De Oesterij

The study on Oysters led us to De Oesterij in Zeeland—a place defined by the same philosophy of slowness and craftsmanship. Here, oysters are cultivated with patience, shaped by the tide, by time. No two are alike.
Much like the handmade process.

This connection between craft and nature became the foundation of our campaign. In conversation with Jean Dhooge, we discussed the parallels between oyster farming and design.

A take on slowness

Jean: “Oysters, of course, take time to cultivate. Four years, with everything in between, including all the risks. You start with a tiny oyster seed, and in the meantime, so much can happen. Farming in the sea is really just waiting, waiting, waiting. You have little control over whether it will survive, what the quality will be, or exactly what shape it will take. And that’s quite beautiful.”

Lies: “In fashion, there is an expectation to always move forward, to release, to produce. But sometimes, the right choice is to pause—to refine, to rethink, to let the process unfold organically. The Oyster Bag was meant to launch last year, but it wasn’t ready.”

Jean: “In the end, you have to be creative. You constantly have to adapt—to changes in nature, climate, rising sea levels. There’s no handbook for it. You must think, adjust, and create solutions. That applies to many craft professions. We may not make the oyster, but we guide the process as well as possible to produce something beautiful.”