In People of the Northsea, we feature members of our beloved Northsea clan: coastal residents, surf fanatics, cold-water swimmers, and beach cleaners. In this episode, Carmen van der Klooster, born and raised in Wijk aan Zee, shares her love for the sea. From her time as a junior member of the lifeguards, winter swimming and surfing to launching an eco-bikini brand—everything in her life revolves around the ocean.
Text by Alexandra Gossink
Photos by Carmen van der Klooster
Carmen can’t even remember when the sea wasn’t a part of her life. It’s where many of her life's important, defining moments have taken place.
“I was born in Wijk aan Zee and lived here my whole life, 34 years now. My parents always had a beach cabin, and my childhood memories are filled with the beach and the sea. I remember having lunch in the cabin during school breaks and waking up on the beach during summer vacations. We’d have campfires with friends, and witness sea sparkle and shooting stars — that’s what my summers as a child were like. I spent over nine years as a junior member of the WRB (Lifeguard Brigade) and learned so much. I met my partner Stef by the pier, in the sea, and on the beach. We surfed before and after work and were always in or near the water.”
How do you shape your life by the sea?
“After high school, I started traveling. I spent summers working in a beach pavilion in Wijk aan Zee and winters in the tropics. I did that for twelve years. Now I’m back living in the Netherlands full-time, and I’ve gained a new appreciation for the cold winters here. Over the past four years, I’ve focused on my kids, while working parttime as a barista—on the beach, of course! ;)
Some 20-odd years after my first beach job, I’m still so grateful every time I walk onto the beach and realize that’s where I work. The peaceful mornings are still my favorite moments.
The chance to see the sea and horizon every day has always done me so much good and gives me exactly what I need. Sometimes it’s peace, and sometimes it’s action. I kept swimming in the sea weekly for several winters. That connection and surrendering to the cold taught me a lot. We surf a little less now, with a big renovation going on, and busy family life, but we still spend as much time as we can on the beach with the kids.”
Carmen and Stef have two young children and a house just three minutes from the beach. But before settling here, she embarked on a business adventure that mostly took place in Indonesia. Carmen launched a surf bikini brand, CURMS.
“For years, I spent winters surfing in tropical destinations. My biggest struggle? A bikini that stayed on after a good wipeout! I thought, ‘This has to change!’ But I couldn’t find a good surf bikini anywhere. So, I put together everything I cared about: something sturdy and practical, but also beautiful, with a story behind it—made honestly, with love and passion.
I’ve always been impressed by traditional fabrics and have been collecting them since I was young. I worked with family-run businesses in Indonesia to find a way to bring it all together. The result was swimwear made from recycled, high-quality fabric, with authentic ikat prints (handwoven textiles from Indonesia). I made the samples myself and collaborated with different businesses, each with its own specialities. I also learned the language and handled the shipping and import myself.
I travelled from Bali to Java and got fabric from Flores, Sumba, and Savu. In the winter, I focused on the production of new collections in Indonesia. During summers, I was in the Netherlands selling my creations online, in my showroom, and at shops, markets, and festivals. Work-wise, I wore many hats and was fully dedicated to it for seven years.
When my first child was born, I tried to balance it all as a stay-at-home mom. I managed for a year, but it wasn’t realistic. Soon after, I was pregnant with our second child, and we moved to a garden house here in Wijk aan Zee, starting a massive renovation of the main house.
All happened at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. All my store orders were cancelled, and suddenly I had a huge stock and no income. That’s when I knew: it was time to close this chapter. My priority was no longer my business but my family and spending four months a year in Indonesia for work wasn’t doable. I stopped production and gradually phased things out. I kept in touch with the businesses, and they found other ways to move forward.
Spread out over the past few years I was able to sell all my remaining stock online. I’m 100% at peace with it — things went as they were meant to, and I’m grateful for everything I learned and experienced during those years with CURMS!”
Do you ever feel the urge to start something new?
Over the past four years, I’ve focused completely on my kids and working part-time as a barista. All the while, I had no big dreams and was content with how things were. I’ve always trusted that dreams and ambitions would return once I had the time and space. My youngest daughter turns four at the end of October and will start school a few days a week. Slowly, ideas and dreams are bubbling up again! And deep down, they were always there; I just didn’t have the energy to realize them. When the time is right, new plans will emerge, though they will probably be in a completely different direction from bikinis and surfing.”
We’re curious to see what’s next for Carmen!
More Carmen? Check out CURMS Facebook.
She will keep her CURMS website up for future projects, so keep an eye on it!
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