Curiosity and Enthusiasm Les Deux was launched by two

LES DEUX CURIOSITY AND ENTHUSIASM

Les Deux is very Danish indeed - and very European. That’s probably why the brand is so successful. Kristoffer Haapanen launched the menswear specialist together with Andreas von der Heide. Haapanen sat down with style in progress to discuss why it is important to break rules and to have a clear brand statement. Text: Stephan Huber. Photos: Les Deux

“If we are excited about something, our customers should be able to buy it immediately - not six months later. For us, the consumer is the key”, says Kristoffer Haapanen.

Les Deux is an extraordinary success story. What inspired you to start a fashion company?

Kristoffer Haapanen: It all began with an idea. An idea to carve out a niche in the fashion industry based on the dualistic approach of combining two completely different styles. We had high ambitions and dreams, so we launched Les Deux without further thought. The first collection consisted of a simple white t-shirt, of which 500 were produced in a random size distribution. We had no grand master plan, just curiosity and enthusiasm.

You both had no prior fashion experience?

No. Andreas and I had no connection to fashion at all. There was a lot to learn.

Was that an advantage, perhaps?

I’m convinced it was. We followed our own path right from the start. We fundamentally questioned all the alleged rules of the fashion business. Some make sense, some don’t.

Which rules did you break?

We rejected the dominion of seasons. At the start, there were no pre-orders. There was only “straight to market”. If we are excited about something, our customers should be able to buy it immediately - not six months later. For us, the consumer is the key. Even though we understand that retailers still need seasons and pre-orders, we have our own approach. We always offer a high proportion of our collection immediately. We firmly believe that specialised retailers need this in the omni-channel reality of today.

What does Les Deux stand for?

The name not only sounds great, but also stands for our philosophy. Les Deux is the story of an intercultural relationship between a political refugee and preppy boy from the suburbs. Two personalities who inspire each other and celebrate diversity. The authenticity of this relationship is the core of Les Deux. We continue to develop this idea ceaselessly. The theme of our current collection is “Germany 1990”. Nobody needs a new fashion brand. It’s about reaching people with an idea. This is the only way to build a real community and to reach our customers on an emotional level. We will never deviate from what we do, but why we do it serves a greater purpose. We are in the process of building a business in which people come first, where we come together despite our differences. And there was another reason why we chose a French name. Freedom, equality, and fraternity are indeed valuable leitmotifs.

The driving force behind Les Deux, a brand that defies commonplace rules, are Kristoffer Haapanen and Andreas von der Heide.

Can such values be communicated via fashion?

We’re not a political brand, but fashion is always a mirror of society and an expression of an idea. It starts with the fact that we perceive togetherness as something positive and indispensable, especially in terms of business. How did we manage to grow and remain successful? We have established partnerships with our customers. How can Les Deux expand into new markets? We team up with people who know these new markets and share our values.

Which markets are you focusing on at the moment?

Central Europe, but especially Germany and Great Britain… We expanded into four new markets in 2018. In 2019, we intend to launch in France and Switzerland. We have found great partners who will help us grow successfully in these markets. We need people who fit in with us and who are experts in their respective markets. Just like we’re experts in terms of Les Deux itself.

I am trying to imagine how the theme “Germany 1990” can be translated into fashion.

It was an exciting process. We want to convey a very positive message. It’s not about the Cold War or the East-West Conflict before the fall of the Berlin Wall. It’s about the euphoric mood that followed. German reunification had a huge impact on Europe. And we perceive this influence, despite all the friction such a monumental change may cause, as a gift. Our view is that of a young man born on the 3rd of October 1990. We see a Europe that has overcome its post-war history.

You say “we” quite often…

Because we can only be successful as a team…