NEW AMSTERDAM
At the core of New Amsterdam Surf Association is a rebellious, countercultural movement that challenges the conventions of established surf culture.
In 2018, founder Paul Zeper set out to break away from the clichés of the classic surf aesthetic. As a professional windsurfer sponsored by major brands, he struggled to reconcile that imagery with life in Amsterdam and surfing one of the most industrial coastlines in the world: Wijk aan Zee. From this tension, New Amsterdam Surf Association was born.
Founded in the heart of the city, the brand merges urban life; fashion, music, and art. With a community bound by a shared passion for surfing. It represents a “new wave” of surfers who spend more time navigating the city than lounging on the beach.
Finding someone with a car, coordinating a driver’s license, or piling onto public transport together, sometimes even being kicked off the tram, the challenge of simply reaching the sea is what unites the crew. And all that effort leads not to turquoise waters, but to murky waves framed by a raw, industrial skyline.
