In all, Luxembourg’s statistics bureau Statec estimates that there will be around ten companies dedicated to clothing manufacturing in 2021. In the Ville-Haute district alone, there are several shops dedicated to top-of-the-range men’s fashion, including made-to-measure items: L’Atelier d'Eva, Basics & Bespoke, Féfé Napoli, Palladio, Zwick... Paperjam went to meet the founders of Les Hommes d’Amsterdam and Ferala for a dive into the heart of this business.
A complementary service
In 2021, Laurens Krekels and Bram ter Harmsel launched Les Hommes d’Amsterdam, a shop dedicated to top-of-the-range men’s fashion. Exactly three years later, to the day, they are opening a new floor and expanding their offer by dedicating a space to made-to-measure.
“We started out with just one floor, and kept the basement for our internal management activities, such as storage or taking photos for our e-shop,” explains Krekels. “Today, we’re taking things a step further by extending the sales area and introducing two new very high-end brands, Brioni and Kiton. We’re also dedicating a whole space to the made-to-measure service, which is both intimate and convivial.”
Laurens Krekels and Bram ter Harmsel opened Les Hommes d’Amsterdam in Luxembourg three years ago. Photo: Guy Wolff/Maison Moderne
The two young entrepreneurs are thus extending their range of very high quality ready-to-wear menswear and further consolidating their position in this niche segment. “We had a difficult time after covid,” says ter Harmsel. “But we remained confident and redoubled our efforts.” This has enabled them to maintain their business, build up their customer base and double their sales every year.
On the strength of these first three years, they decided to go one step further. They were able to do this by reinjecting a large part of their profits into the work, with the help of banks. “The new layout represents an investment of €150,000, and we’re very pleased that the commercial banks are backing us in this venture. It’s a sign of confidence in our business, which is always nice to see.”
Today, they can count on a great clientele who have become like a small community. “Some people come into the shop just to chat, see what’s new and have a coffee. We have a relaxed and friendly relationship with our customers. But we always pay close attention to the quality of the service we offer them. That’s important to us.” The clientele is broad, starting with young working people in their thirties, through to much older men living at the nearby Pescatore Foundation, and reaching out to professionals in the financial sector and entrepreneurs.
In addition to smart casual ready-to-wear clothing, made-to-measure is a complementary service. “It’s not our main business, but an additional service that we offer. We don’t have any other suits in the shop. But we do have a dark blue suit available in all sizes for emergencies,” Krekels explains with a smile.
From time to time, the brands they represent send their tailors to meet customers who would like to have a suit made by their team. “Our customers come to us primarily for top-of-the-range ready-to-wear and, from time to time, they treat themselves to made-to-measure. This segment represents 30 to 40% of our business.”
A tailor in his own right
Ferala, another men’s fashion retailer, takes a different stance. On the contrary, their core business is the creation of made-to-measure suits. After operating the Les nouveaux ateliers franchise between 2013 and 2019, the existing team has chosen to become an independent business and set up Ferala. “Xavier Goetschy and I became partners, which enabled us to continue the made-to-measure costume business, but in our own way,” explains Aleksandra Nowikowska. They no longer work with Chinese workshops, but with a human-sized workshop in Portugal for suits and a larger one in Spain for shirts. “We have also chosen our fabric suppliers and can work with Loro Piana, Dormeuil, Holland & Sherry, Ermenegildo Zegna…”
Their clientele is made up of men already well advanced in their careers who can afford bespoke creations, looking for suits in good quality fabrics. “It’s a clientele that doesn't want to go shopping either, and appreciates being able to dress at a single address. We also keep a history of our orders, which saves them time when it comes to taking measurements, choosing fabrics, cuts and finishes…” The other male customer segment is younger, aged between 30 and 40, “men who care about their image and like to dress well. These are men who don’t identify with the streetwear trend and who still care about their looks. These are generally men who have a great knowledge of fabrics and cuts and have done their research beforehand.”
But the Ferala team doesn’t stop there, as 15% of their customers are women. “We offer made-to-measure services for skirt and trouser suits, as well as blouses. However, we don’t offer made-to-measure dresses, because that’s a completely different type of work. Women’s clothing customers are more difficult, because the range of ready-to-wear for women is very wide and their purchasing habits are not the same. It’s a more demanding clientele, with changing desires, which is complicated to satisfy, but we’re very keen to maintain this service.”
After a difficult period between covid and construction work for the tram, the retail sector is now back in the black. “Compared to 2020, our sales tripled in 2023. I don’t yet know the final figures for 2024, but I can tell you that in August we were up 10% on last year’s figures.” These are good figures, but they have to be qualified by the fact that margins have shrunk in the face of rising costs.
“Luxembourg is a city where you still find professions with dress codes, such as lawyers or people who work in the financial sector. When we opened in 2015, a large majority of working men wore suits. Today, that’s not necessarily the case. But Luxembourg has kept its formal character and, fortunately for us, we still have a good clientele,” says Nowikowska.
This article was originally published in French.