The New Originals' Heritage Film Shares Warm Memories of Childhood Days

“I still remember, the way things were” - Amsterdam fashion label ‘The New Originals’ takes us back, back to childhood days, back to warm memories. Directed by Rutger van Leeuwen and produced by Studio Studio, the film complements their SS/23 collection, taking viewers on a trip down memory lane. This film is about the memory of 'endless days', where the abundance of time leads to boredom, which leads to creativity, play, and imagination. 

"We wanted to show that nostalgia is more than just your grandma's apple pie and cosy rugs," says Maru, co-founder of The New Originals "Nostalgia can be complex and our film tries to capture and articulate that. We want to tell a story that is close to us as a brand, while inviting people to relive their own nostalgic memories." 

By bringing back the idea of domestic poetry, the new campaign directs its focus to an idyllic home where childhood intersects with yet unstained creativity. Rutger explains: “I drew inspiration from my own memories and those of 'The New Originals' founders. As someone who used to indulge in daydreaming during his own childhood, I also wanted to infuse the video with a strong sense of imagination by bringing the prints of the collection to life, as well as Freddy, the brand’s mascot. I reached out to Ambassadors, who helped to bring the sketchy 2D Freddy into the 3D world and gave him his special look."

Narrated by a poem from Yohan Kebede (from the band KOKOROKO), the film takes us back to the heritage of the brand by reflecting on childhood days at home.

Yohan said, “When I saw the first edit of the campaign, I was so happy. I immediately identified with what I saw in the video: the blankets, the decorations, the hairstyles - I remember all of these things from my childhood. I'm seeing more and more African representation in art nowadays and I love it, but I seldom see Ethiopia specifically represented, so I'm particularly honoured to be involved, especially with The New Originals.”