"Our driving force is in everything you don't see"

How Malelions is growing profitably in a challenging market

It has now been about nine years since Thijs Offermeijer attended Webwinkel Vakdagen. He was wet behind the ears and just starting to sell online. He soaked up all the knowledge that came along and put the entrepreneurial lessons into Malelions. The fashion label grew and grew, thanks in part to help from family, friends and influencers. Always, Offermeijer kept his eyes on the ball: "We make a lot of noise, but the driving force is the back end. Everything you don't see." A conversation about the changing retail game, discipline and scaling profitably.

"Our driving force is in everything you don't see"

How Malelions is growing profitably in a challenging market

"Our driving force is in everything you don't see"

How Malelions is growing profitably in a challenging market

"Our driving force is in everything you don't see"

How Malelions is growing profitably in a challenging market

"Our driving force is in everything you don't see"

How Malelions is growing profitably in a challenging market

We are building a Dutch fashion group with multiple brands and divisions."

It was quite the year for Thijs Offermeijer. In 2025 he took important steps for the growth of his company. Flagship Malelions opened its first physical store in Designer Outlet Roosendaal. In addition, together with streetwear label Croyez and the higher-ranking men's fashion brand Duquezzi, the brand was incorporated into the Lions Fashion Group, LFG for short: "Everything is now under one umbrella, and it runs on the same platform. In recent years we have built a foundation to grow on. We can use the expertise within the group for various labels, for example specialist knowledge in sub-areas of e-commerce such as SEA." The merger offers all kinds of economies of scale, purchasing and synergy advantages for the Best-based company, including in the areas of customer service and logistics.

Plug and play
Croyez and Duquezzi come from its own nursery, but Offermeijer (31) wants to bring other brands under the LFG umbrella as well. "We are having conversations about participations and partial participations," he says. "We have everything ready to grow together, it's plug and play. So we are building a Dutch fashion group with multiple brands and divisions, focusing on the Benelux. We can go in all directions, think of a label completely focused on ladies, a sports brand, high-end or just in the lower segment."

Next gen brands
What is essential is that these are 'next gen brands,' as Offermeijer calls them, that are in line with LFG's vision of the future: "We believe in brands that are data driven, that use Power BI and that are open to AI implementation, for customer service and accounting for example." In the fashion market, which is struggling with price pressure, high costs and huge competition, data-driven work is a must according to the entrepreneur.

Data-driven collaboration
That applies to retailers just as much as it does to brands, he continues. "We opt for long-term partnerships with retailers who work with us in a data-driven way. Parties that hook into our fashion cloud, with an EDI link and ERP exchange, so that we can clearly see what is running in which region. That makes us both stronger."

Malelions, for sale in hundreds of physical stores, has become more selective in partner choice: "The new collaboration at the retail level, targeted and data driven, is very important to us. I'm very retail-minded, but a collaboration has to deliver something. If you spend 80 percent of your time on things that only generate 20 percent of sales, you have to make other choices. We see our B2B partners as ambassadors, whom we involve in the brand as much as possible."

More direct play
Physical retail partners are and will continue to be of great importance to Malelions, but the direct sales share is growing, as it is for many other fashion brands. Offermeijer: "Retailers have little margin left when they get collections delivered in September and the sale season starts a month later. Often they are exchanging more money than making returns." According to him, the focus in fashion is still often on running sales, without looking at the bottom line returns. For data-driven retailers, he sees a future, meanwhile, the game is being played more and more directly.

Physical stores and a digital outlet
"We also focus on our own channels, such as with our outlet store in Roosendaal," says the young entrepreneur. He sees room for more Malelions stores, also full-price. "Then you have to think of an experience center where we can also organize product launches and other events with our ambassadors. A relatively small branch in a good location, with unique pieces and opportunities to virtually try on the entire collection of 1,500 products annually. Those technical possibilities are there. We are also working on a digital outlet, which will be attached to the website, but which may not be open all year. With fun triggers, a little flash sale-like."

quote wwv We see our b2b partners as ambassadors."

App for Malelions
The digital roadmap also includes an app for Malelions, said Offermeijer: "We will probably launch it in the second quarter, the KPIs are already defined. That app can boost direct traffic and make us less dependent on the paid channels of Google and Meta. Apart from that, an app obviously fits perfectly with the community we have built from day one, and which we are still working with every day."

The app can excite customers, make them enthusiastic and make them stay fans, outlines Offermeijer: "For example, with app only products, extra discounts or a gift on your birthday. I also see possibilities with gamification, such as with kickboxing organization Glory. That customers can hit a virtual punching bag in the run-up to matches and win prizes. So there are all kinds of fun activations that people can get into."

quote wwv Malelions' new app fits our community perfectly."

Stable base
Malelions became big thanks to eye-catching collaborations with kickboxers, motocrossers, artists, drivers and other influencers. Over a hundred so-called ambassadors bring positive attention to the brand every week. "We make a lot of noise," says Offermeijer, "but the driving force is the back end. Everything you don't see." That's where everything has to be right, from personnel to production to partners to promotion. "We've had the discipline to lay a stable foundation that we can now build on. Then you're talking about cost structures, systems and production channels, steering by total cost of ownership. Maybe less sexy, but fundamental."

Grab everything at Webwinkel Vakdagen, step up to everyone."

Leftover pot
Malelions has grown healthily since its inception, from day one with its own resources. "That's spicy at times, but also a strength," Offermeijer said. "Many e-commerce companies are revenue-driven. All very nice, but approach it from the other side, I would say: if you get more out of your existing customers, you can have money left over at the bottom line. You can use that money for further growth. That way you can also win back new customers."

Webwinkel Vakdagen
At the Webwinkel Vakdagen, Offermeijer talks about how he managed to scale profitably with Malelions and how he is building a real fashion empire with colleagues. He has some clear advice for visitors to the event who are not as far along with online business, as he himself was nine years ago. "Make sure you get there before opening time and don't leave until after closing time. Grab everything and step up to anyone who can help you move forward, because at the Webwinkel Vakdagen you are right on the fire. Take pen and paper and go home with a head full of ideas."

Malelions x Webwinkel Vakdagen

Thijs Offermeijer shares Malelions' growth story in an interview on the main stage of Webwinkel Vakdagen. The conversation on digital entrepreneurship is scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, at 12.00.

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