Sisters Nele (35) and Veerle (38) Van Doorslaer are ladies with a mission. Ten years ago they started a multi-brand boutique in Ghent. Meanwhile, there are six A Suivre shops - in Brussels, Knokke, Kortrijk, Sint-Martens-Latem, Roeselare and Bruges - where they help fashion-conscious women to find the perfect look. 'Opening a shop was our childhood dream. Under the motto 'If you can dream it, you can do it' we put our jobs as real estate broker and lawyer 'on hold' and opened our own clothing store in 2008. The concept has grown over the years and today we offer a wide mix of high quality Belgian and foreign brands with different price tags. We have grown into a strong brand,' says Nele.
How did A Suivre's success story begin?
Veerle: "In fact, we owe that to my mother-in-law. She had a bridal wear store, where I regularly helped as a saleswoman. When she decided to quit after thirty years, I had just completed my internship at the counter and established that the legal profession was nothing for me. It started to itch to take over the case and I involved my sister in my plan."
Nele: "And of course I was immediately enthusiastic! I've always been passionate about fashion and Veerle and I used to play shop together. Opening your own shop was our childhood dream, so the decision was made quickly."
Veerle: "It was an advantage that the location of the shop was already there in Ghent and we also kept the name. But we completely transformed the concept into our own thing. In our mix of national and international brands with different price tags, both younger and slightly older women will find something to their liking. We also offer a selection of accessories and shoes to complete their look."
How do you divide the tasks?
Nele: "As sisters, we have the advantage of knowing each other through and through. We complement each other perfectly. Veerle is a little more concerned with staff, contracts and the financial picture of the shop. I myself am more in touch with the commercial aspect, stock management and real estate."
Veerle: "What we always do together anyway is to purchase collections. We think it's important that the clothes we sell reflect both. We often go together to Antwerp, Brussels and Paris and those are always nice days with us two. Of course, we are also assisted by a fantastic and loyal team of twenty people in our branches. Without them it wouldn't really work."
Do you also see each other a lot outside the store, for example during the weekend?
Nele: "We have a close-knit family - we also have a brother - and we meet regularly with all of them, with the children. It's not all the time about the shop, on the contrary. This is not really possible with the children and our men in the neighbourhood."
Veerle: "Our parents don't really 'get tired' either. They are obviously proud of what we have already achieved with A Suivre. But they let us do our thing completely. Recently, daddy did help with the financial follow-up, because we often don't have time for that in busy periods."
Running your own business seems something completely different than 'play shop' like you did before...
Nele: "That's certainly true. It's a very intense job, without fixed hours and with long working days. With twenty people employed, we have a great responsibility."
Veerle: "These are not easy times for clothes boutiques either. We have to compete with cheap chains and webshops that come up with new collections every month and juggle discounts all year round. The fashion sector is also heavily dependent on external factors such as the climate and road works. That's why we moved from the Brabantdam in Ghent to Sint-Martens-Latem. There are also a lot of unprofessional people in the sector, so you have to be strong and have hair on your teeth...".
Nele: "Only ten years after our start, A Suivre has grown into a strong brand with six stores. Our concept revolves around a mix of brands in which every type of woman finds something to her liking: that catches on. Our mission is to let each customer come up with their own combination, so that they go home with a unique outfit that reflects their style and personality. This is hardly possible in the many monobrand stores today. The clothes you buy there are very often seen in the streets. There is nothing wrong with that in itself, but we do want to distinguish ourselves clearly from it and we notice that there is interest among women, including many young women."
Veerle: "What makes us unique is our highly personal approach. Our employees in the shops have good personal contact with many women who come to shop. This way they can help to put together the perfect outfit. We have Whatsapp groups with some customers".
Do you play with the idea to expand A Suivre even further?
Nele: "At our start we didn't really intend to bring A Suivre to other cities than Ghent. But once our concept was fully developed, a number of opportunities presented themselves in cities where our offer was not yet really present. We focus on East and West Flanders, on the one hand because of our roots and also because our brands are already well represented in, for example, the Antwerp market. We do not yet have any concrete plans for new stores, but we do not rule it out either. We are based on the principle 'we see what comes our way' (laughs). We want to continue to grow and evolve."
Veerle: "In the winter we release our own collection, called 'Collectors' Club'. We designed it ourselves together with the Romanian designer Virginia Visan. With this we're taking a new path, so it's quite exciting. We also want to sell this collection in other shops and who knows, abroad too...".
Nele: "We notice that there is more and more interest in sustainable fashion. Qualitative clothing can easily cost a little more. That is a positive evolution. We also notice this with our employees, even the youngest team members are very busy with this".
To conclude 'in style': which pieces are the must-have items for the autumn? What should a woman certainly have in her closet?
Nele: "Ochre and lilac are the trend colours of autumn. Corduroy makes a real comeback and our collections include much wider trousers with high waists and oversized jackets. Every type of woman looks great with this, provided she makes the right combinations. And of course we are there for that!"
Photography by: Birger Stichelbaut
