style in progress 3/2014 – English Edition

spring summer 15 # 3.2014

What Women Want! Cool, Feminine, and Affordable /// Passion for Fashion. How Sales Assistants Become Consultants /// Do You Know ROPO? A Few Truths About E-Commerce /// Berlin? Where Else?

style in progress "In future business, the sales assistant is no longer merely a sales assistant."

Thomas Bendig

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duvetica.it

FOLLOWPEPE

Future needs Provenance.

Visit us at‌ Premium Berlin | Hall 4, H4-A 25 | 8 –10 July 2014

www.meindl-fashions.de

008 editorial

The Future is Now!

Welcome to these lines.

The digital shift affects us all.

Whether you already have an online shop or deliberately decided against it (such as the newly opened Stereo/Muc owned by Florian Ranft and Henrik Soller, A Man’s Paradise from page 144), there is hardly a hotter topic in the fashion industry. It’s no surprise really.

Experts like Torsten Waack van Wasen are all on the same page (The Wheeler-Dealers, from page 070); it is time to act. Our Longview interviewee Thomas Bendig (Multi-Channel Retailing Will Be Completely Natural, from page 062) goes one step further. He postulates that there soon will be no stores without an online presence. While the chief executive of the Fraunhofer Information and Communication Technology Group believes that we won’t have drones buzzing around our head with ordered goods, one thing is perfectly clear: Whoever is able to deliver goods to the location specified by the customer swiftly, flexibly, and comfortably, is among the winners.

So what about the stationary retail industry? It can win too, as long as it reflects on its very own unique strengths. Many station-

ary retailers have already learned from online and multi-channel peers. Nicoletta Schaper portrays four e-commerce personalities who are especially good at being human (from page 084). Hang on a minute, some stationary retailers might say, we have been supplying the services mentioned in this interview for ages.

After all, sample consignment, personal customer contact, VIP service, social media communication are not exactly innovations. However, they are services that can work online too. This means the stationary retail industry has to improve its capabilities even more. A good place to start is staff development. After all, employees are so often the key to satisfied customers who return regularly (From Sales Assistant to Consultant, from page 100).

Develop yourself? This works wonderfully on exhibition and inspiration trips. Anita Tillmann, the chief executive of the Premium trade show, makes clear that Berlin needs to be on this agenda during her chat with Stephan Huber (Berlin. Where Else?, from page 124). Constant movement is typical of the Berlin trade exhibition landscape. Ina Köhler’s report analyses the future (Boomtown Berlin, from page 118).

Developing yourself and your store is also possible with new brands. Spiewak (Real Men – Then and Now, page 106), Loveday Jeans (The Real Deal, page 114), Vintage Racing (New York Meets Isle of Man, from page 104), and all the other brands we give the thumbs up (from page 048) are perfect examples. The selection is there. Go for it!

Enjoy your read!

Your style in progress team

Cover Photo: Bernhard Musil

314 style in progress

Literary Walk Eskimo

distributed by WP

Sundance Jacket

Paolo Ventura for WoolrichArt shop on line woolrich.eu

010 CONTENT

The Longview 062 "Multi-channel retailing will be completely natural" style in progress speaks to futurology expert Thoman Bendig

What's the story E-COMMERCE X

068 Trade. Simply Trade!

An opinion piece by Stephan Huber

062

070 The Wheeler-Dealers Online vs offline – or should both be considered as one unit?

076 The Weather, Tatort, and FC Bayern An opinion piece by Martina Müllner 078 "Something with Social Media and E-Commerce" High potentials and young talent prefer to work online than on the sales floor 080 Return to Sender Returns ruin business – for both online retailers and customers 084 "Tailor-Made Selection" Outfittery’s Christin Clausen knows what men want 086 "Pilgrimage for Fashion Enthusiasts" Reyerlooks.com’s Beatrice Bulant gives an online shop a familiar face 088 "I Need to Know my Customers Well" Claude-Alain Descamps about a job that didn't exist before he got it: manager of VIP relations at mytheresa.com

068

090 "Everything is Possible Online" Lea Busse makes the world talk about myclassico.com: blogger relations and social media are her business

092 Fashion DNA Contemporary design as a key to a target group that never ages 098 "Today, We Steer Deliberately" Esfan Eghtessadi talks about the highs and lows of Essentiel Antwerp’s swift success 100 Burning Desire for Fashion How to turn an ugly duckling into a swan – the high art of sales training 104 New York Meets Isle of Man Vintage Racing is Markus Meindl’s homage to his passion for motorcycling 106 Real Men – Then and Now Spiewak's history promises a successful future

104

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108 Sponsoring Gives You Wings Pepe Jeans London is racing through the premier league of motorsports

sp ri ng/s um m e r 2 0 1 5

PREMIUM INTERNATIONAl FAShION TRAdE ShOw

PREMIUM ORdER MUNICh

JuL 8–10

AuG 9–12

STATION-Berlin

MOC Munich

www.pre m i ume x h i bi ti ons . com

012 CONTENT

112 Close Family Ties Floris van Bommel's headquarters could be a museum – it is the birthplace of uncompromisingly modern footwear 114 The Real Deal Loveday Jeans – Papis Loveday and Ben Botas combine glamour and business acumen 116 Rebellion as a Manifesto CP Fashion brings the brand Utopian by Studio Kaprol to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland 119 Boomtown Berlin Berlin is the undisputed trade show capital, but its fashion retailers are also becoming truly metropolitan

119

122 Focus on Düsseldorf The Igedo Company is coming home and cleverly fills a niche with the expanded The Gallery trade show

The Talk 124 "Berlin. Where Else?"

Premium CEO Anita Tillmann has never doubted Berlin; and she was right to do so

Fashion 128 Rock 'n' Roll Parisienne 136 The New Normal

in store 144 A Man's Paradise Stereo/Muc/Munich 146 Just Be Happy!

Bazar Royal/Leipzig 128

148 Time Travel for Individualists Chrystall/Düsseldorf 150 Saleswoman with Heart and Soul Eve Pure Fashion/Schweinfurt 152 Got Milk?

Type Hype/Berlin 154 It's a Girl!

PKZ Women/Zurich 156 The Fashion Family Making Things/Zurich 158 Like a Colourful Bird Moho/St. Gallen

136

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STANDARDS 008 EDITORIAL 014 RIGHT NOW 048 WANT IT 160 EDITOR'S LETTER /about us

014

RIGHT NOW C.P. Company and Fontana Arte celebrate the 60th anniversary of the legendary Fontana lamp with an exclusive collaboration.

Joe Südow as new head of sales and the first summer collection will lead to even more success for Düsseldorf-based label G-Lab.

G-Lab

International Expansion & First Summer Collection The aim of Düsseldorf-based jacket brand G-Lab is to create the ultimate universal jacket for all everyday demands. Since its launch in 2010, the label has developed into one of the most promising newcomers in Europe and North America, but founder and chief executive Björn Gericke is only getting started. This is why he has hired an experienced professional to promote further international expansion: Joe Südow, the former head of Canada Goose’s European operations.

He started his job as the head of international sales at G-Lab in March 2014 and will be responsible for both growth in existing and the expansion into new markets.

Next year, the launch of the new summer collection will take G-Lab to the next level. The collection, which consists of three models for women and men, is highly functional; the items are breathable, windproof, and water resistant. Features such as YKK Metaluxe, nylon zippers, three-layered rip-stop material, and “Active Ventilation Panels” make the ultra-light G-Lab models the perfect companion for all seasons – 365 days a year. www.g-lab.com www.g-lab.com

C.P. Company

Anniversarycooperation

The 60th anniversary is one that should be celebrated appropriately. That’s what the interior label Fontana Arte and C.P. Company thought too, which is why they decided upon an exclusive collaboration to revive the legendary Fontana lamp. The result is two icons in new splendour. The lamp itself is available in a Total Black version for the first time, while C.P. Company also resurrected a classic by launching a new model of the legendary Goggle Jacket. It is made of ultra-light nylon fabric and piece-dyed cotton. This combination of materials resembles the transparency and effect of glass; thereby it also resembles the aforementioned jubilee lamp. Both special models, which are available in black and white, were introduced to the public during an event at the Milan Furniture Show. The two companies also share values that go beyond this recent cooperation: both companies believe casual elegance, experimentation, and recognisability are core elements of their brands. www.cpcompany.com, www.fontanaarte.com

The brand’s sustainable philosophy is visualised in the first Friendly Hunting store in Düsseldorf.

Friendly Hunting

New Flagship

The story of Friendly Hunting started with printed cashmere scarves. Today, the brand is a competent provider of a comprehensive knitwear collection with fast delivery. Christian Goldmann and his team know how to regularly reinvent their product promise of 100% handicraft and the resulting quality level, both in respect to the product range itself and at the point of sale. In cooperation with strong franchise partners, the two Friendly Hunting stores in Munich and Sylt/Kampen are already celebrating economic success. The label added another flagship to its name in February 2014 - the first own Friendly Hunting store in Düsseldorf, which was developed and implemented by Christian Haas. This shop covers the entire product range, which has been steadily expanded over the last few seasons.

Based on its brand statement “For people with positive attitude…”, Friendly Hunting now offers cashmere accessories, knitwear, porcelain, bags, and even home accessories. Sustainability is a core value of the brand; it relies on durable products and also founded Namasté e.V., an initiative that enables children in Nepal to enjoy a good education. www.friendly-hunting.com

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Nikita

Icelandic Street Fashion

Nikita, the Icelandic “Girls who ride” brand, has repositioned itself since receiving an investment from Finnish Amer Sports Group in 2011. Alongside the existing outerwear collection for winter sports (incl. hardware), it now also offers a significantly larger streetwear collection with fashion and denim lines, as well as a small swimwear collection. In total, the product range consists of 220 items with a calculation factor between 2.5 and 2.7. The extroverted designs and silhouettes are much more fashion-centred than before and pick up the latest colour themes, patterns, and prints of urban street looks. In Switzerland, Nikita is represented by Angela Burkhart, Amersports; in Austria by Reecom Trade GmbH and in Germany by the agencies Rausch, Timo Breyer, Anja Stroeks (Insane-Products), and Hannes Weber (Amersports). www.nikitaclothing.com

Nikita has become more feminine, louder, and more fashionable.

The appointment of Anja Katharina Koschlitzki means that the German sales management of Cinque Women remains under female control.

Cinque

German Sales Under New Management

Since May, Anja Katharina Koschlitzki is the sales manager for Cinque Women in Germany. She replaces Regina Bender, who was responsible for the sales team since 2003 and left the company at her own request for personal reasons. Koschlitzki (35) has gained valuable sales experience over the years. She received her training at Peek & Cloppenburg KG before studying languages, economics, and cultural studies. She went on to take on several area sales manager positions at Hugo Boss AG and most recently worked for Joop at Windsor GmbH. www.cinque.de

Trendy, leatherfree, and recyclable - Fritzi aus Preussen.

Fritzi aus Preußen

Recyclable

“For us it is important to know that our bags and wallets find their way back into the cycle naturally”, says Roman Kraus, the managing director of Berlin-based label Fritzi aus Preussen. Should any products made of leather-free polyurethane be returned by a complaining customer, they are handed on to the Red Cross to sell in social department stores at a significantly reduced price. All remaining items are passed on to Kleiderkammer, which accepts donations for people in need. If a bag is not suitable for everyday use due to a production fault, the polyurethane made of foam can still be recycled; it can, for example, be used as filling material for car seats. Fritzi aus Preussen currently has 1,200 points of sale, mostly in the German-speaking regions, the Benelux countries, and Denmark. The retail prices for bags and wallets range from 24.90 to 79.90 Euros. www.fritziauspreussen.de

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Campus

New Head Designer

The month of July brings change. Campus GmbH plans to continue treading and strengthening its chosen path to a creative realignment of the brand by appointing Ali Ansari as the new head of design.

Positions as operative managing director and art director of the AMD Academy of Fashion and Design in Munich, as well as a freelance head designer of several companies, will help the 48 year old to raise the profile of the brand together with the women’s and men’s design teams. www.campus72.com

Ali Ansari will take over the creative management of Campus as the new head of design as of July 2014.

mytheresa.com

Growth Campaign

Parisian cult store meets hip thong sandals - Colette and Tkees team up for this limited edition.

Tkees

More than 50 percent annual revenue growth and more than 200 employees, as well as collections by approximately 180 international designer labels and 2,500 orders per day from more than 120 countries - since its foundation in 2006, mytheresa.com has developed into a leading online retailer of luxury fashion. Therefore it comes as no surprise that a logistics centre in Heimstetten is the newest addition to the company’s presence in Munich. The next step is the enlargement of mytheresa.com’s headquarters. With the assistance of NAI Apollo Asset Management, the company has already rented a promising 6,276 square metre area in the office complex on the Einsteinring in Munich-Dornbach. The deal is also one of the largest office brokerage transactions of the year in the greater Munich area. The big move is scheduled for the first quarter of 2015. Until then, mytheresa.com will team up with Conceptsued GmbH Munich to develop innovative usage concepts such as open space offices and think tanks. www.mytheresa.com

Successful Collaboration with Colette

Since 2012, the Paris-based concept store Colette is a customer of the highly successful shoe label Tkees. Casual, comfortable, and elegant are the terms that best describe the thong sandals that Tkees is renowned for since the label’s launch in 2009, and that also are a perfect fit for Colette’s business concept. The new highlight of this co-operation is a jointly designed strictly limited shoe in Klein Blue. Distinctive labelling and a special Colette bag make the limited edition even more attractive from a customer’s perspective. The series is limited to no more than thirty models, which are - as all other Tkees products - distributed via the concept store’s online shop. www.tkees.com, www.colette.fr

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From 2015 onwards, mytheresa.com will occupy more than 6,000 square metres in the office complex located on Munich’s Einsteinring.

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Hunter Original

Debut Ready-ToWear Collection

The rubber boots specialist Hunter launched its first textile collection for autumn/winter 2014 with a show during the London Fashion Week.

The show was created by a team headed by creative director Alasdhair Willis. One of the highlights was the world-famous magician Dynamo, who performed his Matrix levitation trick in the midst of an artificial forest and made both himself and eight models disappear from the water-filled catwalk. The collection consists of approximately 120 items for men and women, in four colour variations. The retail prices range from 160 to 650 Euros for jackets, 140 to 180 Euros for knitwear, 60 to 80 Euros for accessories such as hats and scarves, and 200 to 350 Euros for bags.

The calculation factor is 2.5. The first customers of the Hunter Original Collection are 14 oz. Berlin and mytheresa.com. The spring/summer 2015 collection will be displayed exclusively throughout July by sales & key account manager Renero Mossong in the Düsseldorf-based showroom located at Cecilienallee 33. www.hunter-boot.com

They’ve won the treble! Carola Strobl, the head of e-commerce at PKZ.ch, is thrilled by her hat-trick at the Swiss E-Commerce Awards.

Keds

Bosum Trading as Distributor for DACH region

Bosum Trading GmbH has taken over the distribution of Keds sneakers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH region). Keds was founded in the US in 1916 and is now part of Wolverine Worldwide, a group of companies that generates annual sales of approximately 3 billion Dollars with 13 other brands. “Our excellent relations with specialised retailers and our vast shoe distribution experience will help establish Keds in our markets as a successful American lifestyle brand. We managed to sign a long term contract with Wolverine Worldwide; this means we can now start positioning the brand together with retailers through a strong point of sale presence and merchandising tours for an in-store presentation that is both individual and authentic. Many fruitful negotiations with our key partners have shown that Keds is also in line with the zeitgeist of Western Europe”, says Pierre Lefebvre, the managing director of Bosum Trading. The Keds collection for spring/summer 2015 consists of 160 styles for women and 40 styles for men. The retail prices range from 59 to 89 Euros. The products will be showcased at the trade shows BBB in Berlin and GDS in Düsseldorf.

PKZ

Award-Winning E-Commerce

The simple designs and cheerful colours of Keds won the affection of style icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn.

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PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co was the big winner of this year’s Swiss E-Commerce Awards for the best Internet boutiques in the country. PKZ.ch was declared the overall winner by prevailing against almost 140 entrants in that category. But that’s not all! PKZ also managed to secure the Shecommerce award, a special prize for the website that appeals most to female shoppers; the group also came first in the significant special category Multi-Channel & Logistics. “We are over the moon”, says CEO Ph. Olivier Burger. “We would like to congratulate our crew headed by Carola Strobl, our e-commerce manager!”

In the eyes of the jury, which consisted of retail experts, lawyers, and university professors in cooperation with the consulting company Carpathia, PKZ.ch currently has the most complete and compelling online shopping concept in Switzerland. Well done! www.pkz.ch

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Duvetica

First German Showroom Duvetica, the Italian specialist for fashionable ladies’ and men’s down jackets, opened its first German showroom in Munich in April. The opening coincided with the foundation of its local subsidiary Duvetica Deutschland GmbH. More than 200 guests from the worlds of fashion, art, society, and economy accepted the invitation of Duvetica CEO Stefano Rovoletto, Barbara Vidali, and Paola Abizi.

The event attracted celebrities such as actress Lara Joy Körner, Sophie Wepper and her boyfriend David Meister, Constanze and Mike Kraus, Papis Loveday, Simone Ballack, PR lady Uschi Ackermann, jeweller Maximilian Heiden and his wife Andrea, Countess Charlotte of Oeynhausen-Jadrnicek, photographer Michael von Hasel, and entrepreneur Count Christopher of Hallwyl. They partied hard to the cool beats of DJ Mosey (aka Pierre Sarkozy) while enjoying the delicacies supplied by famous celebrity chef Gerd Käfer. The brand Duvetica was founded in 2004 and primarily processes materials from France and Italy. The fur comes from Finland and the down feathers are sourced from French grey geese. The jackets are manufactured in Europe. www.duvetica.it

A large selection of various colour nuances in the 500 square metre Duvetica showroom in Munich’s Sankt-MartinStrasse.

GAS

Jubilee

“A tutto GAS” is the motto of GAS’ 30th anniversary celebrations. The motto translates into “full throttle” and the jeans specialist from Chiuppano, Vicenza, is taking the claim as seriously as ever. The brand GAS is defined by its owner, Claudio Grotto. When asked about the development of GAS over the next 30 years, Grotto answers: “Our 30 years of history is the asset on which we base our plans for the future. We have learned to be pragmatic and to focus on denim, which is our core competence.” However, the brand has also chased dreams and done everything possible to make them become reality. One of these dreams is international recognition, which was achieved by getting involved in the world of motorcycle racing. GAS has been a sponsor of Team Honda Repsol MotoGP for no less than 16 years and only recently extended this partnership. This includes a new lighting-fast brand ambassador. GAS has managed to strike a deal with young Spanish racer Marc Marquez, who is the current MotoGP world champion and truly embodies the DNA of the brand.

Grotto is a man on a mission: “We want to offer cosmopolitan customers a total look that has contemporary style and high quality. It's a style that is influenced by current trends, but still highlights the personality of the wearer.” That’s what the brand tried to implement in the capsule collection that reinterprets timeless GAS icons, which is the core element of its jubilee celebrations. The collection includes the iconic five-pocket trousers, Nordic Look knitwear, THE blazer, THE bomber jacket, THE leather jacket, a duffle coat, and a parka, to name but a few. Furthermore, the brand offers denim-style jogging pants and super-slim jeans, as well as jackets and shirts for bikers. Speaking of bikers: Blogger Riccardo Pozzoli is on tour for GAS on the Internet as #TheRoadtripMan. GAS is tremendously active on social media platforms and takes advantage of everything that tweets, posts, or communicates in any other way. This high-quality word-of-mouth advertising is typical for GAS. www.gasjeans.com

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Marlino combines casual style and high-quality materials.

Marlino

Summer Collection Premiere The jacket specialist Marlino has been reinterpreting classics made of innovative fabrics since 2009. The first ladies’ summer collection consists of two lines with a total of 15 items. The casually cut sporty windbreaker line consisting of a parka, a short jacket, a vest, and a short coat is made of a treated cotton resin mix with an extra soft feel and waxed look. Small details like neon coloured zipper seams and drawstrings with a neon thread woven into them are accents that are set quite deliberately.

“The jackets are very light, which is ideal for the GermanAustrian summer when you need something to slip into in the morning and evening. During the day, the jacket can disappear in the bag, where it doesn’t take up much space and doesn’t wrinkle. Small badges in the shape of flowers, stars, and butterflies are cute details. We have discreetly used them in a playful manner in surprising places; they peep out from underneath the collar or appear on the cuffs, hoods, and lining. We developed the three lines as a test programme to present the retail industry with an innovative mix”, designer Melanie Nienaber explains.

The relaxed urban style of Marlino also shows in the line made of over-dyed Liberty fabric consisting of five slim-cut blazers and a short jacket that resembled a classic denim jacket.

The retail prices range from 199 to 299 Euros. The collection will be showcased at the Tranoi trade show in Paris.

In Germany and Austria, Marlino is represented by Marion Hoferer’s MODEist agency, while the Swiss market is covered by Zurich-based Stefanie Beckers. www.marlino.de

Il Padrone in his element: Claudio Grotto (centre) has sponsored Team Honda Repsol MotoGP (left: Dani Pedrosa, right: Marc Marquez) for 16 years and will continue to do so next season.

Furiously up to date: The new capsule collection to celebrate GAS’ 30th anniversary was introduced to the public at the Pitti trade show in Florence.

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Delicate summer dresses are part of Lucky de Luca‘s summer collection for the first time.

The children‘s collection Born Lucky (picture right) is also enjoying sustained success.

CO Sports

Old Friends with New Agency Lucky de Luca

Guaranteed

Summer Feelings

At the upcoming Premium trade show in Berlin (hall 3, stand A28), Valentino de Luca will - for the very first time - not only present Lucky de Luca polo shirts and t-shirts for men and women, but also flowing feminine summer dresses (purchase price 59 Euros; retail prices from 169 Euros). He remains true to his characteristic design and focuses on unusual patterns, high quality prints, and vivid colours. It’s a tribute to the carefree lifestyle of Southern Italy. The t-shirts and polo shirts (retail prices for t-shirts from 49 Euros; between 79 and 89 Euros for polo shirts) are characterised by elaborate prints, delicate stitching, and special washings. “My fabrics have always been the most important ingredients for success; for the main part, I have my own fabrics manufactured and produced. This means that at least 80% of the fabrics used in my collection were exclusively produced for us. It’s what makes our brand so distinctive; it’s our spirit”, Valentino de Luca explains. He is very content with the increasing brand awareness and good sales figures over the last few seasons. The collection is now available in countries such as the US, Dubai, China, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Scandinavia, and Spain. It is not only popular in the large metropolises, but also in smaller cities. This naturally also benefits the Born Lucky children’s collection. Valentino de Luca is a father himself and is eager to see the success of Born Lucky continue. The Lucky de Luca Group is aiming for slow and gentle growth via a selective distribution strategy devised together with Moderaum Fischer’s Lars Fischer. www.luckydeluca.com

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The foundation of “CO Sports” enriches Salzburg with another distribution agency for fashionable sports brands. Christian Teufl and Oliver Schneider, who both have an excellent knowledge of the industry, continue to see enormous potential in the combination of fashion and sport. This new joint venture allows them to pursue their shared love for sport and passion for the retail trade. Teufl has already made a name for himself with his agency Collectionen Christian Teufl (CCT), while Schneider gained invaluable experience during his many years as management consultant, trainer, and recruiter in the fashion and sports trade. The agency headquarters are located in Vierthalerstrasse, where the new business can take advantage of the existing infrastructure of CCT. First contracts with renowned brands have already been signed. www.co-sports.com

One of the newly founded agency‘s first customers is Colmar.

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Lodenfrey 1842

Equal Rights

After last winter’s successful launch of the women’s range, Lodenfrey 1842 presents a completely renewed men’s collection for the first time for the spring/summer 2015 season. Under the slogan “Urban Sportswear”, Lodenfrey 1842 offers jackets and coats that have a very clear and precise style. High-end Japanese and Italian fabrics, as well as the slim silhouette, underline the sophisticated clean look. High-quality details and practical functionality complete the image of contemporary modernity. Key items are field jackets made of exquisite linen, garment-washed casual parkas, sharp bomber jackets, and deliberately straightforward short jacket. The colour palette ranges from rich blue tones such as Dark Navy and Seaside Blue, over strong green shades such as Dark Olive and Khaki, to the powerful accent colour New Golden.

The launch took place at the Pitti Uomo trade show in Florence. Lodenfrey 1842 is also present at the Premium trade fair in Berlin. Munich-based fashion agency Schwarte is also the distributor of the men’s collection in Germany and Austria. www.lodenfrey.com

This season, Barb‘one has added a range of Bermuda shorts to its collection.

Barb’one

Patent on the Stripes

In 2012, Valentino de Luca decided to turn contrasting seams into the characterising feature of an Italian chino collection. This marked the launch of the brand Barb’one, a name that basically translates into vagabond. The distinctive collection of trousers has since blazed a trail of success through the German retail industry. “We have an excellent distribution in place thanks to Lars Fischer and his agency, Moderaum Fischer. We have noticed that the brand is not only well-received in larger cities, but also in rural areas. It is obviously benefitting from the increased public awareness of Lucky de Luca. Last season’s sale rate of 90 percent speaks for itself”, Valentino de Luca explains. The collection will be expanded in summer 2015; alongside the six existing trouser models, it will also include Bermuda shorts. Wrinkled looks and oil washes that create unusual colour effects and discolorations on pockets and seams are among the most significant new styles. Valentino de Luca has decided to stick with the patented stripes along the side seams and the “Made in Italy” principle. www.luckydeluca.com

Blaumax

Sweat Jeans for the Summer

Noble, casual, and relaxed - Lodenfrey 1842 launches its new men’s collection

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Denim and sportswear specialist Blaumax has developed a range of five-pocket used denim look trousers made of elastic sweatshirt material. The washed trousers are only superficially dyed and then equipped with light elusions on the thighs, as well as used look effects such as folds in the lap area. “The trousers look like fivepocket jeans, but have a soft grip and are extremely comfortable to wear”, Blaumax’s Eid Komaretho explains. Customers can Blaumax hybrid: Jeans look combined with choose from three models. Ivan is the soft sweatshirt material. regular five-pocket slim cut model for men, while the women’s slim model is named Leggings. The cut is based on one of Blaumax’s bestsellers which are available in ten variants such as leather, denim, and flat woven fabric. The unisex model Jayjay is an optical hybrid of jeans and sweatpants. Like training trousers, it has larger pockets and a draw cord waistband on the front and classic jeans-style pockets and denim look on the rear. The retail price for the trousers stands at 135 Euros. Blaumax has already tested the trousers in its own stores. They can be ordered in the short term for this summer at the trade shows Premium and Bread & Butter. www.blaumax.com

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Select Trading

Selective Positioning

“Our focus for the coming season remains on the selective positioning of the brands Tiger of Sweden, By Malene Birger, John Varvatos, and our new brand Hudson Shoes. Another emphasis is the retail expansion of Tiger of Sweden”, agency owner Bernard Waage explains. “After the successful opening of the Tiger of Sweden shop-in-shop outlet at Oberpollinger in Munich and Galeries Lafayette in Berlin, we are about to launch an additional retail area in KaDeWe for the autumn/winter 2014 season. In addition, Select Trading is in the process of positioning the brand, Tiger Jeans, on the market with its own sales team. The agency became the distributor of Hudson Shoes for the German, Austrian, and Swiss markets as of autumn/winter 2014.

Accordingly, the team in Munich and Düsseldorf was expanded in respect of customer service, sales, PR, and retail. Hudson Shoes and By Malene Birger will be showcased at the Premium trade show in Berlin, while Tiger of Sweden’s collection will be exhibited at the Bread & Butter trade fair at the beginning of July.

Labels: By Malene Birger, Hudson Shoes, John Varvatos, Tiger Jeans, Tiger of Sweden Select Trading GmbH, Munich/Germany, info@select-trading.com, www.select-trading.com

Hudson shoes is a promising addition to the brand portfolio of Munich-based agency Select Trading.

Hinterhofagentur presents vintage look watches by the brand Out of Order.

Die Hinterhofagentur

Well Positioned

Munich-based fashion agency Hinterhofagentur, which specialises in innovative sports and casual wear, believes it is well positioned for continued success in the spring/summer 2015 season. “The young Parisian collection by Des Petits Hauts (retail prices from 49 to 149 Euros), which was presented for winter pre-orders for the first time, has achieved astonishing results”, says Dominik Meuer. However, the agency’s owner is equally satisfied with the sales figures of the men’s fashion brands in his portfolio. The knitwear and jersey collection Wool & Co, the shirts and polo shirts by Koike, and the casual looks by BOB sold consistently well. In the coming season, BOB plans to add casual sport shirts (retail price 99 Euros) to its product range. Cape Horn, a North Italian outdoor collection with a comprehensive range of summer down products, t-shirts, and jerseys for the summer, was added to the fold for the autumn/winter 2014 season. Another new addition is the brand Superpants with its new printed chinos and the Brecos collection, which offers fresh affordable off-the-rack fashion with an extensive instant order programme.

The Hinterhofagentur portfolio is rounded off by vintage watches by Out of Order and colourful belts designed by Stramici.

Labels: Wool & Co, BOB, Des Petits Hauts, Brecos, Camplin, Cape Horn, Koike, Superpants, Out of Order, Stramici Die Hinterhofagentur, Munich/Germany, d.meuer@diehinterhofagentur.de, www.diehinterhofagentur.de

The robust Vintage Racing jackets made of high-end leather are almost too beautiful for a motorbike ride.

Rolf Griesinger Internationale Mode

Back to Vintage

This current season the fashion agency of Rolf Griesinger boasts a new addition for its German market portfolio. Vintage Racing is a high-end leather and biker jacket collection for women and men. The jackets are not only functional, but also highly fashionable. The traditional company Meindl is responsible for design and production. The collection will be introduced to the public during the Premium trade shows in Berlin and Munich. In Munich the robust leather line is also on display in the showroom at Kosttor 1 / Maximilianstrasse. The other collections represented by the agency focus on continuity and they have all remained on board. According to general manager Martin Steckel, the Holland-based women’s fashion line Dante 6, which is characterised by excellent value for money, has performed particularly well after the first two seasons.

Labels: Bloom, Dante 6, FFC, Flowers for Friends, IQ+berlin, Vintage Racing Rolf Griesinger Internationale Mode GmbH, Munich/Germany, office@griesinger-mode.de, www.griesinger-mode.de

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Room with a view

Definitely on Track

Martin Klösch, the manager of Room with a view’s showroom in Salzburg, was a very happy man when he returned from a business trip to Tuscany. After all, he spotted the brand Wood’d, the newest addition to the agency’s portfolio, in some of the trendiest stores. This is yet another confirmation that the agency is on track for further success.

Wood’d, which manufactures covers and snap-ons for smart phones and tablets, has managed to gain cult status within a very short period of time. It is a perfect fit for the agency’s strategy to offer more 24/7 items, which are gadgets that customers like to display alongside fashion and accessories as eye-catchers and added value. Klösch is also thrilled that Room with a view can now offer the brands Pomandère and Hanky Panky in its German branches. This is a clear sign that the suppliers trust the fashion specialist.

Brands Austria: 7 for all mankind, Aglini, A.S.A.P., Canada Goose, Essentiel Antwerp, George Gina & Lucy, Giorgio Brato, Hanky Panky, HTC, Miss Goodlife, Moon Boot, My T-Shirt, New Balance, Parts Denim, Peuterey, Philo-sofie, Pomandère, R13 Denim, Roque, Simeon Farrar, Tkees, Tyoulip Sisters, Warm-me, Wood‘d, Zoe Karssen Brands Germany: A.S.A.P., Essentiel Antwerp, Hanky Panky, My T-Shirt, Miss Goodlife, Parts Denim, Philo-sofie, Pomandère, R13 Denim, Wood‘d, Zoe Karssen Brands Switzerland: 7 for all mankind, Aglini, A.S.A.P., Blonde No.8, Eco Alf, Essentiel Antwerp, Frogbox, Giorgio Brato, HTC, No.8, Miss Goodlife, Parts Denim, Pence, R13 Denim, Simeon Farrar, Tyoulip Sisters, Warm-me, Wood‘d, Zoe Karssen Room with a view, Salzburg/Austria, Düsseldorf and Hamburg/Germany, Zurich/ Switzerland, office@roomwithaview.at, www.roomwithaview.at Craftsmanship - The Aschieri brothers founded Wood’d in 2012; the gadgets made of wood and leather are handcrafted in Italy.

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Unifa

Many Innovations from L.A.

The leather jackets by Enso Art combine aesthetic timeless design and fashionable zeitgeist.

Wunschnaht

Scandinavian Addition

The fashion agency Wunschnaht, run by the two brothers Robin and Montgomery Juchems, is, from this season onwards, the distributor of the Swedish label Why Red. The two fashion enthusiasts founded their own leather jacket label Enso Art last season and instantly managed to place their products in stores such as Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong, Stierblut in Munich, and Apropos in Cologne. “Following the great feedback from the first season, we have decided to create an outdoor Enso Art installation right next to the entrance to the Glass Hall of the Premium trade show. We want to present absolute highlights to the retailers and inspire them. The basics will be displayed in the showroom”, Ingo Juchems explains.

The agency’s headquarters are located in the Heyne Factory in Offenbach. It also maintains a showroom in Munich and a temporary showroom in Düsseldorf.

Approximately 90 percent of the brands represented

by Wunschnaht are on display at the Seek trade show. Only Bread & Boxers and Enso Art are on show at the Premium trade fair.

Labels: 1ST PAT-RN, Anderson’s, Be Edgy, Bread & Boxers, Brosbi, Collective, Cote & Ciel, Enso Art, Evisu, Lyle & Scott Vintage, Sandqvist, Stutterheim, The One Goods, YMC, Why Red Wunschnaht, Offenbach and Munich/Germany, info@wunschnaht.de, www.wunschnaht.de

True Religion Jeans is planning a strategic realignment. In the future, the brand wants to focus more on women than it previously has. Unifa also has many new portfolio additions for its customers to discover. The designers at Juicy Couture have created a new LA luxury line called Pam & Gela. Basic materials such as fleece, sweats, and jersey ensure casual fits. The designer at “Peace Love World” was born in Cuba and staged some very successful “Love Parties” in Miami. These events led to the foundation of her own label, which offers shirts, tops, sweatpants, skirts, and dresses that are suitable for every kind of party. The trendy AKA545 by “Great China Wall” designer Alfredo Settimio focuses on elaborately remodelled iconic vintage items such as leather and denim jackets from the 60s and 70s. In addition, the label offers shirts and sweats with a distinctly vintage look. Other new labels from LA are Ström by Swedish model Eriak Strömqvist, Winston & Hart, and Rails.

Labels: The Aarcc, AKA545, Art Youth Society, Camouflage, Couture Stork, David Lerner, Dr. Denim, Ella Moss, Elisabeth and James, Equipment Femme, Frends, Genetic, Guido Maria Kretschmer Premium Collection, Gold Hawk, I love my Moment, J Brand, Les Benjamins, Les Éclaires, LNA, Mother, My Brand, Nikkie, Plant with 2 Moons, Pam & Gela, Peace Love World, Splendid, Stand Black Nude, Ström, True Religion Brand Jeans, The Other Brand, The Viper Room, Wildfox, Winston & Hart Unifa Fashion GmbH, Düsseldorf/Germany, The vintage line AKA545 by designer Alfredo Settimio is one of Unifa’s new distribution@unifa-fashion.com, www.unifa-fashion.com brands.

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Loft 261

More Northern Input

Designed in Hamburg, made in Europe – this is the slogan with which designer Katharina Hovman describes her fashion brand, which was launched under her name in 1992. The style of the textile design graduate is clear cut and figure-hugging; her pieces are always excellently crafted, using the finest materials available. These attributes of Katharina Hovman complement the portfolio of Beatrice Häberli-Fetz and her Loft 261 team perfectly. Maybe this can be attributed to the fact that the Zurich-based fashion agency was also founded in 1992, therefore has just as much business experience as Katharina Hovman, and is now one of the leading female outerwear agencies in Switzerland. It’s a perfect fit for a smaller label like Hovman, which has built quite a reputation in Switzerland during the last two years of this partnership. This is especially thanks to the customer portfolio of the Loft 261 team, which considers itself part of the Best Age (Baby-boomer) market segment. Hovman is the second fashion brand from the North; Loft 261 also represents the Danish label Kristensen Du Nord.

Brands: Annette Görtz, apalaia, Hache, Hindahl & Skudelny, Katharina Hovman, Kristensen Du Nord, Rundholz Black Label, Sarah Pacini, Unechta Loft 261 Modeagentur AG, Zurich/Switzerland, info@loft261.ch, www.loft261.ch

Katharina Hovman enriches the “Urban Dressed” segment of Loft 261. In this season the focus is on blouses made of finest microfiber taffeta.

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With fluttering wings - Armedangels (pictured on right: Fritzi Könemann) is moving in with Moderaum Fischer (pictured on left: Lars Fischer).

Gabriela Kofler

The Featherweight Alternative

Gabriela Kofler experienced the impact animal rights initiatives can have on the textile market when dealing with angora wool. Videos of cruel rabbit plucking lead to a total collapse in demand. Therefore, the Salzburg-based fashion expert is thrilled to have added No.1 Como, a brand that offers padded jackets and a choice, to her portfolio.

The customer can decide whether the desired jacket should be filled with real down or the new synthetic Special-Thermo stuffing that protects geese. The range of the offshoot of Blonde No.8 consists of 14 colours for each available style; all jackets are water resistant and have a two-way zipper. Additionally, the brand also offers a special limited edition every season. The purchase prices of the jackets range from 129 to 179 Euros. Gabriela Kofler believes this is a highly interesting price range. She embarks on a comprehensive tour of Austria twice a year to visit every customer and knock on the door personally to inspect every point of sale and chat with her clients, supply product training, and to organise goods exchanges. This is important in the Internet age, because you can only see how the business is run with your own eyes!

Labels: Amorph Berlin, Arma Leder, Blonde No.8, Como No.1, C.P.Twentynine, Drakewood, Exit Brooklyn, Freds Bruder, Hotspot, Iheart, Rockstar & Angels Gabriela Kofler Agentur für Mode, Salzburg/Austria, gabriela@gabrielakofler.at, www.gabrielakofler.at

Save the down!

The motto of the new jacket brand says it all. The customer can choose between real and synthetic down filling.

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Moderaum Fischer

Benefitting from Flat-Sharing At first Lars Fischer is clearly amused by the comparison, but it is quite apt. The Cologne-based cult label Armedangels is moving in with the one-man-show that is Moderaum Fischer. The two parties met at a trade show in Düsseldorf a while ago when their booths were located next to each other. Lars Fischer and Friederike “Fritzi” Könemann, the head of sales at Armedangels, got on like a house on fire. They suggested that it might be a good idea to collaborate at some point and now this time has finally come. Armedangels, which has its headquarters in the former cream manufacturing unit of 4711 (for anyone born after 1990: that was “the” Eau de Cologne of the post-war era), has decided to expand its distribution structure in the South and will move into the loft of the Lodenfrey Park. Lars Fischer is hoping for synergy effects and wants to offer the retail industry an opportunity to buy special products in a special atmosphere. So it’s a creative joint venture; it’s a kind of working partnership from which everyone can benefit.

Labels: Barb’one, Fratelli Rossetti, Lucky Luca, Pure Après Moderaum Fischer, Munich/Germany, lars@moderaumfischer.de, www.moderaumfischer.com

034 RIGHT NOW Tommy Wieler and Vanessa Baroni-Wieler are happy to be independent together after founding their agency Another Souvenir.

Deluxe Distribution

Very British Addition

It is time. It’s time for brands that do not simply bring products to the market, but also tell a story. The team of Deluxe Distribution has managed to add no less than three such brands to its portfolio for the upcoming order season. Above all there’s Puffa (see photo), a brand that made its name in Great Britain over the last 40 years or so. It may not sponsor the Royal Family directly, but the princes and princesses definitely have a soft spot for Puffa’s padded and stitched jackets. The brand hopes that its collaboration with Deluxe Distribution will lead to similar success on the other side of the English Channel. Brothers Rob and Paul Forken have a rather extraordinary story to tell. The boys lost both parents during the horrendous tsunami of 2004 in Sri Lanka, but they certainly never lost their courage. To honour the memory of their parents, who were very committed to humanitarian work, the Englishmen founded Gandys, a flip-flop manufacturer that focuses on sustainable production and also supports various projects in India. Last but not least, Deluxe Distribution welcomes Miista, a brand which offers trendy shoe and bag designs by Laura Villasenin from Hackney in London.

Brands: Betyke, Eucalyptus, Friday on my Mind, Gandys, Junk de Luxe, Miista, Minimum, Minus, Moods of Norway, Paramita, Puffa, Schutz, Skunkfunk, Smash, United Nude Deluxe Distribution, Berlin/Germany, info@deluxe-distribution.de, www.deluxe-distribution.de Prominent jackets: Model and TV presenter Jodie Kidd in one of Puffa’s most successful creations.

MODEist GmbH

Not Exactly a New Name

“My agency newspaper and website have been called MODEist for many years, so I decided to use that name for my agency too. The distribution agency Hoferer now operates as MODEist GmbH. The team and the two showrooms in Munich and Düsseldorf are unaffected by this move; the same applies to the trade show presence at the Premium Berlin at the beginning of July”, Marion Hoferer explains. During the aforementioned trade show she will display the leather and accessories collection by B.Belt, the leather jacket and trousers collection by Montgomery, the Viennese bag label Another Bag, and the Candice blouse collection by Aglini. New additions to the portfolio are the jersey collection by 0941, the fine cashmere collection by Headhunter, and the shirt collection by Groceries. The range is completed by hand-made jewellery from Munich by SassiCara. These brands enable Marion Hoferer to offer her customers a coherent overall concept; more than ever her aim is “to offer customers something special, mainly highest enjoyable quality at honest prices. I offer early delivery dates such as November 2014 and January 2015 for the spring trends, but always at a quality level that makes the items wearable.”

Labels: 0941, Another Bag, B.Belt, Baba Lee, Blaumax, Candice, Groceries, Manotto, Marlino, Montgomery, SassiCara MODEist GmbH, Munich, Düsseldorf/Germany, info@b-kleidung.de, www.modeist.com

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Another Souvenir

Just married

The marriage took place in June; the first “baby” was born shortly after. It is called Another Souvenir and is a smaller high-end agency for distribution, consulting, marketing, and public relations. It’s what Tommy Wieler and Vanessa Baroni-Wieler learned from the bottom up and what they perfected while working at K&K Logistics (Tommy), Diane von Fürstenberg, and Wunderkind (Vanessa). Based in Stuttgart, the two professionals oversee the international expansion of the jewellery brand Vanessa Baroni (founded in 2009) and the shoe brand Dolfie in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as the two collections A.s.a.p and Parts in Germany. The latter two brands are comanaged with room with a view, the fashion agency that also helps with exhibition opportunities in the showrooms in Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Salzburg, and Zurich. The two are highly motivated and “are eager to make a difference”.

Labels: A.s.a.p, Dolfie, Parts, Vanessa Baroni Another Souvenir, Leinfelden (Stuttgart)/Germany, tommy@anothersouvenir.de, www.anothersouvenir.de

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The Groceries t-shirt collection is one of the new additions to the brand portfolio of MODEist GmbH.

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Abentur MAB

Luxury & Contemporary

Regis Benabou’s Düsseldorf-based fashion agency MAB has three new collections under its belt for the new season. The label Dodo Bar Or focuses on casual elegance and timeless pieces, which are, for example, made of exclusive water snake and python hide. Designer Rachel Zoe can draw from almost 20 years of experience as stylist and editor. She launched her eponymous vintage-inspired contemporary fashion line in 2011. Finally, Boulezar embodies luxurious fashion with contemporary style that is made of materials sourced from Italy and Japan. One of the agency’s first collections is Kenzo. “For me Kenzo is the best fashion label of recent years”, agency owner Regis Benabou says. “Kenzo has set new standards in the fashion world with its tiger sweatshirts, logo prints, and colour combinations. This established the brand as the trendsetting authority for modern design.” Traditional brand Ungaro, which has experienced a breath of fresh air after the appointment of Fausto Puglisi as new creative director, also remains on board.

Labels: Atelier Brume, Ba&sh, BLK DNM, Boulezar, Costume National, CostumeNemutsoC, Dodo Bar Or, Emanuel Ungaro, Fame on you, Fendi, Givenchy, Jimmy Choo, Kenzo, Mackage, Matthew Williamson, National Standard, Opening Ceremony, Paul & Joe, Paul & Joe Sister, Rachel Zoe Modeagentur MAB, Düsseldorf/Germany, info@mab-fashion.com, www.mab-fashion.com The Boulezar collection is a new addition to MAB’s brand portfolio.

The Parajumpers brand presents itself as sporty as ever.

Agentur Schwarte

Now the Men, Please

After the launch of Lodenfrey 1842’s women’s sports wear collection, Matthias Schwarte’s fashion agency will use this season to present the men’s collection of the new label for the first time. “We are always on the lookout for new innovative collections to offer to retailers”, Matthias Schwarte says. “Customer satisfaction and intensive cooperation are still at the top of our agenda.” Furthermore, the agency, for example, represents the 1970s cult label Sundek, which offers board shorts and polo shirts. It also distributes the exclusive Fil Noir shirts, which are produced in Europe on principle, as well as the Italian-made jogging jeans by Praio. One of Schwarte’s classic portfolio brands is Parajumpers. This season, the collection focuses on cotton in sophisticated equipment.

The innovative nylon coating of the cotton fibres gives the jackets a silky glow, while an additional wash adds the typical sporty look of the brand. The Munichbased agency also hired Patrick Brand as reinforcement for its sales team.

Labels: Armani Jeans, Daniele Fiesoli, Felted, Fil Noir, Lodenfrey 1842, Luis Trenker, Parajumpers, Praio, Sundek, Vintage 55 Agentur Schwarte, Munich/Germany, office@agentur-schwarte.de, www.agentur-schwarte.de

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d-tails Coppolecchia Reinartz

Presence in Düsseldorf

The agency of Patrick Coppolecchia-Reinartz has decided to establish a presence at “The Gallery” in the Hammer Halls near Düsseldorf’s port.

“The location provides us and other Munich-based colleagues with an excellent working environment alongside our showroom”, agency owner Coppolecchia-Reinartz says. “Furthermore, we can have a ten day order window there.” Pronto programmes in cooperation with Atos Lombardini are a new business branch to follow up on successful items. The three new additions to the agency’s portfolio are especially exciting. The men’s shirts

by ABCL are made of high-end Japanese denim and boast many fascinating details. The Italian shoes designed by Anna F. from Padua are ultra-feminine.

The footwear specialist Springa has come up with a really special treat.

The brand will bring its production machinery to the Hammer Halls event to produce sneakers made of diverse materials on location.

Labels: 2 Me Style, ABCL Shirts, Alpha Studio, Anna F., Atos Lombardini, DAKS, Duvetica, Happiness-Brand, Luigi Borrelli, Massimo Alba, Mosaique, Pollini, Route des Gardens, Siviglia White, Spektre Sunglasses, Springa, Stokton, Veeshoo Agentur d-tails, Munich/Germany, info@d-tails.de, www.d-tails.de

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d-tails has decided to pay Düsseldorf’s Hammer Halls a visit and has brought back new labels from Italy.

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Philipp Maly

The brand name Evleo is a Korean term and loosely translates into “I like to wear it”.

One of a Kind

The fledgling Vienna-based agency owned by Philipp Maly is based on a truly extraordinary concept. Since its inception four years ago, the agency’s owner, who comes from a well-known Viennese retail dynasty and therefore has vast amounts of experience, has focused on a single brand. “For me, the sustainable and conscious development of a newcomer is the most important aspect. Seeing that I myself come from the retail industry, I know how important it is to sensibly develop new brands and to cooperate closely with the customers. In doing so, we benefit from the six boutiques run by my family and from our excellent Austrian network, which consists of quite a few high-end boutique owners. Every brand gets a two-year trial period and all our attention”, says Philipp Maly, who covers the entire Austrian market with two employees. Currently the agency is solely focusing on the collection by Olea, which targets its high-quality couture consisting of leather, linen, and silk products, as well as exclusive accessories and jewellery, at highend specialised retailers. It has already managed to persuade a few reference customers such as Grüner in Klagenfurt. The purchase prices for silk tops start somewhere between 40 and 60 Euros, while medium priced bags weigh in at 100 Euros. The purchase prices for costume jewellery start at 18 Euros; top-range products such as items made of lamb suede start at between 600 and 800 Euros. Philipp Maly believes direct and personal contact with his customers is vital for sales success, which is why he has so far resisted to exhibit at trade shows and prefers to travel to his clients in person; he does so with the assistance of sales representative Salome Stein. However, the agency will introduce itself to an international audience during the upcoming Premium trade show in Munich.

Labels: Olea Agentur Philipp Maly, Vienna/Austria, T 0043.1.5352061, ph.maly@hotmail.com

I want to get rid of the blinders that are still prevalent in the fashion trade. Our target is to try something new.”

Philipp Maly

CP Fashion

Three New Portfolio Brands

Reinhart Oberstein’s agency CP Fashion can proudly present no less than three new additions to its brand portfolio, namely the Californian label Chaser, the Istanbul-based street fashion and denim brand Utopian by Studio Kaprol, and Evleo, one of trendiest leggings labels from Los Angeles, run by Korean designer Joan Oh. The latter has a pronounced flair for the combination of luxurious materials, current design trends, and comfortable premium leggings. For the office, travelling, or evening - Evleo has the suitable model for every occasion. The models include mono-coloured leggings, sequinned pieces, and colourful items with floral and architectural patterns. The retail prices range from 120 to 150 Euros. The Evleo collection will be showcased at the Premium trade show in Berlin. Over the summer, CP Fashion will once again display the beachwear & tunics label Debbie Katz from Miami, as well as the collection of shape-underwear specialist Nearly Nude. CP Fashion is also the distributor of the collection designed by Michael Stars, which has evolved from a supplier of t-shirts into a brand with a complete range including knitted trousers, dresses, and jackets. The distribution is still handled via Silvano Rose’s agency, Good Stuff.

Labels: Chaser, Debbie Katz, D-ID, Jaggy, Joe’s Jeans, Michael Stars, Nearly Nude, Pajar, Robin’s Jeans, Silver Jeans Co., Utopian by Studio Kaprol CP Fashion, Bad Säckingen, Düsseldorf, and Munich/Germany, info@cpfashion.de, www.cpfashion.de

The Florentine label Adele Fado is characterised by many playful details and patterns.

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Good News Agency

New Signing from Florence

Günter Passek’s Munich-based Good News Agency is pleased to announce the addition of Florentine fashion collection Adele Fado by designer Virna Aldovandi to its brand portfolio. The mid-priced women’s collection consists of approximately 150 items including blazers, skirts, dresses, trousers, and knitwear. Elaborately crafted t-shirts cost roughly 100 Euros, while blouses cost 149 Euros. The prices for trousers range from 150 to 160 Euros, while those for dresses range from 160 to 180 Euros. “The Adele Fado collection is very particular and highly feminine. Alongside mono-coloured basics it also offers many colourful dresses, blouses, and tops, as well as elaborately finished denim jackets and trousers”, Günter Passek explains. The collection will be showcased in the showroom located on Frankfurter Ring in Munich, during the order days in Düsseldorf, and at the Show & Order trade show in Berlin, which will be staged in Kraftwerk Mitte.

Labels: Adele Fado, Bomboogie, European Culture, Freds Bruder, Hamaki-Ho, Quintessenz Good News Agency, Munich/Germany, info@good-news-agency.de, www.good-news-agency.de

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PREMIUM BERLIN H 3 – A 09 w w w. dey k . c o m

fairs

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Panorama

Perfectly Linked

Festa do Brasil in the Luna Park: The Bread & Butter trade show will host a huge World Cup party with public viewing on Tuesday and Wednesday evening.

Bread & Butter

Focused

The upcoming Bread & Butter trade show presents approximately 500 brands at the Tempelhof complex. The hall layout remains the same as in the past and is divided into the following segments: Urban Base, Urban Superior, D.O.C.K., Label of Common Kin, and the associated Fire Department. The brands representing the denim sector include Nudie Jeans, Denham, K.O.I., and Dr. Denim Jeansmakers. Classic fashion is embodied by brands like Drykorn, Tiger of Sweden, Ben Sherman, Bench, and Fred Perry.

Street style items can be viewed at the stands of Carhartt, Timberland, New Balance, and KSwiss. Just in time for the Football World Cup, the Bread & Butter show is planning a huge party in Luna Park, which transforms into a colourful Brazilian World Cup village with the motto “Festa do Carnaval do Brasil”. Towards the end of Tuesday and Wednesday, at 10pm to be precise, the semi finals will be broadcast live on a gigantic screen. The Luna Park will be opened for consumers in the evening, which means the event turns into a great public viewing experience for everyone in Berlin. Visitors can enjoy live acts, DJs, and Brazilian BBQ. “Everyone is invited to the party and we are looking forward to it”, says Karl-Heinz Müller, the chief executive of Bread & Butter. The plans for an event in Seoul are also more specific now; Müller wants to start a trade show in the South Korean capital in summer 2015. 8th to 10th of July 2014, www.breadandbutter.com

Many trade show visitors will breathe a sigh of relief at this news. The Panorama trade fair is about to move and will be staged in a more central location as of spring/summer 2015. The ExpoCenter City at the southern entrance of Messe Berlin offers 33,200 square metres of exhibition area and thus offers sufficient space for the Panorama’s expansion plans. The event will continue to focus on its marketplace concept, but also offers a section for franchise concepts called The Mall, as well as a segment named L’Hotel for smaller collections, accessories, and lifestyle products. A new addition is the Now section for flash programmes with a six week delivery time, which enables retailers to swiftly react to new trends. In addition, the trade show will also kick off the Input lecture series dealing with issues relevant to the market; the series will start with TextilWirtschaft introducing the trends for the new season on the 8th of July at noon. 8th to 10th of July 2014, www.panorama-berlin.com

Time for a change: The Panorama trade show has found a new central location.

Many Innovations

The sixth edition of the Show & Order trade show at Kraftwerk in BerlinKreuzberg will offer a new area for high-end immediate delivery specialists named “Show & Buy”, which will be managed by the Show & Order team itself. “We want to showcase brands that can give the retail trade short-term monetary success. With regard to fashion factor and speed, such brands can be an excellent addition to the classic pre-order portfolio and enable retailers to compete with vertical suppliers. We selected 25 brands such as Made for loving, No-Na, View, Biancoghiaccio, Zinga, NYLN TIGR, and Paul Brown Design, which can all be reliable suppliers of highly fashionable goods to match the demand within an ongoing season at short notice. This is a concept that is aimed at offering a real added value for retailers”, initiator VerAmong the ena Malta explains. One of the highlights will be a pop-up store in approximately 220 the outdoor area in front of Kraftwerk; it will be run by a renowned exhibitors one does not only find cool younger retail industry player. In addition, the accessories section will be designers and new Danish expanded once again and the restaurant will relocate to the top labels, but also exciting floor. The trade show has also decided to launch a charity project newcomers such as Nyln Tiger, Bobby, for the benefit of the Christoph Metzelder Foundation. “Our team and Troja. is always dedicated to improving the Show & Order”, Verena Malta says. 8th to 10th of July 2014, www.showandorder.com

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www.napapijri.com

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Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

New Location in Wedding Alongside the Bluezone the Munich Fabric Start also offers concepts such as the organic selection in the Greenzone and the inspiration tank Cube X.

As a one-off, the venue of this July’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin will be moved to the Erika-Hess ice rink in the Wedding district. The reason for this relocation is that space in front of the Brandenburg Gate is not available due to a public viewing event covering this year’s Football World Cup. “The fashion industry is all about change and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to try something different this season. The advantage of this new location is that it gives us room to be creative, challenges us to think outside our usual routines, and offers the designers sufficient space to showcase their collections in the manner they desire”, says Jarrad Clark, the vice president and global creative director of IMG Fashion Events & Properties. 8th to 11th of July 2014, www.fashionweek-berlin.mercedes-benz.de

Munich Fabric Start

New Location for the View

The View Premium Selection, the preview concept of the Munich Fabric Start trade show, will be staged in the landmarked halls of the Munich Traffic Museum for the first time this year.

“The new location, which is light flooded with high ceilings and a loft-like atmosphere, resembles the charm of the early industrial era. The complex was renovated taking all modern considerations into account and the total area has sufficient capacity for the optimal further development of the trade show, and to meet the growing need for information of this high-end preview event”, says Sebastian Klinker. He adds: “By relocating our View event and the subsequent broadening of the service portfolio, we can offer the German denim and sportswear industry an additional presentation platform at an early date.” The plan is to present approximately 200 collections to the textile industry as soon as the next season.

Seven weeks later, visitors can then view 1,500 collections at the Munich Fabric Start in the MOC and at the Bluezone, which is organised as a “show in show” event. The latter is focused on the denim and sportswear segment and labels such as TRC Candiani, Isko, Orta, Royo, Calik, and Lan. In the future, the Premium Order Munich trade fair and the Munich Fabric Start will cooperate in the MOC. Both companies decided on this move to meet Munich’s great demand for exhibition space and to react to the needs of the industry.

The long term plan is to provide agencies with separate areas in the MOC, which can then be used for order appointments beyond the core dates of the Premium Order Munich (9th to 12th of August 2014).

View Premium Selection, 15th and 16th of July 2014 Munich Fabric Start, 2nd to 4th of September 2014 Bluezone, 2nd and 3rd of September 2014 www.munichfabricstart.com

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fairs

GDS

Early Date The GDS has reinvented itself with a more focused concept for increased brand relevance.

New date, new concept - the GDS starts at the end of July this summer and is divided into three areas.

Highstreet - The Modern Pulse showcases shoe brands in styles ranging from modern to sporty, as well as classic; this area houses exhibitors such as Buffalo, Camel, Clarks, Skechers, and Vagabond, as well as new exhibitors including Lacoste, Marc O’Polo, and Napapijri. Children’s collections by the likes of Bisgaard and Primigi are also assigned to the Highstreet section, which also sees an increased presence of accessories suppliers. The area named Pop-up - The Urban Groove is intended to be a marketplace for streetwear brands such as Dr. Martens, G-Star, Fly London, Pepe Jeans Footwear, and Replay. In the high-end section called Studio, the collections of United Nude, Ash, Patricia Pepe, and Barbour Footwear display their collections. The so-called Highlight Route aims to provide guidance for all three exhibitions worlds; it’s a route that passes selected exhibitors, trend information, fashion shows, and events. The new tag it! by GDS will take place parallel to the original GDS; this format is a new trade show concept for the private label business. 30th of July to 1st of August 2014, www.gds-online.com

DÜSSELDORF 30 JULY – 1 AUGUST 2014 WWW.GDS-ONLINE.COM

044 RIGHT NOW

Premium

Inspiration & Vision

In its capacity as a high fashion exhibition, the Premium trade show strives to be the perfect platform for retailers from season to season. The measures include a new collection ratio of 30 percent and the integration of new concepts. The Essence of Premium area is dedicated to exclusive Italian craftsmanship by the likes of Roberto Collina and HTC, while the Dissonance Area is reserved for the young avant-garde. The Premium trade fair is now even more structured. The men’s collection has been moved to ground level into hall 4, which is in direct proximity to the sportswear and denim sections; footwear and accessories, however, can now be found on the first floor in hall 5. The range for men is rounded off by the cool and urban Seek section which consists of up to 90 percent of men’s labels. In total, the Premium trade show displays 1,500 collections, which attract 80 percent international buyers. The Berlin platform is complemented by the Premium Order trade fair in Munich; there the focus is on shoes and accessories.

8th to 10th of July 2014, www.premiumexhibitions.com Business and networking at the Premium trade show in Berlin. Photo: Laura Deschner

fairs

In its capacity as an order exhibition, the Supreme Women & Men trade show also lures international buyers to Düsseldorf and Munich.

CHIC

Moving to Shanghai

Chic, the largest Chinese fashion trade show, will relocate from Beijing to Shanghai next March. It will also change its name to China International Fashion Fair (CHIC). The plan is to develop Chic Shanghai into the leading trade platform of the international fashion industry. The trade show, which was founded in 1993, most recently attracted more than 100,000 visitors with a portfolio of approximately 1,000 brands. In future, the event will be staged at the International Expo Centre Pudong in close proximity to the Hongqiao Airport. Many European brands such as Annette Görtz, Moschino, Picard, and Hanro have already exhibited their goods in China. The international fabrics trade fair Intertextile will be staged at the same time as the next CHIC show in spring 2015. Both events cover an area of roughly 100,000 square metres each. And there’s another event that will be moved to southern China: The younger spin-off Chic Young Blood will also take place at the same time in Shanghai.

A part of the latter will be outsourced to a shopping mall in the city. 18th to 20th March 2015, www.chiconline.com.cn

Supreme Women & Men

Fully Booked

New home - The CHIC trade show is relocating to the exhibition centre in Shanghai.

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The Supreme Women & Men trade show was nearly fully booked as soon as May; this applies to both the event in B1 Düsseldorf and MTC World of Fashion Munich. Roughly 90% of the exhibitors are regular customers, and yet there will be some promising first-timers too. “We have a few new accessories suppliers and we also have an increased demand from Italian exhibitors”, says Aline Schade, the sales director of The Supreme Group. Among the most significant new exhibitors one can find Holly Golightly, Mucho Gusto, Fratelli Rossetti, Torras, Con Te, Richard Kravetz, By Mi, Tonet by Carella, Don Vanquisher, Erika Haumann, Agentur Landen & Landen, Modeagentur Dietl, Modeagentur Johanna Brunner, Beka & Bell, and Brockmann & Kölleritz Heritage Agents.

In collaboration with the fashion agency Aco Modeagentur, there will also be an evening event with fashion shows for more than 850 guests in Düsseldorf.

The participation of an internationally renowned Italian designer is seen as one of the highlights of the summer season.

Supreme Women & Men Düsseldorf, 26th to 29th of July 2014, Supreme Women & Men Munich, 9th to 12th of August 2014, www.munichfashioncompany.com

SPORTALM | Tel. +43 5356 64361 0 | sportalm.at

048

Bands of L. A.

want it

Boulezar

Thanks to the efforts of distribution agency MAB, the list of retail customers is quite impressive too. It includes retailers such as Andreas Murkudis, Jades, Slips, and Apropos. Every year, the label launches two collections with 33 items each. The purchase price for a cotton hoodie stands at 148 Euros, while sweatpants cost 170 Euros. The calculation factor is 2.7.

Germany, Austria, and Switzerland Boulezar GmbH, Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.38476507, sales@boulezar.com, www.boulezar.com

Bands of L. A.

Lifestyle Knots

Boulezar

Luxury Joggers In the eyes of Sebastian Kaiser, who founded his Munich-based label Boulezar in 2012, fashion and comfort should not be mutually exclusive. “Our comfy couture appeals to everyone who values high quality and loves comfort”, he says. “We have committed ourselves to the motto ‘Handmade in Germany’ and exclusively produce regionally.” The style for men and women is timeless, purist, and casual. The label uses high-end materials such as silk satin, cashmere, and a cotton yarn that is manufactured in Japan on historic knitting machines.

It didn’t take long for Sebastian Kaiser and designer Anke Naumann to excite celebrities such as Samuel L. Jackson, Madonna, and Heidi Klum.

Jackson came across Boulezar during a film shooting in Southern Germany, while Klum fell in love with Thomas Hayo’s hoodie and has since worn it on journeys and during public appearances.

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They are as carefree as life on the West Coast. Simply knotted, easy to combine, and truly beautiful - meet the colourful handmade cotton belts by the label Bands of L.A. They are braided accessories for individualists who know who they are and how to express themselves. Creativity, freedom, lust for life - Bands of L.A. has its own way of doing things. This also applies to re-orders. Certain models remain in stock if the demand is sufficient. The Bands of L.A. accessories are available for both women and men in different colours and patterns. At a retail price of 49.95 Euros they are ideal impulse purchase items.

The label presents four collections per year at the Premium and Show & Order trade exhibitions in Berlin. The Bands of L.A. brand can already be purchased in numerous stores in North Germany.

Bands of L.A., Los Angeles/US, T 001 310 4806109, rebels@bands-of-la.com, www.bands-of-la.com

ecological and sustainable results. The four annual collections are characterised by fashionable designs, perfect fits, and organic materials. The retail prices range from 39.95 Euros for cool t-shirts to 299.95 Euros for high-end knitwear. The calculation ratio stands at 2.9, but depends on the order volume. It is possible to reorder individual models. The label’s presentation platforms are the Premium trade show in Berlin, the Modefabriek trade show in Amsterdam, the Magic Las Vegas trade show, and the Innatex trade show in Wallau. In addition, the young company is already available in many renowned stores in Germany.

Wunderwerk Fashion, Düsseldorf/ Germany, T 0049 211 91180882, mail@wunderwerk.de.com, www.wunderwerk.de.coml

Wunderwerk

Naturally Sustainable Heiko Wunder and Tim Brückemann have been pursuing a common goal since founding their label Wunderwerk in 2012.

They want to produce completely sustainable fashion at a high level. The philosophy of the Düsseldorf-based founders is to treat humans and animals fairly. Every single Wunderwerk item is both casual and stylish, produced with ingredients from various European countries to achieve

Wunderwerk

• 60 SAISONABHÄNGIGE MODELLE AUF VORRAT (SO LANG DER VORRAT REICHT) • KOSTENLOSER VERSAND AB ZWEI PAAR • 30 STANDARD MODELLE AUF VORRAT (DURCHGEHEND) • LIEFERUNG INNERHALB VON ZWEI TAGEN Berlin: Bread & Butter, What about shoes, Düsseldorf: GDS, Hamburg: Hamburger Schuhausstellung, Hannover: SOC Shoes & More, Mainhausen: ANWR First, ANWR Fashion Day’s, München: Essenz, MOC Schuhvorordertage, Ratingen: SOC Saisonstart, SOC ‘Zeit für Mode und Schuhe’, Salzburg (Österreich): Schuh Austria Kontakt: Sales Support (deutschsprachig), T. +31 13 51 36 930, E. vertrieb@florisvanbommel.de

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Pyrenex

Down Jacket Meets Haute Couture Pyrenex can look back at more than 150 years of history and is credited as the inventor of the down jacket. In 2009, the label, which is currently under the management of the fifth generation, entered the new millennium with the launch of a premium line. It’s a luxurious collection with a unique French touch and has since claimed its place in the high fashion world. The design of the premium line is in young talented hands: Alexander Vauthier replaced Alexis Mabille in 2011 and has since been responsible for the creation of highlights such as down jackets with shorn mink or alligator leather. High quality materials and first class workmanship justify retail prices between 231 and 553 Euros.

The calculation factor stands at 2.7. From 2016 onwards, the autumn/winter collection will be complemented by a summer range. Models and colours that are popular can always be reordered. The premium line of Pyrenex is available in renowned stores such as Galeries Lafayette Paris, Harrods London, and KaDeWe Berlin.

Pyrenex, Saint-Sever Cedex/France, T 0033.1.42213636, contact@pyrenex.com, www.pyrenex.com

Dawn

The Swiss Label

Dawn

Social Commitment

The Swiss Label

Sophisticated Style

Pyrenex

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Does a brand that calls itself “The Swiss Label” live up to its name? In the case of Katy Rohner it certainly does. In May 1997, she and a business partner started off with a small collection of shirts and tops made of elastic Swiss jersey fabrics, designed and produced locally. Katy Rohner has been running the business alone for quite some time and the product portfolio now includes dresses, skirts, trousers, jackets, and even the odd coat. The pieces are produced in the EU, mainly because there is no Swiss production facility that can handle approximately 30,000 units per year.

Her customers especially love the high-end materials (sophisticated jerseys, mostly with spandex) and the simple styles that are both fashionable and timeless. The collection is based on a modular system, whereby one module always builds on the previous one. The purchase prices range from 57 Euros to 73 Euros for tops, dresses for 80 Euros, skirts and trousers for 73 Euros, and 70 Euros to 126 Euros for jackets and coats. The Swiss Label showcases its products at the trade shows The Gallery Düsseldorf and “in fashion munich”.

The Swiss Label, St. Gallen/Switzerland T 0041.71.223.2048, contact@theswisslabel.ch, www.theswisslabel.ch

This denim label was founded as recently as 2013 and stands for fresh, modern, and technical looks. The driving forces behind the brand are Ines Rust (design), Gabriel Fellsches (sales and marketing), and Marian von Rappard (production).

The latter lives in Vietnam, where he established a joint venture with a production facility in Saigon. “We want to prove that it’s possible to produce high-quality jeans at a good price and in accordance with fair rules”, says Gabriel Fellsches.

All items are manufactured in the brand’s own production plant and are certified with the BSCI label. The collection consists of 30 items with a focus on denim in six fits ranging from super skinny to sunshine tapered. It is complemented by denim jackets with silk lining. The retail prices start at 120 Euros, while the collection’s highlights cost up to 250 Euros; the calculation factor stands at 2.7. After the product range was first introduced at the Bread & Butter trade show, it persuaded no less than 30 customers straight away.

Among those customers are Daniels, Rocket (Munich), Münch (Starnberg), Anne Rüschenschmidt in Rheine, and A Suivre in Gent. The label plans to expand its distribution network into Switzerland and Austria during the upcoming season.

Dawn GmbH, Cologne/Germany, T 221.82823529, info@dawndenim.com, www.dawndenim.coml

I n 1 8 4 2, t h e c l o t h i e r J o h a n n G e o r g F r e y opened his manufactory in Munich. Thirteen years later, he had spun the first water repellent loden. His mill became the official purveyor to Bavaria’s royalty.

This loden fabric, which artificer Johann Georg Frey delivered to the world’s nobility, was the cornerstone of one of the most well known fashion labels.

via sant’andrea 14/16 36061 bassano del grappa (vi) italia fon ++39 (0424)88 73 11 mail@lodenfrey-1842.com www.lodenfrey-1842.com

1 8 4 2

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Des Petits Hauts

at the trade shows Hohe Jagd and Tracht & Country in Salzburg. The label is stocked by approximately 50 stores in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, including traditional dress shops, jewellers, and concept stores focusing on more traditional items.

Die Wilde Kaiserin, Bergkirchen/Germany, T 0049 8131 71474, info@diewildekaiserin.com, www.diewildekaiserin.com

Miareal Sneakers

Second Life

Des Petits Hauts

C’est Chic

It all began near the Bastille in Paris.

Sisters Katja and Vanessa Sanchez opened a small store to sell their own creations; the pieces soon developed into a coherent collection called “Des Petits Hauts” (the small tops). A success story which has now been picked up by Dominik Meuer’s Munich-based fashion agency Hinterhofagentur, which has agreed to distribute the label in Germany and

Austria. The young, unconventional, and very feminine women’s collection with affordable prices has enormous potential in the German-speaking countries. Today, Des Petits Hauts offers a fashionable sporty women’s line focused on knitwear and jerseys. All pieces can be combined easily and show a loving attention to detail; they also offer an excellent price-performance ratio. The label has already secured customers such as Mohrmann in Munich, Schnitzler in Münster, and Breuninger in Stuttgart and Düsseldorf. The retail prices range from 39 Euros for t-shirts to 299 Euros for jackets and coats. The calculation factor is 2.8.

Die Hinterhofagentur, Munich/Germany, d.meuer@diehinterhofagentur.de, T 0049.89.38887747 www.despetitshauts.com Des Petits Hauts, Paris/France, www.despetitshauts.com

Upcycling is trendy. The Italian advertising agency Miareal came up with an especially ingenious form of it two years ago. The agency creates oversized commercial posters for its customers; the posters are then hung from facades. They are normally simply thrown away once their lifetime has come to an end. Caterina Rallo, the owner of Miareal, started thinking about how the poster material could be reused. Today, the colourful billboards are cleaned, cut up, and turned into sneakers. The collection is manufactured in Italy and consists of two models with different heights. Every shoe is unique due to the unusual outer material. The purchase prices stand at 63 and 73 Euros respectively. The retail prices range from 159 to 190 Euros. The sneakers were presented in front of an international audience for the first time during the Premium trade show, where the producers hoped to reach out to potential customers from Europe and Japan. In Italy the shoes are available at Luisa Via Roma in Florence.

Mia Real S.R.L., Vendemiano/Italy, T 00.39.3355293682, produzione@miareal.it, www.miareal.itl

Die wilde Kaiserin

The Bond of Friendship

Die wilde Kaiserin

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Years of friendship and the passion for exceptional pieces of jewellery are the two things that connect Sabina Menzel and Carola Doppler and ultimately led to the foundation of their label Die Wilde Kaiserin in 2011. Since then the company produces unique necklaces, bracelets, and pendants in Bergkirchen near Munich; it processes traditional elements such as deer roses and stag tips, as well as special details such as mink, rhinestones, semi-precious stones, and stingray leather. The year-round collection does not only consist of classic jewellery pieces, but also includes inventive apron binders that are tied into the loops of Dirndl aprons. Depending on materials and design, the retail prices range from 79 to 399 Euros. Reorders are possible upon request. Die Wilde Kaiserin will showcase its product range

Miareal Sneakers

three-2-one.com

8 – 10 JULY 2014 STAND 2.26.

www.alberto-pants.com/collectionreport

WWW.ALBERTO-PANTS.COM/COLLECTIONREPORT

© Piers Erbslöh

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Blackbrand clothing company

Handprinted with Love

Kindlein

Coming to the table with a rather imposing name, this one-man operation is confidently by Daniel Aydin. Every last detail get his full attention and care. All T-shirts are made from fairly produced cotton and bamboo fabric and are then printed by hand, the colour blend was invented by Daay himself.

“High quality is incredibly import to me. When I was just starting out, I didn’t stop experimenting until I was well and truly satisfied.” he says. A concept that hits home: Every year, the collection grows by several self-designed motifs and the silkscreen carrousel seemingly never stops spinning.

Blackbrand clothing company, Kunstfabrik Wuppertal, Allensteiner Strasse 56, 42277 Wuppertal/Germany, T 0049.151.56015601, info@black-brand.com, www.black-brand.com

Blackbrand clothing company

Canvasco

It’s a Dog’s Life

Kindlein

Hand-knitted Gems Traditional craftsmanship at the highest level is what distinguishes the hats designed by Kindlein. When Marion Pestner founded the label in 2006, she initially focused solely on hats and jackets for babies. Today, the graduate of Munich’s international fashion academy is based in the Bavarian town Gmund on the shores of the Tegernsee and manufactures high-end hats for all age groups. The purchase prices range from 89 Euros for a hat without a bobble to 99 Euros for a hat with a bobble made of soft fox fur.

The calculation ratio is 2.6. Alongside its two annual collections, the label also offers various specials. From heavy-knit models made of pure alpaca wool to finely knitted models made of soft cashmere, Kindlein offers hats with 3D patterns, as well as small and large braids. The service is equally convincing. After all, one can always ask for one’s favourite model to be knitted again. The current Kindlein collection is on display in the showroom in Munich. The unique handmade items can be purchased in stores such as Abseits Stuttgart, Elfi Münster, and Lieblings Frankfurt.

Komet & Helden, Munich/Germany, T 0049 89 327086820, info@kometundhelden.de, www.kindleinstrick.com

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Jan-Marc Stührmann is a real Northerner. In his hometown Bremen in 2003, he had the nutty idea to turn discarded sails into bags, which earned him the “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” award.

All the praise he earned was proven to be justified; the hip accessories conquered the world. Stores from San Francisco to Tokyo order on a regular basis. The online shop is equally busy; one can even configure one’s own personal bag there. Stührmann also focuses on sustainability and a very special kind of social responsibility. The bags are manufactured by inmates of the women’s prison in Vechta.

In 2013, Canvasco won the renowned Red Dot Award for its web design. This inspiring acknowledgement led to a new coup: the line Canvasco Urban Dogs. It consists of leashes, collars, pillows, and blankets for dogs.

Bags: purchase price from 12 Euros to 160 Euros. Urban Dogs: purchase price from 55 Euros to 77 Euros.

Canvasco GmbH, Bremen/Germany T 0049.421.3381.256, info@canvasco.de, www.canvasco.del

Canvasco

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Skinny Love Wear

Ambitious Young Designers

Gabs

Gentle Earth Gabs

First Time for Men Italian accessories label Gabs Franco Gabbrielli has been renowned for high-end ladies’ bags for the last ten years. Now it is set to conquer the men’s fashion sector with its first work collection. The brand decided to reinterpret its legendary G3 model for this purpose. Originality, the “Made in Italy” quality promise, colours, and functionality are also the defining characteristics of the business bags, tote bags, and travellers for men. It’s the perfect addition to the leisure collection and men might find it difficult to keep their hands on the items. After all, the models were very well received by women during the presentation. The collection consists of thirty models made from a variety of materials and with many different prints; it was presented at the Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence. The retail prices range from 130 to 260 Euros. Up until now the bags are distributed in Italy, Switzerland, and Japan. The expansion into new markets such as Germany is scheduled for the coming seasons.

Fashion Account, Nuremberg/Germany, T 0049 911 5976790, info@fashion-account.com, www.fashion-account.com Campomaggi & Caterina Lucchi S.r.l., S. Carlo di Cesena/Italy, T. 0039 0547 373077, info@emergentitaliani.com, www.emergentitaliani.com

The World on Cloth Marianne Hopsch studied costume and stage design in Berlin and particularly enjoyed working with different materials. However, the Zurich resident by choice also enjoys travelling, which resulted in a business plan which she started pursuing in 2012. Her idea was to print satellite images of the earth onto scarves and shawls made of the highest quality. The designer, who calls herself maho, spent a year researching the perfect supplier of cashmere and wool, the perfect printer, and the most beautiful photos. The first finished pieces were introduced to the market in January 2013. Every item has the coordinates of the part of the earth the image shows printed onto it.

You can find out what exactly you are looking at on the gentle earth website. How beautiful our world is!

The pieces are made of cashmere, lamb’s wool, and sheep’s wool; the retail prices range from 75 Euros to 370 Euros. gentle earth showcases its products at the trade shows White Milano in Milan and Premiere Classe in Paris. The label has also applied to the Green Showroom in Berlin. gentle earth, Zurich/Switzerland, T 0041.43.344.9631, contact@gentleearth.ch, www.gentleearth.ch

It is always positive when very young brands strive to do everything right from day one. The Swedish marketing student Magdalena Gottlander and the Swiss graphics specialist Jhon Grégoire shared the dream of establishing their own brand and did just that in December 2012.

They wanted to focus on Swiss-made or fair trade products. They started with t-shirts, tank tops, and sweatshirts for men and women. They tapped into social media and it didn’t take long until a community formed that was just as enthusiastic about the ambitious brand as the founders. Hundreds followed the call to upload photos in Skinny Love Wear, which generated even more “likes”. A little down the road, a record label, namely Unicorn Culture Music, made contact and now supplies Skinny Love Wear fashion for its hip artists. They also do contract work for other labels, such as bags, hats, and caps. It just has to be creative, cool, and definitely not ordinary. Fans can spot Skinny Love Wear at major events such as music festivals. Only recently the products were stocked by the newly opened Arniko/Feinraus store in Zurich’s Europaallee shopping centre. The retail prices range from 20 Swiss Francs for bags to 109 Swiss Francs for men’s hooded sweaters.

Skinny Love Wear, Zurich/Switzerland T 0041.79.863.4146, info@be-skinnylove.com, www.skinnylovewear.coml

Skinny Love Wear

Gentle Earth

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cIFF

coPenHagen

Hot I Butter BreaD &

cPD FasHIon Week cPM Moskau DüsselDorF

Hot II PreMIère

FasHIon

Création Gross GmbH & Co. KG // Houbirgstraße 7 // 91217 Hersbruck // Phone +43 (0) 664 4 12 35 17 // E-Mail: h.kitzler@carlgross.com // cg-club-of-gents.com

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Cape Horn

Deep Down South Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of America, is what gives this North Italian outdoor collection its name. Gilberto Ferrari, one of the two brothers who own the business, is an experienced globetrotter himself and deliberately chose Chilean gauchos from the southern end of Tierra del Fuego as testimonials for the Cape Horn advertising campaign.

Those guys have a tough job and are humble - two characteristics of his brand, which combines quality and functionality with a stylistically confident fashion statement. The winter collection focuses on feather light down jackets for outdoors, while the summer collection offers a comprehensive range for women and men that covers all product segments including summer down, jerseys, tshirts, sweatshirts, trousers, and Bermuda shorts.

South American patterns and colours characterise the collection as much as the brand’s sustainable philosophy that is underlined by the fact that all items are produced in line with fair trade standards. The retail prices range from 39 to 99 Euros for jerseys and from 99 to 249 Euros for jackets.

Die Hinterhofagentur, Munich/Germany, d.meuer@diehinterhofagentur.de, www.diehinterhofagentur.de, T 0049.89.38887747 Cape Horn, Arsiero/Italy, info@capehorn.it, www.capehorn.it

Cape Horn

Tashimani

Desires and Dreams for the Wrist Tashimani is the Tibetan term for wishing jewel or luck and expresses exactly what the handmade bracelets by the eponymous German label stand for. In line with the motto “Go for whatever makes you happy” the company in Zusmarshausen near Augsburg assembles little pieces of art using tied

Tashimani

friendship bracelets, pearls, leather, gems, and many other elements. The three to four collections per year consist exclusively of Ökotex Standard 100 certified bracelets in three different lengths. The retail prices range from 18.50 Euros for a tied friendship bracelet made of silk yarn to 149 Euros for a so-called “One for all” bracelet. The latter is composed of multiple armbands held together by an engraved clasp. Re-orders are possible for orders from 150 Euros upwards. The label utilises the Inhorgenta trade show in Munich as its presentation platform. In addition, Tashimani is available in numerous stores across Europe.

Tashimani GmbH, Zusmarshausen/ Germany, T 0049 8291 85838930, info@tashimani.net, www.tashimani.net

Pally’Hi

Merino Tech Snowboard world champion Peter Bauer and his girlfriend have launched a new project; their label Pally’Hi offers urban style shirts, long sleeves, hoodies, pants, and underwear made of merino wool that have practical outdoor features.

The breathable, antibacterial, and odour resistant merino products are smooth and soft on the skin; their urban look and modern cuts prove to be versatile all-rounders, whether for yogis, frequent fliers, mountain athletes, or couch surfers.

The advantages of merino wool: it is temperature regulating, hygroscopic, wrinklefree, easy to maintain, offers natural UV protection, and is 100% biodegradable, as well as durable and hard-wearing.

Pally’Hi exclusively uses wool supplied

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Pally’Hi

by certified farms and the label itself has been awarded the certificate of the renowned Australian Wool Testing Authority.

Pally’Hi, Amplid GmbH & Co. KG, 83730 Fischbachau/Germany, T 0049.8028.1713, info@amplid.com, www.pallyhi.coml

Düsseldorf 25 –28 July 2014

www.the-gallery-duesseldorf.com

Fashion Trade Show

Red Carpet 27 –29 July

Botschaft . Hammer Hallen . Rheinlandsaal

www.bloom-fashion .com

Trend scouting, research, and business networking: In his capacity as the chief executive of the Fraunhofer Information and Communication Technology Group, Thomas Bendig works on innovations long before their marketability.

THE LONGVIEW 063

"Multi-channel retailing will be completely natural" Thomas Bendig conducts the future of IT. In his capacity as the chief executive of the Fraunhofer Information and Communication Technology Group, he orchestrates the research projects of no less than 19 institutes. His professional life is dominated by thinking about tomorrow’s innovations, especially when companies from all sectors of the economy turn to his renowned institution to resolve technological and methodical issues. As a speaker and author of several publications, Thomas Bendig knows how to share his views of the future with a larger audience.

Interview: Martina Müllner.

Text: Isabel Faiss.

Photo: Bernhard Musil

The invention of the printing press, the steam engine, or the cash register - which of the aforementioned innovations can be compared with the change that e-commerce has triggered?

I’d say it should be compared to the introduction of the telephone, which gave us the opportunity to completely override the concept of space and time from within our own four walls.

Things for which one previously had to travel long distances and which were highly time consuming suddenly became possible within seconds and with little effort. E-commerce overrides time and space in a similar fashion.

The automobile will never replace the horse carriage. The online business will never replace stationary retailers. Does this sound like a coachman who cannot grasp the idea that his job may no longer exist one day? Or is it true that the retail industry will always have a stationary element?

It’s quite natural that the online retailing business takes over many transactions that previously took place in stationary retail outlets in the initial phase. This will cause the stationary retail business to change. However, it will not be a question of “either/ or” in the future, but both will be part of a common world in which it will be difficult to tell who took a market share from

whom. The two worlds will merge and it will go without saying that one can buy a product in certain outlets and on the Internet. It’s about synergy effects and multi-channel approaches that enable customers to spot and try on an item in a store without taking it home straight away. Instead the customer can subsequently order it via the retailer’s online platform and will have it delivered on the same day. Ideally, the customer isn’t even affected because the retailer takes care of the entire process.

This is an enormous additional value for the customer, especially as it is possible to buy a product that the store may not have in stock in the right size. However, this does require changes in stationary retail stores; it requires changes in the interest of the customers as one has a lot more possibilities today. Normally one would have to give up on soldout articles or go to a different retailer. This is now a thing of the past.

That is a very positive view of the future. How come the retail industry is still struggling to adapt to these innovations?

The industry is struggling because the fact that the sales assistant in the store is no longer merely a sales assistant who stands in the store, hands out the product, and receives the cash, is a fundamental incision. Sales assistants now need to be consult-

ants who know the products very well, present them perfectly, and respond to the customers more.

This requires consultants who are more qualified, especially as this aspect is the key benefit of stationary retailers and one of the main reasons why stores still exist. The simple act of purchasing can easily be done online.

However, the image of the employee in the stationary retail business needs to change completely. One can no longer work with unqualified staff, because the employee now represents the company and the product more than ever.

That is already one of the main weak spots. The fashion retail industry constantly complains about how difficult it is to find qualified staff. If you predict that they will need even more qualified employees in the future, does that necessitate a paradigm shift regarding personnel resources?

Yes. For this approach, one has to view both worlds again and not look at them as isolated from each other. One shouldn’t believe that more qualified and better paid staff in the shops will lead to an increase of sales in stationary outlets. In other words, excellent service in the store also benefits the online business, because many customers go to the stores for advice before buying the product online. One must not forget that good advice in style in progress 314

064 THE LONGVIEW

"E-commerce and stationary retailing will merge to an extent that one no longer has to decide between them and will not be able to tell which division accounts for which market share."

the shop leads to online revenue.

It’s not enough to consider downsizing staff in the store just because 90 percent of the turnover is generated online. That would be the wrong approach.

Can you give examples where you think this omni-channel approach was implemented well?

These concepts are only just emerging, mainly because online and offline have so far been perceived as strictly separated divisions within companies and it wasn’t clear that the two worlds would ever depend on each other. Companies are only becoming aware of this now, especially as it is now apparent that certain products can only be sold online after the customers has seen, tasted, or felt it. Regarding classic product groups, one will soon notice that the online sales decrease when the stationary retail outlets become less visible or tangible and the customers never had a chance to hold the respective product in their hands. Many companies are only establishing this connection between the two company divisions now.

In your opinion, is this integration one of the largest obstacles on the way to becoming an omni-channel business?

Yes. This is a fully fledged revolution. Until now, they were company divisions whose success was measured by the management separately and therefore had to compete with each other, which is, in this case, completely counterproductive. In the past, this often lead to the two worlds being sceptical of each other or even downright hostile; they worked against each other rather than seeking synergies, mainly out of fear that a portion of the turnover might shift to the rivalling department. This model only has a chance when the management clearly defines and communicates its aim to make both divisions profit from each other.

It’s vital to primarily look at all these activities in the context of what benefits the customer most.

The benefit for my company is merely the secondary issue.

Otherwise you end up creating solutions that don’t work.

Will the online trade as we know it today still be around in the future? Or is this business

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also going through a (mobile) revolution?

It will continue to exist. There certainly are new developments regarding payment methods and identification processes, mainly because everyone is striving to find new solutions for the mobile segment. The demand for the possibility to buy things on the go, or to at least initiate certain procedures on the road before finalising the deal later, is enormous. However, the capacity of most mobile devices is still too limited. For mobile devices, one needs very simple and transparent processes that the customer can easily comprehend.

Apart from that, there will be new visualisation methods that, for instance, make it possible to view a product more realistically in 3D; one will also have a more interactive purchase experience by being able to trigger certain product functions, open flaps, or press buttons in order to gain an even better impression of the item.

Now that both the buyers and sellers have learned to deal with the online shopping system, will the creative element become increasingly important in the future?

Design is an important issue.

The customers have to feel just as comfortable in the online shop as they do in a stationary outlet, where the companies invest a lot of money to create a shopping experience. In an online shop, the possibilities of sensory perception are limited. Currently the main aim is to make the purchase process as intuitive and simple as possible. Once large parts of the population can use your online shop intuitively and easily, then you can start to think about more playful approaches and new forms of presentation. However, only very few companies are this far along.

The primary issue is to make the purchase process simple and transparent and to ensure that the graphic design presents the brand in the right light. There is little room for other considerations at the moment. Customers who shop online primarily expect an effective execution of the purchase process.

Until now, only very few cases have proven the profitability of online trading, especially

as it has become a popular sport to return goods. Which innovations do retailers need to tackle this problem?

The main reasons for returns are wrong sizes, unwanted materials, and different colours than expected. This happens because the customer didn’t have the opportunity to touch or try on the item before purchasing it.

I believe the aforementioned sensible merger of the online platform and the stationary retailing business is a great opportunity to avoid such returns.

The customers can, for instance, register their exact feet or body measurements at a stationary retailer and then buy products that actually fit online. This would also make the customers happier, as they don’t enjoy returns either.

Returns nullify all the advantages of online shopping.

Buying on recommendation - because you bought this product, you will also like this.

Do you expect these systems to become more sophisticated in the future? Amazon is the most prominent example of how bland such algorithms can be in reality. How can one inject human cleverness in such recommendation services?

There already are ways to make such recommendation mechanisms smarter and a lot will happen in the future. I see a great need to do more market research and customer surveys to find out how much the customers actually want in this respect.

The fear of the fully transparent customer is omnipresent online and recommendations that are too accurate can lead to suspicion and mistrust because the customers start questioning how much the retailer knows about them. We should really have a social debate about how far one can go first, because everything is possible from a technological point of view.

One of your theses states that more fashion collections will be tested on smaller groups to then inject the feedback into the larger roll-out of the collection. This seems only partially practical. Those who have not stored resources, secured production options, booked freighters from China in advance, cannot achieve a

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066 THE LONGVIEW

"The question is how smart customers want the re­ commendation mechanisms of online shops to be. Especially accurate recommendations tend to cause suspicions."

sensible time-to-market. How can this problem be solved?

I believe that the mechanisms behind these processes will change significantly too; companies will work differently and think in new timeframes in the future.

One will have the possibility to order things and have them delivered within a short term.

The changes to the front end of e-commerce - the direct business with the customer - have to lead to changes of many downstream processes. Naturally, there are limits to what is possible, but the aim should be to shorten deadlines to ensure that one can influence products in a more flexible manner.

At the same time, we can see that the markets are becoming increasingly fragmented. There is no longer one large market, but a huge amount of differing target groups that have very different product perceptions. This means large quantities that need a long lead time are a thing of the past and there will be a greater individualisation instead.

Is it necessary to reduce the complexity of multi-label retailing to make individualisation possible? Let me give an easy example. Should I offer my customers 50 brands instead of 200?

It is essential for retailers to have a background that is as diverse as possible. However, it is equally important to swiftly identify what the customers are actually looking for without pushing them towards product groups that are known to sell well. Therefore it is crucial to find the right approach regarding this diversity and present the customers a qualified selection in a few steps.

Amazon has just made reality that vehicles such as barcodes and QR codes are disappearing. The US app enables me to identify a product via the object recognition function on my mobile phone camera and then see how cheaply, fast, and conveniently Amazon can deliver it. The stationary retailers fear they will merely be the show and fitting room for online traders. Will this happen?

Yes, this will be the case for certain product groups. However, that does not necessarily have 314 style in progress

to signify a major break. This model works particularly well for mono-label stores, so they have nothing to be afraid about. But this also affects the classic retail industry. One simply has to live with such developments today.

This model is primarily aimed at the pricing process, because the customers will, even more than in classic retail, question which online shop is the cheapest and then buy from the cheapest supplier. This is not a new development, but merely the usual retailing competition with an additional dimension. As soon as every business has an online shop, there should be no more major differences anymore.

That means every stationary outlet needs an online offshoot?

Yes, definitely. Customers also desire information and want to save time. If the website can tell you in advance whether a product of interest is in stock at the store and whether it is available in the desired colour and size, this can be an enormous added value. Time is more precious than ever and this ensures that one doesn’t travel to the retailer for nothing and means there is no risk of leaving empty-handed.

That’s why it’s necessary to have access to the store that works en route or from home.

It is a logistical challenge to ship products individually to the customers at minimal cost.

Will we be circled by drones soon?

Many field studies are being conducted at the moment, but so far the proportion between effort and net load is not economically viable. Such ideas could work in a few small and clearly defined niches in a few years time. For instance, it could be an option for deliveries to mountain villages. However, I believe such solutions will be exceptions in the near future, mainly because too many questions remain unanswered. Many logistics companies are coming out with PR campaigns, but it will not become reality in Europe within the next two to three years.

Same-day delivery - is that one of the strategies that could reinvigorate the stationary retail industry?

Definitely. The biggest advantage of the aforementioned scenario for stationary outlets is that they no longer need huge stockrooms; they only need one item of every product in every size for the customers to try on. They then order the suitable size and the product will have already been delivered by the time they return home. This is a great opportunity for the stationary retail industry to focus more on product presentation and thus attracting new customers.

That sounds like a glorious future for logistics specialists.

Yes, but even they need to continue optimising and individualising processes. The customers don’t always want the goods to be delivered to their home address, but might want it to be brought to their workplace or some other predefined location.

"What matters is how you can provide the customers with a highly qualified selection in a few steps to break down the entire product range in a manner that makes shopping simple and enjoyable."

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068 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

Trade. Simply Trade!

An opinion piece by Stephan Huber.

I

n a comic book, a thought bubble with an illuminated light bulb would have appeared above my head. In the autumn of last year, during one of the countless discussions about online trading and its effects, I suddenly had an insight: The key word is TRADE, not online!

Indeed, if one forgets about the mystery that still surrounds this topic, especially for us non-digital natives, then an online store really is “merely” a trade platform. It’s even specialised trading! It faces the same challenges, chances, and problems as the stationary retail industry, but it does also have a few of its own specific issues.

This sober and realistic approach makes it clear why online trading cannot be used as an excuse for everything. re you experiencing low customer frequency in your store? “They are all on their tablets!!!” Are you experiencing a decline in sales? “They are all ordering from Zalando!” I’m sorry, but that’s just nonsense. Of course, the online world is about to change the entire retail industry in the same way the digital revolution radically changed society and the lives of us all. This process isn’t over yet either. Radical changes always seem a little threatening. Many

A

314 style in progress

people were absolutely terrified of the first railways. Innovations such as the radio, the telephone, the automobile, and the television were met with scepticism or even rejected completely at first. However, change is probably the most significant constant in the history of human civilisation.

Maybe it’s not change itself, but the active learning and adaptation process that is triggered by change. It’s evolution time, baby! This goes hand in hand with the concept known as “survival of the fittest”.

However, it includes the option - eventually even the entrepreneurial duty - to intervene proactively. After all, a market is always what the market participants want it to be. This is the huge challenge that our industry is facing today. ne of the most popular rants about e-commerce and its detrimental effect is the following: “The customers come into my store for advice, but then they go and buy online!!!” This is probably quite often the case. More often, however, it is exactly the opposite (see page 070). Significantly more customers use the Internet for product research, but then prefer to shop at stationary retailers.

If you think about it, that isn’t too surprising. Buying non-fiction books, joist hangers, or black socks online is practical and largely risk-free. The more complex, emotional, and high-priced a product is, the stronger the need for expert advice, haptic experience, or - at least

O

- the certainty that one does not have to deal with a outsourced call centre in the event of a complaint. et me explain this with an example.

The “Tatort” crime series on TV turns out to be boring (see page 076), so Lieschen Müller decides to browse summer dresses online. She finds a real beauty too.

Well, at least it looks beautiful in her mind’s eye. However, she would like to try it on and see how it feels. Actually, she also isn’t too keen on repackaging it and carrying it to the post office if the bedroom mirror has a different opinion than her mind’s eye. So Lieschen Müller decides to pay her retailer of choice a visit.

If there is still one of those close to her, that is. But let’s not go that far. Let’s presume she does have a retailer of choice. She is welcomed personally and asks about that dazzling dress she found online. Now there are three possibilities.

1. The sales assistant has the desired dress in stock in exactly the right colour. The mind’s eye wasn’t even close to the real picture; the dress looks even better than expected. The high caused by this gratifying moment means that the (perfectly trained and therefore well-paid) sales assistant can generate some welcome additional revenue. Everybody is happy!

2. The (in this case completely unmotivated, poorly managed, and therefore badly-paid) sales assistant says something down the lines of: “What? In your size?

L

No… not really. And we didn’t order the dress in that colour anyway.”

This will probably make Lieschen Müller rather annoyed. If she still wants the dress, she’ll probably buy it online after all.

3. We are now back with the first sales assistant; the one who is excellent. She brings out the desired dress, albeit in a different colour, for the customer to try it on and feel it. However, she promises Lieschen Müller that she can order it in the colour of her choice and that it will be available the day after tomorrow. It’s a non-binding offer. The dress can be delivered to Lieschen Müller’s home or the store, whatever is more practical. Lieschen Müller may find the version of the dress she is wearing now even more amazing. However, she is very impressed by the special service experience. Everyone is happy! anufacturers and retailers need to prepare themselves for precisely the third scenario. And they need to prepare for it together! After all, the manufacturers will still have to rely on the retailers as partners, sources of revenue, and showrooms.

On the other hand, the stationary retailers are in desperate need of an option to participate in this radically changed trading environment and especially the online TRADE. If they succeed, then everyone is happy - at least a little. And then we can all finally go back to moaning about the weather.

M

–›

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070 WHAT'S THE STORY

314 style in progress

WHAT'S THE STORY 071 E-Commerce X

The Wheeler-Dealers The Internet is stealing revenues from stationary retailers? That’s simply not true. The number of customers who research online before purchasing from stationary retailers is much higher. The ROPO effect (Research Online – Purchase Offline) is a direct assignment for both retailers and the industry in general.

Text: Martina Müllner.

Illustration: Eva Vasari@Caroline Seidler. Photos: dialogue partners

We’ve all been there before.

You browse through various web shops on your iPad for hours, read product reviews, view ratings, and check availability. In the end you don’t buy anything, but run off to the store to get a chance to touch, feel, and examine the product of your desire. Experts have named this phenomenon “Research Online – Purchase Offline” and even Google, the kings of the Internet, has done research on how many customers seek out stationary retailers with this particular motivation. The figures fluctuate depending on type, age group, and client of the study. However, this does not change the rather remarkable conclusion: Up to three quarters of all customers decide against purchasing online after extensive research and prefer to seek out a stationary retailer. The reasons behind this are as diverse as the customers themselves. “When purchasing emotional products, we humans don’t only seek the physical product, but also human contact. Studies prove people who are very active online, are also very active socially. They don’t want to buy behind closed doors; they want to connect with others. In addition, they need haptic, spatial, and material elements. In short, they want everything that appeals to the human sensory system”, says Jürg Stuker, a leading figure at Swiss design studio Namics.

And naturally they crave perfect fits. Even the most reliable of the industry are aware that their web shops direct customers into their stationary outlets.

“An online shop helps retailers.

There are many customers who open the conversation in the store by saying that they saw the product online. One mustn’t forget that online shopping can be quite irritating; just think about having to haul return parcels to the post office. And there are many customers who simply want to know what the trousers really feel like. Let me be very clear: The specialised retail trade has the power to stage products, in that it is far superior to distance trade – and this will never change.” Marco Lanowy, the chief executive of trousers specialist Alberto, introduced his brand to the web as early as 2004 and believes his experience will lead to further solid growth in the future. Today, the online business naturally contributes to international success.

Growth Only Online

GfK, a leading market research institute, recently shocked the industry by stating that the retail turnover will only grow online in 2014, while the stationary retail segment might see turnover decreasing by two percent.

Everybody familiar with the business knows the reasons for this, but this was the first time that the winners and losers of style in progress 314

072 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

Marco Lanowy, CEO at Alberto GmbH & Co. KG

314 style in progress

Jens Riewenherm, MD at mytheresa.com

Torsten Waack van Wasen, MD at Alvarez & Marsal European Corporate Solutions

digitalisation were named so directly. Torsten Waak van Wasen watched the digital shift creep up on Germany during his time at Neckermann and Galeria Kaufhof before he decided to expand his online expertise with his own consulting company in the US. The manager returned to Germany in the spring and is now the managing director of Alvarez & Marsal European Corporate Solutions. He is sometimes baffled by the countenance with which his fellow countrymen tackle the challenge of facing promising business models. “Yes, the online retail industry currently only stands for ten percent of the trading volume, but it will be thirty percent in the future.

It’s more a question of when, rather than if. In the US, the industry scrapped the “e-“ prefix a long time ago and doesn’t even argue about the merits of multi-channel and omni-channel retailing. US companies just focus on commerce. The question of which channel to utilise is completely irrelevant; that decision is made by the customers anyway”, says Waak van Wasen.

Prime examples like Nordstrom exemplify how the worlds can be combined on a day-to-day basis.

“It practically goes without saying that a Nordstrom employee finds a pair of trousers that is no longer available in my size and ensures that the product reaches my home the next day.”

Availability is a critical inherent element of the stationary retail industry and many companies are seeking ways to solve this problem online. Apropos The Concept Store operates five outlets - in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, and online.

It has reached a volume that allows it to tackle the availability issue by utilising its own stock.

Klaus Ritzenhöfer: “It obviously helps if you achieve good sales figures with collections that are in demand. Seeing that our suppliers perceive us as a fair partner, those with warehouses try to support us as well as they can if a product isn’t in stock.

But the times when an employee of a stationary retail outlet could persuade a customer to buy a different dress than the one she saw online are definitely over.

Naturally, that particular customer knows which online shops are able to offer her the desired piece.”

Better Informed

The Internet has transformed the modern customer into a truly independent being. Regional availability is just as obsolete as

the former information superiority of the retail industry and its employees. “It is our challenge to train our sales personnel well enough to be able to meet a fully informed customer on equal terms”, says Wolfgang Jacks, the e-commerce manager of Jades24. com. To achieve this, Jades24. com and Jades quite deliberately utilise synergies between the online and offline worlds. “Our content managers have to do a lot of research to describe products and brands adequately. They pass on this information to the sales personnel in our stationary outlets. In return, the latter report back things that they have noticed about brands in everyday life – for instance whether a certain pair of jeans turns out to be regularly or narrowly cut. This kind of information can be decisive when interacting with online customers. Accurate product descriptions lower the return rate and – most importantly – make the customers happy.”

The stationary retailers hardly ever have to deal with the returns nightmare. It is therefore only logical that the industry should think about models that allow a product return at the point of sale, where one then attempts to sell the product in question anyway following adequate advice and selection. Brax’s Marc Freyberg: “That would be perfect from a service point of view, but one also has to find out which parties actually entered into the

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074 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

sales contract. If a customer bought an item from us as a brand, we cannot send him to a retail partner for an exchange.”

The online trade is now also focusing on more personal customer contact. “We try to be close to our customers with the means at our disposal”, says Jens Riewenherm, the managing director of mytheresa.com. These means are no longer limited to e-mail conversations or phone calls. Last year, a trunk show with Victoria Beckham was mytheresa.com’s first event aimed at “becoming more tangible for the customers.

It was very important to us to get to know our customers, and to give them a chance to get to know us too.” The exclusive event in an intimate setting attracted top customers from as far afield as Manila and Cape Town; and they all travelled at their own expense.

Earth to Retail: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

While the online retailers are struggling to become more human and tangible, only very few classic retailers think about how one could implement innovations from the online world in their own offline business.

Maybe that’s because the term multi-channel, which is currently being thrown around absolutely everywhere, still sounds like complete science fiction? Could it be that nobody really knows what it’s like to present on all channels and to use them all

Marc Freyberg, head of marketing/e-commerce at Brax

314 style in progress

Wolfgang Jacks, e-commerce manager at Jades24.com

for customer communication?

In this respect, it can be quite rewarding to take a look at other markets. “In the US and in the UK one can find companies that have managed to connect all channels with each other. But then, these markets are more open to change than the German one”, Torsten Waak van Wasen explains. “One thing is certain.

A multi-channel approach completely changes a company.”

Service motivation, transparency, adapted buying policies, service concepts – companies that have met the challenge posed by the digital shift full on look very different than they did before. Namics’ Jürg Stuker: “I think some retailers will get away with ignoring the issues of e-commerce, but nobody will be able to escape the magic of communicating with customers on digital platforms. If I want to do business successfully, I have to ask myself one all-important question: Where do people communicate today? Purchase decisions are made where communication takes place, not where the warehouse is.”

single Alberto customer could do that or does it already. After all, we have 100,000 items in stock every day. So why are there still stores that send away customers just because the desired trousers are out of stock?”

The stationary retailers have to team up with their strong partners from the fashion industry to think about how to do business together without losing out to the faster, smarter, and more comfortable (online) alternative.

Behind closed doors, all the big players are already working on ideas how to let their stationary outlets participate in the online business. While the future still remains unclear, it is vital that they don’t get left behind. After Google has provided customers with product knowledge and awoken a desire to buy, let’s make sure we don’t have to send them home unsatisfied. Please!!

Retail – The Henchman of the Industry

Alberto’s Marco Lanowy goes one step further: “A salesman in a store in Münster sat down with me and went through additional products he could order on an iPad. Something like that inspires me. But why is that an isolated case? Every

Klaus Ritzenhöfer, owner of Apropos The Concept Store

Jürg Stuker, CEO and partner at Namics

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076 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

The Weather, Tatort, and FC Bayern An opinion piece by Martina Müllner Illustration: Eva Vasari@Caroline Seidler

314 style in progress

What’s the arch enemy of the retail industry? It’s the weather.

If it’s too nice, the customers stay away. If it’s too cold, they stay away even more. The fact that arch enemy number two, the online retail trade, is just as dependent on moods may be comforting. Or possibly even inspiring…

First there was no snow at all, then way too much of it. Then it got warm too quickly before it got cold again. It’s not easy to battle against capricious weather conditions. Lack of frequency and empty shopping streets - the lamentations of the retail industry are as understandable as they are justified. When one sees the sales staff wandering around the vacant sales floor, one may envy

the position of the e-retail industry, the second favourite turnover killer. A glance through the shop window, which is quite often blocked by a bright yellow DHL van, proves what we all believe: People will always buy online.

And just look at all the parcels the delivery courier is pulling out of the back of that truck!

But even online retailers know economic fluctuations, highs and lows, and times when customers simply refuse to put anything in their shopping carts. However, the turnover killers of the e-retailing trade have very specific faces. After all, the extensive data supplied by an online shop allows its operator to draw detailed conclusions. It’s Sunday evening. Let’s compare the Tatort

crime series set in Münster with the one set in Leipzig. Which one prevents the common couch surfer from indulging in online shopping? Online shops can actually make such calculations and simply hope that the Tatort episode is a disappointing one.

However, the smart operators know that they are real winners when the quality of the TV programme doesn’t have an impact on their business anymore.

Triple? Lull or Turnover Peak?

It’s common knowledge that FC Bayern can inspire sales figures.

But while the main sponsor rubs his hands after every goal in light of an increase of kit sales, the e-commerce community hopes for - with all due respect - a boring game. This obviously doesn’t mean that they don’t root for the Bavarian club. The longer the so-called Star of the South shines in major competitions, the more frequently the big screen at home is blocked in the evening hours. That’s when the online shop operator knows exactly why they pay their broadcasting fees. They pay them to ensure that the girlfriends, wives, and domestic partners of all the male fans switch to the second screen.

Thanks to the iPad domestic peace is assured as long as she is allowed to shop while he’s watching the footy. This sounds like a bad cliché, you say? Just ask an online store operator about the small enjoyable turnover peaks during a football evening.

While large breweries and the e-commerce industry continue to cross their fingers for FC Bayern, what can the stationary retail trade do? Should they just keep on moaning about the weather and/or the online competition?

Certainly not. They should be developing creative ideas to fill the shopping streets and - more importantly - the void in the customers’ hearts. That would be a good start. After all, the retail industry should always be in motion, right?

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078 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

“Something with Social Media and E-Commerce” Sales consultant? No, thanks. Content designer?

Yes, please! Why e-commerce attracts more talent.

Text: Martina Müllner. Illustration: Eva Vasari@Caroline Seidler

314 style in progress

It is quite baffling. An industry that normally struggles to attract suitable and qualified young employees is suddenly doing so with apparent ease. High potentials are suddenly available in numbers, as long as you are recruiting for a virtual store, not a physical one. Applications for management jobs pertaining to social media, online communities, and e-commerce are piling up. And just look at the quality!

The applicants are summa cum laude graduates from renowned universities with international experience and internships in all sorts of areas. They are stylish too, preferably run their own street blog, or at least beautifully cultivated Instagram accounts.

Their salary expectations can bring tears to your eyes – tears of joy as a matter of fact. If the social prestige of the position in question is high, the salary demands can be very low.

“I’m in the fashion industry; e-commerce to be precise.” – That is what a content manager can whisper in her admirer’s ear during a night out. She might choose to conceal the fact that she optimises product descriptions for Google on a daily basis. After all, “something creative” in the online retailing industry is often limited by very strict rules and standards.

“We have never had problems finding highly qualified staff for the creative business fields.

However, a mid-sized company like us, which is still tied up in many business areas, often lacks evaluation criteria to find out whether an applicant is suitable for all positions concerning IT and marketing. This is why we decided to outsource certain parts of our online shop. It was a

good decision, as it released creative capacities that we can now use for maintaining our blog and refining our public image, says Klaus Ritzenhöfer, the owner of Apropos The Concept Store.

Know-How: Build or Buy?

Wolfgang Jacks from Jades24. com describes the challenge of growth: “We were founders when we opened our online shop – a real start-up. We were a small team of people with common sense, great ambitions, and organisational talent. The specialised knowledge came from external sources. In the course of the development, it is vital to build in-house capacities. When one is faced with the challenge of filling a more technical position, you need to get good advice.

After all, one cannot evaluate the necessary skills in-depth alone.

The job requirements are often highly specific. It is easier to fill positions in the fields of social media and content management; we are approached by many very good applicants for those jobs.”

The fashion industry has a huge appeal. The allure is even stronger if you combine “something in fashion” with “something with social media and e-commerce”.

So one spends the entire day straightening out t-shirts and pullovers on standardised photo tables, lighting them with standardised flash systems, and pressing the shutter release. “Routines are clearly a huge element of e-commerce”, says Harald Heldmann from Classico and myClassico.com. “A salesperson in a store definitely has the more glamorous stage. A person who performs well on the sales floor is a completely different type than a person who makes an online

shop successful”, Wolfgang Jacks explains.

These people can be nerds and geeks who “share the fascination of the challenge to sell a dress online for 6,800 Euros”, says Jens Riewenherm, the managing director of mytheresa.com.

“It’s a challenge and we have so far recruited 200 employees who are specialists from all sorts of business fields. Especially because we are fully aware that our encouraging growth must never be achieved at the expense of quality, which means we simply cannot compromise”, Riewenherm continues. “It’s our minimum aim to be as good at e-commerce as we are in the fashion segment. We have done a lot to be perceived as an attractive e-commerce employer.

Externally we were present at specialised e-commerce trade shows and conferences, while internally we have built up a highly professional HR structure that is not only excellent at recruiting, but also at developing existing employees. As soon as the application process starts, we communicate that mytheresa. com is a company with a healthy corporate structure and can offer professional applicants a lot of opportunities.” One thing is certain: development is an integral part of every profession that has already committed itself to the online business.

WHAT'S THE STORY 079 E-Commerce

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WHAT'S THE STORY 081 E-Commerce X

Return to Sender The Germans are European champions when it comes to returning goods ordered via the Internet. What can be done to lower the return rate? style in progress went forth to get some answers.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka.

Illustration: Eva Vasari@Caroline Seidler

High return rates lower the yields of online retailers.

Alongside the shipping itself, it’s mainly the handling of goods that causes immense costs. Moreover, the items that are with the customer - or in transit - cannot be sold to anyone else in the meantime.

The customers are spoiled. Many online buyers order the products in different colours and sizes, only to send those that they don’t like back towards the end of the exchange period. According to research by German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, Zalando sees four of five pairs of shoes returned. Zalando itself claims that its average return rate stands at “only” 50 percent. This obviously benefits the parcel delivery services. In Germany, DHL alone transports approximately 1 billion packages per year. PricewaterhouseCoopers only recently unearthed the fact that every fifth buyer regularly orders goods that he or she has no intention to keep. A study conducted by the University of Regensburg states that a return costs a retailer 20 Euros on average. Retailers already classify every fifth return as fraudulent, which causes even more extra costs. Harald Heldmann from myClassico in Hamburg says: “The payment method has an influence on

the return behaviour: advance payment 42%, PayPal and credit card 50-53%, immediate cash transfer 43%, purchase on account 70%. However, one has to point out that purchases on account increase the shopping cart volume, but naturally also the number of returns.”

Are Return Fees the Solution?

A return fee could curb binge online ordering. However, such a measure would not only decrease returns, but also lower turnover figures. Nobody is willing to keep a product that they don’t like or doesn’t fit. The revised act to implement the EU consumer policy, which - among other things - regulates the obligation of the customers to shoulder the return costs since mid-June 2014, also has near to no effect on the huge amount of package returns in the fashion sector. In theory, retailers can now invoice customers for return costs and insist that any unsatisfied customers have to expressly and timely send a revocation per mail or fax. A return within the 14-day period would then no longer be sufficient. “If all online retailers start charging a fee for every return, it would most likely lead to a massive exodus to the stationary and multi-channel retailers”, says Gerd Bovensiep-

en, a consumer goods expert at consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Companies such as Amazon, Otto Group, and Zalando, who have gone fishing for customers with the promise of free shipping, are unlikely to scare away customers they had to fight to win over in the first place.

They don’t want to lose those customers to a direct rival still offering returns generously and free of charge. German consumers have simply got too used to being allowed to send parcels to and fro for free. Even mail order companies are expected to offer free shipping.

That explains the huge outcry when one of the big players attempted to break with this tradition. Amazon froze the accounts of customers with too many returns and earned public outrage, bad press, and - as so often these days - faced a veritable “shit storm”. Hamburg-based Otto Group had the same intentions, but chose a different path. It aims to reward its Bonprix customers by giving them a 3 Euro voucher for the next order if a product is not sent back. myClassico is also pondering such an incentive.

“We are seriously considering a reward for high volume customers with a low return rate. We style in progress 314

082 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

could classify them as premium customers with special benefits”, Harald Heldmann explains.

Helpful Expert Advice

The industry requires service-oriented solutions that turn the online shopping process into an experience for the customers. myClassico offers an express service within Hamburg’s city limits. “We are the first in Hamburg to offer an instant delivery via myTaxi. An express order leads to an immediate packing order to our warehouse.

The goods are then packed in a bag with a nice bow and a call goes out to myTaxi automatically. The customer receives the order two hours later and pays no more than 15.60 Euros”, Heldmann says. Start-up companies such as Outfittery and Modomoto from Berlin focus on curated shopping. In this case, stylists select the products after a customer has completed a questionnaire. They send out lovingly draped complete looks chosen from a portfolio of 35 curated brands. Additionally, the customer receives a handwritten

“If all online retailers start charging a fee for every return, it would most likely lead to a massive exodus to the stationary and multichannel retailers.”

Gerd Bovensiepen, consumer goods expert at Pricewaterhouse-Coopers.

314 style in progress

greeting card from the personal stylist. Modomoto even offers a stationary fitting room located in Berlin’s Torstrasse, where the customers can have their measurements taken.

Many have dreamed about the possibility to measure customers in detail, but for some reason the idea of a digital customer copy doesn’t seem to work properly.

The customers enjoy deceiving themselves too much. The fantasy of wearing size S instead of size M will continue to result in returns parcels. Could a big player like Zalando make a difference? Rumour has it that they are working on a software for digital fitting rooms, in which avatars with the customers’ measurements can be configured to try on the clothing virtually.

Torsten Mansfeld from Bazar Royal in Leipzig has been operating an online shop from his 100 square metre store since 2008. “Consumer behaviour has just changed significantly over the last ten years”, he says.

“I have customers that ordered in the shop ten times, but sent the goods back nine times. In all that time they spent 250 Euros on one item while causing 200 Euros of additional costs.

That’s what they are used to from the large retailers.” The return rate of his shop stands between 30 and 35 percent. “If that rate would be any higher, it wouldn’t be worthwhile to run the shop.” That is the main reason why he only sells the essence of his stationary portfolio online. To differentiate from the larger rivals, Bazar Royal offers expert advice on the phone or via e-mail. This leads to less anonymous shipments back and forth, mainly because many questions regarding premium products, which may need more

“We are seriously con­sidering a reward for high volume customers with a low return rate. We could classify them as premium customers with special benefits.”

Harald Heldmann, myClassico Hamburg

items of clothing for which he or she knows the correct size. Let’s use the purchase of trousers as an example. The customer enters the size of her Current/Elliott and her AG Adriano Goldschmied jeans. The software then recommends a size for a pair of jeans by 7 For All Mankind.

“We are testing this system at the moment. It could help lower the return rate of jeans and trousers by 20 to 30 percent. That would be quite something”, says Harald Heldmann.

Cross Channel

explanation or consulting, can be answered in advance to avoid returns altogether.

Other online shops also believe live chats or telephone consultations are a chance to lower return rates. Moving images such as product videos or video conferences are seen as “the next big thing” by sector experts.

Technology Helps

According to a study by management consulting firm SMP AG, ladies’ jeans are the yield killer number one with a return rate of approximately 65 percent. This is where the size recommendation software Sproov believes it can be of assistance. The principle is based on the comparison and matching of user data. Once the software has been implemented in a retailer’s shop, it draws from an extensive database of producers, models, and sizes.

Every interested party has a virtual closet, in which he stores

Those who can, will. Omni-channel concepts have a great future. Order goods online and return them in the store - or even better: exchange them for products that fit straight away. This requires excellent returns management and resource planning systems, as well as a network of branches. There are first examples. Kaufhof chief executive Lovro Mandac has labelled multi-channel concepts as the hope for the future. He wants to more than quadruple the group’s online turnover to 300 million Euros in three to four years. As a start, the employees were given 1,000 tablets. After all, online is a lifestyle.

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084 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

Tailor-Made Selection Outfittery.de offers curated shopping for men and is among the most celebrated German start-ups of the last few years. In this interview style expert Christin Clausen explains why the concept is so successful.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Photo: Christin Clausen

Which type of customer shops at Outfittery?

We cater for both those who have an interest in fashion and those that are not confident regarding style. Most of our customers are between 30 and 60 years old and often don’t have the time or desire to go shopping.

How does customer contact work?

Our customers first supply us with some data online and are then referred to a suitable style expert. She puts together the first personal fashion box and remains the customer’s contact person.

The customers enter their desired appointments in my calendar or write an e-mail; I then call them back. I also contact customers who have not ordered anything for a while. For example, this can happen when the season changes, mainly because men often only shop when they need to.

What’s the best way to serve a customer who you never actually see?

The first questionnaire supplies us with quite a lot of information, but I always verify the data via the phone anyway. If the customer states he needs size L, I need to ask which brand he is referring to because sizes can differ quite significantly. After all, the items in the first box should fit the customer and he should enjoy them, also in respect to colour and style. That’s why a phone call is an excellent opportunity for me to get to know the customer.

Outfittery offers advice that we are used to receiving in a store and transfers it to the online world?

We do offer the possibility to order a fashion box without prior phone contact. Naturally personal contact benefits the service aspect significantly. However, we put together a box individually for every single customer. It is 314 style in progress

Christin Clausen

important to us that there are humans who are creative in our online world.

Does the phone call also replace the interaction in the store?

Before I joined Outfittery, I worked on the floor as a branch manager for a multi-label concept and I have to say that, in our case, the online advice is even more intensive. Obviously I have the customer right in front of me in the store, but he may tell me even more via the phone and the customers often send us photos, which is a great help.

Despite all the customer satisfaction, what are the points of criticism?

Many customers want to receive the products they ordered in the morning by the evening of the same day. However, that isn’t possible in our case because we put a lot more work into it than

other online shops. It normally does take up to seven days to put together an individual selection for a customer and until the box has been delivered. In return, the box is tailored to his needs.

Christin Clausen joined Outfittery early in 2013.

The 32 year old studied business management and gained her first experiences in the fashion retail trade of Rostock before applying for a job at Outfittery. The Berlin-based company launched its website in 2012 and now employs 100 people. Alongside the German-speaking market, it started serving Holland in March. www.outfittery.de

The right Size for your Customers More ConďŹ dence. Increasing Sales. Decreasing Returns.

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086 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

Beatrice Bulant

Pilgrimage for Fashion Enthusiasts The aim of e-commerce manager Beatrice Bulant in respect to Reyerlooks. com is to develop an online shop on the basis of a family-owned retailer. In this interview she shares the learning curve and explains how the two concepts can benefit from each other.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Photo: Reyerlooks.com

Mrs Bulant, what is so special about Reyerlooks.com?

We are a family-owned business with a history that goes back 100 years; Reyer in Hallein is a site of fashion pilgrimage. That’s exactly what we are trying to transfer to the online world. We are doing it all on our own steam, which certainly makes us different from some competitors.

The strength is service, so personal contact. How do you transfer that online?

We try very hard to penetrate the mind of our online customers too. This is how we have managed to build a large base of regular customers within a very short time. In many cases we know exactly what is in the customers’ wardrobes and we base our recommendations on that.

Which parts of the concept did you modify?

One needs to adapt constantly to survive in the e-commerce world.

The customer behaviour has changed and the demands have increased significantly. In respect to product mix we expanded the range below the high-price segment, which means it is easier for new customers to test us. We have also noticed that we cannot live without renowned labels, which are the reason why people find our online shop, even if those labels may pursue more of a mono-label store concept.

try to avoid automated e-mails that merely put customers off. It is also important to us to add a personal letter to every shipment to reassure the customer in his choice. We plan to expand the personal recommendation aspect constantly.

You need to put service on top of the agenda in every respect. The product images have to be honest and unedited to ensure that the customer isn’t disappointed by the goods. It is equally important to have a product description that is as precise as possible. Furthermore, we aim to answer all customer questions instantly; the customer needs the desired information at once. We

It is very important. Due to the huge number of shops, it is difficult for the user to identify the strengths. Once you’ve won a customer over, you need to nurture the relationship to ensure that he or she enjoys returning to the online shop, just like a stationary store. By the way, many online customers actually go the other way and revisit our store in Hallein. Others only learned

How can one positively influence the return rate?

314 style in progress

about us through the online shop and pay us a visit on their way to a vacation because they want to get to know our store.

How important is customer retention online?

Beatrice Bulant has been working the Reyerlooks. com concept right from the start in 2008, when the project was launched to expand the fashion store Reyer in Hallein in Austria.

Today, the 39 year old is the head of a team with twelve employees. www.reyerlooks.com

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088 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

I Need to Know my Customers Well Claude-Alain Descamps is the VIP relations manager for the top customers of mytheresa.com. In this interview he describes how important personal support is in his case. Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photo: mytheresa.com

Mr Descamps, which type of customers are you responsible for?

Alongside celebrities I support customers who are looking for the new catwalk looks every season; they seek the “most wanted” pieces. We sell many looks before they even go online.

If we receive a new delivery and I see it is the perfect dress for a cocktail party in St. Tropez for a certain customer, then I send her a message with an image of the item. She might be happy that I thought of her and answer that she wants the dress in a dark colour. This can lead to an exchange of messages on which I base a personal selection.

Do you also meet your customers in person?

A lot of the interaction happens via e-mails. If the customer has more time, I might make a phone call. It is possible that I may meet her for a coffee during one of my trips to Milan or Paris; I may even visit her at home or in a hotel with a selection of products. Mytheresa has customers in more than 120 countries. It is fantastic that we can draw from such a wide range of products. It can be a 10,000 Euro robe for a Russian customer or a Balmain dress for a woman in the Middle East. The latter is not allowed to show too much skin.

Which capabilities do you need for your job?

I need a great deal of knowledge about fashion, the craftsmanship behind haute couture, the materials, and the history of the brands. But it actually goes beyond that. I build a relationship with my clients. We talk about art, architecture, and travelling. I need to know my customers well in order to advise them accordingly. That makes them feel like they are something special, 314 style in progress

Claude-Alain Descamps

which is exactly the point.

Is the demand for such a special service increasing?

It definitively is. We try to fulfil every customer wish; this is why we work so hard. This is the main reason why we want to increase the communication with the buying team even more in the future.

Recently top customers travelled to special Mytheresa event from as far afield as Manila or Cape Town.

In November, we staged a trunk show by and with Victoria Beckham in Munich, including a private dinner. In May, we were able to show selected customers a Jimmy Choo pre-collection in Berlin, which means our customers saw the products before anyone else. Everything we do is highly exclusive and that’s

what makes it all so special. The customers get to know us better and vice versa. Our invitation shows the customers how much we appreciate them and we can express our gratitude for their business.

Claude-Alain Descamps was a head of VIP services and store manager for many years. Before he joined mytheresa.com in November 2013, he worked for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana and Azarro in London. He is the first VIP relations manager at his current employee. www.mytheresa.com

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090 WHAT'S THE STORY E-Commerce X

Lea Busse

Everything is possible online!

Lea Busse is a social media manager at myClassico. com. In this interview she explains how important online networking and social exchange are on the Internet.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Photo: myclassico.com

myClassico.com was founded in 2006. What’s the story behind myfashiontalk. com running alongside it?

In our online shop we focus on clean product representation, but we also wanted to have a more direct communication channel with the customers.

That’s why we started the blog myfashiontalk.com in 2011 as a platform to introduce new labels, give styling tips, publish interviews, and post news from the trade shows. Later Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram were added as further channels.

Which channel is the best?

Currently we post something on Facebook once or twice per day. That’s where the most direct communication happens. For example, we share something from the latest shooting or we show how we work. The likes we get prove that such things are well received. Sometimes we also post mood images with quotes or funny sayings. Images definitely come across on level that is more emotional; the online business is just as much about emotion.

That’s why Instagram and Pinterest are becoming more important with time.

In March you initiated a joint event with the founders of Blogger-Bazaar…

Lena Lademann, Lisa Banholzer, and Tanja Trutschnig organise flea markets in large cities, where regional bloggers can display their clothes and fashionistas can purchase the items they see on their favourite blogs. We teamed up for a blogger shooting in the Olympus Photography Playground exhibition organised

by Olympus. Ten female bloggers from Hamburg were invited to choose outfits from myClassico’s spring collection before being photographed professionally.

314 style in progress

What was the outcome of the event?

The direct conversion couldn’t be measured, but that wasn’t the aim anyway. It’s all about soft skills. The girls report in their blogs and the readers add their comments. They say it’s a nice outfit or ask where the jacket is from, which increases the traffic on our site. We want to continue networking to add to our reach and to ensure that people continue to talk about myClassico.

be reproduced online. However, I wouldn’t rule it out for the future. Maybe one day you can add a direct video connection and try on clothes live. I always say that everything is possible online.

Would that also work if the communication was anonymous?

No. There is a human being behind every online comment.

It’s about social exchange, about feedback, and about offering a service.

There are ten Classico stores, whereby the online shop has developed into a highly successful branch of its own.

What are the advantages of offline retailing?

The direct sales pitch and the live shopping experience can still not

Lea Busse (27) joined Hamburg-based Classico Textilhandels GmbH as a student assistant in 2009 and - in her capacity as social media manager - she is responsible for the www. myclassico.com online shop since 2013. Today, 20 people work for the online store.

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FASHION

Cheeky and feminine Ba&sh from France.

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WHAT'S THE STORY 093

Fresh trends and a strong fashion statement - the women’s fashion industry of today wants contemporary styles that combine individual design with wearability and saleability. It should trigger the emotions of the consumers and also earn the retailers a bundle of money.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Brands

Cool, feminine, and wearable.

Three seasons ago, the Düsseldorf-based fashion agency MAB added the contemporary French label Ba&sh to its portfolio as a foundation for its design segment. “Ba&sh has enormous potential; the sales are already sensational”, says agency owner Regis Benabou, who managed to gain almost 50 German customers such as KaDeWe Berlin, Bella Donna Regensburg, and Jades Düsseldorf within the first two seasons.

Growing Up with the H&M Principle

Female consumers are in the mood for fashion. They are open for a look that started with Isabel Marant’s casual French bohemian chic; they are open for brands that have proper fashion DNA. The style can be sportive, but not austere or even minimalist.

It should be absolutely feminine, but definitely not superficially sexy. It should be courageous in terms of prints, embroideries, and colours, but still easy to combine with other items. So which brands are we talking about? They don’t necessarily need to be well known. It’s much more important that the light-heartedness of the look is fun for both young women in their 20s and more mature women alike; it seems like there is no age limit in this respect.

These are women who have grown up with this ever-changing fashion principle that was promoted by vertical retailers such as H&M, Zara, and Mango. Now they are looking for more individual affordable alternatives, not for iconic designer pieces that spend most of their lifecycle tucked away in the cupboard. The fashion agency Aco added the label KI6 Who are you? to its portfolio to cover this market demand, especially after

the Italian label’s autumn/winter 2013 collection instantly secured 50 customers in Belgium. “The label itself has huge combination potential”, says Michael Schulz. “It explains itself at first glance and is also affordable.”

Other labels on a comparable level include the likes of Soho Deluxe and Semicouture, as well as Sandro and Maje from France. Their collections have picked up this fashion-centred look and made it simpler and more wearable, thereby paving the way for its commercialisation. “Twin-Set, Manila Grace, Pinko, Patrizia Pepe - many Italian labels that emanate from the Pronto Moda sector fit the bill”, Michael Schulz adds. “These labels work on a global level without a hint of egalitarianism.”

The interest among retailers is increasing gradually. The mbyM collection

by Denmark-based Message Group has been on the German market for seven years, but has experienced a sharp rise in popularity over the last two years. “Many local retailers have long standing relationships with their established brands, but now they are increasingly interested in fresh new labels with more energy”, says CEO Carsten Lauritsen. “We fill this gap perfectly with mbyM.” Other markets tend to be a little faster than Germany. Carsten Lauritsen believes his homeland Denmark is significantly

Essentiel Antwerp focuses on creativity with a lot of prints, embroidery, and emotion.

more audacious when it comes to fashion. “Even in Holland the buyers focus on the more feminine items of our collection, but they are not that interested in functionality.” For example, Essentiel from Antwerp, which is strong on prints and colour combinations, sees Italy as an important growth market and has secured 100 customers with the assistance of a new agent.

Label founder Esfan Eghtessadi says: “Our agent understands style in progress 314

094 WHAT'S THE STORY

Ki6 Who are you? is strong in terms of combination potential.

fashion and is in contact with all the good stores. We have a high quality positioning in that market and we’re enjoying excellent feedback.”

It’s Not Just Fashion Alone

What do these labels do to successfully gain a foothold in new markets? It’s not just their creativity, that’s for sure. First, the collection has to be convincing as a total look without being too overwhelming.

The Essentiel collection now never consists of more than 200 items; it’s focused, compact, and easily comprehensible, which makes it easier to understand for both retailers and consumers. Esfan Eghtessadi returned to this level after his label’s collection had ballooned to 600 items in 2006, mainly because he tried to cover all market needs at once.

Furthermore, it is essential to have a sensible price structure.

The market wants fashion that is cheaper than a designer piece and that the consumer can actually afford. For example, the purchase price of trousers

by Ki6 ranges from 50 to 80 Euros, while knitwear costs 60 to 120 Euros. “That puts us in Esfan Eghtessadi, CEO of Essentiel: “Today you need to offer more service to establish yourself on the market.”

Scandinavian style and French ease - mbyM by Denmark-based Message Group.

314 style in progress

a good mid-range position of the contemporary market; we don’t have many price discussions”, says Michael Schulz. A calculation factor of 2.8 is also quite attractive for retailers.

The calculation ratio for the

mbyM collection is somewhere between 2.7 and 3.0. “We have a good balance between price and performance”, Carsten Lauritsen explains. “Retailers can earn good money with our products, which is certainly one of the reasons why we are experiencing swift growth in Germany, where we currently have 300 points of sale.”

Another contributing factor is flexibility, for which a certain corporate structure is a prerequisite. One example of this is a faster collection rhythm. mbyM puts out six collections per year with smaller ranges during the respective seasons. Essentiel Michael Schulz, managing director of Agentur Aco Mode Deutschland: “The brand image is still made in the multi-brand store.”

Antwerp launches eight collections per year and also offers fashionable injections during the ongoing season to supply the retail industry with fresh impulses.

Ba&sh now has plans to increase the number of collections per year from two to four. “However, it is also important to deliver the collection early and as completely as possible to ensure that the retailer can sell it early in the season and without write-downs”, Benabou stresses.

In addition, goods exchanges have developed into a vital tool, mainly because it minimises the risk for the retailers. “All our customers take advantage of it and we actively promote it, especially as the brands can avoid storage costs”, Michael Schulz explains. Moreover, it is important to identify the market demands early enough. “We have the opportunity to name the retailer’s needs before Ki6’s sample collection. We can, for instance, determine whether a certain colour is too difficult for a specific market”, Schulz adds.

“One can also open a second

colour range. This helps to adjust the collection and leads to a better result at the end of the season.”

Partnerships

Positioning is always about having the right contacts - and partnerships. Many retailers see the brand Closed as a reliable partner: 500 retailers in Germany, 200 in France, and 140 in the US, where Closed is

096 WHAT'S THE STORY

in the process of taking its next big step together with Barney’s New York. “The brand has to be clearly defined to earn its right to exist in a multi-brand environment”, says Til Nadler, the head of distribution and marketing.

“We have to ensure that we are a good partner for our retailers.

There is no rule of thumb in this respect, mainly because everyone has different expectations regarding things such as a special calculation model or a specific stock rotation. We, as a brand, need to offer such flexibility to make sure the partnership works well in the long term.” New labels need to build such partnerships first. mbyM does this with its own distribution structure. “This approach means that it takes longer to establish the brand in a new market, but the success is more likely to be long term”, says Carsten Lauritsen. Others prefer to take advantage of the Regis Benabou, owner of Agentur MAB: “There is a lot of communication and the fact that the producers listen to retailers makes the collection stronger.”

networks built by multi-label agencies. The label Essentiel is one of the latter and managed to gain 38 new German customers in the first season of its cooperation with the fashion agency Room with a View.

Retailers Make the Brands

The next step is to raise the public profile of the collection to ensure it can establish itself on the market. “It is quite clear that the brand image is still made by multi-label stores”, Michael Schulz says. “It is equally important to start off with the right retailers. In Ki6’s case these retailers were Lodenfrey in Munich and Cult & Co Ulm. After that a lot depends on word-of-mouth, even between retailers. One should also avoid entering the online retailing 314 style in progress

Carsten Lauritsen, CEO of mbyM: “Many retailers are looking for fresh labels with new energy; we fill this gap perfectly.”

market at the beginning. Online the label may be visible to more customers in a shorter amount of time, but if the collection doesn’t work and the prices drop into the red, then everybody can see that too. The label has to gain a strong foothold in the market, maybe with 50 to 60 customers.”

Regis Benabou has a similar opinion. “A brand like Ba&sh thrives on being sold from person to person, but it could soon become over-distributed if it goes online too soon. The aim is long term success; it is necessary to remain selective to achieve that goal.”

Own stores are a further step that can be taken to establish brands. “Given the structural change of the market, this is becoming increasingly important”, says Closed’s Til Nadler.

“Overall, we have 30 mono stores, of which a third operate on franchise. We will continue to follow this path cautiously on the basis of existing retail partnerships.” Ki6 has two mono-label stores in its domestic market Italy, Essentiel runs 26 Til Nadler, head of distribution and marketing at Closed: “At the end of the day it is important to develop an individual signature to be desirable as a brand.”

stores in the Benelux countries, and mbyM operates 25 own stores. The reason behind this is

the importance of displaying the entire range of the collection.

Carsten Lauritsen says: “We have the same image everywhere; we remain true to our Danish roots without adjusting the brand too much to the respective markets.”

Closed also bases its success on its own public profile. “At the end of the day it is important to develop an individual signature and to stand for something; that’s what ultimately makes a brand desirable”, Til Nader explains. “We are strongly focused on what we are, draw from our archives, and develop further.

These statements are important

to give the collection modernity.”

Ultimately, fashion is not subject to rigid rules. It’s all about the emotion and enthusiasm that the fashion creators try to transfer to their customers. Esfan Eghtessadi says: “You have to know exactly who you want to address and reach with your fashion; these people can be anywhere in the world. However, you certainly can’t please everyone.” www.ba-sh.com, www.closed.com www.essentiel.be, www.mbym.dk www.ki6collection.eu

The brand Closed is characterised by cool modernity.

LOS ANGELES BASED CHASERBRAND & CP FASHION HAVE TEAMED UP AS EUROPES NEWEST FASHION ALL STARS

098 WHAT'S THE STORY

"Today We Steer Deliberately" It started with t-shirts 14 years ago, but it soon turned into a complete collection with success that outgrew existing structures. Today, Esfan Eghtessadi and his wife Onsea Inge Eghtessadi are more focused, especially on the strong emotional fashion signature that characterised Essentiel right from the start.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Photos: Essentiel

Mr Eghtessadi, one could say that the success story of Essentiel can be divided into two parts…

We started off with great enthusiasm and excellent feedback.

In 2000, we opened our first store in Antwerp and shortly afterwards we secured 80 new customers from all over the globe during the Who’s Next trade show. In 2006, we generated a turnover of 50 million Euros, but we lacked the organisational structure for such growth. Our collection consisted of 600 items, which was too much. We had to focus on reacting instead of acting.

In 2006, we decided to take a break and appointed a CEO. We also put all wholesale activities on hold to think about what we really want to do. During that time we focused on our own stores and we’ve opened 26 Essentiel stores to date. Most of them are located in Belgium, three in France, and one shop-inshop concept at Harvey Nichols in London.

How did the strategy change come around?

In 2008, we told ourselves that we need to return to focusing on what made Essentiel so successful: the freshness, the special mix, and the colourful prints.

We live this creativity with a passion and we also benefit from our renowned academy in Antwerp, from where we recruit some graduates for our styling department. At the same time, our collection now consists of 200 items, which makes it comprehensible and easy to combine. However, one also needs a reasonable pricing structure. The retail prices for skirts range from 140 to 240 Euros, while dresses cost between 160 to 280 Euros - at a calculation ration of 2.6.

In addition, we’ve added three 314 style in progress

“We love what we do and our work is great fun”, says Esfan Eghtessadi, who founded Essentiel together with his wife Onsea Inge Eghtessadi.

smaller intermediate collections to our main collections to ensure that the retail industry gets the trend impulses it needs during the season.

You also tightened the screws on the distribution side…

To a certain extent we started anew with new distribution partners. Today, we steer our distribution and the collection quite deliberately. It was a successful move and the business has been performing really well again since 2011. Above all, we work more selectively now. One of the best examples for this is the Italian market, where we reduced the number of premium customers from 120 to 100. In Germany we re-launched last season with the fashion agency Room with a View and instantly secured 38 new customers such as Jades, Engelhorn, and Fischer in Konstanz; the specialised retail industry remains an important

partner for us. In future, we also want to push our own retailing activities with trade partners; we are planning to open 30 shop-inshop concepts with a retail group in Seoul, Korea, and we’ve only recently reached an agreement with a company in Dubai for more shop-in-shop concepts in the Middle East. Additionally, we started our own e-commerce platform to reach younger customers. We love what we do and our work is great fun, but we want to develop Essentiel slowly, selectively, and in a controlled manner.

800 points of sale (Benelux: 160, France: 300) 8 collections per year including accessories (17% of group turnover) Production: 50% in Europe, 50% in Asia www.essentiel-antwerp.com

welcome to my room with a view AUSTRIA / GERMANY / SWITZERLAND www.roomwithaview.at

100 WHAT'S THE STORY

During coaching sessions a fashion consultant does not only gain professional know-how, but also sensitivity and – most importantly – how to excite the customer.

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WHAT'S THE STORY 101

Burning Desire for Fashion Service is a vital element of the specialised retail trade; it is virtually impossible to be successful without excellent sales consultants. But how on earth is one supposed to find good sales staff? For which challenges do they need to be prepared and how can you bring the best out of them?

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Illustration: Claudia Meitert.

Photos: Interview partners

The main strength of the specialised retail trade is personal advice and is therefore hinged upon the sales consultants. However, that only sounds simple in theory.

“It has definitely become more difficult to find good fashion consultants”, says Bernd Deuter, the head of marketing at Reischmann Group. “In the past we mostly recruited via newspaper advertisements, but the process is significantly more demanding today.” This is why the Reischmann Group, which runs eleven fashion and sports stores in Ravensburg and its surrounding area with approximately 600 sales employees, has established a larger in-house recruiting department. “We have to portray ourselves as an attractive company and actively search for personnel via all channels”, Deuter explains. One of the reasons why it is more difficult to find young talent is the demographic factor. “Our demands are higher too. It is no longer enough to simply put goods on the shelves and do the checkout”, Bernd Deuter adds.

Fischer, a chain of six fashion stores in Singen and Konstanz, has successfully utilised wordof-mouth advertising. “If our employees recommend people to us, they get a bonus if the person in question is actually hired”, Oliver Fischer explains.

“New employees from outside the industry are good too; they

can bring a different perspective to the table. Just like the hotel industry, we need service-minded people with social skills.”

Susanne Lindner is a fashion retailer with heart and soul; she has been in the industry since the early 1980s. Standby Lindner, her store in Dortmund, employs eight sales assistants. “Dortmund is the eighth largest city in Germany, but also considered provincial within Westphalia”, Susanna Lindner says. In terms of educational level, applications in general cover a wide range.

“Spelling and writing style have deteriorated significantly. One can pre-select candidates based on that.” However, Susanne Lindner relies more on her gut feeling than on school certificates and degrees. “For me it’s important that my people have a burning desire for fashion.”

The job is more demanding than ever: one has to represent oneself, but also be able to listen and serve. Some customers are looking for a fashion therapy, while others simply want an outfit for a business appointment.

The modern sales advisor has to be just as individual the customers and their desires. “The team has to be well rounded; everyone fulfils a different role and is there for different customers.”

Personal charisma is just as important to Oliver Fischer. “How does the candidate speak, how does he act, how flexible is he?

Our trainees have to start with a work trial and we also want to meet the parents. Reliability is important, but sadly it can no longer be taken for granted.”

Have the standards, respect, and educations levels dropped in general? Is that why it is so difficult to find young talent? Bernd Deuter is against such generalisations. “However, values were more enshrined in society in the past. Today, this varies more.”

Pleasure and Pain

The fashion retail industry does not necessarily attract the graduates with the best degrees, mainly because the image of sales personnel is not exactly great.

This is probably why the term “consultant” is coming to the fore, also because the job profile has changed. Bernd Deuter: “Today, sales assistants need to advise more than ever and need excellent product knowledge.

After all, our customers are better informed than before. The customers expect the sales staff to know even more about the product than they do.” Subtlety is also an important factor, mainly because purchase decisions are now based on pleasure and pain experiences. Bernd Deuter: “In which situation is the customer?

It is important to sense that and that skill can be practised.”

Simultaneously, the customers’ demands are on the rise. “The store has developed into a stage; style in progress 314

102 WHAT'S THE STORY

shopping has become an experience. The customer now wants to be served by a specific person”, Susanne Lindner explains. “At the same time, the customers increasingly lack appreciation for the goods. One has to learn how to deal with that too.”

Encourage and Challenge Alexa Petersen, business coach: “The more a manager strengthens the team by giving motivational feedback and leading by example, the more sustainable the common success is.”

Bernd Deuter, head of marketing at Reischmann GmbH+Co KG: “Professional know-how can be developed, the concept of service and worldview not so much. One notices the interest during day-to-day business.”

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What could an optimal training programme look like? Susanne Lindner believes that brand workshops can be a great motivational tool, but she also highlights that many of her international brands don’t offer such incentives. Oliver Fischer doesn’t think brand workshops are always beneficial. “It can happen that a consultant becomes too focused on one particular product, even though it is so vital to offer alternatives.” Seminars are commonplace at Reischmann Group, which has its own in-house team development department with four trainers. “Every consultant attends two seminars per year, possibly more if we identify any deficits”, Bernd Deuter explains.

Personality development is just as important as promoting in-depth product knowledge to evaluate and improve appearance and effect, also with the assistance of externals trainers.

Susanne Lindner has also identified mediation as an effective tool. “It has defined hierarchies and significantly improved our team spirit as a whole.”

The fact that the demand for coaching for fashion advisors has increased was also noted by business coach Alexa Petersen, who founded AP Coaching & Beratung in 2007 and boasts companies such as Schnitzler in Münster as customers. “A consultant with heart and competence is a coach for customers”, she says. “Successful consultants are truthfully interested in their customers and know how to get them interested in new things.”

Her coaching sessions are not based on a fixed formula; she teams up with management to develop a concept tailored to the needs of the respective retailer.

“How can our authentic nature inspire the customers? How can we turn customers into fans?

It is important to look at every employee individually and to evaluate strengths and potential.”

The support of the management

is equally important: “The more a manager strengthens the team by giving motivational feedback and leading by example, the more sustainable the common success is.”

Oliver Fischer completed a training course at Hutner Training AG and additionally mandated two employees to act as in-house coaches. Once a month, current issues are discussed before business hours. “Seeing that the base customer frequency is worse these days, one has to tackle issues more focused than ever”, Fischer explains. “Our sales advisors are encouraged to take notes in order to remember things like the customers’ holiday home, the names of their children, their dog, their characteristics, and their desires.” One of the measures that have proven successful is to contact the customer by card to ask how the wedding anniversary at Lago Maggiore was for which the customer recently purchased clothing. “The interest has to be sincere for such a measure to come across naturally”, Oliver Fischer says. “We want to provide incentives, send out little

signals. New employees often perceive this as intrusive and their understanding for it can only develop with time.”

Susanne Lindner, owner of Standby Lindner: “Learning by doing is the best option, otherwise one only takes in new aspects with the mind, but has not learned a thing.”

Oliver Fischer, owner of Mode Fischer: “Every fashion consultant is different and should serve the customer according to his or her individual nature.

I am against a mono-label store culture with identical sales rituals all over the globe.”

Rewarding Investment?

There is no guarantee that an investment in staff is rewarded and losing an employee costs a lot of money. An ambitious consultant can ascend to the position of team leader or department head, but even measures such as payment above tariff or assistance in finding a day-care centre cannot prevent some employees being poached. 15 of the 90 trainees at Reischmann Group study at Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg, of which some aspire to get to know other companies or opt for working abroad after graduation. “In general, the industry’s labour fluctuation is high”, Bernd Deuter explains.

“But those who receive a high-quality education will be successful and earn many regular customers.” These are important prerequisites for a fulfilling job and for ensuring that the fashion consultant in question remains with the company.

www.reischmann.biz, www.alexapetersen.de, www.modefischer.de, www.susanne-lindner.de

104 WHAT'S THE STORY

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WHAT'S THE STORY 105

New York Meets Isle of Man Vintage Racing. The new Vintage Racing fashion line is - among other things - the fulfilment of Markus Meindl’s very personal dream.

Text: Stephan Huber.

Photos: Vintage Racing

You are only good at something if you love doing it. This is not just some truism, but life experience.

It can also be described as one of Markus Meindl’s leitmotifs: “I myself have been riding motorcycles for many years. I adore the style and culture of the historic motor sport world just as much as some of the modern technical masterpieces.”

It comes as no surprise that he also loves leather; it is so versatile and has its own history. Working with leather requires craftsmanship of the highest level and it is an antithesis to the disposable fashion that has changed our modern clothing culture so significantly.

Its Own Face

Meindl designed his first jacket at the tender age of 17. It was seen as a crazy break in style. However, contrary to the expectations within the tradition-conscious company, it was an immediate success.

He has been exploring the stylistic and functional limits of leather ever since. This is not something he does exclusively for his own brand, but also for renowned partners such as Porsche Design and BMW Motorcycles. He himself believes that this is an excellent training ground. However, an uncompromising realisation of ideas is only possible when working for oneself; so the time was ripe for the birth of Vintage Racing. “My main aim was to give an iconic product like the classic biker jacket its own face”, Markus Meindl explains. This face is formed in a very traditional manner - on a tailor’s dummy.

“The initial sketch is merely an idea. The process that follows is the decisive factor: The elaboration of details, the stitching, nuances regarding length and arm width.

There is a point when I can feel that everything is in place. I guess that’s how a band feels when a new

song suddenly starts working.”

When Markus Meindl speaks about the heart of his work, his love for classic craftsmanship is almost palpable. “This has been our DNA ever since the shoemaker Petrus Meindl laid the foundations for our company in 1683.”

Style Meets Function

The collection has been kept small quite deliberately. It consists of twelve jackets each for men and women. The items create a stylistic balance between New York and the Isle of Man, between urban Rock & Roll glory and breathtaking angles during cornering. The brand also offers two trouser models for each sex. They are modern classics that are quite suitable for more relaxed convertible aficionados. All pieces are manufactured in the leather quality that Meindl can so easily access due to the personal contacts he has nurtured over decades. This is the crucial factor. Such a jacket is not a superficial flirt, but a promise. Everyone who purchases one should be able to wear it with pride ten or even twenty years down the line. After all, the jacket has become more beautiful and familiar with time.

And those who ride with Vintage Racing must be able to rely on their jackets. Style meets function!

Customers can also opt for the full package with high-end protectors.

Vintage Racing will be showcased for the first time during the Premium trade show in Berlin.

The brand will have its own stand and the distribution aspect is also handled independently. Markus Meindl is looking forward to the launch: “Vintage Racing is so much more than just a new collection for me. This project brings together so much passion, experience, and know-how. On a personal level, I am fulfilling one of my own long-cherished dreams.”

Fitted on a tailor’s dummy to persist on the motorbike: Vintage Racing stands for sincere craftsmanship and a real love for motor sports.

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106 WHAT'S THE STORY

Real Men - Then and Now Spiewak. Can Spiewak really combine work wear for rough dockworkers with flair?

Today, it seems that those aspects can indeed complement each other successfully.

Do you need proof? Well, just look at the re-launch of Spiewak. Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: David Kim, Spiewak

Early 2014, Spiewak celebrated its 110th anniversary by introducing the N-3B parka to the public in Berlin. However, the acclaimed rugged jacket is not a nostalgic highlight at the end of a journey, but the start of a completely new product range. The story behind this development actually has two beginnings.

The more recent storyline started with rumours within the industry: Cristina Calori, the owner of Italian fashion empire WP Lavori (inter alia Woolrich, Baracuta) is planning to take over the fashion department of traditional US company Spiewak and hire former Levi’s XX mastermind Maurizio Donadi as a consultant for the planned re-launch. Donadi’s new brand consulting agency Conduit Creative Office had just coordinated the resurrection of the long-established outdoor outfitter Filson. These speculations fuelled the excitement: What does the future have in store for Spiewak?

Respectful Handling of Heritage Brands

High-quality collaborations with bicycle manufacturer Narifuri and a jacket that only reveals its camouflage pattern in the light - Spiewak knows how to make true classics exciting.

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Cristina Calori adores heritage brands and is extremely skilful at rebuilding and cultivating such brands, thereby turning old traditions into new trends. However, the group always operates within clearly defined limits during such processes. “Spiewak is a brand with a lot of tradition and a long history. When tampering with the design framework of such brands, it is essential to do so with the utmost respect”, says Rocco Scazzariello, the brand manager responsible for Spiewak.

Therein one can find the beginning of the second storyline. The history of Spiewak dates back to 1904, which is when the company started sewing sheepskin vests for the rough dockworkers of Brooklyn. Soon Spiewak also supplied special garments for soldiers, later also clothing for policemen and fire fighters. The company continues to do so today. However, it also developed a second less work-related range.

The latter will now be split up into two separate parts for the re-launch.

“Golden Fleece was actually the first commercial brand that Spiewak launched after initially focusing on clothing for dockworkers and soldiers”, Scazzariello explains. This is the brand name that was used to reintroduce the aforementioned N-3B parka. When Spiewak first introduced the jacket to the market in the mid-1940s, it was supposed

Rocco Scazzariello has been appointed as brand manager to respectfully resurrect Spiewak.

to keep US pilots warm in their cockpits, which did not have any pressure regulation in those days.

No Contradiction - Original Materials and Modern Fabrics

Golden Fleece now delves into the archives to find those designs and produces in New York, where the company has its roots. “We try to use as many original materials as we can. We even managed to recycle 40 year old fabrics for this collection”, Scazzariello says.

On the other hand, the main “Spiewak” brand follows a logic that may seem absurd at first glance. Spiewak is traditionally perceived as innovative. After all, the company owns patents for specialised fabrics such as Titan Cloth, WeatherTech, VizGuard, and Tekora. This aspect is also part of the re-launch. The main collection for the autumn/winter 2014/15 season includes a parka with a new environmentally friendly recycled down filling.

Photo by Robin Peller

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Racing billboard - the size of the car sticker, the positioning, and the amount are all a matter of money and subject to the strict regulations of the FIA (Federation International Automobile). Pepe Jeans can be spotted above the left and right air intakes, as well as on the “nose”.

Sponsoring Gives You Wings Pepe Jeans London.

In 2010, the denim brand became a sponsor of the F1 team Red Bull Racing. It’s a daring endeavour. After all, you can win millions in the premier league of motor sport, but you can also lose millions too.

Text: Dörte Welti.

Photos: Pepe Jeans London.

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To date, Pepe Jeans London was mainly known for its youthful spirit and its excellent choice when it comes to selecting stars and starlets for its advertising campaigns and marketing activities. Kate Moss, Laetitia Casta, Sienna Miller, and Ashton Kutcher are but a few of the hottest it-girls and it-boys who were models for Pepe Jeans. They were all also seen dressed in the swiftly expanding denim brand in their private life. All well and good, but the jeans specialists wanted

more. They wanted something international; something that is considered sensational by all genders in all nations, thereby aiding the planned expansion into far away markets.

Speed Experience

The brand already had an involvement in motor sport prior to the F1 project. Pepe Jeans was - and still is - the partner of selected drivers and teams in the GP2 series, which is an open racing series that is considered to be

the gateway into the F1 circuit.

So why not aim higher? It simply has to be the premier league of racing. Pepe didn’t have to think long before selecting a suitable partner. The team that - just like Pepe - is young, represents an unconventional spirit, and with which one can easily identify oneself is Infiniti Red Bull Racing. Today it is clear that it was the best decision imaginable.

The Austrian team had come 2nd in the 2009 season, which was considered a sensational

110 WHAT'S THE STORY

result at the time. However, the German F1 pilot Sebastian Vettel won the world championship in a Red Bull racer in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. The team as a whole also won the title in those seasons. The partnership with Pepe Jeans London grew in stature just as rapidly. The 2010 season had already begun when the first ties were agreed upon. This meant that the role as official team supplier, whereby all of the several hundred team members would be equipped by the fashion brand, could only be discussed in 2011. It is a huge logistical and technical challenge, especially as every mechanic, every driver, the team boss, and even the catering crew - both male and female - have different needs and have to feel perfectly comfortable in their outfit to perform to the best of their abilities on the race course.

though it is a pretty cool feeling to be up there on the podium.

That leaves the question whether motor sport in general and a commitment of this magnitude is appropriate in a time defined by the need to conserve resources. Regarding this topic, Pepe Jeans points to its Tru-Blu line, a sub-brand that was launched in May 2012 and promises to

produce without chemicals while also saving water. Maybe it would be a prudent decision if the sponsoring executives set a good example and do the math.

Dressed in Tru-Blu, Vettel & Co would definitely be winners in every respect.

www.pepejeans.com www.infiniti-redbullracing.com www.madison.ch

Trust Grows With Every Year

Pepe Jeans and Infinity Red Bull Racing announced earlier this year that they will extend their partnership until 2015. The fashion label plans to launch a “Racing Spirit” collection, as well as a range of t-shirts, shirts, and jackets. The new items will be modelled by established teen idol, Sebastian Vettel, and his new team colleague. It is a merchandising collection that is available in the Pepe web shop, flagship stores, selected partner stores such as Harrods, and naturally - in the Red Bull stores and team shops. While this story develops, the first F1 races of the season are already over. The team that had become so used to success currently has to settle for slightly inferior results. However, this is no cause for concern for Pepe Jeans. It’s not only about winning; it’s about the denim designer’s philosophy, the relationship, and the co-operation.

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Credible testimonials for a serious commitment: Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo.

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Close Family Ties Floris van Bommel.

Few brands can look back at 280 years of history.

However, there is no trace of dusty tradition at Netherlands-based shoe manufacturer van Bommel.

The brothers Reynier, Floris, and Pepijn van Bommel are leading the company into a bright future.

Text: Ina Köhler.

Photos: Floris van Bommel

“Idyll” is the first word that comes to mind when visiting the van Bommel shoe manufacturer in Moergestel. Lush green lawns surround the sprawling brick building with large black-framed windows. In the entrance area one can marvel at photos from the past, while the reception room exudes the atmosphere of a modern - yet venerable - library.

There are plans to convert a part of the building into a museum; this is Floris van Bommel’s hobby. He is the creative head of the company and lends the brand his face. “We want to offer guided tours in the future.”

There is quite a lot to see, as a matter of fact. Approximately

150,000 pairs of shoes, nearly a third of the total annual output, are manufactured in the hall next door, while the rest is produced in Portugal. A shoe production plant in Holland may sound rather extraordinary at first, but it definitely is a guarantee of quality. In particular, the elaborate Goodyear method requires a lot of manual labour.

Many small steps are necessary to create the perfect shoe from the ingredients leather, cork, yarn, soles, and heels. While strolling through the light-flooded production hall, one can feel how proud the staff is to be a part of this process. Every step is executed perfectly; true perfection

is in the details. When Floris van Bommel first introduced the younger range, it wasn’t always easy to modernise traditional production steps and make the process more flexible. He often works with smaller batches and every shoe is unique. “Today, we can process up to 12 different types of leather in one shoe”, Floris van Bommel explains.

“This is extremely time-consuming, but also makes it very difficult for others to copy us.”

History and Modernity

The current company building was built in 1951 after a devastating fire which destroyed almost everything. The brothers

Elaborate production process in the Netherlands: At the company’s headquarters in Moergestel, employees follow the Goodyear production method.

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WHAT'S THE STORY 113

Solidarity: The three brothers Pepijn, Floris and Reynier van Bommel are the masterminds of this traditional Netherlands-based company.

modernised the building two years ago with great skill and sensibility. Their father Frans passed on operational control as early as 2002. Everything looks tidy and carefully designed with a good mix of old and new quite typical for the Netherlands.

One can spot the humorous details that also characterise the style of the shoes everywhere.

One example is an enormous family tree with funny - and rather strange - creatures, which was especially designed by a professional artist. Furthermore, the conference room also houses Floris’ toy collection.

Target Market Germany

Germany is becoming an increasingly important market for the Netherlands-based shoe specialist. The brand has already estab-

lished itself in the multi-brand retail sector and will open its first larger Floris van Bommel store in Cologne this September.

The shop will boast a 110 square metre sales area; the concept was developed in collaboration with Agentur Wink. “We are planning to open six stores in Germany over the next two years”, says Pepijn van Bommel, the company’s commercial director.

Reynier, his brother, is the acting CEO of the business. “We want the brand to be more visible, because we see a lot of potential here.” When asked whether the three brothers planned to run the company together right from the start, they just laugh. Well, maybe it isn’t just a laugh after all. However, it does seem that the family ties run deep for the next van Bommel generation.

“It’s fairly difficult to copy us. Our production method is simply too elaborate for that.”

Floris van Bommel

Van Bommel. Only very few shoe manufacturers have a history as long as van Bommel’s. The company has been in business for no less than 280 years. It even still manufactures shoes at its original location in Moergestel. In 2013, the 140 employees manufactured 150,000 pairs of shoes. The site also houses the company’s warehouse, where it stores 40,000 pairs of shoes and more than 60 different models every season. Van Bommel supplies 1,200 customers in Holland and Belgium. In Germany, the brand currently has 200 customers such as Breuninger, Ansons, KaDeWe, Alsterhaus, Oberpollinger, and Prange. Van Bommel runs own stores in Antwerp and Bruges, as well as a Floris van Bommel store in Amsterdam. The brand also has plans to open an outlet store near Amsterdam soon. www.florisvanbommel.com, www.vanbommel.com

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Beauty for the Brand Beast - Papis Loveday’s birth name is Pape Badji. He is from Dakar and has 25 siblings.

The Real Deal Loveday Jeans. When things are running too smoothly, one may be tempted to become a little reckless.

That’s not Ben Botas’ style.

The owner of the fashion agency Ben And thought long and hard before deciding to launch an independent denim collection.

Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: Loveday Jeans

Ben Botas offers his customers an all-inclusive service package. Their only job is to sell the products.

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The idea to launch an independent jeans brand took shape over a glass of wine. Ben Botas, a 33 year old fashion professional from Munich, was having dinner with his good friend Papis Loveday, who is arguably the world’s most famous black male model. The latter was then in the process of reinventing himself. He had said goodbye to the fashion world, launched his own champagne, and was full of creative ideas. At the end of the evening, the new jeans brand had a name, a face, and a creative director: Loveday Jeans, Papis Loveday, and again Papis Loveday. Ben Botas agreed to do the rest. He proved that he is not only a distribution expert, but also knows everything about production processes, when he introduced the Cervolante jacket range two and a half years ago. The excellent contacts with producers were the reason that Loveday managed to recruit the Italian designer and denim specialist Laura Pastrello, who designs for brands such as Diesel.

“Everything is perfect”, Ben Botas raves. “We have super producers in Italy and a spectacular face for the brand. I believe in this project.”

Close to the Customers

Spectacular is actually an understatement. Papis Loveday is the

darling of photographers everywhere and triggers enthusiasm wherever he goes. The 37 year old Senegalese is always personally present whenever Ben Botas implements one of the brand’s core ideas, namely live events in cooperation with existing high-end customers. Parties on the island of Sylt (with Different Fashion and more than 500 invited guests) and in Munich (with Pool and more than 600 guests) were a huge success and generated a lot of press interest for all involved. “Papis Loveday shows no fear of contact whatsoever”, Ben Botas says about his famous partner who has declared himself to be a little bit of a diva at times. “Papis’ open and friendly nature manages to persuade the most difficult customers and sceptics almost instantly.” By the way, the real stars of the show, namely the trousers, are proving to be extremely popular. According to Ben Botas, his company has already received positive feedback from high-end fashion specialists such as Jades in Düsseldorf and Abseits in Stuttgart.

The brand offers three styles for men and women, sexy fits, unusual details such as a cloth with a seasonally changing design in the right rear pocket, paisley lining, and coloured seams. The style is very fashionable, very hip, and very sexy. This is a newcomer

trend label with added value, not least due to the interaction it can offer its customers. “We include the customers in our social media activity for the Loveday Community. We have assembled a team of specialists to ensure that the lifestyle image of both Papis Loveday and Loveday Jeans is communicated correctly for the benefit of the consumers.”

A Good Brand

Ben Botas has thought of everything, including the fact that it can be helpful to have “social entrepreneurship” on your agenda. Loveday Jeans has established an official partnership with “Unesco Foundation - for children in need” and a defined portion of the sales is passed on to own charity projects in Senegal. This is definitely a business strategy that deserves a “like”.

Loveday Jeans c/o Brand Beast GmbH Georg-Muche-Straße 5 München/Deutschland T 0049.89.32308046 agency@ben-and.com www.loveday-jeans.com

CO Sports Austria

Christian Teufl & Oliver Schneider 5020 Salzburg | Vierthalerstrasse 11 0043-662-452832 | www.teufl.cc

116 WHAT'S THE STORY

Utopian by Studio Kaprol combines classic fabrics with futuristic shapes, as well as nostalgic cuts with modern materials.

Rebellion as a Manifesto Utopian by Studio Kaprol. Istanbul-based designer Arzu Kaprol wants to give younger talented designers a chance to showcase their skills under her label Utopian by Studio Kaprol. For the German market the label teamed up with distribution agency CP Fashion, which places the commercial premium line in the more sophisticated specialised retail environment.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka.

Photos: Utopian by Studio Kaprol

With the collection titled Utopian Studio, Kaprol has created a dynamic design platform that covers a number of areas such as industrial design, product design, graphics, and fashion design. The collection was conceived by ten young designers under the motto “Design for Life”. Alongside an 80 piece collection for men and women consisting of jackets, jeans, knitwear, and tops, it also offers shoes, bags, accessories, and jewellery. Even the collection video was created by the young collective from Istanbul, including sound, graphics, and prints.

The philosophy behind the project: “Creativity is the most significant rebellion of all. The upcoming collection is a clear statement against the monotony of uniform looks. The clear line of Studio Kaprol revolts against constantly recurring imitations and copies. Rebellion is the willingness to attempt the unattempted and to express it with restraint. This is Studio Kaprol’s rebellion and the manifesto of its collection.”

German-Turkish Friendship

Reinhart Oberstein’s agency CP Fashion is the distributor for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He will introduce the 314 style in progress

young brand Utopian to the retail industry at the Premium trade show in Berlin, while Studio Kaprol itself has scheduled a fashion show during the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

The highlights of the autumn/ winter 2014 collection have already been offered for pre-orders to selected key accounts of CP Fashion before the official start of distribution. As a next step towards the official launch, Reinhardt Oberstein and Studio Kaprol have developed an exclusive Utopian capsule denim collection together with a leading multi-brand retailer. The items, which were produced in Turkey, will be advertised in co-operation with the aforementioned highend retailer. “The first customer response to the collection was surprisingly positive and our planned exclusive distribution concept offers customers a chance to utilise Utopian by Studio Kaprol to significantly differentiate themselves from the fashion mainstream”, Reinhart Oberstein explains. Extensive PR campaigns and in-store events in co-operation with the important key accounts in large cities and important POS locations are planned for the future to boost the brand awareness in the

German-speaking countries. CP Fashion is currently still looking for authentic brand ambassadors that reflect the rebellious look of Utopian by Studio Kaprol.

Studio Kaprol was founded in 2011 as a brainchild of Turkish designer Arzu Kaprol, who has been designing prêt-a-porter and ready-to-wear collections in Istanbul since 1995.

Kaprol is one of Turkey’s most important and well-known designers and runs ten own stores in the country. Her international customers include the likes of Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus Direct, and Harrods, as well as Les Suites in Paris, Glamour in Qatar, and Boutique Nicole in Hong Kong. Since 2011 Arzu Kaprol also has a studio and a showroom in Paris, where she shows her collections to purchasers during the Fashion Week.

The Utopian by Studio Kaprol autumn/winter 2014 collection was first presented to the German public during the “Berlin Fashion Week Young Designers” in January in the tent of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Brandenburg Gate, together with shows by ten other talented young designers.

The Utopian by Studio Kaprol spring/summer 2015 collection can be ordered by potential buyers from German-speaking countries in the two CP Fashion showrooms in Munich and Düsseldorf.

Pitti Immagine Uomo Florenz 17.06. – 20.06.14 Premium Exhibition Berlin 08.07. – 10.07.14 Gallery Düsseldorf 24.07. – 29.07.14 Düsseldorf, MedienHafen Hammerstr. 27

Showroom: Siegesstraße 23 • 80802 München Tel.: 089 / 38 88 77 47 Fax.: 089 / 38 88 77 49 www.diehinterhofagentur.de Contact: Dominik Meuer 0179 / 45 52 023 d.meuer@diehinterhofagentur.de

118 WHAT'S THE STORY

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Boomtown Berlin?

The German capital is establishing itself as a normal European metropolis in the field of retail. Which part do the fashion trade shows play? Despite numerous changes, Berlin is as diverse a platform as ever. A status quo report… Text: Ina Köhler. Illustration: Claudia Meitert

The German capital is glowing anew after the completion of new real estate developments over the last few months; a lot of money has been invested. Bikini Berlin, located in the western part of the city, houses 58 shops and 19 pop-up stores on a total area of approximately 17,000 square metres; brands such as Aspesi, Grifoni, and Odeeh have opened their first German branches there. The city on the banks of the Spree river was even the first choice for Japanese fashion house Uniqlo. Its 2,700 square metre store is the largest in Europe. Quite a lot of things have changed in the area between Potsdamer Platz and Friedrichstrasse too. Leipziger Platz now boasts the new “Mall of Berlin” with 270 shops spread out on an area of 76,000 square metres. Tenants such as Marc Cain, Strenesse, Pepe Jeans, Liebeskind, Strellson, Karl Lagerfeld, and Denim & Supply believe in the location in the heart of the city, which recently

received no less than 800 million Euros in investments. Berlin is a boomtown, at least for investors in fashion retail space. However, one thing is pretty clear: If one sees how many brands have invested in their own elaborate showrooms and/or their own online presence, one begins to understand why more and more players withdraw from the trade shows. It seems as if they simply don’t need them anymore. And this, following the law of supply and demand, creates massive competition. The exhibitor is now a rare commodity that is being wooed by countless organisers with attractive offers and promises. Overlaps, cannibalisation, and crowding out are commonplace. From a superficial point of view, it is actually quite amazing that the market situation only seems to marginally affect Berlin’s trade show scene.

The scene is as dynamic and diverse as ever and the more than a dozen all-rounders and specialists cover even the tiniest niches. style in progress 314

120 WHAT'S THE STORY

The only player to abandon the German capital is “The Gallery”.

“We will observe with interest from afar”, says Philipp Kronen, the managing partner of Igedo Company, which has decided to focus on Düsseldorf.

Long Term Option

Bread & Butter’s Karl-Heinz Müller observes a decline in internationalism. “I believe Berlin in general lacks international buyers”, says Müller, who showcases approximately 500 brands in Tempelhof. “The Italian attendance is an example of that.

They and the French are not as present as they used to be.”

Berlin’s visitor decline is naturally also a result of local market conditions. The Bread & Butter trade show has an option for the location Tempelhof until 2019.

This ensures continuity, but is also a commitment to one single venue. “One of the big issues is that the market is not growing at the moment, but tends to shrink and additionally many market participants simply don’t exhibit anymore”, Karl-Heinz Müller explains. There are enough examples to prove his statement correct. Scotch & Soda, a longtime exhibitor at Bread & Butter, is focusing on its own stores and has decided not to attend the trade show this season. This development is consistent across the segments for all organisers.

Not every stand corresponds to the size and market significance of the exhibitors; some brands quite deliberately choose smaller means of presentation in off-locations. It is questionable whether this approach reaches a mass of buyers, mainly because their intake capacity and time in the capital is limited.

The Caravan Moves On

Location changes characterise the trade show scene. The Panorama is moving from the airport to the Expo-Centre in western Berlin, thus growing by 40 percent to approximately 33,000 square metres. “January showed us that the demand exceeds our supply of space”, says organiser Jörg Wichmann. “We had quite a few companies on the waiting list.”

Following talks with the partners of Messe Berlin, the Panorama decided to move to the exhibition centre, which offers more 314 style in progress

Thomas Martini explains. The Bright utilises an additional floor of the former Warenhaus Jandorf, where it moved to in January. “It was an important and good decision to go to Berlin”, Martini says. “The competition may be fiercer, but ultimately many important players are here.” However, this new location is merely temporary.

There are talks suggesting that G-Star may move its German headquarters into the former department store. “The upcoming and the next event will be staged here, but then we’ll have to see what happens”, Martini explains.

“In Berlin venues are not made to last for eternity.”

expansion opportunities. “The feedback from our exhibitors suggests that it was the right step to take. They are delighted that we are more accessible now.” The mall concept, that allows brands to showcase their franchise and store concepts, was particularly well received. “Many brands achieved positive results and sold shops.” That’s hardly a surprise given that many companies are currently growing via their own retail concepts.

The Fashion Week will relocate once again too. The location at the Brandenburg Gate was already used for a public viewing event during the last Football World Cup, which overlapped with the fashion event. This time, the Fashion Week as a whole will be staged in the Erika Hess Ice Rink in Wedding.

That’s not too far out of town, but also not really close to any of the important trade shows.

Jarrad Clark, vice president and global creative director of IMG, remains pragmatic: “The fashion industry is all about change and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to do something else this season.” The visitors need to be quite flexible; this is not the first move for the Fashion Week and it may not be the last. And even this event could benefit from a bit more internationality.

The Green Showroom returns to Hotel Adlon Kempinski after a brief interlude in the Kronprinzenpalais. The latter will not be utilised this summer. “The Adlon will offer more room for the exhibitors and the spatial situation allows the realisation of more individual stands”, says Kern Communications’ Alex Vogt.

The Ethical Fashion Show will, however, be staged at its usual location, namely the E-Werk in Berlin Central’s Wilhelmstrasse.

This season the main focus of the event’s agenda is sustainable standards and certificates.

cy of international visitors”, says organiser Edina Sultanik. “All eyes are on Berlin to see whether the city can retain its status as an international marketplace for fashion”, she adds.

Another trade fair that shows continuity regarding its location is the Show & Order. Verena Malta has extended the lease with the Kraftwerk and is preparing for a long-term commitment.

“I definitely have expansion options at that location”, she says.

She has decided to expand her portfolio by adding Pronto-Moda under the title “Show & Buy”. “I can sense an enormous market demand. Retailers need to have the possibility to order at a trade show”, she suggests. The credo that Berlin is not an order location is disappearing slowly, especially as the Panorama trade show has added space for instant deals - named “Now” - to its portfolio too.

Continuity

www.breadandbutter.com - 8th to 10th of July 2014 www.brighttradeshow.com - 8th to 10th of July 2014 www.capsuleshow.com - 8th to 9th of July 2014 www.curvy-is-sexy.com - 8th to 10th of July 2014 www.ethicalfashionshowberlin.com - 8th to 10th of July 2014 www.fashion-week-berlin.com - 8th to 13th of July 2014 www.green-showroom.net - 8th to 9th of July 2014 www.lavera-showfloor.de - 9th to 11th of July 2014 www.panorama-berlin.com - 8th to 10th of July 2014 www.premiumexhibitions.de - 8th to 10th of July 2014 www.seekexhibitions.com - 8th to 10th of July 2014 www.showandorder.de - 8th to 10th of July 2014 www.whitelabelberlin.com - 8th to 10th of July 2014

The Capsule trade show stays true to the Postbahnhof location; it will showcase roughly 100 exhibitors from the progressive menswear sector. After the event was taken over by the company Reed Elsevier, a special retail team was assembled to attract more international buyers. “We anticipate an increasing frequen-

Changed Sequence of Days

The Premium trade show will, however, only open an additional 1,000 square metre hall in Berlin in January. “The plan is to provide an area for pre-collections and new luxury items by international design brands”, Anita Tillmann says. “We still see potential in that area.” The decision to move the start of the show forward by one day to Monday in January 2015 is justified with overlaps with events in Paris. “30 to 40 of our exhibitors also showcase their products in Paris; this move rectifies the situation.”

The international trade fair calendar also affects the Bright trade show, which will also start a day earlier in summer; up until now it ran from Wednesday to Friday. “Our event collided with the dates of the Agenda trade fair in Long Beach”, initiator

122 WHAT'S THE STORY

Focus on Düsseldorf The Igedo Company wants to strengthen its base in Düsseldorf with the addition of “The Gallery”. After an excursion into the trade show universe of Berlin, it is now focusing on its new location in the port of the Rhine city and thus adding an additional segment.

Text: Ina Köhler.

Photos: The Gallery Düsseldorf

There will be three locations in Düsseldorf this summer: “The Gallery” as the core element in the former embassy in Cecilienallee, the nearby Rheinland Hall of the Hilton with the “Red Carpet”, and the “Hammer Halls”.

The new location in South Düsseldorf offers approximately 2,600 square metres of exhibition area, which was occupied by the Premium trade show in February this year. “We are basically adding a new segment”, says Philipp Kronen, the managing partner at Igedo Company.

However, the company will not merely take over the labels of the Premium, but has developed its own independent profile, according to Ulrike Kähler, the project director for national trade shows at Igedo Company.

International labels and agencies will be given the opportunity to present their products in the Hammer Halls. “We evaluate every exhibitor before deciding which environment would be the most suitable”, Kähler adds.

Brands such as Anett Röstel have been added to the embassy location. Labels such as Sternensee, Hugenberg, Fish & the Sea, and the Munich-based agency D-tails present their brand portfolio on 180 square metres. The brands on display are diverse and include Duvetica, Daks, and Borrelli. Hinterhofagentur, another Munich-based agency and agent Jeremy Mc Alpine use the base in Düsseldorf to showcase brands such as Wool & Co, Out of Order, Etiqueta Negra, and Cape Horn. “The exhibitors expect

“We are basically adding a new segment.” Philipp Kronen, Igedo Company

us to ensure that the location is functional, suitably air-conditioned, and that the catering is good”, Philipp Kronen explains.

In addition, the new location will be connected with all other major locations via an expanded shuttle service.

Berlin Contacts - Rhine Base

Igedo Company has imported some ideas and contacts from Berlin. The former exhibitors were offered to exhibit in the Rhine city too. Young designers now have the possibility to showcase their ideas in the “Not Couture” area of the port location. The exhibitors will include Polish and Turkish designers such as Yasemi Özeni. And

The embassy in Cecilienallee will be the home base; two other locations are also part of the business.

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“We evaluate every exhibitor before deciding which environment would be the most suitable.” Ulrike Kähler, Igedo Company

there’s one more innovation: The Little Gallery, an independent children’s fashion trade show running from three weeks before the regular date up until now, will be integrated into the main event. “We are not creating a separate area, but we will display the complete fashion collections of the suppliers”, Ulrike Kähler explains.

After the opera workshops in Berlin were no longer available for the summer, Igedo Company decided to withdraw from the city and to add the Hammer Halls to its portfolio instead.

“In Berlin it is always difficult to secure long term contracts for locations”, Philipp Kronen says.

“After we had examined various alternatives, we were only left with second best options.” He is optimistic regarding the return to Düsseldorf. “I think the city is on the up again.”

25th to 28th of July 2014, www.the-gallery-duesseldorf.com

124 THE TALK

"Berlin. Where Else?"

Anita Tillmann always believed in Berlin and supported the Premium trade show in the German capital through the good times and the bad. The success proves she was right to do so. The Premium trade show is now undisputed among exhibitors and visitors. However, discussions about Berlin’s future as fashion capital refuse to stop. Anita Tillmann tells style in progress why she remains unperturbed.

Interview: Stephan Huber.

Text: Isabel Faiss.

Photo: Juergen Schabes

Did you ever have moments in which you doubted whether this city is the right place to be?

No. The market will always experience difficult times, regardless of the city. What’s more important is how you deal with it. Berlin is the right place and has enormous potential for further development on both national and international levels.

Foremost, it has the space to change. What would the alternative be? I certainly can’t think of one. I believe in Berlin more than ever, mostly because the city’s geographical location in the centre of Europe with the strong economic environment of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland speaks for itself. New concepts and hypes come and go; that’s the way of the world. Ultimately, everybody has to focus on their own product and ensure that it works, makes sense, and is justifiable.

The Berlin fashion world around the Premium is currently in motion. Is there any communication between the key players?

Of course there is. For example, I quite openly discuss scheduling issues with Karl-Heinz Müller; we also talk about the general market development or how we assess the market situation. I talk to all the other trade show organisers on a regular basis too.

Berlin works due to a constant dialogue. Currently we are witnessing very inspiring movement from every angle. There are a lot of new projects out there. We will have to wait and see which of them survive, but this constant change and renewal is what makes this city so unique.

Some criticise that there approximately one dozen events during the Fashionweek…

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Nobody is forced to attend all events. We have an exciting list of possibilities and everyone can decide which one is relevant individually. I don’t see that as a problem.

What was the most drastic change for the Premium over the last few years?

I would say the international positioning of Berlin. When we first launched the Premium back in the day, hardly anyone believed that Berlin could establish itself as a fashion city. Back then nobody could foresee that this city would develop into a melting pot for the entire fashion industry. In 2003, Berlin was a vast mass of creative potential which we used to launch a revolutionary trade show format and a whole new segment. After all, the premium segment did not exist then. We defined and established a product before turning it into an international brand that we will develop further continually. In hindsight it was a very smart decision, because the premium market is one of the few segments that are still successful today.

Are there specific topics or concepts that you would like to develop for the Premium in the medium term?

A lot is happening in our industry from a fashion point of view, so we don’t want to constantly introduce new segments on top of the diversity of the fashion collections. Only two years ago, we introduced the Essence of Premium concept with highend Italian designer brands and the Dissonance Area for the new avant-garde, which both complement the other segments of the Premium perfectly. The Seek is in its fifth successful year and showcases the “Who’s who” of progressive and modern mens-

wear. Next season we want to focus on sharpening our profile and integrating new relevant collections. If we manage to bundle everything that’s new and present it conclusively, then we have achieved our aim.

Is this one of the reasons behind the continual positive development of the Premium over the last few seasons?

Yes, but it is also down to the continuity of our work. A constantly breathless industry simply needs reliable anchors. Instead of jumping from one thing to the next, I’d rather take an in-depth approach to optimise things.

One has to give new ideas enough time to establish themselves. Volatility is one of the weaknesses of our industry and is often mistaken for flexibility. It is our mission to deliver quality, curate brands anew every season, and bring the right partners together. We perceive ourselves as a service provider and a platform for the retail industry to present new brands and topics. Our key strengths are content competence and our passion for fashion. We know what we’re talking about when we discuss fashion and the fashion business. That’s what differentiates us from trade shows that prioritise the sale of exhibition space and allocate the largest stands to the largest brands without any topic-related context.

A lot of rumours about the corporate structure of the Premium surfaced recently…

Are there any major expansion plans in the drawer?

Rumours are commonplace in the fashion industry. Everything remains as it is for the moment.

We have Premium Exhibitions, which is a fully-owned subsidiary of Station Berlin. The fashion team of the Premium markets

THE TALK 125

"Our key strengths are content competence and our passion for fashion. We know what we’re talking about when we discuss fashion and the fashion business“, Anita Tillmann

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126 THE TALK

the trade shows in Berlin and Munich, while the Station Berlin team takes care of the locations as venues. The Station Berlin is well booked throughout the year for other events such as galas like Tribute to Bambi, various trade fair formats like the re:publica, and the art show ABC, as well as vehicle-related, industrial, and political events. Furthermore, we develop our own formats such as the bicycle show Berliner Fahrrad Schau, which is a public exhibition that is enjoying increasing national and international attention. The Premium generated significantly higher revenues last year. We receive so many requests from exhibitors that I could easily go out and organise a second fashion trade show. I am tempted to do just that. However, our next step is to focus on our core products, the Premium in Berlin and the further development and expansion of the Premium Order in Munich.

How much growth potential does the Premium still have?

Spatially our expansion opportunities are limited and that is actually quite a good thing.

This means we will continue to grow content-wise instead. The Premium thrives on the fact that it showcases a mix of established and new brands. Our sole focus is on the product. The minute the Premium shows a lot of attention to a very well-known brand, we know we have done something wrong. That’s why we – regrettably so – have to turn down so many great brands on a regular basis, because we cannot – and don’t want to – offer such a marketing measure. Admittedly, that is not always easy from an entrepreneurial point of view.

However, that is ultimately necessary from a conceptual point of view.

You have withdrawn from Düsseldorf…

That decision was overdue in respect of trade show management.

I am glad that we have taken that step. All the major agencies that we cooperate closely with have their own showrooms there and the order period extends far beyond the core days of the trade show. As of now, we want to strengthen our competence in Munich. Due to an agreement with the Klinder family’s Munich 314 style in progress

mand is enormous. The premiere is scheduled for the period from the 9th to the 12th of August.

Berlin and Munich are also moving closer together in respect of the timing of the events. Will that be the crucial axis in the future?

I’m definitely convinced that the market needs a clear structure and better coordinated dates. We want to contribute to that.

So what are the long term possibilities for Berlin?

Fabric Start show, we can now use the exhibition halls of the MOC, for which we have developed a new modern concept together.

Is that purely a location co-operation or also a content-related collaboration?

At the moment it is a content-related and logistical co-operation, but we are discussing a joint venture to further promote Munich as a location. The Premium in Berlin is an international event.

There we negotiate contracts with brands from all over the globe to enable them to present their products to retailers on an international level. Furthermore, we have a high percentage of foreign agencies in Berlin; they are all looking for new brands for their portfolio. Munich, however, is the most powerful sales platform in Germany and we are working hard to turn it into a really big event. The Premium Order Munich is a trade show for distributors and sales representatives from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. There deals are made, but 40 percent of the collections are new and not yet finished in time for Berlin; they are mostly collections from the shoe and accessories industries. In Munich, we see a high growth potential up to a total area of 30,000 sqm and the de-

In times like these, when everybody is redefining themselves and wondering what the future holds, there are many new creative ideas and one can meet new exciting people. I, for my part, am very confident regarding the future of Berlin. The city is attracting more and more international customers, mainly Asians, Russians, and Eastern Europeans. There is still a lot of room for improvement. That being said, Berlin is still not on the map in many countries; that applies to brands and buyers.

Berlin has only been perceived as a fashion location for ten years, while the traditional fashion metropolises such as Paris and Milan can look back at decades or centuries of history. We now have the unique opportunity to establish ourselves by continual redefinition. At that time I was responsible for putting the entire Berlin topic into one bracket, mainly because I believed that it should be communicated as a package. Now Berlin has established itself in that respect.

But, as in every other city and in every other industry, you have to continue working on your product and adapt to the market conditions. This is not only necessary to satisfy existing needs, but also to create new ones. It is incredible how many cross-thinking opportunities this city offers. Berlin is a centre for start-ups, because here you can realise new formats and solutions. They are probably being created as we speak.

solutions. We are a market place that constantly introduces new products. Once a company has presented its product and found its customers, it often retreats back into its own showroom.

We show new products and designers, new positioning, new concepts and co-operations, new distribution policies, and more.

That is our constant framework in which we redefine ourselves for a market in which there is enough movement as it is.

Does that not also offer new conceptual possibilities for the Premium?

Basically, it does. The only constant is change. This is also the motto that describes my own personality best. I am always on the lookout for new approaches, optimisation potential, and new

www.premiumexhibitions.de

Photos: Harling & Darsell, www.harling-darsell.com Art direction & production: Mody Al128 Khufash, MODE www.jlffstudio.com Hair/Make-up: Benjamin Becher with Kevin Murphy and Tom Ford products Model: Hanne Brüning Production assistance: William Schlesinger

Rock ’n’ Roll Parisienne

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132 MODE Jacket: Meindl Top: Campus Trousers: Pepe Jeans London

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MODE 133 Jacket: Silvian Heach Top: Alpha Studio Shorts: Silvian Heach

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MODENYC 135 Jacket: Schott Top: Steffen Schraut Trousers: AG Adriano Goldschmied

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Photos: Jette Stolte www.jettestolte.com Art direction & production: Mody Al Khufash www.jlffstudio.com Hair/Make-up: Benjamin Becher with Kevin Murphy and Tom Ford products Model: Kiki @ Place Models Production assistance: William Schlesinger

Jacket: Tibi New York Pullover: Edith Ella

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144 IN STORE

A Man’s Paradise Stereo/Muc/Munich.

Henrik Soller and Florian Ranft, the owners of the Komet & Helden fashion agency, opened their first multi-brand store in March.

The shop is designed exclusively for men and is located in Munich, the founders’ home base. They wouldn’t have dared to make such a move anywhere else.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Photos: Stereo/Muc, Julian Henschel.

The time was ripe for a long-cherished dream of Florian Ranft and Henrik Soller, the owners of the Komet & Helden fashion distribution agency.

The opened their first own store in March; its product range is exclusively for men, even at a time when other retailers are finding out that the men’s fashion business is not running as well as many media outlets had predicted. However, Henrik Soller remains confident: “There is a niche for our concept here in Munich. We wouldn’t have dared to open this store in any other city, only here, where we are at home.”

Hand-picked

The location in Munich’s Residenzstrasse is exposed; there is a large audience. To date, the store housed an outlet of local confectionery specialist Confisserie Rottenhöfer. It was carefully renovated for the Stereo store to ensure that typical elements of the 1950s were maintained, such as the lamellae walls and a suspended curved ceiling. A sweeping staircase leads the visitors to the upper floor, which houses a cafe. The gastronomy team headed by Arnold Jäger Werner is famous among locals and offers a carefully selected menu including various delicacies such as alcohol-free apple champagne and steam-cooked roast beef. The coffee is a special house brand that can also be purchased in the store.

hide them in the bathroom cabinet. “The selection is more important than the width of the product range”, Henrik Soller stresses. The first financial results of Stereo prove him right. “Our customers mainly buy special products, such as jeans by Gilded Age or washed shirts and trousers

by Pence”, Florian Ranft reveals.

“Everything that’s different, unique, and special sells well.”

Driven by Emotion

Stereo owners Florian Ranft and Henrik Soller: “This store is very close to our heart.” They quite deliberately decided against an online shop, because they believe “stationary retail has more character.”

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The fashion range of Stereo on the ground floor is equally exclusive. “We don’t analyse specific target groups, but we trust our gut feeling to find what we like and what our customers could like”, Henrik Soller says.

Thus, off-the-peg clothing and sportswear blend into a self-evident style, whereby roughly 50% of the product range is sourced from the Komet & Helden brand portfolio, such as AG, Blauer, C.P.Company, and Hartford. The store also stocks - among others - Denham, Levi’s, Nudie, Church footwear, the archetypical sneaker model Adidas Stan Smith model, and Doc Martens. Florian Ranft and Henrik Soller believe in the special retail trade and in making fashion tangible, which is why the Stereo concept quite deliberately does not include an online shop. “You simply have to see and feel it; these are no standard products”, Florian Ranft explains. Rather, there are countless fashion delicacies to explore, such as beautifully crafted pocketknives from France, shoehorns with lion heads by Pasotti, hand-embroidered handkerchiefs by Jupe by Jackie, and even personal care products

by Baxter of California. The latter are way too good to merely

Stereo/Muc Gents Wear & Café Residenzstrasse 25, 8 0333 Munich/Germany www.stereo-muc.de Opening: March 2014 Owners: Florian Ranft and Henrik Soller Sales area: 200 sqm + 100 sqm cafe space Brands: AG Adriano Goldschmied, Alain, Baracuta, Barena, Blauer USA, Bowery, BPD, C.P. Company, Denham, Gilded Age, Giorgio Brato, Harris Wharf London, Hartford, Jean Shop, Lacoste, Levi´s, Lightning Bolt, Mackintosh, Mastai Ferretti, Mauro Grifoni, Nudie Jeans, Pence, Roberto Collina, The Gigi, Tonello, The White Briefs, Spiewak, Original Vintage Style, WLG Accessories and shoe brands: Adidas, Atelier de l´Armee, Barleycorn, Baxter of California, Buttero, Church´s, Cote & Ciel, Cover Lab, Deus, Diemme, Dr. Martens, Dukes, Emma Opitz, Faizy Leather Goods, Filson, Geo F.Trumper, Grenson, Gino B, Jupe by Jackie, King Baby, Langer & Messmer, Makr, Miansai, Mühle Shaving, Pantherella, Pasotti, Passion France, Red Wing, Riccardo Forconi, Speedometer, Tricker´s, Vans, Want les Essentiels de la Vie

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The product range mixes special items with more saleable goods, deliberately without claiming to be exhaustive.

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Bazar Royal’s charm is defined by antiques from various periods, warm colours, and large glass surfaces combined with individual decorative elements and a product presentation with love for detail.

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Just Be Happy!

BAZAR ROYAL/LEIPZIG. In the beautiful Mädler Passage, located in the heart of Leipzig, Torsten Mansfeld has realised his dream of owning a store.

Since 2008, he also operates an online shop from the same premises.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka, Photos: Bazar Royal

The history of the Mädler Passage dates back to the 15th century. It was extensively renovated in the 1990s and still houses - thanks to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Auerbachs Keller, one of the most famous restaurants in the world. In the southern corner shop on the exit towards the Neumarkt, one can find the baroque ceiling fresco titled “Helios’ Sun Chariot”, which was discovered during the demolition of Auerbachs Hof and subsequently transferred to shop number 18, the home of Bazar Royal since 2003.

Mini Multichannel

Owner Torsten Mansfeld switched to the premium textile retailing business in 2003 after working as a craftsman and publishing agent. The online shop - which is run as a purely in-house project - opened in 2008. It initially only offered Belstaff jackets, but today it stocks more than 25 brands from the portfolio of his store in Leipzig. “If we hadn’t opened the online shop, we could not

purchase for the stationary store as we do. For instance, it would be too risky to stock Prps jeans or Shoto boots in a pronounced diversity in Leipzig”, Torsten Mansfeld explains. “When the flood hit the region last year, people had other things on their mind than clothes shopping for quite a while. During that period, the online shop literally kept us afloat”, Torsten Mansfeld recalls the spring/summer season 2013.

In addition to regular customers who sometimes come from as far as Dresden or Chemnitz, Bazar Royal also often welcomes artists or actors with a guest appearance in the city, as well as people visiting Leipzig for the book fair. “Leipzig is attracting an increasing number of tourists and many of them are thrilled to find owner-managed retailers holding out in the Mädler Passage”, the 44-year-old says. He is particularly proud of his employees, who are always friendly and customer-oriented while treating each other like a little family.

The ratings on the independent shop review portal eKomi speak for themselves. The customer satisfaction rating stands at 4.9 of 5. Here is an excerpt: “It’s just fun to shop at Royal Bazar, both online and in the store in Mädler Passage. The latter is sales culture at its finest!”, says one of the 420 customer ratings.

Innovations for 2014

Heart and soul - Torsten Mansfeld just loves making his customers happy.

“We visit the Bread & Butter and Premium to view new collections”, Mansfeld explains.

Since the beginning of the year he has Filson Garment, Merz bei Schwanen, Princess Goes Hollywood, Frogbox, Cervolante, Nigel Cabourn, Matchless, Daniele Fiesoli, Mala Alisha, and Muubaa in his label portfolio.

New brands will be added this coming autumn; among others Manifattura Ceccarelli, Tellason, Spiewak, Holubar, Luis Trenker, Primeboots, The Last Conspiracy, AG Adriano Goldschmied, Drakewood, and Free Rain.

“We’ve added more brands than ever for the 2014 season. The customers have become more open for smaller and lesser

known brands, as long as quality, exclusivity, and price are in the right proportion”, he explains.

“In August we will renovate our store for the first time in eleven years and we are very pleased to be able to make our customers happy in a new ambience.”

Bazar Royal Grimmaische Strasse 2-4 Mädler Passage 04109 Leipzig/Germany www.bazarroyal.com Owner: Torsten Mansfeld Employees: 7 (incl. online shop) Sales area: 100 sqm Brands: 7 For All Mankind, Aeronautica Militare, Ari Denim, Barbour, Barena, Belstaff, Bleu de Chauffe, Blonde No. 8, Campomaggi, C.P. Company, Denham the Jeanmaker, Dukes Finest Vintage Artisan, Edwin, Fame On You, Fil Noir, Freds Burder, Frogbox, Gilded Age, Harris Wharf London, Hartford, Hemley, Hüftgold, Johnson Motors, King Baby Studio, Met Jeans, Moma, Moschino, N.d.c., Nudie Jeans, Paige Denim, Parajumpers, Preventi, Prps, Red Wing Shoes, Rich & Royal, Rosemunde, Ruderiders, Shoto, Stetson, Striessnig Wien, True Religion Brand Jeans, Woolrich

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The store’s warm atmosphere is created by brick walls, copper, brass, wood, and vintage furniture.

Time Travel for Individualists Chrystall/Düsseldorf.

In her shop located on Düsseldorf’s Fürstenplatz, Simone Chrystall takes her customers back in time.

She has all the right ingredients: vintage interior, a carefully selected product range, and loving details characterise this very special concept store.

Text: Ina Köhler, Photos: Chrystall

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Fürstenplatz is not considered to be one of the classic shopping miles in Düsseldorf. However, the area around the square is quickly developing into a hip quarter. One contributing factor to this development is the commitment of a woman with a knack for trends. In 2008, Simone Chrystall - then still together with her partner Alexandra Kiefermann - opened her first store under the label Iheart.

“That was real pioneering work”, she explains. “Fürstenplatz was not a fashion location at all back then.” Simone Chrystall’s store underwent a thorough re-launch last year. She added another two rooms and expanded the product

range. The result is a 350 square metre Chrystall shop that is as comfy as your own living room or an old English club.

The concept makes sure it does not exclude men or children.

The latter can browse through fashion, as well as shoes, toys, and special accessories under the label Chrystall Kids, in a separate room. “Many of our regular customers visit our store together with their partner, so it made sense to expand the product range to cover the entire family”, Chrystall explains.

Eye Candy for Explorers

The store, which is full of nooks and crannies, is true eye candy

for lovers of vintage items. Bicycles stand next to plush chairs, cute toys in apothecary cabinets next to children’s books. Vintage lamps, that can be purchased as well as admired, can be found next to old sailing boats and boxing gloves in library shelves with beautiful patinas. The interior is a delightful mixture of the old and new: product displays made of copper pipes and a brass shoe wall stand in stark contrast to floral tapestries, carpets, and raw brickwork. The Chesterfield sofa, industrial lighting elements, showcases, chairs, and iron cupboards give the store a special touch. The interior design was done by Simone Chrystall

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Atmospheric - tin toys, board games, old furniture, bicycles, and many other items characterise the store’s unique charm.

herself, who is a professional civil engineer. She draws her inspiration from her countless trips to the metropolises of the world. That’s also where she finds the ideas for all the items that can be found in her store: high-class soaps and scented candles, key rings, backgammon games, and tin toys that are the perfect presents for both young and grownup enthusiasts. “It is important to me that my shop stocks items for all budgets - from smaller gifts to highend leather jackets”, Chrystall explains.

Right from the start, the concept included the adjacent Bar Apartment, which is furnished in

the same vintage style. It serves coffee and cakes, small delicacies, and even the odd reading. “I cannot imagine the store without the cafe, as many people combine a visit to our shop with a short shopping break”, the owner explains. The Fürstenplatz may not be the Königsallee, but it’s most definitely a more individual area.

In June 2014, a second Chrystall branch opened in Flurstrasse in the trendy Flingern district. It’s a delightful mix of fashion, bar, and kitchen.

Simone Chrystall: “It is important to me that my store stocks items for all budgets.”

Chrystall Fürstenplatz 5, 40215 Düsseldorf/Germany, Flurstrasse 74 40235 Düsseldorf/Germany www.chrystall.com Opening: October 2013 Employees: 7 Sales area: 350 sqm Women’s brands: 5 Preview, Black Lily, Closed, Drykorn, Dondup, Hip Tee, Iheart, Sita Murt, Tigha, Zoe Karssen Men’s brands: 29, Closed, Denham, Gabba, Nudie, Tigha, Love Nail Tree Children’s brands: 5 Preview, Scotch & Soda, Maileg, Minymo, New Balance, Olden Mea Accessories brands: Alex Monroe, Alberto Fermani, Becksöndergaard, Black Lily, Espadrij, Ilse Jacobsen, Moma, Melissa, New Balance, Philippe Model, Ugg

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Larger, better, and more beautiful - Eve now boasts 200 square metres of sales area, including a new men’s department.

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Saleswoman with Heart and Soul Eve Pure Fashion/ Schweinfurt. Finally arrived - after two moves, the store Eve has set up shop in Schweinfurt’s Rückertstrasse. On two floors it stocks fashion for women - and now also for men.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Photos: Eve Pure Fashion

Evelyn Stütz was of the opinion that Schweinfurt lacked stores with high-end fashion at affordable prices. Based on this belief she opened her first small store in Kirchgasse in 2008 and introduced the industrial town with 40,000 residents to brands that it had not seen before: Drykorn, Closed, and Friendly Hunting. Pronto Moda from Italy was soon added to the list.

The success proved her right and the store concept quickly found its fans. The 65 square metre shop was soon bursting at the seams, which is why the business was moved to larger premises in Brückenstrasse - a 1B location - two years later. Another store with a younger and more affordable product range followed suit.

New Field

However, Evelyn Stütz soon realised that she can only be in one place at a time. Her solution was to open a new 200 square metre Eve store in a prime location, in a lively environment in the midst of shoe and fashion retailers, as well as cafes. This happened in May last year and proved to be yet another inspired decision.

The new Eve shop is bright and friendly. The lobby is generously spaced with an appropriately airy

“I am not focused on short-term success, but on our high service level”, says Evelyn Stütz, the owner of Eve Pure Fashion.

presentation of a few highlights such as embroidered tunics by Star Mela from London, printed shirts by Fame On You from Paris, and a lace bikini by Patrizia Pepe. A large wooden staircase leads to an equally large upper floor. “Now I feel like I have finally arrived where I belong”, says Evelyn Stütz, who has also decided to add men’s fashion as a new business field. On a space of 30 square metres in the rear section of the ground floor the store displays a small coherent range consisting of sportswear

by Closed and Destressed from Denmark, shirts by Q1, and shoes, as well as handkerchiefs.

“I was often asked to do something for men too”, she says.

“However, I was also warned that men simply buy less and mostly go shopping on weekends. We already have some loyal fans and we hope that their number will increase.”

Focus on Service

Over time, the concept of Eve became increasingly high-end. A small section with Pronto Moda items is still part of the concept, mainly because Evelyn Stütz believes that this product mixture is essential to her clientele. “I do notice the gap is widening constantly”, she says. This is why the store owner travels far and wide to acquire new products without pre-ordering. At the same time she is a saleswoman with heart and soul whenever her role as mother allows her to do so. All the more she needs to rely on excellent sales personnel to represent her in her absence.

“We stand for honest and competent advice, which is often poor in other stores”, Evelyn Stütz explains. “A store like ours is successful because of its service level; it is important for us to build a personal and friendly relationship with our customers.”

The first six years of Eve were a whirlwind with four new openings and three closures.

“That cost a lot of strength”, Evelyn Stütz acknowledges. “But it was the right decision to focus exclusively on one store. We developed step by step to become what we are today.”

Eve Pure Fashion Rückertstrasse 9, 97421 Schweinfurt/Germany, www.eve-pure-fashion.de Opening: September 2008; Reopening: May 2013 Owner: Evelyn Stütz Sales area: 200 sqm Women’s brands: 7 For All Mankind, AG Adriano Goldschmied, Closed, Citizens of Humanity, Drykorn, Iheart, J Brand, Lala Berlin, Patrizia Pepe, Rich & Royal, Set, Selected Femme Men’s brands: Closed, Destressed, Lucky de Luca, Q1, Thiga Shoe and accessories brands: among others AA Copenhagen, Bloch, Hipanema, Hudson, Hüftgold, Fiorentini & Baker, Leaf,Mischmasch, n.d.c., Sam Edelmann, Shabbies Amsterdam, Stylesnob

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Got Milk?

TYPE HYPE/BERLIN. The design label Type Hype has opened its Berlin-based concept store under the roof of the in-fashion Hotel Lux Eleven. It is a unique homage to the art of typography in combination with a milk bar.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka, Photos: Ailine Leifeld

Two leading personalities of the German creative scene are the driving force behind Type Hype. Kirsten Dietz and Jochen Rädeker run one of the most renowned design studios in the country. More than 600 awards are a testament to the quality of their work, among them 30 Awards of Excellence from the legendary Type Directors Club of New York, as well as Grand Prix awards in all major design competitions in Europe, the US, and Asia. Furthermore, Kirsten Dietz is the author of numerous design books, while Jochen Rädeker was at the helm of the Art Directors Club Deutschland (ADC), the association of Germany’s best creative minds, until 2012. After 20 years of commissioned work for top brands, the two launched their own label named Type Hype with a collection of premium design items centred on the alphabet.

It is tailor-made for everyone who values touchable design, high-quality print work, and tangible quality in our digital era.

Sustainable manufacturing and the typical metropolitan lifestyle of Berlin are combined with individual designs. The products from the segments paper ware, home collection, accessories, food culture, and tableware are available in versions with letters and numbers in five design lines from vintage to pure, from fine art to Bauhaus. “Berlin is the only place where tradition and innovation, East and West, and art and industry culture merge in a truly innovative manner”, say the founders Kirsten Dietz and Jochen Rädeker. “Type Hype was born from this lively mixture.”

Love for Tradition

The store had been open for a mere two months when it won the “Store of the Year 2014” award from the German trade association in the “Out of Line” category. This prize is annually awarded to outstanding and innovative retail concepts. The Type Hype concept store sets the scene for the product range with a lot of attention to detail.

It is therefore fairly logical that it also revives another tradition.

In the good old days typesetter apprentices had to drink litres of milk while working, which is why Type Hype decided to incorporate a milk bar. This bar does not only offer fresh biological milk from Brandenburg and coffee specialities from Berlin-based coffee roasters, but also a range of slow-food snacks from milk chocolate to butter sandwiches. The excellent quality of the food culture within the store is guaranteed by none less than Otto Geisel, the founder and initiator of Stuttgart’s slow-food trade show “Markt des guten Geschmacks” and the bachelor course “Food Management” at the dual university of Baden-Württemberg.

The foundersJochen Rädeker and Kirsten Dietz combine art, industry culture, and slow-food.

Type Hype Store & Milchbar Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 9/13 10178 Berlin/Germany Opening: December 2013 Owners: Kirsten Dietz, Jochen Rädeker Employees: 7 Sales area: 100 sqm

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Old industrial lights illuminate lead typesetting coffers and an ancient Korrex proofing press, thereby creating the flair of a printing shop from the last century.

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It’s a Girl!

PKZ WOMEN/ZURICH. When it opened in March, PKZ Women in Zurich instantly became the largest women’s fashion retailer in Switzerland. This is the birth of the new PKZ. Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: PKZ

In March, Ph. Olivier Burger, the CEO of PKZ Group, presented his rather large new baby in front of 1,500 guests on Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s legendary shopping mile. The store boasts 3,000 square metres of sales area on four levels, houses a restaurant with around 50 seats on the third floor, and even offers a large terrace with near to 100 seats. The businessman’s first assessment after a few weeks is positive - both the mother and child are healthy, but now the baby needs to learn how to walk.

But he’s not rushing it. The HSG graduate and studied business economist was never one to force an issue.

Continuity as Tradition

PKZ has been on the market for no less than 133 years. In 1881, Paul Kehl launched Switzerland’s first men’s fashion collection in Winterthur. The business was moved to Zurich three years later, which explains the three-letter name of the company. PKZ

Glamour where it’s due: Ph. Olivier Burger and his wife, Hilda BurgerCalderon, at the opening of PKZ Women in Zurich.

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was always known as a place for men, even though it’s common knowledge that women normally shop for their men or at least have the final say regarding what’s purchased. Olivier Burger, who runs the group as a representative of the third generation, carried the idea to transform the ten acquired Feldpausch stores, a company founded in 1927 as a women’s fashion retailer, and new locations, such as the store in Sihlcity Zurich, into PKZ Women around with him for a very long time. His patience was severely tested. The conversion of the store in Zurich in general was testing, as were the efforts to obtain planning permission for an enormous 50 square metre LED installation by the British artist Julian Opie. The latter occupies 7 metres of shop window space facing the Bahnhofstrasse.

A project like this would have been unthinkable until now.

Burger Knows What Women Want

At the end of the day everything went smoother than initially anticipated, says Olivier Burger.

The most satisfactory result is that the regular customers have stayed loyal despite the name change; this can be witnessed in all PKZ Women stores. After all, the group knows its business and had the presence to ask its female customers what they desire. The core statement was surprisingly obvious: “If the product range is coherent and I get to keep my sales advisor, then I really don’t care what name is on the door.”

The boss guarantees this continuity in the renovated Zurich store and all other branches that will be modernised one by one.

The company remains true to its roots while still going with the times. The twelfth branch is online. Olivier Burger is particularly proud of his PKZ.ch online shop, especially of the fact that the web-shop is the first to allow its customers to directly pay with their PKZ credit card via an application on smart phones or tablets. He is not worried that the online shop may take away from the stationary retail business. His experience tells him

that the modern woman knows what she wants. She is used to making her own pre-selection and has no interest in being approached soon after she enters the store. She gathers information on all channels, naturally also online. The StylePad-Lounges at PKZ Women highlights the connection between offline and online. Everything has been taken into consideration, even the negative aspects of the online business. A return ratio of more than 33% needs to be acknowledged and managed from a logistical point of view. This is factored in, which is typical for Olivier Burger. Everything happens as it is intended, even the fact that the fourth generation is already lining up to take responsibility. Both sons are still completely independent from the parent company, but are already gaining experience in the fashion business. What else would you expect from real PKZ men?

PKZ WOMEN Bahnhofstrasse 88 8001 Zurich/Switzerland www.pkz.ch Owner: PKZ Group, CEO Ph. Olivier Burger Founded: March 2014 Sales area: 3,000 sqm Employees: 70 Brands: among others 7 For All Mankind, Akris Punto, Allude, Armani Jeans, Armani Collezioni, Ba&sh, Brax, Burberry, Cambio, Closed, Coccinelle, Comma, Costume National, Diesel, Dondup, Drykorn, Gant, Gerard Darel, Giorgio Brato, G-Star Raw, Hugo Boss, Issa London, J Brand, Liebeskind, Luisa Cerano, Maison Scotch, Maje, Marc Cain, Marc O’Polo, Michael Kors, Moncler, Mother Jeans, Odd Molly, Parajumpers, Paul Kehl, Paul & Joe, Pepe Jeans, Pinko, Polo Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren, Red Valentino, Sandro, Schumacher, See by Chloé, True Religion Brand Jeans, Woolrich Accessories brands: among others Alberto Fermani, Coccinelle, Converse, Furla, Jerôme Dreyfuss, L’Autre Chose, Michael Kors, Moma, New Balance, Pretty Ballerinas, Pura Lopez, UGG, Vic Matié

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The art installation that shows moving humans is a real revolution in Zurich.

Spacious - the new PKZ Women store offers its customers four levels to browse and lounges to relax.

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Female Family Business - Hanna Kawasaki (l.) and Clod Bernegger don’t mess about; they build their business step by step.

The Fashion Family Making Things/ZURICH. First women, then men, and now even children - the life of Clod Bernegger and Hanna Kawasaki always revolves around the family, both professionally and in their private life.

Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: aekae.com, Dörte Welti

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It was pure luck that these two women, who are so similar, crossed paths at all. Clod Bernegger hails from Zurich, where she completed her textile design studies at the Zurich University of Arts in 2004. Hanna Kawasaki is from Munich, where she earned a fashion design diploma at Esmod. For a while the two women even worked at the same design agency in Zurich, but not at the same time. They were introduced to each other

by a common friend. Hanna Kawasaki had just returned from New York. She had initially planned to relocate to the Big Apple for good, but decided to come back after she learned she was pregnant. Clod was - in a way - also pregnant. However, her baby was the idea to open her own store. Hanna’s search for children’s clothes that cannot be found on every corner resulted in her wanting to open a store that offers self-made items.

Thus, one thing led to another.

Right from the start, Making Things was about making things yourself and only stocking selfmade products. The name really says it all, don’t you think?

Making Things Bigger

The first location in the up-andcoming Circle 4 of Zurich was soon too small. Word about the two women - both mothers by now - that offer extraordinary items for children and women

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spread like wildfire. After two years the store was moved to a larger location just ten house numbers down the road. The new premises were also large enough to bring the flock that had increased to a total of three kids to the store too. However, the two women soon realised that the noble ideal of combining children with their career, their own silkscreen printing shop with the sewing studio, and their own boutique with their family lives and partners simply cost too much energy. One element simply had to go, which is why the concept of self-made products had to be scrapped.

Only the store equipment in the new premises was made by the women themselves - all of it.

A Man for Making Things

Clod and Hanna were solely focused on giving their female customers exactly what they came into Grüngasse for. They look for rare labels that come from smaller production batches and can therefore be described as sustainable with a clear conscience. Quality is extremely important to the two women.

It’s not about trends; it’s about beautiful materials and suitability for everyday use. These criteria also attracted the interest of men.

However, Clod and Hanna soon found out that men shop better when there are no women in the store. The consequence was the opening of Making Things Men in the trendy Geroldsgarten. This store is now the realm of Hanna’s partner, who took a 100% interest in the business and runs the shop in the small container town himself. The initial fear that the turnover in the women’s store could suffer when the men stay away was completely unfounded.

Business is better than ever.

selves. So why not? After the women’s store and the shop for men, they have decided to return to what the name stood for at the beginning of their wonderful co-operation: a children’s store named Making Little Things.

They already have a location and the opening is scheduled for August. The new store will stock self-made items from Clod and Hanna’s own studio. The circle is closed, for the time being. The exact date of the opening will be announced on the website.

You’ve probably already guessed it; they are also planning an online shop that will act as a showcase for their products. Additionally, Clod and Hanna are also working on a tablet-based payment system. Thanks to temporary staff, partners, and a little reorganisation the two women still have creative capacities.

They’re making business.

Space development - Making Things Women is housed in three adjacent rooms.

Making things Owners: Clod Bernegger and Hanna Kawasaki www.makingthings.ch Making Things Women Grüngasse 20 8004 Zurich/Switzerland T. 0041.43.243 3188 Founded: 2005 Sales area: 75 sqm (plus 25 sqm warehouse) Employees: 4 Brands: A Kind of Guise, Base Range, Folk, Libertine Libertine, Maska, Samuji, Steven Alan, Won Hundred, YMC Accessories brands: Ayame, Centre Commercial, Karakoram, Saskia Diez, Steve Mono, Qwstion, Uniform Wares, Veja

One or Two More Kids

Clod and Hanna travel to Paris six times a year to visit small trade shows to look for special labels and general items that fit into the store. The products have to be self-made, but should still have a certain look. The two women also research in Internet blogs. And if they have some spare time - the two families go on vacation together too - they reminisce about the time when they made everything them-

The entire Making Things Men store was designed by the architecture studio aekae to fit into the top floor of a container city.

Making Things Men Geroldstrasse 23 8005 Zurich/Switzerland T. 0041.43.321 3308 Founded: September 2013 Sales area: 65 sqm Employees: 1 Fashion brands: A Kind of Guise, Folk, Howlin’, Libertine Libertine, Norse Projects, Svensson, Uniforms for the Dedicated, Won Hundred, YMC Accessories brands: Ayame, Baggy Port, Centre Commercial, Hestra, R.T.CO, The Hillside, Veja

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Like a Colourful Bird Moho/St. Gallen. In the swarm of the same old brands and department stores, the store of Sandra Schmitter in St. Gallen’s Old Town is a real eye-catcher.

It’s cheerful, casual, and it has - by local standards - a truly exotic product range.

Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: Dörte Welti, Tobi Siebrecht

Actually, the most complicated part was finding a name. “I had them all working on it friends, family, and colleagues”, the young store owner Sandra Schmitter remembers. “I only knew that I wanted it to be a bird name.” One of them was a natural fit. In the end it was her sister who came up with the Hawaiian moho. “A name is like a tattoo. It stays with you forever”, Sandra says. In contrast to the moho by the way, which became extinct because the residents of the dream hunted the birds down to use its beautiful plumage for the splendour robes of the rich.

Perched on a Niche

Sandra Schmitter equipped her store with a cool lounge area that makes it a pleasure to linger a little longer.

In St. Gallen, in any event, the moho is still thriving. Just six months after opening Sandra had to ask her landlord if she could have more space, double the space if possible. The landlord, who runs the neighbouring furniture store, knows how persistent his tenant is. She had even badgered him for the initial space until he finally gave in. Why did it have to be exactly that space? “He is a customer of Freitag bags”, the 33 year old, who was a wholesaler at the Swiss bags label in Zurich for four years, explains. “I’ve always loved his store; it is in the perfect location at the end of the trendy St. Gallen shopping mile.” When Schmitter wants something, she is fully committed to getting it, especially when it has to do with her store concept. St. Gallen has a colourful retail environment, but customers can mostly only find mass-produced goods or high-end boutiques. However, the mid-price range for customers who are willing to spend a little (but not too much) money, who value something special, who purchase sensibly, and who don’t want to see the shirt they just bought on everyone roaming the bustling alleys of the university city is near to non-existent.

Because She Can

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there’s not much time to grab that special dream item. “I only purchase two or three pieces per size”, Sandra Schmitterer explains. This creates exclusivity and increases the number of regular customers. They are generally between 25 and 35 years of age, which is the dream target group of every store owner. St. Gallen may be a university city, but the students have money to spend, mainly because the living costs are so much lower than in Zurich. The urban people also know that Schmitter finds out as much as possible about the production conditions and social responsibility of the brands she stocks. However, those brands are still not too expensive. Shirts cost no more than 30, 40, or 50 Swiss Francs, while jeans start at

as little as 60 Swiss Francs. It’s always a challenge to find such brands, Schmitter mostly finds them at trade shows. As the sole owner of the store she cannot travel as much anymore, which is certainly difficult for someone who was initially trained in the tourism industry. However, she cannot (yet) afford another full-time employee to assist her.

Schmitter is not a fan of seasonal fashion anyway. “For Moho I look for pieces that can be worn in both summer and winter”, the commercial studies graduate explains. “I see fashion as a circle where everything fits together perfectly.” During her time at Freitag, she also learned that the recycler of truck tarpaulins does not have particular summer or winter trends. Nevertheless the

IN STORE 159

Sandra Schmitter wanted to create a homely atmosphere in Moho; NW/A Zurich’s Daniela Niedermann realised the vision perfectly by utilising chipboards.

company gave a lot of intention to detail, which is something that Sandra took on board for her own business. Every corner of the store is carefully planned.

Parts of the store’s interior are self-made, while other parts were created with the assistance of Daniela Niedermann, a friend of her’s who is conveniently an architect. The budget is limited; she finances everything herself.

If she can’t afford something, then she simply acknowledges that she can’t do it. This is how you do business properly - all for oneself, with passion, with commitment, and with conviction.

The customers can sense this and flock to the store. Although there are some customers call her and ask: “Could you maybe send me this or that?” Schmitter then

scurries through the store while putting together the order on FaceTime. She finds this aspect quite amusing, which is why she is thinking of turning it into an

official service. But she will think it through first and crunch the numbers. She has always worked that way, which is why Moho lives on.

Sandra Schmitter has always been skilled at attracting customers who stroll through Spisergasse with creative decorating ideas.

Moho Spisergasse 40, 9000 St. Gallen/Switzerland www.moho.ch Opening: August 2012 Owner: Sandra Schmitter Employees: 3 Sales area: 125 sqm Women’s brands: Armed Angels, A.O.CMS, Cheap Monday, Louche, Mbym, Minimum, Minkpink, Rules by Mary, Sessùn, Stutterheim, Suit, Worn By Men’s brands: Armed Angels, Brixtol, Cheap Monday, Farah, Minimum, Ontour, Stutterheim, Suit, Topman, Worn By Accessories brands: Nina Bee, Riviera

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160 editor'S Letter /// about us

Publisher, editorial office, advertising department and owner UCM-Verlag B2B Media GmbH & Co KG Salzweg 17, 5081 Salzburg-Anif Austria T 0043.6246.89 79 99 F 0043.6246.89 79 89 office@ucm-verlag.at www.ucm-verlag.at Management Stephan Huber Nicolaus Zott

Oh Customer Where Art Thou?

T

he steadily declining customer frequency is probably the biggest problem the fashion trade is facing today.

This is not only confirmed by many conversations with retailers, but also by official statistics such as the Footfall Index. The reasons are manifold. One example is the negative consumer climate. It’s not really surprising after years during which media outlets outdid themselves with various disaster scenarios. It’s also not surprising when you look at the unstable political situations such as in the Ukraine and Europe in general. One should also not deny the effect of the online trade, which is a competitor that is becoming stronger by the day. It’s not uncommon for an online shopping spree to replace the good old stroll through the city centre. In my opinion, however, there is another and equally decisive reason why fewer and fewer people, and therefore (potential) shoppers, make their way into the bulging stores. The fashion retail industry - actually the entire fashion industry - has poorly educated its customers over the last few years. I use this rather unpopular term quite 314 style in progress

deliberately, even though many believe it suggests paternalism despite it merely meaning conscious guidance.

In this specific case, it is the management of needs and buying behaviour. The modern customers feel as if they can purchase everything they need - or don’t need - whenever and wherever they want, possibly even at a reduced price. And if the customers really DON’T get what they want or at least NOT at a reduced price, then they don’t really care because they don’t really need anything anyway. In addition, there is a second huge problem. As we have often pointed out here in our magazine, this second issue is the perverted seasonal rhythm that offers customers all the goods with reduction during their moment of maximum purchasing urge, which is when real and emotional desires meet.

A customer is unlikely to have an increasing interest in buying a winter jacket while thinking about some cool beers in the sweltering heat, but would be quite willing to get excited about a fine summer jacket. However, the latter is no longer available in his size; he really should have looked for that during the winter. So what does a customer, who believes he can get whatever he wants or - even worse - feels he can only obtain what he wants at a time when he wasn’t interested in it yet, do? Well, he doesn’t go shopping as often as he used to. He is convinced that he isn’t missing a thing. The retail industry feels the effect by noticing that bargain and clearance sales are no longer the

frequency boosters they used to be. After all, consumers are quite aware of the fact that there’s always someone who’s reducing the prices. Consumers who no longer have to make an effort because they are always offered everything and even too much of it, will become as sluggish as a lion in the Serengeti desert after the rain season.

What are the countermeasures one could take? Or - let’s ask directly - how do you win back customers who have become increasingly bored? The answer is pretty simple really. Try to excite them again. This may sound like a truism - but it is 100% true.

My belief is confirmed by the fact that many retailers manage to excite their customers with independent product ranges, excellent service, and various intelligent campaigns for (regular) customers, even in these times of significantly increased competition. Humans (aka consumers) are ultimately quite simple beings. They want something “special”, or the feeling that something is special. Those who can only offer them the same old everyday products will soon find out that the customers will visit them very rarely and eventually never again. This is why it is so vital to make the most of the time at trade shows and in the showrooms. Make the most of that time by finding something “special”.

Stephan Huber stephan.huber@ucm-verlag.at

Editors-in-chief Stephan Huber stephan.huber@ucm-verlag.at Martina Müllner martina.muellner@ucm-verlag.at Art direction/production Elisabeth Prock-Huber elisabeth@ucm-verlag.at Contributing writers Isabel Faiss Ina Köhler Petrina Engelke Mody Al Khufash Nicoletta Schaper Kay Alexander Plonka Dörte Welti Katharina Wohlfahrt Photographers/Illustrators Bernhard Musil Harling & Darsell Julian Henschler David Kim Claudia Meitert Juergen Schabes Jette Stolte Eva Vasaria Image editor Anouk Schönemann anouk.schoenemann@ucm-verlag.at Advertising director Stephan Huber stephan.huber@ucm-verlag.at Publisher’s assistant, distribution Sigrid Staber sigrid.staber@ucm-verlag.at Christina Hörbiger christina.hoerbiger@ucm-verlag.at English translations Manfred Thurner Printing sandlerprint&packaging 3671 Marbach, Austria Printing coordinator Manfred Reitenbach Account info Volksbank Salzburg 105 627 BLZ 45010

Next issue 21 July 2014