Birds twittering softly, soothing music, a hint of exotic perfumes and temptations as far as the eye can see. This shopping Eldorado manifests itself like an oasis flooded with light, emerging unexpectedly amid the sea of houses in Arnhem city centre. However, even though the whole atmosphere aims to inspire a sense of calm, you will not find it here. There are too many desirable items: dresses, scarves, jewellery, bags, shoes and small home accessories, all making the pulse race. Manufacturers include Sofie D’Hoore, Kristensen du Nord, A.F. Vandevorst, Closed, Heschung, Marni, Dries Van Noten, Faliero Sarti, etc.
Jones – a passion for beautiful things, luxury and exclusivity
Jones is a genuine institution as regards fashion and lifestyle – not only in Arnhem, but also in other parts of the Netherlands, as well as internationally. Generally speaking, the store is associated with a passion for beautiful things, luxury and exclusivity. Judith ter Haar is the driving force behind the whole project – a woman who spent the best part of her childhood in West Africa and also travelled far and wide later in life. The numerous impressions from the past, coupled with her enormous wealth of experience, is the cornerstone of her work today, which is reflected primarily in this boutique. Self-taught, ter Haar works as a curator and creator of concepts in the field of fashion and design. Her ongoing invention of new fantasy worlds and her focus on the unknown from far-off countries has become ter Haar’s great passion. Each season, she embarks on new projects with keen attention to detail, unlimited creativity and irrepressible curiosity. Beautiful things, which were discovered on travels around the world, will find their way here to the store sooner or later. Either just as they were in their original form or ensconced in a completely different context, with a view to stylistically breaking utterly new ground.
To a certain extent, the store is like a travel logbook, to which new chapters are constantly being added. Even if much has changed at Jones, the basic philosophy and the appreciation of subtle differences have remained constantly visible over the years. First class and extravagant materials, perfect workmanship and sophisticated design, with a noticeable tendency to purism are key in the selection of products.
The many aspects of temptation
In a way, Jones rather resembles an old-fashioned colonial goods store or an extremely trendily furnished manor house. Nostalgia and modernity go hand in hand over almost 200 square metres. The predominantly light, friendly colours produce a sense of harmony. Everything seems completely relaxed. The imposing glass roof is a particular godsend as it provides plenty of natural light and gives the store a wonderful feeling of lightness. And of course, the large aviary housing real birds contributes to the idyllic picture. One could almost imagine that one is in a private environment. The magnificent rooms are wonderfully spacious for presenting the products. For example, there are large tables at regular intervals with varying trend themes. In addition, the goods are presented on shelves, in glass-fronted cabinets and stands. The decoration is sometimes devoted exclusively to clothing, or in lavishly arranged themes. Fashion and lifestyle items combine to create a sophisticated blend.
