We stumbled upon this cool video today while browsing our beloved Vimeo and we thought it was blog-worthy. Sweatshoppe is a “new media art couple”, creating stunning streetart.
In this video, you can see their latest project, where they projected interactive videos at prominent spots in European cities like Berlin, London and Paris. Sweatshoppe used a technology that makes it look like they’re painting the videos on the wall; a mighty fine example of visual deception! No wonder they won an award during the Vimeo Awards a little while ago.

Click on the image to watch the video.

So we discovered this new hotspot over the weekend, and we just have to share it with you. We already told you about how the North side of Amsterdam is becoming more and more vibrant, so we took the ferry to see what’s hot and happening over there lately. Well, Bar & Restaurant Pllek is what’s hot and happening.

Located right next to the water (with an amazing view of Amsterdam) with a big outside area, Pllek is the perfect place to spend your sunny Sunday. The industrial look ads a free and creative vibe to the venue, allowing you to hang out there for as long as you want. Curious yet? This Wednesday the 20th, Pllek organises a Midsummernight’s Festival, with yoga, food and music. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to get to know this new hotspot!

A checkered shirt is another one of those items that should be in everyone’s wardrobe; it’s a classic. This week, we picked this updated version by Maison Scotch as our Favourite of the Week.

The beaded details on the collar (statement collars are very much this season) are what makes this shirt special, and perfect to wear at the end of a Summer day paired with your beach outfit. To make it extra beachy, parts of the shirt were bleached – giving it a vintage, surfer-ish look. We love to wear this shirt in an oversized way, just to make our look extra relaxed and casual. Because that’s what our favourite Summer style is all about: beachy, surfy and relaxed!

This weekend we won’t be sleeping a lot: on Saturday the 16^th, the annual night festival Nuit Blanche Amsterdam will take place from 7pm to 7am the next morning. Location? A selection of some of the most inspiring places in Amsterdam.

Nuit Blanche will be keeping you awake by guiding you from monumental buildings and small back rooms in the city centre to industrial halls in the creative East side of Amsterdam. All these locations will be taken over by artists, directors, photographers, musicians and other creatives. Last year was already a great success, so we are stoked about this year’s edition!  Performances, parties, exhibitions and even breakfast will be part of the festival, so 12 hours is probably still way to short to check everything out.

Since the program is pretty extensive, we suggest you have a look at the website to create your own timetable. See you at Nuit Blanche!

Packing our bags, jump on a plane, and explore new places we haven’t been before: don’t we all just get the jitters simply by thinking about it? Travelling the world is definitely one of our favourite things to do, and our latest online discovery - the Fathom travel guide – is the perfect place for some new inspiration.

Fathom is divided into a couple of sections, such as Guides, Tools and Postcards. In our opinion Postcards is the most interesting part, including interesting articles, fun stories, pictures and videos categorized around a unifying “I Travel for the…”. Whether that’s food, culture, quirk, romance or thrill is up to you.

Make sure you also check out the online shop, where you can get very practical travel products as well as cool souvenirs from different destinations.
So, where shall we go on our next trip?

Bob Marley. Both he as well as his music are legendary. Not everybody knows that his life has been quite the rollercoaster ride though. Director Kevin Macdonald has done a really good job in showing this to us in documentary ‘Marley, The definitive story’ - in theaters now.

In Marley, Macdonald documents the life of this reggae-hero in a beautiful way, mixing archival footage of concerts with interviews , which clearly reflects the tight connection between Bob Marley as a person and his musical career. Marley is an absolute must for reggae aficionados, but even if you’re not the biggest fan of rasta’s, spliff or ‘No woman no cry’ you will find this film truly fascinating. Click on the image to watch the trailer.

The pioneer of paparazzi photography is in town, or at least his pictures are. From today, FOAM Amsterdam is hosting a retrospective of Ron Galella’s work. He’s seen as one of the first and biggest paparazzo’s ever, capturing “famous people doing infamous things”.

Celebrities weren’t too happy about Galella’s activities back in the seventies; he even got hit by Marlon Brando once. But the most remarkable was his Jackie O. obsession. After following her around for quite some time he eventually received a restraining order. Nevertheless, he did make some iconic photographs of her. From today to August 23^rd you can check them out, as well as lots of other Galella masterpieces. Visit Foam’s website for more info.

Are you a Ron Galella fan? Mendo gave us a copy of his ‘No Pictures’ book to give away to one of our blog readers! Email to social@scotch-soda.com and let us know why you would like to win this book.

One can never have too many shorts. They’re easy, comfortable and they can be worn in many different styles. There are lots of cool shorts in our Scotch & Soda men’s collection this season and we picked these coloured ribcord chino shorts as our Favourite of the Week.

You know we simply love colour, so these peachy pink shorts immediately caught our eye. With a colour like this it’s easy to spice up any look and give it a positive, summery twist.  In our opinion, the fact that they’re made of ribcord makes it even more one of those must-have eyecatchers. Who doesn't like adding a bit of retro to their outfit?

Feeling more like wearing basic, denim or printed shorts? No worries, just pick your favourite here.

We presume you’re familiar with Vimeo, since it’s the ultimate online video channel. One of our favourite things to do is check out the “Videos we love”, a.k.a. the staff picks, where the Vimeo team shows you a selection of the most amazing videos.

From 6-9 June, the Vimeo Festival + Awards will take place, turning New York City into the place to be to check out the coolest videos and learn more about how to make them yourself. Oh how we wish we were in NY to experience this festival and its “beginners guidestune in at vimeo.com for some visual pleasure.

It’s time to share another one of our local hotspots with you; the Bakkerswinkel. Whenever we feel like spoiling ourselves with some fresh cake, bread or pie (or all three of them); this is our go-to. If you haven’t been here before, we recommend you to go to one of their shops in Amsterdam, Utrecht or The Hague soon!

Our favourite Bakkerswinkel establishment is located at the Westergasfabriek area, with a big terrace outside. It's no punishment at all to spend the entire Saturday here, eating the amazing home-made scones, fresh sandwiches or famous cheesecake. And if we’re in an indecisive mood, we just order a high tea arrangement (over-eating at own risk). Visit the website to lust over the menu and check out the addresses.

We’ve released our Été Blanc capsule collection almost two weeks ago, and all the attention has been overwhelming! No wonder if you ask us; Aussie beauty Jessica Hart just keeps wowing us every time she pops up on our computer screens.

Luckily for you there are still a few pieces left in our Webstore. As mentioned before, the boxy boyfriend shirt is definitely one of our favourites, but what about the beautiful vintage inspired top with lace and silk? Already an eye-catcher itself, but also a perfect match with a leather jacket for a NYC-inspired rock ‘n roll twist. Another item we’re completely hooked on is the embroidered dress; such a stunner and suitable for so many occasions.

Check out our Webstore for more white beauties!

One of the best things to do in Amsterdam in the Spring is going to the park. This Sunday, it’s National Park Day in the Netherlands, which means there will be all sorts of activities in our parks. Obviously it will be good fun at all time favourites Vondelpark and Westerpark, but why not try something different?

Across the water (only a couple of minutes by ferry from Central Station!) in Amsterdam North, the Noorderpark Festival will take place. There will be live music all day long, as well as art exhibitions and a vintage market. This will be topped off with fresh food and even fireworks at night, so it’s kind of a no-brainer whether we should go here or not.

Guys, we know denim is at its best when it’s blue but there are always exceptions to the rule. White jeans? Yes, really. Summertime calls for light and fresh items, so we picked this milky white Ralston as our new Favourite of the Week.

The Ralston is one of our classic slim fit models, available in a wide range of washes. This white wash with subtle grinding will match pretty much every colour in your wardrobe, so it’s a piece of cake to dress up. Pair with a denim shirt to create our favourite modern gentleman look or go for a cool tee. Not convinced? Then just pick another coloured Ralston, like fresh Spearmint or sweet Blossom!

From today till Sunday the 3^rd of June, all art lovers can indulge themselves at the KunstRAI art fair. And of course it’s also a good option for those who aren't such art lovers who want to do something cultural. The event takes place at the Rai, a big venue in Amsterdam.

Modern art from 70 different galleries will be displayed, from applied and fine arts to design and graphics. The fair promises to demonstrate the diversity and quality of the Dutch art scene, which in our opinion is indeed of great quality! They also offer free tours twice a day, so you can actually hear more about all those interesting pieces.

Visit the KunstRAI’s website for more info and tickets.

Are you into blogs? We are, a lot. We could easily spend the entire day browsing fashion, food, lifestyle or music blogs. One of our favourites is Freunden von Freunden (which is German for ‘friends of friends’), an online interview magazine.

It portrays people from the coolest cities around the world with creative and cultural backgrounds in their own homes or working environments. It’s always great fun to peek into other people’s homes, especially of people with a specific taste. The pretty pictures are accompanied by interviews with interesting and straightforward questions, so it’s a good read as well. Have a look yourself, but be warned: this site is addictive!

Oh how we have waited for this moment to come: after cancelling it last November, Dutch Photographer Erwin Olaf has finally released his book ‘Own’.

Olaf has done quite some impressive things over the years, and ‘Own’ does a great job in showing this. We all remember his Royal Blood series with the deceased princesses covered in blood, but the beautifully stylised Hope, Grief and Rain series are also amazing to flip through.

Tomorrow at 4pm, Erwin Olaf will be at Mendo Amsterdam to sign your personal copy. Our Amsterdams Blauw denim store is right next to it, so it will be a great Saturday afternoon at the Berenstraat this weekend!

Even though we love the entire Été Blanc collection, we do have a favourite: the boxy boyfriend shirt. A white shirt is an essential in everyone’s wardrobe. The ladies in our office often borrow it from the boyfriend, but having your own perfect shirt is also a nice option right?

This loose Été Blanc shirt by Maison Scotch is made of a very light and soft cotton fabric, which makes it ideal for a warm summer day. Wear it with a pair of jeans shorts, just like Jessica does in the picture, to create the ultimate nonchalant city-look. Click here to see the other Été Blanc essentials and pick your favourite!

Thanks to our Été Blanc campaign we’re in a New York state of mind again. We thought it would be nice to give you some tips and share what the perfect day in NYC would look like.

For some serious vintage shopping -as well as local bites and an amazing view of Manhattan- we go to the Williamsburg Flea. While we’re in Brooklyn, we stop by Mast Brothers Chocolate to get a couple of tasty (which is an understatement) choco-bars.

Ready for lunch? Low-key Momofuku in the Eastside serves the best noodles in town. Another favourite is Cafe Gitane, where you can spot some models-off-duty while enjoying a yummie avocado sandwich.

Since we also want to do something artsy, we like to go to the MOMA or the MET. The MET currently has a very cool installation of artist Tomás Saraceno on the roof: must-see alert! Another not-to-miss hotspot is our very own Scotch & Soda store on 273 La Fayette Street. Close to our store you can find Cafe Habana, the perfect place to go after a shopping spree. Famous for its Cuban-style corn, but also serving the most delicious frozen Margaritas.

Dinnertime? Pulino’s (from the same people as golden oldie Pastis) is the place to be for a real Italian meal; the pizzas are simply to die for. Another hip option: the founders of hotspots La Esquina, The Box and Miss Lily’s recently opened Super Linda on West Broadway, serving tasty Latin food.

If we still have some energy left, we pay the East Village a little visit for a karaoke session. If not, we head back to our room in the Ace Hotel, definitely our favourite stay in the city. In that very same building you can find the Stumptown Coffee Roasters, providing you with the perfect and much-needed latte in the morning.

We hope this list will be useful on your next trip to NYC, it sure makes us want to go back again!

We proudly present to you: Été Blanc! An exclusive capsule collection by Maison Scotch, consisting of white Summer essentials that will never go out of style.

Inspired by summery city trips, we created some of our most favourite pieces. White is definitely a trending colour this Summer, making every item fresh and iconic and effortlessly adding a sense of refinement to your look. Été Blanc holds a range of must-have items; from a crisp white boyfriend shirt to a delicate lace top or a pretty embroidered dress. Match with leather and denim and a rock-ish New York style is guaranteed.

Upcoming photographer Benny Horne (who also worked for magazines like Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue) shot the campaign in our beloved New York City with cool Aussie top model Jessica Hart as the face of Été Blanc. Click on the image to watch the exclusive video and go to our webstore to get your hands on one of these pieces!

This post is for all the beauty-lovers amongst us. If you like to pamper yourself with luxurious products, we know just the perfect spot for you: Skins Cosmetics, with not only a store in Amsterdam but also in Rotterdam, Breda and Groningen.

Skins is the ultimate go-to for unique and exclusive perfumes, skincare and make-up. They import stuff from the most beautiful brands from all over the world, such as Laura Mercier, Aqua di Parma and E. Coudray. We love to go here on a Saturday, glance at all these amazing fragrances and lotions and eventually spend way more than we wanted to. And if we’re really in the mood for it, we spoil ourselves with a special beauty treatment in their salon.

You can find Skins Amsterdam in the Runstraat in the 9 Streets area, click here for more info, other addresses and their webshop.

The weather is still a bit unpredictable in Amsterdam, so a practical (yet good-looking) jacket is essential. This week, we chose this stylish Maison Scotch raincoat as our Favourite of the Week.

It is the perfect throw-on-and-go jacket for the weeekend, no matter what the occasion is. Whether you’re running errands in the city, spending the day at the park or actually going on a little nautical trip. It will add a classic twist to your outfit and protect you from some accidental raindrops, while its colour matches pretty much everything. And for those of you not really into the nautical theme; check out our other Maison Scotch jackets here!

Thanks to the national ‘Hemelvaart’ holiday tomorrow, we’ll have an extra long weekend. There are quite some nice events during this holiday, one of them ‘Het Weekend van de Rollende Keukens’ (which means ‘rolling kitchens’) at the Westergasfabriek. Dozens of mobile restaurants will gather here to create one big open-air restaurant, cooking the most delicious things for you.

Expect gastronomic pizza wagons, eccentric barbeque campers and soup carts, as well as drinks and music. What’s not to like? You can easily spend the entire weekend there, all we have to do is keep our fingers crossed for the weather!

‘Het Weekend van de Rollende Keukens’ takes place Thursday 17^th – Sunday 20^th from 13-23hr.

Hooray, it’s that time of the year again! The 65^th Cannes Film Festival will start tomorrow, so prepare for new must-see’s, celebs, dresses and awards.

It looks like we’ll be having a small American take-over this year, with new masterpieces from names like David Cronenberg, Wes Anderson and Jeff Nichols and the group of actors that will come with. As for the dresses, the best-dressed title will probably go to Reese Witherspoon, Marion Cotillard or Kirsten Dunst, while we also have high hopes for frenchie Juliette Binoche.

A film we’re looking forward to in particular is Wes Anderson’s ‘Moonrise Kingdom’, opening the festival. The film, starring Bruce Willis and Bill Murray, portrays two young lovers in the sixties who decide to run away. But they already had us at Bill Murray.

Keep an eye on the website for updates and pictures!

We know it’s only Monday, but aren’t we all secretly already thinking about the weekend? This Saturday, the Reflex Gallery in Amsterdam is hosting an exciting event: the opening of the solo-exhibition 'Journey for Something' of renowned Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama, where old and new work will be showed prior to a big exhibition he’ll be part of later this year in the Tate Modern in London. Mister Moriyama himself will also make an appearance and sign his new monograph.

Moriyama’s characteristic black and white pictures are known to show his love for Shinjuku, a busy Tokyo neighbourhood where businessmen, tourists, prostitutes and hipsters wander the streets. The images show a mix of rawness and power, trying to have a certain impact on your gut feeling. We can’t wait to experience this.

The opening event is this Saturday the 19^th and we’re giving away 5 invitations! Send an email to social@scotch-soda.com and let us know why you would like to attend.
The exhibition will run until the 28^th of July, click here for more info.


[Image Daido Moriyama, courtesy Reflex Amsterdam]

From this Monday the 14^th, it will be all about the music in Amsterdam. During the 10-day festival Indiestad, over 70 bands will perform on several locations in the city, such as Paradiso, De Balie and the Amstel Church. Some of them are already quite famous, others not yet. Amsterdam is seen as a great starting point for bands that want to make it in Europe, so prepare for a lot of new talent.

An important part of the festival is the Spring edition of mini-festival London Calling in Paradiso. Twice a year the coolest indie bands come to London Calling and play their latest tunes in our “Temple of Pop”, which is the ultimate place for a festival like this.

On www.indiestad.nl you can find all the info you need about the festival, tickets and locations. See you there?

Speaking of Summertime, we’re back with the Favourite of the Week with this pair of eye-popping neon coloured swimshorts! It comes in a wide range of colours, so you can pick your favourite. We strongly advise you to go for a bright one, neon is só this season. Because they’re not too short, you can also wear them on a warm day in the city or during sultry summer evenings on the terrace. Choose a basic tee to pair it up with, preferably in a matching bright colour (although one can never go wrong with a plain white tee).

The rest of our swimwear collection is now online available too, check it out here and make your Summer wardrobe beach-proof

One of our favourite museums is definitely the MOMA in New York, always hosting a great variety of interesting exhibitions. Today, we would like to point out something other than an exhibition; the “I went to MOMA and…” project.

The idea is really simple: after you’ve visited the MOMA, you can complete the sentence “I went to MOMA and…” on a piece of paper, which is directly shared on an interactive wall in the museum and on the website. This way, the museum creates awareness about what a museum can do for someone and how every person experiences it in a different way. We’d love to hop on a plane to participate, but just going through all the entries online is already so much fun! Initiatives like these are exactly what makes MOMA more than just another museum, check out their website for more info.

Summer can’t seem to find its way to Amsterdam, with too much grey skies and rain for this time of the year – even for Dutch standards. On grey days like today, we love to daydream about our next holiday destination. While we were browsing the web for inspiration, we stumbled upon this app that shows us the most beautiful places in the world: TRVL.

TRVL is (free!) travel magazine for the iPad that offers a blend of stunning photography and interesting stories about places all around the world. Whether you want to know more about Bali, Iceland, Kenya or San Francisco, TRVL’s got it covered. They now have 53 magazines available, and trust us: you’ll have a giant travel-wishlist after checking them out.

Guys, Summertime is officially around the corner so it’s time to add the perfect pair of beach-proof swimshorts to your Summer wardrobe! We now have a wide range of swimshorts online, consisting a variety of comfy fits, exciting colours and summery prints. Find you favourite style to match your sun-filled holidays and pair them with a classic polo shirt or one of our comfy vintage tees.

We also have an exciting swimshort collection for the little fellas. From short bleached shorts in tropical colours to printed cargo’s, you will definitely find him a cool pair of swimshorts for a beach day full of fun!

Ready to get in the mood? Click on the image to watch the video we shot in the beautiful Cannes.

Remember Madri from ‘A City Full Of Colour’? You can find her at one of our favourite stores in Amsterdam; the Lomography Gallery Store at the corner of the Wolvenstraat in the 9 Streets area. It is the place to be for the most eye-popping analogue cameras and accessories and also your must-go for inspiration and meeting fellow lomo addicts. Make sure you check out their event calendar as well; all activities sound like a lot of fun.

While we were there during our photoshoot, we just couldn’t stop drooling over all the camera’s. We noticed some colourful new models that would match our summer outfits perfectly. One model in particular happened to catch our eye: the Fisheye 2 Faded Denim from the brand new Monochrome Editions. This doesn’t need a further explanation right?

We have exciting news for you: you can win the Fisheye 2 Faded Denim! Send an email to social@scotch-soda.com and let us know where you’ll be taking you Faded Denim camera this Summer.

Shooting 'A City Full Of Colour' was an amazing experience for us. Not just because we got to shoot in our very own city, but also because these people were all so nice and inspiring. Click on the image and have a peek behind the scenes!

If you’re travelling to Amsterdam soon and looking for a fancy place to stay; this is the new hotspot in town. The Conservatorium Hotel, located in the museum district of Amsterdam, is a high-end luxury lifestyle concept with beautiful rooms and fantastic bar and restaurant areas (accessible for everyone).

The hotel is located in the building of Amsterdam’s former Sweelinck music conservatory, originally built in the 19^th century and designed by renowned Dutch architect Daniel Knuttel as a bank. Back then, Knuttel was praised for the mix of simplicity and functionality he created and the hotel as it is now still holds these key elements.

A room in the Conservatorium Hotel is definitely not cheap but hey, you only live once. And why not go there to just peek around and have a cocktail? Visit the website for more info.

This is something you don’t want to miss: in the Old Church in Amsterdam you can now visit the World Press Photo exhibition. The winning images from the world’s most prestigious annual photography contests begin their world tour on this amazing location in the heart of the city.

Some of the images will be heavy, showing horrible things that unfortunately still happen in the world, but most of them will be stunning – showing the beauty of nature, sports, art and science.
The exhibition will run until the 17^th of June, make sure you go there! Visit www.worldpressphoto.org for more info.

Even though things can’t be blue enough for us, we’re very happy our city (and the rest of the Netherlands) will turn orange this weekend! Queensday will take place on Monday, which means the entire weekend will be filled with fun parties and other activities. And with honouring our Queen, of course.

Amsterdam will be one big melting pot of events, from flea markets to festivals. Our friends at Iamsterdam.com made the perfect overview of everything that’s happening, so check it out.

We’ll start hunting for vintage treasures early in the morning, which is a common thing to do on Queensday. Since there will be street sales all over town, we predict it will get very busy. Snooze and you loose! After that, we’ll stroll through the city to find the best party in town. There are countless options, so it’s easy to do a party-marathon. Our plans so far:

• Watch the lucky people that arranged a boat to cruise the canals
• Catch up with the gays in the Reguliersdwarsstraat
• Take a special Scotch & Soda Queensday picture in front of our Heiligweg store
• Do a little dance on the Amstelveld
• Have drinks with friends in the always vibrant Jordaan area
• Head to Hanneke’s Boom to party until the sun goes down

Enjoy Queensday everybody, cheers!

We can’t believe we’ve already launched the last interviews today! ‘A city full of colour’ has been extremely exciting for us and we hope you’re enjoying it just as much as we do.

One of the last persons we’d like to tell you more about, is Orpheo. Together with a group of AMFI (Amsterdam Fashion Institute) students he runs the By AMFI statement store, creating concepts and products that reflect on the zeitgeist at school and in society, working closely with Amsterdam’s creative industry. Every four months they “recreate” the concept, in order to stay dynamic and innovative. According to Orpheo it’s very inspiring to work with these passionate students, who make this store an outstanding initiative that colours the city. They will present a new concept next week, so keep them on your radar!  Find Orpheo and the By AMFI store right around the corner of our Heiligeweg store, on the Spui square.

We’d like you to meet Arend and Kelly today – who are also part of our project.

Kelly is the Fashion Host of our beautiful store in the Huidenstraat. We like to call this store the ‘Scotch Gallery’, because it looks like much more than a store. We pick the most beautiful items to present there, using custom-made and furniture with characteristic vintage elements. Kelly and her team of Stylists will put all their effort into helping you find something that fits your personal style, so don’t hesitate to come in if you’re in the neighbourhood!

‘Guy-next-door’ Arend works at one of our favourite places in Amsterdam, Bar Moustache. Read more about this lovely café in the Utrechtsestraat here, but more important: make sure you go there soon to have a cosy cup of coffee or a tasty lunch!

Boy oh boy, do we have some nice new people to show you this Friday.  Our ‘A city full of colour’ project has been live for a couple of days now and the responses we got are truly overwhelming, thanks to all of you!

Ana, Oliver, Gunifort and Koen are today’s faces. Ana and Oliver both work at the Scotch & Soda headquarters in Amsterdam: Ana is a designer for our kid’s collections, while Oliver is responsible for the production of the Maison Scotch Collection. We can imagine you want to dress just like them; check out the special section in our webstore for these coloured favourites!

Koen is the Fashion Host of our Amsterdams Blauw store. Together with his team of Stylists, he provides every customer with a unique denim experience. Right next door, you can find creative bookstore Mendo. This is where our fourth face, Gunifort, works – selling the most beautiful books while dressed in neatly styled outfits.

We’ll be back on Monday with two new faces!

Meet Philip, Miguel and Maarten, the owners of Bar Boca’s in Amsterdam. At this bar, the Dutch “borrelen” (having drinks & bites and catch up) is what it’s all about. Ever since these guys opened Boca’s, the place has been packed. In a good way, because the atmosphere is always vibrant and friendly.

So, what about the most important part – the food? If you like to eat a lot of different things, this is the place to be. Based on the Spanish principle of the Bocadillos, you can order a variety of  tasty bites. From small burgers and soups to mini-lasagna; you can easily compose your own menu. No matter what you choose, we guarantee it will be delicious.  

Boca’s is located on the Westerstraat, in our beloved Jordaan area. We strongly advise you to give these guys a call to make sure you have a table!

We’ve launched 4 new faces and their interviews today on our special ‘Amsterdam – A city full of colour’ page. One of them is Jan, who owns a little supermarket on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam.

Even though it is a tiny store, Jan and his supermarket are quite famous in his neighbourhood. Overtime, Jan has clearly bonded with his customers: everyone (apart from some occasional tourists) knows him by his first name and is interested in how he’s doing. The real regulars can buy on credit, which is Jan’s way of showing his appreciation to these loyal customers. If you’re ever in the neighbourhood, this is your go-to for small groceries, a nice chat and a friendly smile.

We proudly present to you: Amsterdam – A city full of colour! It is a new and exciting interview project, showing you our beloved city of Amsterdam and its colourful people. You can discover new people and their looks every day, so keep us on your radar!

Today, we’d like to tell you more about hair stylist Tommy. The first thing you notice about him is his messy hair; not exactly what you would expect from a person with this particular profession. But anyone who’s been in his chair knows he doesn’t really care about other people’s expectations. Waving at everyone passing by his salon and creating hair styles that fit each client’s personality prove he’s an energetic guy, driven by his open personality and creativity.

Together with Jelmer from Amsterdams Blauw, Tommy will kick off our project. Click to see their looks and interviews!

We're about to launch a very exciting new project! It's still a bit of a secret, but we can tell you it involves inspiring people from Amsterdam. Did we get your attention yet? Then come back tomorrow to see more!

We have some happy news for you on this Friday the 13^th: it is Dutch Museum Weekend and this means you can visit almost every museum for 1 euro! Over 500 museums nationwide will open their doors and organise additional events and activities. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to do something different and dive into our country’s rich cultural heritage.

Our picks? The brand new Eye Film Museum and the beautiful Maritime Museum, both located in the beautiful harbour area of Amsterdam. But why not grab this chance and do a big Museum marathon the whole weekend? Click here for more info.

We’re pretty sure every woman loves silk. It’s soft, it’s luxurious and it looks beautiful. Our Favourite of the Week is this washed silk top, available in three different colours.

On a warm Summer day, a comfortable outfit is just as important as a good-looking one. A loose, silk top like this is definitely comfy and breezy, and at the same time it adds a chic twist to your outfit. The embroidered details and ruffles make is one of those special pieces Maison Scotch designs for us every season. Pair with a denim short for a day at the beach or with your favourite loose pants for a sultry summer night.

Hooray for Google! Since last week, we can visit basically any museum we want without leaving our house. Of course nothing beats a real-life museum experience, but this is a great alternative when it’s raining cats and dogs outside. Or if you’re not exactly able to visit the Hong Kong Museum of Art for the weekend.

The updated Google Art Project allows you to have a look inside 150 different museums all around the world, with a total of approximately 30,000 pieces. Some of the finest museums of Amsterdam are included as well, so if you always wanted to check out our Rijksmuseum or the Royal Palace – this is your chance! You can wander around, see all the different rooms and zoom in on the masterpieces on the wall. We hereby found new hobby for rainy Sundays!

Woody Allen’s new film ‘To Rome with Love’ won’t be in theaters before Summer, yet the trailer has just been released and we’re already very excited about this one. After enjoying ‘Midnight in Paris’, Allen takes us to another amazing European city. Not only do talents like Alec Baldwin, Penelope Cruz, Roberto Benigni and Ellen page star in this film, mister Woody Allen himself has also returned to acting. After five films of directing-only, we’re very happy to welcome him back as an actor – watch the trailer (by clicking on the image) to get a sneak peek!

Tomorrow, we’re not supposed to wear shoes. We know, it is not exactly the kind of weather for bare feet yet, but this isn’t about fashion. It’s about raising awareness for the countless children all around the world that have to live without shoes due to poverty.

The day is initiated by TOMS shoes, hosting events in Tokyo, Seoul, Los Angeles, New York, London and Amsterdam. All around the world, people will take off their shoes, share their experiences and see what it is like not to wear shoes. Millions of children have to live without footwear, risking infections and other diseases. TOMS shoes is based on the concept of giving a pair of shoes to one of those children every time someone purchases a pair of TOMS.

Lovely initiative, everyone should participate! Read more about it here.

This weekend, we’re celebrating Easter. We can imagine you don’t want to be spending two days eating eggs, so have a look at our Easter-to-do-list and see if you want to join us.

• On both Sunday and Monday, the Artis Zoo in Amsterdam will host an Easter egg hunt. During this hunt, you’ll learn all about animals that lay eggs, accompanied by fun questions and drawings. Sounds like the perfect activity to entertain the little ones.

• In Amsterdam North, the IJhallen flea market will take place. From clothing to furniture; this is the place to be for some serious vintage shopping. Including real vintage prices (we love the 1 euro piles!).
  
  
  
• If you haven’t seen ‘Les Intouchables’ yet, grab your chance this weekend. It’s French, it’s funny (and touching at the same time) and it’s based on a true story. What’s not to like! Check out the trailer here if you still need to be convinced.

Happy Easter everyone!

You must have noticed by now we’re over-the-top happy about the rising temperatures in Amsterdam, as Spring is definitely our favourite season. One of the reasons we love Spring so much is because we get to wear shorts again, and this week we picked these denim chino shorts as our Favourite of the Week.

A denim chino gives you best of both worlds: the all time favourite and comfy chino model - made of ultra-cool blue denim. What more can a boy ask for on a sunny Spring day? We love to sport a preppy look, combining the shorts with a checkered shirt and a gentleman’s hat for example. Going for a day full of fun on the playground? Just pair your shorts with a colourful tee and some flipflops and you’re good to go!

And for all of you big boys out there: we also have the denim chino shorts in our Amsterdams Blauw collection for men!

Jeans: a word you probably use on a regular base – but where does it come from? Back in the 1500s, Genoa (Italy) was the most important port in Italy. The sailors that worked there wore sturdy cotton pants that were made of a strong, blue denim fabric – perfect for a day of hard work in the harbour and on the ships that came in and out. Because they were so strong, the pants from Genoa became popular trading items. The name of these popular pants? ‘Blue de Genes’. We guess we don't need to explain any further, do we?

While the historical definition implies that all jeans are made from denim, jeans as we know them today basically just refer to pants with five pockets – some of them made from denim, others from denim-like fabrics like corduroy or plain cotton. As you know, prefer the word denim over jeans, simply because we love (and use) the real deal denim fabric!

Every now and then we show you some of the pictures we take during our inspiration trips to places like New York, L.A., Tokyo and Paris. Not only do we take pictures, we also visit flea markets, local shops and the latest hotspots. Postcards, clothing, napkins, music, art, and sometimes even furniture; everything we think is inspiring comes back with us to our design office in Amsterdam.

So, what happens next? We isolate ourselves from the outside world for a couple of weeks and basically design the entire collection. Right now, we’re creating our Spring Summer 2013 collection and we couldn’t be more exciting about it. Unfortunately we can’t show you anything yet, but click on the image to see some snapshots we made in our office today.

Eye Amsterdam, formerly known as the Film Museum, will open the doors of its new location this Wednesday.  Eye has always been located in a beautiful monumental building in the Vondel Park, but they’re now moving to a cool futuristic venue in the harbor area in the North of Amsterdam.

We’re very excited to see what Eye will offer apart from great films. They’re kicking off with an opening festival from 5-11 April, with exclusive premiers, live music, a special day for kids and a film quiz (oh how we love quizzes!). So they’ve already scored their first bonus points.

The Dutch Queen herself will officially open the new building, visit Eye’s website for more info.

If you’re still searching for the perfect spot in Amsterdam to spend your sunny Saturday afternoon, look no further. We made a top 3 of our favourite hang-outs, just outside of the overcrowded city (where you’ll have to fight for a chair), which will make you feel as if you’re on a mini-holiday. Fresh drinks, tasty bites, open space, and a great vibe – they all have it, so make your pick!

• If you’ve been to the Westerpark before, you know there’s always a warm and friendly atmosphere. This also applies to Pacific Park, right next to the park. Open every day, big terrace, and a lot of sun during the day. They often have bands playing there in the weekends, which will make you stick around till late.
  
  
• Roest, in the East of Amsterdam, is a bit more arty and edgy. Located in a former industrial area, the place is very open and spacious. They also created a little beach area, sand and beach chairs included. Keep an eye on Roest for cool creative events, parties, theatre and more.
  
  
• Hannekes Boom has recently joined our city and is definitely here to stay. Just a couple of minutes from Central Station, but yet it feels like you’re far away from the city rush. It is next to the water, and accessible by foot, bike and boat. Everything is easy and comfortable at Hanneke, and the food is delicious! Make sure you enjoy the view on the city too!

We love colour and we love denim, you must know that by now. And since Spring is definitely in the air, these bright coloured denims for girls are our Favourite of the Week.

It is so easy to sweeten up your day with this season’s fresh and pretty pants! Team your pink skinnies with a basic white tee or a pair of candylicious shorts with a comfy sweater, and you’re ready for a day full of fun. For the boys, we advise these minty green denims; you’ll be too cool for school!

Without indigo, denim wouldn’t be anything like it is today so we figured it’s about time to tell you more about this lifesaver.

Indigo is a pigment, originally extracted from plants, that is used to give denims their authentic and luminous blue colour. History tells us indigo was imported from India (India-Indigo, see the connection here?) and used by Europeans for painting as well as medicinal use. People even believed it had healing powers, partially because of its special colour.

In the early 1500’s, Indigo was known as "the most valuable of all spices” and the largest emporia that imported this commodity were London and Amsterdam (we saw this one coming). Overtime, indigo went through quite a transformation and from the 19^th century it was accessible for everyone thanks to the production of denim.

We hereby would like to officially thank indigo for being here, giving our jeans the colour we love more than anything: blue!

* During our research, we used this amazing ‘Indigo’ book we found in Tokyo. A must-read for all of you denim aficionados out there.

To warm up for Spring and gather new inspiration for next summer’s collections, our designers flew to Los Angeles. We came back all warmed up and with lots of cool new ideas. And a palm tree obsession, which you’ll notice when you click on the image to see a slideshow of the pictures we took.

Now this is what we call a perfect combination: a New York Times Magazine exhibition, in Amsterdam! New York Times Magazine is well-known for its stunning photography, so an exhibition with a selection of it makes sense.

The exhibit will not only show a set of nice pictures, it also explains the roles photography and print magazines play these days. This is done through eleven different modules, each focusing on a different project that has been published. Together they give a great impression of NYTM’s eclectic and visual character.“The New York Times Magazine Photographs” is hosted by Foam (no surprise there, right?) and runs till the 30^th of May.

We’re giving away 2x2 tickets! Email to social@scotch-soda.com and let us know why you would like to go.

When it comes to us talking about people that are really into denim (which obviously includes ourselves), we use the term ‘denim aficionado’ a lot. You might not be too familiar with this word, so let’s see what the dictionary has to say about it: 

a·fi·cio·na·do [uh-fish-yuh-nah-doh; Sp. [ah-fee-thyaw-nah-thaw] an ardent devotee; fan, enthusiast.
Origin: 1835–45; Spanish; amateur, past participle in -ado -ate of aficionar  to engender affection, equivalent to afición affection.

In other words, a fan with a great enthusiasm for something. A denim aficionado is someone who sees his or her denims as more than a pair of trousers; they want it to be something special and personal. To pursue that, the aficionado does remarkable things. Taking a hot bath with their jeans on for example (your denims will shrink to a perfect fit), or going into the ocean and roll in the sand with it afterwards.  Laying in the snow for a while will do the trick as well. Our Amsterdams Blauw denims fit this aficionado-kind-of-life perfectly; they’re more than ready for you to go all out and add some extra character to them! Are you ready to become an aficionado?

A checkered shirt is something every man must have in his wardrobe. This Spring, we’re very much into the bright colour tones for men, so we picked this shirt as our favourite of the week.

The classic tailored look keeps warming our hearts, and this season we love to sport a more colourful variant. Inspired by the characteristic Italian “Pitti Uomo” (big fashion fair in Florence) style, this sophisticated look is a favourite– preferably to make a very normal day less ordinary. Combine it with a pair of coloured chinos to make it extra speciale.

Last night, something big happened in Amsterdam: Dutch Vogue was launched. Ever since the arrival of it got announced a couple of months ago, there has been a big buzz about it. Who will be the editor in chief, who will shine on the first cover, and most important: will it be any good?

The party was obviously very well taken care of: food, drinks, music, fashion - it was all there. The thing we were really anxious about was to finally flip through it. Most of the content is created by Dutch talents from the industry, which is something we can appreciate. The 290 pages are filled with beautiful images, inspirational shoots (the ‘New Look in Amsterdam’ shoot is definitely a highlight) and great articles. Everything breathes the classic Vogue style, with a refined Dutch edge. And that’s what will distinguish our Vogue from the others, right?

Vogue Nederland will be in stores tomorrow, visit the website for their online experience.

This might come as a surprise to you, but we do leave Amsterdam every once in a while to visit other Dutch cities. Last weekend, Groningen (in the North-East of Holland) was on the agenda.

One of the best gems of Groningen, is the Groninger Museum – right in the centre of the city (on its very own island!). The museum currently hosts an exhibition we were really looking forward to: “Azzedine Alaïa in the 21^st Century”  - about the extraordinary couturier and his creations.

The exhibition was displayed in a beautiful yet simple way, putting extra emphasis on Alaïa’s designs. The pieces themselves were stunningly intricate and we could get close enough to see the amazing details and craftsmanship. Although we probably won’t get into haute couture ourselves any time soon, this was definitely very inspiring! The exhibit runs till the 6^th of May, it’s worth the trip!

So we were walking around in our favourite bookstore again, and immediately fell in love with “Foto”, by Dutch photographer David Mentzel. Since Mentzel worked in journalism as well, Foto shows an overview of 40 years of history through his portraits of remarkable people.

The book clearly points out he is a genius when it comes to creating intimate, personal portraits; whether they’re of members of the royal family or young and upcoming actresses. Our favourite picture is by far the one of our Queen Beatrix on the cover. Something with a picture and a thousand words…

If you’re not visiting Mendo any time soon (which would be a pity), you can also order your copy here.

As Spring is coming closer (welcome back in Amsterdam, dear Sun!), we feel the need to dress more colourfully. The women in our office are really stepping up their game, sporting happy floral prints in bright colours. That’s why this week, our Favourite of the Week is the Hawaii shirt from the Maison Scotch SS12 collection.

Who would have thought the Hawaii shirt would make a come-back? We certainly didn’t, until we saw this one popping up in the new collection. The shirt has a cool and trendy boxy fit, meaning is it slightly cropped and a bit wider than a normal shirt. Made from a super soft silk-cotton mix and available in 4 colours, this shirt will instantly get you in the tropical holiday mood!

Paradiso is by far one of our favourite places in Amsterdam when it comes to concerts and clubbing. We reckon there’s something magical about this “temple of pop”, and the makers of this documentary agree with us.

‘Paradiso’ (catchy title) describes a day in the life of Paradiso, narrated by a couple of great names from the industry. Beautiful shots, music, and a hint of Paradiso’s magic are all part of this documentary. Click on the image to watch the trailer and to understand why this is a must-see. The documentary is shown in Cineville’s Kriterion in Amsterdam.

Our design team went to Paris to do some research (read: shopping), eat croissants and feast over the real Parisian style we love so much. During these inspiration trips, we take hundreds of pictures. Some of them end up on our moodboards while creating the new collection, some of them are just funny snapshots or sweet memories.

Click on the image to see a selection of the pictures we took in le wonderful Paris.

And if you’re in Paris soon, make sure you drop by at ‘Le 404’ and ‘Derriere’; both very nice restaurants. At ‘Le 404’ you can eat the most delicious couscous (in style of course) and at ‘Derriere’ (which means ‘behind’) you can choose from a variety of rooms to sit in during lunch or dinner, as if you’re in someone’s house. Très cool!

For those of you who are fans of the tall latte’s, skinny mocha’s and caramel frappucino’s; there is a new hotspot in town! This weekend, Starbucks opened its doors at the Rembrandt Square. It’s not just a regular Starbucks, it’s a “concept store”. And it’s huge!

The 430 square meters venue is designed by 35 different artists and craftsmen and is filled with references to the Dutch (coffee) culture, with ‘speculaas’ (traditional Dutch cookie), Delft Blue tiles and recycled oak wood. The coffee bar is about 17 meters long, making sure you get your favourite coffee as soon as possible, preferably accompanied by a homemade cookie.

Even if you’re not really into the mass-coffee-culture, you should pay a visit to experience this amazing location. Open from 7AM-10PM every day.

If you’re looking for an original activity for the weekend, we suggest you pay a visit to Amsterdam’s Vondelpark. Make sure you do it when it’s dark, because you’ll be in for a treat. The Stedelijk Museum presents “Blues Before Sunrise”, a project by Amsterdam-based artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen.

So what is there to see? McQueen has put blue lights in all of the 275 streetlamps, so the entire Vondelpark will be blue at night. According to the artist himself, light can completely change the atmosphere and people’s perception of a place. Since we’re into basically anything that’s blue, we’re truly amazed by this art project. It will be in the Vondelpark till the 25^th of March, go check it out!

A boy has to look cool at all times, whether he’s on the playground, at school, or riding his bike with friends. That’s why we think this worked-out college sweat jacket is one of the eye-catchers from our Scotch Shrunk collection and an ultimate must-have for boys.

You know we love to add special details to our garments, so you’ll find a lot of them on this item as well. The embroideries and badges provide a smart college look, yet perfectly sized down for him. While this jacket is cool, tough and very boyish, it also has a soft side: the jersey sweat fabric, which makes it super comfortable! Combine it with a basic tee or a classic denim shirt; instant coolness is guaranteed.

You may have noticed by now we love denim. Ever since we started our Amsterdams Blauw line, we’re completely addicted to the blue lifestyle. To spread the love and to make you a bit more familiar with our denim-geek-ism, we’re going to explain some of the terms we often use. Today, we’d like to tell you more about LOT 22.

LOT 22 is a part of the Amsterdams Blauw men’s collection and holds a premium selection of denims. This collection is specially laundered in Italy, using the most premium fabrics. Washes, repairs and other cool effects are all done by hand. LOT 22 is the metaphorical denim laboratory for the design team; an experimental project that allows us to test new ideas. One of the cornerstones of LOT 22 is the Dean style, recognizable by its innovation in fabric qualities, wash effects and hand repairs. A very special experiment is the Selvedge Rail Bang: a radiant 14oz green cast dry Japanese selvedge denim, not to be washed (and if you do, please follow these rules) until summer 2013!

Some things are simply something you have to have. Like a decent phone case. Nowadays, your phone basically holds your entire life and at the same time they’re more fragile than ever.

To take care of your phone in style, we made these beautiful leather cases in a range of colours. What colour matches your lifestyle? Pick your favourite here!

Imagine this: British duo The XX, performing their song ‘Crystallised’, acoustic, on a bridge in Amsterdam. Sounds amazing, right? If it does to you, you’re going to love Amsterdam Acoustics. This initiative organises pop-up performances of well known and not-so-well known artists on beautiful locations (or funny, like in the tram) in Amsterdam. Our favourites? Besides The XX on a bridge, you simply must watch Kings of Convenience’s Erlend Øye in tram 5 and The Asteroids Galaxy Tour on a roof terrace.

It’s that time of the year again! Electronic music & art festival 5 Days Off is about to hit Amsterdam again, from 7-11 March to be exact. During these days, our favourite venues Paradiso and the Melkweg will be taken over by renowned artist from around the world, spinning their tunes as if their lives depend on it (which is a good thing).

We suggest you take a couple of days off, maybe even all five, because this is going to be one hell of a party. Dub-step, house, techno, electro, drum-n-bass, minimal; every niche of the wonderful world of electronic music will be represented. Visit the festival’s website for more info and tickets.

PS. As part of the festival, Melkweg cinema hosts a pre-screening of ‘Anton Corbijn Inside Out’ on the 9^th. Make sure you put that one in your agenda too!

Denim items are a must, always. Whether it’s your umpteenth pair of denims or a chambray shirt, they always complete your outfit. This week, we chose this girl’s denim jacket as our favourite of the week.

A denim jacket is an item that comes in very handy on a chilly spring day. Perfect to play outside with all day long, looking cool as ever. It’s a typical throw-on-and-go item that will make you look effortlessly stylish. This washed denim jacket comes with an exclusive Scotch R’Belle bandana, an accessory that happens to be the ultimate must-have this season. As for the jacket, we’re very happy it’s also in the Amsterdams Blauw collection for men, boys and women.

Meet Sibella Court, Sydney-based interior stylist, writer, creative director and owner of The Society Inc. store - in other words; a very inspiring person. After living in New York for 15 years (jealous much!) she decided to write a book about it, ‘The Stylist’s Guide to NYC’, and reveal every little stylish thing she knows about this city. Which is a lot!

A nice-to-know-fact is that she did almost all the photography herself, whilst exploring New York on her bicycle. Stores, café’s, galleries, restaurants, gardens, and what not; it’s all in there. The book is extra light-weight, holds a fold-out map and a back pocket for the little souvenirs you’ll gather on your way. You can imagine it went straight to the top of our wishlist. Our very own copy is on its way as we speak, you can order yours here.

We already told you about how we love to go to Foam every now and then to check out new talent and photography. Last month, Foam opened a new concept and we like it. &Foam is a unique store, selling magazines, books, prints and other photography- and design-related products.

Foam's in-house gallery, Foam Editions, has been moved to &Foam too, which makes it something way more than just another good-looking creative store. The large gallery space will not only be a source of inspiration, you can also get limited editions of prints by leading photographers and young talent at “attractive” prices.

&Foam currently presents ‘Fashion&Foam’, emphasizing the interface between fashion and photography through the exhibition in the Editions gallery (in cooperation with the Rietveld Fashion Academy) and an extra range of fashion books and accessories. Music&Foam, Design&Foam and Film&Foam are planned for later on this year.

You can find &Foam at Vijzelstraat 78 in Amsterdam.

Our Maison Scotch design team went to Tokyo on an inspiration trip. This time, the trip was all about finding new treasures and ideas for our new Spring / Summer 2013 collection. Sounds far, far away but we’ll start designing it very soon!

If you’re lucky enough to visit Tokyo in the near future, make sure you visit the Daikanyama neighbourhood, which offers a nice combination of nature and shops and café’s.  It’s easy to spend a full day here, shopping for vintage finds and drinking coffee with animal prints on it.

If you’re on the look for a cool restaurant, ‘Gonpachi’ is your go-to. This is where a part of Kill Bill was shot, which is already reason enough to check it out, right? No worries, the food was de-licious as well.

Click on the image to watch some of the pictures we took.

It must be pretty clear by now we like films, so you can image how excited we are about this Sunday, when the 84^th edition of the Oscars will take place. Who will go home with one (or more) of those coveted golden statuettes, who will cry during his or her speech and what’s everyone wearing? Remote? Check. Popcorn? Check. Seen every film? Not yet!

Luckily enough, newspaper Parool and Pathé de Munt cinema in Amsterdam will host an Oscar weekend. You can spend the whole weekend watching the nominated films, so you’ll know exactly what they’re talking about during the show and decide whether you agree with the judges.

Enjoy your film weekend!

You probably already spotted this tee in some of our SS12 campaign images; needless to say we’re very much into it. The Breton stripe is something you have to have in your wardrobe anyway, and for Spring a red edition is a must. Just to brighten up your look a bit.

We like this tee in particular because of its vintage sun-faded effect, which makes it look like it has already been your favourite for years. Layer with a cool denim jacket on those chilly Spring days, or pair it with shorts on a sultry Summer evening.

It’s always great to hear inspiring people telling about themselves and what drives them. We came across this series of videos, One Minute Wonders, which presents seven “people who live within a moment in time that we define as the Present Plus”. In sixty seconds, they talk about what they do for a living, their vision and future goals. Very inspiring, check it our here.

Today, we would like to introduce another one of our favourite places in Amsterdam. If you’re a fan of design, interior and coffee – you’ll like it here too. Friday Next is a so-called concept store, bringing together a café with an interior design store.

We love to drop by, enjoy a delicious latte and glance over the furniture they offer, imagining what our dream house would look like. If you’re not immediately inspired by the furniture itself, you can always have a look at the “coffee table” books Friday Next sells. And for those of you who really want to step up their game; you can hire them for some personal interior advice.

You can find the store on Overtoom 31 in Amsterdam.

We stumbled upon this series of photographs and we just had to share it with you. Photographer Irina Werning re-enacted people’s photos from the past, copying every single detail. It’s sharp, it’s touching, it’s admirable, and most of all: it’s hilarious.

Click here to see what we mean. Nice to know: you can participate in this project yourself!

This week, the Berlinale (the Berlin Film Festival) takes place, which is one of the biggest film festivals in Europe. Like any other year, there will be lots of premiers, cool cult film and awards – which you know we love.

One premier in particular caught our attention: ‘Anton Corbijn Inside Out’, a documentary about Dutch multi-talent Corbijn. The film will show us who the man behind the amazing photography (he had Bono, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits in front of his lens), film and design is, recorded by Klaartje Quirijns. It will be in Dutch cinemas from the 22^nd of March, we can’t wait!

London is definitely one of our favourite cities, and since London Fashion Week is starting tomorrow - the city is on our radar again. You’re probably not part of the invitees for the big fashion shows either, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grab this chance and visit London to spot the fashion crowd and visit cool new places.

London Fashion Week’s website happens to be the place to be when it comes to finding the crème-de-la-crème of London’s hotspots. Whether you’re looking for the best place for snacking, a top 5 of must-visit London stores or the most recently opened bars; you will find what you’re looking for.

London here we come!

We would like to welcome you to our new section; the Favourite of the Week, where we will tell you more about our personal favourites from the SS12 collection.

We’re hitting it off with this picture perfect fashion blazer, one of the eye-catchers of the Maison Scotch collection. It is a typical Maison item, made from a mix of special materials and full of details. Finished with raw edges, coloured beads and cuffs for a tough-chic edge, this blazer is a must-have to spice up any outfit and give it a hot spring-2012-bohemian touch.

2011 was a good year when it comes to films. For those of you who have been living under a rock (or if you just want to see them again): Melkweg Cinema is your go-to. This month, they will show some of the best films of 2011, selected by cinema.nl.

Melkweg Cinema, on the top floor of the Melkweg nightclub, is a perfect place to watch a film – and maybe even grab a party downstairs afterwards. So if you haven’t seen Lars von Trier’s ‘Melancholia’, ‘Drive’ with Ryan Gosling exactly how we want to see him (dark, silent and mysterious) or other masterpieces from last year, this is your chance!

You know we’re not into the really cheesy stuff, but on Valentine’s day – anything goes. It’s just that one day you’re allowed to do as romantic as you want.

Our friends at iamsterdam.com made a top 14 of thing to do in Amsterdam around Valentine. Not all of those fourteen ideas would be on our list, but there are some really nice ones on it which we might try ourselves! Our picks? The Wed & Walk, where you’ll get married for just one day, and “dreamy postmodern romantic pop”-band ‘The Secret Love Parade’ performing in Paradiso that night.

Visit the website for the list and details.

One of the advantages of living in a big city like Amsterdam, is the amount of nice new shops opening every once in a while. Stylescout is one of those new boutiques recently added to our city. They sell a variety of unique labels, mainly offering lots of cool (some of them one-off) accessories and other fashion must-haves.

We’re planning on going there to spoil ourselves with some Ladurée (yes, the one from the Parisian macaroons) goodies, like perfumed candles and home fragrances. Who doesn’t want a home smelling like pralines, glazed chestnuts or mimosas?

After already being present online for a while, Stylescout is now open at Elandsgracht 91 in Amsterdam.

Today on Wash of the Week: the Salt Lake Blue wash, applied on the Ralston. While these denims are very light and bright, you can still see the residue of the original blue colour on the seams and pockets. The bleaching was done by hand to provide a natural worn-out look.

To hold on to the 3D effect, a resin (a light coating) treatment is applied on the “cross hatch indigo”, which is a broken twill fabric with a beautiful construction that adds body to this Ralston. Through scraping and destructing the vintage look of the Salt Lake Blue wash is completed.

Due to the combination of treatments and the way they were applied, these denims have a natural faded look; as if you’ve been wearing them all summer. This might just become your all-day-every-day summer denim!

Some of you already noticed we shot our Spring/Summer campaign in the lovely Cannes in the south of France. Needless to say we had a great time there; it is such a beautiful city with such a great, warm atmosphere. A perfect setting to capture our new collection. And of course to enjoy the Mediterranean coast, eat croissants and spot the rich & famous of the Côte d’Azur on their yachts. Click on the image to see some behind the scenes snapshots.

A big thanks goes out to the city of Cannes: merci beaucoup Cannes!

Valentine’s Day is almost here! Are you planning on surprising your lover? As we’re counting the days till the 14^th, we’ll provide you with a 5-day gift guide. Just to make sure it will be a special day. Keep an eye on our webstore, as there will be new ideas every day.

Love from Amsterdam,

Scotch & Soda

To celebrate the launch of our SS12 collections, we organised a fashion show to present the highlights to special guests. The event took place at the Westergasfabriek, one of our favourite venues in Amsterdam. Models, clothes, stylists, photographers; it was one busy day! Click on the image for the official backstage snapshots.

Whenever we go on a trip, we feel the need to buy souvenirs. Preferably the really cheesy ones, like Colosseum-shaped ashtrays and Big Ben fridge magnets. For the ones who actually want to get something nice (and maybe even useful) as a souvenir from Amsterdam, we found the perfect place.

‘Thinking of Holland’ is a souvenir shop, offering cool Dutch Design gifts. From storm umbrellas to wine-racks and jewellery – it’s all there, and not looking cheesy whatsoever.  Everything’s made by Dutch design labels and designers; you can even find Dick Bruna’s Miffy! The store is located in the Passenger Terminal on Piet Heinkade 23 in Amsterdam. They also have an online shop, in case you’re not visiting Amsterdam any time soon.

The Dust till Dawn is another outstanding wash, which you can find on the Cinq P, one of our timeless favourites with a straight leg and comfy fit. The fabric has a soft hand feel and due to a hint of stretch it has a good ‘recovery’. This means it won’t loose its shape and recovers every time its gets stretched out. The fabric has a characteristic deep blue colour, by applying scraping techniques is gets even more deep, almost looking three-dimensional. The dark blue shades are easy to combine with other colours; just throw on a cool tee or fancy top and you’re good to go.

The Cinq P is one of our core styles and an essential in every collection. It has a couple of characteristic details, such as the cotton backpatch, a twisted beltloop on the back and a leather welt on the coin pocket. Also look for the all-over Dandelion print on the inside, representing the Maison Scotch logo. This pair of Amsterdams Blauw jeans is dynamic, classic and will in no time become your favourite!

What happens if you park your bike on a busy street in New York? The makers of this nice little video chained a bike to a post in the middle of Soho and made a picture of it every single day. We were quite surprised by how long the bike managed to stay there. Are people in the Big Apple not so much into (stealing) bikes as in Amsterdam? Click on the image to watch the video.

Our kid’s design team went on an inspiration trip to Los Angeles to see what’s hot and happening over there. L.A. is so much more than the glamorous Hollywood we all know. We drove around, visited flea markets and enjoyed tasty burgers at cool diners. Click on the image to see some snapshots!

Now this is an album we’ve been looking forward to. Lana del Rey immediately caught our attention when we first heard Video Games, and after seeing what she looks like (stunning) we were fans.

We guess you already know Video Games, where you got to meet her soft voice with that mysterious raw edge. We stumbled upon new song Born to Die a little while ago and we were completely sold again. The voice, the music, the video! Her album is in stores now – we say, go get it.

We love food, especially when it’s organic. Luckily for us, Amsterdam is a place where you can find lots of places to get yourself some yummy ecological delights. Iamsterdam.com, an essential website for anyone who likes our city, made a top 10 of best places for organic food and drinks. Our favourites? Fresh sourdough loafs from the Vlaamsch Broodhuys with cheese from the Kaaskamer. Have a look at the list, start watering over it and dive into the city!

This weekend, we’ll leave Amsterdam for another big city: Rotterdam. Until the 5^th of February, the International Film Festival Rotterdam will take place. Apart from the newest films and documentaries, there will also be music, talk shows and parties.

We’re looking forward to the Tiger Awards in particular, where new talents from all over the world show their film in hopes to win the award. Fifteen films have been nominated and eight of them will have their world premiere at the festival. Expect great films from all over the world, from directors who might be the next Nanni Moretti or Lars von Trier.

Visit the website for more info.

From today, Amsterdam will be all about fashion for a couple of days. Yes, we also have our very own Fashion Week. Not only is there a variety of fashion shows for the fashion in-crowd, there will also be a more accessible and creative programme, called Fashion Week Downtown.

During the Downtown event, you can visit lots of expo’s, see inspiring fashion films and get yourself a new wardrobe at special sales. There will be countless events, so have a look here and create your personal Downtown schedule.

Last week, the Bread & Butter fair took place in Berlin. Bread & Butter is one of the biggest fashion trade fairs in the world and of course, Scotch was there too. We showed our new a/w collection, met interesting new people and had lots of fun. Berlin is such a cool and inspiring city!

Today, the Chinese new year has officially begun. It is one of the most important events for the Chinese and since there are a lot of them living in Amsterdam, this festivity won’t go unnoticed.

On Sunday the 29^th, in our very own Chinatown around the Zeedijk area, the year of the Dragon will be kicked off. Expect fire, traditional dancing and a lot of food. Of course we’re very much interested in the food part, and luckily enough there will be a giant Asian food market on the Nieuwmarkt.

While you’re there, make sure you have a look at the Fo Guang Shan temple as well.
Gong Xi Fa Cai (happy new year)!

From this Sunday the 22^nd you can find the ‘Neighbourfood Market’ on the Westergasterrein every third Sunday of the month. It will be an event where food-lovers can eat, meet and discover new products and dishes. Organic farmers, top caterers, bakers, butchers, cheese makers, and what not offer you countless delights, made with love. Sitting at long tables with your friends, while trying as much delicious treats as possible; doesn’t that sound like the ultimate Sunday? You’ll have to bring your own plate and cutlery, so we’ll act a bit ecologically responsible at the same time. Love that idea!

Today on Wash of the Week: the Blue Triumph, to be found on the Dean. It is a high quality 12oz denim, made in Italy. The fabric of this Dean can be described as a red cast indigo. To give it an extra tough look, techniques like 3D, whiskering and scraping were applied. These tricks make the denim subtly look as if it has been worn for years. Through scraping, the light shades on the thighs fade into different tones of indigo, eventually flowing into the dark base colour; like a path of (blue) triumph.

Since this Dean is part of the exclusive Lot22 line of Amsterdams Blauw, you can find special details like a cool logo print on the inside, as well as a lucky wooden coin and a ‘hickory stripe’ patch on the back pocket. Just another unique denim. What’s not to like?

Since we’re big fans of Daniel Craig (and he’s a fan of our Ralston denims), we’re very excited to see this new film; “The girl with the dragon tattoo”.

This is the first one of Stieg Larsson’s best-selling trilogy, telling the story of journalist Blomkvist who’s assigned to investigate the disappearance of a wealthy girl. Expect mystery, action, drama and great acting from Daniel Craig and rising star Rooney Mara. In Dutch cinemas from tomorrow.

Click on the image to watch the trailer!

Did you know we also sell Amsterdams Blauw for boys and girls? We shot this cute video for the SS12 collection to show you some eye catchers from the collection. We went into the woods, made ourselves a cool hang-out and did fun stuff al day long - just like any perfect spring day should be. Click on the image to watch the video.

See more of our SS12 videos on our video channel.

So, did you watch the big show last night? Apart from best actor and actress (big hooray for Meryl and George) we we’re very excited which film would win Best Motion Picture.

Of course we had our personal favourites too, although it was impossible for us to choose one particular winner. Some of us really liked ‘Hugo’, the first 3D family film by Martin Scorsese and a typical British adventurous feel-good film. Other people in the office (read: ladies) were more fund of ‘The Ides of March’. George Clooney and Ryan Gosling, the two most-wanted men in Hollywood, together in one film. Need we say more? ‘The Help’ definitely caught our eye as well; honest, sharp, funny and great acting from rising star Emma Stone. Ironically, ‘The Descendants’ (the winner) hasn’t been released in the Netherlands yet. But since it involves George Clooney and Hawaii, we probably agree with the judges.

Check out http://www.goldenglobes.org/ for winners, videos and more.

…and go to style.com for an overview of the dresses.

In the ‘9 Straatjes’ neighbourhood, which is by far our favourite shopping area in Amsterdam, there is one store in particular we just can’t get enough of: bookstore Mendo.

Mendo is specialised in creative books; fans of interior design, fashion, architecture and photography will feel as if they’re in heaven. The store itself is b-e-a-utiful, with lots of dark furniture and industrial elements. Mendo doesn’t have an online store, simply because they believe browsing the shelves in an inspiring surrounding is an essential they can’t withhold from you. Just another excuse for you to visit Amsterdam, right? You can find Mendo at Berenstraat 11, don’t forget to drop by at our Denim Deli when you’re there!

Update: Mendo is now selling its beautiful books online, on the new & improved website: www.mendo.nl

Yesterday, we celebrated fashion at the Elle Style Awards. There were a couple of prices to win; the Personal Style award, the Belle of the Balle award and the Stylist award. It was really great to see all these Dutch talents and the show was just one big spectacle on a stunning location. The theme of the night was ‘Roaring Twenties’ and people dressed up in a way we never saw before. And to make it complete, there were dancers and a fan-tas-tic jazz band.

Click on the image to see a slideshow of this eventful night!

Since it is Friday the 13^th today, we thought you could use some positive energy. After seeing this video you might be more motivated to hold on to those new year’s resolutions, and useful advices like “when you eat, appreciate every last bite” will remind you of enjoying life as much as you can. We know, we know, it’s a tiny little bit cheesy. But we found out the Holstee Manifesto has been hanging in our office for months! And there are lots of bicycles in the video.

This week, our favourite denim wash is the Pebbles, which you can find on the La Parisienne skinny from the new Amsterdams Blauw women’s collection.

The Pebbles is a bleached wash, and the original colour of this denim was a soft grey tone. In the pockets you can still see this “residue”; a typical characteristic of bleached and washed denim. The bleaching of this one was done in a subtle way, so the grey base is also still visible on the seams and the cut and sewn details around the waistband. We reckon this gives the denim something different, something special.

The fabric itself has a soft and smooth hand-feel with just a hint of stretch in it to make it extra comfy. The structure, with a bit of a slub, is subtle as well – it fits the wash perfectly and gives this piece of denim even more character.

Get your own La Parisienne Pebbles here.

Foam, the museum of photography in Amsterdam, is a place we drop by on a regular basis. There are always interesting exhibitions, from very well-known photography legends to up & coming artists, and the coffee is not too bad either.

Foam currently hosts an exhibition of Joel Sternfeld, one of the pioneers of colour photography. “Color Photographs since 1970” shows a selection of a couple of his series, offering us a look into American daily life and how Sternfeld’s exceptional feeling for colour is a part of that. After seeing so many black and white pictures these days, this colourful exhibit is quite refreshing!
Read more about Foam and this expo on www.foam.org.

We hope you’ve already had a chance to take a look at our brand new video channel. One of our favourite SS12 videos is a behind the scenes video of the Amsterdams Blauw SS12 shoot. In this video, Christian Göran (you know, your favourite beard-guy) talks about his life and passions. This man is much more than just a pretty face! Click on the image to see the video.

Whenever we go on a city trip, we feel the need to do out-of-the-ordinary things, preferably inspired by what the locals do and not so much by what other tourists do. With Gidsy, this has become a lot easier.

Gidsy is an online marketplace for authentic experiences, offered and organised by locals. From a dumpling tour through New York’s Chinatown to “sightjogging” in Amsterdam; the most original activities are to be found on their website. After selecting one (or more of course), you can easy peasy invite your friends through Facebook. Gidsy is now here for Amsterdam, Berlin and New York, let’s hope other cities will follow soon!

Survived the first week of 2012? Time to celebrate! Here are some of our favourite Amsterdam spots where you can find us this weekend.

We’ll start with drinks at Proust, a cosy bar on the Noordermarkt. It does happen every now and then we stay there for dinner as well, which is not bad at all. If we do manage to go to the next place, we love to go to Brandstof; a bar/restaurant with a great menu. Including very tasty (and super thin) pizzas. It is possible to stay there the rest of the night, since they’ll spin some danceable tunes till late. If you’re up for some serious clubbing, go to Paradiso. A real party night is guaranteed in this “temple of pop”.

Hope you have a good one, enjoy!

We have another beautiful denim wash we’d like to tell you more about. This week: the Bonneville Blend, applied on the Mailer and part of the brand new Amsterdams Blauw collection.

This pair of jeans is made of authentic ring slub denim, something the denim-lovers amongst us will appreciate. When washing the fabric, it usually has a deep, blue indigo colour at first. With the ‘washdown’ of this denim we used scraping, a technique that gives the fabric a fresh, light and cloudy look & feel. Another interesting fact: all repairs (like the patches on the left leg) are done by hand.

This combination of authentic fabric, special wash-technique and man-made hand repairs makes it another piece of denim we’re proud of!

You know we love bikes, especially when there’s design involved. No surprise we’re head over heels about this Cyclepedia iPad App, which offers an interactive collection of 100 bicycles that changed cycling history.

With Cyclepedia, you can browse through bikes (by name, year, style, manufacturer, etc.), watch videos and learn more about their history. Even if you’re not the biggest bike fan, we guarantee you’ll be amazed by this beautiful app. Hey, you might even want to ride your bicycle more often.  And did we mention it looks stunning? Watch this video to see what we mean and get the app here.

There’s a new magazine in town and we like it! Park, the “first journalistic glossy”, is a Dutch magazine that offers a mix of interesting stories, culture and lifestyle. Interviews with remarkable people, inspiring fashion spreads and images from international photographers like Bruce Weber and Anton Corbijn make Park a very good read.

It distinguishes itself from other magazines by a very wide range of topics, interesting for both men and women. Plus: a total of 170 pages and little ads, so you won’t be done within the hour. Park is in stores now, have a look at the website to get an impression.

Happy new year everybody!
New year, new website, new collection. Enjoy!

In Holland, New Year’s Eve means eating ‘oliebollen’ all day long. Instead of writing down the recipe for you, we thought it might be more practical to show you a video of how it’s done. If you are in a hurry, watch this one. If you got plenty of time on your hands, you should watch this video.

THANK YOU!

Before we leave you for the new year, we would like to thank you for this great year and all of your love, support and feedback. We’re looking forward to the next year, where more exciting things will come up. So keep a close eye on our blog. For now, have a great New Year’s Eve with lots of champagne, see you in 2012!

Love,
Scotch & Soda

This will be the last chapter of the Holiday To Do’s, we hope we gave you enough inspiration to survive your Christmas holiday!

A must-do before the end of the year is compose a list of New Year’s resolutions. At the Scotch & Soda office we’re already in the middle of it, here’s our list (draft version) in case you need some input.

- Eat more
- Drink lots of fresh ginger tea (good for your everything!)
- More fun
- Visit a restaurant of every different kitchen
- Watch more art-house films
- Explore the world
- When in doubt, always go for it
- Get a puppy
- Cook more
- Eat more chocolate (for the feromones!)
- Visit more concerts
- Learn to surf
- Be on time for Lowlands Festival tickets

The Nemo Science Centre in Amsterdam has a special holiday programme, with lots of cool activities. You can test your Christmas dinner left-over’s, make your own toys and learn how to make or stop a fire. It’s actually meant for children, but we bet it’s fun (and educative) for everyone. Visit Nemo’s website for more info.

Tonight, you can find us at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, where New Cool Collective will perform. If you haven’t seen them play before, don’t miss this! With a mix of jazz, dance, latin, salsa, afrobeat and boogaloo they’ll make sure we want to dance non-stop.

We hope you enjoyed yesterday’s tips. For today we have another trio of ultimate holiday activities, have fun!

A little while ago, Dutch tattoo-hero Henk “Hanky Panky” Schiffmacher opened the Amsterdam Tattoo Museum. Tattoo machines and hand tools, photographs, flash, drawings, statues and even human tattooed flesh (!) are part of the grande collection. We bet you’ll want some ink too after visiting. Go to amsterdamtattoomuseum.com for more info.

In the mood for some ice-skating? In the Westergasbriek in Amsterdam there will be a 500m2 rink where you can perform (or practice on) your moves. There will also be drinks, cheese fondue and live music. Meet you there? Go to the website for more info.

If you’re looking for indoor entertainment, organise a tv-show marathon! Definitely something we will be doing. Some of our favourite series: Dexter, Gossip Girl, the Killing, Fringe, New Girl, the Walking Death, Mad Men, the Wire, Modern Family, Homeland, Game of Thrones, Californication and Sex and the City (even if that will be the 73rd time we see it). Did we forget one?

This week, we’ll provide you with a couple of fun holiday activities - some of them more active than others. We hope you’ll like it, enjoy!

A film we’ve been looking forward to is ‘Carnage’, the latest masterpiece by Roman Polanski. Four great actors, one set, and a lot of conversation. This movie promises to include humor, insanity and violence. We can’t wait! Watch the trailer here.

To burn a few of those Christmas calories, go to Tango Magia, the 14th international tango festival in Amsterdam, which will transform the city into “Buenos Aires on the Amstel”. The festival offers workshops for all levels, live performances and a Tango Café. Visit the website for more info.

And for those of you who prefer to stay in and be a true couch potato: we have the perfect activity where couch, being lazy and a semi-social activity are combined. Wordfeud! We’re totally hooked, are you?

Christmas Eve (the 24^th) is the perfect night to open gifts and eat lots of (read: too much) meat, but some of us just prefer to go out and do something. Amsterdam hosts a couple of very nice events, which might be somewhat nicer than dinner with your parents in law.

Artis, the one and only Amsterdam Zoo, will host a special Winter Night. From 17:00 there will be tours in the dark, where guides will tell about the animals’ sleeping rituals and share stories about the nocturnal animals. We reckon it will be amazing to see the zoo by night! They will serve hot chocolate, gluhwein and ‘stamppot’ as well to keep you warm.

For dinner & disco, the must-go spot in town will be Club Canvas. During dinner, special hosts will narrate nostalgic Christmas stories and two mystery guests will play live music. After dinner, it’s time to dance! Note: there will be an empty Christmas-tree: bring your own decorations!

If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect Christmas ideas, it’s probably unnecessary to say you’re a bit late. However, we do want to provide you with some last minute gift-inspiration.

For guys, we say a bottle of Barfly is essential. It’s fresh, it’s musky, it’s a fragrance must-have. 
For the ladies, one can never go wrong with some jewelry, like a statement ring. Although a warm knitted beanie is definitely a winter must-have as well.

For more items to surprise him or her with, visit our special gift pages in our Webstore.

As Christmas is coming closer, we seriously can’t stop thinking about it. From the best music to play during dinner till what movie classics we should watch the day after (Home Alone I, duh).

If you’re in the middle of these annual mental preparations too, you can probably use some distraction-slash-inspiration. If you didn’t know Kirstie Allsopp yet, we’re happy to introduce her to you now. “Crafty Kirstie” shows us how to create the perfect Christmas experience at home; from decorations to turkey. We’re fans! Watch the one of Kirstie’s videos here.

Tomorrow, the Winter Parade will hit the city. From the 21^st till the 26^th of December, you can enjoy the perfect combination of dinner and theatre while sitting at a 120m long table in the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam.

The ‘Table of the Idea’ will be the stage of actors, dancers, musicians and poets. They’ll make sure you have plenty of entertainment during dinner, so it definitely won’t be a candle-light style dinner with possible awkward silences. Theatre-chef André Amaro prepares a delicious Italian farmer’s meal, which is exactly what we need on a cold winter’s day.

On the 26^th , the Winter Parade will host a kid’s day, including a Silent Disco. Sounds like a fun family activity for Boxing Day, even if you don’t actually have kids. Go to www.winterparade.nl for info and tickets.

Our designers visit the factories every now and then, to make sure everything is made exactly how we they imagined it. They’re located at the most inspiring places around the world, from India to Italy. We thought it would be nice for you to have a little look behind the scenes of Scotch & Soda and get an impression of those visits.

At the Maison Scotch design office, there are quite some women. So sometimes it’s inevitable to end up talking about girly things, like nail polish. Check out what’s been buzzing around at the HQ’s this week.

Blog: The Coveteur offers a look in to the (sometimes over the top) stylish homes of people working in the fashion and lifestyle industry. On this blog, you can endlessly feast on great design furniture in New York lofts and to-die-for fashion items. Warning: it’s addictive.

Art: This street art project in Reykjavik (Iceland) gave us instant happy feelings. Danish artist Theresa Himmer makes graffiti-ish installations with countless sequins, that become simply stunning once the sun shines on them. 

Music: The new album of Florence and the Machine is some serious ear candy. It’s beautiful, it’s raw, it’s romantic, it’s on repeat! 

Beauty: We just can’t get enough of Essie’s winter collection. Even if you’re not a big fan of nail polish, you’d want these bottles for their funny names, such as ‘Bangle Jangles’ or ‘Size Matters’.
Must. Have. Every. Colour.

If you ask us, boots are the perfect items to match with your Amsterdams Blauw denim. One of our favourite got-to’s for a pair of decent, stylish, leather boots, is Red Wing.

Red Wing is a brand that’s already here for over 100 years, founded in 1905 by an American shoe merchant whose goal was to create a better work boot, with leather, buckles and laces for a strong and secure fit. Today, it’s not only a strong and secure shoe; it’s an essential for the denim aficionados.

The Amsterdam store is located in the Nine Streets, a characteristic shopping area where you can also find our Amsterdams Blauw denim store. So while you’re in the neighbourhood to get that perfect pair of Amsterdams Blauw denims, also get that perfect pair of boots.

Make sure you have a look at their blog too, it’s pretty interesting.

Up next on the denim details series is ‘selvedge’. Selvedge is the type of denim fabric that forms a natural edge during the weaving process, so the edge doesn’t unravel. The selvedge denim is made on shuttle looms, which weave the fabric with a continuous cross thread that is passed back and forth all the way down the length of the bolt. As the weft loops back into the edge of the denim it creates this “self-edge”.

This might sound a little bit too technical, but the selvedge technique definitely gives your denim something exclusive and basically the best quality you can get. Regular denim fabrics get cut off at the ends during the weaving process, so they’re not as strong as the selvedge ones. The real denim lovers amongst us will instantly notice a pair of jeans made from selvedge denim and wear them with the cuffs rolled up. In the current Amsterdams Blauw collection we have a few selvedge denims, check them out here or visit one of our stores to get to know more about these denim stunners.

Today on Wash of the Week: the ‘Sacre Bleu’ wash. It’s applied on a few denims from the Amsterdams Blauw women’s collection, including the new Constructed Cropped Chino.

The luminous effect you see on these comfy denims, is created with scraping and shading; two techniques that add depth to the wash. The whiskers on the thighs and knees provide the Chino with natural wear patterns, as if you’ve already been wearing your jeans for months. As you may know, our designers sometimes want to add a little edge to the garments - so you’ll see some paint splatters on this denim.

The Constructed Cropped Chino is a tough but comfortable model, distinct from the classic chino by its characteristic wash and constructed details. A great piece of denim, which might just become your favourite this season!

When we saw this “Hero” video, we just couldn’t stop looking at it. It’s pure craftsmanship, with beautiful details. And that’s our thing, if you hadn’t noticed yet. Artist Miguel Endara made a portrait of his father, composed out of 3.2 million ink dots - which took him 210 hours. In-cre-di-ble, don’t you think? Watch the video here.

This month, the new Scotch Shrunk and Scotch R’Belle collections will hit the stores. An important theme in these collections is ‘Let’s go bananas!’ and our designers went all out on that one, taking it with some items more literally than with others. From eye-popping colours and fruity all-over printed pants to surfy summer tones and comfy tees; it’s all there.

Click on the image to see more.

A couple of weeks ago, our design team went to Tokyo to soak up some Japanese style and culture. Turns out Tokyo has a lot more to offer besides sushi, harajuku girls and skyscrapers. Click on the image to see what we mean.

Sometimes we wish we were visiting Amsterdam as tourists. The Exchange Hotel has opened its doors last week, and it looks very promising. It is a fashion-inspired hotel and the rooms are designed by students of the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, each with a different view on fashion and interior. There is for example a room completely devoted to the romantic style of French Marie-Antoinette, including a huge dress that covers the wall and the bed. We all need a some kitsch in our lives every now and then, don’t we?

You can choose from 61 different rooms, ranging from 1 to 5 stars. Some of them with a great view on the downtown city centre of Amsterdam, some of them with a not so great view but with a lot of character. As an opening promotion you get 50% of each room, so if you were about to plan a trip to Amsterdam you know where to stay. And make sure you also visit their ‘Options!’ store for a little design souvenir.

Go to www.exchangeamsterdam.com for more info.

When it comes to finding the perfect vintage treasures, the Noordermarkt in Amsterdam is the place to be. Every Monday from 9:00 to 14:00 there is a flea market here, with everything you could possibly need to sport that Amsterdam vintage style. Apart from clothes, you’ll find special antiques and second hand furniture here as well. On Saturday (9:00-16:00), a bio-market takes place with yummie products from local farmers.

The Noordermarkt is located in the Jordaan area, where you can also find the Scotch & Soda office. With great places to have coffee, dinner or drinks and stores with out-of-the-ordinary stuff, the Noordermarkt and its surrounding streets is definitely on our list of favourite places.

Some of our fixie friends have had the chance to wear the Merckxxx for a couple of months. We’re naturally so very curious to find out what they have to say about the jeans we developed especially for them. Our next rendezvous is with poet-cum-bartender and one of Amsterdam’s very first fixed-gear pundits and cycle couriers, Martijn den Bakker.

The bike you ride today features a couple of decent brakes. Tell us a bit about your cycle history.

‘I started back in 1996, riding fixed gear as a courier through wind, rain and storm for years on end. I set up a courier company called ‘De Versnelling’ with some good friends, which I had to give up when I went to live in the US. That’s where I rapidly got the hang of serious cycling: I faced thick packs of snow in Minneapolis and the steep slopes of San Francisco. Racing down a hill at 50 to 60 kilometres per hour definitely pushes your boundaries. These days, cycling is still a great part of my life; I cover at least 20 km every day. I’m more aware of the risks now, so I ride a single speed race bike with brakes.’

Your Merckxxx jeans seem a perfect fit. How do you like them so far?

‘Their best feature beyond doubt is the high rise at the back. More jeans should be like this. Normally you end up sitting on your belt with your butt crack showing, that’s no good at all. Also, the reflecting patterns round the ankles actually got me out of paying a police fine when I once forgot my bike-lights. Those deep, reinforced back pockets are great because they hold a U-lock of course, but also a microphone: very handy for my live performances. I’m wearing them out now, so I’ll come get some new ones soon!’

Note: Click on the image for a (if we may say so) very nice slideshow.

After seeing the docu on fashion icon Diana Vreeland (ex-editor in chief of US Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar) at the IDFA last week, we we’re very happy to find out there’s also a book about her. In ‘Diana Vreeland: The eye has to travel’, her great granddaughter Lisa Immordina Vreeland looks back on the never-out-of-style life of this “high priestess of fashion”.

Old interviews, memoires and spreads from magazines Vreeland worked for show that she was a controversial visionary with great taste. Driven by her talent in writing and her ability of always discovering the latest fashion talents, designers and photographers, she definitely marked her territory in the fashion business. This is a must-have for your coffee table: get it or regret it!

It’s no secret we’re into wine. Very much. So we love this new concept as well: a pop-up wine bar. The bar has just opened its doors in the city centre of Amsterdam and will stay with us for about 4 weeks. This magnificent place has 41 different wines to choose from, with prices per glass from €3,50 to €350. We’d love to try them all but at a certain point it does get a bit too expensive.

To create a hous-ish environment, the bar is divided into different areas. A comfy couch, a large kitchen table, a bedroom and even a bubblebath (!): it’s all there. And to prevent you from not remembering all this the day after, they serve a variety of snacks, such as cheese, sushi and French charcuterie.

The Pop-Up Wine Bar is located at Marnixstraat 429 in Amsterdam. You know where to find us this weekend!

A piece of exciting news: our new Amsterdams Blauw Spring/Summer collection will arrive in stores from the 15^th of December onwards! The Mademoiselle in ‘Latte Macchiato’ wash is one of the eye catchers of the Maison Scotch denim collection.

The ‘Latte Macchiato’ is inspired by the smell of a fresh cup of coffee with a Saturday morning; the time of the week when you’re free to do anything you want. It has a dirt spray on the insides as well as on the waistband. The effect of the spray reminds us of a milky, delicious latte macchiato and it makes the denim look like your everyday, worn-in jeans; perfect for some road tripping.

This Mademoiselle sparks an instant rock ‘n roll feeling, while the light pink stitching gives it a feminine touch. Finish your look with a nice top and you’re ready for a beach party! We know, it’s only the beginning of December, but don’t we all look forward to summer again?

A little while ago, our creative team went to the Big Apple on an inspiration trip, and thankfully they made a bunch of photos. Since this metropolis offers a complete overdose of inspiration, it turned out to be a big bunch. From ah-ma-zing street art to cute corner café’s, the camera just kept on snapping. Click the image for a slideshow.

You might have noticed the logo of the Maison Scotch collection holds a dandelion. The dandelion seeds of the logo are a symbol for the journey of creating a collection, as they get carried away by the wind and travel like tiny parachutes around the world.

No surprise this dandelion art project immediately caught our eye. German artist Regine Ramseier collected over 2,000 dandelions and made a stunning installation in a plain white room. Astonishing, if you ask us! Click on the photo to see it for yourself.

And we couldn’t be more happy about that! Taking a photo and instantly having a copy of it in your hands is something a fancy mirror-reflex camera (or an iPhone for that matter) simply can’t give us. Polaroid has a new range of instant camera’s -digital as well as analogue- which make it possible again to capture and print immediately, just like the old school Polaroid camera.

Our favourite is the 300 Instant Camera, the analogue version, which takes the classic no-nonsense, small photos and has an automatic flash. If you’re more into an advanced and digital one, you should get your hands on the ‘Z340’, with lots of extra features and editing options.

Visit Polaroid.com for more information, the camera’s and the ‘Movement’ platform for inspiration.

We’re hitting this new series of ‘Wash of the week’ posts off with the Paris Texas wash. It is a signature denim wash within the Amsterdams Blauw Autumn/Winter collection, inspired by the iconic movie ‘Paris, Texas’, by German director Wim Wenders.

Story-wise, the wash refers to the characters who have to solve problems each in their own way, as each pair of this denim is broken and hand re-repaired differently (by craftsmen, don’t worry). This includes painter spot accents and re-patched pockets.

Our designers also used visual elements of the film, with dusty tinting and L.A.-inspired bright stitching colours. So this is definitely not just a pair of denims; it’s the story that makes wearing them something special. Get your hands on the Ralston Paris Texas here.

We thought it would be nice to share one of our favourite places in Amsterdam: Bar Moustache. We love to go here for a cup of coffee (accompanied by one of the magazines lying around), a late weekend breakfast or a tasty Italian-style dinner. The interior isn’t too bad either; a combination of vintage chairs and little design treasures makes us feel like we’re at home. Except the food is way better.

The café is located in a nice neighbourhood as well, surrounded by fancy boutiques, vintage stores and galleries. You can find Bar Moustache at Utrechtsestraat 141, visit the website for more info.

Have you already tried Barfly, our very own signature fragrance? Much like our clothes, the perfume has its own character and is full of details. With top notes of citrus-herb, middle notes of lavender, jasmine and outspoken elements of sandal and cedar wood and a musky vanilla base note it’s an extraordinary and surprising scent. Not just a must-have for yourself, but also a perfect gift for the holiday season!

Like us on Facebook to receive your personal Barfly sample, or purchase a bottle in our webstore.

Shuffler.fm is an online music magazine where visitors can listen to almost any song in any genre by channel surfing through music blogs. You can either select a music genre, search for a specific track or listen to recommended (new) songs. Since Shuffler already makes a selection, it is the perfect medium to stumble upon music you probably wouldn’t find yourself.

The website has now also launched its iPad App. Wherever you are; you can browse through the coolest new music and read interesting background info from the blogs while listening. It works on Airplay as well, so you can play these tunes over a stereo system wirelessly. In other words, as loud as you want: a full music experience is guaranteed. Get the App here.

We have another sneak preview of our new Amsterdams Blauw denim collection for you: this week we’d like to tell a bit more about the Brewer in the Blue Ray wash.

It is going to be the perfect season to wear your light-weight 10½ oz Brewer, with or without the smart suspender belts that come with this pair of comfy denims. The Brewer has a tapered carpenter fit with a low crotch. It’s made of red cast, a traditional dyed and pure fabric that has a beautiful shade.

The Blue Ray wash is created with a slightly transparent coating, which lights up in a very special way due to the red cast. The result? A clear and luminous, crispy blue wash. This will be your perfect and versatile everyday denim.

A clock is an essential, whether it’s in your living room, in the office or at the gym. Estonian designer Pavel Sidorenko created ‘Cities’, a collection of fifteen wall clocks, inspired by different cities. Always nice to see an everyday product in a very cool design. Old records are cut by Sidorenko and show silhouettes of buildings and other iconic characteristics of the cities.

The Amsterdam clock for example shows a windmill and a bike, how surprising! Our personal favourite is the Rio, which gives us an instant warm summer vibe. Pick your favourite and buy one here, they’ll cost you 32 euro. And if you’re not really into the cities, you can also go for a teapot or rabbit-shaped vinyl clock.

Design duo and husband and wife Charles and Ray Eames are widely regarded as America’s most important designers and probably best known for their chairs. Apart from that, they made a wide range of other furniture, graphics, film, toys and even splints for wounded soldiers during WWII.

Today, ‘Eames: The Architect and the Painter’ will be released; a documentary about the Eames. The film, narrated by James Franco, tells the story about the personal lives of these creative geniuses, as well as their influence on the American life during the mid twentieth century. And of course about the chairs. We reckon it’s a must-see! Watch the trailer here.

Now this is a good excuse to pay a little visit to London. The Victoria and Albert Museum is hosting an expo about the popular and controversial Postmodernism, with the pretty self-explanatory name ‘Postmodernism – Style and subversion 1970-1990’. Magazine covers, cool photography and work from the great Andy Warhol are all part of this major exhibition.

After a visit to this Postmodernism expo you’ll know everything about this experimental art & design movement and where it came from, not to mention you saw some amazing and very versatile artwork. Fashion, architecture and design; there will be an interesting mix of all of that.

The expo runs until the 15^th of January 2012, read more about it on the website.

As it gets really really cold outside and we start prepping for winter, we’re figuring it isn’t all that bad. An advantage of it is gathering a new wardrobe, preferably with lots of knits. Cardigans, sweaters, scarves, beanies; we just love knits. Click the image above for a selection of our woolly favourites and find them in our webstore.

Winter also means warm and cosy nights with friends in front of the fireplace, wearing a comfy knitted sweater, obviously, and eating as much “stamppot” as we can.  For the best stamppot in town, we advise you to go to ‘Stamppotje’ in Amsterdam, where they cook this Dutch dish as if our grandmother made it (which is a good thing).

Imagine this incredibly busy day, you write down little reminders on the back of your hand, but at the end of the day all there’s left is blue stains. Sounds familiar? We stumbled upon these post-it watches and immediately ordered a family-pack.

French designer Doriane Favre came up with this idea, so simple but so brilliant! Just wrap it around your wrist, et voilà; the perfect reminder is on a spot you’ll glance at anyway. Of course you can also write something sweet on the watch and put it on your friend’s wrist, or put a magical time on it (like 11:11) so you can make wishes all day.

For € 9,80 you’ll receive 100 watches, get them here.

Coming Wednesday the 16^th, the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam will hit the city again. It is one of the biggest and most versatile film festivals of the world, with premiers of a broad range of documentaries. Some of them very refreshing and innovative, others tell about current social topics and some of them are just stunning.

This year, IDFA will also show a variety of music docs in cooperation with Play, a music festival that will take place at the same time in the Melkweg venue in Amsterdam. A couple of very nice supporting live performances will be part of that, in the Melkweg as well as on the different IDFA locations. Download the IDFA app for iPhone and Android to get a complete overview of the festival, or visit the website.

We’re always in for a little shopping-spree, especially when it involves designers and sale. Tomorrow (Saturday the 12^th) Rotterdam will host the Mode Marché, a creative stock sample sale with clothing and accessories from lots of different up and coming (Dutch) fashion designers.

A good thing is that the event will take place in the museum area in Rotterdam, so you can combine your shopping with some culture. Looks like a win-win. Part of the event is actually housed in the renowned Boijmans Van Beuningen museum, which will also host related exhibitions, including work of the nominees of the Rotterdam Design Awards 2011. Prepare for a “Rotterdamse” fashion experience and visit the Mode Marché website here.

In December, the new Amsterdams Blauw collection will hit the stores. Since we’re over the top excited about this, we thought it would be nice to share a little something with you. So we hereby present you a little sneak peek, hope you’re as excited as we are!

Still a bit in denial about summer being over? We found just the perfect tool to have a cosy outdoor-night without completely freezing to death. And yes, it includes a bonfire. It’s always a hassle to set one up, but with this Prairie Campfire mould it gets much easier.

All you have to do is put some good (dry!) wood in the shaped template, which indicates exactly how you should place it. Your bonfire will also be placed on small legs, so you won’t burn the surface underneath it. Looks like an essential for all of you glampers out there!

This video is simply a must-see. A girl in Paris and a guy in New York; worlds apart but connected by their synchronized day in a metropolis. Check this beauty out for yourself here. Funny detail: the movie is shot with the Nokia N8 phone, didn’t we see that before?

Dry till you die. At least, when it comes to your dry denim. One of our very enthusiastic co-workers has been wearing his pair of Amsterdams Blauw jeans for over six months; every single day, without washing it. We told you about how to take care of your dry denim, and he sure did take those tips seriously.

Walking, working, cycling, partying; there’s not much he didn’t do with it. See how beautifully his pair of jeans aged on denimarchive.com, a blog for the real denim-obsessed amongst us. Got tempted yet? Get your very own pair of Amsterdams Blauw here.

We already spotted some wild knits in Berlin and Amsterdam, but San Francisco is really taking it to the next level with this green chic Plantbombing project. “Guerilla gardener” Derek Powazek and “urban knitter” Heather Powazek Champ make these cute plant pockets and place them all over the city. That sure sounds like a fun and inventive gesture that adds some colour to the urban environment.

The way these eco-artists do it is super easy to do yourself, although you might have to sign up for a beginner’s knitting class first. Just make a yarn-pot, add some soil and a weather-resistant plant and place it on a spot that can use a colourful, smile-inducing touch. Find a how-to with photos on Powazek’s 'plantgasm' website.

Remember all the denim details from Amsterdams Blauw we told you about? We made a video to make it all a bit more visual. We hope you like it, check it out here!

Paris-based freelance reporter and photographer and avid cyclist Pierre Sautelet has tried out our Merckxxx cyclist jeans, and we caught up with him for a chat about bikes and jeans over a Paris coffee.

While mounting a bicycle in the French capital was once a practice of dare devils only, the city now has a successful public cycle-hire scheme and motorists are learning to cope with increasing numbers of two wheeled road occupants.

‘I’ve been cycling in Paris for ages, but I’m certainly no longer the exception. The mayor, Bertrand Delanoë, successfully restructured traffic in favour of cyclists some years ago. We now have cycle lanes and the Velib, a cycle hire scheme. I think it works well because it’s affordable and it makes city transport in general much more flexible.’

We see you are sporting our special Merckxxx jeans. How do you like them?

‘They’re great actually. For me, they’re a perfect fit and terribly comfortable on a bicycle. I guess the best feature is that while they’re great for cycling, they’re also perfectly wearable on a night out: the Merckxxx goes with anything. I got quite some compliments about them already and the championship coloured back patch attracts a lot of attention.’

What can you tell us about your bicycle?

‘I ride a MBK Mirage Pro now. It used to belong to my trainer when I was in a cycle club as a kid and we made it fixed-gear. Since then, I reckon this bike has covered about 50.000 km in its lifetime. I’ve been using a fixie in the city since 2006!’

Planning a trip to Amsterdam? Then take this city guide with you. The ‘Inspirational Guide for Cosmopolitan Travellers’ shows Amsterdam and its best kept secrets with inside tips from 15 local contributors who work in fashion, design and media. They tell about their favourite bars, shopping places and club nights, so a nice variety of hot spots is guaranteed.

A fun part of this booklet is the 14-step checklist to see if you’re a real ‘Amsterdammer’ (as the inhabitants are called), pointing at the number of bikes that got stolen from you and whether you ever went to the red light district or not. Looks like it’s a nice guide to add to our own book collection as well! Let’s hope copies of other cities will come out soon, get your Amsterdam ‘Inspirational Guide for Cosmopolitan Travellers’ here.

As some of you might have guessed, we opened a brand new store in Cologne, Germany! We know we have a lot of German friends, so we feel very welcome and more than happy with our newest home away from home. The store is located on the Ehrenstraße, a characteristic “Kölner” shopping street in the city centre, with a nice variety of stores and a warm village-ish atmosphere. The new store sells Scotch & Soda and Maison Scotch, so both men and women can drop by for some retail therapy. We already noticed Cologne has a lot to offer besides shopping; so while you’re there, why not visit the impressive Kölner Dom or the Chocolate Museum?

Find our new Cologne store at Ehrenstraße no. 61-63, open Monday to Saturday 10:00-20:00.

Origami is usually something that involves grandma’s and floral tablecloths, but we’re sure Jeff Nishinaka will blow your mind with his outstanding paper art. From tigers to flower bouquets, this man folds it all. When looking at it, you wouldn’t even notice at first the sculptures are made of paper; Nishinaka plays with light and shadow in a genius way.

He has a pretty wide resume, with commercial work for huge brands like French Galeries Lafayette and Coca Cola on it, as well as large installations for art shows. Considering the fact he only uses one medium and one colour, we say that’s quite impressive. Funny detail: actor Jackie Chan is the owner of the largest Nishinaka collection. See why Chan (and we) are such big fans of this master-folder here.

This week, you can watch the most successful movies of the year at the Amsterdam Film Week (1-6 November). Together with big hits from the Oscars and Golden Globes, they’ll show winning movies of film festivals like Cannes, Venice and TriBeCa. We assume you’ve already seen blockbusters like ‘Black Swan’ and ‘The King’s Speech’; but what about hidden gems like Sofia Coppola’s ‘Somewhere’ or Dutch drama ‘Black Butterflies’? Grab a bucket of popcorn and enjoy this movie experience.

Also part of the program is a design contest, where artists show their own creative visions on film posters through a couple of set guidelines. The result: a very nice range of matching posters. The nominated ones will be exhibited at De Balie in Amsterdam, across different Dutch train stations and here.

Sometimes a relaxing weekend full of couch surfing and doing nothing else is all you need on Autumn days. To make your ‘me-time’ even more comfortable, dress up in the easy jerseys from our Home Alone collection for men.

The heavy slub tees, American navy style joggers and hooded zip up sweater will make your girlfriend glance at it jealously. We’re pretty sure they will look good on her as well!
All items can be picked effortless, just the way you we like it. And why not wear them outdoors too? Throw on a denim jacket and a pair of sneakers and you’re all good to go to the gym, a quick beer or a food feast grocery stop. With all of these items, autumn isn’t that bad at all.

Unfortunately life can’t always be glamorous, and doing your laundry is definitely part of that non-glam side. This new concept definitely makes it a lot less like something mandatory. At the Wash & Coffee in Amsterdam, you can enjoy a cup of coffee, fresh food and free WiFi while waiting on your clean stuff. This cool hang-out makes you looking forward to doing your laundry on a lazy Saturday.

The whole place is eco-friendly as well, with energy efficient machines, ecological detergent and helpful staff. If you do have a washing machine at home, there’s still a good reason to visit Wash & Coffee: the course “washing & ironing for dummies”. Perfectly cleaned and smooth clothes will be this close.

You can find Wash & Coffee in Amsterdam and Munich.

There is a new camera, called the Lytro, and we think it is pretty revolutionary. Unlike the conventional ones, this pocket-size camera captures the colour, intensity and direction of all the light in front of the lens. After the capture, you can choose the focus point. Whether that’s your friend making a funny face in the front, or the beautiful tree standing behind him. You can focus and re-focus anywhere and anytime, enabling you to create the perfect photo; just as you had in mind.

With the Lytro desktop application you can import the pictures to your computer, edit them and share them afterwards. And get this: by sharing your photos through Facebook, Twitter, blogs or as links in emails, your friends can do the re-focusing too and experience the scene as if they were there. Check out Lytro’s picture gallery to see this completely new way of photography for yourself!

The Amsterdam-based artist Parra is starting to get more and more success abroad. With his latest exhibition “The How Original Show” he definitely marked his territory in infamous Los Angeles.
At this expo Parra shows new work, all easy recognisable by his signature colourful drawings.

The drawings and paintings he makes are known for the curved imagery, highly saturated colours, surreal characters and hand drawn letters.  Not only has Parra made numerous of his eclectic artworks, he also designed album covers and sneakers. Apparently this guy is multi-talented, so we expect more great things from him!

If you’re in L.A, have a peek at these fine pieces of art at the HVW8 Art + Design Gallery. The expo runs until the 6^th of November.

If you’re a food-lover and about to start your search for the perfect agenda for next year, look no further. ‘EAT! Design with Food’ is an inspirational diary, showing you a fun combination of food and design, which will instantly make you hungry. The book is designed by Eiga, a Hamburg-based design agency.

‘EAT! Design with Food’ shows different aspects of food culture, with cool photography, culinary installations and new products. Everything is served by artists, architects and designers, and shows you how you can be more aware of what you eat in a visual and creative way. With recipes, decoration ideas and every week a new food-theme this book will make you crave throughout the year.

You can buy the book here. Enjoy!

From this weekend onwards, the Dutch city of Eindhoven will host the 10th edition of the Dutch Design Week. During this week (22-30 October) visitors can experience design from different perspectives. Four selected areas in Eindhoven will host different programs, with lectures, expo’s and studio’s where you can indulge yourself with everything related to Dutch design.

The real must-see is the graduation show of the Design Academy Eindhoven where a 150 young and upcoming designers will show their conceptual artwork and ideas. Another part we’re looking forward to is the grande exhibition in the ‘Klokgebouw’ (one of DDW’s hotspots), with work by both established and new designers and manufacturing companies.

Organizers promise a week full of experimental, surprising and stimulating highlights, so make sure you’ll be there! Visit  www.ddw.nl for more info.

Picture this: a hotel with indoor wooden cabins and caravans, in Berlin. Sounds über cool, doesn’t it? Hotel Hüttenpalast in Berlin city centre has multiple caravans and cabins in one big hall, where you can spend the night in. Each hang-out has its own design, whether you like it clean and Scandinavian or cosy retro.  They also have a bio-café, where you can enjoy home-made food and really good coffee.

The idea behind this new concept was to offer a unique space for creative exchange, where ‘people from all over the world can meet, sleep and feel good’, so they say.

Staying in this creative camping space is not expensive at all: a night in one of the caravans will cost you 60 Euros. Visit www.huettenpalast.de for more info.

(photos by Jan Brockhaus)

A little black dress is pretty much all you need when you want to dress up, but with some good accessorising you can complete your outfit and look stunning! Check out these styling tips for a perfect dressy look.

1. Jewellery
   Add some sparkle to your outfit! When wearing classics like the Grace or Coco, a statement necklace will be all you need to finish off your timeless chic look. Going for a more bohemian style? Some chunky rings, bracelets and eye-catching earrings will do the trick for you.
2. Clutch
   A clutch is not only a statement accessory, it also comes in super handy when you want to bring essentials like your phone and lipstick! We say, go wild and choose one in a bright colour.
3. Shoes
   When it comes to picking the right shoes: go for heels.
4. Blazer
   You’re definitely going to need something warm in these winter months. A matching black blazer is always sophisticated, but why not go for a sparkling silver one?

We’re always in the mood for something delicious like a cookie, but these glazed creations also qualify as eye candy! Japanese ‘Cookie Boy’ makes a wide variety of cookies, inspired by things like animals, shoes and camera’s. Whether you want to surprise your lover or have an original treat on your birthday, this arty baker has a lot to offer. It’s also possible to hand in your own design; Cookie Boy will turn it into a delicious masterpiece. Good gift-idea we reckon!

Unfortunately his cookies are only available in Japan, but if you’re there you should definitely try to get some. Get inspired to do some creative baking yourself at cookieboy.net.

You might have noticed we’re very much into black lately, so you won’t be surprised we want to get our hands on a Miir water bottle.

The bottles already look pretty good, but there’s also the possibility to design your own skin. On the website, you can choose from 100’s of designs or create your own with a customizer tool. The makers didn’t forget about functionality either; a Miir is easy to carry, dishwasher safe and has an ‘optimal’ drinking opening.

Not only are they handy and good-looking, buying a Miir is for a good cause as well; one dollar of every bottle you purchase provides one person with clean drinking water for a year. Not to mention they’re a 100% recyclable. Coming to think of it, there’s really nothing we don’t like about the Miir bottle. Get yours at www.miir.com!

When we say LBD, the real fashionista will know we’re talking about a true fashion icon. A must-have in every woman’s closet. Looking at the LBD’s history, the origin of the dress lies in the 1920s, when Coco Chanel designed it. She wanted to create a dress that was timeless, affordable, versatile, a neutral colour and accessible to every woman. Et voilà!

Back then, black was still considered a colour of mourning, but when a picture of Chanel’s LBD was published in American Vogue, it reached instant hero status. In the fifties, Hollywood’s femmes fatales took it to the next level, wearing sexy black dresses in virtually every film. When Audrey Hepburn wore a copy in the movie ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ in 1960, both she and the LBD became legendary. Today, the LBD is an essential and simply inseparable from fashion. Thanks Coco!

Whether you like the music is up to you, but this new Björk app is amazing. Biophilia is a multimedia fusion of music, nature and technology, composed by the musician. For this extraordinary app, Björk collaborated with designers, scientists, writers and even instrument builders. The app enables you to explore the universe and its components, mixed with music elements.

It’s almost impossible to explain, but we’ll give it a go. Biophilia offers multiple experiences that show you the connections between musical structures and nature, from the atomic to the cosmic. So you can use the app to find out about cosmic phenomena, to make your own music and learn about it or to just listen to Björk’s latest album. We suggest you go experience it yourself, it’s simply awesome! Click here to get it.

From the heart of our beloved city Amsterdam, we proudly present to you our latest favourites: Ten Black Dresses. As part of the Autumn/Winter 2011 collection, we designed a line of stunning evening dresses, inspired by ten exceptional women who developed their own signature style and pure grace. We offer you ten dresses in all of our favourite moods: French ‘belles du jour’, 60’s Hollywood glamour and 70’s bohemian chic. Ten dresses, ten styles, ten essentials.

This week, we will introduce all of the dresses to you, give you an insight on the heritage of the classic LBD (little black dress) and provide you with styling tips & tricks. In our stores and webstore we created a special and inspirational section for the dresses, including a variety of Maison Scotch accessories to complete the look. Follow our blog and Facebook page to get the latest ins and outs on this style invasion!

If you’re in Amsterdam this week, you should definitely visit the Go Gallery. This gallery is hosting a group-exhibition from different influential street artists, called ‘Something for all the family’, composed by artist duo The London Police.

You’ll find work from guys like Logan Hicks, Joe Holbrook, Swanski, Will Barras and Shepard Fairey. Shepard Fairey (a.k.a. Obey the Giant) is seen as one of the most influential street artists of the moment and he’s already showcased his pieces in MoMa New York. You might know him from the ‘Hope’ poster he made of Barack Obama, which Obama himself eventually used during his presidential campaign.

The expo runs until the 16^th of October and you can find the Go Gallery in the Jordaan neighbourhood in Amsterdam, on Prinsengracht 64.

We’re leaving you with some eye candy for the weekend. A short movie we shot for our Amsterdams Blauw jeans, which will show you why they’re such amazing pieces of denim. In Amsterdam, autumn is on its way and temperatures are dropping every day; this video presents you just the perfect warm and layered autumn look, don’t you think?

Enjoy watching!

Now this is an interesting form of art. Robert Montgomery, artist and associate publisher of Dazed & Confused magazine, makes a provocative statement with the artwork he creates on the streets.

He pretty much hijacks billboards and other advertisement spaces in the city and replaces them with his own creations. Montgomery covers billboards with big posters and makes sculptures that convert sunlight to neon bright letters with solar cells. With poetic texts he tries to send out messages, often about advertising influencing the world and how we should enjoy life more.

You can watch these textual masterpieces at the 12^th Istanbul Biennal (runs until the 13^th of November) or at www.robertmontgomery.org.

Another denim detail we would like to tell you more about. You probably noticed your Amsterdams Blauw jeans has lots of details on the inside, like the pocket print. For example, the limited edition Merckxxx has a mix of bike parts printed on the pockets and the Lot22 denims show you the logo with an anchor, which refers to the origin of denim: sailors in the 16^th century.

In the women’s jeans, little anchors and the signature dandelion can often be found on the pockets of models like La Parisienne and the Cinq P. The dandelion seeds are a symbol for the journey the designers make when they’re creating a collection. The seeds are carried away by the wind and travel like tiny parachutes around the world, collecting inspiration from everywhere.

We want our denims to be just as interesting on the inside as on the outside, so you’ll find some other special personal messages inside your denim too.

A game of karaoke in a candy-coloured cabin in a park? Yes you can, in the Shanghai Bailianjing Park. These pavilions were initially built as an art installation for Shanghai’s World Expo in 2010, but due to their success amongst the city’s residents they’re still there. The idea behind these little candy look-a-likes was to offer an alternative way of public recreation, supporting people to enjoy outdoor park life.

Designed by Shanghai based Taranta Creations, each pavilion can be used for different activities; most of them typical Chinese, like tai chi, a game of mahjong or karaoke. For example, there is a sculpture that houses microphones and a screen, one that has a fridge to keep your drinks cold and even a mini-disco in the ‘jukebox’ cabin. Now this is how we would like to spend a day at the park. And to top it off: the wind turbines on top of the pavilions provide the electricity, so they’re sustainable as well.

We just love blue stuff and this ‘Virtue of Blue’ lamp has become a favourite. This solar chandelier, designed by Dutch designer Jeroen Verhoeven, is made of 500 butterflies that collect the sun’s energy during the day to illuminate the lamp at night. The butterflies are made of sapphire blue solar panel cells and flutter around in a glass bulb, which is amazing to see. You can imagine how stunning this lamp will be once the butterflies light up!

Verhoeven’s Virtue of Blue was shown at his solo exhibit ‘The Curious Image’ at the London Gallery, together with other famous designs. We’re always enthusiastic when it comes to design combined with sustainability, so this piece of innovation is definitely on our wish list. Check out www.demakersvan.com for more info and images.

Are you creative and have you always dreamed of realising your own products? Then you have to go to the Dutch city Utrecht. Here you can find ProtoSpace, a public laboratory.

This is how it works: you bring your digital draft to the lab, the computer converts your file and a 3D printer will make it an actual product. Whether you want to make a pair of earrings, a fluo water gun or your own action doll, everything is possible. You don’t have to pay for using the lab, just for your own material. So what’s the catch? ProtoSpace wants you to share your knowledge with the other designers at the lab. Looks like a win-win situation to us, since you’ll end up with your very own product and some extra knowledge as well!

Visit www.protospace.nl for all the info you need, including an introduction video.

We’re in the middle of Paris Fashion Week, the ultimate high end fashion week with shows from all the big French fashion houses. You probably know attending the Paris shows is almost impossible, but apart from that there will be lots of other hip events and amazing places to go.

We found this hotspot you should definitely visit: Club Silencio. Yes, as in Club Silencio from David Lynch’s movie Mulholland Drive. The interior is designed by Lynch himself and inspired by his remarkable movie, including a live stage, intimate rooms and a cinema. With a visit to this club, an exceptional experience is guaranteed. You can find Club Silencio at 142 Rue Montmartre.

If you’re planning a trip to an Italian city like Rome, Verona or Florence, you just have to get this new guidebook. Whaiwhai offers you an unconventional adventure as you explore the city in a game scenario. Each book contains different short stories, which you can only read after you solve enigmas and send your answers by text messages.

The game gives you a completely different take on the historical Italian cities, compared to other guides that only take you to the standard touristic places. You will get to know the unique character of the cities, while diving into the history and magical ambiance of them. With the Whaiwhai book you can start at any time and you can play with as many friends as you like.
By the way: they recently added New York, including an iPhone App! We sure hope there are more cities to come.

Today, www.scotch-soda.com will be ‘site of the day’ on thefwa.com. FWA stands for Favourite Website Awards, an industry recognised internet award program and inspirational portal. It is the most visited website award program in the history of the internet, with over 140 million site visits as of July 2011. We are very proud to be site of the day and we hope you love it as much as they do!

At the Osaka Station in Japan, there is a very functional fountain: one that tells you what time it is. This magical display is made from the fountain’s water which forms a digital clock every minute. Between time views, the water is flowing in amazing floral patterns and other interesting shapes. The fountain is controlled by a system that converts digital images to water droplets which form liquid images. The clock is pretty intriguing, so you have to make sure you don’t miss your train because of this impressive piece of technology!

Watch a video of the fountain here.

If you’re looking for a cultural activity for the weekend, look no further. This weekend Amsterdam will host two different art events: Meesterlijk and Elle Inside Design.

Meesterlijk is a design and applied arts fair in the Amsterdam Rai Conference Centre, where designers will present you their latest creations with furniture, fashion, ceramics and textiles.
Designer Karim Rashid will also be at Meesterlijk with his own expo. He will show a couple of his awarded masterpieces, which have also been shown in MOMA New York and Centre Pompidou in Paris. Expect hyper modern furniture and colourful art objects.
The fair will be open from 24 September – 2 October. Visit www.meesterlijk.nu for more info.

At Elle Inside Design, IJburg island will be the stage of a variety of activities. Experience design through the newest furniture, architecture and inspiring presentations. And while you’re there, try to get a fresh drink or a delicious meal at must-see design hotel Lloyd!
Elle Inside design will take place on the 23^rd, 24^th and 25^th of September, check www.elle.nl/inside_design for more info.

Designer Carolina Herrera and international cult magazine editor Luis Venegas have joined forces and created a book, called ‘I know you from New York’. The book shows what the city that never sleeps is all about, through stunning photographs. Celebrities, top models and basically everybody that matters in New York’s nightlife is caught on camera, partying and celebrating life.

A variety of people worked on the book, such as photographers Jeremy Kost, Hanuk and J.D. Ferguson, as well as writer Derek Blasberg. They’re all part of this ultra cool party-crowd and show you the most exclusive parties and hotspots.
You might not be able to visit an exclusive Herrera boutique to catch one of the 1.500 copies, but www.iknowyoufromnewyork.com provides you with a lot of inspiration, including photos and videos.

Another signature denim detail of the Amsterdams Blauw denim is the suspenders. Amsterdams Blauw is not afraid to experiment and express creativity in details that we know will make the difference. Winking at the denim gentleman, which is an important look when it comes to our latest denim line, the suspenders give the jeans a special and original twist.

When we look at the history of the suspenders, we see that they were considered as an upper class item, made to be attached to button-up trousers only. It was a fashion faux-pas to wear both suspenders and a belt, some people even considered suspenders to be underwear that should never be seen at all. A waistcoat or a jumper was worn to cover up the suspenders. After WWII, men began removing jackets in public and visible suspenders started to become acceptable. For now, we think suspenders are a nice accessory to give your denim a nonchalant look, and of course to keep them from falling down!

Our Amsterdams Blauw jeans have buttons to attach the tabs of the suspenders and also a slightly higher back with a fishtail-shape. You can find suspenders on the Mademoiselle Plus jeans for the ladies and the Brewer for men.

A brand new book-Walhalla has opened its doors! The Taschen flagship store is the place to be when you’re looking for creative books on topics like fashion, art, music or architecture.  Two floors are filled with the entire line of wonderful books that Taschen has become known for. Our personal favourite is Helmut Newton’s new book ‘Polaroids’, with a huge collection of artistic test polaroids shot by the legendary fashion photographer.

Together with capitals like Los Angeles, Berlin and London, Amsterdam is now the home to one of these inspiring places to find the perfect ‘coffee table book’. You can find the store in the Amsterdam city centre on P.C. Hooftstraat 44.

Like every year at the Dutch Film Festival in Utrecht, you can watch the newest Dutch movies, meet cool people from the industry and see which movies will be sent to the oh so famous Academy Awards. We are very fond of The Monster of Nix, a short animation by Dutch artist and director Rosto. This little masterpiece, with overwhelming visuals (and Tom Waits’ voice!), has been sent to the Oscars in hope that it will be nominated for Best Animated Short Film. Watch the trailer here. Fingers crossed…

Looking for another special event during the Film Festival? Then go to One Night Stand, a mini festival on Sunday the 25^th where they will show 8 short movies from new and upcoming directors. Every single one of them will be sharp, touching and funny, so make sure you don’t have a boring Sunday and go check them out.

The Film Festival is from 21 - 30 September, check www.filmfestival.nl for more info.

If you’re still in New York for the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, then hurry to the W Hotel on Times Square. Dutch fashion photographer Annemarieke van Drimmelen exhibits her ‘Between us, a model’s life’ photo project, with spherical black and white photos of some of the most successful models of the moment.

The photos are shot at the homes of the models, in cities like New York and Paris and they show the relationship between a photographer and the model in a pure and intimate way. If you’re not one of the fashion folks wondering around in New York this weekend, check www.annemariekevandrimmelen.com to see a selection of the photos.

You know we love our lomo so you can imagine how excited we were about the Lomography Gallery Store opening in Amsterdam this week. In a 3-story canal house in the ‘9 Straatjes’ neighbourhood (where you can also find three S&S stores) you’re surrounded by all the different must-have cameras and some of the nicest photos that make you want to buy a Diana or Sprocket Rocket and start shooting immediately. They also sell books, like the Lomo City Guide, and the so-called Sidekick bags.

Check it out at Herengracht 298 in Amsterdam or visit www.lomography.com for more info.

The fourth Amsterdams Blauw denim detail tells you more about the signature coin pocket.

This little pocket that basically sits inside the front pocket is also called the watch pocket. It usually has quite a tight fit, but it definitely keeps your loose coins from rattling around all the time. On our Amsterdams Blauw jeans, the coin pocket carries a special lucky wooden coin for its owner. Our denim design team noticed that the coin pocket is often forgotten about, so they wanted to do something nice to give it some extra attention.

The wooden coin was already used in America in the 19^th century. During the multiple gold rushes people used wooden coins as actual money. The lucky coins you’ll find in your Amsterdams Blauw jeans have messages on them, such as ‘Denims Advocate’ on our special Lot22 coins and ‘Use & Abuse’ (and the signature world championship colours) on the Merckxxx coins.

Just a little something from Amsterdams Blauw to make your denim even more special!

If you ask us, this new gadget is here to stay. The Dot is a camera you can attach to your iPhone 4 and take 360 videos with. Isn’t that an impressive new app? You can click the lightweight polycarbonate plastic camera on to your iPhone’s lens and start shooting instantly, without using any extra battery power.

Something that makes it special is that you can put your phone facedown on the table without having to hold it and keep track of what you’re filming. ‘Dot’ is filming everything that happens around you and afterwards you can share it with your friends through social media. This way, nobody‘s going to miss what you’re up to. Check this video for some inspiration.

The Dot will cost you around 60 euros. Get it at www.kogeto.com.

There's a new kind of bicycle in town and it's called Roetz! Why we're so happy about it? Well, besides that the bicycle is simply the best way to get around town, these bikes are sustainable. Roetz use as many recycled parts as possible, and the new parts are all environment friendly. On top of this goodness, the Roetz bikes are super durable, high quality and very pretty too.

The Roetz bicycles were born in the capital of cycling: Amsterdam. the Dutch buy over a million new bicycles every year, just imagine how many spare parts of old cast offs that creates. But the rest of the world is steadily catching on: some of the greatest bicycle promoters of the world are the mayors of London, Paris and New York. That can mean only very good news: sustainable bicycles are the next big city thing.

One of the more refreshing and buzzing fashion weeks, the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York, has kicked off yesterday, showing the newest and hippest collections to fashion’s elite. Thank heavens for the World Wide Web, because on Fashion Week’s website you can watch all the shows, even live. And there’s more: feast on backstage material, follow the latest news, check for other fashion happenings and see what the it-crowd is up to. It will almost be as if you’re actually there.

So indulge yourself with New York-inspired fashion, MBFW will be around until the 15^th of September.

There's something of a mysterious haze around the name Martin Margiela. This visionary Belgian fashion designer is infamously secretive about who he is. His latest project however allows us all to admire the interior of this lush and gorgeous Paris hide-out, as he designed the prestigious boutique hotel la Maison Champs Élysées.

The converted town-house, once a home to Viennese royalty, now breathes a perfect symbiosis between the classical and high-tech modernity. Margiella created a magical and poetical world, full of shimmering futuristic mirrors that reflect decors from days long passed. Faux-baroque meets purist minimalism topped off with some technological surprises. Margiella's Maison of course houses one of the best restaurants in central Paris and also has a great green garden for leisurely al-fresco moments. If you're looking for a luxurious escape, this certainly must be it.

Most of Europe may have had more rain than shine this summer, but we have very high hopes for September - and so does Fatboy. They invented a new type of knapsack and we believe it might be the ultimate picnic gadget.

The fabric unfolds into a circle in a single movement. When all the eating, drinking, and fun on your picnic spread comes to an end, simply gather all your stuff in the middle, pull the string, and the knapsack packs it all up in one go, ready for you to fling it casually over your shoulder. Yes, it comes with nostalgic stick attached which might make you want to whistle a tune as you parade it through the park.

Look carefully and you'll discover this 3D book art is genuinely hand-folded and cut all the way through. Although we do hope artist Isaac G. Salazar didn't use one of your favourite novels to create his masterpieces, this sure is an impressive art.

The self-taught book-origami master Salazar admits that his craft takes immense patience as well as time. Creating one piece takes him anywhere between a couple of days and a number of weeks. He says his latest ambition is to re-create brand logos he likes. Well, Scotch & Soda is sure keeping a close eye on this one...

There are numerous special treatments for your favourite denim clothes to make them last much longer. Real denim pundits may choose not to wash their jeans to make the colour hold. Hey, bacteria stops accumulating after two weeks of wearing anyway, so why not? You can also freeze your dry denim overnight for crisp morning freshness, or your girlfriend may ask you to hang your trousers outside; it has happened before!

Extensive experimenting has however taught us that hot weather and long distance cycling will make you want to give your beloved denim garment a good rinse. Here’s how you do it: lay your dry denim flat when washing it to prevent the colour assembling around the creases formed when crumpled. We recommend then carefully washing your dry denim using any of the following methods:

-          Give a (luke)warm bath in vinegar for about an hour before machine washing your jeans. The vinegar prevents colour fading.

-          Lay flat in a cold salty bath.

-          Give it a plain sea water dip if you’re anywhere near the sea.

-          Lay flat in a bath tub with your favourite hair conditioner (which makes your denim smell splendid).

One last bit of dry denim advice: buy too tight rather than to loose. Like genuine leather, dry denim takes the unique shape of its owner. We say dry denim ‘grows on you’.

An international crowd of creative and fashion aficionados flocked to Amsterdam’s Berenstraat – one of the famous Nine Little Streets (Negen Straatjes) - last Thursday to celebrate the launch of the one and only Amsterdams Blauw Denim Deli in town.

Upon entering the brand new shop it’s immediately clear that this is an effort to change the way we buy clothes. Comfy denim-blue seats fill unexpected corners, the espresso machine awaits your order and the men’s changing rooms boldly state: denim has patience. This is no place for hasty decisions: the denim deli is meant to relax.

Berenstraat used to be famous for its many specialised delis. This brand new Denim Deli took its inspiration from the traditional Amsterdam specialist shop in its details, as well as its mentality: look out for original Dutch tiles in unexpected corners, but also approach the Amsterdams Blauw staff with any question you may have. The Denim Deli truly brings back the love for authenticity and specialist knowledge.

The design team clearly realised that changing rooms are nobody’s favourite aspect of shopping. With this in mind, they came up with some state of the art gems in changing room design indeed. Come and visit to see what we mean.

And remember: Your choice deserves its time. Denim is patient.

The third detail in this series on Amsterdams Blauw denim details, is the signature XXX stitching on our back pockets. Why so special? As you might have guessed from the name, the Scotch & Soda denim collection was born and raised in the city of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Here, everything from churches to trash cans and street poles are decorated with the three crosses symbol.

Don’t expect anything raunchy though; the symbol was first used in the fifteenth century and has since become the symbol of the city, hence it’s prominent spot on the Amsterdam weapon of arms (link: wikipedia).

In denim, the X-stitching is traditionally used for reinforcement, instead of the rivet. We like to use it as a finishing touch on the back pocket. Two in blind stitching, one visible. Search, and you will find!

Some of our bicycle courier friends have had the chance to wear the Merckxxx for a couple of weeks. We’re naturally so very curious to find out what they have to say about the jeans we developed especially for them.

Our next expert is Jur74, cycle courier since 1996. His humble abode just beside Amsterdam’s famous Vondelpark is full of bicycles, special parts and competition trophies and paraphernalia. There’s no mistaking that this guy has a passion for his work.

You have participated in quite some cycle courier competitions. Can you tell us more about them?

“Yes, I’ve travelled the world for them, and I won quite a few too. I might have done more than a hundred competitions by now. I love it because the route is a surprise every time. Every city brings a new adventure. One of the most challenging cities to tackle was Tokyo because it’s terribly hectic and busy. But the great thing is that, unlike in Amsterdam, you don’t need to share the roads with other cyclists.”

How do the Merckxxx jeans serve you so far?

“I hadn’t worn jeans for quite some time until I tried these. Canvas shorts suited me fine. But I must say, the Merckxxx might have brought back my love for jeans.

For couriers, clothing needs to be multi-purpose: both for sport and leisure. I think these jeans do quite well; they’re not too tight and they have some very useful features like the reflecting print at the ankles and the key chain, which I’m steadily wearing out. If the Merckxxx would also be available as shorts, I’d be even more thrilled.”

We do love our blue, and so does Chanel: the ultimate designer brand will launch a brand new nail polish line inspired by the colours of denim on 8 September. This couldn’t get any better.

The three dainty blues have been christened Blue Rebel, Coco Blue and Blue Boy – and they sure finish any denim inspired outfit perfectly. But these exclusive little bottles of blue are announced to be on sale in September only: better be swift than sorry if you fancy one!

Denimu, a British artist residing in Sweden, has cherished a passionate devotion to all things denim since his early teens. When his mum would make him wear corduroy, he’d long for the comfort of his blue jeans. And it didn’t stop there: Denimu realised that denim was so much a part of his life, that he could use it as a means of expression.

Now Denimu is perhaps the only artist in the world to create all his art from bits of cut up denim. Entire landscapes, derelict urban sites with graffiti adorned building, portraits that resemble graphic novel drawings and tributes to pop icons: there’s nothing this man can’t make from denim.

Denimu’s next exhibition will run from 27 August till 11 September in Gallery Jäger & Jannson in Lund, Sweden.

Los Angeles is a magnet to life, light and entertainment. Colin Rich spent six months capturing his city’s electric radiance at night. The video, accompanied by the warm and soothing sounds of Cinematic Orchestra, glides through the dazzling effect a city as promising as LA has on so many hoping to fulfil their dreams.

LA’s charm is hard to resist and it keeps on seducing new big city lovers. Meanwhile, it’s is the most populous city in the US after New York and it’s expanding so rapidly that this high-rise paradise is becoming harder to maintain by the day. LA Light is an ode to the city of the stars. Watch it in full screen for the best experience.

These guys made the largest ever stop-motion character animation in the world. It took a very large crew and a very high crane to get there, but they did. Animators Sumo Science and Aardman (the makers of Wallace and Gromit) packed up and set off to Pendine Beach in South Wales (UK). The scene stretched over 11 thousand square feet (3,4 KM²). It was shot with three Nokia N8 smartphones, from high above the beach. This is the second world record they break: they made the tiniest stop-motion film in history last year, and it got them in the Guinness Book of World Records. Dot was also shot with a camera phone and a specially designed microscope.

Gulp is a short animation film about a fisherman going about his daily catching business – or so he thinks. This fisherman’s adventure cost five days and an entire night to create, as the sand artists had to shape every new movement in the sand with stencils for every single shot. And isn’t the end product worth it! The Making of Gulp is at least as spectacular as the final product, don’t miss it.

If you've given up hope of ever stumbling upon Banksy art 'in the wild', we have big news: the Banksy iPhone app tells you were to find art work from the hands of this contemporary street art legend anywhere in the world.

The notoriously anonymous Bristol-born Banksy, known since the 1980s for his satirical and political murals, has inspired so many graffiti artists worldwide, it's sometimes even hard to spot the real deal. This new app guides you towards famous works and hidden treasures in for example New Orleans, London and the Israeli West Bank barrier.

The iPhone app should update any spotted new Banksy work and any exhibition (though they're mostly unauthorised) featuring his work. After Banksy's remarkable and hilarious documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop was nominated for an Academy Award in 2010, there's no telling what this modern art rebel genius will do next.

The 1960s were a brilliant decade of rebellion and general cultural naughtiness. As in many other European countries, the Dutch government prohibited commercial radio and television. But the people wanted to watch hit series like Zorro, Mr Ed and The Saint. The founders of the pirate station TV Noordzee (North Sea) figured they couldn't be caught if they'd broadcast from sea, just outside of territorial waters. And so they sent their signal from a 100 metre high mast, rising from a steel construct 9 km off the coast.

It lasted for just a couple of months because the infuriated government hastily passed legislation to shut them down. in 2006 the construction was brought to shore and in March 2011, Restaurant REM Eiland opened its doors, located in the Amsterdam Houthavens, a new urban area to the city's west. It has an enormous rooftop terrace with stupendous city views 22 metres above the Amsterdam IJ lake. They serve affordable French cuisine, and the late weekend opening hours (till 3am) suggest it's a nice place for drinks too.

Some of our fixie friends have had the chance to wear the Merckxxx for a couple of weeks. We’re naturally so very curious to find out what they have to say about the jeans we developed especially for them.

Today we speak with Sam Dirksz, counterpart of last week’s honourable fixie pundit Gijs: Sam is co-founder of specialist fixed-gear bicycle shop Pristine.

How long have you been into fixed-gear bicycles, and do you get enough practice despite running your own shop?

‘I’d say about four years now. I stared devoting time to this hobby in Rotterdam, where I lived before I moved to Amsterdam. I’d like to ride my bike a lot more than I do, of course, but I still manage at least one long distance trip a week. That’s anything between twenty and sixty kilometres.’

How do you like the Merckxxx jeans?

‘I like the feel of the material. The deep pockets are a good feature; they prevent stuff from falling out all the time. And it’s a very good thing that these jeans have a high rise at the back.’

Any reason to recommend it to regular cyclists?

‘I’d mainly recommend it for fashion. Much thought went into the details: the stitching, the lining and the use of the world championship colours. Also, the fact that it’s sustainable could be a reason to choose these jeans.’

Your bicycle is called Loes, what can you tell us about it?

‘It’s quite a special bike, which was actually made for someone called Loes. It’s an original Presto frame; it must be about thirty years old and it was made as a professional race bike. It was for sale, but since this bike suits me so well and nobody else seemed too keen to buy it, I though I’d better make good use of it.’

The new school year is approaching. A time for new notebooks, pens, diaries and books. But where to put them? Here’s where the Scotch & Soda’s Boys and Girls departments come in.

Boys will be all set for the season sporting the heavy quality cotton Scotch Shrunk backpack. Available in denim blue, army or rust, with a contrast bottom, featuring America inspired print and badge. This fashionable A-quality bag is perfect in and outside the classroom.

For the more professional student look Scotch & Soda offers young lads the heavy washed canvas Library Bag in two colours: educated green tea or pensive dawn. It features leather straps, a cotton scarf to fend off chilly draughts and a distinctive Scotch print.

Girls can strut into the classroom in style carrying the Scotch R’Belle printed leather look handbag. This bag is for the fashionable feminine yet tough young lady. It’s made of special paper quality and features leather details and a unique overall print.

The heavy cotton mini shopper fits all a girl needs and is available in four of this season’s colours: nature, mauve, pirate black and tea rose. Its pure and honest design makes this bag ideal to combine with any outfit and occasion.

Scotch & Soda wishes you a fashionable new school year!

Photographer Jeroen Swolfs has been travelling the world to capture the essence of 194 capital cities on the planet. His mission, called Streets of the World, started two years ago. Great ambition and determination already got him passed two obstacles: the impenetrable capital Pyongyang of North-Korea and the extremely dangerous Papua, New Guinea where Jeroen needed five bodyguards just to take photos on a market.

The 36 year old Amsterdam photo journalist says he attempts to show that however different cultures may seem, in the core, all people everywhere in the world want the same thing: a better life for them and their children. He says his project, personally, is also about making your dreams come true: if you’re truly motivated, you can make things happen. Whether he’s able to complete the project, he says, depends on not getting shot along the way. Follow Jeroen’s adventures here: http://www.streetsoftheworld.com/journal

Scotch & Soda’s fresh denim-only label Amsterdams Blauw is getting its very own Amsterdam shop. Home is where the heart is, that’s why the first Amsterdams Blauw shop is located where the label was born and raised: in the heart of the Jordaan area – the Amsterdam counterpart of Le Marais in Paris and Soho in NYC. While the area is bustling with life, we welcome a slower pace in our shop. Escape the normally hectic shopping experience: come over for a chat, relax and have a yummy cup of coffee while you ease through our most recent men’s, women’s or children’s collections. We like to think of our new shop as a Denim Deli.

The shop can’t be overlooked: it’s in a monumental building with a historical wooden facade and – here it comes – it’s painted Amsterdams Blauw signature blue from top to bottom. Step inside and the interior is fresh and light, adorned with rich materials like hand-made tiles, an antique wooden castle floor, brick walls, historically ornamented ceilings and custom made wooden cabinets.

We can’t wait to welcome you in our new shop at the Berenstraat!

As mentioned last week some of our fixie friends have had the chance to wear the Merckxxx for a couple of weeks. We’re so very curious to find out what they have to say about the jeans we developed especially for them.

First up is co-founder of the exclusive Amsterdam fixed-gear bicycle shop Pristine, Gijs van Amelsvoort.

On entering Pristine, it’s immediately apparent that this is more than a bicycle shop: it’s a hub for the fixed gear community. Shiny new fixies and all imaginable parts downstairs, cosy cupcake and coffee place upstairs. Gijs makes a very decent cup of coffee as well as exceptional bicycles.

How much do you get to cycle these days?

‘Not as much as I’d like to. I still cycle daily, but with the shop to run, long distance trips aren’t as frequent as I’d like them to be.’

You’ve been wearing the Merckxxx jeans. What’s the verdict so far?

‘They’re very comfortable; I’ve enjoyed wearing them actually. I’d say that the reinforced back pocket is its best feature. Aesthetically I like that you can see every detail has been thought of. The world championship coloured stripes give that finishing touch.’

Any reason to recommend it to regular cyclists?

‘Yes: the back pockets that hold a lock, the reflecting elements for night time. And jeans should be appealing to the eye as well as comfortable; these are.’

Can you tell us a bit more about that special looking seat on your bike?

Last year we helped organise the Bicycle Film Festival at the Tuschinski Theater and we met the guys from San Marco. That's how it all started and we decided it would be radical to do a collaboration. We made a white perforated version of their classic Concor Supercorsa saddle. In my eyes the most iconic saddle in cycling history, one that has often been imitated but never equalled. We decided to keep it clean and simple (pristine, if you will) and made it out of perforated Microfeel material instead of leather. Which is why it's called the Concor X, the label San Marco uses for their vegan saddles. It's limited to 200 pieces worldwide and we couldn't be happier with it. It's quite an honour for a young shop like ours to be able to team up with an Italian legend like San Marco.

Is there anything else Scotch & Soda should make for you?

‘Water-resistant jeans would be great. And while you’re at it, why not a water-resistant jacket too? It should be a bit longer at the back, as the lower back is more exposed when you’re on a bike.’

Thank you, we’ve noted it.

The second detail to highlight on denim and its ins and outs, is the fly button. This buzzing detail is carefully hidden below a thick layer of denim, leaving only the wearer in the know. Many Amsterdams Blauw denims have been decorated with this tongue-in-cheek approach to what is traditionally called the ‘fly button’. The idea came from a flea market in Japan, where the design team searched for inspiration. Under a pile of dust, they found a vintage fly-brooch. When designing the final button, they naturally went with the image of a Blue Bottle fly. And to give you a small preview: the original fly brooch as found in Japan, will pop up on denim top garments in the new season...

Turn any random corner in East London and you might find a paper crafted horse literally jumping out at you, from the wall. If this isn’t the most creative way to adorn a Metropolis and promote a band, we don’t know what is.

Award winning art directors and graphic designers Phil Clandilon and Steve Milbourne along with their talented intern Xavier Barrade initiated this project for the latest East-London sensation: the band Dry the River. The makers designed the B0 size horses using Google Sketch Up, after which they printed the separate components and hand-assembled them. Each horse structure took about 35 hours to complete, they say.

Listen & download Dry the River here: http://www.drytheriver.net/music/

It’s creative, it’s spontaneous, it serves cocktails and it’s in East London: what’s not to love?

Stav B – a London visual artist originally from Athens – does arts and music events and film screenings all over London: in public toilets, children’s bookshops, abandoned police stations, you name it. Time Out London says she’s ‘a creative force to be reckoned with’.

The temporary Stav B’s Liquor bar is ‘a speakeasy, prohibition style bar, where ideas spark, projects materialise and exquisite liquid is consumed’. It’s exclusively open on Friday and Saturday evenings (7pm-1am), and only till the end of August. This great Hackney location is a great place to meet up with some of London’s international creative crowd whilst sipping an exquisite cocktail. But if you can’t make it in time, don’t despair: Stav B will keep popping up  in unexpected places. Keep an eye out.

Address: Gallery 5A, Regent Studios, 8 Andrews Road (enter via Ada Street), E8 4QN, London, UK

If you own one, you will know: Amsterdams Blauw denims are full of both visible and hidden little details. From the back patch to the inside pocket printing - we aim to make denims that are so well constructed, you could almost wear them inside out. In the hope you are as big of a denim head as us, we’d like to highlight the small details we take pride in making. Starting with the back patch...

#1 BACK PATCH

The most noticeable detail on our denims, is likely to be the back patch with the Amsterdams Blauw logo. When scanning through the collection, you will come across different sizes and colours. It always starts with a high quality thick leather patch in different shades of brown or printed over in a  shade of Amsterdams Blauw blue. All the premium denims within our Lot 22 line can be recognized by the anchor-embossed rivet punched through the patch. In case of a white back patch, we like to use bright purple stitching, as a nod to the colour’s luxury connotation within the fashion industry. Check out the images to learn more or, better yet, drop by a store near you to see for yourself!

The revolutionary and influential German modern dance legend Pina Bausch died just two days before she was meant to start shooting with director Wim Wenders.The director changed his plans and created this ode to Pina Bausch using 3D technique, which is perhaps as controversial to film as Pina Bausch was once controversial to dance.

The film is quite ground-breaking because 3D is used to show dance in an entirely different way. The intensity of a live performance may be less, but Wenders pulls the viewer onto the the stage, leaving you a mere virtual nose-length away from the dancers.

The world of professional dance has been a secret to most of us for a very long time, but those days are over: Dance is back. As an exceptional art form, as fun to look at and as a very tough and technical career, too. This film shows everything there is to love about Pina Bausch and her talented dancers. It seems to fly through all her choreographies, making it near impossible not to appreciate Pina’s style, even if it isn’t yours.  It’s an amazing film about a legendary devoted artist, who respected the human body and human emotions like only a true dancer can.

What has a pair of Merckxxx jeans got to do with cycles? Everything. They were designed especially for anyone who spends lots of time on a bicycle. That’s why it’s named after the world famous and renowned cyclist Eddie Mercks. The Merckxxx is made of green selvedge dry denim. This production process is more sustainable and environment friendly. The fading and whiskering depend entirely on the life cycle of your Merckxxx: how you wear, wash and handle it. It’s your masterpiece.

The design is a tribute to the international community of fixed gear pundits and bicycle couriers. The best Italian manufacturers stitched reinforced back pockets which easily hold a U-lock. The slim-fit model has a high rise at the back and low rise at the front for cycle comfort as well as reflecting elements at the bottom of each leg to ensure night time visibility. The seams, label and handy key chain don the colours of the Tour de France.

The Merckxxx is made for our fixie-courier friends. We celebrate this community’s passion and style and wish to share it with all of you, across the globe. Starting with the founders of the exclusive Amsterdam fixed-gear bicycle shop Pristine. We have given our friends Gijs van Amelsvoort and Sam Dirksz the chance to wear the Merckxxx for a couple of weeks. Stay tuned to read about their experiences.

Not to worry. Apple services our nostalgic dreams of that old-fashioned landline phone on your desk. Only it looks prettier. The Desk Phone Dock not only revives memories of the olden days: it charges your iPhone when cradled, it has a USB port for syncing your iPhone with your computer and it has a speaker function which doubles up as a music speaker.

If you’re a proud iPhone owner likely to head down retro road, we’d like to offer some words of caution: after a heated office conversation with your landline look-a-like, don’t slam down the receiver. You need to slide the virtual unlock bar on your iPhone like you normally would. We know it’s one of the greatest pleasures of an old-fashioned desk phone, but the Desk Phone Dock will automatically switch to speakerphone rather than disconnect.

Bring your own drink (BYO) to FOAM’s (photography museum Amsterdam) pop-in shop just off Museumplein on any Friday afternoon this summer. FOAM and Red Light Radio joined forces to create an artistically inspiring way to begin your weekend. Amsterdam radio pioneers Red Light Radio haven’t even been around for a year, and already the city can’t do without them. They’re certainly the nation’s most versatile music radio station, and now their collaboration with FOAM creates support for young photographers.

The weekly Friday afternoon Artist Talks invite keen, inspirational young photographers to shed light on their work. Of course, Red Light Radio provides the music. Amongst the artists popping in this summer are Elza Jo, Wild/Folded (Downtown Fashion Week) and Yvonne Lacet. Early weekend celebrations have never been this inspirational.

Fridays from 5-7 PM.

This theatre festival on wheels has been touring the four largest cities in the Netherlands; Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam, for over twenty years now. The festival grounds have the feel of a circus and it features many elements of an old-fashioned fairground, complete with giant’s stride (not just for the kids) and many extravagantly dressed actors literally parading about.

De Parade is a perfect sultry summer evening hide-out. Be sure to taste a bit of Amaro’s extraordinary cooking (that’s where the longest queue probably is), have some fruity sangria at The Juicy’s and make your own typically Dutch poffertjes (very little puffy pancakes) after the show. Theatre shows range from extremely silly to highly artistic and experimental. Be sure to catch theatre group Orkater/The Sadists’ post-apocalyptic frantic fairytale Rockabilly Roadkill.

PS. don’t wear your best shoes if it’s (been) raining!

The Texan born Wes Anderson isn’t just any film director; this man is known for involving himself with just about every process of film making in its entirety: directing, writing, producing, production design and music. One of his best known films, The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) is exemplary for recurring themes in much of his work: unobtainable love, distorted family relationships, suicide and failure.

What makes any good storyteller truly exceptional is being able to deal with these most depressing aspects of human life without making you want to down a bottle of Prozac chased by several shots of vodka. Quite the contrary: they’re all a brilliant cocktail of dry humour and gripping flawed characters. Anderson shares this quality with one of his story-telling heroes, Roald Dahl. This director’s film of Dahl’s tale The Fantastic Mr Fox (2009) doubtlessly proves this. Now we eagerly anticipate Anderson’s upcoming film: Moonrise Kingdom, starring Bill Murray and Bruce Willis, to be released in 2012.

This band has rocketed itself into being sensational even before its youngest member left high school. Jungle by Night are a party of nine white lads between the ages of 16-22 from Amsterdam. You wouldn’t say though, because they sound anything but teen-aged and Caucasian: they rock a mixture of Nigerian Afrobeat and Ethiopian Jazz. And when we say they rock, we mean just that.

Kindred Spirits released their first EP on Vinyl and after being on national television and playing throughout the Netherlands, Jungle by Night is crossing borders. This inspirational young collective is a denim design team favourite! Be sure to catch them live some time.

The beautiful city of Florence hosts the most important menswear and denim trade fair in Europe, presenting almost a thousand collections this year, and Amsterdams Blauw was there, proudly presenting our men’s denim collection as well as offering a sneak preview of our women’s denim collection.

The theme of this Pitti Uomo was travel – and the famous French duo Antoine+Manuel transformed the forecourt of the Fortezza into a special place where you could experience a trip into the world’s contemporary lifestyles and fashions with the help of the duo’s graphic and computer design creations.

Also, the new Pitti Shop, designed by Patricia Urquiola, sold limited edition United Arrows t-shirts and shopping bags by Andrea Incontri. Proceeds from their sales went to aid Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims.

Amsterdams Blauw will be present at every winter and summer edition of this exceptional fair. For the retail, as much as for the renowned baristas they invited to concoct delicious Italian coffee.

Have you ever noticed the little messages we include in our garments? We give special attention to the details, just to show you that we put all our creativity, devotion and effort into all the aspects of designing and manufacturing Scotch & Soda clothing: the lining, the pockets and indeed, the labels.

Have a peek inside the collar of your shirt, or your trouser pocket, and you may find that it carries a dainty message about that special garment for you. We celebrate the beauty in life that is found in the detail. We applaud your unique taste and sense of style by including little hidden treasures in our garments. Consider it a genuine ‘Thank You’ from everyone who contributed to the cardigan, dress, jacket or pair of jeans that you chose to take home with you.

We are delighted to announce that the Scotch & Soda as well as the Maison Scotch fall/winter collections will hit the shops in July. Ladies as well as gentlemen may look forward to our unprecedented effort to wrap you up warm in impeccable style this winter. Yes: lots of coats, parkas and jackets coming up. Pied-de-poule, herringbone and tweeds amongst the men’s wear and for women we introduce some super new qualities in a variety of wool textures, coated twills and durable nylons to help fend off unfriendly weather.

Scotch&Soda makes an effort to dress the outdoorsy boys in timeless, utilitarian garments this winter. The brand new fall/winter collection blends authentic British checks, nostalgic Fair Isle knits, waxed jackets, and woolly ‘granddads’ with corduroy trousers . Look forward to warm autumnal colours like ochre, raspberry, cinnamon and plum.

Maison Scotch anticipates winter celebrations with dresses in all our favourite moods: French ‘belles du jour’, 60s Hollywood glamour and 70s bohemian chic. A beautiful feather hair band, bow broche, clutch and black stockings are perfect compliments to your elegant evening frock.

Corbijn is positively the Netherlands’ most accomplished contemporary photographer. He’s said to always have built an intimate relationship with his subjects, making his portraits of David Bowie, Miles Davis, Tom Waits and others world famous. Many of us know Corbijn’s music videos for Nirvana, Johnny Cash and Coldplay and he has recently expanded his artistic capacities by directing the feature films Control (2007) and The American (2010).

The exhibition inwards and onwards currently on display at FOAM (photography museum Amsterdam) proudly presents a broad array of Corbijn’s work. Gaze into the eyes of some of this remarkable artist’s favourite subjects: Alexander McQueen, Damien Hirst, Anselm Kiefer, Karel Appel and many more.

Foam. Keizersgracht 609, Amsterdam. www.foam.org. 23 June - 1 September 2011

Need some creative input? Plenty of fresh ideas are floating around in the world’s metropolises – and New York just has it all. It’s a great big melting pot of people from all over the globe, attracting the most innovative and creative minds.

The denim design team had a delicious Arabian/Mediterranean lunch at Cafe Gitane in the lower east-side. They strolled through the neighbourhood to find the unique vintage London Soho affiliated barber shop Tommy Guns and got the best haircut in Manhattan. Another luscious experience was satisfying the appetite with some Michelin star rated pub-grub along with a cool pint of draught beer in the lower west-side at the Spotted Pig. Manhattan is also the home of the incredibly versatile DJ Spinna. Catch one of his memorable Stevie Wonder tribute nights at any of the city’s best venues if you can. Prepare to queue for a bit; it’s worth the wait.

Melt isn’t just what you do around Berlin in summer, it’s also certainly one of Europe’s finest festivals, offering the cream of the crop of electronic-meets-rock music since 1997. Get ready for the Melt! Selektor Stage, where Modeselektor is promising stuff of future music legend. After their spectacular live set with Bonaparte in 2010, the Berlin-based Gernot and Szary will top last year's show with a never before seen and heard techno super group.

There are too many acts and bands at MELT to highlight, so let’s just mention a favourite: The Drums. They’re from Brooklyn, they won the Philip Hall Radar award at the NME Awards in 2010, and it’s said that they’re one of the most exciting new young bands to come out of New York this century. Their crisp ‘n fresh upbeat electro-indie tunes are very likely to make you move your feet.

Reinventing oneself is a crucial part of keeping creativity bubbling. There’s no time to stand still: we constantly seek innovation and creativity. We keep tweaking and exploring new possibilities.

This new Scotch & Soda on-line platform was created to optimise user-friendliness for you: our customer. The html website facilitates your search needs, both at home and on the road. We also aim to surprise you with a completely new visual experience of our website.

If you’re pondering places to explore this August, look no further than the pulsing heart of Europe: Budapest. This city has it all: an amazing Scotch & Soda store, the Danube River ánd one of the best festivals in the world. So, don’t forget to pack your camping kit, ‘cause Sziget festival takes over from 8 till 15 August and it’s hosting around a thousand of the freshest global pop acts on an island right in the city.

Sziget festival and Budapest are pleasantly affordable and the sun is bound to be brilliantly hot. Pack flip-flops, sun screen and your swim suit – oh, and something more fashionable in case you need a break from the masses and prefer a night on the magical historical town.

Check http://szigetfest.eu/en for more info.

Need it be mentioned that Bread and Butter 2011 takes place in Berlin? It’s beyond doubt the most inspiring European city of the moment and Bread and Butter is in this European capital to stay. The renowned retail tradeshow celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and calls it the Bread & Butter SUPERSHOW.

As every year, Scotch & Soda is represented at this trade show extraordinaire, amongst their exclusive array of contemporary labels. Coming up on B&B are the Spring/Summer collections 2012 of Maison Scotch, Scotch & Soda and Amsterdams Blauw.

Lomography is unpredictable, incredibly creative and we dare say, a bit life-altering. It’s all about the unexpected snapshot, and yes; it’s analogue. This fresh and brand new lomography camera line, La Sardina, inspired by sardine cans, comes in any colour mismatching anything you were planning to wear, making it an obviously perfect accessory.

These smart 35mm cameras are equipped with a wide-angle lens, multiple exposure capabilities, and – wait for it - a rewind dial (don’t you miss that sound?). As for the result of your snapshot efforts; over-saturated colours, blurring, slightly awry exposure and small accidents are all part of lomography. Sport a Scotch & Soda’s Constructed Trucker Jacket with the La Sardina El Capitan featuring Fritz the Blitz flash. Oh yes: forget digital: go lomo.

If anything defines post-20th Century casual wear, it must be denim. Besides looking terrific on your coffee table, the Denim Bible is "a comprehensive guide to the history and world to denim and jeans wear" and the sparkly new reincarnation of the 1992 Jeans Encyclopaedia.

The Denim Bible is a visual treat, as the pages fly through the history of these famous blue trousers. Designers, brands, advertisements, the manufacturing process and most importantly, denim’s intriguing history. Ever want to find out what denim, Genoa (Italy), Nimes (France) and Dongari Killa (India) have to do with each other? Or perhaps you wonder why jeans were deemed so suitable for sailors, and then for soldiers? When did teenagers start wearing jeans in the first place, and are jeans American or do we simply assume so?

Denim lovers: you can get all your answers at Mendo, Berenstraat 11, Amsterdam or shop online.

Summers can get hot in Berlin, and that calls for breezy roof-top getaways. This particular one promises nothing less than passionate chefs serving candle-lit dinners and plenty opportunity to dance the night away at weekends.  The cocktails are quite spectacular and expect Berlin’s fun loving and creative people to gather here.

Truth be told, there isn’t a nicer way to flirt the sunset away than high above the bustling city in a deck-chair, cocktail in hand. 

Ressort can be found @ Invalidenstraße 50/51 
Hinterm Hamburger Bahnhof direkt am Spandauer Schifffahrtskanal 10557 Berlin

This shop is the perfect opposite of mass-produced high-street consumerism: an honest little shop in the centre of Amsterdam selling unique, hand made or limited edition items by approximately 25 young designers.  Some make bags, some cushions or cutlery.

RESTORED is very diverse and inspirational – if even idealistic: ‘To Restore means to give an object its original form and purpose back. Some designers do just that; they make old stuff new again. But RESTORED is bigger. It refers to our belief in the world needing beauty. Beautiful things can heal the soul. That’s why all our products are carefully composed by hand,’ so say owners Petra van Roon en Marijke Hukema.

These two ladies do more than run RESTORED: they consult on interior design and provide styling for various events too. Pop by some time to restore your inspiration.

Address: Haarlemmerdijk 39, Amsterdam or shop online .

This weekend, a new exhibit by acclaimed American photographer Ryan McGinley will open at Galerie Gabriel Rolt in Amsterdam. This is McGinley's second exhibition in Scotch & Soda's hometown, the first one was at the FOAM museum in 2007.

"Youth, liberation and the joy of losing yourself in the moment are elements that feature throughout Ryan McGinley's work, from his early roots in documenting the urban adventures of his downtown Manhattan friends to his subsequent cross-country travels in utopian environments throughout America to his most recent studio portraits."

'Somewhere Place', as this exhibit is called, shows a brand new series of photographs. If you're in or around Amsterdam, pop by Rolt's. It will be worth the effort.

Dutch Elle magazine recently published its first Stylebible: a 260 page shopping guide of all there is to want and love in this season's collections. Several items of the Maison Scotch Spring/Summer 2011 collection are quoted as the absolute must-haves! And well, who are we to disagree? If it is written in the Great Book, it shall be.

Leafing through this issue, confirms our suspicion that sunny spring is just around the corner. Think Maison bikinis, printed Maison printed dresses and light weight linen trousers with ethnical prints.

So you know what to do: either pick up a copy of the Stylebible for inspiration, or visit our web store to shop these breezy spring styles right away!

Maison Scotch is on this month's cover of Sportswear International! The model wears a Maison shirt with bow tie, from our Spring/Summer 2011 collection. Like it? This style is available in stores and online now! The bowtie comes with the shirt.

Several more  Maison Scotch garments are featured in the cover shoot inside. Also, you can read all about our Amsterdams Blauw denim collection in a full page article. So be sure to pick up a copy of Sportswear at your local bookstore to get in the know!

We changed our website over the past few weeks! The campaign images of the new Spring/Summer 2011 collection are online now, and the items are available in the web store. New features make navigation fast and easier.

One of the new features we love, is the new video channel. This features all our new campaign video's for Amsterdams Blauw, Barfly, men, women and kids of this season. Enjoy!

We have some great news for our German crowd! On 5 March, we opened the doors to a new store in Hamburg; our very first store in Germany. You can shop all the different Scotch collections here: men, women, kids and denim.

The new store is located on the corner of Neuer Wall and Bleichenbrücke; Hamburg's upscale designer shopping area, most similar to London's Bond Street or Madison Avenue in NYC. We are particularly excited about the beautifully designed interior of the store, with sleek glass cabinetry, white and tiled floors and brick walls. We hope you enjoy it just as much, so please drop by our new Hamburg store sometime soon to see it yourself!

Kid's WearThis month, Scotch & Soda's kids collections were featured in two editorial shoots in Kid'sWear magazine. The little models wore both the Scotch Shrunk (boys) and Scotch R'Belle (girls) collection.

Kid's Wear, established in 1995, is an international magazine for children's fashion, lifestyle and culture. The images were were styled by Catrin Hansmerten and photographed by Achim Lippoth.

Get ready for spring with these designer's favourites! The Maison Scotch spring jackets are designed to keep you warm on chilly days, but still fit like a second skin for the use of lovely light weight materials. What makes each garment extra special, is the great attention that is paid to the small details.

The blue jacket on top is a military inspired hooded style, with a leather cord wrapped around the waist, to give you that extra fitted shape. The linen jacket below is nicely detailed with shoulder buttons and a satin waist ribbon. Both styles are available in our web store. Hungry for more? Plenty more styles are yours to pick online and in our stores worldwide...

February 14th is just around the corner. Feeling uninspired about what to buy for Valentine? No worries, Scotch has everything you need to spoil your loved one with. To make things extra easy, all items are available in our webstore. Happy Valentine's day!

We have some good news for kids (or rather their parents) in and around Maastricht. On 15 February, a brand new kids store will open its doors on Muntstraat 1. Both the Scotch Shrunk and Scotch R'belle collection will be sold here!

Are you in the Netherlands, but not in Maastricht? You can also find the kids collections in the basement of the Scotch & Soda store in Breda: Houtmarkt 1, or in the beautiful kids store at Wolvenstraat 14 in Amsterdam. We hope to welcome you there soon! Scotch R'belle and Scotch Shrunk are also available in our webstore.

WAD (We Are Different) magazine published a nice feature on about the new Scotch & Soda Spring/Summer 2011 mens collection on their blog. We love their concise definition of the collection:

'The Scotch brand DNA, old school with a spicy twist and love for detailing, is recognizable in each garment. Influences from all over the world are taken to achieve a diverse look which is characteristic for their collections.'

Scotch & Soda just got back from Bread & Butter. Twice each year, this Berlin-based 'tradeshow for selected brands', is the place to be for fashion brands to present their new collections to buyers, traders and representatives from the textile industry press. It's been a fun and inspiring week! For this winter edition, our guests got a sneak peak of the new Fall/Winter 2011/2012 collections for Scotch & Soda, Maison Scotch and Amsterdams Blauw.

We would like to share the happy news that Scotch & Soda won the award for Best Fashion at the Sports- wear International Fashion Awards (SIFAs). We kindly use this opportunity to thank all the voters for nominating us, and the jury for granting us the award.Some of the winners in the other categories were Vivienne Westwood for Lee in Best Denim, Adidas Originals vs. Burton in Best Sport/Street and Nike in Best Sneaker.

A jury of 18 internationally renowned retailers and buyers voted for Scotch & Soda Best Fashion "for its vision, design, brand strength and potential". The photo above is our winning image.

This months favorite press clipping is a lovely feature on Maison Scotch, published in the Dutch edition of ELLE magazine. ELLE dedicated a page of their January issue to the style and story of our women's collection. Maison Scotch is greatly described as classic with an edge, and authentic with an artistic French touch. Head of Design Marieke:

'The Dandelion-seeds of our logo are carried away by the wind and travel like tiny parachutes. Like the journey of the seeds, creating a collection feels like making a road trip...'

Make sure to pick up a copy at your local bookstore.

It's been freezing for weeks now, and the winter has only just begun. We can think of only two good reasons to withstand the cold: to travel to a warmer place, or to buy some proper winter goods to keep you warm. Too bad more people had that idea, and the shop racks for gloves and scarves are all emptied out.

Here's an idea. Stay inside, light the fireplace, make yourself some hot chocolate and get cuddly on the couch with your laptop. We have plenty of lovely winter accessories in stock in for men, women and kids, and we deliver all the goods right to your doorstep.

Enter December, month of unavoidable decreases in temperature and light, and on the up side, all the snug celebrations to go with that. At Scotch & Soda we are not with the 'I hate Christmas' army so we welcome the season with open arms.

In the Netherlands, we start on the 5th of December with the birthday of Sinterklaas: Amsterdam's patron saint and a children's favourite for giving presents on his birthday in exchange for good-natured behaviour, some original DIY creativity and fun rhymes.

To fill the void between Sinterklaas and Santa, we then start attending as much 'try-out-your-Christmas-outfit' get-togethers as possible. Every date that involves great company, great food and drinks in some nice decorum, is a reason to dress our individual best. So here's an idea; put our best December party styles on Sint's or Santa's wish lists quick before it's all gone. Scotch just wants you to feel great at looking awesome.

After successfully launching the Maison Scotch women's collection last year, we couldn't resist the temptation to design a girl's collection, too. No sooner said than done, Scotch R'belle was born.

We're exited to announce that the first spring/summer collection will be in stores worldwide, from the beginning of 2011. R'belle will be an extensive Scotch-feel girls collection, with touches of rock, pirates, sailors and a romantic hippy vibe. So keep an eye on your local Scotch & Soda store this January! R'belle will also be sold online.

At the end of each month we will post our 'press clipping of the month' and our favourite for November is JFK. We're proud that 'Barfly', our debut into the world of fragrance, got such a grand review in JFK's Greatest Man 2010 issue. This successful Dutch men's glossie heralds real life males not only for their sense of style but for their individuality, creativity, personality, sense of humour and over all cool factor. Our feel exactly. 

Photographer Annemarieke van Drimmelen, who has been shooting absolutely enthralling mood and collection images for Scotch & Soda for several seasons, and artist Anouk Griffioen, known for her wall covering photorealistic illustrations, engaged in an exciting art project called 'Sophie'.

Annemarieke and Anouk collaborated on a series of portraits of model Sophie Vlaming for about a year, perfectly merging and questioning both their disciplines; can we capture reality in imagery? The final result, an impressive series of giant yet intimate and fragmented portraits of Sophie is showcased in Magazijn 153� on November 27 and 28 only, open between noon and 5PM.

After this brief debut, the project will start travelling with its first stop in Stedelijk Museum Zwolle in 2011.

Ready for the 23rd International Documentary Festival Amsterdam? From 17 to 28 November the very best of reality caught on film will be screened in Amsterdam's most stylish cinema Tuschinski, as well as around the corner Pathe de Munt and, surprisingly, at Amsterdam's main library.

The rubbing of shoulders with the international documentary jet set will take place at De Brakke Grond. Making your must see pick from the exhaustive program, blocking the timeslots in your agenda and then getting the desired tickets is a higher art in itself but getting a MyIDFA account helps.Our recommendations? Wear your easiest and most comfy outfit and try to go see:

• All we ever wanted (Dutch)
• Another Side of David Bailey (English)
• Position of the stars (English)
• Waste Land (English)

The temperature is dropping and the leaves are falling. Guess what, autumn just arrived! Bundle up with a long woolen coat from Maison Scotch's collection pair it with a mohair scarf, take a stroll through the city and be mesmerised by the glow of illuminated bridges. It makes you realise what a beautiful city Amsterdam actually is.

Autumn also marks the return of the cultural season in Amsterdam, with amazing events like Museumnight, also known as n8. The 11th edition of this cultural night is held in 40 museums around Amsterdam on the 6th of November from 07.00 pm-2.00 am.

All locations offer something extra, like music, film & performance art on top of their regular exhibitions. Not in the mood for a night out? Just stay home and make it like the Dutch say 'gezellig' a typical Dutch word that best describes a cosy atmosphere, have friends around, eat nice food and watch a movie in the comfort of your own home.

Last month Eindhoven hosted the Dutch Design week. The event started nine years ago and is well known internationally.

A high light of the event was The Ducth Design Awards, this was not only a competition, but also an exhibition which shows off the work of the finalists and winners of the awards.Besides that all the graduates of The Design Academy get their first acquaintance with the public in a graduate exhibition.Eindhoven is renowned for fashion and design, so make sure you visit the Scotch & Soda store, just a month old but full of the AW 2010 collection.

And if you didn't manage to attend The Dutch Design week then be sure to pick up the Dutch Design Yearbook 2010 which is available in stores now.

Scotch & Soda is opening stores all around the world with NYC, Toronto, Madrid and Budapest being the most recent.Over the last few months not only was the Scotch & Soda webstore relaunched but almost 6 retail stores have opened in Holland these being Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Groningen, Arnhem and Maastricht and we haven't finished yet! More are to follow in 2011 keep your eyes open in your home town!

Just around the corner of the Scotch & Soda head office, the legendary Club Mazzo reopened its doors last week. The former club is now a restaurant.The restaurant has a living room aesthetic, a relaxed space where you can have an expresso & paper in the morning wearing your favorite sweater or have a casual dinner at night with friends to enjoy the Mazzo's Italian flavour.

The interior was designed by Concrete. they brought back the industrial elements of the old club and added new flavour of the 'Jordaan'. The restaurant has an open view to the kitchen, a separate room for private diners and a bar.

Amsterdam Dance event, one of the biggest music conferences and dance events of Europe starts its 15th edition today. ADE provides the international electronic music industry with an extensive platform where they can share their knowledge, spot trends and absorb new techniques. The festival is also for new talent, who have the opportunity to shine in front of a large audience.

The festival is starting today and will continue for the next 4 days. The majority of nightclubs in Amsterdam will be participating which means 165 events and 44 different locations. In 1996 this event started small but has grown into a large event where, in 2009, 90,000 people visited.

This month our design team travelled to Tokyo for an inspiration trip. Japan is a country where a rich history meets the new hectic digital era.

Preferring to experience the real Tokyo, to see new things and collect original new ideas we also travelled to the outskirts of the city to discover new areas we have not explored before. Our trip was only short but left us full of inspiration and fantastic ideas. Check out some of our top tips below.

To Eat: Cafe Liberty and Bombay Bazar

To See: Tsukiji fish market ( make sure you are early !)

To Shop: Head to Oriental Bazaar one of the biggest sourvenior shops in Harajuku.

Barfly, the new fragrance of Scotch & Soda will hit the stores in December just in time for the festive season, a perfect gift for Christmas.After a lot interest in the new fragrance, we currently have testers in stores for you to try. Much like Scotch clothing, the scent is intense and full of details. The first reviews are in and reactions have been very positive. Curious? Go over to one of the Dutch stores and test it out for yourself!�

At the Scotch & Soda headquarters its a busy time for the design team, they are working towards the deadline for the Autumn / Winter 2011 collection. Unfortunately today they are suffering a little with plaid overload !

It's going to be a busy few months leading up to "buying season" but all worth it when we've got an amazing collection sat in our showroom. Stay tuned!

Did you know we have a kids store in Amsterdam ?

Scotch & Soda recently opened a Scotch Shrunk store in the Wolvenstraat Amterdam. To generate more awareness around the opening of our kids store , we rented an old Italian ice cart and gave kids around the area complimentary ice cream. If the kids had a winning star on the bottom of their ice cup they could go with their parents to the store and choose a free T-shirt or baseball cap. More pictures available at our Facebook fan page.

Don't forget to join us on Facebook.

Like us on Facebook and become a fan. You will stay up to date on the latest news about Scotch & Soda which includes: new stores, new collections, sales, events and much more. Besides that, we like to hear your opinions, and to receive your pictures.

Hope to see you there !

Our designers favorite of the week: Maison Scotch wool blazer

Favorite because: the blazer has been a key item in every girls wardrobe ever since the idea of masculine chic was invented. Everything looks good with a classic blazer thrown over it, even if you are just wearing jeans and a tee.The blazer is a slim fit, made from soft wool fabric with brown suede elbow patches also accessorised with a silk pochette. The all over star print lining is the finishing touch to this special jacket.

The Cut, NYmag online, paid visit to our store in NYC and made their selection of key items, the blazer was their no.1 item, check out the rest of their top picks here.

GLAMOUR celebrates its 5th birthday with their biggest issue ever!

Besides their regular fashion shoots and shopping pages, there is a Glamour lookbook which features upcoming Dutch models, interviews with (inter)national celebrities, the latest trends in fashion & beauty, glamour living, lifestyle and traveling. The travel section for the birthday issue features its hometown Amsterdam with an array of great suggestions for shopping, (cultural) entertainment, food and places to stay. It's a great reference for any trip to Amsterdam.

Lastly if you happen to be having lunch in Buffet van Odette then you're already in the renowned shopping zone known as the Nine Streets. Don't forget to pass by the Scotch & Soda stores located within this area!Glamour #10 is available in stores now.

Scotch & Soda has arrived in New York! The first USA flagship store opened its doors last week. The store is located at 273 Lafayette Street, which is in the popular Nolita area, home to many other popular brands. Much like our flagship stores in Amsterdam, this boutique boasts a unique interior combining warm wood tones with clear glass and clever lighting. Both our women's line, Maison Scotch and Men's line Scotch are available in this store. Some first impressions at Racked NY.

Summer's drawing to a close, so it's that time of year again: the season for back-to-school shopping and where better to start than at Scotch Shrunk.

The Winter 2010 Scotch Shrunk Collection is all about travelling, places, times and galaxies, so gear up and start your adventures today. Here are some of the highlights from the collection:Be the king of your castle, sophisticated and smooth, just like a dandy. We love bow ties and tailored jackets.Find rough denims and mix them up with light pastels.Be rebellious, be an anti hero, find action graphics and photo prints on tees and pulls.Get the perfect match with checked cowboy shirts and chunky knits.

If you happen to be in Amsterdam why not visit our new Scotch Shrunk store.

The last weekend of August is tradionally 'Uitmarkt' in Amsterdam. The Uitmarkt is the national opening of the cultural season and the largest cultural festival in the Netherlands. Over the years, the Uitmarkt has evolved into a festival attracting 500,000 visitors and featuring around 1,600 performers at more than 30 venues. And it's all free.

The program gives visitors a sneakpeak into the coming cultural season. The types of shows range from classical Ballet to hiphop and drama to jazz. Famous Dutch and international artists like Waylon, De Staat, Candy Dulfer, Monks Avenue and Fernando Lameirinhas will be performing this weekend. Different shows, different styles, dress casual but smart!

Visit the Uitmarkt website for more information.

Thank you all for voting! Scotch & Soda is proud to inform you that we've been nominated for this year's SIFA (Sports International Fashion Award).

SIFA is a prestigious annual award for fashion brands. Scotch & Soda is nominated in the category 'Best Fashion', which could be described as: 'The most impressive, salable, exciting and fashionable collection that is not primarily jeans-based'.Besides Best fashion, there are 5 other categories, Best Denim, Best Sneakers, Best Footwear, Best Sport/Street and Best Newcomer. The winners will be chosen by a premier panel of judges representing international retailers, we hope the jury is just as excited about the brand as you are! SI magazine will announce the winners in each in category in their 'Who's Who' edition, which will be available in stores November 2010.

In the past few weeks Amsterdam, and the most of Europe have been completely covered in rain. How is this possible for the end of this lovely summer?

Our hopes are high that the weather for this weekend will be bright & sunny, not only for visitors of Lowlands (the music festival in Biddinghuizen NL), but also for the visitors of SAIL, a big nautical event held in Amsterdam once every five years. In addition to the renowned tall ships, a unique collection of about 500 ships from the Dutch sailing heritage fleet, naval ships, various replicas and modern ships will be moored in and around the IJ river. Other nautical highlights will include the Ceremonial Salute, the Naval Review, a safety and rescue demonstrations, the Crew Parade through the city centre and much more.

Find out more about the event and its program on Sail2010.nlFor all you people out and about this weekend, make sure to bring a rain coat just in case. If you have a sunny mindset and are going to SAIL or Lowlands, make sure you rock it in style and check glamour.nl for tips.

At this year's Bread & Butter trade fair we presented a first glimpse at Amsterdams Blauw, the new Scotch & Soda denim line. To celebrate the occasion, CODE magazine made a short movie with Alex Jaspers (Brand Manager) who proudly presents the Spring 2011 collection.

Alex explains the background behind the brand, which draws inspiration from Amsterdam, the denim capital of the world. He shows us some of the collection pieces and highlights their finest details. Amsterdams Blauw will be available in stores Spring 2011.Production/Camera: Maxi MeissnerEditing: Bjoern Vollbrecht

Attention music lovers! Everybody here in Holland is warming up for yet another edition of "A Flight to Lowlands Paradise". We are blessed with some of the best festivals in the world. But Lowlands is undoubtedly a league of its own.

It's one of those rare events that sell out long before the line-up is announced, with visitors attracted by what they commonly refer to as "the Lowlands feeling." As the biggest 3 day music festival in the Netherlands, with about 60.000 visitors and over 200 acts Lowlands is the place to get your kicks. If you're going to Lowlands this year (and managed to get a ticket), make sure you rock it in style!Glamour magazine is featuring weekly Lowlands shopping ideas to make you fashionable and festival-proof during the 3 days of music madness! Their current look is à la Isabel Marant: with lots of colors, prints, fringe, and accessories like belts and bracelets.

Head over to Glamour.nl and check out the latest Lowlands shopping tips!A Flight to Lowlands Paradise is held 20, 21 and 22nd of August, more info at www.lowlands.nl

Scotch & Soda continues to grow season after season. Next year we will add a new collection to our kids line and launch R'Belle specially for girls.

Scotch Shrunk for boys has already been a huge success, so it was a natural step to launch a girl's collection.The collection is designed for girls between 4-14 years old. It is delicate and cool at the same time, just like her adult sister Maison Scotch. Influences from all around the globe are used to define the characteristics of Scotch R'Belle, giving extra attention to the little details that make each garment special.The R'Belle collection is set to be a huge success when it hits the stores January 2011.

After several years of building and expanding their brand, the creative team at Scotch & Soda have realised a long lived dream and proudly present their first men's fragrance entitled BARFLY.

Terms like intense but simple, young and transparent had to be translated into a scent.

Much like our clothing, the perfume has its own character and is full of details. The creative team had a strong idea about how Barfly should smell and the feeling it had to evoke. Terms like intense but simple, young and transparent had to be translated into a scent.Barfly will be in stores December 2010.

Bread and Butter is one of the most important fashion trade fairs in Europe. After making Barcelona its home for several years, it now moves back to its roots in Berlin.

The old 'Tempelhof Flughafen' was the perfect setting for the summer trade show with the theme 'Premier League', which of course had a slight reference to the World Championship Football held at the same time.

For us, it was an edition of new lines. We were not only present with Maison Scotch and Scotch & Soda, but we also introduced our new denim line, Amsterdams Blauw and our new scent, Barfly. Check out the video to give you some behind the scenes impressions.Video credits: daumenkino.com Sound: "God Don't Pay" by Jesey Budd (Snowhite)

Amsterdams Blauw is our ambitious young denim project that draws inspiration from American denim aesthetics. Furthermore, we focus on details from Japanese workmanship which gives us that tongue in cheek appeal in our collection.

Nevertheless, we are Dutch and we are in the denim capital of the world, Amsterdam. We are constantly inspired by our great city which allows us to be more free in our approach of things. We want to play the maverick card and be the new and fresh alternative for the Denim establishment. We are going to portray the Scotch & Soda Amsterdams Blauw collection as THE CHALLENGER brand.The collection of Amsterdams Blauw will be available in stores fall 2010.

A new design season, a fresh new start. To get inspired our design team flies all over the world to seek inspiration for the new collection. This month it was New York City.

During a research trip not only do we explore museums, galleries and book stores but we love to explore the city, finding its hidden treasures. We prefer to experience the real New York, meet new people, see new things and collect original new ideas.

Throughout this trip we have been visiting lots of spots from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Our trip was only short but left us eager to return in the near future. We love NYC !

Since we love the city we would like to share with you our special experiences. Check out our short visual overview of the trip. The following list shows our: must sees, must taste, must look, must stay and must visit:

Look at: FAILE Jonathan Levine Gallery Wooster Collective Museum of Natural History The Guggenheim The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Eat at: Fette Sau Taco Chulo Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs Katz's Deli Butter Juliet Supper Club
Drink at: Hotel Delmano
Stay at: Ace Hotel NYC
Visit: Coney Island

In the Dutch Elle of April 2010, our head designer of Maison Scotch, Marieke Meulendijks was interviewed. Marieke is the head designer of Maison Scotch and fanatic collector. Both of her passions find expression in her studio in an old canal house in Amsterdam, designed by architect Diederik Dam.

One of her collector's items is an illustration of Dalí with a dandelion. "This flower has something evanescent. Seeds that fly into the world to bloom somewhere else; it's like making a collection." After restyling the flower, the logo of Maison Scotch was born. "I have always had an idea of what my collection should look like: though, self-confident, cool, with humor.

"Maison Scotch is a mix of me and Scotch & Soda. 'La femme selon Marie', the underline of Scotch & Soda, means 'the woman considering the eyes of Marie' - that's how my friends call me." Marieke describes her style as 'somewhat soft and somewhat rough.' I am very constant. I like timelessness; trends are hard for me to hold on to." Her favorite garment is a boyfriend jeans of Abercrombie & Fitch, which she bought six years ago in New York. "I hope it works the same for Maison Scotch, in that "people buy our collection and will wear it for years."

"Classic with an edge and that typical French subtleness."

The decoration of her house is a mixed style of old and new. "I have got many old pillows, paintings and kelims, handmade carpets from the Middle East. But all these old objects are combined with a set couch and a lot of black and white."Her biggest pride is a shirt with a printed picture of her parents as a young couple in love. Marieke: "It is a honoring. My parents have always supported me in everything. I am very happy with the success of Maison Scotch; as it has really found it's own way!"Read here the full article of Marieke in Elle.