'All I wanna do, is have some fun,' sings Sheryl Crow through the speakers at Summum on the Hoogstraat. And this rugged Australian rock, pop and country singer might just succeed for an outfit at this fashion shop. "Feminine and sexy, yet quirky and tough," is how store manager Jacqueline Hart describes the style, as she makes a cup of coffee behind the bar cum counter of the homely-looking boutique. "We are no-nonsense and have guts; if blue is everywhere, we go for red, so to speak. I recognise myself in that."

Amsterdam-based fashion label Summum has been around for over 25 years and was founded by a couple Jorien and Jos Wijker, who are as down-to-earth as they are internationally oriented. Besides 11 of its own brand stores in "the most authentic shopping streets in the Netherlands", the family-run business has outlets across Europe and North America. "Jorien designs everything herself with her team. She simply knows what women want. Quality, comfort and fit - especially for the Dutch stature - are always top notch," Hart knows from personal experience. "And you know what's so nice? You can combine the items very easily for any occasion. Now I'm wearing flat shoes, which is a bit more casual. But if I wear heels under these tonight, I can go to a restaurant or a party in no time."

Seasonal accents

The structure of the range is also well thought out, being building blocks for the wardrobe. Hart: "Every year, we present ten colourful capsule collections with lots of prints for changing seasonal accents. For inspiration, Jorien travels to very diverse places, from Scotland to Morocco. All these elements are also constantly reflected in our magazine and in the shop styling. Besides these seasonal collections, we have so-called NOOS items, or 'never out of style'. These are fine, often plain basics that you can vary with." Summum's jeans are a category apart. "Blue Daze, is the name of our denim collection, which has had a special design team on it since 2016. Whatever buttocks or legs you have, most women succeed here for a fine pair of jeans."

Feminine and sexy, yet quirky and tough, is how store manager Jacqueline Hart describes Summum's style.

Still, there is something left to be desired for Summum. "Our collections already include shoes, scarves, gloves, bags, caps and belts," lists manager Hart. "In time, the intention is to expand that accessory line even further with jewellery. By the way: with the leather belts comes a great story. After Jorien and her team designed them, they are made in the Netherlands by a brother and sister from Friesland who get the skins directly from the slaughterhouse nearby. How local do you want it?"

Fair

Which brings the conversation to the inevitable topic when it comes to fashion: sustainability. "As in our clothing recommendations, we are honest about that," Hart says. "We don't profile ourselves as a sustainable label, although we do strive to have as little impact as possible. We do this by having our clothes made from fabrics that use as little water and chemicals as possible. This is done in countries that respect human rights and safe working conditions." She grabs a heavy, soft, oversized cardigan with puffed sleeves from the rack. "Feel for yourself. By working with such high-quality materials, our clothes last year after year. That too, of course, is better for the earth."

www.summumwoman.com