2 minute read
“I Simply Enjoy Trying Something New”
He has a mind of his own: Andreas Weitkamp, Managing Director of Modehaus Schnitzler, in his eponymous store.
Andreas Weitkamp stopped displaying sportswear in his eponymous store in spring. Instead, he has created a new stage for suits. Is this bold decision anachronistic or pioneering? style in progress went to find out.
Interview: Nicoletta Schaper. Photo: Studio Egotrips
Andreas, the sportswear trend is displacing ready-to-wear everywhere. Yet you have decided to reopen Weitkamp Store with a new focus on suits.
Some people think I am crazy. I have been told that nobody else is moving in that direction right now. However, this may the perfect time to buck the trend.
Could you elaborate on that in more detail?
Until now, Weitkamp Store was dedicated to sportswear, but the stronger the trend became, the more we featured it both in Weitkamp Store and across the street in Modehaus Schnitzler. Why, for example, does the main store stock Moncler and Herno for women while Weitkamp Store stocks Moncler and Herno for men? Many people failed to understand the underlying reasoning. Now we present sportswear by the likes of Stone Island, Dondup, Herno, and Jacob Cohën in Modehaus Schnitzler and display ready-to-wear in a more self-contained setting in Weitkamp Store. This ensures the latter is awarded the respect it still commands.
What convinced you to take this step?
Men no longer want to wear sweatpants. I always picture Joko Winterscheid in his TV show. He wears a suit in a cool, modern way. We also strive to present the theme in a modern and cool setting, featuring jackets, chinos, shirts, knitwear, and complementary outerwear.
How are you restaging the topic?
We focus on showcasing inspirational looks: a three-piece by Tagliatore, a suit made of an extraordinary material, or an overshirt to match the trousers for the younger generation. It has become abundantly clear that ready-to-wear no longer works when merely hung in line or presented as four dark blue suits in a shop window.
Does this mean a new style is required, featuring new silhouettes?
This new style is already gaining some momentum and developing step-by-step. I am not talking about a fashion paradigm shift, but rather a different presentation. I envisage a look which encourages men to dress smartly again for a theatre visit, an evening in a restaurant, or a meeting with friends. Weitkamp Store customers have always been informed customers who were among the first to buy Moncler, Stone Island, and Jacob Cohën. Now we can surprise them with something new again.
It seems you are willing to be deliberately stubborn.
I am a Capricorn from Westphalia. You bet I am stubborn! I simply enjoy trying something new, even if others shake their head in disbelief at first. If you strive to sell emotion, you must be guided by emotion. Maybe the idea is nonsense, but maybe we are the first to implement something everyone has been waiting for.
Weitkamp Store. Prinzipalmarkt 6/7, Münster/Germany Brands: Boglioli, Eduard Dressler, Drykorn, Fay, Kiefermann, Tagliatore, Weber + Weber Sartoria, Windsor
