With twenty years of brand history, Fabienne Chapot is an established name in the Netherlands. Founder Fabienne Chapot started the label in 2006 as an accessories label under the name Fab. That history gives the brand weight and that weight now serves as a foundation for the next step. “Internationally, we are building our new positioning from a relatively clean slate,” says Chapot. “In our home market, we want to reintroduce people to who Fabienne Chapot is today.” The brand returns to the core that made it great, and translates it into today’s fashion world.
That difference in starting point drives the entire commercial strategy of the brand. For international retailers and buyers who are discovering the label for the first time, the introduction is clear: Fabienne Chapot is a B-Corp certified contemporary fashion label that combines femininity, color and a bold signature with a price level that remains accessible to a broad target group. A different tone applies to the Dutch market: what you thought you knew about this brand is no longer the complete truth.
FashionUnited spoke with Fabienne Chapot about the label’s new direction and international ambitions.
A rebranding that came from within
In recent years, Fabienne Chapot has been working on a conscious repositioning: a return to the distinct identity that the brand has always carried. Not a break with the past, but a rediscovery of it: a sharper translation of the original vision, suitable for today and the future. “Everyone associated with the brand and the collection contributed to the rebrand,” says Chapot.
This internal anchoring is visible in the results. The collections have become more modern and are more in line with the international fashion world, but the core of the brand remains intact. “We continuously innovate, but always in a way that feels authentic,” Chapot said. The bold colors, the feminine silhouettes, the optimistic appearance, those have always been there. What has changed is how they are deployed. More modern. More on trend. Positioned more consciously. Collections that function as a full partner within a wholesale range, but always remain recognizable through their own design DNA.
A signature that is never moderate
One of the most recognizable elements of Fabienne Chapot are the prints. They have been an essential part of the brand DNA from the start and are also the starting point in the new positioning. “We never really do anything really moderate,” says Chapot, and that is exactly the tone that also distinguishes the label commercially.
This distinct signature is now consciously continued in categories where it was previously less obvious. Denim and outerwear have grown particularly strongly in recent seasons and are a clear commercial focus for the coming years. “It is precisely because of our distinct signature that we know how to develop items within these product groups that distinguish themselves in the market,” says Chapot. A jacket with quilted hearts or a colorful denim look: these are pieces that are visible from afar as Fabienne Chapot.
The world around the collection
Fabienne Chapot’s campaigns are more than product presentations and always start from the feeling and values of the brand. They tell stories that match what Fabienne Chapot stands for: a playful attitude to life, positivity, femininity, sensuality and female empowerment. “At the end of the day, it’s not just about the clothes, it’s also about the world we create around it,” Chapot says.
That storytelling approach is conscious and consistent. Brand values are combined with relevant trends and cultural developments, so that campaigns remain contemporary and inspiring without losing their recognisability. This brand world comes into its own in its own stores: the atmosphere, the use of color, the styling and the personal contact together form a brand experience that is difficult to replicate online. “It is precisely that total brand experience that makes the difference,” says Chapot. “It gives customers the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the brand and creates an emotional connection that is much more difficult to achieve online.”
Benelux: home market with targeted growth ambition
The Netherlands remains the core of the business, but the distribution strategy is now more consciously aligned with the new brand positioning. This also means taking a critical look at the retail landscape: which partners suit the Fabienne Chapot of today?
In Belgium, the brand sees the greatest growth opportunities within the Benelux, confirmed by market research and by the strong online growth that is already being achieved. With Barcatex as a new sales partner, Fabienne Chapot is further expanding its presence in the Belgian market. It is a distribution relationship that matches the ambition: selective, focused on the right channels, and always in line with the brand positioning.
At the same time, the challenge of imaging lies in the Netherlands. Almost twenty years of brand history sometimes works against it: buyers and retailers know “the old Fabienne Chapot” and that image sticks. The brand is actively working on a distribution network that reflects the new positioning and provides the right context for the collections as they are now. Outspoken, on-trend and contemporary.
International expansion
Outside the Benelux, Fabienne Chapot focuses on a limited number of promising markets. Spain and Portugal top the list. In both countries, active investments have already been made in brand awareness, through PR, international press and strategic partnerships. The collaboration with Portuguese influencer Rita Montezuma shows how this works in practice. “She really is a fantastic influencer in Portugal. Completely our DNA,” says Chapot. The collaboration confirmed that the brand’s distinct femininity also resonates outside the Netherlands.
The distribution strategy is in line with this. In addition to Barcatex for the Benelux, the brand works with Select Studio and Victor Showroom for Germany, France and Italy, and discussions are ongoing with agents in Spain and Portugal.
Internationally, Fabienne Chapot has an advantage that is lacking in the Netherlands: a clean slate. No ingrained image that needs to be adjusted. New markets meet the label as it is now, and that is exactly the opportunity the brand is now betting on.
Future perspective
Fabienne Chapot’s ambitions are clear: international expansion at company level, and at brand level, further developing a strong, distinctive positioning within the international fashion landscape. “We want to show that accessibility and fashion go together perfectly,” says Chapot.
The collections continue to invest in powerful storytelling, a recognizable brand world and designs that are relevant to the modern, fashion-conscious woman. Denim and outerwear remain strategic pillars and the signature is pronounced, never moderate and always recognizable.
For those who already knew Fabienne Chapot: get acquainted again. For those who are not yet familiar with the brand: now is the time.
