Woman in Business

This is the woman behind CarréCouture

Update May 17, 2018: CarréCouture is unfortunately bankrupt and it is no longer possible to shop online.

At Women in Business, you see the successful woman behind a brand, shop, or business. Because she deserves a stage of one hundred square meters. We kick off with Nathalie Pompen, the woman behind the new designer platform CarréCouture.

Nathalie, tell us everything about CarréCouture…

“I wanted to do something I am good at, where my heart lies, and where I have passion. I spent a year analyzing. You see that there is a shift; women who shop in a multibrand store are now also going online. It saves time because they are busy with their husband, children, or dogs.”

What is your secret?

“Women are over-informed. You see something at a runway show and we are crazy enough to really search for that one piece. You stand at your favorite boutique and they haven't bought it. The next step is online. Only there do you not get asked what you like most and whether it makes you happy, or advice on how to combine those fantastically expensive pants from last season with the oversized blouse and a bare shoulder, and for the evening a pump from Saint Laurent underneath. In a boutique, they are grateful that I come back, that is also CarréCouture. I wanted to do something that no one else does. Our DNA is: you shall be good to the consumer.’

CarréCouture works with boutique owners, why?

“Designers throw something into the market. The retailer takes out what they believe in. Those are the creators; they tell the story behind a piece to a Lize, Anneke, or Sophie. Every product gets a packshot with everything, from makeup to hair. It must be a reflection of the store.”

So you get the feeling that you are shopping at a boutique, but how do you make that real?

“CarréCouture builds a relationship with you. If I have to advise you honestly, that can only happen if I know something about you. That takes time. It’s not about volume. We want to know everything about you. Not just what styles you like, but also what doesn’t work. We won’t bother you with things you don’t like. That’s why we also ask you to measure yourself, then you get an alert: watch out, too narrow around shoulders. Or you see pieces that emphasize your slender ankle instead of that strong upper arm.”

Did you specifically want high fashion?

“Yes, I also want to move away from disposable fashion. It’s not inferior to give clothes a second life. You do that with a car too, right? At CarréCouture, you will get a virtual wardrobe in the future that will be linked to a secondhand platform. At the end of the season, we help you tidy up that wardrobe. This way you send clothes back virtually and make someone happy who normally has the budget for Zara or H&M. The only thing you need to do is pack it beautifully and send it to the new owner.”

Something else, what time do you get up and what do you do at the beginning of the day?

“I am an early bird. I wake up at six-thirty and then I have the bad habit of checking my emails and agenda from bed. I send everything via WhatsApp to the person in question, as a reminder. They know not to respond to this. Then I go downstairs for a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice with grapefruit and a fruit salad. Sometimes I have an office day, then a meeting with my team, or I am on the go. I don’t want everything scheduled because if a boutique calls, I want to be able to jump in the car.”

What do you do to clear your head?

“My work doesn’t stop, but I don’t see it as work either. In the evening, I spend at least an hour on my own clothes. I try new combinations and send them to a staff member and my nineteen-year-old daughter. They are brutally honest. Sometimes I get a ’wow‘ or ’beautiful‘ or ’nice‘, other times a ’no, that’s not it‘. I don’t watch television, sometimes a bit of Netflix. But I travel a lot, shorter trips of three or four days. And even then I can’t resist stepping into a nice boutique. Maybe I am a workaholic.’

If you could give your starting self a tip, what would it be?

“Stay true to yourself and your own concept. Every new employee has an idea. But a baby has two arms, two legs, and one head. Make sure it doesn’t become a child with three arms and five legs, stick to your concept. The good ideas you put in an imaginary box for later.”

Did you encounter prejudices?

“In the beginning, you defend your concept when someone says something unpleasant. After a while, you stop doing that and start asking questions instead. Fashion quickly gets labeled as superficial, but I don’t see it that way. Clothing is part of your personality. It even depends on how you wake up.”

What kind of people do you prefer around you?

“People with passion and knowledge of the business. Experts. Everything is important and every detail counts, that’s why everything must be very good. If something is mediocre, then the story doesn’t add up. And you need loyal people in a start-up because flexibility is important. They shouldn’t be people who are already thinking about retirement. With good people, you can build good things. And admit it if you made a mistake, I have let people go, yes.”

Your favorite from the shop?

“The bag from Marni with patchwork of leather types, from crocodile to bright, but also calm colors. A pair of jeans from 3×1 with a frayed edge and a white blouse. I love color, the pajama look from For Restless Sleepers (such a nice name too) and the bags from Loes Vrij.”