Karima Hoogendoorn and Lara Leugs became friends in their children’s schoolyard. When they both happened to quit their jobs on the same day, they decided to write a business plan together.
Eventually they settled in the Garbo Mode boutique on Frederik Hendriklaan in The Hague, which they had taken over from the previous owner. Here they have been selling brands like Essentiel Antwerp, Nomansland, Bellerose, Munthe, Stella Nova and Rabens Saloner since 2018. As buyers, how do Hoogendoorn and Leugs get an overview of the new collections? How do they get inspiration and what are they looking for? In an interview with FashionUnited, Karima Hoogendoorn gives a look behind the scenes.
What is the profile of the average Garbo Mode clientele?
Karima Hoogendoorn: Our customers are between 35 and 70 years old. We are located in De Fred, a neighborhood where many expats live. These women often know very well what they like. They all have fascinating lives. Many of our customers have lived abroad and are very artistically active or have special hobbies. One is from Canada, works five days a week in Denmark and lives in the Netherlands on weekends.
Where do you get your inspiration for shopping from?
I’m very visually oriented and watch a lot on Instagram. I also like leafing through nice magazines and always looking around. I can also get inspiration from interior design or how certain colors are combined. I can live it up when I order.
Lara and I often go abroad, for example to Ibiza or the south of France, where we are always inspired by what we see. Being half-Moroccan myself, I love going to Marrakech – something that inspires me a lot too. Our customers are also a great source of inspiration. For example, we have a client who is rooted in the 1960s fashion scene. It’s great to see how she combines her style with things that are currently on our shelves.
We also read magazines and specialist publications with predictions about the ordering season. We also have special brands from Denmark, Belgium and France, such as Bellerose, Essentiel Antwerp, Rabens Saloner, Munthe and Stella Nova. For us, the way they present their new collections in lookbooks or videos is a mood barometer that gives us clues as to how we can approach a season.
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