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36 The insider
Marjan
faithful
If models, designers and photographers are
thrust into the fashion limelight, buyers don’t
normally get the same kind of attention. That’s
the ultimate irony, considering that entire
careers depend on their choices and decisions.
A buyer’s role is, in fact, to translate a
designer’s vision -however extreme or challenging-
into a saleable proposition, bearing
in mind the needs of demanding clients. With
an increasingly varied offer coming from
high-street chains and online stores, high-end
boutiques have had to re-adjust and work even
harder. That’s something Marjan Eggers – the
striking director and buyer of designer mecca
Louis in Antwerp – is very aware of “Clients
want something new all the time. You have
to keep on surprising them, otherwise they
get bored. I took over the store in 2002 and
fashion has changed so much within 10 years.
Globalisation and the Internet have had a
major impact on how the industry operates.
People are bombarded with images on a daily
basis. My job is to be on the lookout for new
talent, but there are times I feel saturated, too.”
What sets Eggers apart from other buyers is her
sincerity and loyalty to the brands she stocks.
Once she orders a collection, she’s in it for the
long term “Louis was Ann Demeulemeester’s
very first client and we still buy her today. The
context is different now, because designers
have been playing musical chairs for a while.
I bought Cacharel when Belgian designer
Cédric Charlier was designing it, but he was
no longer there last spring. The same happened
to Giles Deacon at Ungaro. I bought
ˆ
That’s how it all started.
I remember Raf Simons
used to come in quite
often, even before he
launched his own line
ˇ
the clothes, only to find out a few months
later that Deacon had left. It’s all quite shaky
and unstable.” Eggers is part of a group that
nurtured and cherished a gifted generation
of designers, including the likes of Martin
Margiela and Raf Simons. She has fond memories
of being a student in the late 80s, when she
realised that she was attracted by luxury and
the avant-garde, “I did an Industrial Design
course in Antwerp and never thought I would
work in fashion. I remember walking past Louis
several times and being deeply intrigued by it.
I finally found the courage to go in and met the
owner, Geert Bruloot. There was a Margiela
denim shirt I was obsessed with. I went back to
the store several times before I finally bought
it. I got to know Geert and he asked me to
help him out one day. That’s how it all started.
I remember Raf Simons used to come in quite
often, even before he launched his own line.
He didn’t understand why Geert didn’t want
to buy Helmut Lang and they had heated discussions
about it. I still have that Margiela
shirt, you know.” Today, Eggers buys some of
the most exclusive and expensive brands available
in Belgium, such as Balmain, Balenciaga
or Rick Owens. Catwalk pieces arrive on
the shop floor, where they don’t tend to stay
very long. Regulars come early in the season,
making sure they secure that one-off piece.
She also runs a sister store in Knokke-Heist
and a successful Acne franchise. She recently
refurbished the Antwerp space, making room
for extra lines and accessories. Eggers’ pride
comes from her independence, her determination
and refusal to rely on external investment
“I won’t do something if I don’t have the money
for it. That’s how I run Louis and it’s not going
to change. Fashion can be a farcical world, but
I’m far too pragmatic for nonsense.” (PP)
© Joke De Wilde