Together with her parents, she is at the helm of Holzhaus, a specialist denim shop that has been a household name in Haarlem since 1932. Her arrival brought some fresh air into the family business.

All options open

Babette: ‘When I was in secondary school, my parents encouraged me to visit many open days and keep all options open. At AMFI, I felt right at home. It was innovative and vibrant.’

A group of like-minded people

The fact that there was an enrolment quota did not deter Babette. Quite the opposite, in fact. Babette: ‘With such a rigorous selection procedure, you can be sure that you start the degree programme with a group of highly motivated people. And that was indeed the case. I got on with my fellow students right away. That was nice, because in the first year you all study the same curriculum and work together very intensively.’

Creativity and figures

Having investigated the range of potential careers in the fashion industry, Babette chose the Fashion & Management track. ‘In this track, the emphasis is on creativity as well as substantiating choices with figures. By carrying out a lot of research and performing extensive analyses, you develop a critical eye. Designers create beautiful things, which brand managers then put on the market. However, it’s often the managers who ensure that large companies are commercially viable. I personally believe that’s the most important thing,’ Babette says.

Pioneering with 3D

Babette developed her technical skills with the 3D Virtual Prototyping specialisation. ‘That came in handy during my internships. At Scotch & Soda, I set up a 3D department with the former manager of the production team. We trained the production and design teams in the use of technical software and maintained contact with manufacturers. It was really pioneering, so instructive and so much fun. After graduating, I stuck around for a while.’

Always on the move

Alongside her studies, Babette always continued to work in her parents’ shop. When she felt she wanted to strike out on her own, it made sense to join the family business. Babette: ‘I’m now working with my parents on the further development of Holzhaus. They’re slowly taking a step back, while I’m taking on more and more responsibilities. For example, I’ve increased my focus on our online presence, and topics such as sustainability and digitisation are becoming increasingly important in our business.’

Dream job

Looking back, Babette is happy with how things turned out. ‘My parents never pushed me to take over the shop. This allowed me to find out for myself where my passion lies. From an early age, I knew that I wanted to work in the fashion world, but the industry has so many roles. By immersing myself in all the options at AMFI, I was able to map out the path towards my dream job.’