Shoe brand Van Lier faces collapse after €1 million loss and unpaid COVID debt
Dutch shoe brand Van Lier is in serious financial trouble, posting a net loss of nearly 1 million euros in the past fiscal year and admitting it can no longer repay its COVID-era debts, according to preliminary financial data reviewed by Het Financieele Dagblad (FD) and RetailTrends.
The Noord-Brabant-based company saw its revenue fall by 2 million euros, from 15 million to 13 million euros in the fiscal year ending March 2025. Van Lier has formally reported its inability to pay the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration. It has requested what it called “an urgent conversation,” according to the company’s annual report cited by RetailTrends.
The company has reportedly hired a merger and acquisition adviser to secure new capital after reaching an agreement with its bank that additional funding is necessary. “Liquidity is monitored daily with a view to the continuity of the company,” the report said.
Van Lier, which has been in existence for more than 200 years, previously aimed to recover by focusing on online sales. However, webshop revenue declined by more than 700,000 euros, and wholesale turnover dropped by nearly 1 million euros. Earlier this year, the company was forced to shut down all seven of its stores. The retail subsidiary behind those locations filed for bankruptcy soon after.
In early April, CEO Christina van Spaendonck announced her departure from the company. She allegedly said in an internal email that she was seeking "a new challenge" and wanted to "broaden her horizon." Shortly afterward, Van Lier said its stores would close until further notice. They were permanently shuttered by the end of May, and Baylands Retail, Van Lier’s parent company, filed for bankruptcy.
