1.1 Our history

Oilily was founded in 1963 by Willem en Marieke Olsthoorn. The company initially concentrated on children’s clothing. At the time, children’s clothing was a smaller versions of adults’ clothing. Plain and ordinary. Primarily grey, white and black. Not exactly the colors with which to attract children.

Oilily’s children’s clothing was a spectacular reaction to this plain style. The brand distinguished itself through amazing color combinations, a mixture of influences from every corner of the world, humorous details, a combination of unlikely fabrics, and very high quality. These elements became its signature, and it came from placing the child’s world and experiences at the centre of its creative process. It was not the wishes of the parents that were important, but those of the children themselves. This completely new vision generated Oilily a multitude of fans worldwide which included John Travolta, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Bill Cosby. They regularly dressed their children in Oilily.

The success of the children’s clothing collection triggered the call for a women’s collection. That call became increasingly louder. A special team of designers was brought in. The imaginative prints, the high quality materials, and the unusual colour combinations found a hungry public among women in Asia, the Far East, the United States, and later in Europe. Famous ambassadors of Oilily’s women’s clothing were actresses such as Julia Roberts and Melanie Griffith.

However, one thing was still missing. A stage. A place where the brand could be experienced. The time was ripe for the Oilily Exclusive Store. A shop like Oilily itself: exclusive, surprising and untamed. It turned out to be an irresistible concept. In 15 years time, 300 Oilily Exclusive Stores were opened on every continent. The Oilily Exclusive Stores were located in the most exclusive shopping streets and in the world’s best visited shopping malls. Each of them was ideal locations to further develop the exclusive character of the brand.

The number of fans grew. Especially children. They besieged Oilily with letters asking for new products such as perfume, hair accessories, shoes, glasses, bags and bed linens. Oilily created a fan club for the letter writers and designed many of the accessories that they asked for. The first perfume for children was even created, helped by a panel of 50 children from different countries. Demand for Oilily Classic – later reborn as Oilily Flowers – has remained high for more than 20 years.

In 2001, Oilily stepped into the home decoration segment. It introduced the ‘polka dot’ tableware line. This marked a new phase whereby Oilily was seen as more than fashion and fashion accessories. This turned out to be a golden step. Right up to today, the polka dot line is one of the best sold lines of tableware in the Netherlands.

At the end of 2008, Oilily went bankrupt. Seven years after Willem and Marieke sold their shares to a bank and an investment company. As a consequence, all Oilily Exclusive Stores were also lost. It looked as though the entire brand would disappear. But the second generation of Olsthoorns could not bear this thought. At the beginning of 2009, the family bought the brand back. They were and still are determined to recreate the international Oilily brand and make it an international brand again.
 

1.2 Our mission

We believe in creativity. Creativity alone leads to fresh ideas, original products, and unexpected initiatives. By looking at the world differently, we are in a position to add new designs to the lives of the people around us. We will never be led by the latest trends; we prefer to be at the foundation of a new trend. But that is not really what we are looking for. It is by being ourselves that our designs remain authentic and unusual. And that is where our strength lies. Innovation is not a goal in itself but it flows from the creative urge to want to create the best and most beautiful product. We believe in creativity. Creativity leads to amazing products and amazing products lead to new experiences. And that is what makes life worth living.

Our motto is the exclamation mark behind this notion: Make new things happen

1.3 Working at Oilily

For current vacancies at Oilily, please visit: www.oililyworld.com

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