Meeting with Melvin Keijzer 

Do you remember your first memorable encounter with a great wine?

MELVIN KEIJZER

Absolutely. Gastronomy has always held a special place in my life, perhaps because it shares the same devotion to craft that tailoring does. One of my most memorable encounters with wine happened at De Lindehof in Nuenen, an institution that unfortunately closed its doors. Together with my companion Sep, I decided to dine there one of the very last evenings they were open.

What made that night extraordinary was not just the food or the wine, but the way everything aligned. The kitchen was led by a 22-year-old chef playing at the highest level, with the kind of fearless precision that reminds me of a young tailor discovering his own hand. When the signature dish of chef Soenil Bahadoer arrived, his famous rendang, we opened a Château Mouton Rothschild 1988.

It was one of those rare moments when everything falls into place: the room, the people, the craft, the story in the glass. I remember taking a sip and realizing that this was more than dining. It was harmony. I even had to wipe away a tear.

Do you remember your first memorable encounter with a great wine?

MELVIN KEIJZER

Another memory that stayed with me happened in The Hague, at a place called Tapperij. It is a remarkable place. A former jenever pub dating back to 1868, where the interior still feels almost untouched by time. There I tasted a Chenin Blanc I had never encountered before. What struck me was that nothing there revolves around famous labels or prestige. Everything revolves around the product itself, and the people who make it with love. It is a place where the focus is truly on the inner world. The substance rather than the name. In many ways, that philosophy resonates deeply with how I view craftsmanship.

Perhaps that is what great wine does. It reminds you that craftsmanship is never just about technique. It is about patience, about time, about allowing something to mature until it becomes more than the sum of its parts.

How did wine enter your life? Did this interest develop alongside your passion for men’s elegance?

MELVIN KEIJZER

Yes, very much so. Wine entered my life gradually, through curiosity and attention. The same path that led me to tailoring. When you start working with fine fabrics, you develop a sensitivity. At first you notice the obvious things: the label, the prestige. But over time you learn to appreciate the deeper layers. Balance, restraint, character.

Wine and tailoring evolved side by side for me. Both belong to the world of refinement, but neither should become superficial. True elegance is never loud; it reveals itself quietly.

In tailoring we often say that the best garments reveal themselves slowly. A great suit does not impress in the first second; it grows on you the longer you look at it. Wine behaves in much the same way.

People often say that a good wine “dresses” a moment. For you, is there an analogy between choosing a fabric for a client and selecting a bottle for friends?

MELVIN KEIJZER

Very much so. Choosing a fabric for a client is not so different from selecting a bottle for friends. In both cases you read the room, the people, the moment. A fabric carries a personality. Some speak of tradition, others of boldness or quiet confidence. Both are forms of storytelling through craft. Both also require trust. A client trusts the tailor to guide him toward something he might not have chosen himself. Opening a bottle for friends is similar. You offer something that reflects the moment, but also your own taste.

If you had to define your wine “style” today, would it be more classic like a three-piece suit, or more daring like a colourful lining?

MELVIN KEIJZER

My philosophy is simple, also in a glass,: quality should whisper. I am drawn to wines where substance speaks louder than marketing. Less about the outside, more about the craftsmanship within. Much like a beautifully cut three-piece suit, the magic lies in the structure, the balance, the full canvas construction, the quiet precision behind it.

Perhaps that is also why I admire wines that age well. They are like a well-made garment: not designed for a season, but for a lifetime.

You recently installed a EuroCave in your boutique in Amsterdam. What role does it play in the experience you offer to your clients?

MELVIN KEIJZER

The EuroCave adds something special to the welcome and the experience in the boutique. A fitting session is a meaningful moment. People come for a wedding, an important event, or simply to mark a new chapter in their lives.

Wine naturally becomes part of that ritual. Clients start sharing their favourite wine memories, and I always say that in my EuroCave I store memories waiting to happen. Quite often people even bring a bottle themselves. Before you know it, a tailoring appointment turns into a small celebration. A tailoring house has always been a place of conversation. In the past people spoke about, art, business. Today we also sometimes speak about wine. It slows the moment down. And slowing down, I believe, is the real luxury of our time. In the end, both wine and tailoring are about the same thing: quality that quietly brings people together.