Intimo più mare n° 216 | Luglio 2019

ENGLISH TRANSLATION
CHRISTELLE MONTIGNY
TOCADE LINGERIE-FRANCE
Christelle Montigny is the owner of the Tocade boutique in
Cagnes-sur-Mer.
«I went to the Florentine Immagine Italia fair to see a brand
with which I’d been working for several seasons,” she explained.
“I also went to check out new collections like Luna di
Giorno and Liu Jo and get a general sense of the latest trends.
I’m very keen on the must-have items of the season and when
considering a collection I try to locate the models with the
greatest potential in terms of development.
Despite the far from brilliant economic situation, shoppers
are still looking for products that stand out from all the others
in terms of their fashion content, items that promote imulse
purchases.
A combination of qualities that is increasingly hard to find.
In my store on the French Riviera we carry Simone Pérèle,
PrimaDonna, Rosa Faia, Wacoal, Empreinte an Marie Jo per
for the foundation garment categoryl and nighttime lingerie
by Fi.Da, Canat, Senoretta, Ringella, Iora, Le Chat, Coemi,
Clara Rossi, Oscalito, Artimaglia and Moretta. In particular, I
selected the Fi.Da brand thanks to the excellent value for the
money it represents, but also for its homewear selection, right
in keeping with the demands of French shoppers. I love the
Italian collections for all their delightfully feminine details,
the sort of thing my customers are just crazy about.”
GEERTJE MILIS
D UNDERWEAR-BELGIUM
Geertje Milis has opened a 70 square meter boutique called d
underwear in Brussels as well as a website of the same name.
Thirty years of experience in the sector and an unflagging passion
for under- and beachwear have enabled her to create a
business that combines style, fashion and professionalism, as
well as build a staff (the Underwear Girls) distinguished by
great skill and capable of providing customized consulation
serices for the customers of the store and the site. Among the
brands carried by d underwear one finds Hanro, Paul Smith,
Olaf Benz, La Fille d’O, Eres, Grazia’lliani, Laura Urbinati,
Albertine, Wacoal, Wolford, Gerbe, Pierre Mantoux, Yasmine
Eslami and Pluto on the Moon. «For a number of seasons
now I have been attending the Florence fair, both the
winter edition (Immagine Italia) as well as the summer show
(Maredamare),” she was eager to point out. “I have been buying
Italian brands for years, like Laura Urbinati, which I like a
lot for the style and selection of colors, as well as Grazia’lliani,
with its outstanding feminine appeal and lovely fabrics. I have
always purchased collections for my boutique that appeal
to me on a personal level. I buy items for the boutique that I
would also buy for myself. When it’s time to make purchase
decisions and place orders I am, of course, also assisted by
my employees. Many of our customers are quite loyal to the
brands they like and help us advertise by means of word-ofmouth.
As for me, I’m loyal to the brands I consider to be valid,
the ones that have not disappointed me or failed to meet my
expectations over the years. For example, I have been happily
carrying Grazia’lliani for some 21 years and Laura Urbinati
for 30. The products in my shop are highly diversified. One
finds everything from niche collections and sophisticated
lines to the selection of large sizes. In general Belgian woman
shoppers are fairly conservative, but the ones who regularly
come to my shop appreciate more fashion panache, sophisticated
items and trendy models, not to mention the crucial
possibility of finding the ideal top. The Underwear Girls have
been working with me for over ten years, giving the customers
impeccable service and having a lot of fun while doing so. By
now our men’s collections are also selling well thanks to the
way men have started to do their own shopping alone, buying
things for themselves as well as for the women in their lives.”
MARC GENIAR
DELUXE SECRET-BELGIUM
Marc Geniar began working in 2000 with Gerbe hosiery but
then moved on to Exilia and Cotton Club thanks to its very
extensive collection of swimsuits.
«At that time Cotton Club was introducing the Roberto Crescentini
collection which combined basic models with others
boasting a certain sexy flair,” he explained. “Shoppers are
willing to spend, often quite a bit, for under- and beachwear,
but the products have to offer comfort, fashion content and
very high levels of quality. They expect everything to be nothing
less than perfect, even handmade when possible. I serve
20 boutiques in Belgium and 50 in Holland. For me it is very
important to select brands featuring the right combination of
properties. In Holland shoppers spend more and in a more
spontaneous way than in Belgium, where people are generally
more conservative by nature. When it’s time to select a
new collection to introduce into the stores, first of all I decide
whether its sellable, whether it males good business sense
and whether it features the right price points relative to the
quality. Comfort and fit have to be excellent. When it comes
to the bras and tops (in the case of both under- and beachwear)
there has to be a broad selection of differentiated cups.
Prompt delivery and transport considerations also play an
enormous role in these decisions. Among my best-selling collections
of made in Italy products one also finds the nightwear
by Clara Rossi, a brand specializing in silk models featuring
truly extraordinary craftsmanship. I’m looking for (but still
haven’t found it) a collection that’s sexy without being vulgar,
because almost all the manufacturers of foundation garments
offer the sort of classic styling that is perfectly suited to appealing
to the majority of women. Like in other countries, in
Holland and Belgium one is feeling competitive pressure from
the Internet. Shoppers find products in the traditional stores,
but then make their purchases over the Internet. Manufacturers
should stop selling on the open market or on their sites
in order to safeguard the work of the people working to make
ends meet in brick-and-mortar stores.”
INGRID ANNA LOLA
VANDELOO
LE BOUDOIR DE LOLA-BELGIUM
Igrid Anna Lola Vandeloo is located in Diest where she owns a
boutique called, Le Boudoir de Lola, opened in 2006, a retail
outlet she supports with a site for her customers, providing
advice and opportunities for dialogue.
«I have always attended the fairs in order to discover exciting
new collections,” she explained. “Nowadays, there are lots
more choices thanks, first and foremost, to Instagram, as well
as the other social media. If I find a promising brand, before
introducing it into the boutique i take a look at the previous
collections in addition to the ones currenty on the market.