Amsterdam. A world renown city welcoming of over 20 million tourists each year. There is however a lot more to the capital than just canals, cannabis cafes and cobbles. Did you know that the Dutch capital is a top trendsetter when it comes to the streetwear scene? Blessing the cobbled pavements with unique aesthetics that well portray the culture, art and history of the city. Here we take a look at 5 Amsterdam brands which need to be on your radar.

1. Patta

Having established heavyweight status amongst the streets, we begin with none other than Patta. Edson Sabajo and Guillaume ‘Gee’ Schmidt founded the brand in 2004 as a means to supply footwear and gear to their friends and family. Patta grew immense popularity and the brand soon generated excitement outside of the city to flourish into the Patta we respect today.

The underlining message behind Patta is to supply out of love and necessity rather than profit and novelty. And it’s to be admired, so much so that one walk through Soho (London’s streetwear hotspot) will demonstrate the popularity of the brand.

The brand’s personality is great for depicting the versatility within streetwear. Patta experiments with many materials and boasts a large range of products, from cargo pants, fisherman vests and sports jerseys. Designs are also varied, minimalistic branding, full product prints, yet also designs as tribute to the city of Amsterdam.

Patta has established themselves too with collaborations with other top-tier streetwear brands such as, Jordan Brand, Clarks and Nike. All generating hype and excitement in the scene.

2. Filling Pieces

Filling Pieces is a fashion label established by designer Guillaume Philibert in Amsterdam, 2009. Philibert’s aim was to create a shoe which will offer the quality, style and aesthetic of a high-end retailer, at a more affordable price. The designer succeeded and this sparked the birth of Filling Pieces.

The beauty of Filling Pieces is that they have successfully bridged the gap between streetwear and high-end fashion. All products are hand-made with the finest materials and the brand boast a collection of unique yet contemporary designs.

Filling Pieces also pay homage to their Amsterdam roots by maintaining traditional aesthetics whilst touching on influences from around the globe.

3. Daily Paper

One of the fastest growing brands out of Europe, Daily Paper was coined in 2012 by 3 friends (Hussein, Jefferson and Abderrahmane). Beginning as a blog, the brand emerged through their shared love for music, art, fashion, and culture.

Daily Paper is an Amsterdam based fashion label that is fuelled by the rich heritage of African culture. The brand perfectly combines this with contemporary designs to form a unique and eye-catching aesthetic, like no other. The result is a collection of minimalistic designs on products which feature traditional patterns or pastel colours. A signature pallet offering a timeless look.

Daily Paper is for sure an underground brand with high potential. Keep this one on your radar.

4. ETQ

Next up we have Amsterdam sneaker and shoe retailer, ETQ. Similar to Filling Pieces, ETQ offers premium high-quality footwear without excessive pricing. Founded in 2010, the brand strives to go against the grain by designing shoes with minimal to no branding at all. A decision which has proven to be very successful and admired.

As said by themselves, ETQ’s designs do not confine to fashion – “we simply aspire to provide high quality, well-designed essentials for the right price”. Sustainability and durability seem to be at the forefront of all product designs to ensure products are better for us and the world.

ETQ’s minimalistic philosophy has provided the streets with footwear which is smart yet casual and luxury yet affordable. An all-purpose essential.

5. G-Star Raw

Finally, we have the fashion and denim giant that is G Star Raw. Since 1989 the Amsterdam powerhouse has been producing how they like to call “luxury denim for the streets”. The brand has become a household name and you can find stores located all over the globe.

Denim is an essential that can make or break your get-up, so it is important to choose particularly. With G Star Raw, it is difficult to go wrong and although the brand made their name with denim, they have since started to experiment with all areas within fashion. The brand has been making big waves over the years and has recently generated hype with collaborations alongside streetwear superstar Pharrell Williams, Land Rover and Cannondale.