The Dutch have always had a special talent for combining practicality with innovation and beauty, and this is especially obvious in the design industries here. As the unofficial design capital, Amsterdam is known for its creative, innovative spirit and this can be clearly seen in its sheer number of design events, spaces, shops and artists.

You don’t have to attend catwalk shows to find out what’s hot and trendy in Dutch fashion—simply walk through the Red Light District; prostitutes aren’t the only ones exhibiting their wares in windows there. If interior design is more your thing, just take a stroll through De Jordaan or along Prinsengracht, where numerous interior design and furniture shops display old and new objects, from the Netherlands and abroad.

Even though the Dutch have produced legendary artists, designers and architects like Piet Mondriaan, Gerrit Rietveld and Rem Koolhaas, the industry never rests on its laurels. Many contemporary Dutch interior designers, such as Hella Jongerius or Tord Boontje, have built strong reputations for themselves internationally, and yet they continue to use Amsterdam as their base.