Starter Story Rogier Nilwik
All in the family
Designing and making clothes is in Rogier Nilwik's (38) DNA. Tailors have been in the Nilwik family line for 200 years. His father was a fashion designer, his mother a seamstress; now it's his turn to showcase his fashion talent and skills. Since 2024, Rogier has combined his love of clothing with his love of history in his own stylish and unique men's clothing brand. He calls it "Heritage UK Style," although he questions whether it's a single style. His designs transport you back to the era between 1920 and 1950. The Nilwik brand has elements of both the working class and the upper class. On the one hand, it evokes the raw, dark Peaky Blinders feel. On the other, Rogier himself also sees similarities with the more aristocratic and elegant Downton Abbey style.
Rogier, who sports a neat beard, has been fascinated by unique clothing styles and historical periods since he was a child. As a child, he sulked behind his mother in the shopping street, unable to find what he was looking for. Thanks to "Mom's sowing skills," he was the first in school to wear skater pants, baggy T-shirts, and spiky hair.
Studying graphic design and fashion at the Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts was a natural choice. But the program was expensive and the workload was high. "Financially, it wasn't feasible at the time. I was 23, owned my own house, and new fabrics were expensive. I was the first young man in the fashion department in years, and the teachers were satisfied, but after two years, I decided to quit and start working."
Rogier sought refuge in the hospitality industry, where he still works part-time, albeit now as a freelancer. "I worked in various positions and seized every opportunity for growth. I worked for a long time at De Nieuwe Nor in Heerlen as Head of Hospitality. I was responsible for a third of the turnover, but the collective bargaining agreement culture is worse than the hospitality industry's. Ultimately, I found a job where I could earn more."
Alongside his hospitality career, Nilwik continues to develop in his original field: fashion. For 12 years, he's been attending fashion school for at least two hours a week. "There, I have experts by my side who can help me when I get stuck." He feels the hospitality industry is a dead end. "At my last employer, I was able to get away with a settlement agreement. That gave me the opportunity to consider: what do I really want?"
Rogier contacted the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV), who suggested he consider starting a business while retaining his benefits. "I had to work hard for that, and that's how I ended up at Starterscentrum Limburg. Together with advisor Anita Lussenburg, I worked step by step on the content of my business plan and financial plan." Rogier designed and executed the plan presentation himself, entirely in the style of his clothing brand. It undoubtedly contributed to securing a starter loan from Qredits. The plan is now regularly used as an example of "how it can be done differently."
Contact with Anita is pleasant and easy. She recommends, among other things, "investigating the demand for men's heritage clothing." "You don't see the style much on the street (yet), but you do see it at rockabilly parties and special events, like Feel the 50s in Venlo and the Belgian Retro Sur Mer. We spent about six to seven months together getting everything perfect."
Through the Starterscentrum, he also connects with an Indian gentleman whose wife has her clothes ethically made in India. This allows Nilwik to keep his line affordable and accessible. The first garments are now in production, which is exciting. Not all the samples were immediately successful, but Rogier will soon be able to expand the online store. There, he currently sells caps and suspenders, which are selling like hotcakes via Vinted. "I'm getting orders from France and Venice, my suspenders are also at a barber friend of mine, and hopefully soon at Urban Bozz in Breda. But I still have a lot to sell," Rogier says with a laugh. "If the partnership with the German magazine 'The Heritage Post' and the trade fair visit in Düsseldorf in May works out well, then the German market will also be closer. That would be very good for my business."
Rogier dreams of his own concept store – The Nilwik Company – in the heart of Heerlen, where he'd like to collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs. Think tattoo artist, barber, and barista. "For now, working from home is perfect; I have enough space for a studio, storage, and distribution without it costing me any extra money. Launching your own clothing brand requires perseverance. But so far, I'm enjoying everything about being an entrepreneur. It energizes me and I don't need to get rich. I would have regretted not taking this step; it's in my blood."