Entrepreneur for over 30 years

Edward owns family business Four Amsterdam and Four Kids, and founder of the fashion brand FOUR of the same name. The entrepreneur has now been in the business for more than thirty years. His parents once started with a women's store in PC Hooftstraat, followed by a second store with his sister Debby and a children's store. After years of sitting on the well-known Monopoly Street, they moved to Van Baerlestraat eight years ago. In the same street, FOUR opened its doors, a men's store where both their own products and luxury brands such as Tom Ford, Burberry and Prada are on the shelves.

From schoolboy to businessman

When asked who the 'typical' FOUR man is, Edward replies: 'If there's one thing we care about at FOUR, it's diversity. Whether you're 15 or 65 years old, and whether you're buying a 19-euro pair of socks or a 6,000 euro jacket. Our target group is very diverse. It can be a businessman but also a schoolboy. ' He adds: “By the way, 30% of our customers who buy Four products are women. And we are proud of that. We like to attract a variety of customers. '

More brand awareness

“We see that people are becoming increasingly brand-aware and are also willing to spend more money on it. This movement has largely to do with social media, where football players, pop stars and influencers continuously show the latest fashion trends. This only increases the strength of these brands that they wear, and that is reflected in our sales. ' Whether a big star has ever shopped at FOUR? “Regularly. Kanye West, among others, has been here before, but we don't treat them differently than our other customers.”

A shift in fashion trends

“When it comes to fashion trends, there is a clear shift underway. We used to opt for streetwear en masse, but now we prefer to dress minimally. A trend that is also known as “quiet luxury”. Edward's ultimate tip for incorporating this aesthetic into your wardrobe? 'I am a firm believer in mix & match. Invest in timeless, high-quality pieces and combine them with more time-sensitive, less expensive items. And that's fine with the “Zara's” of this world. That's how you create a good balance in your closet. '

The full experience

“Customers come to us for a bit of service. They want style advice that they can't get online. As an online store, you can of course start a chat, but you will never be able to completely recreate a complete shopping experience online. If you do it right, customers will see a visit to your store as an outing. That is something we always strive for at FOUR”.

A household name in the Netherlands

FOUR has now grown into a household name in the Museum Quarter and far beyond. How does that feel for Edward? 'I'm really proud of our FOUR brand and I'm very happy with what we're doing at the moment. ' Does he still have dreams for the future? “I prefer to live in the here and now. Of course, I'm ambitious, but I don't set goals. I know that things are gradually being created and I like that better than forcibly working towards something. ' His biggest source of inspiration is young, creative people. “They have a different view on fashion, know how the current shopper moves and which brands are “in”. I bring experience and that's how we achieve the best things together. '

‍