Curating, Not Selling

Nicolette Rosin and Katrin Gemünd are thrilled by the excellent reception of No59.

No59/Cologne Nicolette Rosin launched No59 six months ago, creating a concept store that intends to challenge and anticipate new trends instead of offering the usual. Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: No59 CURATING, NOT SELLING

“N eusser Strasse” in Cologne’s “Neustadt Nord” district is a microcosm including a bakery, a butcher, a supermarket, and a flower shop. Six months ago, Nicolette Rosin added her name to the list by launching No59, the first design store in the area. The result is a real treasure. Rosin is also a co-owner of Lanius, an adjacent store that specialises in sustainable womenswear. No59 represents the fulfilment of her vision to combine fashion with interior design and smaller feature products. “We strive to offer suggestions,” says store manager Katrin Gemünd. “The purpose of No59 is to be a focal point with a range of beautiful items that appeal to individualists.”

TEAMWORK Rosin handles the entire buying process with the assistance of Gemünd as a junior buyer. Merely creating a nice style is not enough for the two fashion experts; they immerse themselves in the philosophies of labels they stock. One of their main brands is Humanoid of The Netherlands, which transcends trends and is timeless. Samsoe & Samsoe and Mos Mosh, as well as Bellerose of Belgium, are excellent choices too. The wool accessories by Karakoram are made of finest alpaca wool. The wool is processed by hand and purchased in line with fair trade regulations. The jewellery by A Beautiful Story, hand-crafted in Nepal, boasts an equally sustainable background. While the front room is dedicated to fashion, the interior design items are on display in the second room. The range includes avant-garde vases and lamps by 101Copenhagen and Japanese-inspired earthenware by Belgium-based brand Serax. The latter recently collaborated with Merci of Paris. “The many small plates, platters, and bowls create a communicative table atmosphere - perfect for our philosophy,” Gemünd emphasises.

OLD-FASHIONED AND HANKY PANKY The decor is as individual as one would expect. The golden ceiling of the first room is gilded with impact metal, thus creating a contrast to the black wall tiles. An apothecary cabinet serves as a backdrop alongside an old tobacco counter. On display are leather wallets by Gö Ledermanufaktur of Cologne, care products by Portuguese brand Benamôr, and ready-mixed cocktail classics by Avantgarde Spirits. In addition, the store stocks art pieces by local ceramics artist Enno Jäckel. “Customers appreciate the fact that we not only offer fashion and furniture, but also takeaway articles that cost around 5 Euros. This draws customers into the store, where we can prove that excellent design doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive.” Gemünd says the launch really couldn’t have been more successful: “Due to the positive response we have already grown. Our team now consists of six employees. We cannot imagine a better job.”

No59 Concept Store Cologne

Neusser Str. 59, 50670 Cologne/ Germany, www.no59-cologne.de Opening: August 2017 Owner: Nicolette Rosin Store manager: Katrin Gemünd Employees: 6 Sales area: 70 sqm Brands for women: Baum und Pferdgarten, Bellerose, Humanoid, Five Units, Herzensangelegenheit, Mos Mosh, On parle de vous, Samsoe & Samsoe Accessories brands: A Beautiful Story, Annika Kepp, Anthology Paris, Anthony Peto, Avantgarde Spirits Company, Benamor, Bonne Maison, Bruno Premi, Elizabeth and James, Enno Jäckel, Gö Ledermanufaktur, Hay, Kapten&Son, Karakoram, Kartotek Copenhagen, Le Bonnet, Monograph, My Pretty Circus, Mutsaers Tassen, Palmaria, Typealive Interior design brands: 101Copenhagen, Bloomingville, Design Letters, FermLiving, File under Pop, Himla, Merci for Serax

Zanon/Lienz Chris Zanon perceives his eponymous store as a lifestyle company with a corresponding feel-good atmosphere. The fact that he actually lives this lifestyle makes the concept so perfect. Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Zanon SHOPPING DESTINATION

It takes courage to stay on the pulse of time through constant change. Chris Zanon has repeatedly proven this courage to change. Ever since its launch in 1988, his business has undergone a number of transformations. As an avid snowboarder and surfer, he followed his passion and opened a board sports store in Lienz, Austria. It proved difficult to sell surfboards in the mountains, but he struck gold with snowboards in the tourist town in the midst of the Dolomites. “In the early 1990s, we were the largest snowboard retailer in Austria,” says the native Bavarian. When the hype subsided in the mid-1990s, he refocused his product range on streetwear and sportswear. “The financial crisis of 2008 resulted in yet another radical change,” Zanon recalls. “Fashion was more reduced in style, but at the same time much more emphasis was placed on quality and how the materials feel.” In Zanon’s eyes, the Scandinavians embody this style best, for example the collections Samsoe & Samsoe, Minimum, and Rvlt/Revolution. In addition, the range for men and women is defined by brands such as Colmar Originals, Yaya, Drykorn, and Penn & Ink, complemented by plenty of jewellery to increase customer frequency. Zanon prefers products with an authentic background story, such as the label A Beautiful Story, which hand-crafts jewellery in Nepal. All the Luck in the World of Amsterdam and sustainable products by Armed Angels are other examples. “We now only sell weather-independent items that are viable 365 days a year,” Zanon explains. “That’s the only way a small retailer like us can survive. And by selling a lifestyle…” The 250 square-metre store consists of five rooms, each with its own atmosphere. Several lounge areas, as well as a large wooden table, invite customers to linger,