EDITOR'S LETTER —— F/W 23
Words Youri Huijerjans  Photography Christian Benoit

And just like that... we're back! The story continues. After an almost two-year hiatus,
we are ready to introduce you to the highly anticipated new chapter of YouriHuijerjans.com.


 

I am writing this letter, on the Thalys, on my way home from Paris. Out of the corner of my eye, I spy a young lady taking a glance at my iPhone, which is meticulously set up in front of me, playing re-runs of Freeform's Baby Daddy, a comedy tv-series which premiered back in 2012. I like to put on sitcoms in the background while I'm writing, it's very calming to me. Listening to the different story structures and light-hearted joke frameworks always inspires me in my own writing, plus it helps me zone out from my surroundings. At the back of my head rests a to-do list longer than a Jacquemus runway, split equally between work, health and family, my head doing its usual erratic jumping back and forth between things that need to be done or not done, all day every day. And yes, this also materializes during my self-scheduled holiday times.

If there's one thing the past year and a half has taught me, is multitasking. You know your life has graduated to a certain professional level when your Notes app has become your best friend and savior. Lately, I've been reflecting more on the question that’s permanently on the top of my notepad; “What’s next?”  I remember when I was younger, I had difficulties coming to terms with life not being fully controllable, in particular; not being able to get things done immediately. Perhaps it was the growing pressure of always having been “mature for my age”, an undiagnosed depression and the development of the need for overcompensation as a result of the latter or just growing into oneself that caused the anxiety. Now, about half a decade later, I’m starting to realize more that everything in life has a time and a place. Over the past year, I have focused a major part of my downtime on the restructuring of my personal portfolio, see it as a road map for any creative endeavors, a hub that encompasses the main aspects of my creative endeavors; writing, branding and overall visual art direction.

One of the key focus areas has revolved around the term "impact". What does it mean to people, how can it be measured and how do you create something that can make a lasting impression? Does real impact still even exist? To put things into perspective, one of the most impactful pop culture moments of recent times for me was revolved around careers and believing in yourself and the plan God has created for you. Sheryl Lee Ralph's legendary 74th Emmy Awards speech is a notable example of this sense. The idea of not letting go of your passions needs to be discussed more openly. A wise pastor once said; 'you may have a dream but you need to keep the faith to sustain it, so whenever something does not go according to plan, you can focus and keep hold of your goal. It won't come easy but sometimes you need to mature into your dreams to make them a reality.' So, when we look at these people whose aspirations became a reality later on in life and who are unapologetically honest about their journeys, it's only a reminder that often times, things become greater later. Impact starts the moment you choose to take better care of whichever situation you are in or want to shift to, big or small, it's the effort that makes a difference.

This platform, in its' essence, has always carried the same ambition; to be an indispensable personal resource for every segment of my creative identity. Hence, when the opportunity to conceive an updated version arose, we [my team and I] knew it had to fulfill a different purpose than it had before, given the almost two-year hiatus. What's special this time around is that we have more to bring to the table; intricate in-depth conversations, a clear focus on wellbeing, modernized layout design, special capsule projects and a general healthy dose of self-awareness and vulnerability. And the process has been an absolute dream from the start, as we were able to collaborate with some of my closest friends and fellow creatives whom I admire and look up to. Since I will be covering about 80% of the tasks here, I consider it incredibly important that my personal ethics are correctly translated into the brand and that my team and I keep developing ourselves in all the roles we take on, both in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes.

The reality of 21st century professionals has realized in the idea that talent and growth are vastly interconnected. If you think about it, as little as over a decade ago, the definition of the term “career” was so different than what it could be considered today. For example, plumbers were just plumbers, finance guys were just boring (read: finance guys), actors were just actors, and the occasional shift towards a more directorial/producer role was the most exciting diversion that happened in that ball park. These days however, we have become more prone to step outside of our comfort zone and regularly move between genres, interests and occupation; stay-at-home parents can now also be adult content creators, singers are now shifting into the beauty/skincare realms and medical professionals are becoming substantial journalists due to rise of widespread misinformation in media throughout recent times. Part of this new diversifying is getting more opportunities to see people's identities blossom in ways that are rather unexpected. It provides a buoyant glance into what’s yet to come or what could be revisited.

This current season represents change and commitment. And after all these years and the countless memories, it’s nice to know that anything’s still possible. This re-launch feels like a victorious return to form. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be where I am today and I hope my team and I can successfully deliver that message through our content. Overall, the new YouriHuijerjans.com is a little bolder, a little more comprehensive and probably in some way, more straightforward. Welcome to this next chapter, I hope you're as excited by it as we are.

(P.S. In case I haven't mentioned it enough; from the bottom of my heart, an immense thank you to my incredible team and contributors, without you, none of this would have been possible).

 

YouriHuijerjans.com pledges to donate 1% of all collective advertising revenue to the Mental Health Condition, which commits to providing better access to mental health resources for everyone. To learn more about their efforts, click here and get involved today.