094 IN STORE
Across the Big Pond The online shop Ella + Rubi wants to introduce exciting European brands to the US. The founders Daniela Juhala and Amy Rasmusson Radich lead the way. Text: Martina Müllner. Photos: Ella + Rubi
215 style in progress
Portland, Oregon, is not exactly known as a city that defines trends, leaving aside the fact that it houses the headquarters of sport giants such as Adidas and Nike. Nevertheless, Vienna-born Daniela Juhala and her US business partner, Amy Rasmusson Radich, chose this city for the launch of their online shop Ella + Rubi. The two first names are their “fashion alter egos” and represent the kind of women they would like to dress. “Be uncommon” was the invitation extended to customers in the launch season; the motto was illustrated with life-affirming, joyful lifestyle shots that are aimed at making Ella + Rubi tangible. Even though the online shop’s prototypical females are professional models, Daniela
Juhala and Amy Rasmusson Radich understand that e-commerce needs a face, especially when you have an approach like the two businesswomen. “We want to introduce the US to unknown European brands that embody the typical European style”, Daniela Juhala explains. She brought along a number of brands, which are not yet present in the US, from her European home. Excellent Networking
No sooner was the idea of an own online shop born, the two fashion insiders tapped into their network. Daniela Juhala, until recently a PR manager at George Gina & Lucy, does not only know the European trade show landscape inside out, but
is also familiar with all sorts of agencies and distributors. The contact list of her omnipresent iPhone is full of so-called influencers. Editorial contacts in the US, as well as a network of excellent contacts from Amy Rasmusson Radich’s time in the distribution industry, made the online shop tangible before it was launched. “Naturally, everybody is especially critical of their own baby”, Amy Rasmusson Radich confesses. “It was important to us that everything looks professional from the very first minute. We definitely want to avoid the ‘mummy sends stuff from the garage’ image”, Daniela Juhala adds. The two founders hired the exceptional Eightday agency for the visual implementation and gave Kyle Wiley, the