MEET THE MAKERS: ONE ROOM OFFICE
Studio Elsien Gringhuis believes in long-term collaborations and we are committed to ensuring that people are able to upgrade their skills and pursue their passions under excellent working conditons. We produce in our own studio in The Netherlands with the help of skilled tailors, that we train ourselves. This way we support (local-) craftsmanship, that in many ways is about to be forgotten and stimulate economic growth of the local community.
We would like you to meet our makers. By sharing our ideas of fair fashion at Studio Elsien Gringhuis and the ideas of our makers, we’d like to give you a closer perspective on fair fashion.
One Room Office: Sibylle & Michiel
Function at SEG: Production
Age: 37 & 41
Why did you choose to work for SEG?
S/M: We are fans of Elsien’s timeless aesthetic designs and her way of working. And the fact that she produces everything local, which is very rare nowadays. I think her way of running a fashion brand is very precious and special. And of course we like to support Elsien’s sustainable approach.
What does clothing mean to you?
S: Clothing is important. Apart from the fact that it is necessary, it represents an inner feeling. It is a way to express yourself. The decision of what to wear and not to wear is a certain way of life. For instance, I personally love to have beautiful things but my choice of clothing is always based on quality instead of quantity. This is something we are also very aware of when we produce clothes.
S/M: We love what we do and we do it with a lot of attention to details. This is the reason why we choose to work only for people, who also care about these details. People that see the difference between fast and cheap and well made and long-lasting clothing. Those people understand the price that comes along with the work as well.
How do you experience the clothing industry today?
M: There are always those two sides: fast fashion vs. sustainable fashion. And it is pretty hard to get away from the fast. It became a habit.
Buying clothes is a way to spend your free time. And people have the possibility to do so, because fast fashion is so cheap.
If you consider what it actually costs to produce a garment versus the low prices for which they are eventually sold, it is clear that someone is paying the price for this. We really don’t want to support this system. We try to buy less or second hand. And if we buy something, we like to do some research to see how it was made and where does it come from.
What would you like to change about the industry if you could?
S: If we could, we would like to get everything back to local production. We believe in the fact, that every country should be able to build up its own industry.
We would also like to work more with other natural fibres than cotton. Hemp and linen for example doesn’t need so much water and pesticides to grow.
What is your favourite SEG garment?
S/M: Our favourite SEG garment is the jumpsuit and the bomber. We like the way it is made ;)… no seriously, we like the cut of the garment, it’s colour and of course the nice quality of the fabric.
Elsien’s garments are so easy to wear. They go along well with a very casual look, but you can as well style them in a very chic way.
S/M: But this is also what makes Elsien and her designs so reliable and special to us. She is very consistent in her design, choice of fabrics and the way how she develops the cuts.
And she is also very consistent in producing it all locally, like we mentioned before. It’s quite rare that someone is able to be that persistent and true to herself for almost ten years.
Which message would you like to give to the wearers of the clothes you make?
S/M: Congratulations! You bought an item made with love and you support sustainable local business!
Where do you see yourself in ten years from now?
S/M: We would love to be known as the best sewing atelier in Holland for quality made clothes. And we would love to have a bigger studio space. Still one room, only bigger 🙂
The studio and makers at One Room Office