Belgian Craftsmanship
The
Atelier
Reinout Van der Straeten. Ghent-based designer and maker. Working where jewellery meets brutalism, and where material honesty is the only luxury that matters.
Origin
Born from a fascination with the raw, the industrial, and the tactile.
My journey, as founder Reinout Van der Straeten, began at the LUCA School of Arts in Ghent, where I spent years immersed in interior design and architecture. While this academic foundation was vital, I felt a growing urge to move beyond the screen and into the material itself — eventually leading me to Mechelen for a postgraduate degree in Furniture Design at VOMO.
It was during those student years in Ghent that the seeds of the brand were sown. Together with three talented peers, I co-founded MARS Collectief — a defiant move to create the visibility for our work that our curriculum lacked. As we moved toward graduation and our paths diverged, I was the only one who felt the pull to carry that creative momentum forward.
To honour those origins while establishing a solo practice, I transitioned the name to Atelier Martis — Latin for 'of Mars' — maintaining the identity my early followers had come to know.
Reinout Van der Straeten
Founder, Atelier Martis
“What started as a DIY project with friends — hammering steel washers into rings — evolved into a sophisticated practice of working with materials most makers refuse.”
Reinout Van der Straeten
The Craft
A metal most goldsmiths avoid due to its stubborn hardness.
Because I never followed a traditional jewelry education, I approach the discipline through the lens of a designer — focusing on structure, mass, and feeling. This outsider perspective is precisely what defines the studio today. I consciously distance myself from the use of precious metals and stones. I prioritise the inherent properties and durability of a material over its perceived market value.
While gold and silver are soft and easily manipulated, I embrace the challenge of stainless steel. Its resilience makes it scratch-resistant and enduring. You can swim, sweat, and live in these pieces without fear of discoloration. When jewellery is valued solely by its weight in carats, the artistry of the maker is often neglected. Every piece is made by hand, one by one — no automated processes, just artisanal handwork and raw conviction.
Handcrafted
No automated processes — Ghent, Belgium
The Process
Every piece passes through the same hands.
Aesthetic
“Dark, refined brutalism — drawing heavy inspiration from Modernism and the raw edges of underground movements like Gothic and Grunge.”
Central to this vision is the importance of patina. For me, it is proof that materials often perceived as lifeless are, in fact, constantly in motion — evolving with their surroundings. It is a sign of life in everything around us.
I believe that the industrial can be a source of grounding. By balancing heavy textures and massive forms with extreme care, I create a tactile awareness that invites you to slow down and appreciate a raw honesty — a primal sensation that finds harmony in our daily environment.
Presence
Selected Exhibitions
Currently at KRAK Design Gallery — Ghent
Enter the Work
“Steel does not apologise for its weight.
Neither do the people who wear it.”