On Offices

One of the beautiful things about starting your own company is that YOU get to decide what your workingspace looks like. To me there is nothing more mind killing and energy destroying than the average so called efficient office (where I have worked for a few years before I ventured into childrenswear and set up my own company).

The low ceilings, the expensive but oh so ugly desks, the artificial light, the windows that cannot open, the obligatory AC system.. the smell of those places... very, very awful.

So the first office I had (after the very cliché spare bedroom, yes, I did start there too) was in an old schoolbuilding in Amsterdam in the Utrechtsedwarsstraat. It was an old classroom, and the whole building was rented out to Artists (with a capital A) of various disciplines, and I was allowed in because I could actually afford to pay rent....
This was a quite small but magnificent space, with high ceilings, high windows, a wooden floor (which I painted yellow) and I have worked there with pleasure for almost 2 years..

I have no pictures of the office, but the building looked like this

Utrechtsedwarsstraat

(isn't Google street view one of the best things on the net?)

When that became too small, I moved to the Haarlemmerstraat in Amsterdam, into an old factory which housed a multitude of small companies. It was one huge room of over 200 sqm with big pillars and an even higher ceiling then the schoolbuilding.

Haarlemmerstraat

And after that there were a few more, which were not so exciting. But this week on a quiet evening after everybody had left I took some pics of our current office, and realized that what we have now is really extremely nice.

And then. just a few days later, I read an article in Sprout magazine on a site that brings together inspiring work spaces. For no other purpose then to share the joy these places bring. I looked... and it was just amazing to see all these very beautiful spaces together.

Look for yourself: http://wovox.com/ and start dreaming.. exploring... changing. Life is for living and you are the only one who can do that.


Post Script: added 29th of april:

This week I had an appointment with my bank. Bank used to be boring and stuffy places. But look what they are doing now! I just love the live green wall...

LoFff in the US

My first US customer was a webshop called Everything but the Princess, based somewhere in the outskirts of Alaska.

Deanna had found LoFff through the web, mailed me for info, placed an order, and started selling LoFff. (and brought me into contact with my current US importer as well).
Right from the beginning it went like a train, and today when I looked at her site, I saw she had made some beautiful pictures of an american girl wearing the new summer collection.
And since we have had an internationall month (with Kenia and Russia, and Italy soon to follow) I thought you might enjoy seeing the US version of a LoFff girl. I think she looks absolutely fantastic!

So, thank you Deanna, and this one is for you.

To Russia with LoFff

And then, Marianna being a real Russian lady, was a bit distracted when here and did not give me ALL the pictures. So we missed out on Kamilla - who is the biggest LoFff fan of all!

So, Kamilla, this one is for you!

With lots of LoFff from Jo.

With LoFff from Russia

Today I had a meeting with Marianna, who is bringing the LoFff Life to Russia. She is a fantastic, lively, very Russian lady, and she showed me some pictures of her little customers there.
Girls from a great variety of backgrounds, all posing in their LoFff garments from various seasons.

Some family snapshots, some professional studio work.

It gives you a glimpse of a different world.

What stays the same is the way these pictures of young girls touch me. They are like all little girls - open, shy, beautiful, self conscious, serious - a bit of everything, and all at the same time.

And they are all happy to wear LoFff. You can see it, you can feel it.
And that is the best part!

LoFff in Kenya

Have you seen the little kenian girl on the first page of the Summer 2011 book?
She is my niece, and is called Zoe.

And as you can see, she looks GORGEOUS in LoFff!