Louis Souhuwat is one of the co-founders of the Embassy, although unfortunately, he can no longer feel this pride. He passed away in October 2019, but his ideas continue to live on within the Embassy of Brands. Because Louis played such a foundational role, we believe it's fitting to give him a special place on our site. The creation story of the Embassy, told by our founder, Remco. Because Louis should never be forgotten.

Louis deserves a special place on the website. I would like to share the role he played in my life. He made a significant contribution to what we aim for and feel at the Embassy. Sometimes in life, you experience certain key moments where the choices you make later turn out to be of great importance. The people around you often play a crucial role in these moments. For me, Louis was the person at such a pivotal moment.

Louis saw something in me when I first walked in for an internship at his design studio on Bronckhorststraat in Amsterdam. I had no graphic background and had two failed studies behind me, but I was sure I wanted to become a graphic designer. Even though I was his first intern with no formal training, Louis saw potential in me. He saw talent that he could refine. Someone he could train and make better. I can now say that he did that quite well. Although it wasn't easy. Louis would calmly send me back to the drawing board ten times to take a good look at the spacing in a certain headline. He would always exclaim, "I could drive my MG through this!" The question "What do you think of it yourself?" also came up regularly. It was a tough question because you immediately knew it wasn't good enough, and you secretly knew it too. Louis was direct, brutally honest, and a true mentor.

All the knowledge I now have originates from him. He taught me everything about typefaces and the power of a beautiful font in a campaign. He explained the difference between serif and sans-serif, and between ascenders and descenders. Louis taught that you should never talk about thick but about bold. He taught me that it's better to spend an extra two hours thinking about the approach to your task, rather than starting like a maniac and getting stuck later.

Everything Louis taught me is engrained in my system. It's a way of working that saves you time, adds refinement to the details, and ensures only high quality is delivered. We work here in Louis's way. And I could go on. He didn't just talk about saving time and delivering quality, but also about inspiration. How important it is to pay extra attention to the smallest details so that a design is just that bit better. That a computer is only a tool, and that a good idea starts in your head and takes shape on paper.

Louis was incredibly important to me, and therefore also to the Embassy of Brands. He taught me that you can draw inspiration from everything around you. By looking around you and having an eye for detail. To this day, I can't visit a city without noticing the advertisements on the facades. I can't open a menu without paying attention to the logo, the typeface, or the color composition. I find that beautiful. Because indeed, inspiration is all around you. As a good designer, you just have to learn to look at it properly, and that's what Louis taught me. He was all about inspiration and gave me the foundation to grow as a graphic designer. Three years after completing my internship with him, I became an independent designer, thanks to Louis. He ignited and fueled the spark within me. That spark has only grown bigger, and the fire still burns. And it can be strongly felt at the Embassy.

Louis's inspiration and guidance greatly helped me on my path towards my dream of becoming a designer. By believing in me and giving me an inspiring place to show what I could do. That is the origin of our Embassy. I want to offer that opportunity to others as well. Sharing my knowledge and experience with passionate talents who are driven to bring out the best in themselves. There should be a platform for that. And that platform is the Embassy of Brands.