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- SHOP STORIES
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SHOP STORIES: PUHA
Today we would like to introduce you to Taam, the owner of Puha Shop. Together with Saïd, Taam puts her love and care in every detail of her little store in Utrecht. You can tell she is passionate about her work and design, that's why she selects each of Puha's pieces to give visibility to the work of artists and artisans, mainly from the Netherlands. Among this selection, Naguisa, one of the sustainable brands that you can find in Puha, has made a niche for itself.
TAAM WITH HER ALAFIA, SS23 COLLECTION / PHOTO: JURI HIENSCH
Who is Taam? How would you define yourself?
Hi my name is Taam, I am a curious and social creature that loves to create and help creators get their art & designs seen and out into the world. I have a background as a maker in fine art (school) and illustration and I love textiles, materials, colors and skill full techniques.
¿When did you open Puha Shop? What prompted you to launch your own business?
Puha Shop opened its doors 14 years ago in 2010. Said, Chantal and I started the shop as 3 creative enthusiasts that felt there was not enough of a stage/shop in Utrecht for the products made by artists enrolling into working life after art school. It was a tiny shop of 30 m2 in the middle of a small red-light street in the city center of Utrecht.
Within the first year Chantal left Puha to get back into her passion for photography, so Saïd and I continued the shop all these years, we grew and after 3 years changed to a bigger and better location in a busier street.
We work with around 70 different mostly local designers and some little sustainable brands, and sell clothes, jewelry, shoes, prints, ceramics, knits and artworks. We love creating a bridge between the designers and the customers visiting Puha. We love to share the background of each design with visitors and the chance is big you meet a designer delivering their own made products, helping behind the counter or having a nice coffee from our sweet neighbors. After 14 years Said will this year stop working for Puha to focus more on his own shoe brand Raphia. From now on I will continue Puha Shop alone with the help of friends and designers.
Can you share a moment you’ll always remember as an entrepreneur?
In the past we loved little festivals that sometimes organized special events in our shop. Having a music performance in our little shop window, which made it look like a little stage, with the shop full of sweet people enjoying the music. That was fun.
The Corona period was also very memorable. It was impressive to have people coming to Puha to support us and buy designs with the sole purpose to help us survive. I am grateful for the positive energy they brought and how they made us feel like we mattered. It was a difficult time. But we came out of it standing strong. :)
Of all our designs to date, which is your favorite Naguisa?
We love all the designs made by Naguisa. Because we are a small store we make a small selection. In wintertime we love the Abra shoes; they look fun, are warm and resistant for the rainy weather which we have a lot of in the Netherlands. In summertime we love the espadrilles with every time new colors and surprising playful shapes! It is hard to select one all-time favorite!
Know some of the PUHA's summer selection for this year:
