#54 Talk with AO76 | Beyond trends: how to run a sustainable Belgian fashion brand

03/27/25 • 56 min

In this episode featuring Gaspard Poelman from AO76 American Outfitters, Lien & John delve into the history and evolution of a family-founded Belgian fashion brand. Discover how Gaspard, the third-generation CEO, transitioned from a childhood involvement to leading the company with a focus on empathetic leadership and a strong team culture.

We explore the brand's journey since its inception in 1976, and its later shift to the AO76 Kids Fashion label, and talk aout AO76's omni-channel retail strategy, balancing the importance of physical stores for customer experience and brand image with online expansion for international markets, while carefully navigating partnerships with B2B retailers and marketplaces.
Join us as we uncover the story of AO76's growth and Gaspard's vision for maintaining a successful Belgian fashion brand.

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Visit us on:
➡️ Our website: deardigital.com
➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dear-digital-agency/
➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deardigital.agency/

Previous Episode

#53 Deep Dive with Dimitri Devroe | Marketing strategies for D2C commerce businesses

In this podcast episode, we interview Dimitri Devroe, who is specialized in helping direct-to-consumer commerce brands scale with paid advertising and retention strategies. Together, they explore the challenges of rising acquisition costs and strategies to tackle them. Dimitri shares his insights on leveraging various marketing channels, the importance of creative content, and the necessity of a well-structured data setup. A must-listen for every D2C commerce brand looking to grow!

Visit us on:
➡️ Our website: deardigital.com
➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dear-digital-agency/
➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deardigital.agency/

Next Episode

#55 Talk with Clio | Mastering B2B relationships in fashion retail

In this episode of Decoding Commerce, we sit down with Pascale Staelens from Clio, a fashion veteran with almost 30 years in the industry. Pascale offers insights into the evolution of fashion retail, drawing on her experience with Belgian brands like American Outfitters, Scapa, and Belhose, before joining Clio, the affordable luxury bag brand founded in 2011. Clio (formerly Clio Goldbrenner) recently underwent a rebranding to make the brand more international.

John and Pascale chat about Clio's multi-channel sales strategy and its large and loyal B2B network, explaining its crucial role in brand success and product understanding, and the importance of building personal partnerships with resellers.

Pascale also discusses the essential role of the online store, but also highlights the continuing need for a physical presence, and how pop-up stores serve as a ideal mix of revenue, marketing, visibility, and credibility.

Pascale is convinced that the future of fashion retail lies in embracing a mix of channels - B2B, online, and physical - to allow customers to see, feel, and experience the product. An enticing episode!

Visit us on:
➡️ Our website: deardigital.com
➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dear-digital-agency/
➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deardigital.agency/