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Luxury with Passion Bella Donna/Regensburg. 27 years, many stops, and now the impact in one of Regensburg’s prime locations - the mother and daughter behind Bella Donna are proving that their instinct for the high-end niche market enables them to take great strides forward. Text: Martina Müllner. Photos: Bella Donna
watchful eye on the older one and credibly portraying the poster girl of a family dedicated to the fashion industry. Here it is quite natural that little Stella examines luxury shoes by Jimmy Choo while her mother talks about budgets, travelling, and the spirit of enterprise. The location is Regensburg, which is a dream come true for both mother and daughter. The fashion career of the Koller family had many stops: roots in Burglengenfeld, expansion into Dresden and Meissen, two still operative branches in Weiden and Bad Abbach, and in between all that a store in a remote setting in a renovated manor house in Maxhütte. Let’s Start from Scratch
This is a true family-owned business. Ulrike Koller clearly passed on her fashion genes to her three children, especially in the case of Katrin Koller-van Eersel, her middle daughter. The latter is holding her youngest daughter in her arms, while keeping a
So who does the Koller family need to thank for finally arriving in Regensburg, the “much lived and loved city”? They have to thank none other than Ulrike Koller’s hairdresser. He knew that the well-established fur shop Saar was about to close down, leaving a large gap in a 1A location in Regensburg. Vertical businesses and brands were already outbidding each other to secure the space. She jumped out of the hairdresser chair, rushed into the shop in question, and approached the previous tenant directly without any hesitation. He knew what was going on instantly and said: “Mrs Koller, you want to rent
Ulrike Koller and Katrin Koller-van Eersel - mother and daughter are running the family business.
my shop.” The initial “Yes, I do!” was followed by many weeks of tough negotiations, which were a test of patience for the energetic ladies who were eager to get going. Finally, in February 2013, the landlords decided in favour of the family-owned company instead of opting for quick cash. It is quite amazing what mother and daughter managed to achieve within the very short time until July. The achievements include - among others - the renovation and the purchasing process, which proved to be more difficult than expected. Many brands that already had successful relationships with the Koller family’s more remote outlets, were already tied up in Regensburg - unfortunately with the heavyweight directly opposite. “As a consequence we looked for a niche in our high-end product range. My mother loves the purchasing aspect of the business. She mastered this task with all the passion she could muster”, Katrin Koller-van Eersel explains. The store design - a collaboration with an architect - was also organised by the mother, while the daughter, who has a background in business economics and experience in the fashion industry, took care of human resources, budgeting, and marketing.
The shop windows are separated from the store by lamellae, but are still integrated into the shop.
A Little Privacy
The Koller family runs their store in a very family-oriented manner and is just as cordial when interacting with its many regular customers. A shopping appointment with the saleswoman of choice can easily take half a day. In the remote location in Maxhütte many customers compare the extraordinary service to a day spa. All one has to do to recreate this intimacy and deceleration in the new store, is to climb to the upper level of the shop, where a bar and a private shopping lounge with a huge changing room and make-up table ensure that time truly flies. Furthermore, a discreet back door leads to a rarity in this convoluted medieval town - a parking spot. Perfect for those who like shopping, but don’t enjoy parading around with shopping bags.
Bella Donna Neupfarrplatz/Ober Bachgasse 1, 93047 Regensburg/ Germany, www.belladonna-moden.de Opening: July 2013 Owners: Ulrike Koller, Katrin Koller-van Eersel Employees: 25 Sales area: 300 sqm Brands: Acne, Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Brunello Cucinelli, Frauenschuh, Golden Goose, Herno, Humanoid, Iro, Inverni, Isabel Marant, New Scotland Cashmere, Issa, Odeeh, Reed Krakoff, Stouls, Superfine, Tory Burch, Victoria Beckham Shoe brands: Acne, Alberto Fasciani, Golden Goose, Jimmy Choo, Ndc, Rocco P, Tod’s, Unützer
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