Velvet, an offbeat family-run shop in Luxembourg
To offer fun shopping with a true identity: that’s the aim of Velvet, a welcoming, artistic concept store based in Luxembourg. We met up with Pola and Julie, the shop’s two managers, in a plush and generously offbeat atmosphere.
Hi girls! You’re not just colleagues, you’re also sisters! Why choose to start this adventure together?
We’ve always gotten along very well, so it was clear to us that we should go on this adventure together, not alone or with other people. Our family loves independence, and that encouraged us even more.
Who’s the big sister at Velvet?
Pola definitely, even if she’s the youngest.
Why choose to name your shop Velvet?
We named it after David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet”, Julie’s favourite film.
Luxembourg isn’t really known for its fashion or textiles – why decide to implement your shop over there?
It’s hard to find cool shops in Luxembourg. Shopping there was always boring for us because we aren’t fans of big chain stores. We therefore always had to go to cities like London in order to find extraordinary and individual clothes. As we grew older, we told ourselves if no one was going to change things, we would. We wanted to offer more of a choice to the clientele of Luxembourg.
When we think of velvet, softness and comfort spring to mind. How did you try to bring that cosiness to your shop?
We created a very welcoming atmosphere by using very different and individual artworks, like our retro-looking deckchair or our changing rooms that look like big collages.
You don’t only sell clothes – what kinds of objects can we find in Velvet?
We sell records by Luxembourg-based artists and groups to support the local culture, as well as collages by international artists.
We know that your trips to London and Berlin had a large impact on your work. Could you tell us a little anecdote from one of your voyages?
There are quite a few! Our biggest influence is the anonymity that doesn’t exist in Luxembourg – there are only 500 000 of us here. Our aim is to give a certain kind of anonymity and individualism to the people of Luxembourg.
In what way does Olow fit in well with your world?
Olow is a very minimalist brand dépouillée?, but nonetheless very artistic. The clothes suit everyone, young and old. They make you want to be free and independent, and that’s exactly what we want to offer our clients.
Luxembourg City was voted the European capital of culture twice these last 20 years. What would you say are the must-see places to visit on a trip there?
You have to visit Bockfiels, where the town’s old fortress stands. Another highlight are the Casemates, a whole tunnelling system built in 1745 underneath the old town’s ramparts. For the culture-loving people, there are many museums and exhibitions here. After a long day of sightseeing, you can stop off in one of the many bars waiting for you with a glass of wine.
You can find Velvet at 12 Rue Notre-Dame, in Luxembourg City.
A big thank you to Pola and Julie for their answers.
Follow the shop’s news on their Facebook page.
-M.P
