While some people consider a sports car and a stay in a five-star hotel to be luxurious, for others, dining out is an extreme exception. In today’s society, luxury is often associated with expensive products and exclusivity; an exclusivity that makes consumers feel special. However, the modern consumer increasingly sees luxury as a feeling—an experience that goes beyond the price tag.
To gain insight into how brands convey luxury in their collections to retailers and consumers, FashionUnited spoke with Rick van den Barselaar of streetwear brand Comfort Club.
Comfort Club: luxury through quality
Luxury doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should feel like a refined experience—that’s Comfort Club’s clear mission statement. From using high-quality fabrics to offering a range of styles that are accessible to everyone—Comfort Club’s commitment to luxury is embedded in the way the brand designs its products.
Comfort Club was founded during the corona pandemic, a time when comfort became a priority for many due to long days at home. Founder Van den Barselaar saw an opportunity to create clothing that was not only comfortable as streetwear, but also had a strong look and felt qualitative.
“Streetwear is often seen as clothing for street kids, for the tough guys. Comfort Club wants to be more progressive, with a focus on a slightly older target group, high quality materials and smaller logos, but also larger graphics, something for everyone,” says Van den Barselaar.
High-quality fabrics and inclusivity
Each Comfort Club collection is carefully curated around a specific theme, such as Egyptian mythology or the elegance of a night at the casino in the latest campaign. Many brands focus on the visual aspects of luxury, such as bold and flashy logos. What really stands out, however, is the attention to quality of fabrics and production. Comfort Club uses 100% cotton, with heavyweight fabrics ranging from 320gsm for their t-shirts to 450-550gsm for sweaters—a rarity in an industry where blends are often the norm. These fabrics are carefully selected and treated to ensure the garments are soft to the touch and built to last.
That Comfort Club chooses not to compromise on quality, even if it means that the price remains accessible and margins are lower, shows that luxury is not just about exclusivity, but about the value and the feeling that a product offers. For Comfort Club it is important to offer something for everyone, about which Van den Barselaar says: “Comfort Club is about coming together, creativity and equality. Hence our motto: ‘Divided by None, loved by all.’”
Retailer Support: Luxury in the Shopping Experience
With a strong position in the Netherlands and Belgium, Comfort Club is expanding its presence in the Benelux and possibly also in France. The growth in the business segment is impressive, with a turnover increase of 40% compared to previous collections. This success is largely due to the consistent quality and distinctive character of the products.
Comfort Club offers extensive support to retailers to translate the brand experience into the store. This includes high-quality marketing materials and store activations. The brand works closely with its retail partners to ensure that the products are presented in the best possible way and that the feeling of inclusivity that Comfort Club strives for is also conveyed to the end customer.
Comfort Club continues to challenge and improve itself. Each season a new theme is embraced, which not only fuels the creative expressions but also stimulates the development of new fabrics and products. Van den Barselaar says that “for retailers this means they can rely on a brand that does not stand still, but is constantly working on perfecting its offer and presence.”
Comfort Club shows that luxury is not just a matter of price, but above all of quality, experience and accessibility. By continuing to innovate and focusing on both sustainability and inclusivity, the brand is redefining what luxury means today and making it accessible to everyone.
Source: fashionunited.nl
