Fashion retailer College Style relaunches

By

Shomara Roosblad

Published
Dec 11, 2017

Dutch fashion retailer College Style, which filed for bankruptcy in November, has now relaunched, reports Reformatorisch Dagblad. According to the newspaper, the fashion chain has a new owner, who would like to remain anonymous.

On Saturday, the retailer re-opened 10 of its 12 physical stores. The web shop, however, is still out of service. Former owner and director Jan Roukens will assist the new owner for the time being.

College Style focuses on women in the Reformed Tradition community. At the time of its bankruptcy the retailer cited 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.

The fashion retailer operates its stores mainly 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 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.