The two men behind the Dutch women’s fashion brand Janice have had a passion for fashion since they were children. One grew up in his parents’ studio, the other dressed his mother, who then walked around with his creations. We’re talking about Janice and Andy Bosmans.
The womenswear label Janice was founded by Janice Bosmans around 15 years ago and counts after its participation in ‘Project Catwalk’ 2007 [eine Fernsehsendung, in der eine Gruppe von Personen darum wetteifert, das neue ‚Designtalent‘ der Niederlande zu werden, Anm. d. Red.] numerous Dutch celebrities to his clientele. In 2018, Andy Bosmans joined the company, bringing 30 years of retail experience. Since then, the two have adjusted the direction of the fashion label and Janice has grown. The label is located in the middle to upper segment.
The sixty square meter headquarters in Rosmalen in Brabant, the Netherlands, quickly became too small and there was no other option but to move. And so the two men behind the fashion brand rented new premises 15 times the size. Two house addresses further you enter a hall full of mirrors. The doors are easy to miss as there is no door frame anywhere in sight. A door to the showroom opens on the right side of the hall. What follows is a large, bright room with a minimalist and industrial character. White, sheer curtains hang in front of the large, floor-to-ceiling windows, showcasing the colors of the clothing on the gold rods—some 250 patterns from the new collection. In the center of the showroom is a golden pole displaying various signature garments. Over a cup of tea and a fresh ginger shot, Andy Bosmans talks about the blossoming and professionalization of the brand. Looking ahead to a holiday in Asia, Janice Bosmans has her hands full with ‘all kinds of things’.
The web shop went through the roof at the beginning of the Corona period, says Andy Bosmans. “It was then that we decided to stop working with our retail partners.” Every time the label ran out of stock, the couple would call retailers and ask them to return their stock for the full purchase price. “It’s created a nice, close relationship with our retailers,” says Janice. In addition, there was little to do outside of work during this time. So the Bosmans, together with the team, decided to create a “positive bubble” and set up the company differently. “Because so many hours went into the store and the website, it eventually exploded,” Andy points out. “We’re now making 28 times the turnover compared to four years ago.” So it often happens that the team packs packages late into the night. That and the realization that the women’s fashion brand was growing bigger than the men’s fashion brand meant that the time was right for a professionalization offensive.
Janice professionalizes after tremendous growth
Andy Bosmans doesn’t want to speak of success just yet: “Hundred thousand factors have to interact. Business has to work. Our team has grown from two to over seven people. Now we not only design and sell a collection, we are also managers. In addition, the collection has grown by two and a half times.” That being said, the co-owner knows that Janice has much more to grow. “We’re doing well, but I don’t see the growth limit being reached by a long shot. If we can grow like this in a short period of time and there are still people who haven’t heard of the brand, then the potential for growth is limitless.” Ultimately, the duo would like to work in the current premises with a maximum of ten to twelve employees and outsource, what can be outsourced.
As they continue to grow, Janice and Andy Bosmans will no longer be able to do this alone. Therefore, they enlist the help of a marketing agency and are looking for a new creative direction. Who that is will be announced later this year. However, Andy Bosmans says the person should provide professional support. “The new creative direction is intended to strengthen the foundation we are building,” said Bosmans. The focus in building this foundation will be on the logistics of the company. This includes a new picking system, but they are also looking for support in logistics. A new ICT team member will join the company and further digitization strategies will drive growth.
Janice: Belgium and Germany at the top of the list
“Everything, absolutely everything,” emphasizes the co-owner, “has to run like clockwork before we dare to venture abroad. Also, we don’t want to move too fast.” So when the duo ventures abroad, Belgium and Germany are at the top of the list. The two also take a look at England and the Scandinavian countries.
Janice has around 30 branches in the Netherlands. When asked if Mr. Bosmans would like more branches, the answer is clear: a maximum of 40 in total (in the Netherlands), because the brand should remain exclusive. Consumers have to drive at least 15 minutes to buy a Janice piece, says Andy Bosmans. “We want to expand. We want retailers to offer the full spectrum, from bags to shoes to clothing.”
The duo Janice sees the growth limit far from being reached: “The possibilities are endless”
When it comes to the collection, Janice Bosmans designs all items and ensures the it factor. Andy Bosmans is there to ‘keep him in check’ and provides a good foundation. Janice brings out a non-seasonal collection twice a year. “Our collections are seasonal. We ask our retail partners to speak of ‘new collection’ and not ‘summer or winter collection’.” Janice uses ’23-1′ and ’23-2′ as names for the collections that are featured in this year to come onto the market. They are delivered in the months of January to February and July to August. In the first months of the year, the collection comes in dark colors, explains Andy Bosmans. From July to August, the items come in bright colors in the stores. “There is a good response. We still believe in ‘novelty’, but we also have a Never Out of Stock (NOS) program.”
These are ‘basic items,’ Bosmans explains as he stands and walks past the display models. “It is important for both consumers and retailers to have NOS items in the collection. Retailers keep their margins and customers know they don’t have to wait for discounts or sales. We make beautiful fabrics that last. So why should we discount a white cotton blouse or a pair of jeans that is a shade lighter a season early? The NOS items are pieces that we believe every woman should have in their closet.”
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Quality is one of Janice’s differentiators if you ask the Bosmans. “We only make items that feel good, are of excellent quality and last a long time.” The fit is also important: the sizes are not ‘Italian-petit’, but precisely tailored to Dutch and western European women. The unique selling point of Janice’s fashion is that it is “honest, humorous and positive,” say the founders. “What might not be unique, but what characterizes Janice,” adds Andy Bosmans, “is that we’re anything but arrogant. We come in hoodies, we’re the first to roll up our sleeves and the last to turn off the lights. Janice is a fashion brand that comes from the heart and is worked on very hard. We are ready to grow, we take one step at a time. There are no upper limits and we want to go even further.”
This article was published on FashionUnited.nl. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ