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Who is Fleur?
I was born in Istanbul due to my father's work. After three years, we moved to Jakarta, and then, after another three years, to the Netherlands for the first time, to a small village near the port city of Rotterdam. That wasn't my last stop, as Hong Kong and several places in the Netherlands followed. I've always enjoyed traveling and learning about new cultures, and I've learned that you don't have to be stuck in one place.
Now, I live with my partner and son in a new area near Almere, The Netherlands, where we built our dream house and fulfilled our sustainable living wishes like an edible garden.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
That changed a few times, but I most wanted to be an archaeologist or a painter. I still love going to museums to learn more about our history and ancient cultures. I also can't wait to draw and paint with my little one.
What is your connection to fashion?
Fashion has been a passion of mine from a young age, and I fear it's in my genes. My father loved beautiful and original suits, often in striking colors, styled with a floral shirt, matching tie, floral socks, and a hat. He inherited this from his mother, my grandmother, who was still walking around in cork wedge heels with a silk scarf at age 93. On her deathbed, she said, "child, if you doubt a sweater, just go for it."
On my mother's side, many family members worked in production when it was still in the Netherlands, and my grandfather and his sister both had clothing stores in Maashaven. My first happy fashion memories are trying on clothes with my mother. When the box from the Otto catalog arrived, it was a celebration. In the attic were her beautiful party dresses, which I loved to take over and wear to school.
What have you done in the past, and why did you join Floria?
After high school, I studied International Fashion Business with the ambition of becoming a buyer. When I encountered child labor and customs bribery, I quickly realized it wasn't for me and went in a different direction, then very new—e-commerce.
For the past 10 years, I've worked in various roles as an E-commerce and marketing manager. The longer I worked in fashion, the more I became aware of its darker sides, such as modern slavery and the throwaway culture. Fortunately, I was able to transition to a sustainable bag brand. There, I met Froukje, who had just started Floria, which I secretly already liked. Floria's vision of creating beautiful timeless fashion while working towards a sustainable, transparent, and socially fair fashion world aligned perfectly with my core values.
After becoming a mother and the bankruptcy of the bag brand (business bags didn't sell well during the pandemic), our paths crossed again, and Froukje and I decided to continue with Floria together.
Why don't you work with seasons?
When you see the amount of work and love that goes into developing a design, selecting fabrics, making samples, and producing, it breaks my heart to part with it after just a few months, not to mention the enormous environmental damage all that waste causes.
Clothing is my way of expressing who I am, and I don't suddenly change my personality completely. I grow and learn, so my style evolves, and we continuously refine our collection. Sometimes it's time to say goodbye and add something new.
And hey, when the first spring sun appears or the first leaves fall, I love going through my wardrobe, but the basics remain the same.
How should women feel in Floria clothing?
Ready to make an impact! We focus on ambitious women who want to make a difference and look good while doing it. These women are in their thirties, forties, or fifties, but they are essentially ageless. They go for modern clothing with a timeless character and an original twist. They want to present themselves well in business but also wear their clothes at home. The quality must be high, the cut modern, and the fabrics comfortable.
I want them to feel proud when wearing Floria clothing. The garments are clean, feminine, and have a powerful appearance. The fabrics are natural and, therefore, super comfortable to wear. Additionally, women can feel extra good because the manufacturing process is sustainable and socially just.
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