Stephanie is wearing the Brigitte blouse by Laagam with various jewels from Susmie's.
Stephanie tell us what a regular day looks like for you ?
A regular day for me, revolves around my family, my restaurant Rijsel and on a good day - some time for myself. I wake up between 6:30 – 7:00 with my almost 3 year old daughter, I make her breakfast and pour coffee for myself. We either play or watch a cartoon together before I drop her off at daycare at 8:30.
When I get back home, I do some chores around the house and make myself breakfast. Around 10:30 I’m at the gym or out for a run. After a shower and getting ready I head to Rijsel. I start my workday around 12:30 with some administration and a coffee with the team. We evaluate the service of the night before, we discuss the menu and wine. On slower days I can squeeze in a coffee with a friend. Sometimes there are meetings with importers or wine tastings and such. At 17:00 we have staff dinner where I brief the team about the plan for the evening, what’s on the menu, which guests are coming and who is doing what. Service starts at 18:00 and usually I can go home between 00:00 and 01:00 but I always stay one night a week for some afterwork drinks with the team.
When you were growing up what did you want to be/do. How has that changed from when you were a little girl till now.
As a young girl, I wanted to be a doctor but when I stepped foot in a pharmacy I would get instantly sick of the smell. So I thought the hospital life wasn’t for me, haha.
In my teens I decided I wanted to be a lawyer so I could help people when life gets unfair. Obviously I went in a different direction after law school. During law school I started working in hospitality. I started in a café and I got hooked on the industry fast. The type of teamwork and camaraderie you create when working in hospitality was such a warm and welcome surprise that I already started to have the idea of having my own café when I’m older to have a place where people, friends and family can come and just have fun or relax. A place where people like to work and everyone that I cared about could all enjoy the little but precious moments of life. Luckily I crossed Rijsel on my path and decided that this is what I wanted to do instead. It was a scary decision after all those years studying for that law degree but I have no regrets whatsoever.
Did you feel empowered when you were in your formative years, if so what was your source of empowerment
Not really, I did not grow up in a supportive or empowering home. It did teach me how to rely on myself and I was quite the bookworm, therefore formed a lot of my values from reading books. I believe being convinced of your values and defending them is a part of self-empowerment.
What is your biggest drive in life. Elaborate
To be successfully independent. I want to be able to protect and take care of myself because I missed that in my upbringing. I felt very lonely and scared when I was a child and when I left home I promised myself to get to a place in my life where I don’t have to feel that way anymore. I wanted to be strong and self-sufficient and be able to help others who feel the way that I have felt. To me it is essential to have and to be a safe space for those around me. I know from personal experience how important it is to feel that someone has your back and believes in you even if you don’t do so yourself yet.
Hypothetical question you’re on death row. You can choose 1 dish from Rijsel and 1 from somewhere else. What on earth would those be ?
Haha well that’s impossible I like a lot of dishes everywhere. Just depends on my mood and surroundings. I think Iwan’s eel in green sauce or morels stuffed with chicken farce and foie gras. Or his plate of cèpes in cognac and cream. From other places I’d choose the Turkish Kumru sandwich in Izmir, the Hainanese chicken (Chinese dish) I had in Bangkok, a good soto soup at a food market in Indonesia. Or the Scotch bonnet pork fat on toast in London or the truffle pasta in Florence.
photo credit rené mesman
You also have been known to throw a mean party and dj. Describe how your dream set should make people feel and some go to tracks to get people on the dance floor.
My sets are uplifting and versatile. I’m not afraid to mix genres a little, it keeps people engaged, surprised, and interested which means they’re unlikely to leave the dance floor. Honestly, technically I’m not the best dj but I’m good at reading the room and matching the music accordingly. My dream set engages everyone present and makes even the most stubborn person dance like there’s no tomorrow.
A go to song I use often to get people activated is Love never felt so good from Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake it can be used in any setting like birthdays, dinners, weddings. When you’re with designated party people I’d choose classics like Move your body – Marshall Jefferson. To go from soulful and disco to more up tempo I like to use Sunlight – Darius as a transition to disco/soulful house. For the surprise bangers in between I vary from 80’s hits to old school house. So for example Whitney Houston – Dance with somebody and songs from Kings of Tomorrow. I like it when it stays soulful but I can also really enjoy a mean bass. When booked for a primetime house/tech-house party I love Beautiful People – Obskür Remix, Gospel Man – Maur & Roobinz and ofcourse something like Brighter days – Marco Lys Remix.
What top hospitality tips can you give people trying to host at home. Any hacks you can recommend?
Elevate your basics and keep it simple. After all, you want to entertain your guests and not be too stuck in the kitchen to host. Do less but use high quality products and simple recipes. Like high quality anchovies on toast, smoked eel on a piece of baguette. If you’re not really a baker just buy some good cantucci's to dip in vin santo or buy a tart from a good baker. Prepare a nice playlist so you can fill the room with music, music is very important and often forgotten. Using candles and setting a dinner table is how you decorate space, music is how you decorate time. Also… always buy more wine than you think you need… you’ll need it.
Have you heard of a “girl dinner” what is your idea of a girl dinner.
I have heard the term but still not sure what it really means other than girls going for dinner? My idea of a girl dinner is dress to impress and meeting the girls for aperitif/cocktails and heading out for a nice dinner with good conversations about life, love and the future. Filled with good wine and food and going for more cocktails and dancing afterwards.
Vanilla CEO eau de parfum by CRA-YON
The restaurant world is so demanding, night shifts, always on, how do you balance home life with your career.
Well to be good at anything, you can’t really have (complete) balance now can you? There is always a sacrifice of some sort and that’s ok. We can’t excel in one thing without giving in on another thing. For me the key is that the sacrifice you make should be something you can handle. You choose your hardship and everyone can handle a hardship of some sort. I don’t get to have a normal sleep schedule or have the same amount of nights to spend with friends & family like others do who have a ‘regular time’ job. But I’m a very energetic person so I can handle less sleep and my job is also very social so I have fun while I work and luckily my friends like to come to Rijsel as well. To be able to maintain this pace I work about 50-60 hours in 4 days to have a 3 day weekend. On the weekend I take naps and mostly go out for 1 night. I meet with friends after work or on weekends I go out mostly after my daughter’s bedtime so I don’t miss out on time with her. I work out 5 days a week to keep fit, energised, healthy and of course to counter the influence of a ‘fun’ live.
You have little girl at home. How do you share your values with her and what dreams do you have for her future.
I think the best way to share my values is to lead by example. She’s still very young but I take her everywhere and you can see she already likes to meet new people, she shares her food with everyone but is not afraid to stand up for herself when she feels uncomfortable. My dreams for her future, oof… I hope by the time she’s grown, there’s more equality and that she feels the freedom and confidence to take on any endeavor she has set her heart on.
What will you be wearing this Summer at Rijsel.
Can’t wait for summer! In the summer I wear breezy black midi dresses or skirts with cute tops. The skirts are often classic and basic and the tops are more high quality and a bit more outspoken in cuts, fabric and texture.
Tell us a secret about the restaurant that we didn’t already know.
Not every team member is allowed to answer the phone. We have a specific telephone training that you have to follow and after the training, for a while the calls are done under supervision of someone who is already experienced. We teach you how to interpret and analyse the choice of words and recognise tone of voice. We often leave a table available for ‘a good voice’ meaning that we reserve a table for spontaneous callers. But from all the callers you can only choose one, so for everyone reading this; remember the way you present yourself on the phone matters, really.
When you’re not at Rijsel you’re _________
Cooking or lost in music.
Last question - favourite cocktail with recipe pls.
Americano. I actually love negroni but gin doesn’t like me back. I call this a ‘light’ negroni. It doesn’t have gin which is good for me. So, I can drink this without embarrassing myself (unless I have like 5 of them). It is very simple to make, yet hits the spot. Fill a tumbler with ice and squeeze a wedge of orange over the ice. Cut a piece of the orange zest and move that around the edges of the glass and put it in the glass. Pour one part Campari, one part vermouth.
]]>In the name of the series, Verse explores topics like lifestyle, environmentalism, and feminism. This week we answer the question: what is intersectional feminism? Welcome to our uniVerse!
In short, intersectionality applies to making feminism more diverse and inclusive. Intersectionality takes into account that factors like race, class, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation have an impact on the oppression and discrimination individuals experience, and whether equal opportunities are created. Feminism advocates equality, and adding the intersectional approach to that means taking into account that people with different backgrounds have to deal with different issues. Think of it as a person being in the middle of an intersection; where all different directions make up their unique identity.
Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality in 1989 to describe how systems of oppression overlap to create distinct experiences for people with multiple identity categories. Sounds vague right?! But it makes so much sense though.
If we understand intersectionality, we are on to our next step; how do we apply intersectional feminism?
For us at Verse, we take into account that the brands we carry are size-inclusive, treat the people who make the goods well, or we support brands that have women or people of colour in charge and employ diverse teams. Exercising the intersectional approach in your daily life can be applied in the way you consume, who you support, or any other way that is applicable to your unique lifestyle. Everything is literally intersectional.
In what ways can you apply intersectional feminism in your daily life? Our friends over at TheTittymag.com cover intersectional feminism in art, they are an absolute must-follow in our opinion! Founded by Cathelijne Blok in Amsterdam you cannot go wrong with this pink power platform.
Another platform that is close to our heart is the Instagram account of @intersectionalenvironmentalist, where intersectionality and environmentalism crossways. Founded by Leah Thomas you can check out the brand new book available at bol.com.
For an interesting listen go over to Feminism in India on Spotify, and look for their ‘Intersectional Feminism - Desi Style!’ podcast.
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Cra-Yon was launched in 2020 by French/Swedish fragrance pioneers Christine and Niclas Lydeen. They have developed award-winning fragrances in the premium segment for many years, always with the same fascination and exploration of the transportive power of scent as enhancer and elevator of our well-being.
"The sense of smell is a powerful and subjective sense, and with Cra-Yon, we want to inspire everyone to awaken their nose and make scent a natural part of their well-being and personal expression. We see scent as an invisible superpower that triggers and enhances your presence. It's capturing moments, pausing, and asking oneself, 'How do I want to feel today? How do I want to feel in this moment?'"
Shop the full CRA-YON line here
About the founders :
Christine has a French background and was educated at Studio Bercot in Paris and has worked at trend agencies such as Li Edelkoort and the fashion house Vivienne Westwood before fragrance became her main form of expression. Niclas has an MFA in Design and has worked as a Creative Director for several brands and design agencies and has also worked artistically with senses and scent as a starting point. Together with their international team, they are building CRA-YON to be a welcoming universe where inspiration and wellbeing take center stage.
Lets get behind the scents
Art Life activates your senses, raises your energy and stimulates your creativity with a composition filled with Citrus, Neroli and Tonka. Like stepping into an airy, bright atelier in Marrakech enveloped by warm breezes of bergamot and fig.
It opens with with an attention-grabbing, bright and zingy citrus accord. After about 15 minutes, a lovely creamy and sweet Fig note appears and the fragrance settles down into a clean and earthy smell with a touch of fruitiness.
Review
”We love the positivity of this fragrance. Cra-yon has used essential oils that enhance creativity and positivity, so how can you not love this?! We put this scent on and feel alive, there is a zest for life in Art Life, an enthusiasm for the day ahead and appreciation of the day that has been. There are only good vibes with Art Life.”
Top notes: Mandarin, Bergamot, Lemon, Grapefruit
Heart Notes: Lily, Neroli, Rose, Fig
Base Notes: Cedarwood, Powdery musks, Earthy notes, Vetiver, Soft Woods, Tonka
Mood Direction: Creativity, Clarity and Luminosity.
100% Vegan / Cruelty Free / Beyond Gender
Ingredients:
ALCOHOL DENAT, PARFUM (Fragrance), AQUA (Water), CINNAMAL, CITRAL, CITRONELLOL,
COUMARIN, EUGENOL, GERANIOL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL,
ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE
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The High Road is your new forever scent. Herbaceous, sensual and infatuating notes of cannabis, fig, sage, cedarwood, violet and musk make up this multilayered scent that enchants all senses and teases your mind to reminisce over illicit behaviour. This transportive fragrance will put you in an empowered and elevated state you’ll never want to come down from.
Top notes
Fig leaf: fresh, fruity and warm.
Sage: herbaceous, fresh, camphorous.
Cannabis Note: earthy, herbal, and relaxing.
Heart notes
Coconut: sweet and creamy with a nutty tone of vanilla.
Violet: soft, powdery and flirty.
Lily: delicate, intriguing and lightly citrusy.
Base notes
Amber: alluring, sensual, lightly sweet.
Vetiver: dry, earthy, leathery and smoky.
Cedarwood: deep, sacred, woody and mystical.
Musk: intensely intoxicating, seductive and timeless.
INGREDIENTS:
ALCOHOL DENAT., PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), AQUA (WATER), ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE, CITRAL, CITRONELLOL, COUMARIN, FARNESOL, GERANIOL, HYDROXYCITRONELLAL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL
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*Executive confidence booster. Vanilla CEO will ignite the wearer with a sense of vigour, thanks to endorphin-boosting notes of orange blossom and juicy mandarin. Grounding you with a balancing heart of vanilla orchid, sat on a base of warming amber – it’s a staple fragrance for putting you in charge.
This scent is all about power, yet it is quite refined and pared back and serves as a reminder that power does not always equal strength and intensity. Power can be in softness, power can be in kindness and power can be in a knowing rather than a loud voice. The Vanilla and Sandalwood work beautifully together and linger well on the skin without ever overpowering.
Why we made it?
Vanilla CEO caters to demand for the perfect office scent. A greatest hits of fragrance notes to put you in charge but keeps everyone around you feel inspired.
Top Notes: Cyclamen, Orange Blossom, Bergamot, Mandarin
Heart Notes: Vanilla Orchid
Base Notes: Amber, wood
Mood Direction: Liberating, radiates calm and grounded energy.
100% Vegan / Cruelty Free / Unisex
Ingredients:
ALCOHOL DENAT., PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), AQUA (WATER), Limonene, Linalool
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Sand Service takes you traveling without moving. Now isn’t that sustainable? Taking you on a sensorial journey of feel-good aromatics. Sand Service is nuanced with a lovely travel through the smell of papyrus, orris and birch leather. Giving a scent with a great breadth and complexity. Creamy, woody, leather that intensifies more and more as it dries down. It's bang-in-the-middle easy to wear, office friendly and good natured.
”The eclectic book shop and zesty aperitivo drinks at the green courtyard at Corso Como blended with the sense of anticipation in the Portofino air just before the tourists season begins. A promise of adventures.”
Top notes: Violet leaf, Cardamom
Heart notes: Orris, Papyrus
Base notes: Amber, Leather, Cedarwood, Sandalwood
Mood Direction: Attracts positivity, clarity and luminosity.
100% Vegan / Cruelty Free / Beyond Gender
INGREDIENTS:
ALCOHOL DENAT., PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), AQUA (WATER), Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
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Passport Amour is a captivating fragrance that combines the delicate essence of rose with the earthy richness of agarwood. This sultry scent envelopes your senses, transporting you to a dimension where eternal beauty reigns supreme. Finished off with comforting notes of warming amber – each spritz feels like a long awaited, loving embrace. This fragrance leaves a gorgeous, sweet and earthy trail.
Did you know?
Passport Amour is an olfactive interpretation of the romantic sensibility and alluring atmosphere in Wong Kar-wai's film ”In the Mood For Love”. Passport Amour embodies the film's hauntingly beautiful and melancholic portrayal of love, evoking the allure of 1960s Hong Kong with its intricate and exotic blend of scents.
Top Notes: Damask Rose
Heart Notes: Agarwood, Carnation, Patchouli, Cedarwood
Base Notes: Musk, Sandalwood, Amber
Mood Direction: Selflove, Magnetism, Evokes attraction
100% Vegan / Cruelty Free / Beyond Gender
INGREDIENTS:
ALCOHOL DENAT., PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), AQUA (WATER), Geraniol, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Eugenol
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Curious or have more questions about the brand. We have all the scents at our tester bar in store, so pop by and say hi.
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Shein is known for it's tacky online game-ified experience to buy fast fashion and consumer goods at super low prices not taking an consideration to people or the planet. If you are scrolling through TikTok it's almost hard to not see hundreds of hauls of goods that are bought at a steal from Shein.
Shein targets its annual revenue to reach US$58.5 billion in 2025, which means doubling its 2022 revenue of US$22.7 billion ( Source Tech Asia)
That's scary stuff. Especially considering the statistics that currently 92 million tonnes of fashion end up in landfill annually. If companies like Shein double their revenue then these numbers are likely to double also. Let's talk about the not-so-trendy side of fast fashion brand Shein.
Shein seems like the perfect place to find those affordable and trendy pieces. But have you ever stopped to think about where those clothes actually come from and at what cost?
The truth is, Shein has a pretty nasty track record when it comes to ethical and sustainable practices. The company has been accused of exploiting workers, producing clothing in unsafe and unhygienic factories, and promoting a culture of disposable fashion that contributes to the growing issue of textile waste.
In a report conducted by BOF, they follow Public Eye, a swiss watchdog company in 2021 as they released a detailed report that accuses the fast fashion giant of violating Chinese labour laws.
"In Guangzhou, the city where Shein is headquartered and where many of its suppliers are located, researchers were able to track down 17 Shein partners. They found some manufacturers were informal factories set up in residential buildings. Some also had barred windows and no emergency exits, according to Public Eye; conditions that violate Chinese labour laws. "
In 2020, Shein came under fire for selling a necklace that resembled a swastika. The brand apologized and pulled the product from its website, but it raised questions about the company's commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
But that's not all. Shein has also been criticized for copying designs from smaller independent designers without permission, essentially stealing their work and profiting from it. This is not only unethical but also illegal.
And let's talk about the environmental impact of fast fashion. Shein produces clothing at a rapid pace, encouraging consumers to constantly buy new clothes and discard the old. This leads to a massive amount of textile waste that ends up in landfills and harms the environment.
So what can we, as conscious consumers, do about this? First and foremost, we can choose to support brands that prioritize ethical and sustainable practices. There are plenty of small businesses and independent designers that create beautiful and unique clothing while prioritizing fair labor practices and sustainable production methods.
We can also choose to buy less and invest in high-quality pieces that will last for years, rather than constantly buying cheap and disposable clothing. And when we do buy from fast fashion brands like Shein, we can hold them accountable for their actions and demand transparency and ethical practices.
As the future generation, we have the power to make a difference with our purchasing decisions. Let's use that power to support brands that align with our values and work towards a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry.