Stages of the World Cabinet/Zurich

The concept store Cabinet shows style and attitude for a clientele that is as financially potent as it is consumption-critical.

Cabinet/Zurich STAGES OF THE WORLD

Zurich is considered bourgeois and dignified, possibly even a little too posh. This definitely doesn’t apply to the Cabinet concept store in the city’s Westend. The space itself has an abundance of charm. The viaduct arches, built into a more than 100-year-old bridge, have a special aura defined by old stone walls and a vault with a height of up to nine metres. Jeroen van Rooijen and his wife Nina van Rooijen are evidently the right people to breathe life into this location. “Our product range is full of surprises and peculiarities from all over the world. We import merchandise that appeals to us from almost every continent and hope that the spark will ignite among our customers,” says Jeroen van Rooijen, who made a name for himself as a menswear style expert and journalist long before opening Cabinet. “We like products with a strong character and a surface that isn’t too smooth and perfect.” In terms of clothing, both entrepreneurs attach great importance to comfort and everyday life compatibility. Nina van Rooijen’s own collection, which interprets typical masculine styles in a feminine context, is an excellent example. The store also stocks casualwear by Humanoid Arnhem and relaxed menswear by Man1924. “In addition, we offer everything from organic soap by Sukha of Amsterdam to glass domes containing butterflies by Christoph Klein,” Jeroen van Rooijen explains. He and his wife are responsible for buying and strategic decisions. They are the figureheads of Cabinet and tend to be in the store together, especially on Saturdays. That Jeroen van Rooijen can be seen sitting at a sewing machine from time to time appeals to the customers. It contributes to the decelerated concept, as does the fact that customers are quite deliberately given space and time to explore. “We stage our products with great effort and dedication,” Jeroen van Rooijen stresses. “We don’t pursue a mercantile logic or commercial impetus. We focus on a style, a feeling, and an attitude.” Cabinet thus has little in common with the typical luxury shops in Zurich’s “Bahnhofstrasse” and “Storchengasse”. Jeroen van Rooijen: “Inner-city rental fees leave very little room for experimentation. Our landlord, a foundation dedicated to affordable residential and commercial premises, deliberately keeps the rent low. We couldn’t do what we are doing here in the city centre.”

Cabinet Store

Viaduktstrasse 83, Arch 2, Zurich/Switzerland www.cabinet-store.com, Instagram: @cabinetzurich Opening; December 2015 Owners: Nina and Jeroen van Rooijen Employees: 4 Sales area: 150 sqm Brands for women: among others Atelier Sukha, Black Crane, Horror Vacui, Humanoid, I Love Mr. Mittens, Nina van Rooijen, The Loom Brands for men: among others Bevilacqua, Hannes Roether, Man1924, Roberto Collina, SNS Hering, The Chino Revived Interior and accessories brands: among others Aeyde, Arno Wolf, Ay Illuminate, Bella Ciao, Blue & True, Butts & Shoulders, Canal St. Martin, Charlotte Wooning, Coral & Tusk, Fair Trade Originals, Foulalà, Future Archive, Jars, Lola Hats, Lovat & Green, Muun, Mismo, Studio Corkinho, Sukha

“People appreciate our product range and spirit of discovery,” says Jeroen van Rooijen, who runs Cabinet with his wife Nina van Rooijen.