The janitor’s drawings that became a design partnership
Extreme Cashmere's founders Joost Swarte and Roy Piraat met by accident at an advertising agency, where funny little sketches on cleaning supply notes sparked a creative collaboration that has endured for decades.
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Joost Swarte was the janitor at the advertising agency where Roy Piraat worked. Each time supplies ran low, Joost would leave notes scattered around the office announcing the shortage, but never in the manner one might expect from a custodian. Beside each message sat a small, carefully drawn illustration: wry, observational, impossible to ignore. Roy found them, loved them, and hired him on the spot.
That moment of recognition, sparked by doodles on the back of practical notices, became the foundation of Extreme Cashmere. The pair has designed and produced books together ever since, building a practice rooted in the belief that every project matters, even those they initially questioned. Joost brings his distinctive illustrative sensibility to the work; Roy tends to the business side with the same care he brought to those first notes.
What distinguishes their approach is an unflinching commitment to their archive. They treasure every book they have made, regarding even the pieces they were uncertain about at the time as part of their journey. That acceptance of imperfection and experimentation infuses the cashmere collections they eventually developed, each piece carrying the same thoughtful, unpretentious spirit that drew them together decades ago.
The brand’s ethos remains rooted in that original serendipity: the value of noticing talent where others see routine, and the enduring power of creative partnership built on genuine appreciation. What began as marginalia at an agency desk has become a philosophy that shapes everything Extreme Cashmere makes.
Imagery courtesy of Extreme Cashmere (@extreme.cashmere).