Fashion retailer College Style files for bankruptcy

By

Shomara Roosblad

Published
Nov 23, 2017

Dutch fashion retailer College Style has filed for bankruptcy, according to newspaper Reformatorisch Dagblad. The retailer’s physical branches will remain open; the web shop, however, is already out of service.

College Style focuses on women in the Reformed Tradition community. In newspaper Reformatorisch Dagblad director Jan Roukens cites competition of web shops; the growing tendency of consumers to shop in larger cities; and the diminishing loyalty of the reformed tradition community to shop at their “own” companies as reasons for the default. Rouskens said: “The elderly will still come, but when I ask a young woman from the community where she buys her clothes, she mentions the names of larger retailers. I can understand that as well, since they are often lower priced than we are.”

In 2014, College Style announced a first reorganization: the retailer closed four branches and there was less staff at work during off-peak hours. After that, more store closures followed, most recently a branch in Rijssen.

At the time of its bankruptcy, College Style had 12 physical stores and 3 pop-up locations. The stores are mainly located in the Biblebelt communities of the Netherlands, which includes towns such as Barneveld, Katwiik aan Zee, Goes, Rhenen and Ridderkerk.

College Style launched in 1991 by the parents of current director Jan Roukens under the name Roukens dameskleding (Roukens womenswear). In 1993 the concept College Style was added to the company. The number of branches grew rapidly, reaching 22 shops at its peak. In 2011, Roukens took the company over from his parents.