Introducing: Inside the Team, a new content series where we pull back the curtain on the talented individuals who make up our Not selling liquid team. Getting to know them for the brilliant people they are, not just the work they do. 

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New year, new start, Koen joined our team in January 2025. With an entrepreneurial background, he owned and managed his brand Unrecorded for three years before settling into his role as E-commerce Manager.

You joined the team at the start of the year. How did you come to end up at Not selling liquid? 

I was in the process of closing the brand I owned and had been working on for the last three years, and I met a friend for coffee (Len, Creative Director at NSL). We were having a casual chat, but then he suggested I look at the role of E-commerce Manager as they were hiring at the time. I didn’t necessarily feel a pull at first because it wasn’t clear to me how my skills could be applied. But had a few chats, the company vibe suited me, and I thought, “why not try something new?”

And what was that something new? 

My role is E-commerce Manager, the main point of contact for some of our clients. I coordinate everything on their website/Shopify, ensuring all the right things are happening for them online from a strategic point of view. When I started working, I also realised that I did have relevant skills because, having owned my own brand, I know the importance of brand story and identity. That’s something I really enjoy doing, especially in sync with the Creative team. I like combining our skills to enhance the online storytelling of the brand.

What were your expectations versus reality?

I didn’t expect that I’d enjoy working on other people’s visions (as opposed to my own) so much. The way we work at NSL is a collaborative approach, we work together with the brand and their team. That gives space for a lot of creative thinking, learning from one another, and different perspectives.

Can you tell us a bit more about working on your own vision with Unrecorded (his clothing brand)?

I began as an intern (whilst still studying) and after my studies, took charge of operations and product development. But as is always the case in a small team, I ended up doing way more. Eventually, in combination with internal and external factors, as well as my own desires, I took over the brand and became the owner.

The vision was to create basics through an honest manufacturing process and for a fair price. I anticipated that menswear would move away from bold logos and into more formal wear, while still keeping the casual element of streetwear. I wanted to create quality products that looked elegant but could be worn in the office, yet also for a nice dinner, all for an affordable price, and with ethical production. I think the brand made a lot of sense, and we did well for a few years but Covid was a challenge that we couldn’t recover from.

How has the shift been for you going from entrepreneurship to employment again? 

I welcome the change, I have my weekends back again! From managing all the stores to overseeing creative strategy to finances, everything was on me as Managing Director. When you’re an owner, you can never switch off, you feel like you have to keep on top of everything all the time. And you’re the one end responsible. That’s something that feels better about working in an agency – there’s less intensity and responsibilities are distributed. Since fashion and products are also a genuine interest of mine, there was no real distinction between work and pleasure, I was just constantly seeing everything from the brand lens.

Do you have any aspirational brands you’d like to work for via NSL? 

I’d love to work with more niche brands because those are the brands that I’m most drawn to when it comes to my own personal style and preferences. Saman Amel and Stoffa would be pretty incredible. I’d love to be more involved with creating a cohesive brand identity across all touch-points for brands.

What is it about “niche” brands that attracts you?

I’ve always liked things that are just a little bit different and had an appreciation for quality items. I grew up and studied in Enschede (east of the Netherlands), a pretty straight-laced and ordinary part of the world. And although I generally went along with the status quo, I tried to do things slightly differently than others, for example, I never liked big brands and logos, even when everyone else was wearing them.

Moving to Amsterdam for a study minor (and then never leaving again) made me grow up and into myself. I was exposed to an environment where I could explore different interests. I met so many people and my social network was wider than back at home, and through that I started getting way more into quality and craftsmanship, not just in fashion but interior design, food, wine, all the good stuff… 

What’s your most prized possession? 

Despite having studied textile and fashion, and being super into material objects, I’m not that attached to them. But I have to say, I’m very happy with the apartment my girlfriend and I live in together. Not the apartment itself, but our collection of curated interior finds. We both have a strong appreciation for beautiful objects, and we spend our time discovering and adding them to our home. 

But if you did have to move out of your beautiful home, where would you consider moving to? 

Copenhagen, no question. Everything is premium and intentional, their base level is just way above any other city when it comes to quality of life.