ByLotte is working hard to become an online platform with a community in addition to a high-end fashion retailer. With a store in Eindhoven, a renovated webshop and a lot of traffic on social media, ByLotte is preparing for the future. The supply plays a major role in this. What are the purchasing plans for the upcoming FW25 season? FashionUnited speaks to owner Lotte Drijvers about filling the store and the emerging trends.
Where is ByLotte at the moment?
“We are in full swing and are taking big steps. For example, we are currently working on our own clothing line, which is expected to be launched in January. Over the years we have refined our range and have built up a unique position. Our exclusive selection attracts a loyal group of customers, but we also see that part of our audience experiences our offer as a bit too high-level. We want to respond to this with our own line and make ByLotte more accessible.”
“The collection will consist of twelve key piecesincluding T-shirts and tops, but also a boyfriend blazer and leggings. The garments are of good quality and made to last for the next ten to twenty years. For example, production takes place in Portugal and we produce in small numbers. Moreover, the items have a timeless fit.”
You say that ByLotte wants to broaden its target group. Who is your target group?
“We have a broad audience: ladies between 18 and 75 years old. ByLotte is in the medium price segment and that means that not everyone has the financial resources to shop with us. We actually enjoy serving people who have less to spend. This thought eventually started our path to our own label. We hope that our label makes ByLotte accessible to everyone – that everyone can buy or save for a ByLotte item and that it is not complete out of your league is.”
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How has the FW24 season been for ByLotte?
“Very good! An item that did very well, for example, is the leopard jeans from Ganni. He really has one revival had. I do notice that this is now slowing down again. We also notice that winter coats are more difficult to sell, because the real winter weather is taking a long time to arrive. Teddy used to do very well and we sell less of it now.”
“We notice the ‘sophisticated’ trend and Bermuda shorts booming are. In addition, jeans are an important source of turnover for us all year round and the figures of Extreme Cashmere and Lisa Yang are through the roof. This winter, ballerinas with socks and a long skirt are also doing very well.”
How much impact does this season have on purchasing for the next season?
Laughs: “Not.” “I am going into the new purchasing season with a very blank mind. I only buy what I like and what I know will make my customers happy. The brands we purchase are not necessarily unique, but our way of combining items means that we put together and offer a unique range.”
What do you pay attention to when purchasing?
“It has to be my style or within my vibe to fit. I don’t get sold things that I don’t like myself. It is important to me that a piece of clothing has something different from the rest and that it has a nice fit. The brands we sell are diverse, but they form a whole in the store because I select certain clothing items from their collections that represent my style. By purchasing in this way, I arrive at the unique combinations that can be seen in our store.”
“Nowadays I also look more at the difference between the store and the webshop. I notice that it is more difficult to sell very expensive items online than in a physical store. In the store you can give the customer the complete picture, but online that is more difficult.”
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Where do you get inspiration for the new purchasing season?
“Instagram and magazines. I also travel a lot for my work, from which I unconsciously gain a lot of inspiration. I get most of my inspiration from the street. When I see someone with a distinct style that appeals to me, I remember that and include it in my next purchasing round.” Laughs: “I also try not to think too much.”
You say that you do many things based on feeling. Does that also mean that the brand portfolio is flexible?
“Certainly, but I am very critical of purchasing brands. Ultimately you look at the sales figures, but I have a number of brands that are more ‘image’ – that are nice for filling or decoration. It is important for ByLotte that the brand is exclusive in the Netherlands. I always look for the icing on the cake. It does not have to be a well-known brand. I actually enjoy giving unknown brands a platform. We can do quite a lot for these brands, because they gain more fame through us.”
“If a brand wants to do business with us, we agree that we are the only ones allowed to sell that brand in Brabant. We notice that it works very well for us. If you remain exclusive, you can expand your market.”
How do you view younger brands?
“I really like that too. I think it’s great to help them and invest in them.” Laughs: “I was also young, so I know it is very nice when companies like ByLotte can help you.”
“To give an example: We once started with the Blaze brand, which was still very small at the time. The ladies behind Blaze came to visit us in the store and I was immediately enthusiastic. We sold them for a while and now they are available throughout the Netherlands.”
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Which items or trends will we see in the store in the winter of 2025/2026?
“Bermuda, but very feminine combined, with a heel and a large blazer. I think that’s a very nice style. We will also see the ballerina and the ‘smart casual’ look again.”
What are the expectations for the FW25 season?
“I think it will be a very exciting season for us. Lots of fun things coming. We are planning the launch of our own line and we recently entered into a partnership with the L’agency news agency. We are also working on something really cool there, which I can’t share anything about yet. It promises to be a super cool season and I’m really looking forward to it!”
Source: fashionunited.nl
