Jetteke van Lexmond rocks Vogue Netherlands with her stylish and provocative fashion series, designs the most amazing jewelry with her sister Lieke under their label Lexmond versus Lexmond, and travels from hotspot to A-location. If we roll out the red carpet for anyone, it's Jetteke. Voilà.
Phew, what a warm day. What do you wear on such a day?
‘I'm wearing something from the Marni collection for H&M today. A very airy linen suit with a great print. It still feels a bit strange to walk around in my bare legs. Maybe I'll do that this weekend, but if I have appointments, I find it a bit odd to sit in a short skirt or shorts. It all sticks so much and I don't find it really charming.’
And where do you prefer to be in this sun?
‘Preferably outside, of course, but not in the sun. Hotel L’europe for example. Or Hotel the Dylan, which has such a nice inner garden with parasols. I go there often, it's wonderfully quiet and they have very nice service. Perfect for business meetings. What do I order? A Caesar with large shrimp.’
How lovely, do you have any more nice lunch spots?
‘Buffet van Odette is also a regular spot. With this weather, under the awning, I order the salad from the buffet or a truffle omelet. In the Spiegelstraat, there’s now a new little place called Lavinia. A hidden gem of the city. You can have breakfast and lunch there. The menu has many healthy sandwiches and shakes. I recently had a little sandwich with curry oil, avocado, and a chili-like pepper. Really delicious. I prefer to get my bread from Gebroeders Niemeijer. A French bakery on the Nieuwendijk. It's a shame that the place is in such a terribly ugly spot between the hash t-shirts and junkies. The bakery is run by very nice people with great taste. You buy bread there like you've never tasted before, and the lemon tarts are the best in the city. I love biking there.’
And in the evening? Where do you prefer to eat out in Amsterdam?
‘At Joop Braakhekke in Le garage , we are regular customers. Once a month, my sister Lieke and I plan a lunch there just the two of us. We always order tuna pizza and steak tartare. Actually, I don't eat out that much, so when I do, I do it well. At the Japanese place Yamazoto in the Okura hotel, for example. That's really a dinner worth babysitting.’
Do you pay attention to healthy eating?
‘I love healthy and tasty. Feel free to give me a piece of cake. The most important thing for me is that the products come from a good source. I go to de Lindenhof very often and pick up the most delicious things there. Also, when I'm in a village and there's a vegetable, fruit, or cheese stall by the road, I always take something with me. I call that food from the hood.’
Enough about food. You're a stylist, so you shop quite a bit. Where in Amsterdam are the nicest shops?
‘I prefer to shop at vintage stores, for example at Heleen Hulsman and by DaniI also often pop in there. What Rika does in the city I find very nice too. The Bijenkorf is really a great department store with so many beautiful brands. I can now also find my lingerie there that I used to always buy abroad.
Carmacoma in the Spiegelstraat and Azzuro Due in the P.C. Hooftstraat are beautiful stores that I love to visit. And the shoes at Shoebaloo, of course.’
Wow, those are all very expensive stores? Do you still go to H&M sometimes?
‘Definitely, I walk into everywhere. From the Albert Cuyp to the Kalverstraat. Recently, I bought a whole bunch of men's shirts at C&A. They are made of organic cotton, you never have to iron them, and they cost no more than 20 euros. Also lovely to wear in this weather, and if I happen to spill something on them, it's not a big deal. And that's very handy when I go out with the kids.’
So you can shop quite well in our own city?
‘Absolutely. Only it's often small stock. If you're late, your size is gone. That will never happen to you in Paris. A wool sweater they only have here in two colors, while in the Bon Marché you see that there are many more colors. And in all sizes too.’
For LEXMONDvsLEXMOND, you have been to Paris very often. Which neighborhood did you usually stay in?
‘Our hotel is always in the Marais, but most appointments are around Rue Saint-Honoré. We often had meetings in Hotel Costes or Café de Flore. We always do everything by bike.’
You must have discovered some great shops there too?
‘I find the department stores the most fun. From Colette to Le Bon Marché. I always stop by the vintage shops. There is a very famous one called Didier Ludot, but I only look there for inspiration. The Chanel jackets (second-hand, of course) start there at 6000 euros. I find that really ridiculous. For the kids, I always shop at Zef or Bonton.’
And where should you eat in Paris?
‘When I go privately, I always have lunch at Rose bakery or Bread and Roses. And Merci always remains very nice. For dinner, there is a very good Japanese place Kunitoraya that I discovered not too long ago. A glass of red wine with cheese at the end of the day is wonderful everywhere.’
And lastly, if you could fly somewhere tomorrow with the whole family, where would you like to go?
‘We fly to Los Angeles or San Francisco. Then we rent a car (preferably with a convertible roof) and drive to Big Sur. A very small village by the sea. You can choose to go very primitively or stay in a luxury lodge. Both are lovely. It has a bit of a hippie culture there, there are many writers and artists. There is a lot of space for creative minds and it's really one of the most beautiful places on earth. Can I go there now?’
