WE AMPLIFY YOU.
We design suits for passionate people
in the pursuit of their goals. In a world where you can
design for anyone, she uses her talent to make athletes
shine in sports and in business. Every month, we share the
inspiration for one of our suits. First up is the story
of Lisa De Croocq.
LISA DE CROOCQ
Designing for a new generation of business women.
She would never call herself that, but Lisa De Croocq is a female role model in the sports and entertainment industry. We had the honour of designing a tailored suit for her.
But how can one garment embody sports, business and fearless female energy?
We aimed to create an outfit tailored to the world of sport and business. Did we succeed?
THE MEETING
Tessa Wardenburg and Lisa De Croocq met on a trip with the Red Devils. Tessa had just created the outfits for the Belgian National Soccer Team, and Lisa was there to represent the event host Bacardi-Martini. “When I saw Lisa, I immediately knew I wanted to design a suit for her”, Tessa remembers. “Despite her young age, she seemed so at ease in a room full of board members.”
THE CLIENT: LISA DE CROOCQ
“I have always been drawn to sport”, Lisa explains. “I played tennis, was a ball girl at the Diamond Games, gave tennis lessons and volunteered at the WTA in Singapore. ” Even though Lisa got her degree in Business Engineering, she knew that her destiny was to be a part of the exciting world of sports and entertainment. “I am just a sports freak”, she laughs. Together with Aline Fobe (national hockey team) and Tomas Vandenspiegel (CEO Flanders Classics), Lisa wrote a thesis on Corporate Sports Hospitality in the Jupiler Pro League. It led to her first job at Anderlecht, where she eventually became the head of the RSC Anderlecht sponsorship department. Currently, she works at Bacardi-Martini: another love brand with a strong reputation in the entertainment industry. She is responsible for the marketing of power brands Bombay and Grey Goose in the Benelux. “My current position allows me to use the experience I acquired at RSC Anderlecht while continuing to grow and be surrounded by strong brands and business people. A very good move for my career development”, Lisa explains.
A SPORTS INDUSTRY ROLE MODEL
“Lisa is one of those people who thrive in a fast-paced environment, always challenging herself to go further”, Tessa says. “Even at the young age of 27, she has already achieved more than some of us ever will. Lisa has a great love for sports and is very entrepreneurial. To me,
she embodies the future. She is the living example of how a woman can reach anything she sets her mind to. Just like Michael Verschueren is a role model for many men in the sports industry, to me, Lisa is the face of a new generation of businesswomen in sports and entertainment. She is refreshing and inspiring to everyone around her. And beautiful in such an effortless way.”
THE CHALLENGE: HOW TO COMBINE SPORTS AND BUSINESS.
“I don’t see myself as a fashionista”, Lisa explains. “I usually wear something sporty or business casual, and I don’t spend hours in front of a mirror in the mornings, nor do I often wear high heels. So even though I was very excited about the idea of being dressed by Tessa, I had no idea what to expect. I trusted her intuition and gave her very few directions. The only thing I insisted on was that I wanted the suit to feel comfortable, look sporty, and exude confidence without being overly formal. I am constantly surrounded by people dressed in sportswear, so I wanted to avoid looking too overdressed.”
THE FABRIC, DESIGN, AND COLOUR CHOICES
Tessa decided to go with a wide, double-breasted power suit. “Lisa’s hair is a light shade of ginger, so my thoughts immediately went to either a dark green or a burgundy fabric. Both colours would complement her features beautifully. Black is too harsh, a lighter colour would drain her complexion.” As the two women were debating whether to go for green or red, sports and business icon Michael Verschueren overheard the conversation. He loved the idea of a red suit for himself, Tessa remembers. “So that settled it for us. They could not both wear a statement piece like that, so we decided on the green for Lisa.” The fabric is by Italian luxury brand Loro Piana and is made of wool from native Australian long-haired sheep. Its thread thickness is 150, making it strong but still flowy.
THE RESULT
So, what does Lisa think about her new suit? “I love that it has these subtle accents, like the pink lining on the inside. It fits like a glove and is very comfortable to wear. The pieces can be worn separately or together. I mix and match the blazer and the pants with other garments.
I put on sneakers for a casual look or heels to dress up for an occasion. I love that it is a one-of-kind suit. Nobody else has the exact same one.” Since its completion, Lisa has worn her tailored WBT suit on various occasions, to a sports gala and when Anderlecht played the Cup Final. But she also wears it to business events. “A suit immediately puts you at a certain level. But at the same time, as I said before, you have to be careful not to look too overdressed in sports. Tessa did an outstanding job of finding that balance. I am very proud of her and honoured to be an ambassador for the Wardenburg brand.”
ARE YOU NEXT?
Would you also like a suit that brings out your best features and complements your personality? One that looks and feels effortless and comfortable? Then you are ready for a Wardenburg piece. Get in touch for an introductory meeting with Tessa.
So, what are your true colours? Time to let them shine!
