Stitch in time

After working in the men's tailoring industry for almost two decades, Frederieke van Doorn founded Frey, a female tailoring brand.

Entering the fashion industry was van Doorn's dream when she was a child. It took her six years to studyfashion technology and management at Amsterdam Fashion Institute.

Although she picked up a lot professionally in school, she wanted to experience the fashion world in real-life. "I learned the basics, such as pattern making, but schools and real life are not matching in the fashion field."

To gain more practical experience, she entered the fashion industry after graduation.

She worked as a director at Baoli Management Groupin 2016.

"The company focuses on men's suits, and I asked my friends where they bought their clothes. Most said what they were wearing were actually not to their liking," she said.

"Men's tailoring stores provide a variety of choices in Hong Kong. Even though many women are required to dress in formal business wear, they don't know where to buy."

She found most women were not satisfied with their wardrobe. "They need to wear the clothes for 60 hours a week. It become difficult if they have dinner with friends and do not go home after work to change."

The frustration motivated her to make something different. She started her business catering to women in 2020.

Initially, she had to navigate many preconceptions when she opened the first Frey store, selling both bespoke and off-the-rack classic clothes in Central.

"Some people thought it was limited to the Asian market. I don't care if you're Asian or not. Everyone has different styles. There might be a lot of trials and errors, so try on everything," she said.

She hopes that bespoke services will give women more choices. "I love jackets, but I'm not a suit person. We often have such problems, so we are size inclusive to meet various needs.''

To design well-fitted suits for women, the first thing she did was hire designer Yulia Tlili. "I cannot hire for all the positions in a small company. I require everyone to be flexible, so I don't ever want to hear: 'That's not my job.'"

Thinking outside the box creates a supportive atmosphere for the whole team.

Tlili said: "Frederieke gives me a lot of trust. It encourages me to dip my fingers in different waters and expand my interest."

Before customizing clothes, customers need to take two photos to the Tailie application, one from behind and one from the side. "Measuring a female body by a tailor is a little bit different. This digital method helps us to improve the accuracy."

In addition to this service, the chat area is one of Frey's keycharacteristics.

"We try to create a space where you can come and talk with your friends. You can sit here and try different things," she said.

"Some old customers told me they enjoyed sitting on the store sofa and having a coffee with their friends. Most importantly, they never feel pressured to buy clothes."

More positive feedback makes her understand the importance of treating guests sincerely. She goes all outto present the real side.

"Some brand-name clothes show green washing labels that convey misleading information about how their products are environmentally friendly. This is why I want to put much more transparency on where and how we produce, and where we get our fabrics.

"For instance, we use a lot of dead stock to produce our garments. This reputable mill is high quality without air pollution."

Sustainable fashion, she said, is "a long-term gym" but she never thought of giving up.

"I don't think anybody can say: 'I'm completely sustainable.' It's a journey to make the right daily choices and improve. We're trying to make the right choices in everything we do. Our buttons aren't plastic, and they're made out of nuts or pearl," she explained.

Running physical stores requires courage. When she opened the second Frey store in K11 Musea last year, she faced challengesin recruitmentand product promotion.

"A struggle was getting workers because getting people in Hong Kong is tough. Luckily, we managed to put together an amazing team, and it worked out."

Difficulties are always around, and a boldattitude stimulates van Doorn to go to anylengthsto get what shewants.

"I'm not a designer, but I know what I like, how to make it, and I like nice materials. That's why I started my own business," she said. "Discover your interest, and then just go for it."

+3