J'N'C Magazine 2/2016

JEANSWEAR AND CONTEMPORARY FASHION

ENGLISH

No 64 / 2-2016

INTERVIEWS WITH:

COOL CITIES FRANKFURT STREET STYLES RETAIL TALKS AND SERVICE

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ESTHER SCHULZE-TSATSAS & DIMITRIOS TSATSAS, FLORIAN SPENGLER, GUIDO JOHNEN, JÖRG WICHMANN, HAMIT YENICI, ISMAIL KOLUNSAG, TEOMAN ADEMOGULLARI, EBRU DEBBAĞ, ORHAN BAYKAN, FRANÇOIS GIRBAUD

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Editorial

Editorial

thE fEar of tError... ... and the question of how we should respond to it skyscrapers, Frankfurt also has a cosy side to it – after all, the metropolis on the banks of the Main River has a population of ‘only’ 700,000 inhabitants, but 340,000 commuters pour into the city every day. When playing tour guide for our Cool Cities section she sometimes felt like a wide-eyed tourist in her own hometown. Exploring the city from north to west by bicycle on a lovely spring day is one of her top recommendations.

Frankfurt also has a lot to offer in terms of fashion.

In our opinion, Hayashi, the fashion store run by Kerstin Görling, deserves to be at the very top of the avant-garde list of pioneers in German retail.

Solid craftsmanship is also at the focus, which you can read about in our interview with Esther Schulze-Tsatsas and Dimitrios Tsatsas, the owners of bag label Tsatsas who produce the highest-quality leather accessories, always with sustainability in mind. ‘Made in Germany’ is certainly a criterion when it comes to Frankfurt’s style; and an equally important influence is the heritage left behind by the American occupational forces after the Second World War, which becomes clear upon browsing the ranges available from the city’s shopping institutions and in our detailed presentation of the Main metropolis, where you can read our valuable tips from page 36.

Gerlind Hector and Cheryll Mühlen are providing us with even more retail tips in this issue, taking a closer look at Le Selekteur in Düsseldorf and Apropos in Munich, two real gems on Germany’s shopping scene. Read more from page 54.

In our Must Buys section from page 58 we are presenting the collection items we think should be stocked in the world’s top stores. And you can find out how best to combine this season’s highlights in our fashion editorials: together with stylist Jennifer Hahn, Düsseldorf-based photographer Dennis Weber showcased a new menswear look, while his Munich colleague Johannes Graf, together with stylist Stephanie Schwaiger, portrayed an eclectic mix of denim and high fashion.

We hope you have lots of fun leafing through this issue and hope to inspire you once again!

Ilona Marx

iloNa Marx Even though the media can tend to exaggerate the dangers for travellers to countries like Iran, Israel and Egypt, Ilona Marx could nevertheless fully understand the decision of her colleagues not to travel to Istanbul this March.

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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This was an issue that came up time and time again during the organisation of our Round Table event in Istanbul with the biggest names in the Turkish denim industry. Only a few days before our planned visit, yet another suicide bomb attack took place on a bustling Istanbul shopping street – on the weekend before our J’N’C event there was a genuine state of emergency and heightened terror warnings at several German institutions within the city. 200 people have already fallen victim to terrorist attacks in Turkey since the beginning of the year so it’s only natural that, fearing for their safety, some members of our team preferred to stay at home.

Despite this, our Round Table get-together with the top names of the denim industry still went ahead, almost in defiance of the difficult circumstances – albeit with fewer German participants and a spontaneously hired Turkish photographer. A statement against the fear, which fortunately hasn’t been able to paralyse us in a way that jeopardises the fruitful cooperation with the Turkish denim sector. Together we discussed the future of the industry, and the question of how Turkey can position itself between its two largest competitors: Italy and Asia. These and other key topics of the summit will no doubt be discussed in more depth at future meetings. You can read up on what the Turkish masterminds have to say about competition and sustainability from page 92.

Continuing on our travels, we are also whisking you off to Frankfurt with this issue. And even though it doesn’t compare in any way to the current threatening situation in Istanbul, there are parts of Frankfurt where you also need to have your wits about you. The area around the city’s main train station is best avoided by the faint-hearted, but on the whole the finance metropolis seems almost tranquil. At least that’s the impression we got from our J’N’C author Mahret Kupka, who lives in Frankfurt and who, together with Stuttgart-based photographer Nikolaus Grünwald, set off in search of the coolest places for our current issue, venturing beyond the somewhat sterile banking quarter, whose towering skyscrapers are amongst the highest in Europe.

Mahret is, of course, well aware that beyond the

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talks – CrOCS ariane ittner & FlOrian SpenGler

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traDeShOwS panorama bErlin prEmium bErlin briGHt, bErlin / sEEk, bErlin Gds, dÜssEldorF / b74, FrankFurt modEFabriEk, amstErdam / GallEry, dÜssEldorF dEnim by prEmiÈrE vision, barCElona / pitti immaGinE uomo, FlorEnCE

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eDitOr Cheryll mühlen /cm FreelanCe COntriBUtOrS Jemima Gnacke, Gerlind Hector /gh, mahret kupka /mk, Fredericke Winkler /fw

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‘’Future-Hunter-Gatherers, denim-clad nomads and intergalactic tribes’’ A collection by The Vintage Showroom for ORTA #hitchhikerofthesolarsystem

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Some of our

CONTRIBUTORS

MAHRET KUPKA

COLUMN

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Plastic is Fantastic

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The finest silk dress, a mink-trimmed coat and a glittery diamond tiara: that’s what springs to mind when we picture the outfit of a real fairytale princess, at least the kind we used to read about as kids. But times are changing and the well-known children’s stories are being rewritten, according to news just in from the USA. There, the National Rifle Association has unceremoniously “updated” the stories of Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel & Co. to, in their eyes, help lead their little rays of sunshine down the path of virtue from the earliest possible age, or not as the case may be. Which means that in their new versions, fictional villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Wicked Stepmother and Rumpelstiltskin are scared off by Beretta, Glock or Kel-Tec-toting protagonists.

Talk about jaw-dropping! But perhaps the international fashion lobby should take a leaf out of their book and also update the fashion in these old stories to better reflect modernday times. The fabrics that were once so highly prized are mega out now, something which the Fairy Godmother needs to remember the next time she wants to conjure up a new outfit for Cinderella. Silk? A definite nono because silkworms are being boiled alive to harvest the cocoons. Fur and crocodile skin also get a big thumbs down from us, and every third-grader can meanwhile hold a spontaneous short presentation on the topic of “blood diamonds”. Organic cotton as an alternative? Sorry to disappoint, but it takes twice as much water to make as conventional cotton.

Changing values or not, fortunately help is on the way: this coming summer Karl Lagerfeld

is presenting black plastic-look jackets and platform shoes, Maison Margiela wants to dress us in little foil hats and J.W. Anderson, creative director at Loewe, is even suggesting head-to-toe polyurethane outfits, including straight-cut trousers that are already available for a ridiculous 990 US dollars. All of which are completely see-through and definitely not an option for people with real bodies. Anderson’s inspiration: “I thought to myself: what else could be like a second skin?”

Which is all well and good if you enjoy feeling like a shrink-wrapped pork chop... One thing’s for sure: luxury materials that we used to regard as exclusive have lost their cachet.

Even cashmere jumpers fly off the shelves for next to nothing these days. Plastic, on the other hand, could soon be treated as a real rarity: it is, after all, produced from crude oil, which, as we all know, is running out at an alarming rate. And let’s face it: when everything is attainable in terms of fashion, the only thing that counts is standing out – which isn’t exactly hard when you’re clad in rubber, plastic and PVC. So will we soon be seeing Sleeping Beauty in a dominatrix look or perhaps the Big Bad Wolf as a bondage victim?

These are all associations that the modern fairytale author should consider if they want to create contemporary literature from the tales of our past. But ultimately, there’s only one single fairytale that will always remain relevant: “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, the story of the foolish, vain king who was preoccupied with his appearance and allowed himself to be swindled is a timeless classic and obviously just as pertinent today.

Just how does she manage it all? Author, fashion theory lecturer, curator at the Museum of Applied Arts in Frankfurt – and also a pro at taming her curly locks into a cycling helmet. Mahret Kupka is extremely versatile. She has been entering triathlons since her childhood and was able to prove her fitness by pounding the pavements of her hometown for our Frankfurt city guide.

On her tour she was delighted to discover previously unknown corners and meet fascinating people, who she found it hard to tear herself away from. But Mahret also likes to relax and unwind now and again: by stroking dogs, watching American TV series and eating schnitzel.

DENNIS WEBER Dennis Weber is someone who really cares.

The photographer is happiest when he’s working in a laid-back, friendly atmosphere and, as well as always being in a good mood, he also enjoys looking after his entire team. As a passionate hobby baker he never turns up to a shoot without one of his homemade chocolate cakes. And as a huge fan of style and elegance, the self-taught photo buff, who specialises in men’s fashions, always aims for the perfect look, which if need be, he can even create himself: after all, Dennis is a dab hand at hair, make-up and styling too; not only on set but also at home in front of the mirror.

Which regularly leads to confusion: he’s often mistaken for the male model at photo shoots.

JOHANNES GRAF “Let the sun shine in!” is the motto that Johannes Graf lives by. He lives and breathes his job as a fashion photographer.

As a qualified sports scientist he is good at coping well with speed and adverse weather conditions, but has since specialised in fashion. No summit is too high and no wave too big for the Bavarian; which is why he’d prefer to move his favourite city of Munich to the Atlantic Ocean if he could. And because he’s such a keen traveller, he didn’t mind travelling back in time for our photo shoot. We scouted the ideal location for him: an empty old house from the 1960s, still with the original décor.

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Bits & Pieces

Bits & Pieces ivY Park × zaLando:

emPowerment Whatever she touches turns to gold. Beyoncé Knowles, aka Queen B, is not only worshipped and adored for her exceptional voice and exemplary singing career, but also confidently embodies the modern-day, marketable version of feminism. As part of a joint venture with Sir Philip Green from the Arcadia Group, Beyoncé recently launched her activewear collection, Ivy Park, which is available exclusively from Zalando. The products are designed for all female body shapes with strength, wellness and health in mind.

Like the leggings that support and enhance, and come in three shapes: I (low-rise), V (mid-rise) and Y (high-rise). It’s time to start working with our bodies, not against them. /cm www.zaLando.de mLtv:

muLtidimensionaL farah:

suit YourseLf uP For its first tailoring line, American menswear label Farah has taken inspiration from Dieter Rams, the famous German industrial designer best known for his product designs in the 1960s and 70s. Rams’ style stands out with its simplicity, timelessness and quality. A minimalist ethos that Farah is now conveying in its autumn/winter 2016 collection, consisting of five three-piece suits and three stand-alone items – all of which have a closefitting, modern tailored look.

Available from June 2016. /cm

64 — 02/2016

www.farah.co.uk

Conventional menswear is nowhere to be found at MLTV. Instead the Stockholm label, which was only established in 2012, chooses to focus its attention on the details, which become essential elements as a result of the geometric design approach, mastering the fine line between minimalism and statement.

For autumn/winter 2016 MLTV is using logos, a monochrome colour palette and multifunctional designs – the latter as a reaction to mass consumption. ‘Two in one’, if you like. The 23-piece collection impresses with its detachable logos and sleeves, transparent sweaters and oversized silhouettes with a multidimensional look and feel. Creativity knows no bounds. /cm www.mLtvcLothing.com

guess:

eastern Promises Opposites attract. This is something that Californian lifestyle brand Guess has acknowledged for its autumn/winter 2016 collection, juxtaposing Far Eastern serenity with a Western urban lifestyle. The result is an extraordinary mix of different looks under the main ‘Eastern Promises’ theme with the three looks ‘Indigo Therapy’, ‘Go West’ and ‘Kaleidoscope’. They include denims with a washed and distressed look, fun nature visuals, Japanese designs and cuts, jacquard and printed velvet as well as military elements, animal prints and shiny colour accents. What more could we want? /cm www.guess.com

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BITS & PIECES

KURZZUG:

UPCYCLING, MUNICH-STYLE! Did you know what happens to the used seat covers from Munich’s underground trams? We do! Since 2013, the Kurzzug team, Jörg Schleburg and Wolfgang Bischoff, have been working on turning them into new and innovative bags. And the young label is now celebrating its market premiere with the first collection ‘K/Much-1601’. So far it only includes two bags, a key ring and a wallet, but is set to grow in the future.

Until then, ‘Der Wochenender’ (The Weekender) offers enough space for everything you need for a long weekend, while ‘Die Stadttasche’ (The City Bag) is large enough to hold your essential gadgets while still being light enough to carry. And ‘Der Schlüsselzug’ (The Keyring) isn’t supposed to be a fun gimmick, but much more an expression of affection for the brand and even Munich itself. /cm WWW.KURZZUG.DE

MICHAEL STOLL, MANAGING DIRECTOR:

PRIVATE WHITE V.C. Michael, what makes Private White V.C. so unique?

We are different because we have survived as a company, unchanged since the industrial revolution, which began in Manchester and the north-west of England more than two centuries ago. We still use methods that were perfected 50 years ago and we’re based in a 200-year-old mill that is still fully functional. This is where we manufacture our products, from the yarn to the weaving all the way to the finished product. We call it the sheep to shop concept.

You attach great value in keeping the production local, including the materials. How difficult is it nowadays to preserve a traditional location like yours?

We don’t find it difficult because we’ve been dealing with the same mills throughout my time in the business so basically we are a large, loose-knit team.

What are your plans for Private White in 2016?

We are currently expanding our wholesale clientele in different markets whilst increasing our online and retail business.

Thank you.

WWW.PRIVATEWHITEVC.COM

TIMBERLAND:

HERITAGE & FUTURE

BEAN STORE:

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CULTURAL MELTING POT Laura Bohnenberger’s aim is to create a cultural space where fashion merges with art, literature and photography. In her tastefully designed store she stocks a range of clothing, accessories and beauty products. Newcomer labels like Bea Bühler, Annika Schüler and We.Re take pride of place alongside big names like Carven, Maison Kitsune and Lee. Valentine Gauthier, Maria Black and Perret Schaad give the portfolio an edgy touch, making the Bean Store at Theresienstrasse 25 a lovingly curated insider retail tip for ladies’ and kidswear. /cm WWW.BEAN-STORE.DE 18

When tradition meets innovation, icons are given a new lease of life. Although cult brand Timberland is focusing on its most wellknown design, the Yellow Boot, for autumn/ winter 2016, they will be giving it a technological upgrade: the SensorFlex sole technology runs through the entire collection as a central element and, with its three ultralight layers, ensures active shock absorption, firm support and flexibility. In addition to the yellow classic, another model for men is the Amherst, a casual leather shoe with SensorFlex sole and the 2.0 Adventure Cupsole – now available in new shapes and colours including red, blue, black and green. Timberland will also be launching an 8-inch ‘Made in the USA’ model.

Bootiful! /cm WWW.TIMBERLAND.COM

ww w.premiumexhib itio ns.co m

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

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The MasTerpieces

Danish Beauty / FonnesBech

Avigna FonnesBech

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In the digitalised and consumption-led year of 2016, making clear statements in the world of fashion is not always an easy task. But Fonnesbech, the traditional Copenhagen company established in 1847 and newly launched two years ago, has come up with the solution in the form of a coat: Avigna is the name of this navy blue masterpiece from the autumn/winter 2016 season, which, thrown casually over the shoulder, immediately imparts a hint of aloofness, strength and elegance. And this has a lot to do with the fact it’s made from 100-percent, mulesing-free merino wool.

Inspired by clear-cut, linear and sculptural silhouettes with flowing lines, Avigna unites the feminine with the masculine, WWW.FonnesBech-cph.coM

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turning a seemingly simple garment into an everlasting must-have – true to the Fonnesbech philosophy: good design for a long-lasting wardrobe.

Z E I TG E I ST FA S H I O N . T R A D E . S H O W. 28 – 30 J U N E 2016

W W W. PA N O R A M A- B E RL I N .C O M

the MasteRpieces

Full Metal / Replay

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Scatto Replay Modern sportswear, as the name suggests, is sporting apparel that has gone on to become something very different: fashion must-haves. Scatto, a football boot from the early 1970s is one such item. Rediscovered in the archives of a workshop that mainly produced bespoke shoes, the Italian fashion brand has reinterpreted the Scatto, which is Italian for sprint, as a modern sneaker. This makes the shoe absolutely Masterpiece-worthy, not only because of its history, but also because of its striking appearance. Our example from the ‘Scatto 1972’ capsule collection stands out with its glamorous gold metallic camouflage upper and looks the part whether combined with casual or chic outfits. With its slender shape, white stitching and laces, Scatto is a summery eye-catcher, made in Italy. www.Replay.it

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NEW: TUES THUR 26 28 JUL 2016

GDS-ONLINE.COM

The masTerpieces

The Ancient Art of Folding / DesiDerius

Damiana DesiDerius Most of us can make a paper aeroplane. But transforming a single sheet of paper into an artistic, three-dimensional object requires slightly more skill and technique. Both of which come together in the art of origami. This Japanese paper folding technique, which is over one thousand years old, provided Desiderius designer Jasmin Prinz with her inspiration for the label’s autumn/winter 2016 Origami collection. One of its models goes by the name ‘Damiana’: our Masterpiece comes in the colours olive/brown and isn’t made of paper, but cowhide and suede – which takes the art of folding to a whole new level.

The overlapping folds have a very organic shape and are given an antique touch with the slightly metallic finish, which also reflects Desiderius’ characteristic vintage appeal. The bag also has two small inside pockets, not to mention an adjustable strap and a small handle for additional carrying options.

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www.DesiDerius.com

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P R E V I E W T E X T I L E FA I R FA B R I C S | A D D I T I O N A L S | D E N I M & S P O RT S W E A R | D E S I G N S T U D I O S

VIEWMUNICH.COM

The masTerpIeces

Airy & light / UNIQLO

Airism Mesh UNIQLO

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If we could see air, it would no doubt look a lot like the AIRism Mesh round-neck T-shirt from the Uniqlo AIRism collection – and it would certainly feel just as airy. After all, the ‘Air’ is meant literally here. The idea behind this light and airy collection is that the Japanese fashion chain simply wanted to make

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the hot and sweaty summers in the land of the rising sun more bearable. So they had to find a ‘cool’ solution. No sooner said than done. Cupro, the breathable and hygroscopic fibre, also known as copper silk, not only retains moisture, but is also silky-soft to the touch. And the fact that this white, almost inconspicuous T-shirt is so effective is thanks to Asahi Kasei and Toray Industries, two of Japan’s leading companies when it comes to textile technology. They have ensured that AIRism works together with the body. Perspiration is therefore not only absorbed, but also evenly dispersed. Textile functionality at its best. www.UNIQLO.cOm

the masterpieCes

A True Man’s Footsteps / Chippewa

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5” Lace-to-Toe Chippewa

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Once made for men who left their homes for months on end to cut down trees in the depths of the North American wilderness, Chippewa offers more than just simple boots. They are premium-quality functional footwear. Made to defy the laws of nature. A true Chippewa original is our handmade Masterpiece ‘5” Lace-to-Toe’ from the Vibram Heritage line, which was based on the 1958 model. And even if the men of today spend a lot less time in the forest, preferring instead to roam the pavements of the urban jungle, the traditional company, which was founded in 1901 in Wisconsin, makes this shoe with premium leather from the Horween tan-

nery – one of the oldest in the USA. Also equipped with a jumbo wedge crepe sole and a leather insole, the boot still lives up to the standards of back in the day.

Its eyelets and hooks, made of gold-coloured nickel, and rawhide laces complete the authentic look. And you can’t get more ‘true American history’ than that. www.Chippewaboots.Com

the masterpieCes

Fashion Equipment / wrenChmonkees

Different words trigger different responses in men and women.

This is something that Danish label Wrenchmonkees, which also manufactures motorcycles, has acknowledged: by referring to all of its products as ‘equipment’. This is a reflection of the functional expectations placed on the collections – by Wrenchmonkees itself, as well as its customers. Their target group is the modern masculine man. And

that’s who the MC Jacket #4 was made for – produced in the same place as the notorious motorbikes. But you’ll be searching in vain for frivolous design elements. Instead, the slanted front pockets are designed so you can easily slide your hands inside, even if you’re wearing gloves or sitting on your bike. Another three inside pockets and a key

holder also do credit to the term ‘equipment’. And the fact that the MC looks so nonchalantly cool on top of that makes it an absolute must-have.

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MC Jacket #4 wrenChmonkees

www.wrenChmonkees.Com

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COOl CItIES / FrankFurt

TExT Mahret KupKa PHOTOS NiKolaus GrüNwald

Cool Cities

FrankFurt

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Writing something flattering about the city on the Main River also means simultaneously dispelling a whole host of negative preconceptions. It’s often said that Frankfurt is ugly. But anyone who has ventured beyond the area around the train station and the city centre into the adjoining neighbourhoods will soon change their mind. “Nix mit Hollywood, Frankfurt Brudi” (“Who needs Hollywood when you’ve got Frankfurt, bro?”) are lyrics from a track by the rapper Haftbefehl. He actually comes from nearby Offenbach, but the people of Frankfurt will take any praise that comes their way.

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Frankfurt isn’t Paris, nor is it Venice or New York, even if certain corners of Mainhattan, as it’s affectionately known because of its striking skyline, might bear a passing resemblance to the Big Apple.

Frankfurt is different, a little bit rough around the edges, not your classic tourist city. But at the same time it’s also very friendly and cosmopolitan. You have to be willing to sit at one of the long wooden tables with the locals and tourists who all come together in the famous apple wine taverns. You have to be self-assured enough to fill your own glass from the ‘Bembel’ – the traditional earthenware jug with the eye-catching blue pattern – containing the region’s most important tipple: ‘Ebbelwoi’, as it’s known by the locals, apple wine, or cider. Best enjoyed pure or slightly diluted with sparkling water, but not with lemonade, as every proper Frankfurter will attest to. Of whom there are approximately 716,000. Added to this are the 340,000 commuters who work in the 43,000 companies based in the city, bumping the Main metropolis’ population up to a million, albeit for a few hours a day.

A total of 74,972 people were working in the financial and insurance services sector in 2015 alone.

Frankfurt is home to the European Central Bank, the Deutsche Bundesbank, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, numerous financial institutions (including Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, DZ Bank, KfW) and the Frankfurt Trade Fair. Based on economic criteria, Frankfurt is classed as one of the world’s metropolises. Which is hard to believe, especially when you leave behind the financial district with its high-rise buildings, which are among the highest in Europe. That’s when Frankfurt becomes very small and cosy very quickly: the world’s biggest village, or perhaps the world’s smallest metropolis. Frankfurt is neither fish nor fowl and perhaps it’s precisely this in-betweenness that makes life here so appealing. As a local, you’re constantly bumping into people you know. There’s isn’t too much going on in the way of culture but it’s all the nicer to know that

if something is happening, like an exhibition or new restaurant opening, everyone who’s anyone will be there.

From a fashion perspective, Frankfurt is quite relaxed, even though it can look back on an illustrious furrier tradition. “Frankfurt zieht an” is the name of the publication that the city’s Economic Affairs Department published at the end of the 1980s, in which fashion is recognised as a trade and economy-boosting factor, particularly in partnership with its neighbouring Offenbach, a town that was long renowned for its high-quality leather production.

Which doesn’t actually sound very sexy. But several young labels are beginning to capitalise on precisely this tradition today. With resounding success.

The focus is less on fashion as a changing trend barometer and more on excellent craftsmanship, as well as on the origins of the materials and a passion for design. Off the beaten track of the main shopping street, the Zeil, there are countless ateliers, boutiques and shops whose offers centre on lasting values and quality. But it’s not only ‘Made in Germany’ that defines the Frankfurt style; the American occupation has also left its mark. In post-war Germany everything from overseas was en vogue in Frankfurt before anywhere else. A time that the people of Frankfurt remember fondly. And they’re just as proud of the city’s techno tradition. The first Museum of Modern Electronic Music will be opening on Frankfurt’s Hauptwache square in 2018 and its exhibits will also cover clubbing fashions.

Frankfurt is happening between the lines, beyond the skyscrapers. Start your journey of discovery with us on the following pages…

FrankFurt In nuMBErS Population of the city of Frankfurt: 716,000 Number of commuters into the city daily: 340,000 Population of Rhine-Main metropolitan region: 5,500,000 Percentage of foreign nationals: 26.8% Highest building: Commerzbank Tower (259 m) First high-rise building: Mouson Tower (33 m, built in 1925/26) First trade fair: 1240 (granted by Emperor Frederick II, under whose protection the annual Frankfurt Autumn Fair developed into a hub for European trade) Number of airline passengers at Frankfurt Airport each year: 58 million Number of museums and exhibition spaces: 60 First techno party: 1984 at the club ‘No Name’ Opening of the first techno museum: 2018 Number of banks: 196

rEad thE GErMan VErSIOn OF thIS GuIdE On WWW.JnC-nEt.dE

Number of people employed in the finance and insurance services sector: 74,972

is neither Fish nor Fowl

COOl CItIES / FrankFurt

FrankFurt

and perhaps it’s precisely this in-betweenness that makes liFe

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here so appealing.

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COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — StrEEt StylES

FrankFurt StrEEt StylES

MOSES, 24, booking agent, record laber owner

MICha, 45, online marketing manager

Sneakers Nike Jeans Asos Jumper Low Money Music Love Jacket Alpha Industries Scarf Sør

Sneakers Robey Trousers, shirt & jacket Acne Cap Wood Wood

“From a Fashion perspective, FrankFurt isn’t in a position to seriously compete with cities like berlin or london. but a microcosm like the area around the train station oFFers the ideal conditions For urban diversity.”

MICha

natO, 32, digital project manager Boots Vagabond , Dress Selected Femme Jacket Escada

kyra, 32, teacher

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Sneakers Reebok Dress Antlitz&Steinhauer Cardigan & Other Stories Coat COS Hat Carhartt Backpack Kaliber

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ullI, 53, physiotherapist Sneakers New Balance Trouser suit Geoffrey B. Small Bag Hogan Jacket Alpha Industries

COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — StrEEt StylES

hartMut, 43, senior consultant Shoes Heinrich Dinkelacke, Jeans G-Star, Belt Valentino, Jumper Christian Berg, Shirt Jaques Britt, Tie Drykorn, Blazer Cinque, Coat Lagerfeld

SaBInE, 60, art historian Sneakers Salomon Trousers MNML Bodywarmer Elfenkleid in Vienna Sweater Caterpillar Arm cuff Vintage Bandage Ypsidal color

“there are lots oF suit-wearers in FrankFurt…but stylish people also exist here.” hartMut

aylIn, 23, retailer Sneakers Rick Owens Adidas Leggins & Shirt LGB Jacket If six was nine Coat Rick Owens Drkshdw Scarf Rick Owens

JOSh, 28, art director, dancer

lEnny, 40, artist Shoes Vintage Suit Burton Shirt, tie & coat Vintage

allEGra, 40, shop owner Sneakers Nike Skirt Stella Jean Top Vintage Jacket COS Bag KENZO

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Sneakers Raf Simons for Adidas Trousers Sport Gym Bodybuilding Jacket Sean John Sweater Woolworth

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COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — rEtaIl

FrankFurt rEtaIl

hayaShI Boersenplatz 13-15 60313 Frankfurt T +49 (0)69 2199 7255 OpEnInG hOurS Mon – Fri 11 am – 7 pm, Sat 11 am – 6 pm WWW.hayaShI-ShOp.COM

BrandS Marni, RED Valentino, MSGM, Philosophy, See by Chloé, Helmut Lang, Ports 1961, Vivetta, Stella Jean, Manoush, Isabel Marant Étoile, Acne Studios, No. 21, For Restless Sleepers, Mira Mikati, Carven, Joseph, Vanrycke, Anya Hindmarch

kerstin lives and breathes her vocation

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hayaShI

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Located just across the road from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange is a store that all fans of big, on-trend fashion brands will love: Hayashi. Its owner and head buyer Kerstin Görling is well known beyond Frankfurt as part of the blog collective Journelles.

In the Main metropolis this is the top address when it comes to fashion and style. It’s obvious

to anyone entering Hayashi that Kerstin lives and breathes her vocation. A fashion paradise on two floors, where every detail counts. Straight after studying fashion management at Düsseldorf’s AMD, the born-and-bred Frankfurter fulfilled her dream of becoming her own boss. Her ten years of passion, courage, experience and an eye for the

latest trends have culminated in a real institution. Those who come to Hayashi are looking for inspiration and surprises and to be beguiled and seduced by the treasures that Kerstin Görling has brought back to Frankfurt from all corners of the fashion globe.

Everything falls into place here, resulting in the unique Hayashi mix. You won’t find any complete

collections, but a consistent offer of established brands in combination with young and lesser-known newcomer labels.

There is also an unusual selection of jewellery, accessories and shoes and a well-trained team of sales assistants and stylists on hand to offer tips and advice.

COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — rEtaIl thE lIStEnEr Stephanstrasse 3 60313 Frankfurt am Main T +49 (0)69 2100 8000 OpEnInG hOurS Mon – Sat 11 am – 7 pm WWW.thElIStEnEr.dE

BrandS Stone Island, APC, Hope, Joseph, Dondup, Nudie Jeans, Denham, Uniforms for the Dedicated, Atelier Heschung, Aglini, Levi’s Vintage, Mother, Adriano Goldschmied, Edwin, Dondup, Paige, Citizens of Humanity, Current & Elliott

The Listener represents an intelligent mix of denim, authentic labels and contemporary fashion.

Opened in 2013 by Hakan Temür and Ardi Goldman, the concept store offers slick design and top-quality craftsmanship on a shop floor covering 400 m².

Fans of exquisite sneakers and special editions will feel well catered for on the spacious ground floor, filled with care-

fully curated brands presented alongside accessories and beauty products. On the upper floor the clothing offer for ladies and men continues with labels like Stone Island, APC, Hope, Joseph, Dondup, Nudie Jeans, Denham, Wolverine 1000 Mile, Alternative Apparel, Uniforms for the Dedicated, Atelier Heschung, Aglini, Levi’s Vintage, Natural Selection Denim, Mother, Adriano

Goldschmied, Edwin, Dondup, Paige, Citizens of Humanity and Current & Elliott. They also offer shoes, accessories, bags and perfume. Located off the beaten track from the main shopping street, the Zeil, in the new MA* district, the Listener fits right into its local neighbourhood, which is peppered with interior design stores, a yoga studio and a barber shop-cum-tattoo studio-

cum-café, The Legends. Recently having acquired the title “Neustadt” (New Town) the area is considered new, up-and-coming and hip. The Listener, though, is choosing to go down the quality and tradition route. You can even sip a delicious drink at the bar on the top floor while your favourite jeans are repaired at the Repair Station. “Things we live and love” is the concept of the store.

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thE lIStEnEr

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COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — rEtaIl

BrandS B74 SElECtEd GOOdS

Scarti-Lab, Stetson, Golden Bear, Merz b. Schwanen, Tanner Goods, Filson, Tellason, Dehen 1920, Knowledge Cotton Apparel, Johnson Motors, Brütting, Rinouhma, Momotaro, Soulive, Otter Wax, Cold Tech, Vetro, Emma Opitz, Levis Vintage Clothing, Blue Blanket, Topo Design USA, Thedi Leathers, Indigo Blue, Freitag, Reds, Manifattura Ceccarelli

Berliner Strasse 74 (in courtyard) 60311 Frankfurt am Main T +49 (0)69 293 329

OpEnInG hOurS Mon – Sat 10:30 am – 7 pm WWW.B-74.COM

the central element oF the store’s design is the counter with its built-in drawers

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B74 SElECtEd GOOdS

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In times of uncertainty a yearning for the tried-and-tested is a logical reaction. At B74 this is manifested in a number of ways, making Kami Hashemi something of an institution with his menswear store. As the son of a traditional Frankfurt retail family, he sets great store by quality, functionality and tradition. You can fully rely on excellent product consultation here. Hashemi certainly knows his stuff: in 1998 his family took over the Frankfurt Redwing store and since then

he has continued what the shoe traditionalists started out doing at the end of the seventies, with their first store on this side of the pond. Offering raw denim items, shirts and belts on the top floor of the store at Frankfurt’s Kornmarkt was a smart move and perfectly suited to the taste of Redwing customers. It turned out to be so successful that in 2008 they went on to open the B74 store, located in the former retail space and warehouse of the old paint company Farben

Jenisch in a rear courtyard on Berliner Strasse. Every Frankfurt local remembers the paint store and will no doubt be touched to see the odd splash of paint and the nostalgic warehouse feel. In all other respects the preservation of the good, the true and the beautiful plays a central role at Hashemi. The store’s most prominent design element is the counter with built-in drawers, which once belonged to a village haberdashery – Hashemi successfully bid for it online and it

remains the store’s only constant in terms of furniture. Everything else is revamped four or five times a year. Old motorbikes and racing bikes, Vespas and vintage cars as well as sports equipment and memorabilia round off the store’s design. A former freight elevator makes the ideal changing room and an old loading ramp takes pride of place at the entrance.

COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — rEtaIl FrIda

BrandS

Bleidenstrasse 11 60311 Frankfurt am Main T +49 (0)69 5699 7407

the reduced

OpEnInG hOurS

palette only

Mon – Wed 11 am – 7 pm, Thurs – Fri 11 am – 8 pm, Sat 11 am – 7 pm

WWW.FrIda-FrankFurt.dE

serves to highlight the quality

Alexandre Plokhov, Ann Demeulemeester, Barbara I Gongini, Boris Bidjan Saberi, Drkshdw, Hannibal, Histoires de Parfums, Hood by Air, Julius, KD 2024 Silver, Label Under Construction, Obscur, Rick Owens, Werkstatt München, Yohji Yamamoto, Y-3, If Six Was Nine, LGB, Parts of Four, Rundholz, Simona Tagliaferri, The Last Conspiracy, Vêtements, Vic Matie

Frida Kahlo is maybe not the first person you would think of upon entering this store just off Frankfurt’s Hauptwache square.

One would tend to associate the Mexican artist with brightly coloured paintings, even though her themes are mostly unsettling and often deal with the physical pain she suffered from ever since a tragic accident in her younger years. But perhaps

it is exactly this ambivalence, the ability to express one’s life despite tragedy, that makes Frida Kahlo such an outstanding personality and therefore the perfect namesake of this Frankfurt store with its selection of avant-garde fashion. The first impression of Frida is somewhat sombre, just like the clothes by Boris Bidjan Saberi, Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto. But the

reduced palette only serves to highlight the quality: highquality leather boots made using traditional methods, sneakers with skilled detailing, sophisticated and innovative silhouettes in unusual fabrics and textile mixes as well as attention to both functional and decorative details. Fashion connoisseurs will find their old favourites and also discover new and outstand-

ing creative labels. The team at Frida offers attentive service and advice, always with a focus on the wishes and personality of the customer. And if an item doesn’t fit, you can have it altered, or if it needs fixing, you can have it repaired – thanks to the store’s comprehensive service for shoes and leather goods.

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FrIda

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COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — rEtaIl +

FrankFurt rEtaIl +

MarkuS nIkOlaI OptIC

rEVIEr4 Located somewhat off the beaten track of Frankfurt’s main shopping street in a lovingly restored historic building with soaring 5-metre-high ceilings and an enormous storefront window, Jörg Peter and Orhan Yildiz present street fashion for men and women – including labels like Gabba, Tigha, Bomboogie, Bastille, Stefan Brandt, Moma, Hudson and Airstep. Shoes and accessories are just as much a matter of course here as friendly consultation, which can be enjoyed sitting on the windowsill with a coffee during a welldeserved shopping break.

If you’re looking for a pair of glasses in Frankfurt and also happen to appreciate quality and personality, there’s no getting past Markus Nicolai. Fans of electronic music may have already seen and heard the optician and record label founder at legendary Berlin club Berghain during one of his live DJ sets. In the store you’ll find the results of his constant merging of his twin passions: in addition to his own eyewear designs, he stocks glasses from small, up-and-coming newcomer labels, as well as from more established brands.

WWW.MarkuSnIkOlaI.COM

WWW.FaCEBOOk.COM/rEVIEr4FFM

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uEBErVart

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Contemporary men’s fashions, selected streetwear and limited edition sneakers all have their place at Uebervart. Since opening in 2008 in the centre of town, the store offers everything that fashion-conscious men could wish for: classic brands like A.P.C. and Acne Studios hang alongside trendy streetwear labels like Palace London and Raised by Wolves. Comme des Garçons perfume can be found next to exclusive Nike or Adidas Consortium sneakers.

WWW.uEBErVart-ShOp.dE

COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — rEtaIl +

2nd hOME On an area of 80 m² in one of Frankfurt’s historic buildings, this concept store has made itself feel right at home. And they’re constantly redecorating so there is always something new to discover.

Everything that you can see inside the opulently furnished apartment is for sale. From the scented candles down to the tea set, the coffee table and even the sofa. Not to mention the wall paint, clothing and accessories. Labels include Farrow & Ball, Muuto, Normann Copenhagen, Hay, Flos, Gubi, Saskia Diez, Comme des Garçons and PB 0110.

WWW.2nd-hOME.nEt

atElIEr ruth löFFElhOlz In the words of Ruth Löffelholz, she makes clothing, not fashion. In 1990 she opened her couture business in Frankfurt’s posh Westend neighbourhood. Since then she has been dressing her clients, mainly women in leadership positions, in the business suits they need, madeto-measure of course. The majority of the production is carried out on site. Her focus is on emphasising the self-confident personality of her clients, evoking respect, equality and self-determination, always with feminine charm.

WWW.ruth-lOEFFElhOlz.dE

atElIEr lEOnard kahlCkE This store belonging to the award-winning shoe designer Leonard Kahlcke is worth a visit due to its size alone. Right in the centre of town and wedged between towering bank buildings, the tiny atelier is one of the smallest but most perfectly designed. Right down to the smallest detail. And the finest leather shoes on sale here, for men and soon also for women, are just as perfect in every way.

After extensive personal consultation they are tailor-made to fit your feet.

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WWW.lEOnardkahlCkE.COM

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FrankFurt rEtaIl +

COCO lOrES

lIka MIMIka Espadrilles have always been the ultimate summer shoe. And LIKA MIMIKA, founded in 2010 by Lisa Leipziger and Marijana Condic, is now taking the classic style to the next level.

With lots of attention to detail and the finest choice of fabrics, the shoes are handmade in Spain and presented in their flagship store in Frankfurt along with accessories by Maria La Rosa, eyewear by Lunettes and jewellery

by Margova Jewellery, as well as furniture by E15.

The three ladies behind the label Coco Lores are bringing variety to our daily grind with their office couture line: the styles are individualistic but not over the top, original yet sophisticated. Founded in 2008 in a store in Nordend, the Coco Lores collections, which are handmade in Frankfurt, not only keep professional women looking smart, but also look great worn outside the office thanks to their clean cuts, precise silhouettes and conscious contrasts. The Marie Couture collection offers wedding dresses for brides and their bridesmaids.

WWW.COCO-lOrES.COM

WWW.lIkaMIMIka.COM

EpIphany My Fedorowicz is the heart and soul of this lovingly designed vintage store on the edge of Frankfurt’s Zeil shopping street.

She presents selected items in her own style on her blog womansdressingroom.de, providing inspiration for her happy customers on a quest for unique items from different decades.

In addition to clothing, Epiphany also offers shoes and accessories in a unique historic atmosphere: personal consultation and a small surprise in your shopping bag included.

WWW.WOManSdrESSInGrOOM.dE

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13 Whenever young fashionable Frankfurt ladies decide to clear out of their wardrobes, they bring their unwanted items to Allegra Aslim. She then picks out the garments that best suit her carefully curated second-hand shop concept. And you’ll often find genuine treasures by wellknown Frankfurt stylists and designers, which always makes a visit to 13 worthwhile. Allegra will also throw in a cheerful smile, a great espresso and a glass of prosecco for free, which only adds to the enjoyable experience.

WWW.13-VIntaGE.COM

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lIEBlInGSStüCkE Lieblingsstücke is the German word for favourite items. Which says it all really. Right in the centre of Frankfurt’s Brückenviertel neighbourhood, Myriam Beltz has created a space for her favourites, giving each one plenty of room to breathe.

Lovingly arranged, like in an art gallery, shoppers will find sleek, nononsense fashion from Scandinavia (Filippa K and Hope) in addition to minimalist jewellery from Munich (Saskia Diez), printed canvas bags from Madrid (Zubi) and cuddly elephants made of terry towelling from Hamburg (Andreas Linzer).

FIFty EIGhtS

aBaCI

Originally launched as a store selling only menswear, Fifty Eights now also caters to female fans of conceptual avant-garde fashion. In a stylish turn-of-the-century setting in Frankfurt’s Westend neighbourhood, Jutta Heisst presents current collections from labels like Ann Demeulemeester, Damir Doma, Maison Martin Margiela, Dries van Noten and Yohji Yamamoto, as well as shoes, accessories and perfume by Comme des Garçons and Molecule.

And the staff here take the time to look after every customer with the utmost dedication.

The discerning, individualistic man is in for a treat at Abaci. The range on offer includes shoes and accessories as well as suits that are, of course, customised to fit their owner perfectly. And you can even have your preferred outfit tailormade from scratch – hand-sewn in Italy – and thanks to a wide range of patterns and fabrics, there is no end to the possibilities. Cem-Mustafa Abaci designs all the models himself. And their detailing, fit and proportions all bear his characteristic hallmarks.

WWW.aBaCI.dE

WWW.FIFty-EIGhtS.dE

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WWW.MyrIaMBEltz.COM

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COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — SErVICE

FrankFurt SErVICE

lIBErtInE lIndEnBErG Frankensteiner Str. 20 60594 Frankfurt am Main T +(0)69 6616 1550 WWW.daS-lIndEnBErG.dE

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Located right in the middle of Frankfurt’s apple wine district of Alt-Sachsenhausen, the Libertine is not so much a hotel as more a home away from home. And you’ll certainly feel right at home at Libertine. For one night. Or forever. Short-term guests are just as welcome as those who stay for weeks, months or even years.

The residents themselves choose which level of service they want and how much of it they need: room prices range from do-ityourself to the full service with all the extras. Spread over seven

storeys, the Libertine invites you to live and work, eat and drink, celebrate and hang out with its guest community. There’s always plenty of cooking going on, the drinks are flowing, the dancing is wild and the laughter loud – all the way from the ground floor where you can meet up in the living room-style café up to the very top floor where guests can eat in the kitchen with views of Frankfurt’s skyline or play host themselves. You can count on Libertine to lay the table and mix the drinks, to pick herbs

and apples, bake chocolatebeetroot cake and peel and cook potatoes. Each of the 27 one to three-room suites and maisonettes at Libertine are uniquely designed and furnished by local manufacturers and artists with original paintings, fabrics, colours and one-off items. And the highlight is the in-house recording studio.

COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — SErVICE 25hOurS hOtEl thE GOldMan Hanauer Landstrasse 127-129 60314 Frankfurt T +(0)69 4058 6890 WWW.25hOurS-hOtElS.COM

Frankfurt’s Ostend district has really upped the trend factor in recent years. And part of this is the 25hours Hotel The Goldman, which opened in 2006 and expanded in 2012. It has burgeoned into a hub for styleconscious urban dwellers, as well as serving as a home base for young business travellers with a penchant for individuality. The 97 rooms are brightly coloured, some ultra-cool and others more playful. Responsible for their designs are 49 Frankfurt-based personalities who were each

responsible for different rooms.

Under the artistic direction of Frankfurt-based artists Delphine Buhro and Michael Dreher, an overall image of Frankfurt was created: an urban and upmarket lifestyle metropolis with no signs of the boring banker image the city is usually associated with.

After all, the slogan of the small hotel chain is “Real Place, Real People”. Guests can opt to sleep in the forest or casino rooms, princesses can search for peas under their mattresses, dreamers can take a trip to bygone days

and faraway countries, literature enthusiasts can look forward to a rendezvous with writers of the beatnik generation. But the basic interior of the rooms is always identical. In the eastern wing of the hotel an entirely new character has been added to the playful vintage aesthetic: 23 rooms with a much more subdued, minimalist and low-key style, inspired by the United Nations headquarters in New York, which was architecturally and technically pioneering in the fifties and now serves as a role model in two respects:

philosophically, as a symbol of peace and mutual understanding between nations, and also stylistically in terms of its colour and design. Anyone feeling bored and lonely in their hotel room can head to the Oost Bar or the stylish Goldman restaurant with its maritime vibe. The kitchen is overseen by Thomas Haus, making it one of the best restaurants in town.

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25hOurS hOtEl thE GOldMan

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FrankFurt SErVICE

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WalOn & rOSEttI

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Radu Rosetti is somewhat of a seasoned veteran on Frankfurt’s nightlife scene. Together with Henry Walon, who runs Sugar, another bar in Frankfurt’s Bornheim district, he opened the restaurant in a former Turkish teahouse in 2011, and it’s now a firm favourite of the city’s in-crowd. Less is more at Walon & Rosetti: a long bar is the dominant feature here; the walls are painted moss green and adorned, in part, with wood

klEIn und MaIn panelling. Well-aged wooden tables and chairs invite guests to linger a while longer. In addition to classic menu staples like sweet potato fries with truffle, there are new dishes on offer every day. And locally sourced ingredients are a top priority at Walon & Rosetti.

WWW.WalOn-rOSEttI.COM

Diagonally across the road from Walon & Rosetti, Klein und Main is housed in a former laundry.

The idea was to combine coffee and design under one roof, offering an oasis of calm in the bustling city. The store-cum-café is run by the graphic designer Elena Costache, who leaves the culinary aspects to her partner Raju Rosetti. Klein und Main is only open on weekdays: from Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm, they offer a range of coffees and

teas, with homemade lemonade and iced teas also being served.

In addition, vegetarian lunch dishes, a selection of cakes and cookies as well as sandwiches with delicious fillings like aubergine, red beet or chickpea are available.

WWW.klEInundMaIn.dE

COOl CItIES / FrankFurt — SErVICE

Following the success of pastrami buvette Maxie Eisen and the Lido nightclub near the train station, Oskar Melzer and brothers James and David Ardinast have now opened Stanley Diamond.

Away from Frankfurt’s main drag, they have managed to create a true gem on Frankfurt’s contemporary fine dining scene: topnotch food with the added twist of the laid-back train station milieu. Traditional recipes, which have disappeared from menus

hOppEnWOrth & plOCh in many other places, have been reclaimed and updated to become contemporary classics.

Contrasting elements dominate the space: green Indian marble, rose-tinted concrete and a colourful, brightly shining brass ceiling installation meet wood elements and seating designed

by E15.

WWW.StanlEydIaMOnd.COM

Anyone looking for a fast latte macchiato will be out of luck at Hoppenworth & Ploch. But true coffee nerds are in for a treat here, especially those who are happy to renounce sugar and milk in order to enjoy the purest coffee bean experience.

The drinks list is reminiscent of a wine menu: in addition to the region of cultivation, it also describes the gustatory nuances: red berries, dark chocolate, rhubarb or even strawberry yoghurt.

The interior design underlines the team’s absolute dedication: clear lines, stainless steel and abstract art on exposed brick walls. The centrepiece is a large solid wood table, from where you can observe the goings-on behind the counter or watch the world go by outside. The heavy roasting machine, where the magic happens, has a whole room to itself.

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StanlEy dIaMOnd

WWW.hOppEnWOrth-plOCh.dE

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COOl CItIES / FrankFurt talkS – ESthEr SChulzE-tSatSaS & dIMItrIOS tSatSaS, tSatSaS

FrankFurt talkS tSatSaS The path to TSATSAS leads us away from Frankfurt’s established trend districts and into the city’s Gallus quarter. This is where Esther Schulze-Tsatsas and Dimitrios Tsatsas have created their own little empire. And since 2015, their atelier has been home to the premium bag label’s sales floor, showroom, workshop and office area, which are all bundled together on an area of 100 m².

The bags are made by hand in the neighbouring town of Offenbach.

We met the architect and industrial designer for a chat…

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The label was founded in 2012 by Esther SchulzeTsatsas and Dimitrios Tsatsas. Leatherwork has a long tradition in their family. Dimitrios’ father, a fine bag-maker, has been running his own atelier in Offenbach for more than 30 years, which is where the TSATSAS bags are handcrafted. All of the high-quality natural leather used in the making of the bags comes from animals reared for beef in northern Italy, France, America, southern India and New Zealand. Only smooth open-pored leathers are used, which have natural properties that provide surface structure.

All tanneries that TSATSAS cooperates with fulfil the highest ecological and technical standards. And all the leather they use is free of azo dyes, PCP (pentachlorophenol) and chromium VI. A pacificblue lamb nappa lining is the special hallmark of all products. Each bag is chronologically allocated its own fabrication number, making each TSATSAS bag unique.

Offenbach am Main is known for its longstanding leatherwork traditions. Where renowned labels once had their bags made, there is now a museum to remind us of those days. And in nearby Frankfurt there are only a few workshops left that still specialise in the fine craftsmanship of bag making. Young label TSATSAS is trying to rekindle the tradition with a contemporary twist. The family business with 30 years of experience in bag production meets the latest in design and sustainability. And the results will please all those on a quest for long-lasting values that go beyond constantly changing trends. Once the TSATSAS atelier opened, the products made by the label finally also became available in Frankfurt itself. Previously they were only stocked by 20 suppliers worldwide, including Andreas Murkudis (Berlin), Tom Greyhound (Paris), Tomorrowland (Tokyo) and Boontheshop (Seoul) as well as online.

At TSATSAS a huge amount of

Mahret Kupka with Esther Schulze-Tsatsas and Dimitrios Tsatsas at their atelier in Frankfurt.

attention is lavished on even the tiniest details; experiments are undertaken, inventive solutions are found and only very rarely is anything left to chance…

Your bags are made of highquality, natural leather.

Not every type of leather is suitable for every type of design. what comes first? the idea for a shape for which you then find the suitable materials, or is it the material that determines the shape?

Esther Schulze-Tsatsas: Before establishing TSATSAS we spent a long time researching to find a high-quality natural cowhide that could serve as a suitable basis for most of our designs. Our leather wholesaler here in Offenbach, who has got to know us and our needs very well, sometimes comes across an interesting type of leather that he recommends to us. Or we rummage around in his stockroom and stumble upon material that we would really like to work with. Sometimes it also works the other way round: when the designs for the bag FLUKE were

created, we realised that our usual cowhide was too stiff so we searched specifically for a more suitable leather.

We work with several tanneries in Italy, southern Germany, France and India, which are all highly qualified and certified. It’s very important to us to know how the leather is processed, where the animals come from and to be assured that strict guidelines and standards are adhered to. what role does craftsmanship play?

Dimitrios Tsatsas: My father is a fine bag-maker and 35 years ago in Offenbach he founded a manufactory for leather goods. I basically grew up in the workshop and that is where I learned to love craftsmanship, working with high-quality materials and the whole haptic experience.

Somewhere along the line, the time had come for me to go out into the world, to question, learn and experience new things.

That’s when I began studying industrial design. Craftsmanship developed a whole new meaning for me because of that.

COOl CItIES / FrankFurt talkS – ESthEr SChulzE-tSatSaS & dIMItrIOS tSatSaS, tSatSaS The couple believe that things need time.

“we allow ourselves to have ideas and flexible when it comes to taking new and innovative paths. They work in very traditional ways.

And if you knock on the door as a young label and try to introduce new ideas, you’re not always welcomed with open arms.

Can you describe your design process for us?

Dimitrios: It’s very heterogeneous. It starts with an idea, either mine or Esther’s. There are lots of different things that play a role – a particular type of leather with special characteristics that we would like to transform into a bag, the details for a handle or the way something should be carried. Some things also develop during the process itself…

Esther: We have a general direction in mind, but in the end a completely different product to the one we had originally conceived comes out. We never begin the design process with the aim: “Next season we need a rucksack” and then go ahead and design a rucksack. We don’t think and work in seasons, instead we began with collection of five bags, which we have been

continuously expanding with new shapes, new colours and new leather types. We want to design products that have longevity.

Dimitrios: As we don’t work according to seasons, we can allow ourselves to have ideas and designs that we put aside to mature for a while. Sometimes things need time before you find the perfect solution. In some cases, two years might pass from the initial idea to the final bag. what kind of people buy and carry your bags?

Esther: A lot of our customers, the ones we know personally, come from creative sectors.

They are artists, architects, designers, museum curators – down-to-earth people who aren’t looking for status symbols, but rather high-quality bags with a linear aesthetic. There is a lot of interest in the origins of our bags, people are always asking about the material and production sites. Our customers very consciously choose the “Made in Germany” tag.

designs that we put aside to mature For a while.”

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over the years offenbach seems to have lost its relevance as a location for the leatherwork industry. Young companies like yours seem to be turning things around. what’s your take on the developments?

Dimitrios: Offenbach used to be a major production site; there was a fine bag-maker on almost every corner as well as supplier workshops for the leather industry. This tradition gradually faded away when low-wage countries like Turkey gained ground for their leatherwork. Even though the quality wasn’t close to what Offenbach had to offer, it was good enough for the demands of the market, so the lower prices won out.

Esther: Another problem is the lack of new talents in the leatherwork industry as a whole.

There was a time when there were no apprenticeships for fine bag-makers in Germany at all; craftsmanship as a career choice is not exactly top of the list for young people. Fine bagmakers who are still working in Offenbach are generally not the youngest and sadly not the most

thank you for talking to us.

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COOl CItIES / FrankFurt talkS – arIanE IttnEr & FlOrIan SpEnGlEr, CrOCS

FrankFurt talkS CrOCS The German headquarters of Crocs are located on the outskirts of the Main metropolis in an industrial area.

The ground floor of the highly modern office building was once home to the legendary Cocoon Club, the brainchild of Frankfurt techno legend Sven Väth. And just two floors above this is the Crocs showroom, home to shoes which quite possibly wouldn’t have made it past the club’s bouncers back then. But more recent models might have been in with a chance. Crocs has raised the stakes. We took a closer look.

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CrOCS

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The brand was founded in 2002 by Lyndon Hanson, Scott Seamans and George Boedecker in Boulder, Colorado. The non-slip, durable shoes made of patented CrosliteTM foam resin were originally designed for boat sports, but soon conquered the mainland markets. In 2006 shares were sold for 214 million US dollars, the largest sum that has ever been obtained for a shoe company. The first Crocs store in Germany was opened in 2007 in the Alsterarkaden (Hamburg’s oldest shopping arcade). Sale losses in 2008 led to restructuring within the company and diversification of the product range, adapted to the different markets. Today the full range comprises 900 different models.

Like almost every company, Crocs has its own founding story to tell. Keen sailors Lyndon Hanson, Scott Seamans and George Boedecker hit on the idea of developing the perfect deck shoe when they were sailing together in the Caribbean. It would have to be light, non-slip, waterproof and durable and also float. The friends set to work and only a few months after founding the company in 2002 they were ready to present the first thousand pairs at a boat show in Fort Lauderdale. Two years later, demand for the shoe skyrocketed, even well beyond the original sailing enthusiast target group. Since then Crocs have become truly ubiquitous.

Germany, along with the UK, counts as one of the most important markets in Europe. We met up with Ariane Ittner, Brand Marketing Manager and Florian Spengler, Key Account Manager for Germany, in Frankfurt to talk about the Crocs phenomenon. people can be divided into two categories: Crocs lovers and Crocs haters. why do these shoes trigger such extreme emotions in people?

Ariane Ittner: The reactions are usually reserved for the first

Ariane Ittner and Florian Spengler at the Crocs headquaters

model, the Cayman, our icon, the success of which is no doubt based on the fact that you can see the shoe in a number of different ways. A shoe that, on being introduced to the market, was absolutely new for many people. There were shoes for daily wear and shoes for sporting activities and suddenly there was a model that covered all those areas. A light, comfortable, practical recreational shoe for the home, the garden, the pool or the beach: for all the places traditionally associated with relaxation and fun. All attributes that are directly connected with Crocs. In Germany, by the way, we have a very small percentage of Crocs opponents. Anyone who doesn’t explicitly like Crocs here has a pretty neutral approach to them.

Florian Spengler: For many people the shape was also new.

Crocs are made of CrosliteTM EVA granulate that is shaped into a shoe using heat and pressure.

They are ultra-light, have excellent cushioning characteristics and are very durable. They are fully moulded, which, at the time they were entering the market was a completely new process in shoe manufacturing. Meanwhile, rejection of the shoe has tailed

off in the face of our expanded product range and the new shapes. Crocs today are so much more than just the Cayman.

Pretty much all preferences are now catered for. after floating the company on the stock market in 2006, things initially went downhill for the company. Critics claim that this was primarily due to the fact that Crocs were seen as a one-shoewonder. how do you see that from today’s perspective and what has changed since then?

Ariane: Until then Crocs was a very young company that had grown incredibly quickly over seven years to become a billiondollar corporation. Several mistakes were made, but the company has learnt from them.

In 2014 a new senior leadership team was put together consisting of Michelle Poole (Senior Vice President Product), Andrew Reese (President) and Greg Ribatt (CEO). They combine over 50 years of professional experience in the international shoe sector.

Florian: Of course this experience is clearly reflected in the new collections. The range has been considerably expanded.

We currently have 900 different models on offer worldwide

COOl CItIES / FrankFurt talkS – arIanE IttnEr & FlOrIan SpEnGlEr, CrOCS Crocs generated a turnover of US$ 1.09 billion in 2015.

More than 300 million pairs of the shoes have been sold worldwide to date. Each pair of Crocs contains an average of 7% recycled material and each collection consists of more than 250 styles. The London Design Museum added the classic model to its collection as a shoe that has changed the world. Currently the company has more than three million Facebook fans.

that means that different shoes are on offer in each country?

Ariane: Yes, that’s right. We have local variations. Our core markets are Germany and the UK in Europe, the USA and in Asia, China, Japan and South Korea.

The countries are very different.

There is perhaps a 50% overlap in the ranges, and the rest are regional adaptations.

Florian: Our design team is always travelling to the different markets and, with the help of trend analyses, develop strategies for each specific collection.

We also do consumer and product analyses every six months.

Our German customer is aged between 30 and 49 years old, is family-orientated and looking for comfort; in Asia, on the other hand, our customer is statistically 10 years younger and much more trend-orientated. is there a basis that defines each Crocs model?

Ariane: Part of our new direction was to define exactly what Crocs are: they are moulded footwear, their DNA is CrosliteTM. That is something that Crocs shoes will always have

in common. Michelle Poole has restructured the entire collection, product families and categories, and redefined core products. But they all have the same manufacturing process and basic material in common. what’s the most successful segment?

Ariane: In Germany it is clearly the women’s section that’s the most successful, followed by children’s and then men’s. So our collection for autumn/winter 2016 is also structured this way. In the last few years Flip, our flip-flop, has become increasingly popular. In addition to that we also have the Wellie rain boot.

Florian: Autumn/winter 2016 will see us launch an expressive collection with lots of new variations ranging from ballerinas to winter boots; in the summer our sandals and slides will come more to the fore. And mules too.

The clog obviously will continue to be our icon, that’s what everything else is built on. Children’s models are also a major part of our range and are light and, above all, easy to slip on and off. what other innovations can we expect to see in the future?

Ariane: The fact that we can now print onto Crocs. The basic material remains the patented CrosliteTM, but now that we can print on it, all kinds of new opportunities are available to us.

Florian: That means a whole new range of colours, special patterns and prints that run throughout the entire collections. In the coming season we have leopard prints and checks, as well as the Apparent Simplicity trend, with the colours Hazelnut, Espresso, Navy and Silver. Runaway Active brings the colours Pomegranate, Ultra Violet, Kelly Green and Cerulean Blue. In addition there will also be popinspired prints.

Ariane: We look at the trends that are globally interesting and then reference them in our designs. We picked up on the seventies bohemian trend, for example, with our fully moulded model in a classic clog form.

CrosliteTM allows us to manufacture a very light, comfortable shoe, without the heavy wooden soles. what does your marketing strategy look like? what role does social media play for you?

Ariane: In 2015 we had our first global campaign, in

which we concentrated on our six strongest markets, including Germany. The campaign for 2016 has been running since 21st March. We invest in classic online and print advertising in women’s magazines as well as promotional marketing cooperations. Beyond that we are represented on all social media channels: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook; the latter is our most important channel with currently 3.7 million followers all over the world. how does Crocs approach the issue of sustainability?

Ariane: The topic is very important to us. For the past three years we’ve been publishing our sustainability report annually, which states, in addition to other things, that every pair of Crocs consists of 7% recycled materials. As far as possible, we implement guidelines as stated in the report in our production sites and corporate culture. thanks a lot for talking to us.

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and adjust them to the specific markets.

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Brands & Brains — Gudo Johnen, Camel aCtive, BIeLefeLd

IntervIew Gerlind Hector

Guido Johnen really enjoys the photo shoot trips for Camel Active, which take him to the most exciting corners of the world.

Camel aCtive

“How to be authentic”

After just having landed back in Germany from Santiago de Chile, Guido Johnen seems in high spirits in his office in Bielefeld, a city in north-rhine westphalia. the textile engineer, who can look back on a long career in the fashion industry, was appointed creative director of the

Camel Active Master Licence Corporation in August 2015 and has been managing all higher-level creative processes there ever since. Johnen is not only responsible for Camel Active men’s and womenswear, but also for the marketing and retail departments.

Sounds stressful? Not for Guido, who was born in Germany’s picturesque Eifel region and enthuses about the open and concentrated working atmosphere in Bielefeld, a prerequisite for allowing the collections to fully develop and be perfected, right down to the very last detail.

The typical Camel Active customer is regarded as a real fan of functionality. Do textile-related technological advances play a leading role in the development of the collection?

Definitely a very important one! We have customers in all age brackets and they really appreciate durability and the highest quality. We’re always up to date with what’s happening in terms of textile technology. Gore-Tex® is an absolute must for our heritage collection; waxed and bonded fabrics are also important. The people who buy our field jackets or boots love not only the fact that they’re robust, but also their functional details. With minimal changes to the silhouette, colour or material, our styles are constantly being kept up to date. Although we do notice that we have fans who have been wearing their Camel Active boots or jacket for the past ten years. Which speaks in our favour, I would say.

What’s it like living and working in Bielefeld, in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region of North-Rhine Westphalia?

I travel a lot for my job; I’ve just been in Chile for ten days for our new campaign. But I really enjoy the focused working atmosphere here and especially the short distances. In the mornings it only takes me seven minutes to get to the office.

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Camel Active represents nature, an adventurous spirit and urbanity. As the brand’s creative director, do you also have to share these passions?

I do actually really love our photo shoot trips, which take us to the most exciting corners of the world. And in my personal life I also make sure I discover new places every year and broaden my horizons. The only place I keep on going to is Mykonos. I fly there regularly to recharge my batteries so I’m ready for all the new challenges that await me.

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Unlike many other brands, camel active actually sends an entire team out to explore foreign destinations and different cultures.

Authenticity is the outcome when we portray our products in extraordinary places and in active scenarios. We work together with a globally networked agency which, together with location scouts, never fails to find us these stunning backdrops. These trips are part of my job, but at the same time I really enjoy them. Nothing is staged. We really immerse ourselves in the region and its culture. Because of the intensity of this time we spend together, our team feels more like a family. And I think you can see that in the images. Lots of our models really enjoy being a part of it and want to know months in advance where we’ll be going next.

So, a new collection four times a year and no fast fashion whatsoever?

Absolutely! The Camel Active customer is looking for a modern, high-quality product. Permanently following up with bestsellers and short-lived, new trends isn’t what we’re about. We take the time to allow a collection to fully mature in all of its diversity. Our customers aren’t interested in the more fleeting side of the textile industry so neither are we.

Do you have a personal favourite style in the collection?

I love anything that’s indigo. Whether it’s our worker jackets from the denim line or classic cut blazers. The result is an independent and also timeless look that I really like and just can’t get enough of.

Thank you very much for talking to us!

LE CLASSIC, L’AUTHENTIC, L’ORIGINAL. Made in France

WWW.ESPADRIJ.COM | # ESPADRIJ | INSTRAGRAM.COM / ESPADRIJ | FACEBOOK.COM / ESPADRIJ.EU

Apropos – thE concEpt storE, munich

TExT Cheryll Mühlen

Apropos – thE concEpt storE, munich

LuxurY & commErcE

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... is a formula that’s as plausible as it is challenging. But battling it out for the customers’ favour on the highly competitive luxury market, whilst also succeeding from a commercial perspective, is a challenge that Apropos is mastering brilliantly.

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Klaus Ritzenhöfer and Daniel Riedo laid the foundation stone of their chain of stores in 1984, when they opened their first branch in the small town of Gummersbach in the northwest of Germany. “We love to surround ourselves with beautiful things: fashion, art and interiors are our passion,” they both sum up.

“So it was the most logical thing in the world for us to establish a concept store that combines fashion, beauty and home items for an incomparable shopping experience.” But there is more to the Apropos stores than mere presentations of fashion, beauty and home décor: Riedo and Ritzenhöfer meanwhile run a series of five exclusive Apropos shops across Germany, with the sixth following in July. On the current retail scene there is a

major discrepancy between the vertical fashion chains and the exclusive luxury boutiques. The former provide for the masses; the latter are reserved for an elite minority. Apropos, however, is somewhere between the two, providing exactly what a certain type of customer is looking for, a clientele who is open to luxury but also looking for items that function just as well in their everyday lives.

Overt decadence and making the customers feel like they’re out of their depth are avoided where possible. After all, the duo wants their selection to be accessible to everyone. This isn’t naïve wishful thinking, but a reality: in addition to crocodile leather handbags by renowned designer labels with four-digit price tags, Apropos sells items for less than

100 euros – even if it’s “only” a tin of Kusmi tea or a pretty nail polish. Ritzenhöfer and Riedo know all too well: even high fashion needs basics. A democratic brand structure and emotionally appealing product displays are the key pillars of Apropos – The Concept Store’s success.

ExpErimEnt munich A concept that has paid off in the long term: since 1994 the main building of Apropos has been located on Mittelstrasse in Cologne, with its own in-house Gucci franchise store. In 2004 the city’s second branch followed on the opposite side of the street. Number three was opened in 2008 in Düsseldorf, while the residents of Hamburg were happy to get their own

branch in 2013. In the same year Apropos changed their strategy and opened a purely menswear store at Promenadeplatz 12 in Munich, perfectly located close to the parked luxury limousines of national and international guests at the famous five-star Bayerischer Hof hotel. But Ritzenhöfer and Riedo soon realised that their menswear-only vision wasn’t paying off, even though the menswear market had been outgrowing the womenswear market in the last few years.

However, the duo is hoping to have more success in Hamburg and is going for a second attempt with the opening of another menswear-only store in July. “We still see a lot of untapped potential for designer menswear in Hamburg,” explains Ritzenhöfer.

The people of Munich, on the

Apropos – thE concEpt storE, munich Apropos – thE concEpt storE promEnAdEpLAtz 12 80333 munich t +49 (0)89 24292141 www.Apropos-storE.com

womEnswEAr LAbELs Alice & Olivia, Alberta Ferretti, Balmain, Charlotte Olympia, Chiara Ferragni, Emilio Pucci, Faith Connexion, Giamba, Giuseppe Zanotti, Haider Ackermann, MSGM, No. 21, J.W. Anderson mEnswEAr LAbELs Ami Paris, Balmain, Fendi, Givenchy, Lanvin, Moncler Gamme Bleu, Saint Laurent, Smythson, Thom Browne

Apropos digitAL Ritzenhöfer and Riedo’s target group includes not just the current fashion elite, but also the buyers of tomorrow. The path to the digital world was again simply a logical step. But rather than taking on the online retail themselves, they cooperate with the online retail specialists Farfetch.com which offers a large spectrum of their fashion and accessory ranges. All in all, 80% of Apropos’ entire turnover is generated by fashion and accessories. The rest is contributed by beauty products and perfumes as well as interior items and lifestyle products.

Even the two experienced storeowners don’t know exactly what the future holds. “Coming up with new successful projects

is a lot of fun – and makes us want to try out new things. Our most recent openings, the store in Hamburg and the new store in Munich, aren’t really part of an expansion plan, they were simply a reaction to very tempting locations that instantly bowled us over with their special charm. At present, asides from the expansion of our original Cologne store, we have no other plans for new branches of Apropos.

We’re complete now.” Although, considering their current unique positioning, Klaus Ritzenhöfer and Daniel Riedo could certainly afford to be beguiled by other charming buildings and continue their expansion as far as they want to take it.

opEning hours Mon – Sat 10 am – 7 pm

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other hand, apparently prefer stringently curated selections rather than daunting, expansive sales floors. Which is why the range was diversified with womenswear and accessories in the summer of 2015.

The interior has a clear structure with plenty of light. Materials like bronze, marble and onyx as well as warm colours and soft shapes provide the perfect backdrop to international top labels like Lanvin, Fendi, Givenchy, Saint Laurent and Balmain. Further highlights include small items of furniture like tables and stools, as well as mirrors and vases by established Munich furniture company Füssinger Wolff, which, in keeping with the successful Apropos concept, are also available to purchase.

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LE sELEktEur, düssELdorf

TExT Gerlind heCtor PHOTOS niCk Wolf

LE sELEktEur, düssELdorf

spLEndid sELEction

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Traditional handcraftsmanship and timeless classics – with its carefully curated range, Le Selekteur is taking a positive stand on the throwaway mentality by returning to true values.

And with its consistent concept, the store has even managed to impress the people of Düsseldorf, which isn’t an easy feat considering the city’s multitude shopping options.

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“Life is awesome, don’t buy crap” – this concise piece of advice wonderfully encapsulates the basic premise of Le Selekteur, which opened in November 2015 in Düsseldorf. Here, at Hohe Strasse 6, in the city’s historical Carlstadt district, the store is stocked only with products that have heart and soul, which are guaranteed not to land in the bin after just one season. Whether clothing, accessories or lifestyle items for ladies, men and children, the assortment concentrates on genuine classics, some of which were brought onto the market 50 years ago and haven’t changed since, which certainly classes them as hardy perennials.

“After successfully launching our online store back in summer 2013, it was my greatest wish

to open a bricks-and-mortar shop,” explains manager Felix Stäudinger, who also manages the full-service agency Panorama Distribution. “We love timeless, traditional products with a soul and character that have been made in established manufactories, preferably in Europe.”

Stäudinger, who has been working in the textile industry for over ten years and has experience in both marketing and the fashion business, lives and breathes his job. In 2009 he also established his own shoe brand, which, based on the classic espadrilles, he named ‘Espadrij l’originale’.

And it goes without saying that these summery slippers are also available from Le Selekteur, along with the rest of the perfectly coordinated portfolio of fashion

by Schott NYC, exquisite jewel-

lery by MHL Studio and premiumquality kitchen accessories by Riess and Sabatier. Small items of furniture, exclusive home textiles and children’s toys round off the range.

The concept store, which covers an area of approx. 120 m², certainly lives up to its name, and not only have the products on offer been thoroughly thought through, the interior of Le Selekteur and its materials were also carefully selected. A glimpse from outside through the window frames, which are painted in a Scandinavian-looking light blue, offers an unobstructed, inviting view of the entire store. Solid cherry wood and brass gives the interior an elegant and calm atmosphere; the concept was developed by the Schumacher

& Stäudinger atelier in Zurich.

With a great sense of purism and practicality, the fashion, accessories and Co. are expertly showcased on open shelving and inside display cases. Thanks to its two different levels, the interior exudes a laid-back spaciousness; the understated use of colour is only broken up by a large Oriental rug in the rear part of the store, whose blue nuances are repeated in the blue-painted ceiling in the front. Subtle spotlights provide sufficient lighting and focus the attention on the products.

The sophisticated reconstruction work was supervised and implemented by the retail experts from Schwitzke & Partner in Düsseldorf, with whom Felix Stäudinger has already been cooperating for a number of

LE sELEktEur, düssELdorf LE sELEktEur hohE strAssE 6 40213 düssELdorf t +49 211 30212628 www.sELEktEur.com

Le Selekteur’s consistent concept has definitely impressed the Düsseldorf locals, who are spoilt for choice where shopping is concerned and, in the spirit of Felix Stäudinger and his team, are now buying less, preferring instead to invest in higher quality items. Which brings to mind another of Le Selekteur’s extremely pertinent mottos: “Life is too beautiful for ugly things.”

LAbELs Bürstenhaus Redecker, Caran D’Ache, Dr. Bronner’s, Easy Peasy, Espadrij l’originale, Geschmeidig, Klippan, Merchant & Mills, Schott NYC, Steele Canvas, Uashmama, Tweedmill

opEning hours Mon – Fri 11 am – 7 pm Sat 10 am – 7 pm

64 — 02/2016

years. “For this project that was so special to me, it only made sense to work with these highly professional service providers again who, like me, attach great importance to handcraftsmanship and quality,” says Stäudinger. After all, Schwitzke & Partner can look back on a success past spanning more than 25 years, creating stores for clients like Karl Lagerfeld, Hackett London and Michael Kors.

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Must Buys 64 — 02/2016

Must Buys

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sade Panel Repair — K.O.I.

Must Buys

sAINt LAuRENt

MIu MIu sONIA RyKIEL

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LutZ HuELLE

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Must Buys 64 — 02/2016

Must Buys

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James — HANDstICH

Must Buys

JAMEs LONG

AstRID ANDERsEN NEIL BARREtt

64 — 02/2016

CALvIN KLEIN

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Must Buys 64 — 02/2016

Must Buys

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tyne & Chess — DRyKORN

Must Buys

PAuL & JOE

H&M PAuL & JOE

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DRIEs vAN NOtEN

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tradesHows – panorama BerlIn, BerlIn

InTERvIEW JEmimA GnACkE PhOTO PEtEr LOrEnZ

Panorama Berlin is one of the biggest fashion tradeshows in the German capital. And there have been a lot of changes since it was first launched. We met up with the founder Jörg Wichmann to chat about his digital campaign, the current tradeshow offer and new projects.

64 — 02/2016

Berlin’s fashion tradeshow scene has undergone a complete reorganisation in recent months.

Panorama Berlin’s evolution has been very positive. What has changed since the event was launched at the beginning of 2013?

A lot! At our premiere in January 2013 we were still all the way out in Selchow in the hope that the new BER Airport would open on schedule. Thank God we then decided to move into the city to the Messe Berlin, which is how our idea became a success story. With over 700 collections presented on an exhibition area of 45,000 m², Panorama Berlin is now an internationally established fair with the widest spectrum of relevant fashion brands and lifestyle items.

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What’s your biggest success to date?

That we have managed to establish a type of fashion tradeshow that didn’t exist before and also provide a new source of inspiration. Panorama Berlin is the fashion fair that showcases genuinely market-relevant topics, offering a community a platform that was lacking at other European shows.

One of the big flagship events, Bread & Butter, had to declare

IntervIew wItH Jörg wIcHmann

renewal, readJustment & optImIsatIon bankruptcy and was bought by Zalando in 2015. What repercussions has this had on Panorama Berlin?

There are brands that used to exhibit at Bread & Butter, which now exhibit at Panorama Berlin.

At the ExpoCenter City on the grounds of the Berlin Exhibition Centre, Panorama Berlin presents more than 700 collections on a vast area – how are the exhibitors and visitors reacting to this huge growth since the premiere in January 2013?

Extremely positively because it means that the Panorama Berlin concept is working well and that the tradeshow is an attractive platform. Panorama Berlin also has a unique brand portfolio, which you won’t find anywhere else.

A lot of new exhibitors have been added to the brand portfolio and the number is continuing to grow: what criteria do you base your selections on?

We curate the individual halls and segments very carefully and search according to relevance.

All the labels represented have to prove themselves in every respect – stylistically and in terms of quality; and they have to offer value for money so they’re

attractive to retailers. In that respect we are very satisfied with our brand portfolio.

Panorama Berlin is now so much bigger. What demands does this place on you as managing director of the event?

The larger scale means more work – but at the same time also more opportunities. It was always important to me for Panorama Berlin to really work as a product and cover relevant areas that retailers also need – so, to present contents that are right and important at the time, to show ideas and inspiration that benefit our visitors. Other fashion tradeshows often think they have to show labels just because they happen to be on-trend at the time, and they try to take the credit for them – for me that’s a total waste of time and doesn’t benefit anyone.

How could that be optimised for the future?

Fashion is always a reflection of our time and therefore in constant flux, which means that it’s in a continual state of renewal, readjustment and optimisation.

So as a service provider, we also owe to our exhibitors and visitors to keep improving and optimising what we offer.

Panorama Berlin is looking to position itself more broadly on a digital level. How did you come up with the idea of creating the virtual tradeshow tour as an online tool?

Digitalisation is the meta-trend of our time, which is really changing all aspects of life in the long term. The virtual tradeshow tour is only one aspect of our digitalisation offensive, which we see as a way of safeguarding the future. It covers the sectors information, transparency, gamification and service, or added value. As we don’t have an online shop, this was our response to the increasing digitalisation pressure facing our exhibitors and retailers.

What inspired you?

To be honest, it was a combination of the buyer feedback, which showed that many buyers simply don’t have the time to look at everything at leisure, and also the brand new technical aspect that our technology partner could provide. We wanted to help the buyers and at the same time offer our exhibitors added value. The principle can also be applied, for example, to the retail trade, which allows them to present themselves in a different

tradesHows – panorama BerlIn, BerlIn

panorama BerlIn 28 – 30 June 2016 BerlIn expocenter cIty Jafféstrasse, soutH entrance 14055 BerlIn www.panorama-BerlIn.com

You’ve invested a lot of time and money in the design of Panorama Digital. What are you hoping to achieve from it?

A lot, but we shouldn’t overplay it; Panorama Digital is only one aspect of Panorama Berlin.

Panorama Digital covers, as I already mentioned, a whole host of relevant points like digitalisation, sustainability, transparency, internationalisation and marketing. What other tradeshow in the world can boast that they provide their visitors the option of going on an individual virtual tour, showing everything that makes the event unique!? If I were a buyer, I’d be very happy about this innovation, either for follow-up work or to find out in advance whether it’s worth investing my time and money into visiting the event.

As the tour can also be used with a personal selection of brands as well as the general one, it will no doubt be of interest to the buyers. What has the feedback been like so far?

The feedback on Panorama Digital ranges from extremely positive to euphoric and enthusiastic. And it’s not only interesting for buyers, but also for our exhibitors, whose three actual days at the tradeshow are being virtually extended by another 180 days – i.e. an entire season, so they’re making much more of a long-term investment. We’re currently working on optimising Panorama Digital and once the project has successfully established itself in the B2B sector we can also imagine launching a public, i.e. B2C platform, which opens up the tradeshow to the end consumers and thereby provides exhibitors and retailers with an added value, for them to promote themselves and their collections in a truly unique way.

But they will both be kept entirely separate – we’re not planning on opening up the tradeshow as an event for end consumers.

With a how-to video and a PDF, you are providing instructions how to use the new online tool. is this another way of improving the service you offer your visitors?

Yes, absolutely! Customer service is extremely important to us because it’s going to be increasingly relevant in the future in terms of differentiating between

stationary and online retail. The how-to video and the PDF are only supposed to be instructions how to use Panorama Digital – no more than that!

As well as halls like Urban Lab, Casual Classic and modern Woman, nova Concept is making its very own statement following a redesign last season. Do you have any further plans?

Actually we don’t! nova Concept has its own hall with its own entrance – it remains our laboratory for trendsetting collections and selected lifestyle items. This is where we showcase what we consider to be the future of fashion retail. For the spring/summer 2017 season we’ve set our sights on the core segments in halls 1 to 6. And with Modern Man in hall 2, for example, we’ll be presenting a menswear-only area for the very first time.

You’re also planning to extend the denim area. Why? Will it be given its own hall?

Yes! The denim and casual area – our Urban Lab – is also being revised and extended. We’re going to expand this area by another hall to give it the space it needs.

It’s going to be like its own little world, which we will build around the Denim & Casual sections, to

provide new inspiration. We’re also going to be making this segment a topic for the first time in our seasonal series of lectures.

On 25th march, J’n’C hosted a panel discussion on the topic of denim in istanbul, which will be continued on 29th June at Panorama. What do you think the discussion can contribute to the sector?

We want to get things moving, fuel the debate, hear different opinions and have discussions.

We also see Panorama Berlin as a platform for exchange, talks and information and want to provide a stage for that to happen. thank you very much for the interview.

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complexity, beyond the brand offer. There are actually only two aspects that really inspire us: the retail trade. i.e. the buyers, and our exhibitors – everything else is secondary.

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tradesHows – premIum, BerlIn

TExTS CHErYLL müHLEn

premIum exHIBItIons 28 – 30 June 2016 statIon-BerlIn lucKenwalder strasse 4-6 10963 BerlIn www.premIumexHIBItIons.com

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Premium is known for celebrating constant change so it’s not really surprising that the leading tradeshow for advanced contemporary fashion also has a lot of innovations and changes up its sleeve for its June edition.

After all, the expectations of the retailers are high, the feedback is loud and the market is in motion. Anita Tillmann and her team are therefore offering visitors a comprehensive programme and selected brands in order to satisfy the high demands. And they’re even building a bridge all the way to Korea.

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With more than 1000 brands and 1800 collections showcased on an area of around 33,000 m², Premium is the only tradeshow in the world to present fashion and lifestyle on such a large scale. The addition of around 30 percent more new brands should not only offer variety for the professional visitors, but also open up their eyes to the future of fashion. And, by all appearances, this seems to lie in South Korea. The country is one of the ten nations with the highest export rates of cultural goods. The term ‘Korean Wave’ is used to describe the globally increasing popularity of mod-

rIdIng tHe Korean wave ern South Korean pop culture, which is exerting an influence far beyond its own borders, and not only in the form of fashion, but also through art, music (K-Pop), food, language and film. With Seoul Fashion Week, which was established in 2000, South Korea has been proving its fashion expertise and relevance for more than 16 years now. This will now be consolidated here in Germany too with the Dissonance Area, whose name has been changed to [‘PԐ:PI] Studio. “The current ‘it’ word on the scene is ‘FaPe’ [‘FԐ:PI], an abbreviation of the term ‘fashion people’. In Korean, F is pronounced as a P, which turns ‘FaPe’ into ‘PaPe’ [‘PԐ:PI]”, explains the tradeshow’s managing director Anita Tillmann. “Premium is making a reference to this in order to symbolise South Korea’s zeitgeist and to convey the influences of K-Pop beyond Asia’s borders in European retail – with collections by young and innovative designers and an above-average high number of Korean brands. Colourful, loud, innovative and inspired by the nineties with an ‘out-of-the-box’ approach that surprises and inspires, in keeping with the slogan ‘Fashion in your Face’.” visitors of the #Fashiontech con-

ference can now look forward to even more ‘Fashion in your Face’: following the overwhelming success of the last four events and the huge demand – with a total of 3100 participants in January – the conference format is being extended by a second day.

Under the name ‘Fashion Fusion’, Deutsche Telekom is looking for talents from the fashion and technology industry to come up with ideas to present at #Fashiontech. From the ten candidates the winner will then be selected by a prestigious jury and announced in January 2017.

Premium isn’t just focusing on the future of new talents, but also on the future from a technology perspective. With its Brand-Match-Tool, the Premium app, buyers can be specifically matched with brands. This is thanks to an algorithm, which, once the attendee has registered and provided the relevant information, suggests an individualised selection of collections. visitors can access this information via the app and will, thanks to the GPS-based navigation, be directed straight to the corresponding hall. Service at its best.

tradesHows – BrIgHt, BerlIn & seeK, BerlIn

BrIgHt 28 – 30 June 2016 arena BerlIn eIcHenstrasse 4 12435 BerlIn www.BrIgHttradesHow.com

BrIgHt future are planned for the Bright brands and brains – both on and outside the grounds.

First on the list is the Seek/ Bright party and events with DC, volcom and Obey. however, the organisers aren’t just providing an entertaining line-up, but also investing in the building to adapt the space to the portfolio of labels who will be exhibiting there. And the main reason the

two founders, Marco Aslim and Thomas Martin are finding time for this is thanks to the Premium Group. “They are taking care of the main structural tasks so we can concentrate on the contentrelated aspects,” says Thomas Martin. “That’s a great help and ultimately leads to a much better product.” And in the long term it should also lead to a lot of independent European retailers making their way to the German capi-

seeK 28 – 30 June 2016 arena BerlIn eIcHenstrasse 4 12435 BerlIn www.seeKexHIBItIons.com

Seek is, and always will be, a hotspot for contemporary fashion. The tradeshow is independent, influenced by subcultures, music, art and film and a symbol of anti-trends, tradition and roots all at the same time. For its spring/summer 2017 edition the portfolio, up to 90% of which consists of menswear, will be extended with selected ladies’ collections, as well as lifestyle products and tech gadgets. And this summer there will be a much bigger focus on the denim segment.

Since it was taken over by the Premium Group last year, Seek, together with Premium and Bright, has represented a carefully curated presentation of contemporary menswear labels in German-speaking countries that wish to establish themselves internationally. Responsible for this is a carefully compiled list of exhibitors: in total, 280 brands from the segments Modern Menswear, Upper Streetwear, Elevated Sportswear, new Classics and Authentic Designer Collections will be presenting

their collections – all brands with a focus on authenticity, quality, lifestyle, design and functionality. In the development of the denim portfolio it goes without saying that names like nudie Jeans, Edwin, Lee, Cheap Monday, naked&Famous, Dr. Denim and classic Californian brand Levi’s will be represented: they have all already confirmed attendance at this summer’s event at Arena Berlin. And to meet the high demand, the lifestyle and technology segments will also be expanded. On-site catering will

tal. “I think the issue of image building for a brand, especially in our segments, is and will remain a central element. Of course that only works if the labels support the retailers in return,” continues Martin. “The tradeshows are the most important platforms on which to maintain and cultivate these relationships. And I hope we can make a contribution to that.”

tHIs Is a man’s world be providing the necessary fuel for busy tradeshow attendees, who can enjoy a thirst-quenching drink and plenty of summer vibes in the Arena’s outdoor area this June, located right between Seek and Bright, directly on the banks of the Spree River. An inspiring place for individuality. ‘Seek’ you soon!

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In January, Bright took place for the first time as the new ‘baby’ of the Premium Group, yet still managed to retain its independent streak. More than 15,000 visitors from 54 countries flocked to the winter edition of the Berlin urban streetwear and boardsports tradeshow at Arena Berlin, making the small creative hub a huge success.

For the June event a number of exciting accompanying events

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tradesHows – gds, düsseldorf & B74, franKfurt

gds – gloBal destInatIon for sHoes & accessorIes 26 – 28 July 2016 messe düsseldorf gmBH stocKumer KIrcHstrasse 61 d-40474 düsseldorf www.gds-onlIne.de

This summer GDS and tag it! will be taking place on different days than usual. Instead of Wednesday to Friday, the tradeshow will be held from Tuesday to Thursday.

This is a reaction to the feedback from the retailers, say the organisers. But we’ll have to wait until July to see how much of a positive effect the new schedule has.

“With this change we are avoiding the Friday, which is one of the highest-revenue days for retailers, so they can use the tradeshows to their advantage without losing out on sales,” explains Kirstin Deutelmoser, Director of GDS and tag it!, meaning that exhibitors and visitors no longer

perfect tImIng have to decide between visiting the event or opening their stores. As part of this optimisation, there will also be another change to the hall layout and segmentation of the lifestyle areas. Furthermore, GDS is working on new communication measures to promote the exhibitors in the best possible way and thereby create incentives for additional potential visitors.

But the spotlight is on the collections of the spring/summer 2017 season, innovations and the most important trends. Trends are the main focus of GDS, as recent market research results show. Reason enough to further develop the existing trend instruments in July. “Our Trend Tools

and their fine-tuning are always a kind of work in progress for us.

We want to inform and inspire our visitors as much as possible with our offer,” explains Deutelmoser. For the retailers there are two options: the general GDS Trend Spots and the more specific Trend Codes.

Just in time for the start of the last edition of GDS, in cooperation with the Berlin B2B e-commerce platform We Want Shoes, the GDS 365 Digital Marketplace was launched, offering the exhibitors digital interactive ordering, communication and network opportunities. The aim of this is not to replace the classic tradeshow business, but to offer the exhibitors and visitors an ad-

ditional and future-oriented way of making their business more efficient and successful.

Parallel to GDS, this summer tag it!, together with Düsseldorf Fashion Sourcing, is also offering retailers a platform for Asian sourcing companies in the shoes and clothing sector. With this, tag it! is underlining its expertise as a professional platform for the sourcing market, offering selected textile manufacturers from Asia an ideal way to showcase their services alongside GDS in hall 1.

And the winter date has already been confirmed: GDS will be taking place from 7th until 9th February 2017, also from Tuesday to Thursday.

Red Wing Shoes. The selection of brands for the three-day event, which is by appointment only and will be open from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm each day, is a reflection of B74’s guiding principles: attention to detail and handcraftsmanship. Brands representing quality, authenticity and style will be presented under one roof: at the former Farben-Jenisch ware-

house in one of the most wellknown courtyards in Frankfurt.

The recipe for success: “nothing is stronger than passion!” says Kami hashemi. “I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone who shares this passion with us once again.” A small, exclusive mecca for hunters and gatherers, that’s the best way to describe the B74 Selected Goods Order Show.

B74 selected goods order sHow 5 – 8 July 2016 BerlInerstrasse 74 60311 franKfurt www.B-74.com

64 — 02/2016

attentIon to detaIl

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high-quality products with their own story and the philosophy of offering more than just fashion is what has made Frankfurt concept store B74 Selected Goods stand out ever since it was established in 2008.

The meanwhile seventh edition of the B74 Order Show will be taking place from 5th – 8th July 2016 and its founder Kami hashemi

has lined up another exquisite selection of brands.

Showcasing their collections this season are labels including Filson, Merz b. Schwanen, Otter Wax, Private White v.C., Knowledge Cotton Apparel, Blue Blanket, Tellason, Tanner Goods, Golden Bear Sportswear, Wrenchmonkees A.C., vetra and

www.modefaBrIeK.nl

Modefabriek enjoys a very good reputation and is known as a creative melting pot for fashion and lifestyle: to ensure it also meets these high expectations on its 20-year anniversary, the trade fair has updated its look for the 41st edition this July.

The new visual identity aims primarily to shift the Dutch exhibition away from its ‘classic’ tradeshow image and develop it into an event that unites business and inspiration under one roof. To reflect this change, the event’s monogram has also been given

gallery 22 - 25 July 2016 areal BöHler »alte scHmIedeHalle« Hansaallee 321 40549 düsseldorf www.gallery-duesseldorf.de

Growth and innovation are the buzzwords of this summer’s Gallery and Red Carpet tradeshows in Düsseldorf, which will be taking place at the end of July on the modernised industrial site of the Areal Böhler for the second time. visitors can once again look forward to a strong line-up of brands inside the area’s Alte Schmiedehallen and halle am Wasserturm venues. But big agencies like d-tails, Klauser and Die hinterhofagentur will be

a redesign and now consists of two overlapping letter Ms. And in keeping with the time of year, the campaign for the summer 2016 edition is bright, vibrant and exudes a festival atmosphere.

It’s typical of Modefabriek to ensure their events always have the entertainment factor in mind, but alongside all the fun and games, a bit of structure is also necessary: the division into four new segments, which was established for the first time in January, will also define the set-up of the two-day event in July. And the resulting success is

proving the organisers right: the new structure is giving exhibitors and visitors an overview of the different concepts and contexts: District A is all about trends, “from glamour to laid-back to upbeat,” and is the place to be for “fast-moving fashion for men and women”. In District B, “upper edge and new-generation leaders in global denim and streetwear fashion” will be showcased, while District C will be dedicated to “premium quality, contemporary classics and cosmopolitan fashion brands for style-savvy men and women”. The fourth and

last area, District D, is looking to the future and, together with the MInT platform as a separate part of Modefabriek, is focusing on sustainable fashion as well as new business models.

So, awaiting visitors to Modefabriek once again is a fresh insight into the world of fashion and retail, which ultimately underlines what the organisers of the tradeshow are constantly striving towards: creating new ideas, setting trends and efficiently communicating them.

tradesHows – modefaBrIeK, amsterdam & gallery, düsseldorf

amsterdam raI europapleIn 8 1078 gZ amsterdam

everytHIng under one roof playing a part in the event once again too.

Apparently the showroom concept will be most interesting for brands, which is why the event will run a full twelve days: four days before the tradeshow and another four after the main order days of the CPD weekend.

The organisers are hoping that this will be conducive to effective business in an ideal location.

Due to the increased demand, the floor space of the Organic Fair Trade Fashion segment has also been expanded.

Like in the previous year, around ten Polish designers are expected to attend and will be presenting their collections for the spring/summer 2017 season at Gallery. This initiative is being supported by the Polish Institute in Düsseldorf, the Department of Trade as well as by investments in cooperation with the Polish fashion fair hush.

The Gallery fashion show, organised by Platform Fashion, will be taking place on the Sunday at 11:30 am. And glitz and glamour await the visitors at Red Carpet,

the international ordering event for eveningwear and fashion for special occasions. It is taking place with a slight overlap with Gallery, from 24th until 26th July, in the Alte Federnfabrik hall once again. And just like last season, the French eveningwear stockist Fashion new York will be occupying the entire Glühofenhalle.

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modefaBrIeK 10 – 11 July 2016

new looK, new Ideas

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tradesHows – denIm By premIÈre vIsIon, Barcelona & pIttI ImmagIne uomo, florence

denIm premIÈre vIsIon 18 – 19 may 2016 fIra de Barcelona avInguda reIna marIa crIstIna, s/n 08004 Barcelona www.denImpremIerevIsIon.com

What is the definition of true denim today? Denim Première vision will be looking for answers to this question for two days from 18th until 19th May in hall 8 of Fira Montjuïc Barcelona and, together with its exhibitors, examining the DnA of jeans. The entire show is therefore entitled ‘True Denim’ – respecting the past but with an eye to the future.

pIttI ImmagIne uomo 14 – 17 June 2016 forteZZa da Basso vIale fIlIppo stroZZI 1

50129 florence

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www.pIttImmagIne.com

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hardly any other tradeshow carries as much prestige as Pitti Immagine Uomo, which draws thousands upon thousands of well-dressed gentlemen from all over the world to the streets of Florence. The last edition alone attracted a whopping 36,000 visitors. And the fact that the famous menswear tradeshow has more to offer than just photogenic street style models is more than apparent in the special event line-up of Pitti Uomo 90.

“We want to go back to basic jeans, to authentic denim, but with the modern means and technology available to us today. After all, sustainability is an important topic,” says Marie Claire Annequin, head of Denim Pv. “We would like to remind people, and, yes, perhaps even to a certain extent teach them about what makes a premium denim and the steps required to create it.” And for this the tradeshow isn’t only drawing on

its own strengths, but also the support of others: collaborations with exhibitors ensure interesting projects and facilitate discussion on the topic. “Both the visitors and the exhibitors know that they will find a true denim community here. And they really value that,” continues Annequin. But Denim Première vision is also valued for its discerning selection. 90 of the best brands will be presenting their latest collections and the newest developments, giving an

denIm manIfesto indication of the denim trends of upcoming seasons.

The initiators, exhibitors and approximately 4000 visitors who are expected to attend, all share the passion, expertise and innovative spirit that come together every six months at the world’s most important denim tradeshow, making Denim Pv the indigo-dyed creative pool that it is today: a true denim manifesto.

menswear lIne-up Take Gosha Rubchinskiy for example: the Russian guest designer, renowned for his post-Soviet youth culture aesthetic with an elegant sportswear twist and artistic concept, will be presenting his spring/summer 2017 collection inspired by photography and film at Pitti, together with a photography project. Or Fausto Puglisi, the native Sicilian who lives in Messina and the USA and whose work reflects the contrasts of his Italian roots and American culture. his customers include Madonna, Katy Perry, Beyoncé

and Rita Ora, but he couldn’t have picked a better place than Pitti Uomo for the presentation of his first men’s capsule collection. Designer number three in this line-up is hiroki nakamura from Japan and his label visvim. With his updated American workwear and high-tech designs, he will be presenting his eclectic designs to an international audience in Florence. And last but not least: Lucio vanotti. In 2012 vanotti founded his own label, as a finalist in the Who is on next?

Uomo competition. his runway

debut followed four years later, in January 2016, when Giorgio Armani invited him to present his collection at the Armani Theatre. vanotti’s hallmarks are his sartorial skills and a minimalist elegant unisex look.

This list alone shows that Pitti is one of the most important menswear platforms in terms of diversity and relevance and also makes us curious about what else we can expect to see at the 90th Pitti Uomo in the summer.

INTERNATIONAL FASHION TRADE SHOW

July 22 – 25, 2016

AREAL BÖHLER ›ALTE SCHMIEDEHALLEN‹ HANSAALLEE / DÜSSELDORF

IGEDO.COM

Outfit Etro

The Dandy Diary

Photography Dennis Weber Styling Jennifer Hahn www.jenhahn.de Styling assistant Mareen Bayer www.jenhahn.de Model Olli Greb Fashion Milano www.fashionmodel.it

Outfit Dries Van Noten

Outfit Canali

Outfit & suitcase Bally

Outfit Salvatore Ferragamo

Outfit Emporio Armani

Outfit Prada

Outfit Bottega Veneta

Outfit Versace

Outfit Gucci

Top Jil Sander Jeans Tiger of Sweden Earrings emporio armani

A Rose By Any Name

Dress STine goya

Pullover ganni Dungarees CiTizenS of HumaniTy Shoes Jil Sander VinTage

Top max mara Dress emporio armani Shoes porSCHe deSign

Blouse ValenTine gauTHier Knickers inTimiSSimi Ring ina BeiSSner

Jacket blouse & trousers STine goya Shoes max mara

Blouse, jacket & trousers pallaS pariS Shoes Jil Sander

Body inTimiSSimi Jeans Tiger of Sweden

Jeans Tiger of Sweden Shoes & oTHer STorieS

Photography JoHanneS graf www.hille-photographers.com Styling STefanie SCHwaiger www.perfectprops.de Hair & make-up alex lexa (using products by Chanel) www.fame-agency.com Set design deBora reiSCHmann www.debora-reischmann.com Model laura S. www.placemodels.com

Jeans Tiger of Sweden Shoes & oTHer STorieS

TexTIles & TRenDs – DenIm RounD TaBle, IsTanBul 64 — 02/2016 92

OrgANISATION Pierre D’AvetA TExT FreDericke Winkler PhOTOS HAsAn serDAr Çelik

D e n i m Ro un d Ta b l e, Is t a nb ul

Best of Both Worlds

Somewhere between the speedy production of the Far East and the artisanship of Italy lies the prospering Turkish denim industry. As fast as Bangladesh due to its high capacities, Europe’s most Eastern country boasts high-tech facilities and a skilled workforce, as well as a genuine

passion for denim. Pierre D’Aveta, associate publisher of J’N’C, brought together the leading Turkish denim producers in Istanbul to discuss their vision of the global denim market and the urge to work together, demonstrating that the future of denim could very well be in Turkey.

J’n’c: What is the overall image of turkey as a textileproducing country today?

Orhan Baykan: Turkey has made a good name for itself in the manufacturing sector. From the fabrics to the accessories and apparel, we are a comprehensive industry, working at a fast pace and a high quality. And we adhere to tight schedules to provide for the market. We might not be a big name just yet, but we are a good brand. hamit Yenici: We haven’t undergone a global denim renaissance like Italy. Nor do we have a reputation for being innovative, even though the technology we use is even more advanced. Compared to other textile manufacturers, we are well positioned. We might not be one of the top three, but we’re optimistic and will continue to come up with even more innovative solutions in the future.

Ebru Debbağ: I agree. We are becoming more relevant in the fashion industry because we have a feel for the market. The denim sector has reinvented itself, especially during the last ten years, and brands are meanwhile approaching us. And the reason for this is that we can really encapsulate the whole fashion aspect. We still need to work on the issue of speed as the brands we work with want to offer their products at a faster pace. So, as an

integral part of the supply chain, we should be introducing innovation in terms of delivery and supply.

Teoman Ademogullari: Our location, on the cusp between West and East, is also an issue. On the one hand, we make technological advances here but, on the other, Turkey is a politically volatile country so people are uncertain about our future. That doesn’t look good. Even though the best denim products might be found in Turkey, the first country that springs to mind will be Italy. Yet we have a practical mindset and we are cosmopolitan.

And fast!

Ismail Kolunsag: We often talk about artisanship versus fast manufacturing.

The Far East is fast, but Turkey is faster than lightning. And in terms of quality Turkey is way ahead of many countries.

Over the last ten years we have proven that. And I believe that this is confirma-

tion that we can do even better in the future. Especially in the denim sector.

We have cotton sources in Turkey and also good, innovative investments.

Banu Yenici: Turkey is a country that everyone looks at. Brands never complete a collection before they’ve seen ours. But we haven’t been presenting ourselves in synergy. We should start looking at ourselves as a brand. Economically speaking and in terms of creativity. We aren’t used to making statements. Just do something good and don’t talk about it: that is our culture. But it’s not the right time for that. I think we should create more publicity for Turkish manufacturers and this meeting today will mark the beginning of that process. We should be acting as a lobby to present ourselves to the rest of the world. We haven’t been doing well with that so far. In terms of marketing and technology, we

TexTIles & TRenDs – DenIm RounD TaBle, IsTanBul

J’n’c: is the short distance to europe a genuine advantage?

Ebru Debbağ: Most global textile production takes place in Asia. We have this concept of fast-moving fashion, which I believe changes the entire way of how business is carried out. As producers in the easternmost corner of Europe, we can provide all the solutions from raw materials to manufacturing, and are right on Europe’s doorstep. hamit Yenici: Distance is also relative. Often the physical proximity is not as important as the cultural proximity. Culturally we have more affinity to Europe than, say, Bangladesh or Pakistan. And we’re also in the same time zone.

Teoman Ademogullari: In terms of education and culture, it’s also a great advantage to speak the same language. We understand our clients and what consumers want. And that saves everyone time and money in the long run.

Ismail Kolunsag: With our skilled workforce, highly qualified designers, communication skills, human relations and general approach, we are right at the heart of the denim market.

J’n’c: Do you have to struggle with excess capacities or is it even an advantage? if so, what’s your strategy to handle this?

Hamit Yenici: When you buy a car, it’s not only the car’s engine that’s important. After all, it isn’t just the size of the engine that shows the car’s performance. There are other criteria that count, like flexibility and adaptability.

For Turkish manufacturers, what really matters in terms of market share is to accelerate rapidly, or to stop rapidly enough to turn over as quickly as possible. The denim industry and its capacity in Turkey should be used in that way. So I believe that huge capacity is not a drawback but a benefit. We speed up fast, we slow down fast.

Ebru Debbağ: Our main issue really is a lack of selfpromotion within the denim industry in Turkey. We need to define ourselves. But what words are we going to use?

Which products are we going to display? What approach are we going to adopt? It doesn’t happen overnight. It needs to evolve to really mean something. Italy is a hollow industry because they have a limited manufacturing base, but people still have a magical perception of Italy and its design. And people still look up to the Made in Italy label.

Orhan Baykan: I do think that Made in Turkey is beginning to replace the Made in Italy tag. And our customers are confirming that. But often customers assume that the tag only describes the place of manufacture.

Ebru Debbağ: There is a double standard regarding the supply chain. Made in Turkey should mean more than just a manufacturing location. It should become more of a brand. The consumer should enter a store and actively search for a Made in Turkey label. They should associ-

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are ahead of the others. Everything is in one place here.

You don’t have such facilities in Italy. You have different facilities for different functions, but our factories are comprehensive, covering the whole production process from beginning to end. And the garment makers need to invest in technology and services, as this holds the key to success for the Turkish denim industry.

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TexTIles & TRenDs – DenIm RounD TaBle, IsTanBul 64 — 02/2016 94

our Denim Round Table took place on 25th march 2016 in Istanbul, hosted by Pierre D’aveta (J’n’C) with the organisational support of Banu Yenici, founder of the Ybone Textile Consultancy. eBRu DeBBağ Deputy general Manager, Orta Anadolu

HamIT YenICI general Manager, Calik Denim

Founded in 1953 as a spinning and weaving company, Orta became a denim manufacturer in 1985. Today, the company produces over 60 million metres of denim at its Turkey and Bahrain factories. As a company that incorporates emerging trends and fashion into its denim production, Orta collaborates with artists, designers, vintage dealers and trendsetters. New Orta fabrics are accompanied every season by trend presentations, capsule packages and seasonal journals reflecting the constantly evolving world of denim. With the aim of being a leading denim brand pursuing sustainable lifestyles and production, Orta established its sustainability division Orta Blu in 2010.

Calik Denim was established as an integrated yarn and weaving factory in 1987. With an annual production capacity of 40 million metres, Calik Denim is one of the world’s most prominent companies in its respective field. With its integration manufacturing facility and r&D centre in Malatya and a sales & marketing centre in Istanbul, as well as its worldwide agencies and offices, Calik Denim is a strong, dynamic and reliable supplier for global brands. The company provides employment to over 1500 people and undertakes its manufacturing activities on 360 weaving looms within a closed space of 150,880 m2 (a total area of 375,774 m2).

Teoman aDemogullaRI general Manager, Fashion Point / Onz Laundry / Saygin Dima Textile Factory

oRHan BaYKan general Manager, Baykanlar Textile

IsmaIl Kolunsag Board Member, Cross Jeans

Fashion Point Tekstil Üretim A.Ş. was founded in Istanbul in 1993. Ever since then Fashion Point has aimed to be the leading production company of the textile industry and to play a role in directing the fashion. It has a production capacity of 400,000 pieces a month with its 1000 employees based at its three fully-integrated production facilities covering a total area of 20,000m2.

Established in 1998, Baykanlar is one of the global leading denim manufacturers. Its designers, washing r&D, fabric procurement and sales teams visit key markets, fairs and shows all around the world. With the collaboration of creative designers, rapid prototyping at their sample facility and their sales force, Baykanlar develops 5000 unique styles each year for its customers. They provide flexible and short leadtime services with regular production (5-6 weeks) and extremely fast production turnarounds (3-4 weeks).

Şık Makas giyim Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. was established in 1939 by the family of Ismail Kolunsag. With four factories in Turkey and Egypt, Ikmakas has been one of Turkey’s biggest jeans exporters for the last 10 years, both in terms of volume and value. As a family-driven business, the company focuses on two main pillars: fast-fashion and sustainability. It produces around 16,000,000 pairs of jeans per year, 15-20% of which are for Cross Jeans. The European denim lifestyle brand has been providing collections for both men and women since the early nineties.

By consistently delivering on this innovation, Cross Jeans maintains and further builds a strong reputation in the global denim marketplace. Today, Cross Jeans denim collections are sold at over 2000 retail and wholesale stores across Europe.

From left to right: HamIT YenICI, Banu YenICI, IsmaIl Kolunsag, Teoman aDemogullaRI, eBRu DeBBağ, PIeRRe D’aveTa (J’n’C), oRHan BaYKan

TexTIles & TRenDs – DenIm RounD TaBle, IsTanBul Banu YenICI Founder of Ybone Textile Consultancy

because any customer who comes to Turkey has a lot of options. And they make us compete against each other.

That ensures variety and dynamism for us. I know that any job coming in is not only offered to me. I am in competition with other fabric manufacturers and the same is for the garment manufacturers. Due to the variety you can see a larger number of options, whereas at a vertical company you cannot use another company’s fabrics.

J’n’c: How have the consumer markets changed in your opinion? hamit Yenici: The famous pyramid has changed in recent years. retailers have become more dominant.

Before that, there were some companies at the top of the pyramid, the real denim brands, so to speak. They had to make a decision because the retail group at the bottom was forcing them to. So some of the brands raised the quality of their products and reduced the volume to protect their image. And some are just trying to compete based on the fact that they are a well-known brand and they can sell at a slightly higher price than others. So that’s the change we feel as fabric manufacturers.

Orhan Baykan: The portfolios of our customers have also changed. People are less willing to pay so much for one pair of jeans and wear them for three years. They want to wear something different each season. That’s a reflection of the changing culture in Europe. People just want to own things at a lower price and keep buying new ones. That’s why the brands have to make a decision and move either higher up or lower down the pyramid.

Ebru Debbağ: At this point we should decide what denim actually means to us. Let’s not forget that denim as a fabric is constantly evolving and has a deep historical value. There is some serious investment going into it too, in terms of weave technology, washing, packaging etc. and I believe that this is not valued enough. The story must go on. Personally I am very excited about this because we have all invested serious amounts of time and

YBone TexTIle ConsulTanCY Founded in 2015, the aim of Ybone is to support denim companies with marketing and sales strategies and activities on local and global platforms. They also wish to share their experience and networks with customers who want to stand out from the crowd.

Ybone services are always customised by the company needs and market dynamics. They vary from sales and marketing plan outlines, specific customer and market analysis, tactics for the seasonal collections and concepts to brand awareness, campaigns, advertising, brand building activities and product specials. The network also allows companies to meet and connect with the right sources in the denim industry.

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ate it with higher quality and sustainability. There really is a double standard. And we feel the pressure of that.

Because it’s like comparing apples and pears.

Teoman Ademogullari: I would like to focus on sustainability. There are brands who say they will produce sustainable products and then it comes out that they’re paying their employees 20 dollars a month. You can’t just lock people away and make them work and then talk about sustainability. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t work like that. Society has become more aware of this. And when it happens, consumers will turn away from products manufactured in that way. They’ll realise that Turkey offers sustainable production from the yarn to the label. I think this is a very important point.

Ismail Kolunsag: The proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say. When you look at the products around us, you can see that this is true. So, yes, we have a flexible structure when it comes to the capacities. For a very long time Turkey has been considered an important denim supplier because we have sustainability woven into our jeans. It’s not just about the products or ozone washing, but also how the companies are managed. To make it sustainable, we invest in the long term. But we also need sustainable customers and orders coming in. Not 2000 orders then 20,000, and after that back down to 3000. It should be more sustainable. That’s what would make us happy! hamit Yenici: There is another point I would like to add: in the Far East there is a vertical manufacturing structure. We work differently in Turkey. We have many strong fabric manufacturers and innovative and leading new fabrics that can’t be found in any other part of the world. There are a lot of garment manufacturers. When you buy from verticals you’re only connected to one company. You don’t really have a chance to choose. Perhaps it’s easier because you hand over all the responsibility.

But in Turkey, although it looks like a disadvantage, the buying structure may actually present a great advantage

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TexTIles & TRenDs – DenIm RounD TaBle, IsTanBul 64 — 02/2016

effort into it. After all, we’re not just talking about a pair of jeans here.

Ismail Kolunsag: We diversify denim so everybody can relate to it. We redesign it for teenagers, for 35-year-olds, for those who want a smarter look. We design a different fabric with different washing techniques and create various silhouettes. And for another type of person we might design something totally different. And then the consumer says they’re only willing to pay the price of a packet of cigarettes. We need to change the image of our products by creating greater added value.

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J’n’c: so what’s your future vision of denim?

Orhan Baykan: In my opinion, the denim sector will grow thanks to improved technologies and the investments being made by the fabric producers. Every improvement starts with the fabric. And as we, the apparel industry, are making our own investments in the east of Turkey, trying to keep everything in-house and to achieve higher capacities, I am quite positive about the future. Especially regarding sustainability, which will become a higher priority. I believe everybody in Turkey will be investing in sustainability in the future.

That’s when Turkish denim will really come into its own.

Ebru Debbağ: We should really focus on the consumers and on what trends from the denim sector are expected on the market.

Denim is a tool and not merely a fabric for clothing. But how should it be used? We should be looking at all the mass transformations around the world and how denim should be positioned with respect to sustainability, efficiency and cultural changes. It has a real significance and I believe that we can convey this. Our products need to be in line with humanity. It’s not only the fabric, but a lifestyle. That’s how we should deliver it. I think we can achieve that but we need to reverse the trend for cheap, throwaway products. however, denim has the power of taking on that challenge.

Orhan Baykan: I don’t think that denim will be a lifestyle trend like it was in the eighties.

But people will be replacing their T-shirts and trousers quickly and denim is highly wearable, easy to clean and durable. You can treat it in any way you want. So of course the new generation will choose it. But with a higher turnaround. however, I am sure that we can sell more jeans with the advantages of technology and efficiency. hamit Yenici: Ten to fifteen years ago, denim was only worn in a casual setting at weekends. But these days it can be very smart and you can even get into nightclubs wearing it. On the other hand there has been a major shift in the jeans sector. Levi’s has experienced great losses, with several new brands making headway. There is a new dynamic.

Banu Yenici: Levi’s is a good-value brand with brand equity. But they have failed to adapt and meet their customers’ needs. On the other hand, the fast-fashion retailers like Zara, h&M and Topshop have proven much more adept at meeting these needs. That’s a good lesson for us to learn from. Over the last few years we have been focusing on optimising production processes but now we should be more focused on market research.

Orhan Baykan: Talking about the old Levi’s, they were really stiff. In the past that was normal. But with the new technologies we can now offer so much more in terms of denim comfort. And I don’t think people will be willing to give that up. We should focus on comfortable, chic products. At the same time we should be thinking about the performance of fabrics and optimising body shapes. If we focus on that we will be successful.

J’n’c: so what’s the next big trend coming up?

Teoman Ademogullari: I think individuality will be a trend that stands out. People’s idea of belonging and the concept of nations will change, in my opinion. One day corpora-

tions will manage the world. So in that regard denim is a great sector to be in. You can use it in any way you want because we can reflect that individuality to people. They can wear it in their own style.

Banu Yenici: All the people sitting around this table are really focused on their subject.

They invest in technology and are all experts. And most consumers in this city know nothing about what we do. They don’t even read the labels. We have to train our customers. We have all these new innovations, like shrinkage reduction and body-shaping materials, but people aren’t even aware of them.

Teoman Ademogullari: Certain things will develop naturally because society is also changing. My mother, for example, bought some shoes for my children, which were made in China. Then she found out that they are carcinogenic. So now she won’t buy products from China anymore. And the same has to happen in our sector.

Orhan Baykan: Well, naturally people who buy from us are not experienced in the business. And they don’t really know the history of denim. They don’t know about the fabric they’re buying. Neither the engineering behind it or what impact it has. That’s the number one reason: they don’t know! The second reason is the time pressure. When something is launched on the market, our customers want to offer it right away. And they just say: “Tell me the fits and the fabric I should use”. I think our content has to be communicated in videos or visual images because people don’t want to read anything these days. Take Instagram, only if you notice the photograph do you read the comments underneath it. I think the current generation wants everything to be visual. So we should take that as our starting point.

J’n’c: thank you all very much for taking part in this interesting discussion.

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TEN QUESTIONS FOR – FRANÇOIS GIRBAUD, DENIM LEGEND AND FOUNDER OF MARITHÉ + FRANÇOIS GIRBAUD

TEN QUESTIONS FOR:

François Girbaud

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DENIM LEGEND AND FOUNDER OF MARITHÉ + FRANÇOIS GIRBAUD

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1 François, you are a legend in the world of denim and helped it to its golden age. You also have your own brand and are considered to be the inventor of the stone wash. What fascinates you about denim?

Oxidation: the way the leucoindigo molecule (C16H12N2O2) reacts after having taken its bath and basking in the open air to get its tan, like anyone on vacation, but without necessarily going to the beach.

2.

In the 70s you wanted to make denim big again but quickly realised what impact the new treatments would have on the environment. When did you become aware of the consequences? What made you ‘regret’ your achievements up to that point?

When I saw that acids were being used to create snow-washed jeans and marbled effects, I refused to use any treatment with these toxic substances. I tried to explain this in 2011 with the exhibition ‘Rebel not Criminal’.

Since then I’ve been accused of these ‘crimes’ as if I were the only one responsible. I’m pushing for change, but is everyone else in the industry pushing in the same direction?

3.

Since the late 80s you devoted yourself with great dedication to sustainable technologies and found the perfect partner in the denim mill NDL Naveena Denim Ltd. How did you meet? What have you gained from the cooperation?

I looked further than everyone else, towards new horizons, and that’s where I found Naveena.

What I asked them is what I asked the entire industry and Naveena was able to respond to my requests from another angle.

Sometimes you have to adopt another perspective and go against the grain.

4.

What is your goal with this collaboration?

Naveena and I share the same vision of creating environmentallyfriendly products, and with their state-of-the-art technology and my expertise, together we will reinvent denim.

5.

What has changed the most in the fashion industry since you started?

We’ve finally discovered that there are no more seasons. It’s taken us almost a century to realise we don’t have to follow the calendar imposed by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.

6.

Finish this sentence: Denim … … is not de NIMES…in France.

7.

You call yourself the ‘last dinosaur’ of the denim industry. What makes you a dinosaur?

I was talking about the elephants’ graveyard, no one really knows why or where it is. There’s a time for everything, but it’s not yet that time.

8.

You once said: “You can’t turn back time, but I want to dedicate my last active years to making the best of a bad job.” But if you could turn back time, what would you do differently?

I would certainly plug my guitar into the same amplifier to play ‘Apache’ like The Shadows and then, with the same group, we’d drive from Nashville to Memphis again, to start over, just like last time. One for the money!

Two for the show. “Remember the King!!”

9.

Looking back at almost 40 years in the fashion industry, what are you most proud of?

Marithé Bachellerie finally receiving the ‘Legion d’Honneur’ in France, and myself, receiving the keys to the city of Greensboro, North Carolina.

10.

What is your favourite place in the world?

Between my legs!