Vancoillie is the owner of Be-Angeled, a private women’s boutique, and creator of both a jewellery and a new handbag line. Although she might seem to have followed a pre-destined path, her career has been anything but typical. Soft-spoken and petting one of her two adopted dogs, she tells her story while her business and life partner looks on proudly.
“All the jobs that I’ve done in my life have helped me to do what I do now,” she says. “At the time, I didn’t know that it would all lend itself to today.”
That might explain how for three years Vancoillie has been everything from a stylist to a fashion photographer to an accountant. She has applied all she knows to create what can only be described as an impressive, consistent and noticeable style. Her home-made jewellery features bows and pearls, her colours of choice are pink and black, and the clothes in shop tend towards the feminine, the flattering and ethereal – but decidedly fashion-forward.
While not quite retro, there is a sweet ’50s charm to both the shop and the couple who runs it. The cosy, intimate boutique feels more like a large walk-in closet than a store. Her “inspiration room”, a tiny space off of the main entrance, is covered with pin-ups, and an old-fashioned vanity has been transformed to house thousands of beads for her jewellery production.
It is this own line of jewellery that started the entire Be-Angeled story. In 2007, Vancoillie began purchasing pieces of jewellery from Spain and France and selling them to friends at monthly parties she hosted at home. Every time, friends would bring around sisters or co-workers and soon she was hosting several parties a week. Over time, she expanded to include handbags and belts.
The first time she brought shoes into the collection, they sold out in two days. Two months later, her first jewellery collection turned out to be equally popular. Business continued to grow, and, two years ago, she bought the shop, which doubles as her home on the upper levels.
And like a friend’s house, you can’t just walk in but have to ring the doorbell. In fact, on most days, you’ll have to call in advance, for Be-Angeled is a private store with public shopping days limited to four per month.
There is a method to her madness. “We have all kinds of clients,” Vancoillie explains. “From people on a budget who come with a specific amount in mind they want to spend, to those who simply come for the service and exclusiveness. There are others who prefer the privacy of being able to shop and change clothes without a crowd standing around. It’s a bit of a refuge in here.”
Being a private shop also allows Vancoillie to maintain an exceedingly busy schedule. She visits Paris once a month to purchase a range of clothes – now some 1,000 pieces per trip – then packages, prices and photographs them all for the monthly newsletter. A price range of €20 to €60 explains why women flock to her shop the second week of every month to pick up yet another inexpensive yet totally exclusive fashion item.
Despite the increasing crowds on open days, Vancoillie still lights candles for ambiance and offers sparkling wine in the courtyard when the weather is nice. After all, it is her home.
There are plans for expansion to accommodate the growing list of invited shoppers, now more than 10,000. It’s no surprise, then, that Vancoillie’s own jewellery line is sold in more than 80 stores in Belgium, the Netherlands and France. She’s quite amazed by the growing fame. When her jewellery line got picked up by the famed French lingerie designer Chantal Thomass, she couldn’t believe it.
Her partner explained that Thomass is the Karl Lagerfeld of underwear. “No, not Karl,” Vancoillie gently admonishes. “Coco Chanel.”
Flanders Today is a 
11°C / 26°C
