Vanilia
Vanilia was a Dutch women's fashion retailer operating 10+ boutiques across the Netherlands and an e-commerce platform serving 13 European countries, known for sustainable fabrics, in-house tailoring and free repairs, and the Vanilia Voyage loyalty program until ceasing operations in 2025 following bankruptcy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersWormerveer, Netherlands
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Vanilia does
Vanilia is a Dutch women's fashion retailer that designed, manufactured, and sold formal, casual, and denim apparel through a Shopify-based e-commerce platform (vanilia.com) and a network of 10+ owned boutiques across the Netherlands. The product range covered dresses, jumpsuits, trousers, knitwear, and outerwear made from viscose, denim, linen, cotton, wool, cashmere, and polyester, with a stated sustainability positioning built on EcoVero viscose, recycled polyester, recycled wool, and European Flax linen, alongside proprietary signature materials such as an 'iconic waffle' relief fabric (55% polyester, 41% viscose, 4% elastane). The company was headquartered in Wormerveer (registered as Vanilia.com B.V., KVK 84742755) and employed between 251 and 500 people, with Michel Hulzebosch listed as director.
The business model combined direct-to-consumer e-commerce (vanilia.com), own-boutique retail, and selected wholesale through premium department stores De Bijenkorf (NL) and Breuninger (DE). Customer engagement was driven by the Vanilia Voyage loyalty program (free membership, 3 points per euro spent, €10 voucher at 1,000 points, birthday gifts, early access to collections), an SMS marketing opt-in service, and social channels on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Value-added services differentiated the brand: in-house ateliers at most boutiques offered free repairs within a 6-month warranty and paid tailoring (€9.95–€22.95 per alteration). Payment processing was handled by Mollie (iDEAL, PayPal, Visa/Maestro/MasterCard, Bancontact, SOFORT, KBC/CBC) and logistics by PostNL, with international shipping to 13 European countries.
Vanilia filed for bankruptcy (faillissement) in early 2025 under the operating entity Vanilia The Shops B.V. The right of withdrawal was eliminated effective 3 March 2025, boutiques were scheduled to close on 20 March 2025, and the vanilia.com webshop is now shut. The company's homepage carries a 'WE HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE' message marking the end of 30 years of operation. No acquirer, restart capital, or external investors are mentioned in the source material, and the entity is not generating revenue as of the latest available data.
Vanilia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vanilia
- Legal name
- Vanilia.com B.V.
- Website
- https://vanilia.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Vanilia was a Dutch women's fashion retailer operating 10+ boutiques across the Netherlands and an e-commerce platform serving 13 European countries, known for sustainable fabrics, in-house tailoring and free repairs, and the Vanilia Voyage loyalty program until ceasing operations in 2025 following bankruptcy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vanilia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Women's Apparel
- NAICS
- Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110), Apparel Manufacturing (315)
- SIC
- Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Denim & Casualwear Brands (CRAAAAAE)
Keywords
Where Vanilia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wormerveer
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices10 records
Markets served
Vanilia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Clothing Sales: Direct sales of women's fashion and apparel through e-commerce website and physical boutique stores. Revenue generated through one-time product purchases at listed retail prices.
- Tailoring and Alteration Services: Paid alteration and customization services for clothing purchased at Vanilia boutiques, including hemming, taking in seams, shortening/lengthening sleeves, and tailoring jackets and trousers.
- Gift Cards and Digital Gift Cards: Sale of physical and digital gift cards with 10+4 digit codes that can be redeemed for merchandise in boutiques or online.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing for women's clothing |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Vanilia Voyage loyalty program (free membership) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Shipping costs by region |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Vanilia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vanilia manufactures and sells women's formal, casual, and denim clothing through its own e-commerce website (vanilia.com) and 10+ physical boutique locations across the Netherlands. The company complements its apparel with value-added tailoring and repair services and operates the Vanilia Voyage customer loyalty program.
Product overview
Vanilia is a Dutch fashion boutique operating primarily through its e-commerce platform (vanilia.com) and physical boutiques. The core product is its online fashion retail platform offering clothing and accessories. The product portfolio includes the Vanilia Voyage membership loyalty program for customer retention, gift cards and digital gift cards for gifting, and value-added services including tailoring (custom alterations) and repair services. The company also operates an SMS/text messaging service for customer communications. Vanilia is currently undergoing closure after 30 years of operation due to bankruptcy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Women's Clothing Collection Vanilia's core product line — women's formal, casual, and denim clothing manufactured under the Vanilia brand and sold through its own boutiques and online store. Made from fabrics including viscose, denim, linen, cotton, wool, cashmere, polyester (including sustainable and recycled variants) and the brand's signature waffle fabric.
- https://vanilia.com/cdn/shop/files/Vanilia_Voyage.jpg?v=1738672596&width=1500 Free-to-join loyalty program that rewards purchases with points convertible into vouchers, plus exclusive benefits such as birthday gifts and early access to new collections.
- https://vanilia.com/cdn/shop/files/maatwerk_1440x500_mob_1_e74ee1be-535c-4639-aa43-f44bbcf8854d.jpg?v=1655198312&width=1500 Paid custom tailoring and alteration service offered at Vanilia boutiques and in-house ateliers, including hemming, taking in/out seams, shortening/lengthening sleeves, and tailoring jackets and trousers.
- https://vanilia.com/cdn/shop/files/thumbnail_Banner_Reparatiepagina.jpg?v=1738330460&width=1500 Free repair service for Vanilia clothing items performed at boutiques with in-house ateliers, covering simple repairs within a 6-month warranty period.
- Gift Cards and Digital Gift Cards Physical gift cards usable in boutiques and online, and digital gift cards delivered immediately via email with a 10+4 digit redemption code, redeemable for merchandise.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 points earned per €1 spent
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Vanilia
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Vanilia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature3 records
Vanilia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- PostNLcorePrimary shipping and delivery partner for online orders. Handles domestic and international package delivery with Track & Trace functionality. Provides delivery to home addresses, alternative addresses, and over 2,500 PostNL pickup points across the Netherlands.
- MolliecorePayment service provider powering secure online transactions. Processes payments via iDEAL, PayPal, Creditcard (Visa/Maestro/MasterCard), Bancontact, SOFORT Banking, and KBC/CBC. Uses SSL encryption for secure data transmission.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Vanilia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ONLY (Bestseller): European women's fashion brand owned by Bestseller, distributed through department stores and online. Comparable to Vanilia on women's mid-market apparel and European wholesale-plus-DTC channels, though at a larger scale.
- C&A: Large Dutch-origin family fashion retailer with extensive physical and online presence across Europe. Comparable to Vanilia on Dutch heritage and family/women's apparel, but at vastly greater scale and broader assortment.
- Zara (Inditex): Global fast-fashion incumbent with owned retail and e-commerce across Europe. Comparable to Vanilia on women's apparel and vertically integrated store-and-online model, but at much greater scale and brand reach.
- H&M: Global fast-fashion incumbent operating physical stores and e-commerce across Europe. Comparable to Vanilia on women's apparel and multi-channel European retail, but at substantially larger scale and lower price point.
Direct peers
- Fabienne Chapot: Dutch women's fashion label with a focus on colourful, design-led apparel sold through own channels and premium multibrand stores. Comparable to Vanilia on Dutch origin, women's boutique positioning, and premium department-store wholesale.
- WE Fashion: Dutch fashion retailer operating physical stores across the Netherlands and an online storefront for women's and family apparel. Directly comparable to Vanilia on geography, store-based DTC model, and mid-market women's positioning.
- G-Star RAW: Dutch denim and casualwear brand that both manufactures and retails apparel through own stores and e-commerce. Closely comparable to Vanilia on Dutch origin, denim/casualwear focus, and DTC-plus-wholesale distribution model.
- Scotch & Soda: Dutch-origin mid-market fashion brand with strong women's apparel presence, sold through own stores, e-commerce, and premium department stores. Highly comparable to Vanilia on Dutch heritage, mid-market positioning, and multi-channel go-to-market.
- King Louie: Dutch boutique women's fashion brand sold through own stores and multibrand retailers in Europe. Comparable to Vanilia on Dutch origin, boutique-led women's apparel, and European wholesale distribution.
- NZA (New Zealand Auckland): Dutch women's apparel brand with boutique retail and online presence focused on quality basics. Comparable to Vanilia on Dutch heritage, women's mid-market positioning, and boutique-plus-online distribution.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Vanilia social profiles
Digital presenceVanilia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vanilia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Vanilia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vanilia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vanilia
What does Vanilia do?
Vanilia manufactures and sells women's formal, casual, and denim clothing through its own e-commerce website (vanilia.com) and 10+ physical boutique locations across the Netherlands. The company complements its apparel with value-added tailoring and repair services and operates the Vanilia Voyage customer loyalty program.
Is Vanilia a public or private company?
Vanilia is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently closed.
When was Vanilia founded?
Vanilia was founded in 1995. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Vanilia based?
Vanilia is headquartered in Wormerveer, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Vanilia make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Clothing Sales are the primary driver. The others are tailoring and Alteration Services and gift Cards and Digital Gift Cards.
Who are Vanilia's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ONLY (Bestseller), C&A, Zara (Inditex) and H&M. Direct peers are Fabienne Chapot, WE Fashion, G-Star RAW, Scotch & Soda, King Louie and NZA (New Zealand Auckland).
Does Vanilia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vanilia.
What industry is Vanilia in?
Vanilia's product category is Women's Apparel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAAAE, Denim & Casualwear Brands. Its NAICS code is 458110 and its SIC code is 5621.