Ten years ago, Magalie Aerts (35) started a webshop for colorful fashion from her garage. Today, Les Jumelles —a nod to her own twin sister—is known for its striking prints, physical stores in Antwerp, Knokke, and Schilde, and a growing international B2B branch. “It started as a hobby, but quickly became my first child,” says Aerts, who will also be speaking at the RetailDetail Omnichannel & E-commerce Congress.
From customer service to SEO: “I did everything myself”
The story of Les Jumelles began organically. Aerts worked for her parents’ company during the day, but after hours she threw herself into her passion for fashion. “For the first three years, I did everything myself: making packages, taking photos, customer service, finances. Even the marketing,” she recalls.
In 2017, she made the leap to full-time entrepreneur, and in 2020, she hired her first employee.
Today, Les Jumelles has an office in Wijnegem, three flagship stores, and an international B2B department for multi-brand boutiques. At the RetailDetail Omnichannel & E-commerce Congress on March 19, the entrepreneur will explain how she combines all of this in a consistent and digitally driven omnichannel strategy. “It has to remain a pleasant place to work. People need to feel good, because that rubs off on the customers.”
This people-oriented approach is central to Les Jumelles. “Customer service is my number one priority, along with the product,” emphasizes Aerts. “If there’s a bad review, I pick up the phone and ask what went wrong. Friendliness costs nothing, but it can make someone’s day.” The result? A Trustpilot score of 4.7. “We are experimenting with AI for marketing and content, but personal contact remains essential,” says Aerts. “A chatbot cannot replace customer service.”
Physical stores as a “feel-good” experience
Les Jumelles grew from a webshop to an omnichannel brand with three permanent stores and regular pop-ups. A striking strategy, because during the coronavirus crisis, many physical retailers did the opposite. “I wanted to give customers the space to experience our brand identity,” explains Aerts. “Pop-ups create FOMO – fear of missing out – and strengthen brand awareness.”
Although the webshop remains responsible for 60 to 70% of sales, physical stores play a crucial role in the customer experience. “More and more people come in with a photo on their cell phone in hand and already know what they want. The choice has often already been made online, but they still want to see and try it on,” says Aerts.
Digital will remain the largest channel, the entrepreneur has no doubt about that. “Online is open 24/7, regardless of the weather or opening hours. A physical store cannot compete with that.” Les Jumelles’ store network will certainly expand, but the formula relies heavily on social media and email marketing to announce new “drops,” among other things.
“These are two complementary strategies that work well together. Our online customers also shop in physical stores, but it’s a different context: physical shopping is an outing.” Aerts therefore consciously always chooses AAA locations, paying attention to the neighbors and the proximity of restaurants and cafes. “However, I do see that the difficulty of finding (affordable) parking is becoming a growing obstacle. Cities and municipalities are keeping people away from shopping streets in this way.”
International growth thanks to short lines
Thanks to social media, the brand is known beyond national borders. With its own label since 2021, Les Jumelles is therefore expanding internationally. “We are receiving many requests from the United Arab Emirates and the US, but first we want to further tap into the Netherlands and Germany,” says Aerts. “Germany is the next step, possibly followed by France.”
Doesn’t she feel the impact of ultra-fast fashion brands like Shein and Temu? “Logistically, it was a disaster,” recalls the fashion entrepreneur, referring to the emergence of the Chinese newcomers about a year and a half ago. “Due to the huge influx from China, customs checks were severely delayed. Our containers were sometimes stuck in warehouses for weeks.”
“As long as you have a strong brand identity, you can distinguish yourself. Thanks to our flexibility, we can switch gears quickly when necessary. What’s more, we guarantee: order online before 11 p.m. and receive your order the next day — a service that makes us pioneers in the Belgian fashion sector.”
She takes a nuanced view of the debate surrounding fast fashion: “It can’t just be about ultra-cheap or ultra-sustainable. We need to find a middle ground. Five years ago, for example, we launched recycled sari dresses – unique pieces that meet the growing demand for conscious fashion. Our cotton is organic, and we work with long-term partners,” says Aerts.
Want to know more? Discover the story of Les Jumelles at the RetailDetail Omnichannel & E-Commerce Congress, on March 19 in Brussels. Also on stage that day: Laura Toledano, general manager Western Europe at Zalando, Kelly Cuppens, CEO of Drukke Mama’s, and Marlou Mulders, Managing Director at Prins Petfoods, on agentic AI customer interaction, and many others.
