a new season unfolds: autumn/winter ’25

First a short inside of the Autumn/Winter 2025 collection. The collection, titled Echoes of the Past: A Call for Change, invites wearers into a reflective space. Drawing from the faded elegance of old family homes, the isolated peace of island life, and the raw texture of imperfection, AW25 is a meditation on individuality in a world bent on conformity. Each item in the collection dares to hold onto its own character, embracing tension between contrast and cohesion. 

For this season’s campaign we did not work with professional models. Instead we invited members of our own team to step in front of Ot van Lieshout’s camera. Agnes and Irma, whose interview appeared last week, are featured prominently, bringing their quiet strength and individuality to the portraits. But they are not alone: Sjaak Hullekes, Reinder, Jonathan, Gonneke also posed for this season’s campaign.

Office manager and logistics lead Jonathan Baan has perhaps the most intimate view of the collection. Each piece passes through his hands, and with that comes a deep appreciation of detail. “What stands out is the care,” he says. “Even though it’s a collection, nothing is or feels mass-produced. Each garment carries its own spirit, especially the patchwork pieces.” 

He inspects every seam, every label, ensuring that quality is not just a word but a lived reality. But Jonathan‘s role goes beyond inspection. He is also responsible for the small rituals that accompany each piece on its journey outward: the stamping of the clothing passport, the placing of tags, and the careful folding into glassine paper envelopes. About that he says: 

Among this season’s highlights is the Rothko Patchwork Shirt, a shirt that defies categories. With its fluid shape, hand-embroidered collar, and a construction made entirely from repurposed shirts, it holds within it the memory of many garments. Gonneke Stroom, who bridges the gap between the atelier and the world of retail, calls it “the blouse that tells the whole Hul le Kes story.“

Another key piece, the Scott Coat, evolves from a previous favorite: the Oudolf Coat. This version is lined, warmer, and cut with a relaxed raglan sleeve: perfect for layering over another house signature, the Monet Jacket. In each design choice, practicality meets poetry. “It has the presence of a winter coat but the ease of something lived-in. You can feel the soul in it,” says Gonneke.

From the Manufacturing Studio to the Recovery Studio, every step of the AW25 collection has been approached with both artistry and humanity. Maker Anke Blumenberg works at the Hul le Kes Manufacturing Studio and speaks with quiet pride about the Degas Trousers, made from dark blue deadstock wool and lined with the unexpected patterns of repurposed shirts. “Each pair looks different on the inside,” she says. “That’s the part only the wearer truly knows.”

These hidden gestures are everywhere: hand-stitched waistbands, blind hems, reinforced pockets. Small acts of care that speak volumes. For Anke, the emphasis is never on perfection but on meaning. “In a world where speed often overrides substance, we are reclaiming time and intention. I’ve never worked anywhere that values each step as much as Hul le Kes does.” Jonathan adds:

The Autumn/Winter 2025 collection is now available at the Hul le Kes Store in Arnhem (open every week from Wednesday through Saturday) as well as in our online shop. For those wanting to experience the collection beyond Arnhem, two special pop-up locations will open their doors this October. In Paris, part of the AW25 will be showcased at 0fr. Paris, 20 Rue Dupetit-Thouars, during Paris Fashion Week from October 3–5. In Amsterdam, visit our Amsterdam pop-up store from October 9–12 at Herenstraat 9. 

For more information about the Hul le Kes pop-up events follow this link. These are not just shopping events, but invitations into the world of Hul le Kes. Each space will reflect the care and atmosphere of the atelier, bringing the story of the collection to life through design, texture, and presence. “It’s important for people to feel the garments,” Gonneke says. “You understand so much more when you see the stitching, touch the fabric, hear the story.” Anke adds to this:

What makes the Hul le Kes experience truly distinct is the way everything is interconnected: the design, the production, the people behind the pieces. Anke sees this every day in the studio. “Our process is slower, but every step adds meaning. Nothing is rushed; everything is intentional.“

Gonneke explains how that intention is felt by those who wear the garments, too.

Each piece invites a kind of reflection, not only on the material but on what it means to dress with care, to choose quality, to wear something that was made with purpose. As Gonneke says, “You may not see the eight different buttons on the shirt at first, or the story behind the fabric, but once you know, you feel it differently. That’s the kind of fashion that stays with you.” She continues:

Every collection has its champions, and this season is no different.

For Jonathan, the standout is the Rodin Patchwork Shirt. “I wear shirts a lot, and this one is everything I love: made from pieces that would otherwise be waste, and now it’s something totally unique,” he says. “It’s patchworked from striped shirts that tell their own story, now brought together as one.”

Gonneke is especially taken with the Rothko Shirt and the Scott Coat. “The Rothko is effortless and elegant, but the hand-embroidered collar really elevates it. The Scott Coat is the perfect winter piece. That kind of shape, with its raglan sleeve and weight, it just feels good when you wear it.” Meanwhile, Anke is drawn to the craftsmanship of the Degas Jacket, made from upcycled vintage wool blankets, with its hand-stitched facing and beautifully integrated pockets. “It’s a coat that you want to keep discovering, inside and out,” she says.