Understanding Natan Couture's diverse clientele: From politicians to a new generation

Brussels - On Wednesday evening, a chic crowd gathered in the rooftop garden on the 29th floor of The Standard hotel in Brussels to discuss the show they had just attended. Over a month before its presentation to international visitors at Paris Haute Couture Week, the Belgian and Dutch public had the (customary) privilege of discovering the autumn/winter 2026 couture collection from the independent house of Natan.

The event took place in “The Greenhouse”, a vast, plant-filled space on the hotel's ground floor, where several distinguished guests, warmly invited by the Brussels-based house, were staying. The brand, led by Édouard Vermeulen since the 1980s, attracts an exceptional clientele. From Queen Mathilde to numerous female politicians, all endorse this wardrobe that can infuse even the most conventional outfits with a touch of controlled fantasy.

Amid the lush scenery, the audience was given a preview of the house's vibrant colours for the new season. Known for his well-balanced colour palette, Vermeulen highlighted his shades on monochrome outfits. Backstage, he confided that he had pushed the minimalism a little further than usual.

To this graphic simplicity of the line, ‘Monsieur’, as his colleagues call him, adds a lightness he deems necessary. “An autumn collection is very different because we realise – is it due to global warming? – that we sell the summer season for eight to nine months of the year. Therefore, our autumn collection must also have a form of lightness.”

This necessity gives rise to coated lace, airy silk taffeta, and a very contemporary suppleness in the silhouette. The idea, as the artistic director points out, is “to give the couture spirit a very simple side”. This approach is similar to that of other Parisian couture houses, such as Mathieu Blazy's work at Chanel.

When asked about its figures, the house reports a growth rate of 28 percent over the last three years. Its CEO, Gloria Barudy Vasquez, admits to having to turn down some multi-brand retailers in Belgium to maintain a limited distribution of 120 wholesale points of sale and eight of its own stores.

Although the brand plans to expand into Spain and Switzerland with future openings, the Benelux region remains its historic core market. These long-standing customers account for the majority of its revenue, validating this model based on selectivity. This unique approach extends to customer relations; it is not uncommon to see Vermeulen in the boutique, personally advising his clients.

From politician to new initiate: a portrait of loyal customers

This attentiveness and its positioning as “accessible couture” allow the house to attract a prestigious clientele that could gradually become more diverse. Who are the women that make up the Natan galaxy today? An imaginary portrait in four acts of this varied clientele.

Politician

Whether it is Queen Mathilde of Belgium or a serving member of the European Parliament, these powerful women have found the perfect armour for their official duties at Natan.

Discovering the brand: The introduction often happens within the exclusive circles of palaces and diplomatic power. While the style of Queen Máxima of the Netherlands serves as a showcase for Natan's expertise, this client is not seeking royal imitation. Instead, she finds the assurance of a stately silhouette by a Belgian name, with a more “designer” feel than that of luxury giants.

The pieces she buys: The house's bestsellers. She favours the impeccable fit of flared cotton canvas dresses or Dior-inspired skirt suits for state visits. Her wardrobe also includes dark dresses, reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy Onassis' style, whose severity is deliberately enhanced with brightly coloured gloves.

What made her loyal: The absolute precision of the cuts, which remain crease-free under the photographers' gaze. She also appreciates the brand's unique balance, which challenges institutional classicism with joyful touches. However, it is primarily the almost confidential relationship of trust with Vermeulen that definitively cements her attachment to the brand.

Mother of the bride (and her inner circle)

This is a ceremonial client, looking for a formal look for a major private event.

Discovering the brand: A full skirt by Natan, spotted on a cousin at a wedding last summer, stuck in her mind, making the brand the obvious choice for her daughter's wedding.

The pieces she buys: She is more often interested in its couture lines than its ready-to-wear. She likes the long, sleeveless silk taffeta dresses, satin tops embroidered with pearls, and matching ballet flats.

What made her loyal: The memorable connection. The garment becomes a relic of a celebration. The house's couture aura and the emotional dimension linked to the event's preparation are what sustain her attachment to the brand.

Aesthete collector

This profile approaches clothing through the lens of contemporary art and design. She sees fashion as a field for artistic expression.

Discovering the brand: She heard about Natan during one of the brand's many artistic activations. For example, its participation in Art Brussels 2026, where Natan invited artist Mattias De Leeuw to paint its backstage scenes, its silhouettes, and its artisans. This initiative caught the attention of this art-world clientele.

The pieces she buys: She targets ready-to-wear pieces that display the most radical textile or chromatic qualities. She might also be tempted by a pair of buttercup-yellow couture balloon trousers displayed in one of the Natan boutiques. Her choices include sleeveless tops with a “bubble” shape, ensembles featuring tinted plexiglass fringes, or dresses adorned with rooster feathers that add a kinetic dimension to her movement.

What made her loyal: The boutiques. This is where the brand's fusion of fashion and art is expressed. She regularly visits just to “simply look”, captivated by the constantly renewed, warm, and artistic scenography of the stores. She secretly hopes the brand will one day decide to develop a furniture line.

New initiate

This final profile illustrates the new generation of Natan clients, drawn in by recent boutique openings and a modernised wardrobe.

Discovering the brand: While on holiday in Knokke, she visited the brand's second store, ‘Edouard by Natan’, which opened in the spring in the Belgian seaside town. She then went on to explore its historic boutique: a sort of large family home, located near other major luxury names like Hermès and Louis Vuitton.

The pieces she buys: She takes a modular approach, mixing statement pieces with fundamentals. She is drawn to textured materials (for example, jacquard trousers with a raised leaf pattern) which she balances with timeless essentials, like the poplin shirt (a brand classic) or the transparent tops seen in the autumn 2026 couture collection.

What will make her loyal: The consistency of its positioning. She likes the idea of accessing a product with couture-level craftsmanship that also maintains a desirability and clarity perfectly rooted in urban modernity.

Journalist Julia Garel was invited to Brussels by Natan to discover the world of the house.