Twenty years of brand history as a compass: Fabienne Chapot returns to its core

With twenty years of brand history, Fabienne Chapot is an established name in the Netherlands. Founder Fabienne Chapot started the label in 2006 as an accessories label under the name Fab. This history gives the brand weight, which now serves as the foundation for its next step. “Internationally, we are building our new positioning from a relatively clean slate,” says Chapot. “In our home market, we want to reintroduce people to who Fabienne Chapot is today.” The brand is returning to the core that made it successful, translating it for today's fashion world.

This difference in starting point drives the brand's entire commercial strategy. For international retailers and buyers discovering the label for the first time, the introduction is clear: Fabienne Chapot is a B-Corp certified contemporary fashion label. It combines femininity, colour, and a bold signature with a price point that remains accessible to a broad target audience. For the Dutch market, the tone is different: what you thought you knew about this brand is no longer the whole truth.

FashionUnited spoke with Fabienne Chapot about the label's new direction and international ambitions.

Rebranding that came from within

In recent years, Fabienne Chapot has worked on a deliberate repositioning: a return to the distinct identity the brand has always embodied. This is not a break with the past, but a rediscovery of it. It is a sharper translation of the original vision, fitting for today and the future. “Everyone involved with the brand and the collection contributed to the rebrand,” says Chapot.

This internal foundation is visible in the result. The collections have become more modern and are more aligned with the international fashion world, but the brand's core remains intact. “We are constantly innovating, but always in a way that feels authentic,” says Chapot. The bold colours, feminine silhouettes, and optimistic feel have always been there. What has changed is how they are used: more modern, more on-trend, and more consciously positioned. The collections function as a fully-fledged partner within a wholesale assortment, yet always remain recognisable through their unique design DNA.

Signature that is never moderate

One of Fabienne Chapot's most recognisable elements is its prints. They have been an essential part of the brand's DNA from the beginning and are the starting point for the new positioning. “We never really do anything in moderation,” says Chapot, and that is precisely the tone that also sets the label apart commercially.

This distinct signature is now being consciously extended to categories where it was previously less expected. Denim and outerwear have grown particularly strong in recent seasons and are a clear commercial focus for the coming years. “It is precisely because of our distinct signature that we can develop items within these product groups that stand out in the market,” says Chapot. A jacket with quilted hearts or a colourful denim look are pieces that are instantly recognisable as Fabienne Chapot.

World around the collection

Fabienne Chapot's campaigns are more than product presentations; they always start from the brand's feeling and values. They tell stories that align with what Fabienne Chapot stands for: a playful attitude to life, positivity, femininity, sensuality, and female empowerment. “Ultimately, it’s not just about the clothes, but also about the world we create around them,” says Chapot.

This storytelling approach is deliberate and consistent. Brand values are combined with relevant trends and cultural developments, ensuring campaigns remain contemporary and inspiring without losing their recognisability. In its own stores, this brand world comes to life most fully. The atmosphere, use of colour, styling, and personal contact together create a brand experience that is difficult to replicate online. “It is precisely this total brand experience that makes the difference,” says Chapot. “It gives customers the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the brand and creates an emotional connection that is much harder to establish online.”

Benelux: home market with targeted growth ambition

The Netherlands remains the core of the business, but the distribution strategy is now more consciously aligned with the renewed brand positioning. This also means taking a critical look at the retail landscape: which partners fit the Fabienne Chapot of today?

In Belgium, the brand sees the greatest growth opportunities within the Benelux region, confirmed by market research and the strong online growth already achieved. With Barcatex as its new sales partner, Fabienne Chapot is further expanding its presence in the Belgian market. It is a distribution relationship that fits the ambition: selective, focused on the right channels, and always in line with the brand positioning.

In the Netherlands, however, there is the challenge of perception. Nearly twenty years of brand history sometimes works against it: buyers and retailers know “the old Fabienne Chapot,” and that image sticks. The brand is actively working on a distribution network that reflects the new positioning and provides the right context for the collections as they are now: bold, on-trend, and contemporary.

International expansion

Outside the Benelux region, Fabienne Chapot is focusing on a limited number of promising markets. Spain and Portugal are at the top of the list. In both countries, the brand has already actively invested in brand awareness through PR, international press, and strategic collaborations. The collaboration with Portuguese influencer Rita Montezuma shows how this works in practice. “She is a fantastic influencer in Portugal. Completely our DNA,” says Chapot. The collaboration confirmed that the brand's distinct femininity resonates outside the Netherlands as well.

The distribution strategy aligns with this. In addition to Barcatex for the Benelux region, the brand works with Select Studio and Victor Showroom for Germany, France, and Italy. Discussions are also underway with agents in Spain and Portugal.

Internationally, Fabienne Chapot has an advantage that is lacking in the Netherlands: a clean slate. There is no ingrained image that needs to be adjusted. New markets are encountering the label as it is now, and that is precisely the opportunity the brand is currently capitalising on.

Future perspective

Fabienne Chapot's ambitions are clear: international expansion at a corporate level, and at a brand level, further building a strong, distinctive positioning within the international fashion landscape. “We want to show that accessibility and fashion can go together perfectly,” says Chapot.

The collections will continue to invest in powerful storytelling, a recognisable brand world, and designs that are relevant to the modern, fashion-conscious woman. Denim and outerwear will remain strategic pillars, and the signature will remain bold, never moderate, and always recognisable.

For those who already knew Fabienne Chapot: get reacquainted. For those who do not know the brand yet: this is the moment.