THE WWW's – WOLVIS

Have you heard of The WWW’s? Through this section on our website, you’ll be able to get to know our clients a little better, as we’ll dive deep into the WHO, WHAT and WHY of their brands. Intrigued? Enjoy your read.

This Belgian female designer is the modest face behind knitwear label wolvis, which launched in 2013. You can recognize her timeless designs immediately by their offbeat colour combinations and sustainable character. As she is passionate about the environment her creations are designed & crafted in Belgium and she avoids surpluses. Meet down to earth designer and founder of wolvis: Griet Depoorter.

www.wolvis.be — @wolvis.be — #wolviscollection

Hi, Griet! Could you please introduce yourself and tell us about your background and education?

Hello I am Griet and I studied engineer architecture in Gent. After my studies, I worked at an architecture firm but I felt that I couldn’t use all of my creativity. Frustrated by the inertia and slowness of the architecture process I started a DKO training in fashion. I quickly became inspired and passionate about knitwear.

How did you come up with the idea to start wolvis? Where does the name come from?

In the third year of my DKO training in fashion, I was working a lot with knitwear in my collection. I received a knitting machine via via, which was faster than knitting myself. It was so intriguing that soon I became excited about everything related to that knitting machine. Not much later I was designing patterns for scarves and organized small sale evenings for friends. Without a predefined business plan, wolvis was created before I even knew it.

The name ‘wolvis’ actually started as a joke. In Dutch the name ‘Griet’ is also a fish. So, a clever friend said: ‘you are the wolvis!’ (a.k.a. woolfish) And it stuck.

Can you give us a little insight into your design process? Does your inspiration always come from nature?

I always start with an idea, big or small. When inspiration hits me, I write. It helps me to arrange my thoughts. After this, I experiment with shape and colour to achieve a result and then I adjust and model further until I’m completely satisfied. It’s fun: I am both the wolvis customer and the wolvis designer. I work for myself and am my own target audience.

I draw inspiration from a range of things. A picture, a pattern on an orange or even a sentence in a book. Currently, I am working on memories. For me, ‘memories’ are always linked to places. These places form the basis for next year's winter collection and it will be a very personal series. That’s how I prefer to work, from a personal experience or story.

How do you see the future for wolvis?

I just hope that in the future, I can continue to work for wolvis. I would like to grow even more, not in the sense of hiring multiple employees, but rather grow as if getting better. Learn to outsource the right things to the right people. I also hope that the fashion landscape continues to evolve towards sustainable purchasing behavior and continues to invest in Belgian design.

Female entrepreneurs are still a minority. What’s your ultimate advice for those who are considering to start their own business?

Surround yourself with interesting people who are good and passionate about their job and you can lift each other to a higher level! Doing business does not have to be "hard". Find your buddies, surround yourself with confidants. Sometimes a problem is already solved just by explaining it to someone else.

Thank you Griet, for the inspirational talk! Good luck with everything!

Intrigued by the brand? Check out wolvis and get inspired!

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