A shared appreciation for local design is the glue that binds a new partnership between Amsterdam brands Benzak Denim Developers and Bonne Suits, a unisex suiting company. The Dutch duo partnered on a selvedge denim workwear suit that combines the best of both brands.
“Working together felt really natural as both brought complementary features to the drawing table while, at the same time, we could learn a lot from each other,” said Benzak founder Lennaert Nijgh. “Bonne Suits has a large following, a community of like-minded artistic people from all disciplines, while Benzak has a strong focus on high-quality constructions and products that last.”
The unisex jacket is based on Bonne Suits’ double-breasted worker jacket; the trousers are modeled after Benzak’s B-02 Straight, a modernized take on a classic 1940s silhouette. The pants have square back pockets like the ones on Bonne Suit’s original non-denim pants.
Manufactured at Benzak’s factory in Portugal, the pieces are made with an ex clusive 15 oz. selvedge denim from Italian mill Candiani Denim. The fabric was first introduced in Benzak’s 2018 collection as part of its fifth-anniversary celebration. The fabric has since moved to Benzak’s core collection and is the best-selling fabric in its EU-made range.
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Bonne Suits founder Bonne Reijn initiated the collaboration after discovering Benzak’s jeans and locality. Interest was mutual, however.
“I had already been following Bonne Suits for some time and was impressed by the simplicity of the product range, which mainly consists of suits that can also be purchased as separate jackets and pants in various colors and fabrics,” Nijgh said. “After the first meeting, we instantly clicked and discovered that we had a lot of things in common, as well as some complementary features that could help us create a great product together.”
Both pieces share a new, co-branded patch. The jeans also have a pocket flasher with artwork by Dutch artist Floor van het Nederend, a long-time friend of Reijn and one of Nijgh’s favorite illustrators. “I actually have some of his art on my wall at home, so it was a great honor for me that Floor was collaborating on this release as well,” Nijgh said.
For the launch, Benzak joined Bonne Suits for a “Stoopshoots,” the latter’s time-honored tradition of taking pictures on a specific sidewalk it uses repeatedly in shoots. The photo shoot features around 20 people from different backgrounds.
“Inclusivity is very important for this concept and Bonne Suits has been doing these shoots for quite some years already, so it was great to be part of one too,” Nijgh said. “It was amazing to see how a single suit could fit so well on so many different body types, both men and women.”