关于KateWood的报道|Report about Kate Wood

Shanghai Street Style: April 2017

Dina

Shirt and Jeans: Zara
Sunglasses and Watch: Kate Wood
Bag: Uni&co Messenger Bag
Shoes: John Richmond

Stay dry with these super fly umbrellars

1. Kate Wood Originals

Kate Wood Originals, 288RMB.

Spotlight: Pim Gietelink, Founder of Kate Wood Originals

Spotlight is a regular series where we feature a prominent person in the style scene. This month we speak with Pim Gietelink, founder of Kate Wood. 

Known for its sunglasses, watches andbicycles made with wood and bamboo, KateWood Originals is the brainchild of Dutchentrepreneur Pim Gietelink, who created a lineof eco-friendly products that he can pass onto future generations. Since opening its firststore on Wulumuqi Lu in 2016, he has recentlyexpanded to a second location in Jing’an. Here,Gietelink shares his vision for the brand, andwhat his young daughter Kate thinks abouthaving a brand named after her.

  Tell us about your background and howKate Wood started. 

I went to hotel school in Holland. After a fewyears in hospitality management, I workedfor a wholesale company in various functionslike operations, sales, purchasing and logisticsand was later sent to Shanghai to managethe design and production department forpromotional products. During that time, I sawa lot of factories and got to know how thingswere designed, produced, finished and packaged.Eventually, I started my own company,which now runs out of the office at the firstKate Wood shop. Four years ago, when mydaughter Kate was born, I thought it wouldbe nice to start my own small private labeland named it Kate Wood. I put my ideas intothe design, manage the sourcing, productionand sales myself – basically everything fromA to Z.

“It’s not easy to make products that are botheco-friendly and fashionable;I try to find the right balance in that”

   Why do you like using wood and bamboo?

It’s sustainable. Bamboo is a fast growingplant; it’s very eco-friendly. I use leftoverwood to make watches and sunglasses. Thebamboo is from China. The different types ofleftover woods that we work with, like sandalwood,ebony, rosewood and maple wood,are either from North America or SoutheastAsia.

   Why is that important to you?

Eco-friendly products were very niche andseen as a little pretentious until a few yearsago. It’s actually not easy to make productsthat are both eco-friendly and fashionable; Itry to find the right balance in that.

   What are your most popular items?

The iPhone covers; we still have trouble keepingup with the demand for them. What I’venoticed at the first store is that when peoplecome in and enjoy the experience and likewhat we sell, it’s not a matter of ‘if’ they’re goingto buy something, it’s ‘what’ they’re goingto buy. If you have small items that are 100 or200 kuai, it’s easy for them to decide.You donate 10 percent of your proceeds toOrbis.

   Why did you choose this charity?

Kate Wood is about the next generation, I wantto do something for children. Orbis is a nonprofitNGO with programs dedicated to blindnessprevention and helping people with eyediseases. They have their own airplanes andthey fly doctors to remote areas to help thosewho don't have access to medical facilities. Ourproducts are all related to sight, so it makessense to support Orbis.

   Tell us about the new shop in Jing’an.How is it different from the first one on Wulumuqi Lu?

We moved into the first shop about a yearago when we had the opportunity to combinea store with an office [for the trading company].Wulumuqi Lu isn’t a shopping destination,but it’s in a part of the former FrenchConcession that everyone passes by. It’s beendoing very well and I see a lot of potential forthe brand here in China.Jing’an is just five minutes away by bicycle,but it’s very different in terms of clientele.I’ve considered doing another shop on thestreet level, but decided on Crystal Galleriashopping mall because it’s a good way totest out whether our concept will work in anenvironment where the majority of shoppersare Chinese. I want to see if we can duplicatethis in other cities.

 What does your daughter Kate think abouthaving a brand named after her?

She’s still too young to understand the biggermeaning behind the brand. Hopefully in a fewyears’ time, she would see her friends andclassmates wearing Kate Wood watches; thatwould be the ultimate success.