J'N'C Magazine 3/2015

JEANSWEAR And CONTEMPORARY FASHION

English

No 61 / 3-2015

No 61 / 3-2015

Cool CIties / Cologne

Cool Cities Cologne Street Styles Retail Talks ANd Service

INterviewS: Lena Terlutter & Leonard Dobroshi, Lina MIccio, Felix Staeudinger & MarK Grütters,

ENGLISH

Marco Lanowy, Björn Gericke, D 9.50 Eur B/NL/A 10.50 EUr E/P/I 11.50 Eur CH 15.80 CHF

Oliver Frielingsdorf

S UM M E R PA N T S

www.alberto-pants.com

KA U BR FHAU U B E N N E NS J A N RL IN STR DOR MI . 19 F ZA TT LA FA S N D O E 2 1 HIO .DE 0 7 – N H O U/ SE 10

JUL Y2

015

Gain Knowledge.

Take Action.

Earn Respect.

Organic cotton is woven through our minds and actions.

We are crazy about fancy cars. But we have to accept the challenge that CO2 emissions from the use of fossil fuels are accelerating global warming.

Scientists have conďŹ rmed that Earth is melting at both ends, which could have disastrous eects for coastal cities, villages and life on planet Earth.

So whenever we can, we are riding our bikes. It gives is iron legs and makes us nimble fast as we are speeding through urban life.

KnowledgeCotton Apparel uses only Organic Cotton and sustainable materials to manufacture clever clothing.

GDS – Global Destination for Shoes & Accessories

TRENDS OF TOMORROW SEEN AT GDS TODAY. GDS IS A MODERN SECTORAL PLATFORM AND KICK-OFF EVENT WHERE THE RETAIL CAN GATHER INFORMATION ON ALL SEGMENTS. THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT FROM 29 TO 31 JULY 2015 WHEN GDS KICKS OFF AGAIN. THE THREE LIFESTYLE-WORLDS HIGHSTREET, POP UP AND STUDIO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF NEW COLLECTIONS AND TRENDS FOR THE 2016 S/S SEASON TO RETAILERS, ALLOWING THEM TO PLAN THEIR RANGES WITH ALL THE INFORMATION AT THEIR FINGERTIPS. The POP UP Area has found a new home in hall 10 thereby moving closer to the trade show action. Housed until now in hall 9 the catwalk will be located in hall 10. The STUDIO Fashion Show “Soft Modern” will feature current trends from the Premium segment. The scene area RICHTIG WICHTIG will also move to hall 10 to celebrate its second edition.

This time: “London Calling” is the motto for the new season.

DESIGN TRENDSETTER GDS will again be presenting 20 international Design Trendsetter as part of the STUDIO world in order to kick off the new season with new impulses. In February 2015 GDS established this unique platform for designers from the premium segment. This platform provides important impulses, promotes excellence and creates true added value for visitors

presenting a whole array of trends. Participating designers such as Laurence Dacade, Christina Martini/Nikolas Minoglou with their brand “Ancient Greek Sandals”, Alain Tondowski, Charline de Luca are already successfully established in the premium market.

HALLE HALL HALLEN HALLS

3·4·5

HALLE HALL

9

10 FASHION SHOWS RICHTIG WICHTIG

HALLEN HALLS

17·16

TRENDS @ GDS The Highlight Route running through the three GDS LifestyleWorlds doubles as a stage for special product presentations and events. GDS TREND SPOTS in hall 5 are grouped into a separate area in an atmospheric setting, providing important information on seasonal trends for S/S 2016. GDS FORUM TOUCH is a contact point for visitors to see and touch seasonal as well as cross-seasonal innovations and materials.

INTERNATIONAL FOOTWEAR SOURCING FOOTWEAR DFS FASHION SOURCING

DÜSSELDORF FASHION SOURCING AT TAG IT! tag it! – The Private Label Show will be held in parallel to GDS. For the first time Chinatex Advertising & Exhibition (CTEC) will organise a trade show in context with tag it!. While Düsseldorf Fashion Sourcing (DFS) focuses on Clothing & Textiles, tag it! targets on Private Label in the footwear and accessories segments.

FASHION BLOGGER PROJECT “READY TO WEAR POLISH BRANDS!” New: GDS is cooperating with the fashion trade HUSH Warsaw. Under the project name “READY TO WEAR Polish Brands!” five selected brands will be exhibiting their collections in the HIGHSTREET concept area. Among them Nowińska, Goshico, Mako, Baldowski and Mumu. Exciting: the winner of the HUSH selected contest “LOFT37” will be part of the show.

Furthermore, GDS will also dedicate a whole day to the numerous fashion bloggers with an exciting programme: centre stage on Friday will be the FashionBloggerCafé Shoedition. A minimum of 150 fashion bloggers are expected to attend. Fashion bloggers – and the new GDS blogger testimonial Nina Schwichtenberg alias “Fashiioncarpet” – will style the models at the Blogger Runway Show.

OUT OF THE BOX THE FESTIVAL ENTERS ITS SECOND ROUND On the last day of GDS, 31 July 2015, GDS celebrates OUT OF THE BOX – The Festival for Shoes & Accessories.

Shoe enthusiasts can look forward to exciting events in public locations in the city centre of Düsseldorf.

For more information visit: www.gds-online.com

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL

CLOSER TO HOME THIS TIME WE HAVE TAKEN THE MOTTO ‘THINK GLOBAL,

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ACT LOCAL’ TO HEART.

16

After focusing our research on the South American market for our last issue, this time we wanted to draw a direct comparison with the fashionable offers on our own doorstep. And our destination of choice was the wonderful city of Cologne, which, due to a regional long-standing rivalry, is pretty much out of bounds for us Düsseldorfers. Until the turn of the century, the city was renowned in the fashion industry as a strong trade fair location, but then the spotlight turned to Berlin, whose tradeshow industry blossomed as a consequence.

The question that we asked ourselves on our travels up and down the A57 motorway in the first week of May was: ‘What can Cologne still bring to the table?’ ‘A lot!’ was our answer after just a few days spent visiting the Rhine metropolis. And the best proof of this is our encounters there, like the one with Lina Miccio, who with her PR agency The Edge has close links to the Cologne art and culture scene and is deploying her extensive network of musicians, actors, sports personalities and artists in the PR work for denim label Replay. Another case in point is the talented Lena Terlutter who, together with her husband Leonard Dobroshi, is showing the retail trade how to do extremely successful business in times of Facebook and Instagram. Read both interviews in our Cool Cities Cologne special from page 60.

But with all this talk of Cologne, of course we didn’t want to totally turn our back on our hometown of Düsseldorf. Mark Grütters from Fashion Factory

by MG and his business partner Felix Staeudinger from Panorama Distribution have recently relocated from Düsseldorf’s city centre to the nearby district of Flingern. An old, light-filled carpenter’s workshop is their new domicile where we met them to find out what the two fashion pros think about traditional brands and the current male image, as well as what is so appealing about being located in an old industrial area.

Björn Gericke can also be proud of his impressive Düsseldorf headquarters. The owner of jacket label G-LAB is the son of motorcycle clothing specialist Hein Gericke. Björn is making the most of his skills in technical finishing and details, combined with his own high aesthetic standards to create an urban jacket collection of unrivalled quality.

From jackets to trousers: Marco Lanowy, who we visited at the Alberto HQ in Mönchengladbach, is an expert in this field. And he also has a clear vision of how bricks-and-mortar fashion retailers can play out their strengths in a more targeted manner. From page 68 you can read all about why he is forecasting major changes on shop floors for the next five years.

So much concentrated fashion know-how in a radius of not even 40 kilometres is certainly remarkable – but as far as this issue’s fashion shoots are concerned we chose to go global again: John Gripenholm shot the ‘L’Heure Bleue’ editorial for J’N’C in New York, while Eduardo Miera impressed us with his pictorial take on The Talented Mr Ripley, shot on the beach of Cala Margarida, not far from Barcelona.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at this summer’s international tradeshows, as well as the upcoming events on our home turf, and wish you all the best for the new season!

Ilona Marx

ILONA MARX Of all the weeks in the year, we scheduled the week of the longest rail strike in German history for the production of this issue’s Cool Cities Cologne special – which is why Ilona Marx and Düsseldorf photographer Tinka Zimmer had no choice but to make their way to the cathedral city in Ilona’s 1970s Vauxhall Kadett. On one of the car journeys back home, they both noticed that the way to the motorway back to Düsseldorf (the capital city of North-Rhine Westphalia) is only signposted with ‘Krefeld’ and ‘Neuss’, with no mention of Düsseldorf in sight! But let’s not dwell on that. Like so many other cultural traditions, it’s important to foster the ageold Düsseldorf- Cologne rivalry too.

READ THE GERMAN VERSION OF THIS EDITORIAL ON WWW.JNC-NET.DE FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/ JNC_MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

OVERVIEW

CONTENTS

THE MASTERPIECES

29

STREET STYLES

44

LINA MICCIO

62

22

72

MARCO LANOWY

68

COLOGNE RETAIL

PANORAMA × FASHION FACTORY

46

LENA TERLUTTER & LEONARD DOBROSHI

60

FASHION SHOOTS

84

64

FASHION SHOOTS

106

10 QUESTIONS FOR ...

114

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COLUMN

42

COOL CITIES COLOGNE

BJÖRN GERICKE

RETAIL, YME, OSLO 18

78

FASHION SHOOTS

100

FASHION SHOOTS

92

CONTENTS

OVERVIEW

CONTENTS 16 18 20 22 24

EDITORIAL CONTENTS IMPRINT COLUMN / CONTRIBUTORS BITS & PIECES

FASHION SHOOTS DOMENIC HERDER

GAUDEAMUS IGITUR

84

JOHN GRIPENHOLM

THE MASTERPIECES

29

COOL CITIES COLOGNE

42

STREET STYLES RETAIL SERVICE TALKS – LENA TERLUTTER & LEONARD DOBROSHI TALKS – LINA MICCIO

44 46 56 60 62

L’HEURE BLEUE

92

EDUARDO MIERA

EL TALENTO DE MR RIPLEY

100

LARS WEBER

A CLASS OF ITS OWN

106

TEN QUESTIONS FOR

BRANDS & BRAINS PANORAMA DISTRIBUTION X FASHION FACTORY INTERVIEW WITH FELIX STAEUDINGER & MARK GRUETTERS

64

ALBERTO INTERVIEW WITH MARCO LANOWY

68

G-LAB INTERVIEW WITH BJÖRN GERICKE

72

KNOWLEDGE COTTON APPAREL

76

OLIVER FRIELINGSDORF GAASTRA

114

COVERING THE FULL SPECTRUM IT’S TIME FOR THE SPECIALISTS THE LABORATORY OF MR G. LEARNING FROM THE DANES

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RETAIL

20

YME, OSLO FASHION FAIRY TALES

78

WEISSGLUT, MUNICH WHITE HEAT

80

PUBLISHER B+B MEDIA COMPANY GmbH Hildebrandtstr. 24 d 40215 Düsseldorf Germany Tel. +49 (0)211 8303 0 Fax +49 (0)211 8303 200 info@jnc-net.de, www.jnc-net.de

FREELANCE CONTRIBUTORS Gerlind Hector /gh, Cheryll Mühlen /cm, Fredericke Winkler /fw

MANAGING DIRECTOR Michael Rieck

ILLUSTRATION Mathias Suess

PUBLISHING MANAGEMENT Michael Rieck

TRANSLATION Galina Green, Paula Hedley www.trendtranslations.de

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ilona Marx /im ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Pierre D’Aveta

PHOTOGRAPHY John Gripenholm, Domenic Herder, Eduardo Miera, Judith Wagner, Lars Weber, Bernd Wichmann, Tinka Zimmer

DESIGN & LAYOUT Martin Steinigen, chewing the sun www.chewingthesun.com IMAGE EDITING Jean Pascal Zahn

COPY EDITORS Paula Hedley, Eva Westhoff HEAD OF PRODUCTION Stefan Mugrauer PRINT Schaffrath Druckmedien, Geldern ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Pierre D’Aveta Tel. +49 (0)211 8303 151 p.daveta@bb-mediacompany.com

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We assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photos, etc. The magazine and all of its contents and images are protected by copyright.

The place of business and jurisdiction is in all cases Düsseldorf.

COLUMN

TEXT GERLIND HECTOR ILLUSTRATION MATHIAS SUESS

Some of our

CONTRIBUTORS

EDUARDO MIERA

COLUMN

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Shades of Grey

22

Have you seen it yet? The cover of W Magazine featuring Jane Fonda sporting a navelplunging neckline, complete with a modest glimpse of cleavage. Pretty sexy and certainly very attractive. But wait a minute: the Hollywood legend is 77 years old! Does anyone even want to see that?

Apparently so! Because it would seem that old is “in”. This explains why senior citizens aren’t just beaming out at us from ads for denture cleanser and stair lifts, but are now also taking over the international catwalks and even the pages of Vogue. Carmen Dell’Orefice, meanwhile the grand old age of 84, models the latest styles in the hallowed fashion bible and is not just well-respected by the fashion crowd, but also commands their genuine admiration.

There are even increasing numbers of OAPs achieving ‘it’ girl status. In comparison, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian & co, with their unlined peachy-soft complexions and scantilyclad in their glitzy gladrags seem laughable and, dare I say it, a tad cheap in comparison.

Oozing the true coolness factor, on the other hand, are ladies like businesswoman Iris Apfel, who is steadily approaching her midnineties, but a whole lot more stylish than all the Cara Delevingnes and Olivia Palermos put together. Her secret? She has found her individual style and stuck to it.

And the silver style hype is also sweeping across the blogosphere, the natural habitat of teens and twenty-somethings: New Yorker Ari Seth Cohen regularly takes photographs of head-turning fashionistas on the streets of Manhattan, but you won’t make it in front of his lens if you’re under 60.

The rather apt title of his blog is ‘Advanced

Style’. And let’s be honest, those pretty young things who need half an hour to put their eyeliner on straight in the morning and who can’t tell the difference between silk and synthetic, simply don’t cut it in the coolness stakes. British fashion journalist Sarah Harris, who is au fait with the topic, was one of the first to recognise the yawning boredom of youthful perfection. Now in her mid-thirties, she wears her full head of grey with pride. Twenty-something Lady Gaga, who is blessed with an excellent sense of tomorrow’s mega-trends, even dyes her hair silver-grey and might just also have a few furrows implanted into her brow or draw on some liver spots. Who knows?

And now moving swiftly on to the topic of sex, in a time when we are only just learning to discover the erotica of wrinkled skin and creaking replacement hips: the cougars, who have already been logging onto their own dating sites for quite some time now, are showing their much younger lovers that when it comes to bedtime antics, years of experience are a lot hotter than a flawless body that’s a dud between the sheets.

Jane Fonda also has a tale or two to tell about that. It was only after her 50th birthday that she became a member of the Mile High Club, a notional sorority in which the only admission requirement is to have indulged in a romp at high altitude.

Jane Fonda herself doesn't really give two flying figs about all the hype regarding her status as a greying fashion icon. She recently met the sweet Barbadian singer Rihanna who greeted her with the words: “Oh my God! I want to be you when I grow up!” Fonda answered drily: “Isn’t it weird? In my dotage!”

We asked Eduardo Miera to shoot cool guys at the beach for this issue. No problem for the Catalan photographer: after all, he also loves hanging out on Icària and Mar Bella, the golden sandy playas of his hometown Barcelona. Which means he has seen his fair share of laid-back posing and knows exactly what makes a great shot.

Edu, as he’s known, also finds inspiration on his many travels around the globe and in his kitchen: as well as being an excellent photographer, his aim is also to be an excellent cook.

LARS WEBER Cuddly rabbits, puppy dogs? Forget it! Lars Weber prefers Sphynx cats, a feline breed known for its lack of fur. Not that this surprises us, of course: we weren’t expecting anything mainstream from the Hamburgbased photographer when we asked him to join us in Berlin for a fashion shoot. Lars knows exactly how to create the perfect scene, and having trained as a communications designer working for numerous magazines in London and New York, he has an inimitable knack for lighting, composition and, of course, exciting visuals.

ELKE RÜSS At the age of eleven she sewed her first denim miniskirt and, accessorising it with her granny’s pearls, dressed up for her first ever photo shoot in the parish garden with her sisters. Yes, Elke is the daughter of a priest, the second of a total of five.

Despite this, the Hamburg resident chose to seek her fortune beyond the religious realm, finding what she was looking for in the world of fashion. Following an apprenticeship in dressmaking in Nuremberg, she headed to London for a year when she was 19, before moving to Hamburg to study a degree in costume and fashion design. She applied her costume skills to the theatre, but ultimately, it was too much drama for her. The film buff still doesn’t want to turn her back on the theatre entirely though: “Maybe one day I’ll get to do the costume design for a film. That would be a dream come true.”

BITS & PIECES

BITS & PIECES

PINNED BY K:

FRINGE BENEFITS Accessories for us. Accessories for our smartphones. Accessories for our bags. But accessories for our shoes?

Yes, please! And preferably in the shape of nifty little pin-on fringing from the Dutch company Pinned by K. These styles not only add flair to every shoe – whether sneakers, lace-ups or heels – but also catch the eye of many an (envious) onlooker. Here’s to looking different and turning heads! /cm WWW.PINNEDBYK.COM

DENHAM: 5PREVIEW:

TRAVEL LIGHT … … is the focus of 5Preview’s spring/ summer 2016 collection. And during this season the label will be showing off its many sides. The Swedish company has three different themes in the new collection, ensuring stylistic and colourful variety for your wardrobe: ‘Asphalt’ is all about urban futurism, ‘Seaside Resort’ is conjuring images of the French Riviera style in the 1960s and ‘The Hood’ represents “a place where plenty of shit goes down, a place you wouldn’t want to be …” or, expressed in a slightly less sinister way: sub-urban influences with the sporty hip-hop flair of the 90s. So get ready for ever-changing looks in the 5Preview style. /cm

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WWW.5PREVIEW.SE

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SNIP SNIP!

The jeanmaker’s scissors have not only been perpetuated in Denham’s logo, but are also providing the inspiration for the Dutch label’s spring/summer 2016 core collection. In more precise terms, the focus is on the discolouration of the crude steel used to make a pair of scissors. This explains why dark copper plays the leading role in their core colour range, rounded off with other tones in addition to a hand-painted camouflage print. The key denim fits include Yoga Denim, Eco-Ice, Forever Black and Campaign Chino, all of which represent style, functionality and comfort rolled into one. /cm WWW.DENHAMTHEJEANMAKER.COM

ADIDAS ORIGINALS:

ADILETTE 2.0

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you: the Adilette sandal has made it into this issue’s Bits & Pieces! Before the surging wave of normcore crashed over us, this footwear option by Adidas was having a major image problem, finding itself relegated to the edges of crowded hotel pools rather than where they are today: in front of the camera lenses of numerous street-style photographers. The Herzogenaurachbased company has ensured a touch more individuality with its new ‘mi adidas’ feature that allows you to customise your own pair of Adilettes! Whether with a red strap or green insole, your own initials, made of cool leather or in a glamorous fur style: your own creativity knows no bounds – and the Adilette sandal’s outdated, passé image is finally being banished forever. /cm WWW.MIADIDAS.COM

HALL 3, 3.10

WWW.CAMELACTIVE.DE

MODA, Birmingham: 09.– 11.08.15

CIFF, Copenhagen: 05.– 07.08.15

HALLE 29, Düsseldorf: 25.– 27.07.15

MODEFABRIEK, Amsterdam: 12.– 13.07.15

PANORAMA, Berlin: 07.– 09.07.15

VISIT U S AT:

BITS & PIECES

ATF:

ULTRA-WEARABLE

Max and Moritz are a great team. And we don't mean the cheeky little rascals from Wilhelm Busch’s legendary illustrated children’s stories, but Max Crämer and Moritz Lorenz, the two founders of new menswear street label ATF. After all the duo isn’t only synonymous with innovative fabrics and a sporty cool design, but can also boast the ‘exclusively made in Europe’ label. Now the two Nuremberg locals have opened a studio in their hometown, which, in addition to the ATF collections, also offers sunglasses by Berlin label R.T.CO, bottles and cases from Klean Kanteen and a selection of magazines. So if you’re in the area, make sure you stop by! /cm

BAUM & PFERDGARTEN:

STREET STYLE Where’s the best place to spot the latest looks? On the streets, of course! So with this in mind, Danish label Baum & Pferdgarten have rounded up the coolest Copenhagen street style icons and, for their lookbook, dressed them up in clothes from the label’s 2016 resort collection. The photos were shot by Adam Katz Sinding. Our opinion? A big thumbs up for playful looks in the style of Patti Smith and an out-of-the-ordinary lookbook concept. /cm

WWW.ATF-CLOTHING.COM

WWW.BAUMUNDPFERDGARTEN.COM

IKEA X WALTER VAN BEIRENDONCK:

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A BETTER EVERYDAY LIFE You’d be hard pushed to find a piece of furniture that’s as popular as the classic shelving unit from IKEA. But ‘Billy’ is about to get some competition: the Swedish ready-toassemble furniture chain has no less than twenty design collaborations up its sleeve. And starting the ball rolling is none other than Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck – one of the legendary Antwerp Six and renowned for his humorous and avant-garde menswear. The furniture design-series will be launched in June 2016 and we already can’t wait. “For the cooperation with IKEA I wanted to tell a story, one that could start anywhere,” explains Van Beirendonck. “So I came up with the idea of different characters who live in the clouds.” Martin Bergström and Katie Eary have also been announced as future cooperation partners. /cm

GUESS:

COPACABANA Barry Manilow’s summer hit ‘Copacabana’ from the year 1978 would make the perfect soundtrack for the new SS16 collection by Guess.

After all, wild animal prints and hot summer colours like ‘Paradise Green’, ‘Frozen Papaya’ and ‘Pink Cocktail’ capture the tropical vibe perfectly, combined with geometrical and seventies patterns. So let’s head on down to “the Copa, Copacabana” where “music and passion were always the fashion”. /cm

WWW.IKEA.COM WWW.GUESS.COM

26

CONTE MP OR ARY FAS HION TRA DE S HO W

S P R I N G / SUMME R 2016 A R EN A B ER L I N

JUL Y 8 T H - 10 TH , 2015

E I CHE NS TR A S S E 4

WWW.S E E K E X HIB IT IONS .COM

12435 B E R LI N

THE MASTERPIECES

THE MASTERPIECES EDITOR’S PICK

J’N’C PROUDLY PRESENTS: THE MASTERPIECES THAT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME TRUE CLASSICS

TEXT CHERYLL MÜHLEN

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PHOTOS BERND WICHMANN

29

THE MASTERPIECES

A Little Luxury – CARTUJANO

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48 Hours CARTUJANO ‘Cartujano’ is a special breed of Andalusian horse and a Spanish thoroughbred. We’re not going to talk about stud farms here though, but about a luxury label from Mallorca with the same name that has successfully been

making shoes and leather goods for 137 years now. Currently in its portfolio is the ‘48 Hours’ travel bag with which, as the name suggests, you are perfectly equipped for weekends away.

The spacious interior, with three

separate sections inside and four outside compartments – a large one on the front and three on the back – offers exactly the storage needed for a quick trip. Especially practical is the detachable shoulder strap. The blue leather

WWW.CARTUJANO.COM 30

in the colour ‘Velero’ – which is Spanish for sailing boat – beautifully matches the caramel-beige striped lining, reminiscent of traditional Spanish horse blankets. It’s time to start travelling in style. /cm

AUGUST 8 –11

JULY

8–10

STATIONBERLIN

MOC MUNICH

www.premiumexhibitions.com

THE MASTERPIECES

Well-Camouflaged – DIESEL

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M-Comeas DIESEL ‘Successfully made in Italy’ can be read on the label of this item

by Diesel, summing up what the polo neck jumper with chunky knit elements is destined to be: a success. Made from 50% finest mohair, the jumper from the

label’s autumn/winter 2015 collection is also destined to keep its wearer cosily warm. But that’s not all. Thanks to its loose-knit structure and bright cheerful colours, ‘M-Comeas’ has what it takes to be a favourite piece

all year round. And seeing as the last thing it will provide is any kind of cover, its military pop camouflage pattern should definitely be understood as a paradox. Instead, wearers of this masterpiece by the Italian fash-

WWW.DIESEL.COM 32

ion company will find themselves very much the centre of attention. In the best possible way, of course! /cm

VISIT US

H3-F04

FA S H I O N E N G I N E E R I N G

www.g-lab.com / info@g-lab.com / +49 211 43 61 67 0

THE MASTERPIECES

Permission to Come Aboard, Captain! – GAASTRA

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The Galleon GAASTRA Permission granted! ‘The Galleon’ sweater is, after all, worthy enough to be worn by a captain.

And Gaastra, the traditional label from the small harbour town of Sneek in the Netherlands, a seafaring nation that ruled the high seas for centuries, should know

what the trend-conscious sailor needs on and off deck. So this men’s style in heavyweight jersey not only reflects the label’s nautical heritage, but also provides everything that water-loving men need from their cool basics: fashion and function. Although

it has to be said that the functionality of this great design is almost irrelevant, considering its great all-over quilted pattern and washed-out indigo colour. But Gaastra wouldn’t be Gaastra if it didn’t add a large zipped breast pocket for safely storing your

WWW.GAASTRAPROSHOP.COM 34

most important gadgets. “Made for sailing, perfected in revolutionary fashion” – a promise that the Dutch label has certainly fulfilled.

THE MARKETPL ACE FOR LEADING BRANDS

I N T E R N AT I O N A L F A S H I O N T R A D E S H O W | 7 – 9 J U LY 2 0 15 www.panorama-berlin.com

THE MASTERPIECES

Circle of Life – KNOWLEDGE COTTON APPAREL

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Parka KNOWLEDGE COTTON APPAREL A quick look inside and the message is clear: “Congratulations, you are now the proud owner of our latest PET garment.” Danish label Knowledge Cotton Apparel likes to congratulate everyone who is supporting them in their mission: by 2020 they are aim-

ing to have recycled more than 4.5 million PET bottles. And the parka – the latest addition to our list of chosen Masterpieces – is certainly getting things off to a great start. While the outer material is 100% cotton, the lining is made of polyethylene

terephthalate, PET for short.

And to ensure that the jacket is also functional when cold winter days turn into spring, the lining can simply be unzipped. Details like the blue-and-white striped pocket lining, leather zip tag and practical press studs add to the

WWW.KNOWLEDGECOTTONAPPAREL.COM 36

high-quality look of this intense olive green double-layered parka, making it a long-term fashionable staple that scores extra points for its responsible sustainability. Very much in keeping with the label’s “never going away strategy”.

A NEW PART OF PANORAMA BERLIN

1ST FLOOR 1ST INSPIRATION SPRING / SUMMER 2016 7 – 9 JULY 2015 www.panorama-berlin.com

THE MASTERPIECES

Here, Kitty Kitty – UENOBE

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Puss on Boots UENOBE “I offer you ‘wearable art’, and create shoes with topics that make people smile,” says the Japanese designer Tetsuya Uenobe about the inspiration for his designs. “I like to give smiles not only to the people who wear my shoes, but also to the people who glance at my

works on the street.” And the added bonus: Uenobe makes everything by hand – other than a sewing machine he uses only handheld tools, which makes every single pair unique.

Like this masterpiece made of high-quality Italian vegetabletanned calf leather and premium

German leather. May we present: ‘Puss on Boots’. Interesting name, don’t you think? But upon closer inspection it all becomes clearer when the silhouette of a cat is revealed. The ‘Silhouettes’ series is a prime example of how patterns can be successfully introduced to men’s shoes. We

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/UENOBE 38

discovered Tetsuya Uenobe at the Düsseldorf trade fair GDS – Global Destination for Shoes & Accessories, which he will also be attending this July. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. /cm

WWW. DEY K . CO M

P R E M I U M B E R L I N H 3 – A 07

THE MASTERPIECES

Voilà l’été – ESPADRIJ L’ORIGINALE

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CLASSIC ESPADRIJ L’ORIGINALE The Espadrij l’originale is lovingly made by hand on old machines in the French Pyrenees. The espadrille’s signature features are high-quality robust canvas cloth and thick resilient jute soles, coated with natural waterproof

rubber, which only highlight the classic nonchalant style, reminiscent of balmy summer evenings on the French coast. The shoe’s heyday was back in the 1980s but after that they disappeared from the fashion scene. And now?

Are we facing a summer without Espadrijs? Hard to imagine.

As indicated by the name, the Espadrij l’originale considers itself the original and therefore offers a small but high-quality collection to which new colours

WWW.ESPADRIJ.COM 40

and a few selected styles are added each season. Spring/summer 2016 will see the arrival of a few leather styles. Our favourite model is still the plain-coloured or maritime-striped ‘Classic’. Ah, que c’est beau!

COOL CITIES / COLOGNE

TEXT ILONA MARX PHOTOS TINKA ZIMMER

Cool Cities

COLOGNE

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What springs to mind when the city of Cologne is mentioned? No doubt the cathedral, carnival, football and beer – and of course the eternal feud with its neighbouring city of Düsseldorf. But if you drop the stereotypes and clichés, you’ll soon find that there’s a lot more to Cologne. Such as a flourishing art and music scene, a number of first-rate museums and a booming media industry. But fashion?

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Many of you may remember that for many years Cologne played a leading role on the German fashion scene. The tradeshows Herren-Mode-Woche (Men's Fashion Week) and Interjeans might sound outdated today, but until the turn of the century they were still relevant meeting points for the industry. However, there’s been a lot of water under the bridges of the Rhine in the past 15 years and Cologne ended up disappearing off the radar for international fashion buyers. The real turning point was the departure of the Bread & Butter tradeshow to Berlin, a bold step that Karl-Heinz Müller, who also used to be based by the Rhine, took together with his entire entourage in 2003.

Cologne has missed out to Berlin on a number of occasions and has had to take several blows. Big galleries, tradeshows, music events like Popkomm, record labels and music magazines all turned their backs on the city. For quite a while the German capital had such a gravitational pull that people interested in art and culture were seriously worried about the future of the Rhine metropolis. But the Cologne locals took it all on the chin: ‘Et kütt wie et kütt’ (‘What will be, will be’) has always been the motto of the easy-going Rhinelanders. The people here prefer to put their faith in the laws of physics, along the lines of: ‘What goes up must come down’, which explains why they simply continued going about their daily business, confident in the knowledge that things would eventually turn around again.

And indeed, the successes of the recovering Art Cologne and the steady growth of the imm cologne furniture fair suggest that Cologne’s appeal has been given a boost in the last few years. Some galleries have even moved back to the city from the capital because western Germany is turning out to be an extremely profitable market after all. The reality check on the city’s streets is proving that Cologne still boasts all the merits of a metropolis

and is well-equipped for any challenges the future may hold.

The winds of change have been blowing in the city’s Belgisches Viertel (Belgian Quarter) in particular.

Small, independent stores, which in the past would have taken up residence on the Ehrenstrasse and its side streets, have now settled beyond the Kölner Ring (Cologne’s ring road). A cosy, very closeknit neighbourhood is still emerging here. Important reference points are the Brüsseler, Brabanter, Maastrichter and Antwerpener streets, but to the south of the lively gastro mile, Aachener Strasse, the area is also developing around the Engelbert, Linden and Beethoven streets where there is still lots of potential for creative ideas.

Brüsseler Platz in the heart of the Belgian Quarter has been a hub of the city’s nightlife scene for a long time now and in the last few years it has gained massively in popularity as an outdoor meeting place for young Colognians who flock to this square in their droves on warm summer nights, drinking bottles of the local beer, Kölsch, and socialising.

Due to noise disturbance to the local residents the authorities have had to clear the area on occasion – a problem much less likely to occur in the no less popular restaurants and bars on the Rathenauplatz square or in the south of Cologne.

Despite the rail strike, J’N’C’s editor-in-chief Ilona Marx and photographer Tinka Zimmer, both from Düsseldorf, embarked on the trip to their rival city every morning for a week, completely free of any preconceived notions, to discover the very best that Cologne has to offer.

READ THE GERMAN VERSION OF THIS GUIDE ON WWW.JNC-NET.DE

COLOGNE IN NUMBERS Founded on: 8th July 50 A.D. Population: 1.071 million Height of Cologne Cathedral: 157.38 m Average visitors to Cologne Cathedral: 20,000 per day Construction period of Cologne Cathedral: between 1248 and 1880 Romanesque churches: 12 Bridges over the River Rhine: 8 Love locks on the Hohenzollern Bridge: at least 155,827 Brands of the local beer, Kölsch: around 30 Restaurants & bars in New York City that serve Kölsch: 80 Length of the Rosenmontag (Carnival Monday) procession during Cologne Carnival: approx. 8 km First ever Carnival Monday procession: in 1823 Founding year of ‘Kunstmarkt Köln’ (Art Market Cologne), later known as Art Cologne (the oldest art fair in the world): 1967 Eau de Cologne: Created in the 18th century at Glockengasse 4711 in Cologne, it was said to keep the bubonic plague at bay

ON THE CITY’S STREETS IS PROVING

COOL CITIES / COLOGNE

THE REALITY CHECK

THAT COLOGNE IS WELL-EQUIPPED FOR ANY CHALLENGES THE

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FUTURE MAY HOLD.

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — STREET STYLES

COLOGNE STREET STYLES

SEBASTIAN, 31, textile distributor

Jacket, T-shirt & hat Wemoto Trousers Carhartt Sneakers Ransom

ANDREAS, 49 & ANDY, 43, shop owners ANDREAS Trousers & shoes Comme des Garçons Shirt Issey Miyake ANDY Shirt & trousers Comme des Garçons Shoes Christophe Lemaire

“COLOGNE ISN’T JUST INTERNATIONAL, BUT ALSO AUTHENTIC. SOMETIMES WE EVEN FIND TRASH INSPIRING, THINGS DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL.” ANDREAS & ANDY

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ANTONIJA, 31, fashion and textile design student

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DJANE-SOPHIE, 32, shop owner

ANDREAS, 27, integrated designer

Coat, blazer, trousers, shoes Vintage Blouse Carven Socks Bonne Maison Glasses MunicEyeWear

T-shirt Yala Maha Trousers Nudie Shoes Maison Margiela Necklace Self-made Rings & bracelets Vintage Watch Louis Vuitton Sunglasses Type Hat Resistol

Boots, jeans, sunglasses H&M T-shirt, long blazer, scarf COS Watch, rings, bangle Vintage Necklace Linda Gehring Bag Aigner Vintage

COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — STREET STYLES

“COLOGNE IS VERY INSPIRING – ESPECIALLY THE CITY’S BELGIAN QUARTER!” MAXIN

CHANG, 43, designer Dress Chang 13 Trousers from South Korea Sneakers Adidas Originals

by Jeremy Scott Socks Ergee

Jacket Vero Moda Leggings Only Sneakers Vans Necklace Self-made Watch Casio

“I COME FROM IRELAND AND AM JUST HERE FOR

Shirt Studio Studio Waistcoat Vintage Trousers Mario Barutti Tie Baldessarini Belt Giorgio Armani Sunglasses Ray-Ban Bag Self-made

A PHOTO SHOOT. THE PEOPLE SEEM TO BE REALLY LAID-BACK.” CARMEL

CARMEL, 30, stylist Dress Darya Golova Top Vintage Boots Rive Gauche Bangle Laurana Earrings Fecarotta Bag Dolce & Gabbana

LENA, 32, store owner & blogger, with Paloma

DANIEL, 27, retailer Sweatshirt Review Trousers COS T-shirt Uniqlo Belt & shoes Vintage

Dress Gat Rimon Jacket Selected Belt Hermès Bag Hermès Vintage Boots Chloé Watch Rolex Necklace Luilu Sunglasses Le Specs Dog lead See Scout Sleep

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MAXIN, 20, business studies student

PHILIPP, 39, artist & cultural textile anthropologist

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — RETAIL

COLOGNE RETAIL

BOUTIQUE BELGIQUE Brabanter Strasse 29 50672 Cologne T +49 (0)221 78948569 OPENING TIMES Mon – Sat 11 am – 8 pm WWW.BOUTIQUE-BELGIQUE.DE BB LOVES: WWW.BOUTIQUE-BELGIQUE.DE SALON SAHNESTÜCK: WWW.SALON-SAHNESTUECK.DE SUPER STORE: WWW.SUPER-STORE.CO BRANDS *by Second Female, Balmain, Friis & Company, Iphoria, Just Female, Lazamani, Le Specs, Lisbeth Dahl, Maison Scotch, Me & Zena, Motel, Saint Tropez, SPM, Sandwich, Stills, Tokyo Jane, Vila

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BOUTIQUE BELGIQUE

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With the retail trade going through a tough period in general and desperately trying to reinvent itself, Lena Terlutter and Leonard Dobroshi have performed what can only be described as a small miracle. The couple runs four stores together in Cologne’s Belgian Quarter – with resounding success.

Leonard started the ball rolling in 2006 with his women’s outerwear shop Salon Sahnestück, which is still going strong at

Flandrische Strasse 6A. When the former amateur boxer met Lena Terlutter, sparks not only flew on a professional basis. Together with Lena, who is meanwhile his wife and already had experience in the fashion biz, the 32-yearold opened another three stores selling womenswear: Boutique Belgique in 2010, Super Store in 2012 and BB Loves in 2014. In terms of their clothing ranges and also their interior design, the shops are all very different –

which is very much intentional.

While Boutique Belgique is a real girly dream with its delicate pink details, Super Store awakens reminiscences of Marrakech.

Salon Sahnestück on the other hand is a former hairdressing salon from the 1970s, and BB Loves, right next door to Boutique Belgique, also specialises in home décor items and gadgets in addition to fashion. They also stick to clear rules when it comes to splitting the workload: Leon-

ard takes care of the accounts and the finances while Lena is responsible for the buying and the creative input. A significant contribution to this dynamic duo’s success is most certainly Lena Terlutter’s activities as a social networker and blogger with over 152,000 followers on Instagram alone. You can find out more about these two smart Cologne locals in our interview with Lena and Leonard from page 60.

COOL CITIES / COLOGNES — RETAIL BRANDS Astier de Villatte, Blax, Dr. Hauschka, FD Style, Feather Japan, Fnug, Fresh Therapies, Hakuhodo for Kenkawai, Hiro, Iris Hantverk, John Masters Organics, Kenkawai Kishu Binchotan, Klippan Yllefabrik, Kontex, The Library of Fragrance, Lila loves it, Midori Paper Products, Nailmatic, NLXL, No, No, Yes!, Oliver & Co., Ontwerpduo, The Organic Pharmacy, P & T, Pepe Heykoop x Tiny Miracles, Petite Friture, Pijama, Prospector & Co., RMS beauty, Siwa, Soapwalla, Softline, Susanne Kaufmann, Technique Indiscrète, Ware of the Dog, Zieta

HIGH-QUALITY AND UNUSUAL COSMETIC PRODUCTS ARE DISPLAYED ALONGSIDE

KENKAWAI Brüsseler Strasse 85 50672 Cologne T +49 (0)221 82822092 OPENING TIMES Mon – Sat 11 am – 8 pm WWW.KENKAWAI.COM

HANDMADE, EXCLUSIVE DÉCOR ACCESSORIES AND A SMALL, BUT IMPRESSIVE SELECTION OF

The brains behind the most wonderful new recruit to Cologne’s shopping offer have a bold and unusual story to tell. The trio, consisting of the sisters Aleks and Karo Werner together with Daniel Sackmann, Aleks’ partner, moved to the city in 2014 especially to fulfil their dream of running their own shop. But why Cologne of all places? Because

Kenkawai’s suppliers – including a whole host of manufacturers of top-class, certified cosmetics – assured the young entrepreneurs that there was a significant gap in the market here in the city as far as well-being for the body and mind were concerned. And the concept behind Kenkawai is indeed very out of the ordinary. High-quality and unusual

cosmetic products are displayed alongside handmade, exclusive décor accessories and a small, but impressive selection of magazines. But that’s only one of their mainstays. In addition, Karo, a natural cosmetician and make-up artist, also offers beauty and spa treatments. In close cooperation with a gynaecologist she can find perfectly coordinat-

ed treatment methods for every conceivable skin problem. The spa is divided into a manicure and pedicure area in the front, and a facial and body care salon to the rear, with a glass roof through which the sunlight can stream in. A visit here feels like a well-deserved break from the stresses of everday life.

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MAGAZINES.

KENKAWAI

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — RETAIL

THE SHOP’S BASEMENT HOUSES THE ‘GROOVE ATTACK’ RECORD STORE, WHICH CERTAINLY HELPS TO DRAW IN CUSTOMERS. MONSIEUR COURBET Maastrichter Strasse 49 50672 Cologne T +49 (0)221 17915425 OPENING TIMES Mon – Fri 12 pm – 8 pm Sat 12 pm – 7 pm

BRANDS

customers. The assortment on offer ranges from biker chinos to suits, which Barbara presents together with her partner Oliver Beck. At Monsieur Courbet they describe their customers as fashionable, but not too imageconscious. But if it’s mainstream goods you’re after, you’ll be searching in vain here. What you will find, however, are labels like

Knowledge Cotton Apparel, K.O.I and Wunderwerk, accompanied by beautiful Italian leather shoes

by Pantanetti. And the Monsieur Courbet cosmos is rounded off by vintage bikes with and without an engine, as well as a selection of beautiful Otter knives from Solingen.

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MONSIEUR COURBET

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Barbara Petry has been an established name in Cologne since 2006. Back then she opened a French-inspired café at Eigelstein in the north of the city, and a short while later an indie fashion store, stocking items by young designers from Berlin and Cologne. Since then a lot of water has flowed under the bridges of the Rhine and Petry’s universe

has broadened substantially: Magasin Populaire and Magasin 2 have now been added to the list – and also of course the men’s store Monsieur Courbet, which has been enthusiastically received by the men of Cologne.

No wonder it’s so popular: the shop’s basement houses the ‘Groove Attack’ record store, which certainly helps to draw in

Armedangels, Forward, Gidigio, Knowledge Cotton Apparel, K.O.I, Pantanetti, Revolution, Thei-Sprint, The One Goods, Wrangler, Wunderwerk

COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — RETAIL MAND&KVINDE Lindenstrasse 17 50674 Cologne T +49 (0)221 30497788 OPENING TIMES Mon, Wed, Thu & Fri 11 am – 8 pm, Sat 11 am – 6 pm BRANDS WWW.MANDKVINDE.DE

Marie Weyer and Gina Bernardy have been in the fashion business for a good 18 months now and are proving to be an absolute dream team. Marie, who studied fashion journalism at the AMD Academy of Fashion & Design in Munich, and Gina, who studied business in Düsseldorf, met through common friends.

Both had relevant retail experience and both were dreaming of running their own store as a means of countering the

“WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS FROM THE SHOE STORE ‘WANT’, EVEN COORDINATING COLOURS AND STYLES ON ORDERING TRIPS.”

monotony offered by the big chain stores, so they took the bold step in 2013. Gina’s brother, a DIY expert, supported the two friends, who are both in their mid-20s, in any way he could. A floating screed floor with epoxy resin finish is just one result of this fruitful cooperation. The surprisingly spacious premises have raw white walls, providing the ideal, neutral backdrop for the Scandinavian-inspired ladies’ and men’s fashions on show.

Marie and Gina also work closely with their neighbours from the recently opened shoe store Want, located two doors up, even coordinating colours and styles for their ranges and joining each other on ordering trips.

And these trips tend to lead the young shop owners mainly to Berlin and Düsseldorf. “We find everything we need there,” says Marie. Sometimes the best things are indeed a lot closer to home than we think.

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MAND&KVINDE

American Vintage, Avelon, Das Cape Mädchen, Dondup, Ebony & Ivory, Ganni, Muubaa, Storm & Marie, Superbirdy, Wood Wood

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — RETAIL

BRANDS Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dsquared2, Issey Miyake, Maison Margiela, Neil Barrett, Paul Smith, RH45, Rick Owens, Tom Rebl, Yohji Yamamoto

CITTÀ DI BOLOGNA Flandrische Strasse 4 50674 Cologne T +49 (0)221 9255816

AFTER A TEMPORARY FORAY INTO

OPENING TIMES Mon – Sat 11 am – 7 pm CITTA-DI-BOLOGNA.COM

THE WORLD OF

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CITTÀ DI BOLOGNA

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This fashion institution has been a part of Cologne’s retail scene for over a quarter of a century.

Years that saw their ups and downs, during which the concept of Città was often adapted. But one thing has stayed the same: the high fashion standards and love of avant-garde designer labels. These days the Città universe covers 300 m² over two floors: Dsquared2, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester

FEMALE FASHION, THEY HAVE RETURNED BACK TO THEIR CORE EXPERTISE AND ARE EXCLUSIVELY STOCKING MEN’S COLLECTIONS AGAIN.

and Maison Margiela are the major crowd-pullers, fashionably flanked by Rick Owens, Neil Barrett, Paul Smith, Yohji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake.

Brand new to the assortment is German designer Tom Rebl, who is regarded as a new star in the designer sky and is enjoying growing popularity amongst Cologne’s male fashion fanatics. Oh yes, we shouldn’t forget to mention that Città is for men

only. After a temporary foray into the world of female fashion, they have gone back to focusing on their core expertise and exclusively stocking men’s collections again. Incidentally, the store’s cool interior has turned out to be so timeless and relevant that the owner, Alfons Mesenich, hasn’t needed to make any major changes to it in the last 26 years.

COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — RETAIL BRANDS Christophe Lemaire, Comme des Garçons, Issey Miyake, Jil Sander, Prim by Michelle Elie, Walter Van Beirendonck

HEIMAT Mauritiuswall 76-78 50676 Cologne T +49 (0)221 9461172 OPENING TIMES Mon – Fri 11 am – 7 pm, Sat 11 am – 6 pm WWW.HEIMAT-KOELN.DE

This store exudes pure passion.

Since 2002 Andreas Hoyer and Andy Scherpereel, the owners of Heimat, have been the uncrowned fashion kings of Cologne. Like no one else in the city they are living their dream of unusual designer fashion. They were the first (and only) ones to bring the collections by designers Walter Van Beirendonck and Stephan Schneider to the Rhine.

Years of educating their clientele – which they perhaps even saw as their duty – always influenced their actions. The pair even published a magazine, ‘Mode Depesche’, which was met with international acclaim. Nowadays they’re focusing on pooling their strengths in retail and for a few seasons they’ve been concentrating on the old avantgarde masters: Issey Miyake and

Comme des Garçons are selling very well at their store, which is located slightly off the beaten track. But they also stock items

by Parisian designer Christophe Lemaire and their long-term favourite Walter Van Beirendonck.

“With this portfolio we feel better positioned than ever before,” says a satisfied Andy Scherpereel. “It’s not unusual for our customers to spend a

lot of time here finding the right look. Sometimes even several hours.” But that’s exactly what the pair love and want to happen.

And even today, 13 years since Heimat opened, they are still full of enthusiasm for every single garment in their collection. It’s a real pleasure to see them at work and experience their infectious passion for fashion.

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HEIMAT

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — RETAIL +

COLOGNE RETAIL +

AESOP The Australian cosmetics brand has set up its German headquarters in a very special location.

The former home of a jeweller’s widow, who lived out the end of her days in this unusual corner house on Pfeilstrasse, has been given a revamp by Aesop, who took great care to retain the retro charm of the building from the post-war era. Today the four small floors house the retail space, a showroom, the offices and an intimate meeting room.

The latter is located right under the roof and has a panoramic window offering views down onto the hustle and bustle of the lively Ehrenstrasse below.

APROPOS

WWW.AESOP.COM

“Everything that makes life more beautiful” is, in their own words, precisely what’s on offer at Cologne’s spacious Apropos concept store. A claim that probably isn’t always easy to live up to, considering the well-heeled clientele who shop here no doubt already lead quite a beautiful life. The highfashion institution meanwhile runs five stores in four cities. Proof that they are certainly striking a chord when it comes to the tastes of their discerning customers.

WWW.APROPOS-STORE.COM

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ATELIER Erhan Bektas can pride himself on bringing the Swedish ‘it-label’ Acne to Cologne. He runs two stores on Apostelnstrasse, Superstore and Atelier, the latter of which makes more of a fashionable statement. Today, in addition to Acne, his portfolio of labels also includes A.P.C., Comme des Garçons, MM6, Marni and Alexander McQueen’s secondary line, McQ. Both genders will find what they’re looking for here: half of the range is made up of ladies’ collections and the other half of men’s styles.

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — RETAIL +

LE SHOP When it comes to naming their stores, Cologne’s retailers are decidedly Francophile. Examples include not only Boutique Belgique, Magasin Populaire, Monsieur Courbet and Le Pop Lingerie, but also Le Shop, a well-stocked fashion store on the bustling Ehrenstrasse.

But the fact that when it comes to buying her collections its owner Nathalie Noell has her sights set on Scandinavia rather than France doesn’t seem paradoxical at all.

After all, it just so happens that some of the best labels come from Denmark and Sweden: Wood Wood, Gestuz and Samsøe & Samsøe are all stocked by Le Shop.

WWW.LESHOPSHOP.BLOGSPOT.DE

CHERRY PICKING Andrea Kraus enjoys picking the cherries from the vintage cake for her customers. Her newly opened second-hand store at Engelbertstrasse 28 has absolutely nothing in common with what usually springs to mind when we hear the term second-hand store: messy stores packed to the rafters with clothing rails and racks jammed with row after row of garments. Instead, awaiting vintage lovers here is an attractive, neatly displayed assortment of well cared-for goods, which just happen to come from bygone decades. The wooden décor, consisting of self-made clothes racks and a floating changing room, are also the work of the resourceful Andrea.

UTENSIL Who says utilitarianism can’t look good too? Anna Lederer, the owner of Utensil, really has a thing for industrially and manually produced everyday items, which were initially developed for a specific purpose yet still have a timelessly beautiful design. And so she proudly displays torches, Erlenmeyer flasks, lunch boxes, egg boxes, camping cutlery and notebooks on her shelves. Whether for the kitchen, children’s room or office: every area of life can be enhanced with the first-class products sold by Anna at her store on Körnerstrasse in the district of Ehrenfeld.

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WWW.UTENSIL-SHOP.DE

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — RETAIL +

COLOGNE RETAIL +

OÙ J’AI GRANDI A personal name for a personal project. ‘Where I grew up’ is the translation of the name Isabelle Niehsen from Belgium decided to give her florist’s on Rathenauplatz. With a nod to her own roots, she has built a bridge to the traditional Parisian l’art du bouquet (French-style flower arranging) and Flemish floral painting from the 16th century, both of which provide the talented florist with inspiration for her work. As well as the different seasons, Isabelle’s individual compositions are also inspired by specific occasions and personal requests.

WWW.OUJAIGRANDI.COM

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HOW WE LIVE

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FUSSKLEID

Are you living yet or just existing? And if you are living: how? The owners of the attractive interior décor store How We Live have been providing its very satisfactory response to these questions for a good year now. Interior design items by the successful Danish label Hay are flanked by home accessories by Ferm Living, House Doctor, Bloomingville, String and Tom Dixon – basically, every brand currently worth mentioning in the world of interior design.

A good omen for Eva Reuther: high-quality footwear was offered at Benesisstrasse 55 long before she opened her store at this address in 2005. The building housed a boot manufactory – the company name, still visible on the façade of the house, and the massive leather factory machine greeting the customers in the entrance of Fußkleid, bear witness to its history. And there are also several pairs of handmade shoes on offer here today, but meanwhile by international labels.

Shoto, Maison Margiela and See by Chloé are all represented in the store’s collections.

WWW.HOWWELIVE.DE

WWW.FUSS-KLEID.DE

LE POP LINGERIE In 2012, when Diane-Sophie Durigon from France discovered these store premises with their original 1950s interior still intact, she knew they would be perfect for her plan to open an unconventional lingerie store. She set about decorating the walls with her self-designed wallpaper and heaved an old cash register onto the counter, and then she was ready to go: the underwear collections by Chantal Thomass, Albertine and Stella McCartney have been the major draws of Le Pop Lingerie ever since, but Diane-Sophie’s offer also includes swimwear and erotic toys.

LEPOPLINGERIE.DE

SIEBTER HIMMEL BOB 10.5.10 Isn’t it lucky that the men of Cologne are slightly more daring in terms of fashion than their fellow counterparts in other big German cities? This might have something to do with the city’s big gay scene, but on the other hand it also seems to be a sign of the open-mindedness and tolerance of the Rhinelanders. And it means that creative retailer Hon-Tai Shiau, the owner of Bob 10.5.10 at Brüsseler Platz, has the opportunity to offer cool, avant-garde fashion by labels like Rick Owens, Petar Petrov and Hannibal – with resounding success.

WWW.SIEBTERHIMMEL.DE

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If you’ve ever had that wonderful feeling of contentment whilst reading a good book, you’ll understand why this fantastic concept store on Brüsseler Strasse is called Siebter Himmel (or Seventh Heaven in English). The shop, which is divided into seven rooms, belongs to the Cologne-based Bastei-Lübbe publishing house, but offers a lot more than just its own in-house publications. From photo and cookbooks to coffee-table books and travel guides, down to magazines and beautiful stationery, illustrations and fashion by Finnish label Marimekko – they all fit in perfectly and consistently with this heavenly bookstore concept.

WWW.BOB10510.DE

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — SERVICE

COLOGNE SERVICE

THE QVEST HIDEAWAY Gereonskloster 12 50670 Cologne T +49(0) 221 2785780 WWW.QVEST-HOTEL.COM

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THE QVEST HIDEAWAY

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A ‘hideaway’ in the truest sense of the word: located in the shadows of St. Gereon’s Basilica, in the Gerling Quarter, which many Cologne locals aren’t even familiar with due to the area being used for many years by the eponymous insurance company, is the coolest new recruit to the city’s hotel scene: the Qvest Hotel. It was developed by the team behind Qvest Magazine, an icon of the fashion and lifestyle scene, which is also based in the cathedral city. And as is to be

expected from true aesthetes, a whole lot of personal dedication and passion was invested into the neo-gothic building’s two-year renovations. Restricted by the architectural features of the former City Archive, all 34 rooms and suites, with sizes varying between 12 and 120 m², have very different floorplans. The Salon Suite is the most spacious, with its almost six-metre-high vaulted ceilings and large bedroom with a hand-painted medieval wooden ceiling from the 14th century.

The enthusiasm of the hotel’s founder Michael Kaune for midcentury designer furniture and contemporary photography is reflected in all the rooms and of course also in the communal areas of the hotel. A large number of originals by Charles & Ray Eames, Mies van der Rohe, Greta Grossman, Eileen Gray and Jacques Adnet take pride of place in the lobby, the Bar Rossi (where breakfast is also served) and the rooms. These pieces of furniture are perfectly

complemented by works of art

by Erik van Lieshout, Richard Kern, Bruno Bisang, Roxanne Lowit, Todd Hido, Ralph Baiker, Micha Cattaui and Peter Granser, sourced from the dynamic hotel owner’s private collection. Which doesn’t come as a surprise either, considering he also jointly runs the ‘Kaune, Posnik, Spohr – Gallery for Contemporary Photography’, located just a few steps away from the hotel, in a pretty chapel dating back to the year 1863.

COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — SERVICE

Aachener Strasse, one of the city’s most important streets for dining and drinking, is firmly in the hands of a Cologne institution. The name Schmitz appears here three times in total, within less than one hundred metres.

Flagship number one: Salon Schmitz, the spacious restaurant, which also houses the small club Coco Schmitzin its catacombs.

And then there’s Metzgerei Schmitz, which used to be the oldest butcher’s in Cologne. Its interior is still unchanged to this day. Meat products are no longer on sale here though, with cakes, quiches and salads dominating

LE MOISSONNIER the menu instead. The gastro empire is rounded off by Bar Schmitz, a brasserie with Belgian Art Nouveau décor, which also serves up cocktails and excellent ice cream. Tourists to the city can also rent out the Schmitz Studio, an apartment which offers space for up to four people.

And last but by no means least, there is also the Schmitz café in the Museum of East Asian Art a few hundred metres away, next to the Aachener Weiher artificial lake and city park.

SALONSCHMITZ.COM

There are lots of very good restaurants in Cologne – but only very few are up there in the league of the world-class elite.

One of them, without a doubt, is Le Moissonnier on Krefelder Strasse. Two twinkling Michelin stars were awarded to Vincent Moissonnier and his wife Liliane back in 2007. And anyone familiar with the fine art of cooking knows how difficult it is to hold onto such a distinction over the years. The two gastronomes are meanwhile supported by head chef Eric Menchon, who has been in the restaurant business

for a quarter of a century, but their huge passion is still going strong. Monsieur Moissonnier himself can be found setting the tables, polishing the glasses and paying attention to every last detail. The set menus, different for lunch and dinner, are ingeniously created flavour compositions and the wines are of the finest quality. Unlike the fantastic cuisine, the latter can also be enjoyed by Moissonnier fans at home: the restaurant runs an online wine store under the same name.

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SCHMITZ

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COLOGNE SERVICE

TÖRTCHEN TÖRTCHEN

IL BAGUTTA

Small but perfectly formed: It’s not just the exquisite cakes from this cult patisserie that are petite; the owners of Törtchen Törtchen also started off very small. With a tiny bakery and an equally diminutive shop, Elmar Schumacher-Wahls established his business in 2006 – but his passion and optimism far outgrew the premises even back then. Joining him on board these days is Matthias Ludwigs, who was awarded the Gault-Millau distinction ‘Patissier of the

Gabriel Zanchetti comes from a family of gastronomes. His father ran a thriving Italian restaurant called Massimo on Alteburger Strasse in the south of Cologne that still exists today. But the son was determined to go his own way. After the death of his father he took over a former restaurant on Heinsbergstrasse complete with interior fittings and started his own business there. All he brought with him were a few photos – large black and white shots of his charismatic father

Year 2009’. And the expansion plans have resulted in two larger Cologne branches – on Apostelnstrasse and Neusser Strasse – as well as a stand at the gourmet market on Carlsplatz in Düsseldorf, where the fancy cakes, macarons, pralines and ice cream are just as well received by a sweet-toothed clientele.

Cake and praline-making courses where the owners share their expertise are also hugely popular.

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at a young age. The rest of the shabby-chic interior was incorporated into his concept. And it seems that Gabriel has done everything right: Cologne’s locals love his ambitious Italian cuisine, and shortly after it opened in 2014, Il Bagutta became an insider tip, which certainly also has a lot to do with its cosy courtyard terrace.

ILBAGUTTA.DE

COOL CITIES / COLOGNE — SERVICE

Meister Gerhard was the first master mason of Cologne Cathedral and it’s most likely that he also drew up the master plans for the impressive gothic structure.

The fact that the owners of the Spanish-inspired restaurant at Rathenauplatz chose this historical figure to be their namesake means that the bar has been raised high – and the present day ‘meisters’ certainly have a lot to live up to. Quality and individuality is the credo of the young troupe, who bring a combined

CAFÉ FEYNSINN total of 150 years of gastro experience to the table. In addition to the location at Rathenauplatz, they run another branch at Chlodwigplatz in the south of the city, also serving tapas and main courses with Spanish flair.

WWW.MEISTER-GERHARD.COM

With subtle refinement and the utmost attention to detail, Café Feynsinn, next to the green Rathenauplatz square, has made its way into the hearts of the Colognians. For example, the vegetables served at this restaurant, which is lit by huge crystal chandeliers, are grown in cooperation with the Alexian monastery garden. The meat comes from organic Charolais and Limousin cattle breeds that graze on a farm in the nearby

Bergisches Land region, and from Swabian-Hall pigs, reared on the hills on the outskirts of Cologne.

The list of sustainably produced ingredients could go on forever: fish, chicken, wine, fruit juices, dairy products and coffee – at Café Feynsinn everything is very carefully selected. So it’s hardly surprising that the corner establishment is frequented by true foodies at all hours of the day.

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MEISTER GERHARD

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE TALKS — LENA TERLUTTER & LEONARD DOBROSHI

COLOGNE TALKS LENA TERLUTTER & LEONARD DOBROSHI If you’re planning on taking a closer look at Cologne’s fashion scene, there’s definitely no getting past this couple. Lena Terlutter, blogger and social networking queen, and her husband Leonard Dobroshi, are showing the established retail trade how it’s done. The two full-time fashionistas run four thriving stores, all opened within a short space of time in the city’s Belgian Quarter, and they certainly can’t complain about a lack of interest. Ilona Marx met Lena and Leonard in one of their favourite café’s in Cologne to find out about this exceptional duo’s secret to success.

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LENA TERLUTTER

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Magdalena Terlutter, born in 1983, is not only a renowned Cologne blogger and social networker, but also a model, stylist and owner of multiple stores.

Together with her husband, Leonard Dobroshi, the mother of a young daughter runs four boutiques in Cologne’s Belgian Quarter.

The fashion retail sector is complaining that it’s having a hard time of it lately, but here in Cologne’s Belgian Quarter, you are both running a total of four stores with great success. What’s your secret?

Lena Terlutter: We don’t really have a secret. The stores are simply our passion, our lifeblood.

For us, selling fashion isn’t a job that we leave at five o’clock every evening and then just switch off until the next morning. It accompanies us 24 hours a day, every day. Inspiration is everywhere, whether on the streets of

Lena Terlutter and Leonard Dobroshi with Ilona Marx

Cologne or on our travels. That’s why this job never ends.

Leonard Dobroshi: Our strength lies in the fact that we are doing the job together – and have done from the outset. We started out very small, really from scratch, which means we just have a very different attitude to it all.

Your stores are aimed at very different target groups – or is it one target group whose different needs you’re trying to satisfy?

Lena: Both. On the one hand you have people who do the tour of all four stores – they want the all-round experience. And then there are those who prefer going to Boutique Belgique, our most well-known store. In any case, I think it’s important that there are differences between the stores, so the customers don’t have the feeling that if they’ve been in one, then they’ve been in them all.

How do you approach the buying? Do the ranges offered in each of the four stores overlap?

Lena: Buying is something we do relatively intuitively. There

are actually labels we stock in Boutique Belgique that we also sell at Salon Sahnestück because sometimes we buy larger quantities of one item. But basically we do ensure that the offer doesn’t overlap too much. Otherwise it would get boring for our customers.

Your Instagram account, Lena, meanwhile has more than 152,000 followers. Is that an important tool for you?

Lena: We started posting on Instagram two and a half years ago. At the beginning we took it all with a pinch of salt, but then we noticed how much fun it is to share things with people. And of course a fantastic side-effect of it all is that it’s made us more well-known and helped to sell more items in the stores.

You mainly post photos of your own styles, consisting of the latest garments sold in your stores, combined with pieces from your own wardrobe.

Lena: Exactly. Meanwhile pretty much all of our customers are on Instagram – whether actively posting photos or just to

COOL CITIES / COLOGNE TALKS — LENA TERLUTTER & LEONARD DOBROSHI

THE STORES

discover the latest trends. These days, people want to see fashion on real people and not photoshopped or ultra-perfect in glossy magazines. I want people to think: ‘If she’s wearing it, in everyday life or to a business meeting, it could look just like that on me’.

Do you actually wear the pieces in your private life or just to promote your new goods?

Lena: Sometimes we might see something at a tradeshow, or I might be in the process of buying something when I post a photo of it still hanging on the rail with the question: ‘What do you think about this? Should I buy it?’ And then I usually get direct feedback like: ‘Oh, cool.

Let me know when you have it in your stores’. I often also try on the garment myself. It’s important that you let the people accompany you on your journey and that you involve them in the process, because they want to feel as if they’re being listened to and seen, to be part of the community. People also want to know who is actually behind the concept. And if, like me, you have

fun doing that, why shouldn’t you convey it? In my opinion that also includes things like where we go on holiday, or how we decorate and furnish our home. After all, these are all things that inspire us in our stores.

national market, which is why we offer a special service, the personal shopper. For 25 euros including delivery the personal shopper will come to our stores, pick out the chosen items and send them off to the customer.

So you also communicate personally with the customers through your account?

Lena: Yes, our team does. I don’t have the time to spend all day answering questions myself.

But as a team we try to respond to all customer requests and answer all questions. With our personal shopping service it’s possible to instantly shop some of the items I show on Instagram, simply by sending us an e-mail.

Do you also give your followers tips along the lines of: ‘If you like that, then you’re bound to like this too’?

Lena: Yes, I do. I think that’s really important because you have to have that personal aspect. No one should be shy about asking us anything or coming to our stores. That’s why we also have an extremely democratic pricing policy: we offer items that really everyone can afford: businesswomen and even younger girls who are still at school.

Personal shopping?

Lena: We consciously decided against an online shop as we have limited quantities of each item. We don’t like the mentality of just buying something quickly because you’ve briefly seen it on an internet site. Our philosophy is: if you want to have an item, then come to our store. But we don’t want to completely shut ourselves off from the inter-

Democratic pricing, that’s an interesting term. Do you see yourselves as a competitor to retailers like Zara?

Lena: I enjoy going to Zara and seeing what’s new there, but we offer a completely different shopping experience. Starting with the consultation. And in

“THESE DAYS, PEOPLE WANT TO SEE FASHION ON REAL PEOPLE AND NOT PHOTO-SHOPPED OR ULTRAPERFECT IN GLOSSY MAGAZINES.”

terms of the latest trends, we can confidently say that we offer the same standard and speed as Zara.

Leonard: Offering the right garment at the right time in the right place, at a really good price.

Without it being mass produced.

That has always been our goal.

Fashion retail is gradually shifting the spotlight on to independent, unique boutiques, moving away from huge department stores and neon lights. Stores are now focusing on personal consultation in a cosy, informal atmosphere – which all sounds very promising to me.

Leonard: … and then there’s also the appeal of our bags!

Lena: People simply love the logo of Boutique Belgique, the three hearts in pink and orange.

It’s become like a brand in its own right. People take photos of the bag in their walk-in wardrobes. The hashtag has over 4500 posts, yet we still get all excited when we discover another one of our bags on Instagram!

Lena, Leonard, thank you very much for the interview.

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In 2007 Leonard Dobroshi opened Salon Sahnestück in a former 1970s hairdressing salon. At the focus here, as the name suggests, is the ‘Sahnestück’, the crème de la crème of unique garments for a female clientele. In 2010 Lena Terlutter, today Leonard’s wife, came on board, joining forces with him to launch Boutique Belgique – a concept store with a carefully selected offer.

In addition to womenswear by labels ranging from Maison Scotch and Vila Clothes down to Balmain, the range also includes accessories, books and interior design items. In 2012 the couple opened the more minimally designed Super Store, which stocks brands such as American Vintage. BB Loves, which opened in summer 2014, complements the offer of its big sister Boutique Belgique, located right next door.

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COOL CITIES / COLOGNE TALKS — LINA MICCIO

COLOGNE TALKS LINA MICCIO Lina Miccio, owner of the PR agency The Edge, isn’t just a longstanding member of Cologne’s fashion scene: the PR expert, who has a variety of interests, also feels very much at home in the city’s music, media and art worlds. After all, Lina always thinks in a multi-disciplinary way for her clients. Like for the Italian denim brand Replay, for whom she has been pulling fresh ideas out of the hat for twelve years now. Ilona Marx met the passionate fashion pro at her wonderful agency headquarters, which she recently moved into on Cologne’s Benesisstrasse.

LINA MICCIO

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Born on 01.10.1971 in Cologne, Lina Miccio began her career by completing a business apprenticeship.

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She started working at the agency Studio SchillerDomke in Düsseldorf, where she was responsible for the PR of clients like Max Mara, Marc Jacobs, Anna Sui, Sergio Loro Piana and D&G between 1992 and 1996. From 1996 to 2000 she was head of communication at Diesel Germany.

In 2000 she moved to the agency KDH+P in Cologne and subsequently took over the PR management and concept development there. Between 2002 and 2011 she was appointed manager of the agency The Edge GmbH and took on the entire communication for Replay Germany.

In 2011, Miccio became owner of The Edge and still supports Replay with their communication, media, events, sponsoring and testimonials today.

You have lived and worked in Cologne for many years. What makes Cologne a fashion city in your opinion?

Cologne very much lives from its small stores and people who get their own things off the ground.

There are lots of small ateliers.

Accordingly, the fashion in the city is more individual. A lot of people focus on the combination of lifestyle and fashion, for example fashion and music, fashion and art. Cologne is simply a very creative city. Although it’s relatively large, the city somehow still feels has a cosy feel to it.

And I believe there are very few cities of this size that offer such a wide range of cultural opportunities. There are also lots of people here who express their own interpretation of fashion and who really bring a lot of creative input to the table. In comparison to Berlin, for me there is much more of a family touch here. Berlin is more international, but Cologne is a city that tries a lot, fights a lot and very

Lina Miccio at her agency

broad-minded and teamworkoriented. You can also see that in the gallery scene. Since the profile of Art Cologne has been raised again, several galleries have started coming back. Others have always been here, such as for example Ruttkowski;68, a gallery for urban art, which has just moved into larger premises.

They recently published a book that Replay supported.

That sounds like an interesting project. How did Replay get involved?

The Ruttkowski;68 team is also behind the online and printed mag Wertical, featuring interviews with significant artists – including Marina Abramović, Gilbert & George, really big names.

But in order to be able to publish these interviews in a book, they needed support. And we thought the project was so great that we decided to get involved. Another reason was because the bok contains an interview with Mark Jenkins, the American street-art

artist. One of his sculptures can be found at the Replay headquarters – dressed completely in Replay. That’s the specific association, but the motivation for supporting them goes much deeper, in their connection to Cologne and the overall cultural scene in the Rhineland. Cologne and even Düsseldorf are cities where there’s a lot going on again and that I think are making a big comeback.

Speaking of which: Replay’s Germany headquarters are in Düsseldorf, but your agency is in Cologne. Is that separation intentional?

No, it’s not. The fact that my agency is based in Cologne has more to do with cutural aspects.

I have strong links to musicians, artists and actors so in Cologne we’re closer to what’s going on.

The networking aspect of your work is particularly apparent in the Replay customer magazine you co-produce.

COOL CITIES / COLOGNE TALKS — LINA MICCIO

Can you briefly explain the Hyperflex concept to us?

Hyperflex is a ladies’ and men’s denim that offers an incredible level of elasticity, allowing maximum freedom of movement.

It’s available in different fits and washes, and gives the wearer a really great shape. Hyperflex is a good example of how much potential the brand still has in the product segment.

It’s clear you’re incredibly enthusiastic about the brand. You have been working for Replay for 12 years. What fascinates you about it?

This combination of classic, traditional values and the aspiration of always infusing the brand with innovation – I think that’s exactly what people are looking for today. For something that has a history, that was established by someone out of passion and conviction, as is the case with Replay.

Which Replay value do you base your daily work on in particular?

On the fact that Replay is a brand with a real history and values.

A real luxury. After all, whether I am speaking to Vogue or Intro magazine – Replay is a brand that people will always sit up and listen to. Or in the music sector where a cooperation with the British DJ and music producer Mark Ronson is just as much of an option as one with the American singer-songwriter Robert

Francis. Or the recent cooperation with the Ruttkowski;68 gallery – Replay is liked by a lot of people, simply because of its image and what it represents. As far as my work’s concerned, that’s really a dream for me. And I still see more potential, especially in the PR, cooperation, art and music sectors – there are still so many opportunities out there.

Professionalism is born from passion: would you agree with that sentiment?

I think it’s just luck, because what I do really interests me. And that’s the best prerequisite if you want to do a good job. When I go to the art fairs, whether Frieze in London or Art Cologne, I browse everything first at my leisure. And then, afterwards I realise what great things I’ve seen that I can use for my work. For example when I go to trend seminars, like those of trend researcher Li Edelkoort, for example. Initially it’s just pure interest on my part: finding out what’s new and what’s

happening. So yes, first of all it’s the passion that drives me.

Thank you very much for talking to us.

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Yes, that’s right. We’ve been working closely with talents from the worlds of art and culture, who act as testimonials for the Replay magazine, for many years now. The actors Sibel Kekilli and Ronald Zehrfeld have been featured. And the brilliant acrobatic artist Eike von Stuckenbrok, not to mention the collaboration with the players from FC Barcelona. They recently starred in a campaign to launch Hyperflex, which included the players Neymar and Piqué with Alessandra Ambrosio as the female testimonial.

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BRANDS & BRAINS — PANORAMA DISTRIBUTION × FASHION FACTORY BY MARK GRÜTTERS, DÜSSELDORF

BRANDS & BRAINS — PANORAMA DISTRIBUTION × FASHION FACTORY BY MARK GRÜTTERS, DÜSSELDORF

INTERVIEW ILONA MARX PHOTOS JUDITH WAGNER

PANOR AMA DISTRIBUTION × FASHION FAC TORY

BY MARK GRÜTTERS

Covering the Full Spectrum Panorama Distribution, founded in 2004, and Grütters’ Fashion Factory, founded in 2005, joined forces with both cooperating together as one agency. A deal with a promising future that both partners firmly believe in. And the recent move of Panorama Distribution and Fashion Factory into their new headquarters has cemented this solid partnership.

“Our new business model? We are two independent companies with an exclusive distribution contract,” explains Panorama Distribution’s CEO Felix Staeudinger when we meet him at the new headquarters in Düsseldorf-Flingern.

What they practice here is the philosophy of short processes, which is not only reflected in the teamwork between him and Mark Grütters, but also with the third member of the team, PR professional Tina Husemann. “It means that we also get to define marketing and PR strategies to suit us.” The terms shorter, faster and more effective also suit the spacious open-plan location that Panorama Distribution and Fashion Factory moved into in December 2014.

“Customers want to pre-order much less than they used to, whilst also wanting to reorder as quickly as possible. Our showroom is upstairs and our stockroom downstairs, which allows us to fulfil our ideals in terms of service,” explains Mark Grütters, who also joins our conversation. So it’s rather fitting that the full-service agency has chosen an old industrial area where creativity and business, recreation and work all come together on the grounds of a former soap factory, not far from the Düsseldorf Schwanenhöfe complex. After all, companies like Panorama Distribution that represent authentic labels like the iconic leather jacket company Schott NYC, founded in 1913, certainly need a suitable environment that is a little rough around the edges and not too perfect.

That’s if they’re looking for anything anymore, of course.

They’ve certainly had enough of the massive budgets and collections with fixed-sum contracts where you’re under obligation to buy a minimum amount – from trousers, shirts to dresses. We believe in strong products. Schott NYC for example, manufacture an enormous collection, but above all the name stands for the jacket – a ‘Made in the USA’ jacket. And Espadrij l’originale represents a shoe – an original in 38 different colourways.

How would you both describe your vision?

Felix Staeudinger: Our focus lies on labels with a certain substance, history and tradition on the one hand, and on European products on the other. With our own brands, we produce solely in Europe. We want to strengthen Europe as a production location. That’s very important to us.

Mark Grütters: But we’re not on the lookout for big labels and collections with head-to-toe looks. Our strength lies in finding mono-products and presenting them at exactly the right place at the right time. That’s what I’ve been doing in the industry for the past 25 years. Niche and product collections are what the retailers are looking for.

… a shoe that is very much back in fashion again.

FS: It was the result of a logical consequence. I had decided to reposition myself and do something I really enjoy.

So I turned my attention to Espadrij. I talked to the producers and then finally secured the exclusive sales rights. It was really only a project – but one that grew and grew. We now sell in 20 countries.

MG: It was due to his French roots that Felix rediscovered this product for the international market five years ago. We were the first to show the shoe in Germany again, setting a trend with a real classic. That’s the way it goes in the world of fashion: there are always ups and downs and when a trend has died down, there are still a few brands that continue to prevail on the market. That’s our aim and also the reason why we’re not into the whole bling-bling style with rhinestones, prints etc. We want to offer honest classic products where the quality and value for money are right – but with a large range of colours to choose from.

FS: What we don’t want is a massive boom. That would be the worst thing that could happen, if, like in the eighties, the market becomes flooded and you can buy the shoes for next to nothing, reducing the attraction-factor to almost zero. But even though the focus of Espadrij is on just one or two styles, production is growing. Retail is always looking for new innovations so we will expand the collection accordingly – but cautiously. We work with specialist shoe shops a lot, not just with the fashion retailers. We try to maintain a broad positioning, also on an international level.

FELIX STAEUDINGER Born in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau in 1980, he grew up speaking both French and German in the town of Staufen.

As CEO of Panorama Europe GmbH, Felix is responsible for financial operations, strategy, brand research, logistics, tradeshows, brand development, controlling, retail operations and expansion.

Since 2009 he has also been the owner of the French shoe label Espadrij l’originale and since 2011 he has also owned the jacket, bags and accessories brand Menil. In 2013 he added the label Selekteur.

All three are distributed by Panorama Distribution.

MARK GRÜTTERS Born in Düsseldorf in 1973, his family has traditionally always been involved in the sale of fashion and consumer items.

Mark gained his broad experience in the fashion retail and distribution business early on, before and during his studies in German, politics and media studies in Düsseldorf.

Self-employed since 2000, he has been running the agency Fashion Factory

by Mark Grütters since 2005.

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Two creative forces who know exactly what they want: to cooperate with their sights set on the same goal. Five years ago, Felix Staeudinger and Mark Grütters – both fashion professionals through and through – decided that at some point they wanted to work together on the support and distribution of international brands. And so Staeudinger’s agency

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BRANDS & BRAINS — PANORAMA DISTRIBUTION × FASHION FACTORY BY MARK GRÜTTERS, DÜSSELDORF

HISTORY OF PANORAMA DISTRIBUTION 2004: Founding of the agency, which was initially based in the heart of the north of Flingern in Düsseldorf.

2010: Relocation to a former fashion school and the beginning of the cooperation with Fashion Factory.

2014: Opening of the new premises in the south of Düsseldorf’s Flingern district.

Panorama Distribution offers a fully comprehensive service. It acts an as importer, distributor and cooperates with the agency Fashion Factory by Mark Grütters. The press and marketing department Panorama Press is also on board under the leadership of PR specialist Tina Husemann.

The focus of their portfolio is on authentic and traditional brands and products, preferably of an artisanal high quality and made in Europe. Currently it consists of the brands La Botte Gardiane, Orcival, Rivieras, Schott NYC, American College, Grundéns Originals and Paraboot, as well as its two own brands Espadrij l’originale and Menil.

WWW.PANORAMAEUROPE.EU

Schott NYC also experienced a similar hype.

MG: Schott is a label with a history spanning more than a century. When we added them to our portfolio they only had a few customers in Germany and Austria – in terms of distribution that was a real low point. That was down to the fact that no one was really dealing with things. So we basically started from scratch. Which is quite exciting with a label like that, because it has genuine tradition and celebrity fans in each decade: from James Dean and Marlon Brando down to the Ramones and The Clash, and today the Toten Hosen. You have all the cinematic and musical history behind the brand, as well as a good product; someone like me, who has always favoured jacket labels and built them up, knows that these are all USPs you need to make a jacket label successful. And it means you can structure the collection easily.

With Schott Made in USA we are fulfilling the needs of authentic heritage stores like The Listener, 14 oz. and Riders Room. All in all, there are a dozen stores in Germany that buy robust leather jackets and for whom Schott is simply an icon. On the other hand, there are the bomber jackets that Schott has also been producing since 1952. In that case too, we were the first ones, around two years ago, to reinterpret the classic. With the slim-fit cut and an offer of 12 to 14 colours we succeeded in setting a trend here too. Many labels jumped on the bandwagon. Now you can get bomber jackets in every collection and every price range, from H&M to Alexander Wang, but ours is a classic and perfectly positioned at 199 euros.

FS: Schott has plenty of other classics – not just the bomber jacket but also the Sheepskin jacket, the Perfecto leather jacket, the Café Racer, the Pea Coat… we have made it our job to bring back the classics one by one.

Are Schott and Espadrij l’originale your two strongest labels?

FS: Yes, there’s no doubt that they are our main labels.

Espadrij l’originale is my own brand so it has a special significance to me. Espadrij l’originale has a great lifestyle feel and brings me a lot of pleasure.

MG: You could add Rivieras to that category too – another label of ours that makes very cool summer shoes.

They are also significant in terms of their turnover, but we take all our labels very seriously, not to mention our niche products like the rain jackets by Grundéns.

FS: And La Botte Gardiane who make wonderful boots, even if a lot of work still needs to be done to establish them.

They are made by a family business in Southern France – genuine artisans, but who are lacking in business acumen as far as international sales are concerned. They think very local, which is a very French attribute. But these kinds of products bring us a lot of pleasure. And on top of that, this whole heritage-authentic concept is a strong market that will continue to grow.

Why do you think that is?

FS: I think that in these fast-moving times people are longing for something they have lost, something that gives them peace and strength. Due to the internet and mobile communication, it seems like one trend is following the next in ever faster cycles. In that context many people like to hark back to the old days – when things were good. And the currently popular look fits in with that: the rebel style of James Dean, but also the male counterpoint to the metrosexual trend.

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That’s true, it’s all been quite androgynous over the past few years. And now men have rediscovered something for themselves where…

FS: … where they are allowed to be men again. And women are perhaps also allowed to be women again.

MG: Where fashion is concerned, men tend to be somewhat more value-orientated. A man likes to buy quality, a good pair of sewn-welted shoes that will last a good few years or a pair of jeans with a certain history and quality. Within the context of all this sustainability – a word that I can hardly bear to hear anymore – it’s about buying values. You can pass down a Schott leather jacket to your grandchild. That’s just the way it is. This jacket will never wear out. It has a lifetime guarantee. And men like that. It’s

a prime example of genuine slow fashion: calmly and carefully chosen and very long lasting and constant in terms of value.

Is your portfolio complete or are you on the lookout for new labels?

FS: We’re always on the lookout. Our aim is to create a total look with the help of our labels – not of one label, but of different European companies. And that’s why we always keep our eyes open for labels with beautiful products.

What’s still missing?

FS: Traditionally we are more of a jacket and shoe specialist and that’s how we want it to stay. But we are always looking at other sectors too. We recently added Paraboot to our portfolio – a shoe label manufactured in France. Interestingly, my grandfather was once friends with the founder, Rémy Richard-Pontvert. The company originally comes from the ski shoe sector. They made these big chunky shoes that I used to hate as a kid, but now I think their collection is really cool and I am convinced they will experience a comeback.

MG: The shoes have this characteristic seam on the top.

Quite a few people have told us that by representing them we are, once again, ahead of our time. The boot is made by hand in 150 separate steps, which of course comes at a certain price. It is simply a cult shoe, which, with the right combination of press, marketing, distribution and sales, has to be rebuilt. By the way, Woolrich shot their last catalogue with Paraboot. And Aspesi uses Paraboot shoes to accessorise the outfits in its own fashion stores.

Beyond that, are there any plans for further cooperations?

MG: There are always new offers that are interesting.

Especially as a multi-brand agency and distributor, we always have to keep our ears to the ground. We want to broaden our product portfolio in a way that makes sense.

We are currently adding Penfield to our portfolio. Penfield represents the ‘New England aesthetic’ and is represented in all the best stores worldwide.

FS: We’re really excited about that and want to position Penfield in the short term in all the right stores and establish it in the long term as a brand.

And now, after the move, we have enough space to turn all these ideas into a reality and take the next step towards the future.

Speaking of which: did you design the new showroom yourselves? The floor is amazing.

MG: Felix planned the interior design of the office, but I was responsible for the floor. Before that it was covered with a three-centimetre-thick layer of bitumen. We spent weeks talking to specialist companies about restoring the floor but that would have been ridiculously expensive so at some point we said: okay, let’s get rid of it. Underneath was concrete, and then it was just a question of sealing it. The result is this unique floor.

FS: It’s epoxy resin, which is great. With their generous dimensions, openness and high ceilings, it was love at first sight with the premises here on Fichtenstrasse. We repainted some of the walls, but not all of them because we didn’t want it looking too perfect. I think this certain transparency is charming: you come in, see the showroom, and at the same time you can observe how our team is working because everything is so open.

MG: But despite that, there’s still a clear division: we have the large warehouse downstairs on the ground floor and up here are the showrooms and offices. The location in Flingern is perfect too. This part of Düsseldorf is undergoing quite a transformation at the moment, there’s lots of building work going on. And Kiefernstrasse is also close by: the epicentre of German punk/metal band the Toten Hosen and the last place in the city where you’ll find opponents of gentrification.

Felix, Mark, thanks a lot for talking to us.

BRANDS & BRAINS — MRCO LANOWY, ALBERTO, MÖNCHENGLADBACH 61 — 03/2015

Marco Lanowy with Cheryll Mühlen and Ilona Marx at the Alberto headquarters in Mönchengladbach.

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BRANDS & BRAINS — MRCO LANOWY, ALBERTO, MÖNCHENGLADBACH

INTERVIEW CHERYLL MÜHLEN & ILONA MARX PHOTOS BERND WICHMANN

ALBERTO

It’s time for the specialists... fashion industry. Building up so many years of rich experience has given Alberto a realistic outlook and a healthy portion of optimism. And so nothing, not even the somewhat precarious current market situation, can faze its managing partner Marco Lanowy.

“Fashion is dead,” prophesied the trend scout and fashion oracle Li Edelkoort. Fear-mongering pessimism or the bitter truth? If you listen to the more discontented feedback coming from the fashion business, you’d even go so far as to agree that she might actually be onto something. There is talk of premature drop dates, collections that are too broadly based, badly designed sales floors, a lack of customer insight, a culmination of competition between bricksand-mortar retail and e-commerce – and even the weather isn’t helping matters. But let’s not forget what Li Edelkoort adds to her somewhat ruthless statement: “This is the end of fashion as we know it. Fashion with a big F is no longer there. And maybe that’s not a problem; maybe it’s actually a good time to rethink.” And one of the people rethinking is certainly Marco Lanowy. He explains how, in the following interview.

How can the added value of an Apple Watch and the apps be applied to a clothing product?

Take a pair of trousers: if they are lying down flat, I can’t see if they’re a slim fit. I can only imagine their fit. That’s why we have our ‘Power Pants’ presentation – in the form of an app, but as a display. Retailers don’t even know how to showcase the whole range of labels they are selling on the shop floor anymore. Basically, it’s time for the specialists.

The retail trade is currently facing a huge task. Manufacturers also need to rise to the challenge and solutions need to be found. To what extent do these challenges differ from those faced in the past?

The market is changing, and all the more because the channels available to the end consumer for buying products are multiplying. Retail has to adapt to changing consumer behaviour. Take the Apple Watch for example: at the time of market entry, over 3000 new apps were launched. That’s an excellent example of what you have to do ahead of time to ensure that a product will prevail on the market. Without the apps, the Apple Watch would just show the time and you could use it to call people like a phone. So you have to create a whole new environment for a product.

And in terms of the fashion retail trade, how do you go about doing that?

By finding out where your strengths lie. You have to ask yourself: why am I choosing a brand to sell in my shops?

How do I stand out from my competitors? When I walk through the city centre, I find the same range of goods in every store. By the end of it, I don’t even know what I should buy.

So you’re saying that the retailers have to combine the labels in a way that creates a strong form of branding?

Yes, exactly. Then you know what to expect when you go into that store. So why not take a large area and create contemporary areas there? Simply pick out looks that make you think: “That’s new!” There are stores that have a selection of 25,000 pairs of trousers. A ridiculous amount of choice.

How is anyone supposed to choose from all of those?

“If you want to set new standards, you have to have the will to change.”

Is it perhaps the deluge of fast-fashion that’s the root of the problem?

Of course! These days, retailers have to know what and how they want to sell. The whole thing has to be thought through from start to finish. Lots of people are saying that retail and the textile industry are disintegrating. But that’s not true! McDonald’s might be in trouble because they represent a ‘system’. Just look around you: small, individual burger shops are popping up everywhere with their own concepts. And they are charging triple what McDonald’s are charging for a burger – but people are still queuing up for them. So if you want to set new standards, you have to have the will to change.

So are you pushing for a return to individuality?

Individuality starts with the product. Too many people try to be the same. That’s the problem with any kind of ‘system’. If I am a specialist, I’m going to stick with my specialism – in our case, trousers. But logically, I am going one

BRAND HISTORY In 1922, Dr. Albert Dormanns founded the Dormanns trouser company in his grandfather’s former textile factory.

In 1950 the company began specialising in the manufacture of men’s trousers and built new company premises. After Dormanns’ death, his daughter Marie-Lore Walendy, née Dormanns, inherited the company and put the running of the business into her husband Rolf’s hands.

In 1977 their son, Georg Walendy, came on board and helped the company to gain a reputation as specialists in the sector during the 1980s, under the new company label Alberto, a homage to the company founder. This became their official company name in 2003.

Since 2005 the company has been managed by Georg Walendy, with Marco Lanowy responsible for retail, distribution and marketing, and Jürgen Schmiedel for human resources and finances. With Anna and Philipp Walendy the successful company is meanwhile in its fourth generation.

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‘Core competence’ is the guiding principle behind the work of Alberto, the Mönchengladbach-based trouser specialist. After all, the family company can look back on more than 90 years of expertise in the field, making it one of the longestserving major brands in the German

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And what would the seasons look like?

The year would be divided into drop dates. If you go onto a sales floor and deliver in January, theoretically the same trousers will be lying there in January, February, March and April. The challenge is to display them in different ways and create different themed looks throughout that time.

Do you think the trend will move towards specialist stores, like trouser shops that only sell trousers?

Yes. MARCO LANOWY Born on 17th November 1968, Marco Lanowy started his career in retailing with business management training, before going on to study business, economics and marketing.

Between 1996 and 1998 he was member of the project team for the new distribution concept for the German department store Kaufhof Warenhaus AG. From 1998 to 2001 he was head of buying at the Lust for Life department store in Aachen before joining Alberto as the new retail manager.

Since 2005 Marco Lanowy has been a managing partner of Alberto GmbH & Co. KG.

step further than that by highlighting the particular use of each type of trousers – through the different labels. In our case that’s ‘Alberto – Pants We Love’, ‘Alberto Golf’ and, as a third label, ‘Alberto woman’, a collection we’ll be launching onto the market soon. But despite all the individuality, of course we also network and have an online presence.

Talking of online, when it comes to a product like trousers, which are so dependent on a good fit and require such a high level of consultation, don’t bricks-and-mortar stores have an absolute advantage over e-commerce?

It depends on the customers and how well you know them.

We’ve been selling successfully online since 2004 and have a very low return rate. That’s down to two factors: on the one hand, customers in their late twenties know what fits and what suits them – regardless of whether they’re male or female – and on the other, we have also learned a lot from our customers and built our business accordingly. Not just online.

Could you imagine collaborating with a business like Zalando?

No, despite the fact that Zalando has a good concept. But we cooperate with great retailers and have an online business that already works very well, so we don’t need to add anyone else to the equation.

What’s the situation on the Russian market like for you?

Our products are selling really well on the Russian market and we want it to stay that way. Of course we’ve had our share of challenges to overcome this year, which isn’t down to the customers, however, but all the red tape involved. All in all, we came out of it quite well though.

As an established company, do you perhaps have an edge when it comes to shifts in market conditions?

Yes, absolutely.

To what extent?

We have simply created streamlined hierarchies and we profit from short decision-making processes. We work as the Alberto team – always and in every situation. That’s what enables us to react so quickly. So the secret lies in our DNA. As a label, having your own DNA is important. But to put it provocatively: do today’s over-informed customers even really know what they want?

Does the retail trade know what the customer wants?

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Yes, that’s a question that no doubt needs to be asked too…

There are lots of retailers who do a great job in the way they communicate and showcase their products, but it is our job to be ‘authentic’ as a brand before that, for the end consumer and for the trade. With trousers, it’s all about the overall experience. If I wear them, and someone compliments me on how they look, then I will continue to buy them.

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Trend scout Li Edelkoort recently talked about a tendency amongst retailers to take the mono-product route in order to be able to offer more transparency when it comes to shopping.

That’s a remote way of viewing things. I do agree, however, that not so many collections will be needed in future. Lots of labels are noticing that already.

“We will be experiencing profound changes on shop floors in the next five years.”

Will they replace department stores?

The problem is that the shop rents are often simply too high. That’s when department stores are an ideal solution for inner city areas. But new locations are being created.

The market is simply saturated. The trade will have to diversify much more in the future. We will be experiencing profound changes on shop floors in the next five years.”

Trousers and jeans, for example, will merge into one category. In my opinion, Selfridges has been one of the pioneers in this for many years now.

Are there other pioneers?

There are a lot, but there are also several who have a lot of challenges to face – and this is something we are tackling openly. Every one of our shops creates its own little world.

What is lacking in my opinion are the marketing specialists who go further than just showcasing the products. The opportunity lies in linking the expertise we currently have and making the most of it.

In order to create attractive focal points for the customers?

The retail landscape is changing, triggered by the changes in consumer behaviour. If I don’t find what I am looking for in the stores, I’ll go and look for it on the internet. Due to the scrolling mechanism, the whole buying process is sped up. That has a knock-on effect for stationary retailers: people ‘scroll’ through the products there too. So if you don’t create focal points and simply provide quantity, rather than quality, then you’re going to have a problem. We tend to rely on marketing too much and forget to let the product speak for itself.

Is the market situation really being perceived more negatively than it actually is?

Most definitely. These days, fashion is consumed everywhere. It’s often just an impulse buy. But that’s why I believe that four retailers can work fine alongside one another. But only if all four manage to create a different look.

Nevertheless, as far as the distribution is concerned we are very selective.

What is your strategy for the future?

The world is changing, so we have to be open to that – on a global level. But why does globalisation automatically have to mean homogeneity? Just be who you really are. That’s something we have stuck to at Alberto. We have always played to our strengths, which is why our customers know what Alberto stands for.

Thanks for talking to us.

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BRANDS & BRAINS — BJÖRN GERICKE, G-LAB, DÜSSELDORF

“SO I THOUGHT TO MYSELF: OKAY, PERHAPS IT’S TIME NOW. CUSTOMERS HAVE UNDERSTOOD

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THE FUNCTIONAL SIDE

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OF THINGS.” A visit to the G-LAB headquarters in Düsseldorf.

BRANDS & BRAINS — BJÖRN GERICKE, G-LAB, DÜSSELDORF

INTERVIEW ILONA MARX PHOTOS ROBIN HARTSCHEN

G-LAB

The laboratory of Mr G. It’s like a balancing act: creating a jacket that is functional yet at the same time so design-oriented that it meets the needs of the increasingly discerning urban

nomads, whilst also providing protection from the most diverse weather conditions – basically, the ultimate urban jacket. And it’s exactly this balancing act that G-LAB from Düsseldorf masters so well.

This is hardly surprising considering the owner and CEO Björn Gericke is a well-known name in the clothing industry: his father is none other than Hein Gericke, founder of the eponymous company, which, since the 1970s, has gained an international reputation for its motorcycle clothing and accessories. J’N’C’s editor-in-chief Ilona Marx met Björn Gericke at the G-LAB headquarters and talked to him about his apprentice years, about the challenge of combining high-tech and street-style, as well as about what women want.

And what did you do next? You didn’t stay in your father’s company …

No, after two or three further jobs in the fashion industry, including as a customer consultant at a production facility in Hong Kong, and following a stay in New York, I went to London where I studied at the European Business School, focusing on finance. I then enjoyed a short career in the financial sector, first in London as an investment banker, and then as assistant to the CFO of a company in Hamburg.

After that I went to Munich. From 2001 to 2003 I worked for my father’s former company again – and then I founded G-LAB. That was in April 2003. We started off primarily in the motorcycle sector and continued designing and developing for Hein Gericke, even after the company was bought

by Americans. We also had close contact to Gore-Tex and designed ‘seeding garments’ for them: if they had a new material, we developed the end product, i.e. the jacket that

“It had always bothered me that we were investing so much heart and soul, but at the end of the day the product didn’t even look like we’d imagined it” ton and Kevlar fibres as an alternative to leather. And with the Hein Gericke shop partner system he also established a form of distribution that the motorcycle sector hadn’t seen before.

What do you mean by that?

A chain of his own stores organised in a sort of franchise system that covered every aspect of motorcycling. At the beginning of the eighties that was new in the motorcycle sector. You usually had smaller bike shops, where the owner would eventually say: Okay, so along with the motorcycle I could also sell the customer a helmet and a jacket.

Did your father bring you on board?

Yes, in 1990 I started developing the Hein Gericke Classic clothing line with him – back then it consisted of high-quality leather jackets, shirts from Switzerland, cashmere from Italy, shoes from Spain and more. So I did actually begin my career in the fashion sector.

Born on 2nd February 1970 in Düsseldorf as the son of Hein Gericke, who is renowned as the founder of the eponymous specialist for motorcycle clothing and accessories.

Between 1990 and 1994 Björn Gericke was product manager and central buyer of Hein Gericke Classics.

He also worked in Hong Kong for one year as the key accounts manager for Splendid Düsseldorf Production Ltd. From 1995 to 1998 he attended the European Business School in London.

Following several positions outside the clothing industry, including as an investment banker in London, he was appointed head of product management and marketing at Eurobike AG, before joining G-LAB in 2003.

they ultimately presented to their customers and licensees.

And there were also additional collaborations with Harley Davidson, KTM and Red Bull.

So the focus continued to be on motorcycle clothing to begin with. That’s a very unique and no doubt highly complex segment, isn’t it?

The product itself is highly complex in terms of its functionality. It has to be waterproof and windproof whilst also being breathable. You have to consider the protectors, detachable lining, the abrasion resistance, visibility, ventilation – and the fit of course: is the protector perfectly positioned? Is everything safely secured? Are the seams in the right places so they don’t split open if you fall off your bike?

In terms of the product, motorcycle clothing is probably the most complex item of clothing you can make.

How did G-LAB develop from a specialist supplier into a jacket label?

We had been designing entire collections for others the

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Björn, how did you get into fashion? Was your father a role model for you?

Well, as you know, my father revolutionised the motorcycle market in the seventies and eighties. He always questioned the current status quo and thought outside the box. He designed and developed motorcycle clothing made of cot-

BJÖRN GERICKE

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whole time. And it had always bothered me that we were investing so much heart and soul, but at the end of the day the product didn’t even look like we’d imagined it. So we had always been toying with the idea of launching our own product, and of course we were thinking about initially doing something in the motorcycle sector. But motorcyclists in Germany aren’t exactly the most fashion-conscious people around. Italians or the guys in Paris who drive their bikes to work – they’re a whole different ball game. But in Germany?

Of course, we’ve always wanted our products to have a certain function. And then the look on the streets gradually changed and people started wearing their functional outdoor jackets in the city. So I thought to myself: okay, perhaps it’s time now. Customers have understood the functional side of things. Now all we have to do is create and offer a fashionable, urban high-end product.

BRAND HISTORY G-LAB was founded as a design agency in 2003

by Björn Gericke in Düsseldorf. They started out designing and developing products for Hein Gericke, GoreTex, HarleyDavidson, KTM, Red Bull, amongst others.

In 2007 the decision was made to develop the label’s own jacket collection.

In 2010 G-LAB presented its first jacket collection for men at the Premium tradeshow in Berlin. This was followed by sales in Denmark, the USA and Canada, as well as the launch of the women’s line one year later.

Since 2012 G-LAB has also been available in Norway, and since 2013 in Switzerland and Russia.

When was that?

We started developing the concept in 2007. The difficulty at the beginning was that there weren’t any suitable fabrics.

Because if you use classic outerwear fabrics, the item ends up looking like a sports product. So first we had to develop materials – and that took a relatively long time. We also had to develop our own DNA of course: how do we brand the product? We didn’t want a big logo on the outside of the products. Which design elements would run through the collection? All of the sub-materials and accessories had to be designed. In January 2010 we then had six models – one material, one colour. A very small men’s line. And the first step in terms of sales was a stand at Premium in Berlin, where a Danish agent immediately expressed interest.

And how are things looking now? What are your most successful markets?

From day one things really took off in Canada and sales there instantly overtook Germany. Stores like Harry Rosen, the biggest Canadian menswear outfitters, started stocking us. Germany has caught up and, along with Canada, has been one of our most important markets in the last few years. Switzerland is also developing extremely well; we are stocked at stores like Globus, Sträuli and PKZ. We started in Holland last year and are very satisfied with the development. We are present in Norway, we have tackled Sweden, and also the USA. Last year our men’s collection was available at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York for the first time. For the upcoming autumn/winter season Saks has ordered the men’s and the ladies’ collections for a total of eight of their stores, which makes us very happy. We’re also represented at Nordstrom, one of the biggest department store chains in the USA. So business in the USA is starting to take off. In England we have a new importer. I’m currently in negotiations with South Korea; Japan is also on the list. If we can add Japan and South Korea, we’ll be sold in a total of 16 countries.

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How many jackets do you currently sell each year?

I’m not going to quote current figures, but I can say that in the pre-order we were able to conclude the autumn/winter 2015 season with a high two-digit plus. The figures speak for the concept: G-LAB jackets can be worn universally, all year round. Regardless of whether we are having latesummer temperatures in autumn or freezing cold weather in the spring. The classic seasons, as we known them, have become obsolete anyway – which is demanding a new way of thinking, especially in retail. G-LAB fulfils these new needs perfectly.

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Are you solely responsible for the design of G-LAB? Yes and no, Swenja designs the entire collection. She also used to be a designer in the motorcycle sector and came with me when I set up my own business. She’s our designer and I’m the creative director, because although I have lots of ideas and visions, I can’t express them on paper. I’m particularly interested in brilliant technical solutions and their functionality so I ask lots of questions in that respect. My producers are often challenged. I try to think in an interdisciplinary way and introduce lots of aspects from different areas. We’re incredibly lucky in that we have found firstclass producers who understand my way of thinking.

So do all your jackets have high-tech elements?

Yes. We use high-quality, fashionable outer fabrics, but also laminate them with a membrane. That makes them waterproof, windproof and breathable. Our design approach is to combine a classic style with high-tech elements. For example, our field jacket – it has a timeless, urban design, but a three-layered material for perfect protection against the elements, fully taped seams and so on.

That model also has retro elements, doesn’t it?

Exactly. From the outside the field jacket is a mix of ‘retro’ and modern, and in terms of its processing it is high-tech.

As I just mentioned, our jackets are always equipped with a membrane and all seams are taped, which is what makes every G-LAB jacket waterproof, windproof and breathable. A benefit of the windproof finish is that the warming padding of the winter jackets no longer has to be so voluminous.

That means we can make the jackets more streamlined and fitted, but we’re still left with a very warm product. That’s the concept that runs through the entire collection. Jackets are often declared ‘waterproof’ even though they only have a PU coating. And they’re only partially waterproof as water can permeate the jacket through the non-taped seams.

They’re not breathable either and the climate control is anything but ideal – you sweat like you would in a plastic bag.

Due to the membrane, G-LAB jackets, on the other hand, always offer the perfect aeration, although that is of course more expensive than a simple PU coating. Taping is an additional and costly step. We even tape the neckline. Most brands don’t bother doing this because it’s a huge amount of work. But I’m a real stickler for detail and very pedantic. I just want everything to be perfect.

How is the collection developing? Are you re-releasing your ‘classics’?

We do indeed have a handful of styles that are now entering their fifth year, including the ‘Field’ and the ‘Commander’, one of our bestsellers. The collar of the Commander can be unbuttoned, along with the lining and the hood. But at G-LAB we also have new styles every season, some in the tried-and-tested classic fabrics, but also in new, innovative materials, which this season, for example, are finished with a thin wax layer. For example, we intentionally didn’t line the hoods, in order to highlight the coat’s technical approach and functionality. But in the new styles we have begun to line them with a wool-touch material, in order to increase the product’s quality and make it more fashionable than it would be if it were untreated. Despite this, the hood is waterproof, as it’s still taped of course. To a large extent we do without branding, at least anything that’s too in-yourface. At the end of the day I want to make a product that you can still wear in five years’ time, precisely because it doesn’t have a big label on it somewhere that you’ll eventually be sick of the sight of. The only part we allow ourselves to make a bit brighter is our orange, oversized hanger loop.

And then there are the great details like the 3M reflective stripes, practical, for example, when you’re on your bicycle.

They are also branded, but colour coordinated in more subtle colours.

You started out with just a men’s collection. The ladies’ line was only added in the second year. Are there already classic items?

Yes, we have a classic parka on offer, the ‘Montana’ for which we recently sourced a new fabric. And there’s the British and sporty ‘Mayfair’. The ‘Bellevue’ and ‘Ellington’ are new. The latter comes in a soft two-and-a-half-layer material. Here the lining is completely separate from the outer layer so it’s unattached and falls better. Fashion is becoming more feminine again. Women want to emphasise their femininity more. And of course we’ll be following this trend. For the upcoming summer season we have completely overhauled the ladies’ collection. Sporty elements are reduced to a minimum; subtle elegance and urban casualness dominate the collection. It’s basically style-conscious understatement with full functionality.

Exactly. After all, the style has to be right, and if it’s waterproof on top of that, then all the better!

Thank you very much for the interesting chat, Björn.

12.09. – 14.09.

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BRANDS & BRAINS — KNOWLEDGE COTTON APPAREL, HERNING/DENMARK

BRANDS & BRAINS — KNOWLEDGE COTTON APPAREL, HERNING/DENMARK

TEXT GERLIND HECTOR

KNOWLEDGE COT TON APPAREL

Learning from the Danes

“Think organic – dress clever” – the idea of correlating our own IQ with our consumer behaviour is certainly new. For the Danes from Knowledge Cotton Apparel, on the other hand, this connection made absolute sense, and therefore makes the perfect claim. “We are a highly experienced family-run business,” emphasises Mads Mørup, CEO of the eco-label since 2008. The company is based in Herning, located exactly between Skagen, Denmark’s northern tip, and the German city of Flensburg. “Our roots lie in the knitwear and weaving sector; so we’re well acquainted with production techniques and materials.” And they also have in-depth knowledge of toxic chemical processes and finishing techniques, as well as poor working conditions. But these are things the Mørup family wanted to keep their distance from, preferring instead to perfect their core expertise: by producing long-lasting, timeless, fair clothing. Nothing more and nothing less. “None of the garments we create have crazy designs,” Aki Tuncer assures. He is responsible for sales in Germany, where the label has been active since 2009. “Knowledge Cotton Apparel makes fashion that is credible and we see ourselves more as a lifestyle label than a fashion one. We stand for slow fashion, not fast fashion.”

A holistic approach Indeed the Danish brand very much represents a holistic approach – and not just since it’s become ‘trendy’ to put some thought into the contents of our wardrobes. And so the foundation stone of their success story was laid back in 1969, at the time of the first moon landing, when Jimi Hendrix and his guitar were wowing the crowds at Woodstock and students all over the world were taking to the streets to demonstrate against the Vietnam War, propagating peace, love and happiness. At the same time, in cold Denmark, Jørgen Mørup was busy setting up a textile business with his father with the aim of producing garments that really make sense and are also profitable. The use of sustainable materials and environmentally-friendly production techniques was self-evident from the outset. Jørgen Mørup began working with organic cotton, even several years before specialists were familiar with the term, at the end of the eighties. When his son Mads came on board as the next generation, his fresh new ideas seamlessly followed on from the label’s already existing specialist expertise.

“We have been supplying fashion labels with our fabrics for around 40 years,” says Mads Mørup. “With the launch of an ecological menswear line we have found something that fits in wonderfully with the history of the company.”

their own staff and, last but not least, their customers, for whom they want to create clothing that is timeless, cool and clever.

“Gain knowledge, take action, earn respect!”

The little owl, resplendent on the label of every item, is a perfect symbol for the brand. “It represents our expertise; the wisdom that we’ve developed and accumulated over the years,” says Mads Mørup. In addition to organic cotton they have also recently started working with recyclable materials, sourced from old PET bottles, amongst other things. As well as the OE 100 standard for 100 percent organic cotton, Knowledge Cotton Apparel’s certifications include the GOTS standard, which as well as environmental requirements along the entire textile production chain, also stipulates the adherence to social safety and working conditions. After all, the basis of everything Knowledge Cotton Apparel does is clearly defined: Gain knowledge, take action, earn respect!

Transparency and the wish to pass on their decades of experience also play a role in the Mørup family’s principle. All information regarding the material and working processes can be conveniently downloaded as a PDF from the label’s own website in the form of the ‘Academy Book’ – presented in a wonderfully clear, easy-to-understand way. And as selfconfessed nature lovers who prefer to be outdoors at every possible opportunity, the employees of Knowledge Cotton Apparel have also committed themselves to the protection of the forests. “We love the pulsating city life,” they state in their brand philosophy. “But this life becomes more beautiful surrounded by fresh leaves, green trees and blossoming flowers.” The Danes are therefore going one step further than the latest ‘urban gardening’ trend by promoting ‘rebel gardening’ on their website, the wild, unsystematic spreading of seeds in urban locations.

At the end of the day, there’s only one thing missing, at least from the consumer’s point of view: a womenswear line.

Which is entirely justified, agrees Mads Mørup, who to his personal astonishment has noticed that there already large numbers of women wearing Knowledge Cotton Apparel garments. After all, various jumpers, jackets and trousers are also unisex-worthy, and because the Danes also offer small sizes, womenswear-only stores are meanwhile also ordering plenty of their casual men’s styles. The combination of comfort, genuine quality and durability is, after all, unbeatable, especially for people who want their clothing to be smart – in more ways than one.

KNOWLEDGECOTTONAPPAREL.COM

BRAND HISTORY In 1969 Jørgen Mørup, together with his father, set up a small textile business in the small Danish town of Herning. They have been working with organic cotton since the end of the 1980s.

Mads Mørup was appointed CEO in 2008. After this he established the menswear label Knowledge Cotton Apparel.

In addition to jackets, trousers, jumpers and shirts, since 2009 the label has also been making underwear and meanwhile also bags.

Knowledge Cotton Apparel is certified in accordance with OE 100 and GOTS. By 2020, the company wants to reduce its use of pesticides and other chemicals by 400,000 litres, using organic cotton and other sustainable materials instead.

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Ultimately, the Danes from Knowledge Cotton Apparel are modest and undemanding, because they only want one thing: the very best. For the environment,

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RETAIL — YME, OSLO

TEXT GERLIND HECTOR PHOTOS SNØHETTA & KETIL JACOBSEN

YME, OSLO

FASHION FAIRY TALES

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In the universe of YME, a carefully curated concept store in the centre of Oslo, the focus is on fairy tales and mythology. In addition to fashion and interiors, Norse folklore and creation mythology play an integral part here, perfectly showcased over three floors.

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Mystical figures from the Norse creation myths are omnipresent in Norway’s capital, where they are experiencing a renaissance as a new generation of Norwegians rediscover their own history. The hippest restaurants are serving up regional recipes, teenagers are incorporating Norwegian traditional costume into their outfits, and even architects are finding unexpected inspiration in the fascinating sagas.

And so Vilje, Ve and Odin, all characters from Norse legends, are the unlikely mascots of the unusual store concept of YME, which is named after the famous troll Yme, who, as the legend has it, was created in the meeting between ice and fire.

Nicolai Schaanning Larsen found the prime location for his store

in the heart of Oslo, in a wellpreserved 19th century building.

The graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins College firmly believed that Norway’s shop culture still had room for a very special treasure trove, and when he met the Oslo architects from Snøhetta he knew he had found the ideal partners to create his vision. With offices in New York, San Francisco and Innsbruck, the architects are very international, but for YME they nevertheless succeeded in imbibing the typical Norwegian style, including its somewhat unconventional hallmarks.

Essential to YME’s overall concept is the portrayal of fire and ice as part of Norse mythology: a recurring element in the various rooms over three floors. The materials that dominate are wood

and blackened metal, which, in combination with the fashion and art on offer here, make for some unusual eye-catchers. A frieze of pinewood covers a 25-metre wall on the ground floor, representing the meeting point of the twelve rivers of Ginnungagap, the void that stood at the beginning of the creation.

In contrast, elegantly curved shelves and mirrors represent the ice of Nivlheim, a further realm of the Norse world of the gods. Pure mysticism, one would assume, although Larsen more rationally describes his store as a “curated universe of fashion, art, interiors and design.”

On the first floor, the first sight is of heavily crumbling brick walls – intentional, of course – and partially removed flooring. A steel staircase leads up a

RETAIL — YME, OSLO LABELS Adidas, Alexander McQueen, Ann Demeulemeester, A.P.C., Comme des Garçons Wallet, Haider Ackermann, Lanvin, Maison Margiela, New Balance, Norse Projects, Opening Ceremony, Our Legacy, Reebok, Rick Owens, Soulland, Valentino, Wood Wood, Y-3

YME KARL JOHANS GATE 39 0162 OSLO T +47 (0)22422822 YMEUNIVERSE.COM

multilingual folk, have welcomed the inspiring concept with open arms and enjoy the regular exhibition openings and fashion events that take place here.

Even before the six-month renovation work began, the idea behind this unusual concept has been to create a place of exchange and inspiration where different cultures come together.

The additional references to Norway’s very own mythology proves that ‘back to the roots’ and a vision for the future do not necessarily have to be a contradiction in terms.

OPENING HOURS: Mon – Fri 10 am – 8 pm Sat 1 am – 6 pm

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floor, to black-varnished walls, where books and menswear are strikingly displayed against this interesting backdrop.

A futuristic chandelier by Lee Broom ensures subtle lighting effects. This level boasts a café and an inviting rooftop terrace.

And those of you with a head for heights can step onto the suspended glass bridge for a vertiginous look down to the shop floor, twelve metres below.

No doubt about it, the fashion, shoes and accessories by Lanvin, Ann Demeulemeester, Wood Wood and Maison Margiela, extraordinarily presented here at YME, have certainly found a worthy backdrop. Various artworks, fragrances, interior design objects and books round off the well-curated range. The Norwegians, traditionally a worldly and

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RETAIL — WEISSGLUT, MUNICH

TEXT GERLIND HECTOR PHOTOS STEFAN KIEFER

W E I S S G L U T, M U N I C H

WHITE HEAT

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There’s more to Munich than just the Hofbräuhaus. The city also offers plenty of retail inspiration for shopping fans, provided you know where to look. A very special gem can be found in Schwabing, west of the English Garden. This is where a creative couple have fulfilled their own personal dream in white.

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To understand the story behind this store’s name, a quick German lesson is required: ‘Weissglut’ is the word for ‘rage’ or ‘fury’. So if you’re in Munich and someone wants to bring you ‘zur Weissglut’ don’t worry! They don’t necessarily want to infuriate you, but instead show you this lovingly decorated concept store of the same name. Here you’ll find all kinds of treats that go beyond the beaten track of mainstream fashion, interiors and more. Around three years ago, not far from the Münchner Freiheit square in the centre of the district of Schwabing, Jessica and Stefan Kiefer turned their dream of owning their own store into a reality, clearly placing their

emphasis on individuality – even in terms of the interior.

“We both have a background in product design,” says Jessica Kiefer. “So we knew right from the get-go that we would design a large part of the interior ourselves.” Wood and plenty of white dominate the look, which is ideal for the colourful ranges on display.

The creative couple have created a few genuine eye-catchers too: such as snow-white varnished boards of varying shape and size nailed to the wall. An unusual idea is also the store’s name adorning another wall: a closer look at the letters spelling ‘Weissglut’ reveals that they con-

sist of countless black butterflies arranged next to one another.

From the flooring to the choice of lamps, from the clothes racks to the entrance area – Weissglut works as an individualistic allround package, very different from the usual homogenous experience usually to be found on Germany’s shopping streets.

Several years ago, Stefan owned a similarly curated store in Ingolstadt that was also highly popular and crying out for expansion. “We were then faced with the option of either finding a new location in Ingolstadt or making the leap to the Bavarian capital,” remembers Jessica. The ‘new’ Weissglut, which opened in autumn 2014, perfectly fulfils

the creative demands of the couple, on an area of 180 m2 spread across two floors, but they certainly haven’t run out of ideas yet. Jessica and Stefan Kiefer are still aglowwith ideas for their concept and constantly fine-tuning their assortment and interior design.

The idea of providing young designers a platform, and offering interested customers excellent value for money in return, was a key component of their idea from the outset. High-quality fashion labels, jewellers bold enough to use unusual materials and manufacturers of decorative and, above all, high-quality finished homeware: their own

RETAIL — WEISSGLUT, MUNICH LABELS: Armedangels, Blaumax, Cowboysbag, Ellen Truijen, Fever London, Front Row Society, Gaudi, Herrlicher, Ichi, Lassy Fair, Maison Scotch, Maze, Mint, Mischmasch, Mjus, Nervous System, Nümph, Passigatti, V Milano

OPENING HOURS: Mon – Fri 11 am – 7 pm Sat 10:30 am – 6 pm

WEISSGLUT HOHENZOLLERNSTR. 8 80801 MUNICH

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T +49 (0)89 38869368

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porcelain is also part of the comprehensive offer.

As far as the fashion labels go, alongside Maison Scotch and Armedangels, there is also plenty of space for brands like Blaumax, Ichi and Herrlicher. Accessories like belts, scarves, and bags come from labels like Hüftgold Berlin and Mjus, as well as established names like Ellen Truijen.

Unique gourmet food products from Makers & Merchants, Gepp’s Gaumenfreunde and Gourmandises de Louise round off the portfolio, which Jessica Kiefer tends assiduously; always with her eyes open for new stock: “Basically I am always on the lookout for inspiration and great new products.”

WEISSGLUT-DESIGN.DE

See more Fashion on www.jnc-net.de

Trench coat Marina Hoermanseder Shoes Diesel Black Gold

Jacket Edith & Ella Blouse & trousers Dries Van Noten Shoes Diesel Black Gold Handbag PB 0110

Top & skirt Dries Van Noten Leather jacket Diesel Black Gold Shoes Stylist’s own Handbag & cap & Other Stories

Blouse Dries Van Noten Coat, trousers & shoes Bally

Blouson Dries Van Noten Hoodie Bitten Stetter Trousers & Other Stories Shoes Diesel Black Gold

Jacket Paul & Joe Trench coat & shorts & Other Stories

Sweater vest, skirt & fur muff Marina Hoermanseder Heels Stylist’s own

Photography Domenic Herder www.domenic-herder.com Photo assistant Pierre Bagieu Styling Elke RĂźss www.liganord.com Styling assistant Esther Felten Hair & make-up Helena Narra www.liganord.com, using products by Tom Ford & Bumble and Bumble Model Laura Winter www.seedsmanagement.de Location Museum of Ethnology Hamburg

Coat Dries Van Noten Leather top Diesel Black Gold Skirt Marina Hoermanseder Heels Stylist’s own

SEE MORE FASHION ON WWW.JNC-NET.DE

Knitted sweater H&M Skirt HELMUT LANG

Top Altewaisaome Coat Carin Wester

Dress FILIPPA K Faux fur BY MALENE BIRGER Shoes NLY

Sweater CALVIN KLEIN Dress & belt HUNKY DORY Scarf H&M Socks GANT

Knitted sweater Ralph Lauren Skirt Hunky Dory Belt Gucci

Knitted sweater ACNE STUDIOS Coat CARIN WESTER Socks GANT Shoes CQP

Top BJÖRN BORG Skirt DOLCE & GABBANA VINTAGE

Photography JOHN GRIPENHOLM Skinny Dip Photo assistant FREDDY PERSSON Styling JOSEF FORSELIUS Stylist assistant BEA HANSSON Hair & make-up CATHERINE LEHTONEN ArtOfficial Model LINNEA A Elite models

Knitted sweater CALVIN KLEIN Faux fur BY MALENE BIRGER Trousers HOPE Shoes NLY Socks GANT Scarf FILIPPA K

Jumper Bel.Lo Trousers Levi’s Red Tab

T-shirt COS Blazer Sand Copenhagen Shorts Dockers Shoes Sandro Sunglasses Calvin Klein Platinum Belt Tommy Hilfiger Watch Stylist’s own

T-shirt American Apparel Blazer & shorts Tiger of Sweden Belt Tommy Hilfiger

T-shirt Porsche Design Suit Uniqlo

T-shirt Calvin Klein Blazer Tommy Hilfiger

Photography Eduardo Miera Styling Yolanda Armengol de Groot Grooming Manuela Pane Kasteel Agent Model Nicholas Costa Uno Barcelona Agency Special thanks to Lluís Camos & Jessica Hoehne See more Fashion on www.jnc-net.de

T-Shirt COS Blazer Sand Shorts Dockers Watch Stylist’s own

See more Fashion on www.jnc-net.de

Shirt Kleidermanufaktur Habsburg Blazer Tiger of Sweden

Dress Urban Outfitters Jacket Reserved

Bow-tie blouse Uniqlo Top worn over blouse BLK DNM Jacket & Other Stories

Shirt Carhartt Blazer Porsche Design Hat ATF

Dress Lacoste L!VE Jacket Carhartt

Shirt & pullover Lacoste L!VE Blazer Herr von Eden

Photography Lars Weber Styling Julia Quante PerfectProps Styling assistant Tamara Svenja Hair & make-up Selina Reimann & Aennikin Nude Models Marie MD Management, Patrick Core, Niklas Izaio, Lucy Viva Models, Pauline Iconic, Dan Modelwerk, Krista Izaio, Jamil Modelwerk

Blouse Sandro Dress Porsche Design

Shirt Joseph Pullover Carhartt

TEN QUESTIONS FOR — OLIVER FRIELINGSDORF, GAASTRA

TEN QUESTIONS FOR:

1.

You’ve worked for lots of different brands. What brought you to Gaastra?

After positions at Lee, Dockers, Tommy Hilfiger, Visuality, Nautica/VF, Triumph and POP-Market, I was approached via my network about Gaastra for the first time in July 2014. I got talking to the shareholders and then joined the company in December 2014. I can really identify with the brand, but also with the challenge of internationalising Gaastra and giving it a new orientation based on the foundations of its great DNA.

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2.

You’ve been working in the fashion industry for over 20 years.

Has there ever been a moment in your life when you wanted to move to a different sector?

This is such a fantastic and varied industry. The range of products is very wide due to the developments in retail and consumer demands, which is why it offers highly interesting opportunities.

With my roles at Global Apparel Network as well as at services like POP-Market (B2B online showroom and order platform) and Visuality (online visual merchandising), I was able to expand my scope in a very positive way and therefore get even more involved in the digital world, which fits in very well with the multichannel approach at Gaastra International Sportswear.

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3.

What’s your current take on the fashion industry?

The opportunities for doing good business are still there, but as a brand, retailer etc. you have to adapt to the new circumstances, i.e. also create new playing fields.

Simply by doing things differently, coming up with new concepts, taking new paths and calculated, always with a professional approach and a focus on the return of investment, as well as the timeframe behind it.

Oliver Frielingsdorf CEO OF GAASTRA

4.

In your opinion, what is the industry’s biggest challenge?

The industry should focus on its core expertise and do what it’s really good at. I’m definitely a fan of taking an international approach, but sometimes less is also more. You can only develop a sustainable business step by step. On the other hand, the industry has to constantly challenge itself and search for new ways to be very, very close to existing and potential customers by means of innovation, emphasising the emotive aspects, close links to the retail trade and controlled distribution.

5.

Where do you see Gaastra in a few years?

Gaastra should be developed into a leading nautical lifestyle brand with a clear DNA: with its origins in sail-making and sailing segment. This definition is expressed in the form of exciting products and a brand experience that is closely connected with events like the Copa del Rey in Mallorca, the Voile d’Antibes and the St. Barth Regatta etc.

6.

“Never lose control of your market” is a tip you once gave.

At what point does one lose the control?

A brand and its distribution, but also its products, have to be carefully cultivated. Always with the focus on the customer.

A market has to be constantly looked after in the best possible way, with the alignment on all channels where the customer shops. But, as I said, the distribution should be controlled, it should be based on partnership and be sustainable, as well as established on the roots of the brand. And the prices should be reasonable too.

7.

Which trends are here to stay and which ones will disappear forever?

I very much believe in timeless pieces, in denim and chinos, in the rugged look, sports/ casualwear, craftsmanship and functionality! Trends come and go, I don’t believe that a trend can disappear forever – it comes back, even if it’s in a variation that’s adapted to the present time.

8.

Gaastra founder Douwe Gaastra once said: “Once captured by the sailing spirit, your heart belongs to the sea forever.” Does this also apply to you?

Yes, absolutely. Sailing is a neverending source of inspiration!

9.

Where’s your favourite place?

It’s an island: Mallorca.

10.

What are you looking forward to in the future?

To all of the positive things that life brings, whether big or small, and to many more years in this extremely exciting fashion industry.

Fashion Trade Show www.the-gallery-duesseldorf.com

Arctic Anorak

Military Eskimo

Paolo Ventura for WoolrichArt

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