Meet the buyers at Modefabriek: .wen conceptstore Amsterdam

In Meet the Buyers at Modefabriek, we talk to retailers and buyers about their personal favourites, what inspires them and what they are looking for in the upcoming exhibition round. This time: Wendy Klaver, owner of .wen concept store Amsterdam.

Where do you get the most inspiration?

"I've been working for eight years now and in the beginning I went to a lot of trade fairs to get inspired. Of course Modefabriek, but also to the fairs in Paris and Copenhagen. Covid taught me to find inspiration without traveling. Because of online, the world is very close. I look a lot on platforms like Ankorstore and Faire, online marketplaces for retailers. This is where you find beautiful little brands with a story. For example, I got the care brand Hopery from there."

Favourite brand?

"I am a fan of Gestuz. For the shop, I buy that quite sparsely because the collection is very specific. Personally, I like that. I really like to buy the French brand See You Soon. The collection is very varied with crazy prints. A nice counterpart to the Scandinavian style. I wear a lot of Gestuz, Norr, 10 Days and Second Female. In terms of skincare and cosmetics, Kiehl's, Mac and Molecule are favourites."

What's on your buying list for summer 2025?

"I'm usually guided by what I missed last season. Last summer that was shorts, so I'm going to focus more on that. And I would love to find a good and affordable bag or accessory brand. Sometimes a customer will ask for a certain product and I will look for that. And beyond that, it depends on what I come across with the brands. I want to trigger my customers and make them feel that at .wen they see something new every time."

Why are trade fairs like Modefabriek relevant to you?

"Especially in the beginning, I discovered a lot of brands through Modefabriek. I also did preliminary research at the fair and then scheduled the purchasing appointments. Nowadays, I have sourced some brands before the fair and it's more about networking. Sometimes I spot new brands at the fair or meet a new agent or distributor. I prefer to go to the fair blank. I like to walk around anonymously. Just look around and nothing else."

Best holiday destination?

"When I go on holiday, I want to be completely away from everything and am not busy with my work or fashion. My mother lives in Portugal and we often go there with the family. From there, we then take trips to cities."

What is your interior design style?

"I really like Dutch design and a quiet base. I really like interior brand Fést. At home, we have a concrete floor and a natural leather sofa with HK Living's ceramics in the cupboard. On the contrary, the store is very colourful in all kinds of different styles."

What are you most looking forward to at Modefabriek?

"To the collections, of course. And to meet fellow retailers. We are often all on our own little island, but at the fair we have time to chat with each other. Sometimes you run into acquaintances you haven't seen in a long time." 

Written by Rosita van der Kwaak