Meet Tessa Oldendorp | Owner and founder of LexiLou.nl

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tessa Oldendorp and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tessa, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’m half Dutch half Spanish. My Spanish grandmother always used to sew. She would sit in the kitchen behind her big table. The whole family (a traditionally Spanish large one) would bring their clothes to her.

Even when strolling outside if she saw a dress that someone was wearing which she liked, she could make an exact replica of it. Even without having the patterns. That is how I got my flamenco dress as a kid.
A true gift of working with your hands, is how I see it.

I have always been a creative person. I Love the whole process when it comes to entrepreneurship.
When I became a mom almost 3 years ago, I received a baby changing mat as a present. It wore out pretty quick and it felt very cold to the touch for a baby’s skin. I told my mother why can we not make something else? It needed a place to store diapers and wipes. (Because I was tired of carrying them around, when standing with my hands full with a baby)
That is where the idea of LexiLou was born. My mom and I sat behind the sewing machine and started some tests. At birthday parties or at gatherings my friends and family started asking where I had bought my mat. I told them I made them myself. I then started to make some for other people and when the demand became bigger I thought of starting my own (web)shop.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love having my business, it excists for 3 years now. In the beginning, it was hard. I am now noticing people are recognising the brand. I did this via my own labels on the product. Also I have made tags with my website that I put on my products. They contain a QR code. This way in whatever store my products are, people can get to my website immediately via their phones. This helps a lot, I try to put a lot of work in marketing and advertising via social media. I learned a lot about discounts on products that are not selling well. The use of sustainable and responsible materials also is a big part of my brand. Restocking things that sell quickly is also become on of my strenghts. Besides my company I have a 36 hour work week as a projectmanager with a construction company. I run (together with my husband) our family with 1 year old twins and a 2 year old toddler. Mother nature was very funny when we wanted a second child pretty quickly. I have a background in aviation.

I was born in Amsterdam the Netherlands. Being half Dutch half Spanish, I fluently speak Dutch and Spanish. I love to travel. Actually a very funny story. I found some American relatives 8 years ago via Facebook (and a school project where you had to look up your name and yourself on google). We have been in contact ever since and even feel as if I have known them my whole life. So I am in the states usually once or twice a year, if there are no flight restrictions, like the last two years.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My shop is in Amsterdam (the south part of it to be very specific). Well known for some unhealthy habits of some. But we actually have a lot more in Amsterdam. My shop is nearby the olympic stadium where there is a lot of history. But also a lot of nice routes throughout the city where you can learn a lot more about world war 2, the sometimes 200 year old homes and a lot more. As you can imagine the city has plenty of restaurants bars etc. Way too many to write down here.

I love to have some coffee at Vascobelo and walk around. Believe it or not ” de drie graefjes ” is an American bakery with lots of goodies to join that cup of coffee.
In the weekends croissants and freshly squeezed orange juice are a must do at the ” Amsterdamse proeflokaal ” or a nice ” Bitterbal ” at Jack Dish accompanied by a very cold ginger ale or beer.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This shout out is to my husband, who puts up with me (haha) taking up hours in the weekends or evenings sewing when we have 3 kids (1 year old twins and a 2 year old toddler). Sometimes I drive him nuts with all the stuff on the table. We live in a tiny apartment while our new house is being built. I also want to give a shout out to Hillary who was the first person to give me a shelf in her store to get my products well known with the shopping public. And last but not least my mother, who has helpt me in the beginning with making a lot of mats to produce a bigger stock.

Website: https://www.lexilou.nl

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexilou.nl/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexilounl