Our Story
Artoise is a small studio from the Netherlands, run by two friends.
We make a few pieces, take our time, and only release what we’d honestly wear ourselves.
How Artoise started
We didn’t plan to “launch a brand”. It started much simpler. In our own wardrobes we kept seeing the same pattern: loud logos, trends that felt old after a few months, and T-shirts that lost their shape after a handful of washes. At the same time, we were drawn to calm pieces, good fabrics and artworks we actually cared about. Artoise grew out of that gap. If we couldn’t find the pieces we wanted to wear, we’d try to make them ourselves, slowly, and in small numbers.
A small studio, not a big brand
Artoise is just us, our desks and a small studio in the Netherlands. There is no big office, no layers of approval, no marketing team deciding what’s “hot” this season. Most days it’s simply: emails, sketches, fabric samples, test prints and packing orders. We’d rather have one shirt that’s genuinely good than a long list of products we don’t fully stand behind. That’s why what you see on the site is intentionally limited.
Wear Art. Be Timeless.
Why art is at the centre
We like clothes that feel quiet from a distance, but have something to say when you look closer. Art fits that perfectly. Instead of putting our logo everywhere, we work with artworks that have history, mood and depth, like Vincent van Gogh’s Almond Blossom. We look at the colours, the composition and how it will live on fabric, not just on a screen. The goal isn’t to make “merch”, but to turn pieces of art into something you can live in every day.
How we think about quality
A design only works if the base is right. That’s why we care so much about the blank. We go for heavier, organic cotton that feels solid in the hand and holds its shape after long days out. We test the fit on ourselves, wash the samples, wear them to the office, into the city and yes, even to festivals. If it stretches out, twists or fades too quickly, we don’t move forward.
It’s a simple rule: if it wouldn’t survive in our own rotation, it doesn’t get an Artoise label.
How we see Artoise
We’re not trying to tell anyone how to dress. We just like the idea that you can put on one tee and know it isn’t random, it’s been thought through. A shirt that works with simple jeans, doesn’t shout, but still has a story if someone looks at the back print or asks about it. “Wear Art. Be Timeless.” for us means choosing a few pieces that feel right and wearing them hard. Artoise will stay small on purpose: we’ll keep refining what we have, explore new artworks and fabrics in small runs, and only release what feels ready. When something is gone, it becomes part of our archive. If you want to see where it goes from here, the best place to stay close is our studio email list.
Wear Art. Be Timeless.
