060 WHAT'S THE STORY
Delicatessen and Fashion Does your store suffer from a lack of customer frequency? One possible remedy could be to enhance the product range with small comfort products. However, how should these comfort products be displayed and how credible are they in a fashion store environment? Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Dialogue partners. Illustration: Stefanie Hilgarth@Caroline Seidler
In Nicole Mohrmann’s store, fashionable bags, shoes, and a bowl filled with hair jewellery are displayed on a rustic wooden table. Alongside the aforementioned products the customer finds serviettes with neon green palm tree motifs, colourful adhesive tape for wrapping presents, and neck pillows that make every flight significantly more comfortable. One might say that those products don’t really fit in with the fashion, the jeans designed by AG Adriano Goldschmied, the dresses by Vanessa Bruno, and Semi Couture. Well, store owner Nicole Mohrmann thinks they do and her customers agree. Mixed Concept
Nicole Mohrmann runs two fashion stores in Munich. The first, located in the Fünf Höfe complex in the city centre, has been going strong for 13 years; the second is located in Haidhausen. The online shop nicolemohrmann.com is also an integral part of the thriving concept. “I travel a lot and everywhere I go I see the same boring shopping areas with the same chain stores”, she says. “You have to find your niche and offer customers something that’s a little different.” Nicole Mohrmann comes from the traditional retail trade; she worked at Theresa, Linette, and Fischer in Stuttgart. She knew it was time for her own project when she opened her first shop in the Fünf Höfe complex 13 years ago. It was time to give a store her personal handwriting, which has never been more important than today. The entrepreneur regularly travels to countries such as the US, India, and Argentina and she always brings back something that can enrich her product range. Crayons from Argentina and bags from India are but a few examples. Sometimes she also unearths electronic gimmicks such as tiny cameras that can be easily connected to the 414 style in progress
computer. All these special items invite customers to embark on an expedition that they cannot experience anywhere else. Thinking Outside the Box
The concept store idea is not new. Those looking for fashion usually have an excellent eye for all sorts of products that make life more beautiful. The aforementioned comfort products fall into this category; they appeal to the senses and are fun to explore. The fact that a mix of various business segments can be quite inspiring is proven by magazines such as Couch, Flair, and Instyle, as well as trade shows like the Premium in Berlin. “In an increasingly difficult market environment, stationary retailers need to know the needs of their customers. They simply have to update their portfolio on a regular basis and adjust accordingly”, says Anita Tillmann, the managing director of Premium Exhibitions. “In the best case, the customer finds a product portfolio consisting of a mix of designer collections combined with shoes and accessories, as well as lifestyle products and gadgets that mirror the current zeitgeist. That’s exactly what we present to the retail industry at the Premium. We offer a fashion portfolio that is complemented by fragrances, CDs, magazines, books, and candles, as well as iPhone cases and headphones.” The Show & Order trade show also showcases fashion and non-fashion products side by side; it displays blankets and plaids by Zoeppritz since 1828, scented candles by Ancini, and lamps and bowls by Ludwig Schröder. “Our visitors are not only interested in fashion, but want to explore all lifestyle topics”, says Verena Malta, the managing director of the aforementioned trade fair. “We want to show our retail partners how they can enhance their shop concepts and thus offer their
own customers a product range that crosses industry boundaries.” This may save a retailer some time as there’s no need to visit other exhibitions. Dieter Ebling also thinks outside the box. He is a true sales professional and has already worked for the likes of Replay, Phard, Anna Rita N, and Rockstars & Angels. Today, he is developing a European sales network for Emporium GmbH, a business specialising in licence products from the beauty industry, such as the fragrances by French company Novae Plus Paris. Ebling does not only utilise the classic distribution channels, but also takes advantage of his contacts in the fashion industry. “I’m a lateral thinker in that respect”, Ebling states. “I am convinced that a fragrance can also work in a fashion store.” So far, he has received a lot of positive feedback when he introduces the Novae Plus Paris fragrances to Parisian fashion retailers. “Many recognise the advantage that such a product range enhancement can differentiate them from the other two local retailers with a very similar product portfolio”, Dieter Ebling says. To test the mix, he supplies retailers with selected fragrances on consignment, upon request even with a presentation cabinet. For him it is important to offer excellent service and to make life as easy as possible for his fashion industry partners. “The calculations for a scented candle or perfume may be lower than those in the fashion industry, which means that the revenues won’t increase significantly, but at least a fragrance does not lose its value after one season”, Dieter Ebling explains. Bon Vivant Concept
Many customers decide against entering a store because they might not have an interest in acquiring an expensive piece of clothing. However, they may decide to come in if the travel read-
