From the Hague market to Le Marie Marché

The Hague is a city of contrasts. We have peat and we have sand. We have green and we have yellow. We have residents of The Hague and residents of The Hague. And in that beautiful city behind the dunes live more than 200 different nationalities. So we can't possibly all be the same. But we undoubtedly also have similarities and there is always room for a good conversation in our city. It is precisely that diversity that is our strength. In the Surprising Encounters section you can get to know two residents of the city who may be different from each other, but in some respects are also the same. In any case, they have one thing in common: their love for The Hague. Who isn't proud of that?

In these first Surprising Encounters, meet Sinan who sells his clothes on the Hague market and Lisette who stands with her pearls on Le Marie Marché. Two Hague markets and people who give our city color.

At the Hague market

It is a rainy day. On the Hague market opposite the market building, Sinan from Wateringse Veld is standing with his clothing store Disino. He sells trendy women's fashion and is making a name for himself. In addition to his shop on the Hague market, he also has a successful webshop. And he is also doing well on the market. The rain may be pouring down, but the weather is never too bad to shop at Disino.

Sinan grew up on the Hague market. His parents have been on the market with their children's clothing for over 20 years. 'After studying architecture at the Hague University of Applied Sciences and in Delft, I started working as an architectural designer. But, the market is in me, deep in my heart I knew that I belong there, that selling is in my blood. And now, for 8 years already, I've been on the Hague market with the latest fashion. I even have my own line 'Disino' and the sales of my design stretch jeans are going very well.'

Two markets in The Hague and people who add colour to our city

At Le Marie Marché

Under the lime trees on the Lange Vijverberg you will find Le Marie Marché every first weekend of the month. A market with a cozy French atmosphere, with cheeses and dried sausages, vintage clothing, wine, old books, prints and other items to browse through. They give you that feeling as if you have ended up at a French market. That is exactly the intention of the French-born Marie-France who has organized Le Marie Marché in The Hague since 2016. And then there are often chansons sung. The market once started on the Plein and has now become a household name on the Lange Vijverberg.

Lisette from Statenkwartier is one of the regular participants at Le Marie Marché. She runs her company Nana Pearl and sells her own jewelry with pearls and gemstones. Lisette always looks forward to the market. 'It's a joy to be here. Look at that view, over the Hofvijver. It's my seventh year here now. Eleven years ago I turned my hobby into my job. I studied Building Technology in Delft, but I soon noticed that I got much more satisfaction from making jewelry.

I was able to get my own studio and the demand for my jewelry kept growing. I often sold at house parties, my webshop and museum shops, including my pearl earrings at the Mauritshuis. I started looking for other sales markets. Then I discovered Le Marie Marché, where small entrepreneurs can promote and sell their own handmade products. That suits me, I thought, and the pearl fits well with The Hague. So there I am. At Le Marie Marché, where there is room for old crafts and craftsmanship, but also trends.'

What's in fashion?

If anyone is well informed about the latest trends, it is Sinan. He follows the Instagram accounts of famous influencers from America and England, but he also has a nose for it himself. 'I buy new fashion twice a week. I get my fashion from Turkey, Paris and Italy. My stall at the market, or actually we call it a unit these days, has become my outlet. I sell my latest collections via my webshop. That all started during the Corona period. I already had a webshop and that came in very handy when the Hague market had to close and we could no longer sell anything. I made videos and posted them on Insta and Facebook and the orders poured in. And that has only increased in recent years.'

Proud of the Hague market

Even though online business is going very well, Sinan would never want to miss his shop at the Hague market. 'The Hague market is like a small city, everyone knows each other here. I feel at home here. I have many regular customers and the personal contact with the customers is just very nice. And nothing is more fun when your customers are happy with their purchase and come back to you next time. The Hague market is really a household name. But a bit underrated. It is the largest market in the Netherlands and even in Europe and we can be proud of that. Not only people from The Hague come to the market, people from outside the city too. You can really get everything you need there. If the market were in Barcelona or London, you would hear everyone talking about it. I think that this market in Transvaal, where 500 entrepreneurs put their heart and soul, could do with being highlighted in a more positive light.'

The Hague pearl

Lisette also loves Le Marie Marché. This market has also become an indispensable part of the city, but it is not necessarily guaranteed a regular existence. Marie and Lisette certainly hope so. Lisette also has many regular customers, who come to Le Marie Marché. Sometimes they order their earrings, necklaces, rings or bracelets in advance and then Lisette makes sure that the order is ready. For all the jewellery she makes, she gets 20 kilos of pearls from China and Thailand every year. But pearls, aren't they very expensive? Lisette laughs: 'Yes, the saltwater pearls yes. There is a saltwater pearl in one oyster. I use the freshwater pearls. These are pearls that grow in a mussel shell with about 20. They are a lot cheaper, but they are real. Not everyone sees that. Know that. I work with real pearls and real stones. And that is also why I really look after Le Marie Marché.'

Want to swap places with Lisette for a day?

Lisette already came to the Hague market with her mother when she was still in the pram. 'I almost grew up there, you could almost say. I still go there every week for vegetables and fish and you can also get nice clothes here. I could easily stand at the Hague market, but I don't think I would fit into the segment completely. You can also get earrings here for 1 or 2 euros, I can't compete with that. But I'm just a market person: I wouldn't mind swapping places with Sinan for a day, why not!'

Want to swap places with Sinan for a day?

Sinan is at the Hague market four days a week. There are also markets in The Hague, such as Le Marie Marché, that take place less frequently. Would that be something for Sinan? 'There is nothing like the Hague market, but I would like to try it. I think this is a very pleasant market. Maybe a slightly different audience, but there is a nice atmosphere. Like the market once started. And they even have old-fashioned stalls. We don't have those at the Hague market anymore. I would really go all out, because I have so many beautiful things for sale!'

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