I was born in Amsterdam in 1958, the youngest of five children in a family that has been involved in the arts in The Netherlands since the 17th century. I studied literature at the University of Amsterdam, and soon got involved with theatre, acting, and producing musicals.

It was during that time I also started designing bags and working with leather. Although it was my passion, I didn't dare imagine a living could be made as a designer and so I began to study law.

Well, it didn’t take long before it was clear that I needed to follow my heart and leave the law books behind. I learned the technical craft of leather construction by working with a suitcase designer who encouraged me to perfect the smallest details.

I scraped together money to buy small pieces of leather and created bags, one by one, which I then sold in local street markets. With each bag I sold, I would buy more leather, make more bags, and so on, until I finally was able to open my first shop on Hartenstraat.

Now, I design all my creations in Amsterdam and personally oversee their construction in small workshops in Milan, Italy. I found the best craftsmen in the world who use time-honored tanning and finishing techniques and stay true to the old-world traditions.

My designs are like actors, each one has a distinct personality and character. And now they can be found not only in my Amsterdam stores, but also in luxury and museum stores throughout Europe, Japan and even New York City's Museum of Modern Art. The enthusiasm of my American customers in Amsterdam and their many requests for encores, has encouraged me to launch my online shop.