Meet Reinout Van Der Straeten

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Reinout Van Der Straeten. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Reinout, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I think you never really overcome imposter syndrome. I think the only thing that really helps is to stay passionate about what you do and be persistent and be original in it. People around you and the community will notice and give you the validation over time, yet some feelings of self-doubt will always linger. To me, to overcome imposter syndrome is to be comfortable with a little part of you that will always doubt yourself and tells you people will notice your flaws. Imposter syndrome is nothing more than man’s inability to accept his own imperfect nature while being driven by a passion or dream of becoming something. Therefore, in my opinion, it is inherent to one’s process of chasing your dreams. I still feel doubtful or anxious sometimes and that’s exactly how I know I’m still chasing my passion and I’m on the right path because the day that doubt fades away, I know I’m not pushing myself hard enough anymore to become a better version of myself. So I have learned to find comfort in doubts and in my opinion ‘overcome’ imposter syndrome.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Atelier Martis is a young Belgian design studio founded by Reinout Van der Straeten that specializes in unique furniture and jewelry designs. With a passion for materials and a keen aesthetic sense, the studio blends raw materials and textures, retaining a touch of the organic in every piece.
Reinout navigates the delicate balance between nature’s offerings and human craftsmanship, finding a grounding harmony in this interplay.
This aesthetic delivers tranquility and contentment through emphasis on texture, repetition, and soberness: Focus on texture heightens your tangible awareness, repetition brings comforting predictability, and soberness focuses attention on the essence. Together, these principles form the foundation of every design, each piece handcrafted to proudly display its artisanal heritage. Drawing inspiration from Modernism, Brutalism, and underground movements like Gothic or Grunge, Atelier Martis’ style is best described as ‘New Stone Age’ or refined brutalism, with a strong focus on tangibility.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think it all begins with courage. You have to dare to chase your passion, with all the doubts and obstacles ahead. The first step is always the biggest. You need to find the courage to start, you need to find the courage to talk to people, you need to find the courage to ask for help, and you need to find the courage to put yourself out there. For me, this meant getting comfortable with myself and learning to sometimes ‘just do it.’ Stop thinking once in a while. “When it feels scary to jump in, that is exactly when you jump” (*from A Most Violent Year*).

Apart from that, you need passion. You need a drive. You need mental fuel for your hard work. To me, my designs, my style, my way of life, or vision of life feel like they flow seamlessly into each other. Therefore, I would say I was born with my passion. I find it difficult to explain because it is simply nature. Design gives me comfort, it gives me rest, it exhilarates me when I come across a designer with a similar vision or style at an exhibition. It is not so much a skill as a vital necessity.

Lastly, I think resilience is very important. Learning to get beaten down and jump back up. Learning to get rejected with a smile on your face. Those are extremely hard things to do. But when you realize some of the most successful people only started getting their success in their 40s-50s, you know you have plenty of time to try.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

This question is quite simple to me: my friends. Whether those are friends in the field or friends I’ve known since high school, they’ve all taught me valuable lessons. From friends who’ve studied marketing and communication helping me with concrete tips and skills for my socials, to friends with whom I sat in a bar over a glass of wine, teaching me not to worry so much and to feel comfortable about my last rejection or negative encounter. They’ve all contributed a little piece of the puzzle. Whether big or small, in evening-long conversations or a short text message, theoretical or concrete, they’ve helped me to become who I am today and will continue to help and shape me.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Reinout Van der Straeten

Katoo Peeters

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