INTERVIEW #117 KING LOUIE
What is the story behind King Louie, why did you start it?
King Louie is all about making clothes that make women happy - it's that simple. The most important ingredients in all our collections: a good fit and unique prints that we design ourselves.
What started in the early 80s when two high school friends and true vintage fans, sold their most beautiful finds on the Noordermarkt in Amsterdam, grew into an internationally successful brand that is synonymous with freedom, optimism and individuality.
Who are your major costumer?
Women 25 – 55 years old.
What are the most popular items?
Dresses were at the top of the list of most popular items for a long time, but in recent times we have seen that our tops and pants have become increasingly popular.What items do you sell, is it all inspired by vintage or do you also sell vintage clothing?
We sell women's clothing in sizes XS to XXL where we translate vintage inspiration into today's silhouettes and fits.
Can you tell us more about the design and production of the clothes, what do you have in mind and what is the most important do you?
Wearability and sustainability are very important in the design and production of our collections. We develop clothing that women feel comfortable in, that is timeless and will last a long time.We consciously choose to limit the number of production countries; Turkey (52%) and China (48%) and we believe in long-term partnerships. We regularly visit our manufacturers and we have been working with one of our largest suppliers for over 20 years.How are the clothes produced and what materials are you using?
We strive to use more sustainable materials in every collection. Almost all the fabrics we use are certified. You can find these labels on our products. We have an active policy to remove hazardous chemicals from our supply chain. King Louie also signed the Amsterdam Green Deal Circular Textiles in 2021, a fashion alliance to make fully circular clothing. We launched the first circular collection last month in collaboration with Loop.a life.
What are the major challenges with having your own brand and trying to do the right thing when it comes to sustainability?
Sustainability is broader and more complex than just the raw materials of the product. It affects every segment making it an all-encompassing topic. We are continuously looking at how we can make more sustainable choices in every area. We are committed to projects regarding Living Wages, but also actively looking into more sustainable packaging and transport and finally we also try to stimulate sustainable clothing consumption in our marketing campaigns.
Any updates on what's happening in the autumn and your focus for the future?
We are happy and proud to announce three key milestones in our journey towards a more responsible future. Firstly, we launched our first jackets made of sustainable materials. These stylish and warm items are perfect for cold days and at the same time have a positive impact on the environment.
A second milestone is that our wool is now certified as 'responsibly sourced'. We believe in the importance of transparency and accountability in the fashion industry and we are committed to using materials that are not only beautiful, but also sustainably and ethically sourced.
And last but not least, we are proud to introduce our first circular garments this season. Thanks to an innovative approach to design and production, we were able to create items made from fabrics made from post-consumer materials. As a result, there is less (textile) waste and a circular economy is stimulated. A wonderful innovation that we will explore further in the near future.