style in progress 2.13 EN

winter 13/14

# 2.2013

Online? Yes! Online shop? Not necessarily! /// Staging Instead of Discounts. Keynotes for a saturated market /// Community Replaces Target Group. The most important trends in shop design /// Upward Flight. Fashion focuses on Trading Up ///

style in progress

Christian Mikunda

â‚Ź 6.90

"We All Buy our Feelings"

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fall winter 2013

008 editorial

Fashion as Blue Chip

Cover Photo: David Sailer

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Welcome to these lines.

The style in progress editorial team lives the selection. True to our content focus, we concentrate on the beautiful, honest, high-quality products in the fashion industry. And our focus is once again on these in this issue.

We bring you the trends straight from the tradeshows - and they really don't deserve to be given this name any more. Not because the fashionable innovation would be missed, but more because, and let's be honest here, trends are no longer the measure of things any more. Those who wish to entice customers into buying, need to be offering more than just stories, oh yes indeed.

Customers need to be given the feeling that the investment they make is something meaningful and lasting. In order to become a hot topic - such as Brunello Cucinelli, for example (I Don't Think Much of Affordable Luxury, from page 128) - values need to be sold. This is as much recognised in Milan's Via Montenapoleone as it is in London's Savile Row, where quality garments are making something of a comeback. As can also be seen in the new, old brand of Hardy Amies (A Gentleman in the Company of Ladies, from page 094), for example. But it doesn't always need to be the glitzy addresses: Leather by Meindl from Kirchanschöring (The Thing Doesn't Yodel, from page 098) has even impressed trend stores with its leather works of art worked using a century-old tradition of processing.

Hardly anybody knows how to best present and put these values into the most positive light better than Austrian-born Christian Mikunda in the German-speaking world. In the Longview with Stephan Huber (I Don't Go in Any Poorly Made Shops, from page 058) he passionately advertises his enthusiasm - for and of the customer. Examples where Mikunda's truth and wisdom are implemented in an almost exemplary fashion can be seen in the "In Store" section of our current issue (from page 158). Amicis in Vienna, The Hoodie Shop in New York, Waldtraud in Zürich, Zwicker in Constance and many more besides demonstrate that it is not just one trend that is doing

all the attracting. And it isn't only just one well-made item of clothing that is considered an investment. It's also the perfect staging too. Ina Köhler discusses with leading shopfitters what this might look like in our part of the world in future (Technology Meets Comfort, from page 070). A catchphrase that can often be heard: The combination of the classic retail world with the online- and mobile commerce world. Martina Müllner has researched for you how this works (Online Without a Shop, from page 064).

The topic under discussion with the giants of the South German premium retail trade also circulated around subjects of the future as Stephan Huber discovered in his roundtable talks (There are Customers and Customers, from page 120).

The most important insight: The customer has changed. Lisa Trautmann, for example, knows in just what way. At least since she examined the phenomenon of hipsters together with her international colleagues (Global Hipsterism, from page 108). Of course, not all your customers will step up to take part in the Hipster Olympics: But they will give you their trust and loyalty if the fashion in your shop, your staff and your service promote exactly that.

Enjoy the read, Your style in progress team

ERRATUM: In our last issue, we inadvertently printed a mistake that we would like to correct at this point.

Distribution for Etiqueta Negra in Austria is conducted by the ACO fashion agency with Peter Mayer.

www.marc-o-polo.com

010 CONTENT

The Longview 058 "I Don't Go into Any Poorly-Made Shops" style in progress interviews Christian Mikunda on the power of presentation in shopfitting.

What´s the story 064 Online Without a Shop Smart ideas for e-commerce completely without a webshop

058

070 Technology Meets Comfort Leading shopfitting experts reveal trends in store architecture and visual merchandising 078 Hotel Boutique Hotel The marriage of fashion and tourism produces exciting ideas 084 Go One Step Further Marking its anniversary, the profit-earning emperor of the German fashion industry is given an architectural crown 088 Creation of New Worlds Don Gil‘s heirs in the Austrian fashion retail landscape 092 The Principle of Change Airfield is focusing on a younger target group 094 A Gentleman in the Company of Ladies Savile Row reloaded: The face of bespoke tailoring in the 21st century 095 Designed With Love, Made With Passion Claudio Grotto and his passion for anything that acts as a driving force

064 096 Understanding the Product In the beginning there was Loden: A family business on the road to international success 098 Backstage Meindl The Thing doesn´t Yodel 101 The Architect's Shoes Sculptural design and audacity for the extraordinary

by United Nude 102 Eye Candy Shoe store designs to shake you right out of your shoes 108 Global Hipsterism Getting under the skin of hipsters in Berlin, Liverpool and Helsinki

The Talk 070

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120 "There are Customers and Customers" A discussion on the price of growth

012 CONTENT

©breadandbutter.com/Christoph Neumann

126 "We have Plans for Growth to put into Practice" style in progress in an interview with Timberland Vice President Timo Schmidt-Eisenhart 128 "I Don´t Believe in Affordable Luxury" Brunello Cucinelli on pure luxury 129 "Women Want Different Stories" A commentary by Nicoletta Schaper

Fashion

038

038 Review Berlin 130 Trends Autumn/Winter 2013/14 142 Wearing the Trousers 150 New Patterns

In Store 158 The Joy of Shopping Amicis Women und Amicis Men, Vienna 161 25,000 Paper Bags for Beyoncé Owen, New York 162 Not Without a Hood The Hoodie Shop, New York 163 A Stroke of Luck Waltraud, Zürich 164 New Luxury Temple in Milan Excelsior Milano, Milan

142

166 Vintage as an Attitude to Life Dressingroom & Home, Munich 170 Detachment as a Virtue Mode für Männer, Constance 172 Everything Stays Different Gassmann, Zürich 173 All's not Quiet on the Western Front KaDeWe, Berlin 174 It Was Brave Monox, Aachen 175 Fashion and Art Under One Roof The Space, Paris

150

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Standards 008 Editorial 016 Right Now 046 Want it!

176 Editor's Letter/Imprint

016

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Edwin

Give me the runaround

The jeans label Edwin is dedicating a capsule collection in the spring/summer collection to a huge source of inspiration: motorcycling. And since Edwin didn’t want to use just any old bike for this inspiration, the company got the lads from Blitz Customs in on the act.

That’s all motorbike enthusiasts need to know but for everybody else who might need a little enlightening: Blitz Customs are a highly acclaimed cult brand for customised motorbikes. The relevant parties understand what a biker wants: for example, trousers pockets lined in a light material is a real no-go. Oil stains wouldn’t exactly look good on them, would they? And what else do you need to make a biker’s pulse race?

Japanese denim, for example. www.edwin-europe.com Hollywood in Vienna: Adrien Brody at the Diesel re-launch at the Kohlmarkt.

Diesel

Hey, Mr. Brody

Adrien Brody is a nice little afterthought to a beautiful, newly designed shop: The Diesel flagship store at the Kohlmarkt, Vienna’s luxury retail strip, which opened in 2006 has undergone a re-make. For the opening ceremony, no less of a character than the Hollywood star was enticed into the pre-Christmas world of Vienna. There was certainly no lack of glitz and glamour going on, which was hardly surprising as the store’s neighbours also got into the spirit by sprucing themselves up too. This corner of the luxury shopping street in Vienna has a whole host of luxury boutiques opening, from Luis Vuitton to Prada and dotted amongst them are still high-end multi-brand stores such as Amicis. The product selection showcased by Diesel at the Kohlmarkt was equally as glamorous: Diesel Black Gold was prominently placed, mid-collections such as the Diesel Resort collection provided the opportunity of keeping up with the neighbouring haute couture. www.diesel.com

Common passion: The liaison between Edwin Jeans and Blitz Customs.

For several seasons, supermodel Lara Stone has been the face and body of Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear which belong to Warnaco.

Phillips-Van Heusen

The US-American clothing conglomerate swallows Calvin Klein

The PVH Corporation missed the previous year’s turnover in the third quarter of 2012/13 by just under 1 per cent, in return expenditure is increasing. Because PVH boss Emanuel Chirico not only announces his wish for "aggressive" buying, he is also taking over the competitor Warnaco at the beginning of 2013. And with this, also the licences for Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear. "Having direct global control over the two largest clothing categories of Calvin Klein – Jeans and Underwear – allows us to release additional growth potential of this strong design brand", says PVH boss Emanuel Chirico. The merger also additionally helps to save 100 million dollars a year. To date, the group has held the Calvin Klein Collection. With the expansion and the existing brands, such as Van Heusen, Izod , Arrow, Speedo, and a yearly turnover of more than 8 billion dollars, PVH is one of the largest fashion and lifestyle companies in the world. www.pvh.com

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Canada Goose

Official sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival 2013

Down parkas by Canada Goose are considered to be the secret stars in the entertainment industry: Film crews swear by the quality, processing and functionality of the jackets which are produced in Canada and can also withstand the extreme conditions on set. The iconic outerwear has even managed a breakthrough in front of the cameras: "Whether as a cinema highlight or independent documentary, our jackets have been playing an important role in the film business for more than 20 years", says Kevin Spreekmeester, Marketing Vice President. So, sponsorship of the Sundance Film Festival 2013 which took place in Park City, Utah from the 17th to the 27th January 2013, was a logical step. 300 film-makers and jury members were kitted out in military-look Burnett jackets from the autumn/winter collection 2012/13. www.canada-goose.com Sundance Film Festival 2013: Canada Goose kitted out 300 film-makers with the Burnett jackets from the autumn/winter collection 2012/13.

0039 Italy

Première in German's Capital City The success of the two brands, Carl Gross and CG Club of Gents, is based on using long-standing employees.

Création Gross

Honouring longstanding employees

Over the space of four decades, Création Gross GmbH & Co. KG with headquarters in the Middle Franconian town of Hersbruck, has evolved from being a modest clothing company to becoming a well-known gent's outfitters. The owner and Managing Director, Peter Gross, is proud of his team which is characterised by its continuity: cleaning staff, warehouse workers, seamstresses and business staff have been part of the team for ten, 25 or even 40 years. Five employees celebrated 25 years of active employment with the company in November 2012, in addition to two further members of staff who have been with the company for ten years. They were all honoured for their faithful service and loyalty. Peter Gross and Personnel Manager Michael Matuschek took the opportunity during the informal celebration to greet the loyal members of staff, subsequently inviting them to a dinner. www.carlgross.com

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The fashion label 0039 Italy has decided to make Berlin the city in which to launch their first worldwide store. And there's a very good reason for this: The label with the Italiansounding name was founded in 2001 by Rachid Bourak and Aysen Bitzer-Bourak, a German couple with oriental roots. The shop in the Schlüterstrasse will offer the complete product range from the 1st March 2013 and which consists of two main collections and a mid-collection. "I'm especially proud of the extensive range on offer. Our collection has been expanded by products and accessories we have specially created ourselves and represents the high standards of 0039 Italy at the same time", says Creative Director Aysen Bitzer-Bourak. The main line will be complemented by the special LAB(oratory) Collection in autumn/winter 2013. The product line, under the motto of "without borders", includes unique creations made from high-quality materials. www.0039italy.com

The clear, minimalist style of 0039 Italy is reflected in the Berlin shop.

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Mountain Force proves that technology can get along with cashmere.

Dielmann

Barbarossa's New Shoes

Gelnhausen, located pretty much exactly halfway between Frankfurt am Main and Fulda, has the great addition of being a Barbarossa City along with four other cities in Germany. But on top of that, it has an impressively-professional selection of fashion. Just one reason for the Dielmann Group to choose it as a location for its new shoe store, which it opened there in October of last year. In opening the store, the Dielmann Group also celebrated an anniversary, because this is the company's twenty-fifth store. Dielmann continued to develop its cooperation with its neighbouring department store Hoppe, and, as part of renovations, made the passageway between the two stores bigger, so as to effectively take advantage of synergies in their respective skills. On 650 square metres, at number 4 Ziegelturm, Dielmann displays a comprehensive range of shoes for women, men and children and, in so doing, further develops its status as one of the fifteen leading shoe companies in Germany. www.dielmann.de

The Dielmann Group opened their twenty-fifth branch by the historical guard tower in Gelnhausen.

Mountain Force

Cashmere & Co

Mountain Force has established itself as a seal of quality for functional ski attire. The Swiss product specialists are now taking on new challenges with the autumn/winter 2013/14 collection and is expanding its collection for the first time with a women’s line composed of cashmere and wool-cashmere pullovers with intricate hand-made embroidery, knitted argyle patterns and details such as rolled seams. Several new pieces with an urban focus will also be added to the men’s collection at the same time. These will also include raincoats, soft shell coats and three-quarter trousers for the first time and will be made from the same material used in the ski collection and will therefore also have the same functional properties. The line will be complemented by midlayers with placed prints and checked pattern prints along with cashmere pullovers.

Despite the more urban focus in its design, the new product groups can be combined with all the Mountain Force ski outfits. www.mountainforce.com

Warm-Me supports the sale of its products by using creative business partner events.

Warm-Me

Hats knitted live

Sumptuous yarns such as cashmere, merino, silk and alpaca form the basis of the Warm-Me hats crafted by hand in Nepal and Tyrol. True to its motto, "We want you to look and feel good", customers are offered a harmonious work of art in terms of materials, colour and sophisticated detailing and one that combines traditional knitting art with an urban design. A philosophy that can be made tangible through events by selected trading partners: "Creative ideas such as Trunk Shows or a Live Knitting Session with our hand knitters are a great hit with our partners and their customers.

We are pleased that we've been able to carry out these small but effective events with so many well-known dealers and will continue to expand this further", says the Warm-Me Brand Manager Theresa Steinbacher. www.welovewarm-me.com

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milano - via santo spirito, 22

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Atelier Gardeur

A close look at details

Craftsmanship is currently experiencing a high. Gardeur's design team also saw this development coming and designed the high-quality "Tribute to Tailoring" line as part of the regular men's/boyswear collection. "We are confident of a renaissance in quality craftsmanship", says Uta Erbeldinger, Head of Design Menswear at Atelier Gardeur. Many sartorial details of the new line have been inspired by traditional elements of tailoring, especially with regards to increasing the comfort of trousers: for instance, the hidden coin pocket, the elasticated waistband or the pocket pouch made from several pieces. "These hand-crafted trousers meet standards of the highest quality", says Erbeldinger. This is also reflected in the materials used in making the trousers. These range from soft Pima cotton cord to fine merino wool up to exclusive cashmere denim. Commercially "Tribute to Tailoring" is aimed towards upscale gent's outfitters or exquisite departments in clothing stores. Retail prices range between 119 and 179 euros. www.atelier-gardeur.de Sartorial elements inspired by traditional tailoring are reflected in the "Tribute to Tailoring" line by Gardeur.

Wolverine 1000 Mile

Lots of new models for women and men

Wolverine, the traditional house, has extended its product portfolio for the autumn/ winter 2013/14 for men with flat Oxford models with wingtips and full-brogue decoration. Under the name of "Morley", the popular 1000 Mile Boot will be appearing for the first time in inside-out leather in black or tan. Designs for the women's collection are influenced by Victorian style. There are striking highlights to be seen in the wide variety of new styles including a high, pointed lace-up boot with curved heel along with the "Winnie" ankle boot with flat heel and asymmetrical button placket. The newcomers are rounded off by feminine Oxford models with flat heels and ankle boots with tiny contrasting buckles on the ankle, decorative stitching and caps in contrasting colours. www.wolverine1000mile.com

Mavi customers in action for the SOS Children’s Villages.

Mavi

Go for a smile

Everything’s easier with a smile – and it certainly creates a good impression on a photo. Just before Christmas, the jeans brand Mavi surprised with a special charity event and one in which customers were invited to take part in too. From the beginning of December until the fourth week in Advent, shop visitors were photographed in the Mavi stores – the resulting photos were framed in blue and subsequently displayed as part of the décor in the shop windows. Mavi donated five euros to the SOS Children’s Villages for every photo and the event hopefully conjured up more than just a smile on the children’s faces. www.mavi.com

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Success through tradition - Wolverine adds a twist to models from the archives.

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Jet Set

Cult brand restructured

In future, J Brand will be under the leadership of the founder and CEO Jeff Rudes and one of Fast Retailing’s key businesses.

J Brand Fast Retailing CO. LTD acquires a majority stake in the jeans label 80.1 %, that is the figure that J Brand needs to measure itself by in future. Since this is exactly the percentage of the jeans label acquired by Japanese Fast Retailing at the end of 2012. Founded by Jeff Rudes in Los Angeles in 2004, J Brand is one of the leading premium denim brands today – with more than 2,000 specialised traders and luxury retailers in more than 20 countries and including such famous names as Jades in Düsseldorf, Barneys in New York, Selfridges in London, Le Bon Marché in Paris, Biffi in Milan, Lane Crawford in Hong Kong and Tsum in Moscow. The US American company reported a 124 million dollar turn­ over in e-commerce for 2011. That is 96 million euros or 10.2 billion yen. The Japanese majority shareholder are known for their standards in all things denim, so that they are gaining a foothold in the US market on the one hand whilst also making the J Brands expertise their own for the domestic market. That has often worked well in the past: With Helmut Lang, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse Tam Tam, Theory, Uniqlo and now J Brand, Fast Retailing is the fourth largest worldwide and Japan’s leading fashion retailer. www.jbrandjeans.com, www.fastretailing.com

The Jet Set label from St. Moritz revolutionised ski slopes in the '60s with their down jackets and skin-tight overalls in bright colours and shrill patterns and became a cult brand amongst international jet setters. Kurt Ulmer, the former alpine ski racer and founder of the company, sold the luxury brand in 2006. The label has belonged to the Gaydoul Group since 2009 whose companies also include the Navyboot label. Following a phase of reorganisation, the first fashion collection was presented in June 2012 and the buyers impressed by the collection included Apropos, Lodenfrey, Harrods and Saks. Massimo Suppancig is the managing director of Jet Set and is responsible for its restructuring. He has more than 25 years of experience in the industry and had previously worked for Hugo Boss, Escada, Benetton and Valextra as well as for Malo and Ittierre. The new headquarters are located in Bologna, Italy. The comprehensive complete collection for men and women totalling 280 pieces were developed there. A team of five designers, who also work as freelancers designing for well-known brands Prêt-à-Porter and haute couture collections, manufacture unique and especially highquality fashion pieces. Retail prices for blazers are between 500 and 700 euros and for cashmere items up to 1,400 euros. Jackets and coats range from 700 to 1,000 euros, trousers 200 to 350 euros and knitwear from 200 to 1,500 euro for cashmere quality. The collection was first shown in Milan and can now be viewed in Düsseldorf and Munich. Katharina Rothmeier is Director Wholesale & Retail Northern Europe and was previously responsible for Prada in this region. Distribution of menswear is carried out

by Alessandro Carrara. Martin Imdahl, known for his work by Matador and Chiemsee, is responsible for the design and production of the new skiwear collection which totals 200 pieces. The collection celebrated its première at the beginning of February on Praterinsel in Munich and will also be shown in Salzburg. Distribution of the skiwear will be taken on by Georg Eder. www.jetset.ch

Jet Set keeps up to the promise of its name: Premium leisurewear with a fashion approach.

FPM Fabbricapelletteriemilano

Mobile Aesthetics

Milan's traditional company FPM designed the Saint-Jacques suitcase line in cooperation with Marcel Wanders, the industry designer.

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Founded in Milan in 1946 and handed over to his Guiseppe Fremder by his father Enrico in September 2011, FPM – Fabbricapelletteriemilano has now been given a relaunch. The crossover project "In the Sign of Movement" provides new impetus to the specialist for leather goods and luggage through cooperations with well-known designers. The Saint-Jacques suitcase line was developed with Marcel Wanders, the industry designer, and its mix of lightness, functionality and design should meet the needs of the modern traveller. "People who place value on aesthetics will love the colours and contrasts, while those who are more sensually-inclined will appreciate the three-dimensional surface", says Wanders. The suitcase are made from polycarbonate and are available in three sizes and colours.

Retail prices range between 289 and 349 euros, the stylish luggage collection is looking for distribution via a high-quality fashion retailer such as Breuninger, for example. www.fpm.it

www.cruciani.net

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MMX

Trends in trousers: wool and jersey

The MMX trouser collection will be expanding with new models and materials for autumn/winter 2013/2014. For the first time Jersey will be coming into play as a suitable material for winter with a knitted look and will be further enhanced by leather details on pockets or horn and stag horn buttons. The range of colours is both masculine and elegant. Along with pastel and mixed shades, warm accents will be added with strong colours such as ruby red, emerald green and sapphire blue. A narrow-cut, classic pair of trousers in a 1930's style is a new addition and features quilted pockets on the rear as well as suspender buttons in washed wool. Multi-colours create a particularly striking effect such as tweed with silk or winter flannel. The portfolio is rounded off with versatile interpretations of wool in a washed délavé look as well as a côtelé which has been creatively interpreted in a multi-colour yarn made from certified Fairtrade cotton. www.mmxgermany.com

Style through conviction – MMX relies on craftsmanship, perfect fit and new, innovative materials.

The skiing holiday really takes off with the Toni Sailer after-ski tips.

Toni Sailer

App, app and away we go Freds Bruder

More than just bags

Founded by Constanze Alex in 2006, the label headquartered in Dinslaken on the Lower Rhine was previously known for its bags made from high-quality lambskin leather in a variety of different processings and colour variations.

The product range will be expanded in autumn/winter 2013/14 by the addition of leather jackets and scarves.

However, the aim of the expansion is not to provide the trade with further basic and mainstream models. It is rather more intended to address those customers who are searching for a portable version of current trends. The leather jacket collection, made from goatskin and calfskin, consists of six models in five colours each. Ethnic themes with graphical stitching details are the dominating features by the scarves. Leather appliqué serves as a unifying element to the main collection. www.fredsbruder.de

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The bag label Freds Bruder is expanding its product range with the addition of leather jackets and scarves which will address the trend-focused customers.

The designer ski collection established in 2004 certainly doesn’t want to have its customers muddling around a ski resort by themselves. So, an own lifestyle world has been designed for discerning skiers in collaboration with the iSki app. Snowciety is the code word that opens doors: Into a world of enjoyment often only known to the locals themselves.

The best restaurants, the trendiest bars, mountain restaurants where ski water tastes especially good. As a general rule, people need to register in order to use Snowciety but everybody who downloads the Toni Sailer app will have all the tips available to them free of charge. Recommendations include hot-spots in selected ski resorts in the Alpine region, such as St. Anton, Seefeld, Kitzbühel, Zell am See, St. Moritz, Verbier, Laax and Davos. www.tonisailersports.com

times are changing – VaLUes keep staying!

10 years

fair trade cashmere

Order periOd 15.01. - 05.03.13 · see YOU at OUr shOwrOOms for further information contact: info@cashmereworld.com telephone +41 (0) 41 - 767 27 37 · www.ftc-cashmere.com

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Sport Invest Search

Florian Weingärtner as a headhunter

Founded in 2006, Sport Invest Search established itself as a headhunter and personnel recruiter for the sport, shoe and fashion market. With Florian Weingärtner on board, the company based in Munich, Biarritz and Hong Kong has gained an experienced industry insider. The 43-year old will be responsible for the Fashion/Lifestyle business sectors with immediate effect. The established network of contacts will be the business graduate’s starting block in order for him to provide his customers with a competent service. Florian SteinFlorian Weingärtner will be conberger, one of the two founders, is pleased about tributing his experience within the industry with immediate the newcomer. "The key to success lies with an effect. in-depth knowledge of the industry and contacts in the difficult quest for specialists and executives in the world of today. Florian Weingärtner has both these qualities and will be a great help in the Fashion/Lifestyle business sector with personnel recruitment." www.sportsinvestsearch.com

Scapa Sports is launching onto the German market with the Ben And agency.

Synergies thanks to the different locations and similar brand portfolios and target groups: Wöhrl acquires SinnLeffers.

Wöhrl

Acquisition of SinnLeffers

The fashion house SinnLeffers has gained new owners: Subject to the approval of the anti-trust commission, the entrepreneur Gerhard Wöhrl together with his family has acquired the company shares of the Deutsche Industrie-Holding, whereby the two established brands of Wöhrl and SinnLeffers should be retained. The Wöhrl family has gained a German fashion trading company in the premium sector through the purchase of these shares. The coup has expanded the influence of the conglom­erate to 60 fashion stores and 4,000 members of staff. Joint revenue totals more than 600 million euros. Patrick Feller, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at SinnLeffers and the managing shareholder of DIH on the sale: "We are pleased to have found a good home for SinnLeffers with Gerhard Wöhrl and his family. In the last few years, we have evolved into one of the leading multi-brand retailers in Germany. This process will be strengthened and accelerated by means of this merger." In addition, the intention of Gerhard Wöhrl to expand regional coverage through the acquisition and to establish the group throughout Germany should also be a certain poss­ibility: "With their locations, SinnLeffers and Wöhrl complement one another perfectly", confirms the entrepreneur. The only branch stores to overlap are located in Dresden, Magdeburg and Munich. Exactly the opposite is true for the brand portfolios and target groups: Here, they would like to especially profit from the overall uniformity.

Discussions regarding the organisation of structures, such as the integration of the SinsLeffers headquarters in Hagen, are currently on-going. www.woehrl.de

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Scapa Sports

1

Number in Antwerp

Hiding behind Scapa Sports is not just a famous name but also an extremely likeable story of success. Michael Reddings from Belgium is the son of the founding couple of Scapa and gave a face to his passion for the game of polo. Initially this was in the form of a few isolated polo shirts which he sold at polo tournaments.

But in 1999, the brand label of Scapa Sports was established and ultimately resulted in the fast expansion of the fashion line with a collection for women, men, children and babies along with shoes, accessories, leather goods, writing materials and a home collection.

Scapa Sports is now entering the German-speaking market with its autumn/winter collection 2013/14, the company is starting off with a line of outer garments for women, men and children, along with selected items from the Home Collection. The company won the Munich agency Ben And as a partner to do this.

"The brand is already extremely well established in the Benelux countries. It is number one in its segment in Antwerp. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Scapa Sports will be addressing the premium speciality retail sector and department stores who accordingly represent the luxury sportswear segment", says Ben Botas. www.scapasports.com

1000 MILE BOOT CORDOVAN NO. 8

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agen cies

Conex

Postcard from Paradise

Many are familiar with the legendary Postcard jacket and ski wear company from its golden heyday. The brand's new owner, the Italian Peuterey Group, is looking to revive these glory days as soon as possible with the assistance of agencies like Conex in Salzburg, an expert in positioning premium outerwear brands. The agency's owner Andreas Eccli is looking forward to the challenge: "Working on the relaunch of Postcard is going to be exciting. The market is saturated – yet there is still room for new firms that mean business and offer the exceptional." The agency has already proven its skill here with the Aspesi brand, which trustingly placed itself in Conex's experienced hands for the Austrian market in 2012 – and today enjoys a solid, first-rate market position. Together with his wife Elke, Andreas Eccli has made a name for himself through effective marketing policy: Brands aren't simply "shoved into the market"; They are positioned with precision and great care.

Labels: 19 Andrea 47, American Vintage, Aspesi, Aspesi Blu, Dale of Norway, Danielapi, Iris von Arnim, Pamela Henson, Post & Co., Postcard, Qcqc, Valigi Conex, Salzburg/Austria, www.conex.at

Postcard means business with its relaunch, represented in Austria by Conex.

Customer loyalty as a strategy for success

You Footwear relies on the combination of natural materials.

Komet und Helden

Urban Cosmopolitan

The Komet und Helden agency is adding an additional highlight to its programme in the form of footwear. "The shoe belongs to the overall look", says Henrik Soller.

"We want to provide our retailer partners with the opportunity of bringing a complete sportswear statement into the retail space." For example, with the newly founded line Wally Walker by the Travenzoli family. The family had already established a shoe manufacturers at the end of the 19th century and today, with their Astorflex company, they represent environmentally-friendly raw materials, traditional craftsmanship and fair trade. The same values apply to Wally Walker, as does the motto "Made in Italy for Fun, not for Fashion", with a unisex collection of classic desert boots in an innovative range of colours plus their own women's models. You Footwear was founded in 2011 and was made for Urban Cosmopolitan as it relies on a combination of natural materials such as canvas, fur and leather. Hand-crafted in Italy, with organically dyed leather and inner soles made from recycled materials. The agency's portfolio is also complemented this season by Diemme Footwear with a mature, fashionably-strong collection for men and women. Last but not least, Preventi from Spain rounds up Komet und Helden's range of shoes on offer. The label consciously focuses on its own roots rather than chasing after fashion trends.

Labels: AG Adriano Goldschmied, Baracuta, B.D.Baggies, Blauer USA, Bowery, C.P.Company, Chevignon Heritage, Chevignon Togs Unlimited, Diemme, Gilded Age, Hartford, Liis Japan, Pence, Preventi, Riccardo Forconi, Stewart, Superdry, Wally Walker, Worn Free, Woolrich, You Footwear Agentur Komet und Helden GmbH, Munich/Germany, www.kometundhelden.de

Spacious and friendly – the agency's rooms in Munich's LodenfreyPark.

The Agentur Elke Wirichs has been managing sportswear collections in the premium segment since 2001; the previous focus has been on Germany and Italy. "As far as I'm concerned, the most important thing is to make sure your feet are always firmly rooted to the ground and to keep on striving to improve", says the agency owner describing her concept which is based on concentrating on a few select collections and reliable business partners. Customer loyalty is her key to success. "At the same time, individuals need to be at the forefront." Even new customers can be impressed with this. With the spring/summer 2013 season, the agency is dealing with belts from Smitten, from autumn/winter 13/14 the best-selling Better Rich label. And with the Elke Wirichs takeover of the Germany general distribution for the 313 label, a further line from the house of Comei & Co. The agency has been managing the "big sister" Add, a commercially targeted premium jacket collection, since 2005.

Labels: 313, Add, Ash, Better Rich, Frog Box, Ilse Jacobsen, Jean-Michel Cazabat, Julian Hakes, My Herzallerliebst, Smitten Agentur Elke Wirichs, Lodenfrey-Park Munich/Germany, www.elke-wirichs.com

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WWW.LUCKYDELUCA.COM MESSE DÜSSELDORF 31.01.-08.02.2013 I KAISERSWERTHER STRASSE 135 I EG RECHTS MESSE MÜNCHEN 15.02.13-18.02.2013 I SHOWROOM LODENFREYPARK I HAUS F I EG DISTRIBUTION D/A MODERAUMFISCHER I MÜNCHEN/DEUTSCHLAND I 80805 MÜNCHEN OSTERWALDSTRASSE 10 I +49 179 5231505 I LARS@MODERAUMFISCHER.DE WWW.MODERAUMFISCHER.DE

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Agentur Baessler/Kappler

Bundled Energy

The Düsseldorf Agentur Baessler and the partner agency Kappler Munich are bundling their energy and streamlining the portfolio. "We are expanding the collections we have that are doing well commercially, including Gwynedds, Hetregó and Tyoulip Sisters", says Marcus Bässler.

"In addition, we are sharpening the innovative image of our research products such as Giorgio Brato, Swiss Chriss and Original Vintage Style." The agency duo are welcoming newcomers from the Uptobe sportswear collection for men and women which comes from the Beste company from Prato. A large weaving mill is annexed directly with the company, so that exclusive materials such as Techno Cashmere, for example, are guaranteed. "The women's line stands out with its femininity, both in terms of cut as well as in combination", says Marcus Bässler. It consists of 15 styles plus 15 additional matching down inlays which can be worn underneath or on top, this means that there is an extremely wide variety of combination options possible.

This also applies to the numerous colours too, such as pink, yellow or turquoise - or classic black and white.

Labels: AI Riders on the Storm, Chatcwin, Customer Lovers, Dadcrown, George Gina & Lucy, Giorgio Brato, Gwynedds, Hetregó, Liebig, Lady & Lord Baltimore, Original Vintage Style, Soisire Soiebleu, Swiss Chriss, Szen, Tkees, Tyoulip Sisters, Uptobe, Violet, WLG Agentur Baessler, Düsseldorf/Germany, www.agentur-baessler.de Agentur Kappler, Munich/Germany, www.agentur-kappler.de

A new addition to the Baessler and Kappler agencies: the Uptobe label.

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Hidden Secrets

New

additions

In August of this year the agency of Liane Scheve and Benny Biehl will be celebrating its tenth anniversary. The Stockholm brand Odd Molly was there from the beginning.

From the 2013/14 winter season, delivery will be conducted on a monthly basis: "Every month will have its own theme", explains Liane Scheve. "This will allow retailers to present the outfits together in their stores according to their themes." There are a host of new additions to Hidden Secrets coming up for this season: Cosy hats from the New Yorker label Mischa Lampert. They are customised according to the individual colour and material wishes of the buyer in a studio in Soho. In North Germany, the down-to-earth hats are knitted by the Lübeck label Toque. Another new addition for Germany and Austria is the Hudson jeans collection as well as the Feel the Piece label who make tops by L.A. designer Terre Jacobs. Finnish design by Ivana Helsinki completes the agency's portfolio whose main showroom is in Düsseldorf.

Labels: Claes Göran, Feel the Piece, Hudson Jeans,Ivana Helsinki, Mischa Lampert, Odd Molly, Rose & Rose, Rosemunde, Toque Hidden Secrets, Hamburg/Germany, www.hidden-secrets.de

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New at Karin Hammermann: Gaffer & Fluf.

Agentur Karin Hammermann

Women's Business

Successful feminine collections for the past 10 years: Hidden Secrets.

The Düsseldorf agency Karin Hammermann is entering its second season with fashionable newcomers to its womenswear portfolio. These include the label Gaffer & Fluf from Greece. "This is an exciting collection with a rich variety of wearable jersey", says Karin Hammermann. "Everything is completely manufactured in Greece, from the fibres to the finish." The young design label Glaw from Berlin is also new to the programme.

The label was founded two seasons ago and is now distributed on the German market by the agency.

The materials in this case are particularly striking, for example, tie-dyed leather. Another newcomer to arrive is the Italian fashion label No-lita; the Karin Hammermann agency is also responsible for distribution in the German states of North Rhine Westphalia, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland. "No-lita has legitimacy in the market", says Hammermann. "The collection appeals to a broader group of buyers and isn't age-specific."

Labels: Ana Blum, Est.In Hell, Gaffer & Fluf, Hundreddresses, Glaw, No-lita, Yasbis Agentur Karin Hammermann, Düsseldorf/Germany, www.karinhammermann.de

VISIT US SHOWROOM DÜSSELDORF 0211/43 61 670

www.g-lab.com/walloffame

034 RIGHT NOW From sexy to opulent: the new Lerock label.

Agency Under Construction

The Search for Nearly Everything

In order to present his customers with the fashion hypes of the future - Jason Pfyffer opened his "Agency Under Construction" in July 2012 with exactly this in mind.

Should the name express a need to change? "Basically, I am on an everlasting search for every­thing", says Pfyffer, explaining the name. Whether it's something new to be discovered or something that already exists that could be improved upon. Even the choice of location for the agency follows this premise: The halls used to serve as a coffee warehouse during the '20s and have now been transformed into a fashion presentation area. They also provide sufficient space to expand the established luxury labels, which are found in a small but distinguished brand portfolio, with a trendy insider label - and it's doesn't matter in the slightest whether this should be with clothing, shoes, accessories or hip gadgets. The agency founder also puts the interaction with retailers as a major priority too. He sees the basis for this in preparing am ample source of information on the brands and which the retailers can then pass on to their customers. "It's all about being up-to-date and knowing what ideas lie behind the products", says Pfyffer explaining the logic. He also wants to make himself useful as a link between the brands and the PR agencies in addition to being a source of information and inspiration for the retailers. He also has an eye on retailing events. The Mou and V°73 collection are to be showcased at an event organised by the retailer Paul Warmer Amsterdam.

Jason Pfyffer is also assisted in implementing his ambitious plans by his colleague, Eva Struijk.

Labels: 10,20 Clothing, Mou, Numero 10 Bags, Silvano Sassetti, V°73 Under Construction Agency, Amsterdam/ Netherlands, www.agencyuc.com A former coffee warehouse now provides the loft-like framework for Jason Pfyffer's fashion agency in Amsterdam.

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Ben And

Fashion and Polar Bear

The Munich-based agency Ben And is looking towards stability for this season too.

"We have backed the right horse and are continually showing growth", says Ben Botas. "The only addition this season is going to be Frye Company, a shoe label from the USA which has a wide range of men's and women's shoes." Mainly the well-known boots, followed by sneakers and welted lace-ups. Frye Company is represented by Flip, The Corner, Breuninger and Feldenkirchen amongst others, now agency owner Ben Botas wants to further expand distribution in Germany and Switzerland. "We have launched a flash programme in December and have had great success with it", says Botas. "The prices are also persuasive, you can get top-quality boots for an average retail price of 300 euros, whereby the label is well below the competition." There are four collections a year, as well as a large stock programme, so that the retail trade can always restock with merchandise.

The agency is showcasing in the Munich showroom in Balanstrasse 73 as well as in the Düsseldorf showroom in Kaiserswerther Strasse 135.

Customers and friends are invited to meet a polar bear at the event on 3rd February.

Labels: Cervolante, Franklin & Marshall, Frye Company, Gas, Lois, Mason’s, Scapa Sports Ben And GmbH, Munich/Germany, www.ben-and.com

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Aco Austria

Italian-Chinese Friendship

The Aco Austria fashion agency has made an important addition. "Lerock, the luxury jeans brand, is a joint venture of an Italian design team coupled with the Chinese producer Vigoss with 16 million units per year", says Rudolf Kail, the Managing Director of Aco. "The collection offers products that are contemporary in all areas: in styling and quality, price and margin."

Responsible for the design is a team managed by the CEO Luca Berti who brings more than 30-year's experience in the denim sector with him and has previously worked for brands such as Diesel and Replay. The label he launched three seasons ago offers everything from sexy basics up to opulently decorated models ranging from 50 euros wholesale up to 125 euros. A complementary complete collection was added last season. Rudolf Kail is aiming the collection at the upmarket specialised trade. "We will be using the shop programme already launched in Asia to prepare us in developing the East European market", says the agency owner. "We expect to open around 30 partner stores and a large number of corners within the next four to five years."

Labels: Cappopera, Cinque, EAN 13, Etiqueta Negra, Etoile du Monde, Frankie Morello, Gimos, Herzensangelegenheit, Horo, Ice Iceberg, Iceberg, Just Cavalli, Lerock, Maliparmi, Napapijri, Panama Jacket, Phil Petter, Pianura Studio, Pinko, Riani, Rossoforte Acc, Steffen Schraut, Sundek, Trapper Queens, Tru Trussardi, Trussardi Jeans, Versace Collection, Versace Jeans, Who's Who Aco Modeagentur GmbH, Salzburg/Austria, www.acomode.at

Winter hunting season! The Ben And agency provides the right fashion.

CPH VISION 31.1.-2.02.2013 LOKOMOTIVVÆRKSTEDET OTTO BUSSES VEJ 5A DK - 2450 COPENHAGEN SV STANDNR. 094

FA L L / W I N T E R / 2 0 1 3

CIFF 31.1.-3.02.2013 BELLA CENTER CENTER BOULEVARD 5 DK - 2300 COPENHAGEN S STANDNR. E 019 DÜSSELDORF 2.02.-5.02.2013 UNITED FASHION RATHER STR. 49E, 2 OG. 40476 DÜSSELDORF MUNICHFASHION. WOMEN & SUPREME 16.02.-19.02.2013 AGENTUR STECKEL HIRSCHAUER STR. 12 80538 MÜNCHEN

b.m.h werbeagentur | hamburg

www.bloom-fa shion.com

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10 Buyers meet up with brand worlds: The Novomania is relying on young brands such as Evisu.

Novomania

Condensed information

The young Chinese tradeshow for denim, urban wear and contemporary brands, has refined its concept for the Shanghai event on the 17th to 19th July 2013: "Novomania Shanghai 2013 'The Cloud' is a platform were the top players of the Chinese fashion world can meet with the best brands in the world", says General Manager Guilherme Faria. They have been working on multiple fronts over the past eight months - on the one hand, focusing on the relevant decision-makers in this market, such as buyers, real estate developers or distributors, for example. And on the other, they have been focussing on brands which are equipped for the peculiarities of the Chinese market. "We are expecting better results and more partnerships", says Faria. "The Cloud is a business incubator." Around 20,000 visitors are expected, real estate seminars, performances of brands and trend information are planned for the fashion shows. Novomania has entered a strategic partnership with the WGSN forecasting platform. "Novomania is stepping up trends in the Chinese market", says Paul Murphy, Regional Director of WGSN. www.novomania.com.cn

Agentur Toepfer

new lines on board

Sportswear and niche collections in the premium price segment continue to characterise the range that Agentur Toepfer from Düsseldorf, established in 1989, has to offer.

Endeavours to establish new international brands in the German-speaking market have resulted in the selection of outer garments for womenswear and mens/boyswear as well as the collections of accessories and shoes. At the same time, the focus has remained on quality and individuality. For the 2013/14 order season, the portfolio has grown by a total of ten newcomers: Bella Luxx, Charli, Eugene is my Middlename, Indress, L-Cashmere, Luca Venturini, Relive, S-Dress, Seafarer and 8PM. With these, the number of brands has now increased to a total of 31 and these can be ordered at the classic spring/summer and autumn/winter dates. As usual, the Agentur Toepfer serves high-end boutiques and selected department stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Labels: 8PM, Barena, Basalte, Bella Luxx, Blum, Charli, Circolo 1901, Erika Cavallini, Semi Couture, Es'givien, Eugene is my Middlename, Faliero Sarti, Fine Collection, Free City, GMS-75, Headhunter, HTC, Indress, Laneus, L-Cashmere, Leigh & Luca, Luca Venturini, Meo Fusciuni, Mister Bunny, Pull Story, Relive, S-Dress, Samantha Sung, Seafarer, Siyu, U di Aviu, V.SP Agentur Toepfer, Düsseldorf /Germany, www.agentur-toepfer.com Clean and tidy: the Agentur Toepfer showroom.

agen cies The Agentur Adventure is starting the new season with the young, trend-conscious collection by Mademoiselle Tara.

Adventure Modeagentur

Two new premium brands

The Agentur Adventure is starting the new autumn/winter season off with an as yet still young collection by Mademoiselle Tara, the second line by Tara Jarmon, the French design label. Carolin Castien from Adventure views the attractive price-performance ratio (wholesale prices average at around 70 euros), the high-quality of the materials used, such as the wool-cashmere blends and the early delivery dates for the young, trend-conscious collection as a powerful argument for selling the complete collection of around 120 pieces. The product range can also be easily reordered with a minimum of fuss via an online retail account. Besides Mademoiselle Tara, Craft Jeans from the Austrian area of Vorarlberg are also new in the agency's portfolio. Wholesale prices range between 90 and 100 euros for the simply styled jeans which are predominantly available as a super skinny fit and in a variety of different washings. One of the first to promote the jeans was and is the supermodel Kate Moss who has already made Craft Jeans famous across the globe.

Labels: 0039 Italy, 120% Lino, AJ Project, Belstaff, Birger Christensen, Craft, DNA, Mes Demoiselles, Corneliani, Ebony & Ivory, Jenny Packham, Mademoiselle Tara, MDK Boots, Milly, Halston Heritage, Plein Sud, Plein Sud Jeanius, Roberto Cavalli, See by Chloé, Witty Knitters Adventure Modeagentur GmbH, Munich/Germany, www.adventure-gmbh.de

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FALL/WINTER 2013/14 FASHION WEEK DÜSSELDORF 02.02. – 05.02.2013 | Cinque Showroom | Speditonstrasse 17 | COLLECTION PRÈMIERE MOSCOW 26.02. – 01.03.2013 | GDS 13.03. – 15.03.2013 | MODA MADE IN ITALY 24.03. – 26.03.2013 CINQUE MODA GMBH | Dohrweg 48 | 41066 Mönchengladbach | Deutschland | +49 (0)2161 9653 | info@cinque.de | cinque.de

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bread & butter

More High-Class More Selective & More Cosmopolitan The 28th BREAD & BUTTER scores with visitors and exhibitors thanks to its sharpened profile and modified concept. About 100 new exhibitors are appearing as part of quality enhancement. The head of the trade fair, Karl-Heinz Müller, announced the première of a new women's concept for summer 2013, based on the idea of the L.O.C.K. Area. Text: Kay Plonka. Photos: Kay Plonka, Bread & Butter, brands

Marco Götz, owner of Drykorn "The halls are arranged well, highlights are easily recognisable, overall, everything has a much tidier, more clearly focused effect. Our collection has become more attractive, less casual – basically higher-grade materials are being used."

Robert Stöckl, CEO EMEA Lacoste Footwear "The new combination is really good. The decision to become more selective again was just the right thing to do, you don't have to be everybody's darling.

This applies to trade, industry and trade fairs - do the right thing and do it well."

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G-Star RAW autumn/winter 2013/14 fashion show in Berlin.

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Claus Lyngholm Sørensen, International Sales Manager, Minimum "The brand mix worked really well. Our new location reflects the new direction of our women's collection and also allows us to reflect the economic development of Minimum."

Wolverine 1000 Mile Two-Tone Full Brogue Oxford.

Frank Wojczewski, Head of Design Windsor "Casual luxury and clean coolness characterise Windsor's image. Classics like trench coats, lambskin biker jackets and military-inspired jackets meet super-light down jackets and simple short coat styles."

Red Wing Shoe's Chelsea Boot made of inside-out leather.

A material mix with tweed -– Buttero.

Two-tone full brogue stow boots at Tricker‘s.

Classic meets modern: Joop Women's Collection.

Cheerful colours at Marc O’Polo.

"For us, the Bread & Butter isn't just the most important platform, but also the only platform whose direct surroundings are in tune with it.

Once more, Karl-Heinz Müller has got everything right. Our customers are happy and we are delighted to celebrate our 40th anniversary here."Uwe Boser, Country Manager Pepe Jeans London

Slender silhouettes in harmonious tones at Strellson.

Tweed meets style at Woolrich.

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For the tenth!

For its tenth anniversary, the Premium scored many points with its thick portfolio, great variety of small innovations and events and concluded the fashion week with a party at the place where it all began. Feedback from the exhibitors and retail trade: May it continue like this for the next ten years. Text: Martina MĂźllner. Photos: Bernhard Musil

10

premium berlin

Premium 10th Anniversary Specials For the tenth birthday of the Premium, labels such as Warm-Me, Zoe Karssen, Montgomery, Duvetica or B. Belt have designed limited special editions and which were exclusively available at the tradeshow.

Marco Stein, Country Manager 7 for all Mankind "At the tradeshow, we are showing flash programmes from the Readyto-Wear collection: Customers have recognised that the end consumer are clamouring for fashion. Because these programs are limited, order books at the trade fair are quickly being filled as the dealers are aware that they must decide quickly."

AndrĂŠ Berg, owner Handstich For the first time, Handstich is appearing with its own booth at the Premium so that we can showcase "our signature products cleanly and address the high-end specialised trade who have their own signature." Original booth construction: reed from the Ammersee and wooden posts from the landing stage of the Bavarian lake.

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A real womaniser and every bit as cuddly as the Villa Gaia cashmere collection, handmade in Germany: Family dog Baloo. "We delivered all our spring/summer merchandise well before the tradeshow, as a result the retail trade is in high spirits and is very open to discussions", says Norbert Reipert, Managing Director of Villa Gaia.

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Christian Obojes, owner of room with a view und Warm-Me "The additional day of the tradeshow is great for us exhibitors, in the past we used to be quite literally overrun on the first day. Now the foot traffic is well split up. We have always met up with the customers that we want at the Premium - which is why we are looking forward to the party already. The one for the 20th anniversary, mind you!"

Marco Lauer, International Sales Frauenschuh "As a manufacturer it's essential to visit the tradeshow because we garner information and an overview Owing to our philosophy and the limited production capacity, we ourselves only show in the showrooms in Munich and Paris, we couldn't provide a positive response to the many requests at a tradeshow."

Brigitte and Michael Sinnesberger, owner of Englhaus Kitzb체hel "The important thing now is to gain an overview, for us, Berlin is the place where we can see the most before we make any decisions on ordering. It's quite obvious that besides the Premium we also visit the steadily growing Show & Order and the Bread & Butter."

Ben Botas, owner of Ben and "Our brand portfolio is split over three tradeshows, I sit in taxis a lot because of that. Our credo of really filling the books at the tradeshow is totally paying off. All our members of staff are expecting customers with their order books in their hands. And we really do have something new to offer, a lot of flash programmes."

Completely overhauled - and yet still keeping much of the tried and tested - Marion Hoferer and her team presenting at the Premium. "I'm delighted to hear all the positive feedback from the dealers and suppliers and am pleased to continue into the future partnering the specialists in our portfolio."

Laura Bacilieri and Cornelia Adelmeyer, Managing Director Str채uli Rennweg "What we are looking for are stories. To be able to tell little anecdotes about the labels - because there are such a lot of beautiful products. In difficult times like these, we need to do our utmost at a tradeshow in order to encourage the customers to buy: Be open for new things."

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"We find it sensational here.

We have met top customers we were missing." Michael Boveleth, Founder of Blonde No.8

It was a successful première for Habsburg at the Show & Order according to Hubert Stolzlechner, Marketing and Product Management of the Salzburg brand.

Liane Scheve of the agency Hidden Secrets, who is exhibiting Odd Molly, praises the atmosphere: "In our view, customers arrive in very relaxed; you can write here in peace. We are also seeing a good selection of labels."

Appearing at the Show & Order for the first time with 1921: Reinhart Oberstein, Head of CP Fashion.

Powerful in the Power Station sohrodwer& For buyers with a nose for good products: the Show & Order brings together a sophisticated selection of brands in Berlin-Mitte. Event organiser Verena Malta has put together an exciting portfolio in the industrial atmosphere of the former thermal power station.

Text: Ina KĂśhler. Photos: Bernhard Musil

Rough surroundings, luxurious labels: The Show & Order scores with its location on several floors and the Late-Night Order on Wednesday evening. CEO Verena Malta is delighted by lots of new exhibitors and buyers from the high-end market.

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panorama

Precision landing

The start of the Panorama in Berlin-Schรถnefeld was a success despite the remote location and all the discussions surrounding the new airport. The exhibition halls were already full of visitors on the morning of the first day, Hall B in particular, with exhibitors such as Marc Cain, Liebeskind, Oui and Mac. Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Bernhard Musil

Jรถrg Wichmann, CEO Panorama "Our expectations weren't just met, they were exceeded.

The new mix of profitable brands for Berlin attracted both VIPs from international trade and visitors, many of whom had not been in Berlin in a very long time."

Dieter Ebling, Sales-Manager of Rockstars & Angels, and his team brought rock glamour to the Panorama. In the evening, brandmaker Sascha Gerecht acted as DJ at the Panorama Party in the Palais Funkturm in Berlin.

Marc Alexander Kofler, Brand Director of G Design "The mix of customers here is great. The organisation is brilliant and the open booths are a real hit with our customers."

Made in Germany, made in Europe: Marc Cain presented a state-of the-art digital printing machine for knitwear, Marc Cain's professed strength. "We want to communicate our European production more", says Managing Director Helmut Schlotterer.

"We had mixed feeling this morning but then our booth quickly filled up", says Airfield CEO Walter Moser. The collection was rejuvenated, which also made a good impression with new customers.

Shoes were the focus of Liebeskind - or at least at the Panorama.

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Düsseldorf

Villa Rheinperle Kaiserswertherstrasse 214/2 – 40474 Düsseldorf – Tel.: +49 (0) 211 437 1570 Furla

München

Prinz Alfons Palais Prinzregentenstrasse 61/2 – 81675 München – Tel.: +49 (0) 89 3090 53670 Furla

Salzburg

Vierthalerstrasse 11 – 5020 Salzburg – Tel.: +43 (0) 662 452832 0039 Italy, 120% Lino, Bikkembergs, C.r.a.f.t. jeans, Cruciani, Furla, FTC Cashmere, Grace, Hunter, Lauren Moshi, Lua Accessories, The Royal Pine Club

© Stenzel Washington - Fotolia.com

© kniveset - Fotolia.com

Vierthalerstrasse 16 – 5020 Salzburg I Blues, Marella, Stefanel, Witty Knitters

Š Stenzel Washington - Fotolia.com

w w w.t eu f l .c c | o f f i c e @ t eu f l .c c

046

want it

Elliot Mann

GRACE

New favourite pieces The Grace label is a newcomer from Germany and promises charm, beauty and grace. The relevant agencies in Germany and Austria discovered the label had a great popularity even before the Show & Order première in Berlin and were able to notch up numerous requests for appointments. The knitwear and jersey collection has found its place in the premium sector and is composed of 60 pieces divided into two specific themes of wild hearts and glam rock.

In addition to such accessories as scarves, hats and chains, the spotlight is particularly focused on knitwear and shirts as well as on several sweaters. Retail prices range from 69 to 89 euros for shirts and between 149 and 290 euros for knitwear with a markup of 2.7.

Grace Headquarters, Kempten/Germany, T 0049.83.112 154, info@grace-fashion.com, www.grace-fashion.com

Montgomery

Elliot Mann

A Question of Instinct

Grace

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Elliot Mann's bags come from a mixture of diverse ingredients: a little Boho, a little ethno, a little vintage. Established in New York in 2005 by Louise Paul, the label exudes a multicultural flair thanks to its materials brought together from around the world.

In doing so, the designer relies more on her instincts than on current fashion trends: "We work with a host of talents who all have different backgrounds.

This, and our positive attitude towards change, along with cross-border cooperation, are what make up Elliot Mann." The wholesale prices of the bags, showing at the Premium in Berlin and the Premiere Class in Paris, range between 150 and 450 euros. There are two collections with four deliveries every year, in January, April, August and October. Elliot Mann is represented at Jades in DĂźsseldorf and Ofelia in Berlin.

Elliot Mann, New York City/US, T 001.212.260.0658, wholesale@elliotmann.com, www.elliotmann.com

Montgomery

Classy Relaunch Leather as soft as butter, special innovation.

Behind Montgomery leather clothing is a 25-year-long tradition but the Austrian label will be kicking off the 2013 spring/summer season with a new, upmarket focus. With success because Brand Manager Peter Balzarek and Vural Iral, company owners of Wiedner & Iltar KG, have been able to win over around 100 customers, including Reyer, Daniels and Stierblut.

There are several lines, such as Montgomery Touch with leather gloves and a special material on the tips of the thumb and index fingers which makes handling an iPhone and iPad possible. Montgomery Leather comprises 15 leather jackets ranging from feminine to rock-n-roll, in indoor and outdoor variations at wholesale prices between 250 and 400 euros.

Finally, the third edition brings seasonal musthaves by Montgomery, for example, a pencil skirt made from premium stretch leather which wholesales at 399 euros and leather leggings at 799 euros wholesale. Silk and jersey blouses with a wholesale price below 200 euros complement the collection in addition to scarves made from silk with wool.

Agentur Marion Hoferer Connects & Cares, Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.15985592, info@b-kleidung.com, www.modeist.coml

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Paola Spinetti Jewels

Alife & Famous

Paola Spinetti Jewels

Materiality

Paola Spinetti from southern Italy originally made a name for herself in a totally different profession: As a PR agent, she was an established point of reference for film and television productions.

The Paola Spinetti Jewels line arose from a personal passion for a variety of different materials, coupled with a wealth of creative ideas and cosmopolitan inspiration.

The jewellery plays with shapes, colours and stones from all over the world - and unsurprisingly has already impressed a fair number of stars and starlets from the world of Italian cinema.

The neo-designer has now launched international distribution via her website and continued expansion of these activities is in the pipeline.

Paola Spinetti Jewels, Rome/Italy, T 0039.335.7160392, info@paolaspinetti.com, www.paolaspinetti.com

Andy Wolf

Visuals from Styria Handmade in Austria is the motto of the Andy Wolf eyewear collection, which had already established itself in the market with an optical eyewear collection in 2006, and which presented its first sunglasses collection in 2010. Alongside the development of an international opticians' distribution network, the sunglasses collection is focusing more on fashion stores. The sales prices of the glasses begin at 285 euros, with a calculated retail margin of

Andy Wolf

3.0. The export share at Andy Wolf is an impressive 95 percent, because the brand is not only represented at, for example, Freudenhaus in Munich, Spex in Berlin or Optik Art in Dortmund, but also in Australia, Kuwait, Japan and the US. The first two collections of the year are to be released to coordinate with fashion week in January and the opticians' trade fairs in March, and two more will be released the same way in autumn. As a special service, Andy Wolf provides his customers with an express complaints service, whereby the company guarantees it will deal with every complaint within 24 hours.

Andy Wolf Fashion Gmbh,
Hartberg/Austria, T 0043.333261352, seeyou@andy-wolf.at, www.andy-wolf.at

Alife & Famous

In plain language Urban, modern, individual – is how the new German label Alife & Famous want to position themselves on the Young Fashion market. The 100-piece collection is targeting the brand world environment between G-Star and Vero Moda, Scotch & Soda and Marc O'Polo. The label is characterised by its casual understatement, the focus

clearly lying on jackets and outerwear.

The jackets are rich in detail and range from waxed field jackets to casual city parkas to the warm, water-repellent down jackets with a high-quality fake-fur collar - retail price between 100 and 200 euros. In addition, Alife & Famous offer sweats between 49 and 69 euros and knitwear between 59 and 99 euros retail. The markup for this segment is high at around 2.7 as Alife & Famous are relying on strong trade partnership. No wonder, as the creators Nick and Mila Jacob have many years experience in distribution, production and retail. A fast and reliable delivery is guaranteed as they have their own warehouse and logistics centre in Saxony. The collection can be viewed between January and March 2013 in showrooms in the following towns: Berlin, Sindelfingen, Offenbach, Hamburg and Cologne.

Alife & Famous, 3Pleset GmbH, Ellefeld/Germany, T 0049.3745.223323, info@alifeandfamous.com, www.alifeandfamous.coml

style in progress 213

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Diemme Footwear

Norwegian Rain

Netherlands and the US. Plans are in the pipeline to extend the product range with waterproof shoes and bags.

Norwegian Rain / Wesley Swolfs, Oslo/Norway, T 0045.22.254348, wes@norwegianrain.com, www.norwegianrain.com

Diemme Footwear

On Quality Soles

Norwegian Rain

Waterproof Trench Coats Norwegian Rain has its roots in Bergen, the rainiest city in Europe. So it's extremely fitting that all the coats have welded seams and are made from material both waterproof and windproof. The outerwear label for men extended their product range with models for women in 2012. These are designed by Alexander Helle and T-Michael in exactly the same way as the men's coats and a pure chic look thanks to impressive details such as cashmere collars, horn buttons and defined shoulders. The purchase price of Norwegian Rain's pieces range from 190 to 330 euros, with a 2.8 markup. So far, the coats are available in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, the

213 style in progress

Dennis and Maico Signor aren't interested in short-lived mass merchandise. The brothers prefer to rely on authentic, high-quality shoe fashion with their Diemme Footwear label. The shoe manufacturers Calzaturificio Diemme was founded in 1992 in the town of Fonte in the Montebelluna district, Diemme Footwear followed in 2010. The two Italians don't deny its roots - hunting boots and trekking boots - instead they adapt them afresh and develop them further.

So, nine fashionable models will be complementing the autumn/winter 2013/14 collection. A small women's line will also be launched. There are also two small flash collections in addition to the two yearly main collections and they have the same order window but will be delivered earlier.

Diemme Footwear is available from Barneys, Harvey Nichols amongst others or online from Mr. Porter. The collections will be showcased at the Pitti Uomo and the Capsule in New York and Paris. Distribution in Germany will be through the Komet und Helden agency.

Wholesale prices are between 75 and 139 euros, calculated with a markup of 2.6.

Blender Agency, Oslo/Norway, T 0047.22.606950, erlend@blenderagency.com, www.diemmefootwear.com

Black Yak

Europe in its Sights BlackYak is one of the leading outdoor brands in Asia; company founder and CEO Tae Sun Kang is regarded as one of the best known climbers in his home country of South Korea. Now, in time for its 40-year anniversary, the label also wants to venture into the European sports and outdoor retail market. Thirty-nine models have been selected from the Korean collection to do this and help is being given by KTC, the worldwide famous sportswear producer, who are adjusting processing in terms of the European sizing codes and standards. The programme includes shell jackets, down jackets and gilets, fleece items as well as trousers. Innovative combinations of material are typical of BlackYak, such as a variety of coordinated colours, detailing and the logo with the yak's head, a breed of cattle from Central Asia.

Equally typical are paddings made from yak wool as well as the inserts from top-quality materials from Gore, Schoeller, Sofiletta and zips from YKK. Premiere is celebrating the first European BlackYak collection at the Ispo, booth B6 503; it can be ordered directly via Black Yak until a European distributor has been found.

BlackYak, Seoul/South Korea, T 0082.22.0271864, global@blackyak.co.kr, http://global.blackyak.co.kr/l

BlackYak

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Jean-Michel Cazabat

Every Shoe Is a Walking Stones Song Fun, Fashion, Rock'n'Roll – buzzwords Jean-Michel Cazabat wants people to associate with his French shoe label. The designer of the same name learned his trade at Charles Jourdan and Stephane Kélian.

Jean-Michel Cazabat founded his own label in 1999, the intention being to fill an affordable niche in the premium shoe market.

Born in the south of France, the designer draws inspiration from his passion for music, the nightlife and spirit of the ‚60s. The 2013 spring/summer collection will be dominated by a variety of different colours and materials. Snakeskin and metallic leather meet wedge and block heels along the way. Retail prices range from 160 to 330 euros. There are two main collections a year, each with 120 different styles as well as two flash collections. The shoe collections are available from department stores such as KaDeWe, Harvey Nichols, Galeries Lafayette and El Corte Inglés.

Jean-Michel Cazabat, Quentin Kaeser, Paris/France, T 0033.777.252543, quentin.kaeser@highlineunited.eu, www.highlineunited.eu, www.jeanmichelcazabat.com

Ally Capellino

Ally Capellino

Functionality as a Top Priority With its leather and accessory collections for women, men and children, the London bag label Ally Capellino wishes to be seen as a synonym of aesthetic product with high recognition value. In order to live up to this claim, the brand founded in 1980 relies on durable leather, waxed cotton and well-thought out details with functionality as its top priority. The focus of the collection is based on the pragmatic character of the founder Alison Lloyd who cycled to her studio in London's Shoreditch every day.

Liev

Always at her side: her practical Ally Capellino rucksack.

As well as a shop-in-shop at Liberty and two own stores in London, the bags and accessories are also available from the online shop at www.allycapellino.co.uk as well as at dealers in Europe, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the USA. Retail prices range between 12 euros for a keyring and 280 euros for a travel and sports bag. A premium bag line called "AO Ally Capellino" appeared in 2008 in cooperation with Apple and designed with iPad, iPhone and Co. in mind.

Ally Capellino, Michelle Noel, London/Great Britain, T 0044.207.6133073, michelle@allycapellino.co.uk, www.allycapellino.co.uk

Liev

Modular System

Jean-Michel Cazabat

213 style in progress

Cologne's concept store Simon und Renoldi has been around for five years. They have now launched an own collection called Liev designed by Olivia Zirkel who trained

by Charles Nolan in New York and runs Simon und Renoldi together with Leonie Stockmann. Cocktail and evening dresses made from printed silk chiffon are set to start things off. "We were able

to sell more than 50 dresses in just a few weeks", says Olivia Zirkel happily having shown her first collection in June 2012 at a fashion show in Cologne. "The universality of the models has been well received." Liev's style isn't fixed; the collection is a modular system strongly influenced by its ability to be combined and its wearability.

The label is available from Simon und Renoldi stores and can also be bought online from shop.simonundrenoldi.com and luxodo.com.

Distribution of the label is now to be expanded, the hunt is currently on for a distribution agency for the German and American markets.

Retail prices range from 150 to 660 euros, wholesale with a markup of 2.6.

Liev – by Olivia Zirkel, Cologne/Germany, T 0049.22.194080800, info@liev-design.com, www.liev-design.coml

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052 WANT iT

been won in the form of the store Cherry Pickers. Individual capsule collections will also be included in future and will be carried out in collaboration with artists and corresponding events. Wholesale prices for the collection range between 13 and 43 euros.

Esteem, Salzburg/Austria, T 0043.660.4816621, contact@thisisesteem.com, www.thisisesteem.com

Stewart

Italian Heritage

Eribé

Eribé

Scottish Knitting Culture Rosemary Eribé had a mission - to give traditional knitwear a modern, contemporary edge and so, in 1996, she breathed life into the Scottish-based label named after her. What started as a passion for hand-knitted products made from cashmere, culminated in breaking into the American, Japanese and German markets with ambitious projects during the mid-'90s. By working with local spinners and experienced knitters, Eribé's cooperation with well-known designers is able to translate their traditional technology and expertise into a range of products that are as equally ecological and stylish as they are functional.

Besides cashmere, the woollen vests, pullovers, scarves and hats, now available in around 17 countries, are made of lambswool, camel-hair and mohair yarns.

Prices for the pieces, which are partly knitted on machines and partly by hand,

Esteem

213 style in progress

are flexible and don't have a fixed markup.

Two women's and men's collection appear every year and are complemented by lifestyle products such as keyrings and cushion covers.

Eribe, Shona Forrester, Galashiels/Great Britain, T 0044.1896.755540, enquiries@eribe.co.uk, www.eribe.co.uk.

Esteem

Create your own system It started in 2011 with a few T-shirts, in the beautiful city of Salzburg in Austria. Reinhard Lampert is a passionate graphic designer whose goal is to design things outside the norm and, in particular, outside monotonous normality. The idea of an own streetwear collection quickly grew and consists of four to seven styles such as T-shirts, cardigans, hoodies, sweat jackets and long-sleeve designs. Esteem was first only sold via its own online shop but it will now be expanding the distribution system this year so that retail trade will be at the forefront.

The first customers in Salzburg have already

Around Florence people know how to treat and process leather. And what's more: People know just how to make hip fashion from precious skins. Stewart, the label founded in 1975 in the Val D'Arno, treats its leather with olive oil and wine. It's said even Brunello di Montalcino and Vin Santo are used. The result: the finest leather jackets for ladies and men. It should be pretty clear that production like this with so much craftsmanship involved at many stages comes at a price and justifies wholesale prices that range from 280 to 350 euros. The Italian designers enjoy presenting the inspiration they discover in their massive archive in their two collections. The archive has just under 11,000 items from the period between the First and Second World Wars which makes it one of the largest clothing archives in the world. The library has an especially large number of flight jackets and uniform jackets which are also often very welcome guests in the collection. The Komet und Helden agencies based in Munich and Düsseldorf conduct distribution in the German climes. Besides the exciting history, the known good service and personal dedication, the retail trade is also offered a markup of 2.6.

Stewart, Reggello/Italy, T 0039.055.8667285, info@stewart.it, www.stewart.it.l

Stewart

( AGENCY )

www.Hidden-Secrets.de

054 WANT iT

Codice

G Design

Murriée

Codice

Stitch by Stitch The essence of the Codice collection is steeped in the expertise of a traditional Italian knitting manufacturer. Giorgio Filippi, Product and Sales Manager for the menswear collection of tops, makes a clear statement for Italian production even in his choice of yarn suppliers which include Folco and Millefili. In contrast to the production philosophy, distribution of the Codice collection launched in 2007 initially only focused outside Europe. But since the 2012/13 autumn/winter collection, Codice is also represented on the European market in addition to the USA, Russia and Canada.

460 international customers are already listed for spring/summer 2013 and 700 are targeted for the end of 2013. The collection is primarily aimed at the classic retail segment, including boutiques such as Breitling in Stuttgart or Boniberger in Munich. Retail prices of the two annual main collections range from 59 to 149 euros, retail margin lies between 2.65 and 2.75. expansion of distribution into Denmark and Poland is a further goal planned for 2013.

GBox Distribution s.r.l, , Reggio Emilia/Italy, T 0039.0522.327233, sales@c-o-d-i-c-e. com, giorgio.filippi@gboxdistribution.it, www.c-o-d-i-c-e.com

G Design

Gardeur Goes Fashion Progressive cuts, innovative dyeing techniques and modern looks shape the face of G Design, a new collection for men and women by Gardeur. The line was first launched under the Gardeur Design name in

213 style in progress

Muriée

Mature Products

July 2011. "We really boosted the brand by renaming it as G Design and by showcasing it in Berlin in July 2012", says Marc-Alexander Kofler, Brand Director of the line. They already have customers in Russia, the Netherlands and Germany, including Engelhorn, Pohland, P&C Düsseldorf and Hirmer Munich, further expansion is in the pipeline within the EU, USA and the Middle East. There are two main collections a year plus a flash programme on a monthly basis.

Purchase prices range on average between 46 to 83 euros with a markup of 3. Gardeur GmbH has around 2,200 employees and works as a fully-integrated trousers supplier, so that all development stages of the trousers are covered and the collections can be flexibly controlled.

G Design by Gardeur GmbH, Mönchengladbach/ Germany, T 0049.2161.8160, Marc-Alexander Kofler, info@g-design.co, m.kofler@g-design.co, www.g-design.co

The Muriée knitwear label which made its début in the autumn/winter season of 2011, is a joint project by the German designer Anne Pastré and the Mexican musician Mauricio Muriel Javiedes. Their credo is: Do what you love, and do it really well. The label indicates the overall concept of the brand. The French word mûri means mature, refined. With Muriée, the two are concentrating on knitwear made from durable, organic materials with a focus on cashmere. The yarns are dyed using ingredients with purely vegetable origins such as liquorice roots, turmeric and poppies. All Muriée materials have been GOTS-certified (Global Organic Textile Standard) and are exclusively processed in Germany.

The spring/summer collection 2013, which will include T-shirts for the first time, fully reflects the "Summer, Sun & Surf" with its colourful prints of palm trees and flowers. Pieces of the collection are available as immediates with a delivery time of six to eight weeks.

Retail prices range between 27 euros for accessories and 205 euros for cashmere knitted merchandise. Small seasonal capsule collections are offered in their own online shop.

Muriée, Oberhausen/Germany, T 0049.8431.430616, retail@muriee.com, www.muriee.coml

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Sloe

More than Bags The basic idea of Sloe, the label founded last June by Antonia Siegmund was simple, sporty elegance for bags at moderate prices. "The interest in Sloe is much greater than we had previously hoped for", says the designer who studied at Central St. Martins College in London and who manages Sloe together with the Art Director Matthias Last, "We appear to have hit a nerve which has given us tremendous encouragement." The growing collection has a timelessly-practical style and should survive for several seasons. It is presented with four order dates a year. Prices range between 45 euros retail for a key ring and up to 500 euros for an elaborately-crafted bag. However, Sloe isn't just about bags, they also have, for example, an elegant yet comfortable cardigan made from silk or cushions made from nappa leather.

Available through their own online shop and in

Michael Bastian

stores such as YBDPT Hamburg, Set & Sekt in Basel and in the Voo Store in Berlin. The label should now continue to grow with distribution on national and international levels.

Sloe Fashion Berlin, Berlin/Germany, T 0049.30.54854977, sales@sloeberlin.com, www.sloeberlin.com

Michael Bastian

Familiar Luxury

Sloe

Following posts at Sotheby's, Tiffany & Co. and Polo Ralph Lauren, in 2006, Michael Bastian breathed life into the men's fashion label he named after himself. Having previously been in charge of the men's department at Bergdorf Goodman, Bastian recognised that "designer men's fashion demanded a new voice: Something modern and luxurious, with the addition of everyday and familiar elements." Button-down shirts, sweaters and chinos, combining modern cut and Italian materials and given a contemporary twist, these are to be the primary focus

TooBe

213 style in progress

Presentation of the spring/summer collection at Bungalow in Stuttgart: from left to right Max-Richard Freiherr von Rassler, Uwe Maier, Michael Bastian.

of the collections. In 2011, following the split from launch partner Brunello Cucinelli, a drastic change of course took place. After skipping a season and lowering retail prices by 20 per cent, the New York label started off with its reputation of priceless fashion again. The spring/summer 2013 collection took place with Michael Bastian in December 2012 at Bungalow in Stuttgart. He co-hosted an event including a trunk show with Uwe Maier who owns the store. Besides Europe, the label is represented by around 50 dealers in America, Canada, Japan and the Middle East.

Michael Bastian, Rose Castillo, New York/ USA, T 001.212.228.3400, rose@michaelbastiannyc.com, www.michaelbastiannyc.com

TooBe

Vintage and the Sea When a fashion stylist and an interior designer get together, then creative output is guaranteed. And so it was too when the Italian ladies Elisabetta dal Bello and Benedetta Bordieri, gave their passion for nature, travelling and surfing free rein with the label founded in 2010. Tindaya, Mundaka and Hookipa – the surf spots visited by the TooBe founders are also the same names given to the bags and accessories. Vintage materials from a variety of different backgrounds form the basis of the pieces, most of which are made by hand and are combined with leather, silk or wool. Nature and the shades of the sea are a constant influence when it comes to colours. Retail prices range from 200 to 400 euros. The twice-yearly main collections are available at Journal Standard in Tokyo, Excelsior in Milan or Shine in Paris. A yearly capsule collection expands the playing field: The unique pieces made entirely by hand and from vintage material are limited to a maximum of 50 bags per season.

TooBe, Milan/Italy, T 0039.02.20243238, info@point-mpbernardis.com, www.showroompoint.com, www.toobebag.coml

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058 THE LONGVIEW

"I Don't Go into Any Poorly-Made Shops" He is a lecturer, writer, teacher, advisor and founder of strategic dramatization for the retail sector. Dr. Christian Mikunda lectures all over the world on how to use staged places to create good feelings - and implements his philosophy in successful shop design concepts based on the seven feelings of elation.

His books such as "Why We Buy Feelings" or "Welcome to the Third Place and the Total Marketing Experience" have evolved into standard reading literature for shopfitters. Anybody who has any questions regarding design, production or psychology of the customers of tomorrow, should ask him.

Interview: Stephan Huber.

Text: Isabel Faiss.

Photos: David Sailer

213 style in progress

Stephan Huber: Along with your research into consumers and their consumption behaviour, you have also been intensively researching the retail trade for many years, and conducting this research on both a global and very regional level. During this time, what was the most radical change in consumer habits or in consumerism?

Christian Mikunda: Much has changed over the last 15 years.

The notion of sustainability has prevailed in all areas. This rethinking first started around the summer of 1998 and it was just as though somebody had flicked a switch and from one day to the next the entire Experience Economy was suddenly enriched with more sense. Amongst various other things, this also meant a return to real materials, a new longing for design and more reality. People wanted to view an experience combined with more sense, sometimes even with a little help in life, with mood management, that is to say by emotionally massaging the senses, with a certain sophistication. At the time, we were already seeing the beginnings of the recession and we were on the threshold of a new millennium.

And whenever a new millennium

like this comes along, people look around to see what is being taken from one century into the next, so to speak, and what really matters.

SH: But didn't a kind of counter-movement against this very superficial first wave of online hysteria break out whereby, first and foremost, a great deal of money was squandered.

(laughs) Yes. That may be true, but sustainability obviously won out in the end. You see, we are sitting here in CafĂŠ Hansen, surrounded by the Lederleitner garden and flower shop, that isn't a coincidence. It is still one of the most spectacular shops in Vienna because you are surrounded by an interplay of plants with the furniture, with the books, with the English garden tools on sale along with other lifestyle accessories. Everything is telling a threedimensional story, one that's accessible. It is creating a central theme with products that you can touch, that can be felt, that you can smell. This occurred at the end of the '90s and has been growing in strength right until the present day, up to phenomena such as the Rough Lux in the retail trade. In shop dramaturgy over the last 25, 30 years, the customer has been faced with so many expensive materials,

THE LONGVIEW 059

"You have to like your own merchandise, you have to like yourself, you have to love the place and you have to love the customers." Dr. Christian Mikunda

060 THE LONGVIEW

"People are more or less used to there being an omnipresent availability of emotional charge."

ucts in the fashion industry go far beyond the actual needs of customers.

Which makes emotional charge all the more important. Anybody who wants to sell, must create a good shop.

You need to open up a spatial structure that encourages people to walk around. You need to introduce a cognitive map into the heads of people, you need to build-up an axis of suspense which acts like a rubber band, pulling people into the store. If you decide to go against this and say, well, I'd prefer to have an axis of suspense filled with merchandise because I would like to show all the goods in the store, then you'll most certainly have all the goods in the store but you won't have the shoppers.

In principle, everybody can do this, so it isn't a question of large or small or of being a group or not being a group?

with marble, with brass and with glamour, that the people have slowly started to realise that this promotes even more consumer pressure. This has resulted in a new trend, because now a very great desire exists, people yearn for an environment that is emotionally relaxing.

What desire is served by this?

The desire to come down emotionally. Being able to chill-out is a feeling of elation and one that is incredibly underestimated by us intellectuals. People want to experience a staged relaxation. Professional and public life nowadays has become relatively difficult, in this regard, being able to chill-out is a feeling of 213 style in progress

elation that works using relief signals.

In your book published in 2009 entitled "Why we Buy Our Feelings", you define seven feelings of elation which, individually or in combination, incite people to consume.

Why do we have to actually buy our feelings? At first sight, this appears to be a little disillusioning...

Yes, of course. We all buy our feelings. This doesn't necessarily meant that we use money to buy something. Sometimes we give our time, sometimes it's an emotional performance. People are more or less used to there being an omnipresent availability

of emotional charge. Or to put it a different way, of happiness.

When I say that we buy our feelings, I mean that the retail trade should be aware that customers not only come into a store to buy merchandise, they also come to receive an emotional gift too. When a customer walks into a store that is emotionally designed, the AIME factor (Amount of Invested Mental Effort) is increased. This means that alertness is increased by the experience and people are more positively drawn to the product range and the length of time spent there is increased.

From a purely pragmatic point of view, 99 per cent of prod-

It's not the budget that decides this, it's the psychological precision. There are some great lone wolves that have tiny shops but are able to create a breath-taking shop and also become part of the shop experience itself.

You have called the seven feelings of elation Glory, Joy, Power, Bravura, Desire, Intensity and Chill. Is there a key to how many of them you need?

Because it would be extremely difficult to cover all of them.

As a general rule, you only work with a mixture of two feelings of elation. If you were only to use one, let's take Glory for example, as a feeling of grandeur, this would be intimidating and you would die in beauty. You need to break it. As consultants,

THE LONGVIEW 061

we have witnessed about ten complete disasters when building malls was left up to the architects without controlling them precisely. Of course, illuminated glass domes in the evening have a majestic effect on the royal feeling of customers. But you need to build a joy-experience that guarantees a high release of dopamine into it somewhere.

This can be created by things like trees, shrubs, the so-called trybefore-you-buy products, such as stands where colourful Crocs are sold.

Lots of things where an architect says, whew, for goodness' sake, my design.

starts to release neurotrophin that's the neurotransmitter that gives you butterflies in your stomach - has the effect that he "falls in love" with the product.

If we can't give the customer this experience, if we don't even allow him to touch the merchandise, if we don't permit him to put a scarf around his neck and to stand in front of a mirror, then they won't take that step.

So, this means that the trend of a sterile temple of fashion has been a great mistake?

You can only do this in an ironic way nowadays. A good example of this is the Prada Shop in New

York, where Rem Koolhaas confined the merchandise to cages that flew around in order to symbolise how unattainable it is. But only Prada can afford a gag like that because the place acted as a radical stage, as a place to stay, as a place of welcome where jazz concerts also took place. And a new artistic performance took place every two months.

Can these feelings of elation actually be transferred to online trade too?

Absolutely. At the beginning, many retailers made the same mistakes on the internet as they did in the bricks-and-mortar

trade: They simply showed the merchandise. The online trade's greatest opportunity is a feeling of elation that we call Bravura.

Bravura is the fascination that arises as the result of being able to do something, through mastery. There are two ways of triggering Bravura. Through a master or through a mentor.

How does that work in practice?

A master produces a product that is attractive to customers. Uniqlo is a good example. I have just bought a winter jacket at Uniqlo, it is so light that you can't feel you're wearing it at all. But it

Exactly. That is the problem with star architects who don't want to have their fantastic, sacred structure disturbed. So, the combination of Glory and Joy is the classic combination in all sacred concepts such as flagship stores and shopping malls. Another typical combination is Joy and Desire, we call it the Las Vegas principle. Joy and Desire are the two feelings of elation that stimulate consumption. Desire means to motivate people into fancying a product. In order to do this, the merchandise needs to be made dramatic through visual merchandising.

Is Desire, so to speak, the most important feeling of elation for the fashion trade?

Absolutely. It signifies that you take the customer seriously and appreciate and love them.

Because presenting something to somebody in such a way that he starts to fancy the product and

"The retail trade should be aware that customers not only come into a store to buy merchandise, they also come to receive an emotional gift too." style in progress 213

062 THE LONGVIEW

is absolutely suitable for winter use. This is a Bravura product because it can do something that no other product could prev足 iously do.

The only sad thing is that the fashion industry today still hasn't managed to commun足 icate just how much knowhow actually goes into the products.

That's right. There are excellent performances that are insufficiently communicated. Stores such as Globetrotter in Cologne or Munich show us how it's done with their cold rooms, climbing walls and rain boxes where people can go inside to test the products. These big Bravura flagship stores show that they are masters of their trade.

And a mentor is quite simply a good salesman.

I've been thinking about the term experience a lot. What is actually still an "experience" for consumers nowadays?

That can easily be defined physiologically. An experience can be a range of communication from another person, an architecture that surrounds you, a product that was arranged for you. When the so-called AIME factor is increased by it, the Amount of Invested Mental Effort. Put in simple terms, if you are given a little perception game by the product range, if you have a Glory experience on a high emotional level, if you start grinning because something has been so fantastically spotlighted, like an Abercrombie & Fitch. Then you have experienced something. By the way, this can also be a negative experience.

But doesn't the experience screw always need to be tightened a little more nowadays?

That is a good question. Does it always have to be faster, higher, further? In certain areas and up to a certain point, yes! Until the counter-movement comes back again. I first noticed the burgeoning counter-movement to Glamour in New York in 1998, this trend had been replaced by the Rough Lux and Chill-out at the time. This cycle was to go on for at least another seven years.

Above all else, you need to be careful with regard to the stimulus threshold. Nowadays, when you enter a store in London that 213 style in progress

is targeting a young audience, then you will find a much greater bombardment of stimuli there in comparison to Central Europe, that is to say, in the Germanspeaking world. There are even regional differences in the stimulus threshold within a brand world such as Abercrombie & Fitch. The stores in New York are even darker and much louder. Of course, the stimulus threshold is set lower from year to year, while at the same time the density of staging increases.

As part of this current trend cycle, which you call Rough Lux and Chill-out, a re-regionalisation can be observed. In all sectors. Culinary, travel, fashion. Do you see this as a trend or as a long-term mani-

festation? Or put a different way: why are young families going on hiking holidays in the Black Forest again and why are farmer's markets experiencing a boom? Is this middleclass posing?

It goes hand-in-hand with the return of summer freshness and hiking. When you translate this trend into our industry, then the two are very similar. Around seven or eight years ago, we received 70 per cent of our orders for shopping centres. Then the big brand stores came along, the big automotive brand worlds, then the tradeshows. The tradeshows have suddenly noticed that if they don't do any staging, they will disappear. Recently, this has moved into dramatization of

"Does it always have to be faster, higher, further? In certain areas and up to a certain point, yes!"

THE LONGVIEW 063

the public arena and especially in the regional sector. For example, we have been working on two large long-distance hiking trail projects in the last few years. The Eagle's Walk in Tyrol and the Alpe-Adria-Trail in Carinthia.

Isn't there a tremendous opportunity for the traditional retail trade to be had in this rediscovery of close proximity and roots.

Yes. Absolutely. The best example of this can be seen in the whole area of fashion around traditional costumes. Not only have many brands managed to sell a piece of fabric but they have even infused the product with emotions that reflect an entirely cultural connection. I know a retailer who sells traditional costumes and he has a letter on display in his store dating back 100 to 150 years, it's written by a lumberjack to an Alpine herdswoman and dairymaid. Since both of them were illiterate, it's written in a kind of picture writing that can barely be understood despite the subtitles. The contents are very simple: I'll wait behind the tree until your husband has gone and then I'll come and visit you. It's an original artefact and you suddenly realise that when you're buying a garment you're not just buying a piece of cloth you are also buying the cultural charge with it too. You buy the traces of the past, just on a more regional level, because it's only exciting then. However, for the traditional costume sector, it's important that the look isn't copied 100 per cent. Either, you take a strong reference from history and create an emotional depth through this or you deliberately break the subject by means of current trends. This is a new twist and one which can be particularly seen in several stores.

It's about a new look, about connecting the revival of traditional costumes with current trends and creating new perception signals through this. Everything is reloaded. We are already living in a reloaded time anyway.

There have always been renaissances like this.

Is this a kind of answer or response to a certain anxiety about the future?

No, it's a cultural technique.

People look back and enjoy twisting the old with the new.

It's become difficult to keep on putting something new into the world. That only works using technical innovations. Yes, there's nothing that exists that we haven't already had.

Following this, what future does a small owner-run specialist store have after being buffeted about for years by vertical concepts and online shops and who's repeatedly been told that he doesn't have a future?

He has a future, but he has to do a good emotional job in his own shop. We call this beautification. Everybody is in a position to create a beautiful store without having an interior designer. I don't understand people who go into a poorly-made store.

How do they manage to keep on doing it? How do they stand a light that blinds themselves as well as the product and the customer? How do they stand things not being settled and in an emotionally-pleasing way?

So, you have to like your own merchandise.

You have to like your own merchandise, you have to like yourself, you have to love the place and you have to love the

customers. And an aesthetic staging should emerge from this.

The owner is the central element in this. The time when customers were attracted by the irrational arrogance of retailers is over. As a customer, when you come to one of these forbidden places today where you have to ring a bell to get in, such as at a jewellers in London or New York, where a security man is standing by the door, then the value of the store is enhanced even more if you are welcomed at the door with a fantastic service behind this artificially high threshold.

Otherwise, the exaggeration only acts as a deterrent.

a brand that a customer has understood the brand at the point of sale and not to have bought anything than for him not to understand this and still take something with him. That is the real gift, that the customer needs to receive at the point of sale, that he can enjoy it without having to consume anything.

That is exactly the kind of sustainability of which spoke at the beginning. Thank you for the interview!

You have defined several different places. What are they?

The first place is the home and the second place is the workplace which should also be a kind of home. The third place is the place where you stay where you can take an emotion away with you, where you just simply like to be. Well-made stores should always be a third place. A home away from home. Every corner shop used to be such a place in the past, a meeting place where you could chat, swap gossip and experience something. Nowadays, customers know that a point of sale has been made for them, they know that it is to promote sales so that they may take something of this emotion away with them without consuming anything. Because it is much more important for

Dr. Christian Mikunda in an interview with style in progress Editor-in-Chief Stephan Huber.

In my absolutely favourite time.

And people just go crazy to see what something happened in the past and what something looked like int the past, or what came from it.

It's a pretty amazing return in itself.

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064 WHAT'S THE STORY

online

Without a Shop Does a retailer need to be online nowadays? Yes! Does he have to run his own webshop? No! style in progress presents a few novel ways for fashion stores to take advantage of the growing online and mobile market - without having to invest in an own store.

Text: Martina MĂźllner.

Illustration: Esther Gebauer/Agency Caroline Seidler

Hardly any other subject takes up so much of a retailers time than weighing up the pros and contras of an own webshop. Looking at it subjectively, it seems that "everybody" has their own online store: Peek & Cloppenburg, Breuninger, Loden-Frey - sooner or later, all the flagship stores in the industry have put their toe in the water.

But big business isn't always lurking behind the high-gloss of online stores. The supposed savings in retail space and other obvious costs of a bricks-and-mortar shop still remains exactly that: a supposed saving. Design, maintenance, marketing, job situations - turning online shops into a profitable business demands constant investment. Prof.

Dr. Gerrit Heinemann at DĂźsseldorf's Dachmarkenforum 2012: "On average, e-commerce breaks-even after around six to seven years." In a bricks-and-mortar store, the lights would have long been turned off, permanently. "It's natural for the retail trade to feel attracted by the great growth potential in the online segment. This is because, even at a rapid rate of expansion, bricks-and-mortar stores can only attain an annual growth of ten, maximum twenty per cent, at best.", says the expert from the University of MĂśnchengladbach active in teaching and research of commercial issues. When these figures are compared with the rapid growth of pure online players such as Zalando, who have managed to gain an eight per cent market share in Germany in just three years, the effort put into this offline growth appears to be much more laborious. But experts warn against just such conclusions.

As comparisons with the giants of e-commerce are always misleading.

Just who has the means - or even simply a fraction of these - that the Samwer Brothers and their later investors had to lead the field with?

Multi-Channel or: Be Strong, Where You Are Strong

Starting up as a small and medium-sized retailer nowadays and entering into this area is more likely doomed to failure than any Mission Impossible. But this doesn't necessarily mean you have to cross off the subject of online altogether. There are still many doors open to fashion specialist retailers without them having to run their own webshop. "Multi-channel" is a popular buzzword used when explaining what other opportunities exist besides running an own online shop.

However, you don't need marketing lingo to spread this message. It's: Be strong, where you are already strong today. At the point-of-sale.

The following example demonstrates that you can make the leap into the online world with comparatively little effort but with a great deal of commitment.

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WHAT'S THE STORY 065

Trade happens everywhere today: Instant and mobile commerce are the hopes of the future, this also applies to fashion stores that don't have an online webshop.

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066 WHAT'S THE STORY

FashionHub and Others – Together, Not Alone

The idea is obvious - and yet it needs a lot of cleverness and programme knowhow to put this into practice. Portals such as Fashionhub.com gather deals from many retailers together to create a single attractive address. They offer existing online shops the option to integrate their products. Well-known online players such as StyleServer or Bungalow Gallery are also involved with FashionHub - but there are also stores who didn't have any e-commerce of their own before they launched on FashionHub, such as Tutto in Frankfurt, Off & Co in Munich or Graubner in Lüneburg. FashionHub takes care of their online shop in exchange for a one-off fee and a sales commission. Any potential savings - such as photography, for example - are taken from a joint pool. The selling dealers control their own delivery and payment processes. Now Communications from Augsburg offers a similar model, the agency provides finished shop models and also assists with organisation of photography and marketing measures.

Wynsh – the Virtual Wheel of Fortune

Discounts, bargains, special offers nothing makes customers happier.

Instead of price slashing being allowed to rule the whole store, a targeted sales drive can be started via the Wynsh App. Using their smartphones, customers take photos of their favourite items inside the store and are then sent a text telling them whether they have won a discount or not and if so, for how much. These coupons are for a limited period, experience shows that many customers who get too few or no discount on a product try their luck again once the coupon has run out. As it is also possible to wynsch different products, the total value of the shopping usually increases - which eases the pain of discounts somewhat. Karstadt, Jeans Fritz, different shopping centres and mono-brand concepts such as Kiehls, Mexx or BonPrix are already using Wynsh.

The QR code has been hailed as a veritable wonder weapon. Nowadays, there isn't a poster around that doesn't have the pixel squares. So far, the retail industry's experience of the QR and wave of bar codes has been negative: When consumers scan the codes in the shop and quickly use their smartphone apps to compare prices on the internet. First tests in Europe are now bringing advantages to the dealers' attention. PayPal has just started a pilot project with De 9 Straatjes, a shopping street in Amsterdam. QR-Codes have been put in all the shop windows. These lead to a specially-installed online store for the 30 participating shops. The desired merchandise can be ordered directly, be paid for online and delivered to your home.

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http://www.youtube.com/ watch?feature=player_ embedded&v=j7zS0DDffCQ

QR Code Shopping - the 24 hour Shop Window

068 WHAT'S THE STORY

Online Wish Lists & Pick-Up Service – Web shopping

Shops with strong customer loyalty like Konen in Munich show how it's done Even half a step can be a whole. Konen doesn't run a web shop, it gives its customers the option of making an online wish list and of sharing these with social networks or of sending them via e-mail.

Only products that are actually available are shown.

For online retailers with an extensive network of chain stores, it is worth making the effort of arranging a store pick-up service for the goods presented online. This reduces returns down to a minimum and additional sales can be achieved on site.

Addressing Regular Customers – Newsletter & Co Under Another Guise

Newsletters are out? No, bad newsletters are out. Those who keep customers happy with suitable offers and targeted approaches, will find that this form of advertising is extremely effective nowadays. Premium dealers such as Helmut Eder in Kitzbühel send their regular customers an up-to-date outfit every week - with the result that exactly these combinations are also bought by telephone, e-mail or in the store itself. New options are also opened up by transferring customer loyalty tools to social networks such as Facebook. While "Facebook Offers" are usually aimed at the fan base that purchases online, start-ups such as Nextsocial provide advice on Facebook promotions. Because: "Facebook Shops or setting up a product range doesn't work", says the co-founder Raphael Pochhammer to the industry medium Internet World Business. Instead, the social commerce experts develop strategies for limited editions or special offers which are then only presented to Facebook fans.

SoLoMo – Networked Thinking and Acting

With their "life remote control", the smartphone, consumers of today are a lot more willing to take different routes, reconsider regular paths or try out new things to a much greater extent than before - if only they are made aware they should do so. So, it is all the more surprising when you find many retailers don't do their homework on the virtual maps: not managing Google Maps entries, not having their own Qype profile, not having a presence on Foursquare. It is a missed opportunity, after all, you just have to look around to see the sheer number of smartphone addicts glued to their phone's display on a daily basis to prove that these services, called Location-Based-Services, are used. Which is the most popular, which is the most commonly used? You would get a different answer every time you asked this one. So much so that it's not even worth giving. The advice is: The wider the selection of tools and gadgets used, the higher the chances of winning new customers are. Provide these supposed nerds with even more special attention through discounts, vouchers or virtual goodies and you've already won.

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070 WHAT'S THE STORY

Surprising effects are a real eye-catching feature. Pylons hold merchandise at Barthelmess.

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WHAT'S THE STORY 071

Meets Technology Comfort

What trends are currently influencing shop design at the moment? Digital worlds, perhaps, or the exact opposite? The visual aspects of natural materials such as wood or natural stone still play a key role. But issues such as "Augmented Reality" or "Mobile Commerce" are essential for the shop of the future. Shopping online - offline, the worlds blur into one. style in progress has been interviewing experts from the shopfitting world for their views on the most important issues and trends in shopfitting and visual merchandising.

Text: Ina KĂśhler. Photos: Alu SpA, Blocher Blocher, Dan Pearlman, Interstore Design, Liganova, Schwitzke & Partner

Mareike Wittko, Markus Xyländer Design Barthelmess

"Playing with illusions is very important at the moment.

Visual merchandising concepts working with optical illusions provide wow effects, surprises and are stick in your memory.

Themes involving time are also addressed by "take your time", "having time" and "knowingly be aware of time" - elements that run through the designs in totally different forms. A third trend that characterises visual merchandising, particularly in the coming months, is the creative use of light - neon light especially. Objects made from brightly-coloured neon lighting are real eye-catchers. Obviously, neon colours in one form or another will also be on display in the shop windows. At the moment, a lot of work is being done with lighting - particular with neon colours.

What new materials are important?

"On the whole, the issue of sustainability is important in selecting materials. But it isn't just about using materials that are more sustainable, the entire concept of a visual merchandising project is also taken into consideration, a campaign on aspects such as co2-saving transport, simple recycling or good reus-

Neon elements provide highlights to the architecture and visual merchandising: Either in the form of light or as colourful decorative elements.

ability options. Modular systems are an example of this and make sense in some areas of visual merchandising - such as podium-like structures. By having a modular system made from individual elements, such as cubes and rectangular blocks, that can be used in a variety of ways with the same basic structure, I can create new looks and moods by quickly and simply swapping the overlays. This allows a flexible, and more importantly, multiple use of individual components." style in progress 213

072 WHAT'S THE STORY

Jutta Blocher

Managing Director and Head of Design Blocher Blocher Stuttgart

"Trends in store design can be compared to those of the fashion industry: There isn't just one clear trend anymore. In reality, every store design needs to be tailored towards the retailer and the brand. Personality has perhaps now become the most important attribute of a store.

The point of sale (POS) has, so to speak, become a POL, a point of leisure, providing a high degree of welcoming qualities with its exciting design and perfect service. What can be seen in the materials is that authenticity, quality and sustainability are playing an increasingly important role. Innovative, environmentally-friendly mineral-based materials that can be flexibly used are in demand."

In August 2012, the design team created a concept in the Kaiser fashion store in Freiburg that involved several rooms with different moods - the customer can then immerse themselves in worlds such as a loft or a jewellery box.

the smartphones of the passersby via QR codes. Another application is Tweet Mirrors, for example, interactive mirrors that capture your own silhouette in a digital outfit. This allows you to see yourself in a variety of different outfits without having to get changed once.

What new technologies are currently important in the shopfitting arena?

I would rather ask what technologies are important for in-store communication.

Nowadays, retail isn't just about the target group, its about a community. And this wants to be addressed on all its sensory levels. The buzz­word here is Multi-Channelling. New tools, ranging from the tablet PC to the virtual product range, can intensify communication which, in turn, intensifies the bond between brand and customer. Of course, new service options such as "Click and Connect" do this too. Pre-ordering goods online for immediate store pick-up creates an additional incentive for customers. The same thing applies to digital goodies sent to customers via smartphones. This then leads us to the second major theme: Mobile Commerce.

Buzzword "augmented reality".

What role does this theme play in shopfitting?

We don't really view augmented reality as being limited to just shopfitting. This notwithstanding, the theme plays a major role in the fashion trade especially.

Possible applications are many and varied: Around 2011, Jelmoli in Zurich installed an oversized advent calendar onto its façade over the Christmas period.

Father Christmases and other gimmicks magically appeared on 213 style in progress

Wormland in the Centro Oberhausen is an example of raw luxury: Industrial architecture, warm wood and emotional bywords on the shop counter further emphasise the loft feel.

Photo by Irene Schaur

074 WHAT'S THE STORY

In the fight against visual boredom inside the store and shop window, the Karl Lagerfeld collection is presented in a surprising manner.

Heiner Probst

Head of Retail Architecture, Liganova, Stuttgart

"Increasing attractivity is the key issue. This is achieved by creating an architectural added value on the customer's side - a way of standing up to the increasingly strong growth market "online shops". Attempts are made at melding online trade and bricksand mortar trade by integrating online-based guidance tools into the bricks-and-mortar trade. A new dimension of selection and size plays a key role in the battle for long-term existence as an offliner alongside the diversity of the online world.

What new technologies are currently important in the shopfitting arena?

"Important elements are lighting that use LED, media display modules such as touchscreens and iPads to transmit experience, information and integration of the online shops".

213 style in progress

The buzzword "augmented reality". What role does this theme play in shopfitting?

This is still in its infancy but is growing in importance and, at this stage, is extremely costly. But this is becoming an increasingly important future trend as regards enhancing experience at the POS. Development of technologies and the associated cost structures are crucial to set-up, maintenance and updates.

When brands get a stage: The new Breuning shoe world is all about grand appearance - shoes are staged in a theatrical way.

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076 WHAT'S THE STORY

Karl Schwitzke owner Schwitzke & Partner, D端sseldorf

"The time of vintage ideas is over. It is becoming more puristic again, requirements put on materials is increasing: beautiful types of wood, natural looks, sophisticated detailing. As a whole, design concepts are tending towards a clearly more simple statement with subtle sophistication.

What role does technology play in this context?

A cool kind of industry look such as the SLVR pop-up store in D端sseldorf.

Luca Pavani

Creative Director ALU SpA

"Architectural design for retail has to play to the brand. That is the most important trend.

Companies with heritage want to their stores to display it, and those who lack it want to create a story line through their sales outlets. A prime example is Abercrombie. A more recent store concept is J.Crew's. Their stores make use of props and merchandising to create a warm and homey atmosphere that is easily recognisable and reassuring to the customer."

What role does technology play?

"Today, with information overdose from increasingly aggressive forms of technology, he who can apply technology with discretion wins in the retail arena. It's all 213 style in progress

too easy to throw an iPad or a touch screen into some corner of the store. The trick is to make it blend in with, and be of service to, the product and the brand.

The same is true for materials.

The real trend now is to highlight the product with the right touch in materials. Apple stores come to mind, with their use of wood. What could be less high-tech than wood?

Yet that's exactly what makes Apple's wooden tables such a novel idea."

"The retail sector doesn't yet do justice to the subject of multi-channels. There are still many more options.

Thoughts still need to be more visionary. Monitors are becoming as thin as wallpaper and can be easily attached to walls, columns and shelving and bring the virtual world into the store."

In Ludwig Beck's hosiery department in Munich, modernity and midcentury flair has been combined in a luxurious way.

Surprising effects from up above: In Sport M端nzinger, homage is paid to football with a huge fresco on the ceiling.

WHAT'S THE STORY 077

Nicole Srock Stanley

Managing Director Dan Pearlman, Berlin

"Four key trends can currently be identified in shopfitting: Digitisation, gamification, essential experience and ecological, social and economic sustainability.

On the one hand, in order for customers to have an "essential, natural experience", focus is placed on natural materials. And on the other, digitisation drives our real world forward. In the

The flagship store design of Marc O'Polo combines comfort with modernity - exciting materials and Scandinavian designer furniture almost like a home apartment.

last instance, this always depends on an intelligent combination of our online and offline worlds."

In 2011, the Berlin store COEO was proclaimed "Store of the Year" – the team combined aspects of fair trade with a modern appearance and a clear message.

The Calamar showroom in DĂźsseldorf shows clear lines, natural materials and structures - creating order while simultaneously providing excitement.

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078 WHAT'S THE STORY

hotel boutique hotel Showcases in three alpine hotels present the fashion house FÜger Woman Pure, it provides a shuttle and delivery service - and has even turned into a tourist attraction itself. ŠRuedi Walti

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WHAT'S THE STORY 079

Boring hotel shops are a thing of the past. Fashion labels and well-established stores are increasingly being wooed by hotels to form a working relationship. style in progress has investigated how the happy marriage of fashion and tourism has been getting on.

Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Brands

Holidays and shopping go hand in hand. Hotels, particularly in major cities, are using this in their advertising - promoting special tours and personal shoppers for their guests and concierges who know where fashion events take place. But there is one problem: In doing this, they are driving the guests outside their premises. To combat this, operators of design and boutique hotels have recently come up with a few ideas to strengthen the tie between fashion and the hospitality sector. Both labels and designers benefit from this as well as selected stores.

When well-established stores move into the hotel

There have been two kinds of hotel shop for a long time: Souvenirs, travel guides and hotel bathrobes found in the one, and the other has showcases filled with products from well-known luxury brands. Or there was a mixture of the two. But it can also be done differently. In New York's Ace Hotel, young hip people enjoy the fact that every room is decorated differently and the lobby is deemed a Mecca of the digital bohemian - this target group expects the unexpected.

And in New York there are suitable stores for doing this.

So, the hotel joined forces with two of them: Project No. 8 on the trendy Lower East Side belongs to Elizabeth Beer and

A luxury vending machine solves the lack of space in Mondrian St. Martins Lane in London.

Guests in New York's Hotel Mondrian SoHO can order from a special minibar on an iPad - even fashion.

Brian Janusiak who are frequent travellers. With this in mind, they opened their spin-off No. 8A in the lobby of the Ace Hotel - with shelves full of unusual pieces and finely selected travel needs plus books to adorn coffee tables.

An outpost of Opening Ceremony can be found right at the back: The store is famous for its progressive fashion and is found, divided into different genders, at the centre along with stylish versions of those things so often left behind while travelling (from toothpaste to condom) - plus souvenirs specially commissioned for the Ace Hotel guests. For this, Opening Ceremony works

with designers such as Band of Outsiders, Proenza Schuler or Alexander Wang. Suddenly, an "I Love NY" T-shirt looks quite elegant.

The Key to Success: Local Colour

One of the most important recipes for success indeed: Hotel shops need to offer things that suit the locality. For example, well-run hotel shops in Miami stock skimpy swimwear and dark sunglasses, whereas in the Alps they have cashmere pullovers and hiking sticks.

While we're talking of the Alps: The mountain world is streets ahead with their innovative hotel concepts. This is because, unlike on city breaks people, don't go there for the sightseeing. Three activities attract the guests: Hiking, winter sports and hunting.

Particularly in places such as Haute VolĂŠe, women have a tendency towards boredom every now and then - and fashion labels and shops know how to take advantage of this, by partnering with the hotels.

The Interalpen Hotel Tyrol is classic alpine and has two stores: You can wander through the first looking for wooden toys, Tyrolean hats and schnapps and in the other second store, deck yourself out in traditional dress. Women wanting to shop style in progress 213

080 WHAT'S THE STORY

Books, souvenirs and artefacts can be found in the 8A, the hotel shop by Project 8 in New York's Ace Hotel.

Forgotten underwear?

The Stockholm label Bread + Boxers offers a special mini-bar for this.

even more, appreciate the shuttle and delivery service to and from Föger Woman Pure: As well as putting current information material together for the Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol and two other regional hotels, the fashion house in the small village of Telfs also arranges display cases which are redesigned every two weeks. And the longing glances Föger has been getting aren't just for labels such as Balenciaga, Mulberry, Prada and Dries van Noten. The luxury boutique has evolved into its own attraction with a spectacular annex building - there, fashion and tourism marry a second time around.

How Fashion Labels Utilise Tourism

The famous Opening Ceremony shop has a spin-off in the Ace Hotel in New York with special designer cooperations.

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Stores aren't the only ones to have discovered tourism for themselves, fashion labels have also jumped on the bandwagon.

For instance, the celebrity Hotel Stanglwirt in Kitzbühel was kitted out as a sports shop in October 2012 - after all, skiing is the name of the game here. Jostling alongside Bogner, Oakley, Salomon, Lacoste and Stella McCartney for Adidas, is the Toni Sailer ski collection.

The former world champion was born in Kitzbühel - you don't get any more local than that. The Luis Trenker label goes one step further. In addition to meeting its target group in the hotel shop of the Kempinski in Kitzbühel, it also fits out entire hotel suites in the label's style (see interview).

Fashion + Holiday = Experience

Whether or not fashion sells is largely dependent on the experience factor. The worldwide W Hotel group is taking advantage of this: They have earrings or cocktail dresses exclusively designed for their hotel shops, plus they also work with the "CFDA {FASHION INCUBATOR}" programme. The Council of Fashion Designers of America supports young design talents in this way, not only are their collections repeatedly being presented in the hotel shops, they also have fashion shows and receptions in the hotel, often exclusively in the fashion location of New York. A perfect place. Despite this, the hot seller in the W hotel shops isn't a fashion trend, it's what's typically considered old hat: Inhouse bed linen.

The hotel presence still works out for the store operator though. It attracts attention, sometimes at an affordable price. According to the tourism professor Bjorn Hanson - who's expecting a growth in conceptually-planned hotel shops - square feet prices in the US range between 50 and 1,000 dollars. So, hotels need to think how they want to generate space turnover - and arrive at different results in the process.

A second restaurant? Or a cleverly curated shop? In hotels, fashion and gastronomy don't compete as strongly as you might think. Because a rethink for the hotel shops only came after hotel restaurants made a change. For a few years now, boutique hotels have been distancing themselves from continental breakfasts and providing their own attraction by means of famous chefs - and this idea is now spilling over to the boutiques. Guest loyalty can only really be achieved by providing something extra-special.

So: Do away with standard offerings, bring on curated product ranges. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for labels and stores.

It's Best Having Something that Fits in the Case

The space problem still remains: After all, hotels make their revenue by letting rooms, not through commission on meals or fashion sales. But, resourceful hoteliers have even found a solution for this. As there was insufficient space in the Mondrian Soho in New York for a well-stocked shop, guests are provided with iPads in their rooms offering a special kind of mini-bar: Besides a bottle of wine, guests may also order a sweater by Rogan - brought up to the room in ten minutes via room service.

In a few other design hotels, there is the Bread & Boxers lingerie mini-bar. The idea for this was born out of necessity: An airline lost the company founder's luggage during one of his trips and, of course, the first thing he missed was fresh underwear. So,

082 WHAT'S THE STORY

this is precisely what they offer in the hotels now - directly to the room. Behold: Hotels also work with labels directly.

A further solution to the issue of space and staffing hotel stores bring with them was discovered by the Mondrian St. Martins Lane in London as well as the Mondrian in South Beach, Miami: Rather than maintaining a boutique they have installed a

luxury vending machine instead.

The hotel chain caused quite a stir when an entire million dollar apartment was put in the vending machine in South Beach. Hotel shop operators also confirm: The range should always include products that hotel guests wouldn't necessarily take with them. But they remember them.

As a rule, people on the road

usually only buy what fits into their suitcase. Small products work particularly well - as well as the small prices. Hotel guests are more likely to buy a cute little sewing kit or a fine scarf than a winter coat or an evening gown. That's because customers tend to make impulse buys in hotel shops. But being able to indulge in luxury items is part of the character of a holiday travel

experience - and creates the cornerstone of a new love. This works particularly well when the object of desire is a newly discovered fashion label rather than a holiday romance.

"This works particularly well if we can have it charged to the hotel room."

I have always had this dream of designing an entire Luis Trenker Hotel as well. Thanks to the great response, a friend came up with the idea: Why don't we do a turnkey solution for hotel room design? This sparked our suite concept in 2009‌ Michi Klemera is founder of Luis Trenker fashion label.

Besides being in normal retail trade he is also represented in an alpine hotel - and what's more: There are entire Luis Trenker suites.

Lots of fashion labels also sell home accessories. What inspired you to move into actual home products with the Luis Trenker suites?

Michi Klemera: We don't have home accessories. The Suite Collection is only set up for the hotels. I am given finished areas of 50 to 80 square metres, and I hand these back as finished turnkey projects. It came about like this: I translated the corporate identity of Luis Trenker into a trade fair booth concept and first presented this in 2008 in Florence at the Pitti men's fashion fair. We combined our colour scheme - black-cream, as the Luis Trenker black and white films are the basis of its creation with old wood. We fitted all the Luis Trenker shops in line with this principle. As well as stores, 213 style in progress

What kind of hotel attracts you?

Only four- and five-star hotels in the mountains.

What role does presence in a hotel play in branding?

A very important one. Luis Trenker is part of this mountain world, the people who look for relaxation and restfulness there make up part of our target group. Luis Trenker clothing can be bought in the speciality stores in the respective towns. But it's also fraught with competition, there are so many labels and businesses. However, if I can already generate interest in the hotel then, at the end of the day, it is a lot easier to sell fashion by Luis Trenker.

shows and presentations in the hotel in order to draw attention to the shop.

In a hotel shop, what products are particularly in demand - and is there anything that doesn't sell?

Take-away articles like knitted garments, blouses, shirts, T-shirts or accessories sell well, but I can't reduce on these. The hotel shop is very much down to chance, it's hard to expect a controlled shopping methodology. Purchases are more or less made like this: "I'm just going for a massage, dear, you go and buy yourself something nice." If products can be charged to the hotel room then this works especially well. Anybody in a bathrobe going past the shop on their way to the sauna aren't going to take anything with them if they can't charge it to their room.

When you're travelling what appeals to you in hotel shops and what do you think is totally out of date?

I don't really think anything is totally outdated, because I respect everybody's opinion on what they think is right. Even if in this world you can expect to find the same cow handkerchief on every street corner in Zermatt: I can do without this classic souvenir stuff. I look for things that I otherwise can't find.

I don't want to see Moncler for the tenth time when I'm travelling or Ralph Lauren and Gucci for the twelfth time, I look out for things that fit into this world and give me a wow feeling.

You also have a hotel shop in the Kempinski in KitzbĂźhel as well as shop-in-shops and several Luis Trenker stores.

How do these three concepts differ?

In design terms, not at all. But they are differently managed.

If hotel shops aren't run by the owners they are quite difficult to manage. A hotel shop needs the strength of a hotelier who is also interested in having fashion

The black and cream colours define the look of the hotel suites fitted by the Luis Trenker fashion label.

www.brax.com

showroom d端sseldorf 02. - 04. Feb 2 013

084 WHAT'S THE STORY

Go One Step Further BRAX. For its 125th anniversary, Leineweber GmbH & Co. KG is treating itself to a new, bold roof structure with a sky showroom over its company's headquarters, based in Herford and steeped in tradition. A symbol on the outside of the modernisation that has been going on inside for a long time now.

Text: Martina MĂźllner.

Photos: Peter Schaffrath, Brax

As if the Herford head office's radiant white façade, refurbished right down to the smallest historical detail, wasn't symbol enough: of Brax's substantial significance in the fashion market, of the meticulousness and perfection, with which the company worked its way into the hearts of its retailers. In 2013, the company's anniversary, Wolfgang Drewalowski celebrates a hardearned victory together with his staff, which today numbers one thousand employees. The charismatic, determined business man has spent more than 40 years at the service of a company which became his mission in life a long time ago. From his modest entry position as a trainee, and an equally modest salary of about 300 Deutschmarks, Wolfgang Drewalowski has worked his way up to the top of the company.

Do First, Then Talk

Characterised by entrepreneurial efficiency, Brax has steadily grown into a company with an annual turnover of 286 million euros (forecast for 2012). With growth figures that are causing a stir. "We have concluded our spring/summer orders for 2013 213 style in progress

with an eight percent increase," Wolfgang Drewalowski puts his team's diligence into numbers.

Yes, it's pride that exudes from his words as he leads the way through the revamped head office. 10 million euros were invested to equip modern offices with refinements such as USM Haller furniture and state-ofthe-art LED lamps. A canteen on the top floor and a bold glass structure on top, in the form of a new showroom, clear the view: raised up, you can look over tranquil Herford, you can now see points such as the logistics centre which was expanded in 2011. The core of logistics for the company, which is known for the punctual delivery of 8.5 million items per year in total, is close by, only separated by the tracks of the local railway. "And, at some stage, we are going to build a bridge over them," jokes Wolfgang Drewalowski. Those who know him know that even utopias like this are not out of his reach.

The Reward for Perseverance

The fact that Brax is facing the future fit, sound and with great potential for growth is thanks to a unique combination of risktaking and voluntary restraint: because the magic of the Brax brand, and its sister collections Eurex and Raphaela, lies in the unshakeable commitment to the target group and their needs.

"We never want to be different to they way we are," says Wolfgang Drewalowski. Make the brand younger, give it a hip image? Brand consultants who want to do that can turn around at the front door of the head office. Because, rather than taking a chance on unnecessary

WHAT'S THE STORY 085

The new sky showroom at the historical company headquarters as a symbol of far-sightedness.

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086 WHAT'S THE STORY

experiments, Brax's management team consolidates the company's strengths. These are undisputed, as you can see with their awards: the textile industry named Brax as a top brand for "Men's Trousers" – and in 7 of 11 other categories. "They had to first adjust the layout of the records, which never happened before," says Wolfgang Drewalowski.

Still, at Brax, they never dared to dream of becoming a brand for which you roll out the red carpet, which stands for glitz and glamour? "We prefer to be our retailers' best business partner," Wolfgang Drewalowski determinedly dismisses such capricious flights of fancy.

Everyone in the industry knows that Brax provides ringing tills, whether it's as part of the product range, retail space or a freestanding store. There is no need for studies to underscore this – but, if requested, Brax can, of course, show them. A level-headed closing remark on immunity against change to the core of the brand: "We now have projects like Deyk to act as a playground for our creativity." The trousers brand which was reverted into a women's fashion collection in 2012 is a vivid dream for the future. Trendy cuts, colours and materials that bring the brand's correct fit to consumers with an affinity with fashion, and as well as this, supply rhythms and delivery quotes that the up-scale retailers never saw until now.

That a traditional company like the Leineweber Group, of all companies, could read and meet the needs of retailers so well, once again: is anything but a surprise.

Brax has been his mission for life for a long time: executive shareholder Wolfgang Drewalowski.

The Innovative Strength of a Service Provider

Because in its 125 year history, Brax took one thing in: service is the key to success Fashion sensations, hype, It items, must haves – they have seen everything in Herford. Which doesn't mean that the company is unaffected by the spirit of the time and the current attitude towards life in what it displays. Quite the opposite: whether it's visual merchandising, store architecture, communication or the collection itself, Brax's creative teams have their finger on the pulse of the time. A tradition which is the company's own since it first began. In his store, which he opened in 1888 on Oranien-

strasse in Berlin, the founder Bernward Leineweber discovered and occupied a revolutionary niche for the times with his ready-made men's trousers. As one of the first manufacturers who sold trousers "off the shelf", Leineweber also helped with the establishment of uniform sizes – a milestone in the triumphal procession of manufacturing. The Tengelmann family, who bought up the company in 1931 from Leineweber, who had run into financial difficulties, still remains discreetly in the background today as the main shareholder.

This structure explains why Wolfgang Drewalowski, despite his pragmatic skills, doesn't run the company like the Sun King – rather, despite his imposing demeanour, he is always customer and team-orientated. Employee branding and intensive human relations with the all-important trading partners are very high on the list of priorities.

The Corks Are Popping at the POS

There has been no shortage of innovations in the brand's 125 year history.

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And so it's no longer surprising that a huge portion of the anniversary campaigns earmark retailers as the beneficiaries. From special anniversary offers that can be be ordered under favourable conditions to an especially elaborate retail convention in Herford: they are working flat out to

emphasise in an anniversary year too, "that Brax has its retailers to thank for its strengths," as Wolfgang Drewalowski knows.

Retailers that no longer only achieve good turnover figures and the highest returns with Brax on their own premises: the shop expansion, which is the focus of the Herforders' attention, is possible so quickly because retail partners lead the lifestyle worlds under the Brax flag in lots of places. The Herforder inventory turnover king doesn't work completely without staged appeals to target groups: in order to finally let its image value catch up with its market significance – Brax is the 15th biggest clothing manufacturer in Germany, according to the 2011 textile industry sales ranking – there is neither a shortage of initiatives nor ideas: sponsoring sports and art, as well as image campaigns that are orchestrated every month: whether in a women's magazine, in the Brax window, or as a poster at the POS, the consumer finds himself in a world of Brax.

As surely as he has found himself wearing Brax trousers again and again for years.

www.brax.com

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088 WHAT'S THE STORY

Creation of New Worlds When the Don Gil textile chain filed for insolvency at the end of 2011, it left a gaping hole in Austria's fashion landscape. The vacuum created attracted industry insiders and entrepreneurs alike.

The vacant space was not only used to cast new ideas onto the market, it also provided former Don Gil employees with new playgrounds.

Text: Jeanette Fuchs. Photos: Casa Moda, Paul, Steffl

When one door closes, another door opens, the saying goes. A proverb that equally applies to business doors too: A total of 29 Don Gil doors closed at the end of 2011. But located in the prime business sector, these weren't to remain empty for long. Gerry Weber, the German fashion house, won the first round of the bidding war. But this was to be just a brief intermezzo for some of the locations: The Casa Moda name emblazoned over the portals of stores in Graben in Linz and Rathausplatz in Sankt Pölten has been there since August 2012. Wilfried Wetzl, a lawyer who succumbed to his passion for fashion following a take-over of the Steyr parent company, is the mastermind behind this. Herbert Gaar, the head of Boss Austria, sensed the unique opportunity: Since September 2012, his "Paul" store located in the former Don Gil flagship store in Vienna's Kärtnerstrasse, has all the signs of being a new fashion capital But with some locations, handover didn't run quite as smoothly: The spacious basement of the traditional department store Steffl was home to Gil, the retail chain's young line, and it still clamoured for presence even after the insolvency. The solution for this fragile state of affairs was quickly found with the help of Liane TaucherHohen­bichler, a previous buyer at Gil. Wrapped up as a contemporary pop-up store, District 1 pitched its tent on Steffl's fifth floor. That evasive measure quickly became an exclusive shopping address, especially once they took over the entire floor in August 2012.

Gil is Now Called Paul

For Herbert Gaar, the long-standing ties with Don Gil acted as a catalyst, so that after many years in wholesale he decided he was ready to take on retail. In August 2012, the general importer for Hugo Boss in Austria breathed life into "Paul", a fashion project 213 style in progress

taking the place of the former Don Gil flagship store in the Kärntnerstrasse. "The Don Gil store was an outstanding figurehead for high-quality fashion. It would have been a shame for Vienna's fashion scene to lose a multi-brand store with such a range and service", says Gaar. The idea for a trendy and high-quality gent's outfitters was quickly put into action with the help of the commercial agent Thomas Rudofsky. Herbert Gaar found several committed partners. The former Don Gil staff complemented the Paul team which includes Roland Jochinger acting as general manager: "The familiar team helps customers to still relate with the business." Some of the fittings are still there, even if they've been done up a little. "Customers should still feel at home when they come into the shop. We want to continue providing consumers with the same standard of service they deserve when buying our high-quality products this starts with attentiveness to their needs right up to our tailoring service", says Gaar.

A Playground for Customers, Employees, and Suppliers

Gaar enjoys experimenting with new ideas.

For example, one idea was to hang a picture by an unknown artist behind the cash desk, a great result, it's provoked some lovely exchanges between customers. "The picture idea was so good that we've decided to put more pictures in the displays. It's a risk as the pictures take up space normally reserved for merchandise", says Gaar, pleased that people stop in front of the shop windows to have a look. "Customers, artists and staff, everybody loves it", says the Paul Initiator satisfied.

Another matter was creating a playground for suppliers who would like to present themselves on the market. The Italian label Capobianca is a prime example: "We had a pair of jogging trousers made of washed jersey and cashmere in the product range,

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Paul store in Vienna‘s Kärntnerstrasse: Exclusive playground of the staff, suppliers and customers.

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090 WHAT'S THE STORY

they cost more than 400 euros and sold out really quickly", says the entrepreneur. "We can afford to think outside the box and bring new ideas into the world. There are lots of good examples in Europe, we want to adopt this role in Vienna." The new multi-label store wants to establish itself as Vienna's top address through good customer service, a flexible product range and enough room for new trends. When asked whether Paul was going to remain an only child, Herbert Gaar diplomatically replies: "It's important to have fun with whatever it is that we're doing together. Having good partners makes a lot of things possible."

The Back Stairs to Success

When assessing department stores floors for customer frequency, the general consensus is that the numbers are dropping. Thomas Köckeritz, Creative Director of the Steffl Betriebs AG department store believes this to be a fallacy: "If you come up with a surprising, different and exciting idea for less attractive store areas, it will also draw the customers." Nevertheless, the idea of moving District 1 from the fifth floor down to its originally planned floor area in the basement hung in the balance for a while. "We wanted to see how successful a concept on the fifth floor could be. After three seasons, the decision was pretty apparant: We had so much positive feedback from our customers that the question of relocating never came open again", says Liane Taucher-Hohenbichler.

The trading-up was completed by August and the nomadic lifestyle of District 1 ended when the sales area was extended over 1,600 square metres. "We took a brave step when we finalised set-up details taking it from an innovative pop-up store to a high-quality international stop. An idea of this magnitude is a wholly unique one in this competitive environment", Taucher-Hochenbichler responsible for District 1 says proudly.

Christian Obojes, owner of the fashion agency room with a view and welcome to my room also shares this opinion: "Apart from District 1, the Gil division wasn't noticeably replaced". Other retailers would hardly have been profiting from the closure, particularly the Gil chain. "A large proportion of turnover could only really be made up with wellestablished brands such as 7 for all mankind or Peuterey", says Obojes. Walter Kirner, former managing director of Don Gil, now entrusted with management of Steffl, says the main reason why smaller retailers weren't able to offset the vacuum caused by the Don Gil insolvency is down to the limited size and smaller selection of many retailers. "Particularly the more consumer-oriented sector was picked up by large retail chains such as P&C", says Kirner.

Creating Harmonious Lifestyle Worlds

Once "The 6th Floor", the exclusive shoe store on the 6th floor, and District 1 on the 213 style in progress

fifth floor were upgraded to international standards, modernisation efforts for the other floors got into in full swing. The next stage is planned for 2013 when the menswear department will be given an architectural facelift accompanied by an excellent readyto-wear clothing and business segment. The positioning for womenswear is also to be more clearly defined: Besides a new interior design, the premium collections on the first floors are to be separated from the high-end fashion and evening dresses on the next floor up. Ambitious plans to be discussed in 2014.

Gradually, "independent lifestyle worlds are being evolved and creating an atmosphere", says Köckeritz, the creative mind of Steffl.

The children's department on the fourth floor appears satisfactory: High-end brands such as Gucci, Versace Kids and Blue Girl have been added to the product range.

But the activities throughout the entire building don't detract that a gap still remains in the basement from Gil's departure. "Don Gil was a key market and has left a pretty large hole with its 18,000 paying regular clientèle", says Walter Kirner, whose team numbers the former personnel manager of Don Gil and the branch manager of Steffl Gil stores in new roles. "It was the only company that could combine a boutique character with a certain size and selection", says Kirner.

The Gil product range was adopted into the

"Don Gil was a key market and has left a pretty large hole with its 18,000 paying regular clientèle."

Walter Kirner, manager Steffl, Vienna

District 1 ended its nomadic past in the Steffl department store by trading-up in August 2012.

WHAT'S THE STORY 091

District 1 concept virtually unchanged. The fifth floor, a temporary stop-gap: "Buying had finished, but there were a few problems preventing Gil moving out on time." But now, they all feel quite at home on the fifth floor and are pleased about the synergies with The 6th Floor. Clientèle on the fifth floor are a lot more discerning than Gil customers in the basement ever were", says Köckeritz without any nostalgic feelings. While this temporary solution has since morphed into luggage, leather goods and men's accessories going into the basement, a new project has long been in the pipeline but is still surrounded in secrecy until approval by the board. But one thing appears to be evident: Hitting the jackpot the way District 1 has, has made traditional companies bolder, they're charting new territories and are starting to think outside the box a little.

Make Three Out of One

Elfriede Platzer who's been the major interface at Casa Moda for 32 years, has had her hands full since opening the two locations in Linz and St. Pölten. The Linz store was opened on 23rd August 2012 and Sankt Pölten followed on 6th September.

The two commercial premises taken on by Casa Moda owner Wilfried Wetzl had long been a favourite of his. "Economicallyspeaking, the St. Pölten store was one of Don Gil's most successful sites, so it made good sense to move there", says Elfriede Platzer explaining the reasoning behind expanding the Steyr empire. The renovated rooms are "a symbiosis of light, design and fashion".

The spot where men's fashion had previously stood, is now delighting female shoppers.

"It's not about making Casa Moda sites out of the Don Gil stores, it's about developing the Casa Moda concept", says Elfriede Plater who's responsible for purchasing womenswear for all three stores. So, a large proportion of the Don Gil product range was taken over by Sankt Pölten and expanded with the characteristic Casa Moda labels.

"We've decided to go with Italian luxury labels such as Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Miu Miu or Etro for the classic Casa Moda route in Linz. These will be complemented by former Don Gil brands such as Armani Jeans, Diesel or Stone Island", says Platzer explaining how the product range has been weighted. Customers of the parent company first need to get used to the idea that the major designer labels have moved from Steyr to Linz. "Things like this still need time to settle down", Elfriede Platzer who's been monitoring operational processes at Casa Moda since 1980 is convinced . Whereas the former Don Gil sales team has managed to completely preserve its know-how in Sankt Pölten - the former branch manager Peter Urszovics is responsible for buying menswear at Casa Moda - the Linz site has been able to recruit two former Don Gil employees for a joint new start.

The Casa Moda store in Linz unites the Italian luxury labels and former Don Gil labels under one roof.

A Lone Wolf with a Pioneering Spirit

Casa Moda considers itself to be a pioneer and lateral thinker on the Austrian fashion scene. The range that has to be covered is huge: "People who come to us will find unique designer pieces as well as everyday wear", says Casa Moda buyer Platzer. Unusual pieces from designer collections act as the main focus in appealing to the customers desires for exclusivity: "Customers looking for Prada, Dries van Noten, Dior or Miu Miu don't need to fly to Munich, London or Milan any longer, they can find all these brands under one roof at Casa Moda." Given the Don Gill insolvency, these ambitious aspirations are a drop in the ocean. "The total loss was able to be pretty well picked up in Vienna but across Austria, apart from Casa Moda, not too well at all", Christian Obojes from room with a view, confirms the lone wool role taken on by the owner Wilfried Wetzl outside the capital. It would be quite in keeping with the fashion-loving lawyer to add a few more locations to the frontline as he is always on the look-out for new challenges. Even if such expansion plans are still pie in the sky as yet, the businessman is flirting with the idea of expanding the chain into Salzburg or Kitzbühel.

Elfriede Platzer, part of the Casa Moda team for 32 years, is responsible for buying womenswear.

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092 WHAT'S THE STORY

The Principle of Change Airfield. Formal children’s clothing, outdoor jackets for men, complete collections for eternally youthful women: Airfield has passed a number of milestones on its way to becoming an internationally active fashion company.

Founder Walter Moser’s secret to success: change.

Text: Jeanette Fuchs. Photos: Airfield

If you ask Walter Moser to talk about the past, or better yet about change, you will unavoidably find yourself transported into the future. The founder of the company headquartered in Seewalchen am Attersee is well aware that change requires a skilled hand: "You might have lost one customer before you have even attracted another," is his summation of the tightrope walk.

Creating a Foundation

The change currently underway is the brand's subtle rejuvenation. Sophia Bitter, Head of

Airfield Marketing and PR for some months now, is involved in the success of this process. "We grew for over 15 years. During that time, our core audience grew older. We have worked hard to cultivate and satisfy them, but need to make sure we revitalize our foundation at the right time," explains Moser, who hopes to reap the benefit of this reorientation in one to two years. The brand's core character traits will not change however: "Airfield has always been a recognizable and opulent brand. But this doesn't have to mean rhinestones and bling. It can also be

represented by subtle embroidery or exceptional interior workmanship," explains Airfield's owner.

He is well aware of the difference between the jacket and blazer as Airfield constants and the seasonally dependent leaning towards a skirt or frock, yet he also sees a trend towards the readyto-wear as well: "In the past a customer would buy a winter jacket in July. Today she wants to wear her purchases immediately."

A development the company pays homage to with four collections a year and programmes for monthly distribution.

Tradition is a thing of the past

"You have to have experienced change to be able to live a brand," Moser says. Today the roots set down in Seewalchen play a subordinate role for the label represented in 40 countries: "When a company reaches a certain size, traditions lose their importance. It used to just be my father, my mother and me. Today we have department heads who act on their own."

The company was founded in 1967 and offered communion and traditional Tracht suits for boys. A jacket collection for men was launched under the "Air" name in 1984 and the "Airfield" trademark was created soon after.

After unisex jackets at the end of the 80s, the company turned exclusively to womenswear in 1994. Walter Moser describes the motivation behind the

“Certain things have to come together at certain times for every label; they have to capture the zeitgeist.” Airfield owner Walter Moser

Airfield owner Walter Moser has been involved in the company’s growth from the very beginning.

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WHAT'S THE STORY 093

pragmatic move: "At that time the menswear segment was dull and lacked development." With complete looks for ladies, Airfield filled a niche that dissolved the border between business fashion and sportswear at the end of the '90s. "Certain things have to come together at certain times for every label; they have to capture the zeitgeist," according to Moser. In 2003 choosing Claudia Schiffer as the face of the company proved a successful move that brought Airfield into the limelight. Opening the store in Linzer two years later kicked off the expansion of the retail business. Stores in Salzburg, Vienna, D端sseldorf, Stuttgart

and Cologne followed. Kitzb端hel soon came on board, adding a lucrative ski resort to the mix.

Not at a Standstill Despite the Crisis

Four factory outlets allow the company take advantage of advantages of green pastures: "It is the ideal opportunity to give the goods a second chance," according to Moser. He is also satisfied with the progress of the online shops. Operated by three employees, it is as valuable as a physical shop. And even beyond the world wide web there are no signs of a standstill despite the financial crises in Italy, Spain and Greece. In addition to opening

more retail and partner stores in the German-speaking realm, expansion to China is also on the agenda.

Airfield stays true to its distinguishing traits: opulent and recognisable.

The Walter Moser GmbH headquartered in Seewalchen am Attersee is now in the hands of the third generation, Walter Moser.

There a 140-person team is responsible for the design, marketing, sales and administration of the Airfield brand. Another 80 people are employed in the firm's retail stores. Airfield is represented in 40 countries in Europe, Asia, the USA, Canada, the CIS countries and the United Arabic Emirates. www.airfield.cc

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094 WHAT'S THE STORY

A Gentleman in the Company of Ladies Hardy Amies. Not custom tailored, but designed with an expert eye and made with great care: Hardy Amies is an important name on London’s Savile Row. Even after his death.

Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Mark Sanders (collection), Hardy Amies

Hardy Amies is no longer among us. The founder of the men's fashion house of the same name died in 2003 at the age of 93, though he had retired from the day-to-day business many years before. Since 2010 a young woman has been designing the classic menswear collections.

Claire Malcolm, now 30 years old, seems to summon the spirit of the departed founder with the skill of a medium. "We look to Hardy Amies as an individual when designing the brand's collections," she says. "He was extremely stylish and a pioneer of Savile Row with a great love of tailoring. He had very good taste and was a perfect example of the classic British gentleman."

Amies always looked neat as a pin, and never did he forget his manners. But for many years his gentlemanly style was limited to his own wardrobe, for Hardy Amies first made a name for himself with the assistance of some very elegant ladies.

In 1945 a prominent female investor financed his first shop in Savile Row: The Countess of Jersey and former actress Virginia Cherrill had admired Hardy Amies since his days at couture house Lachasse. It was Queen Elizabeth who made him famous. In 1955 Hardy Amies was awarded a Royal Warrant as Official Dressmaker. The Queen sat her Silver Jubilee portrait in a pink Amies dress – and his fashion became a biscuit tin classic. By then, though, the gentleman designer had already turned his attention to men.

213 style in progress

Under the leadership of Claire Malcolm, the classic British gentleman is still the style icon at Hardy Amies.

Since 1961 the name Hardy Amies has stood for suits. About the label's masculine silhouette Claire Malcolm says: "We use tailoring to emphasise a strong shoulder and narrow waist."

Hardy Amies had actually wanted to be a journalist, and stayed true to his love of the

written word in part as a fashion columnist. The Victoria & Albert Museum first reissued Amies' standard work "The ABC of Men's Fashion" in 2008. In it he sums up his idea of good style in a single sentence: "A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care and then forgotten all about them."

Under Claire Malcolm the label continues to follow this credo, though she does not take Amies' designs from the 60s and 70s as her model. Instead she looks to the ideal gentleman – giving him a modern flair. "We have been using technologically advanced performance fabrics, laser cutting on leather pieces and digital printing," says Malcolm. This exploration of new technologies serves a common purpose: "The

interest in fabric development is always focused on how we can use new fabrics alongside traditional Savile Row craftsmanship." After all, Hardy Amies is traditional fashion house.

In 1945 Hardy Amies founded the brand and opened his store on London’s Savile Row. In 1961 Amies began focusing on menswear, and in 1968 he designed the costumes for the "2001 – A Space Odyssey" film. Hardy Amies retired from the drawing board in 1989 and died in 2003. After bankruptcy in 2008, the brand was bought by Fung Capital.

Claire Malcolm came on board as Creative Director in 2010. In addition to the London flagship store, retailers such as Bloomingdale's in New York and Joyce Boutique in Hong Kong carry the label. www.hardyamies.com

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Designed With Love, Made With Passion GAS. When someone says that his job is his passion, then everyone nods and says: yeah, yeah... However, Claudio Grotto accepts this statement unreservedly. The man lives for fashion.

Text: Dรถrte Welti. Photos: GAS

When you look closely, you learn astounding things about GAS, the abbreviation for Grotto Abbigliamento Sportivo (Grotto Sportswear), the reins of which have been firmly in the hands of the founder for nearly 30 years.

GAS is a brand that celebrates continuity and which has made a name for itself in the research of new materials. For example, the company's own developmental workshop created the first ever reversible jeans. However, innovation alone is not enough to guarantee survival. Patrone Claudio Grotto has an explanation: "Quality. Of materials, details and in the manufacturing process. And our look, which is essential, stylish and attractive for more than one season."

The World (of Jeans) Belongs to the Active

And Grotto has a plan: "We want to become a player in the

For her sexiness, for him horsepower: GAS.

international denim and sportswear sector. Now, with the old economic structures in crisis, no one can ignore emerging markets like India, China and Russia.

GAS already has a presence there and has significant plans for the future." In addition, Grotto has connected with the agency "Ben and GmbH" for the important "old" markets. "We searched constantly for new clients," agency boss Ben Botas describes the beginning of the GAS brand, "Clients' quality was raised and we have even developed some sections specifically for the German market only. This made for a very positive atmosphere."

Perfetto: Life/Work Balance

Claudio Grotto, as always, dictates the rhythm. "I often say that I worked every day of my life. But that's not completely accurate. Because my job is my passion."

This sounds like the perfect work/life balance, something which Grotto has passed on to his two daughters. Barbara, the eldest, is Head of Communication at GAS, Sara, the "little one" coordinates e-commerce activities. The design is under the charge of a team, which Grotto himself describes as the "driving force" behind everything. And in doing so, he reveals something of another passion of his: Motor sports. For 15 years non-stop, Grotto has sponsored the Repsol Honda Team in the MotoGP World Championship. The successful team won the team championship undisputed in 2012 and is the 2012 winner of the constructors' championship in the premier class. This cooperation is of course ongoing, the new collection for the MotoGP season 2013 is already out. Platitudes should really be avoided right up to the last sentence, but we can't hold back any longer.

GAS steps on the gas. And their success proves them right.

Il Patrone: Claudio Grotto learned the business from his mum in their haberdashery. The music business brought about a style epiphany in him, his own jeans label was the logical idea.

GAS was founded in 1984 by Claudio Grotto in Chiuppano. Up to 60 percent of the colourful world of jeans is produced in the company's own factory in Romania, the rest is produced by long-standing, and sometimes exclusive, partners in Tunisia and Bulgaria. GAS runs ap.30 stores of its own worldwide and is also represented at 1500 points of sale. www.gasjeans.com

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The Steiner 1888 Home Collection processes materials from its own factory.

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Understanding the Product Loden Steiner. The Steiner family has been manufacturing Loden in the Austrian town of Schladming for five generations – a material full of tradition, which is experiencing a rediscovery, not least in interior design.

Renowned fashion labels are also getting a taste for it and are spinning innovative ideas in fine Loden.

Text: Martina Müllner.

Photos: Steiner 1888, Loden Steiner

Archduke Johann was: an avant-gardist, a K & K (imperial and royal) nobleman, who, in contrast to his courtly title, sought to be close to the simple folk. During extended hunts, he found a material whose function immediately impressed him: Loden. Water resistant, temperature regulating and a brilliant insulator. What is now a success story in sophisticated high-tech materials is a hundred year tradition for the Alpine product. Wool from their mountain sheep – first felted, then milled – provided farmers with the basis of durable clothing which stands the test against all weather. There, where the mountains loom in the sky, Loden is an essential component of one's wardrobe. The Steiner brothers also knew this when they decided, in 1888, to set up a milling factory in Mandling, a small town in Styrling. The Loden produced in their own factory was instantly subjected to a baptism of fire: The brothers Franz and Irg Steiner were the first to climb the south wall of the Dachstein in 1909, clad, of course, in Steiner Loden.

Making Loden Understandable

Five generations later, two cousins are at the head of the traditional business with Johannes Steiner as commercial manager and Herbert Steiner as technical manager of the company, which is based on several pillars. It's the Loden Steiner cloth production, which impresses customers with

fine materials at trade fairs like the Munich Fabric Start and the Parisian Première Vision.

Burberry, Yves Saint Laurent but also COS use the products. "We see both: Producers that say to us, we are searching for and need quality just like yours, they ennoble our product. And brands, for whom Steiner's purchase prices seem far too expensive."

Discussions that don't happen in the fields of interior decoration and furniture: "Architects were the first to have rediscovered Loden's potential. Loden is a perfect addition to modern architecture. The Steiners score here with flexibility: "We constantly have more than one hundred metres of Loden in 25 colours in storage – we can cover everything, from the smallest to the biggest of orders," reports Johannes Steiner.

With the brand Steiner 1888, the family business is getting a taste of passion for interior decoration themselves: There are covers, cushions, hot-water bottles and other living accessories under the name. They are sold through household textile traders and concept stores. And then they have their own retail with shops in Obertauern, Mandling and Schladming, with which the Steiner family proves itself as a "confident multi-brand retailer." The Steiner 1888 Home Collection playfully combines Tracht (traditional costume) with sophisticated sportswear. To make the path from wool to cosy plaid comprehensible, in 2010 the cousins invested hugely: the Wollwelt in Mandling opens the doors of the factory and allows people to experience why Loden is so valuable. A coup which markedly increases the product's prestige. "We have no visitors who aren't inspired at the end of the tour," says Johannes Steiner proudly.

Johannes Steiner runs the traditional business from Schladming with his cousin Herbert Steiner, they are the fifth generation to do so.

Steiner 1888's flagship store presides over the main square in Schladming.

Loden Steiner. In 1888, the Steiner brothers established a Loden mill in Mandling, at the foot of the Dachstein. This laid the foundation for today's company that is run by the fifth generation cousins, Johannes and Herbert Steiner. The product range comprises traditional Loden and modern tweed, as well as the Steiner 1888 Home Collection. Loden Steiner also supplies materials to famous international designer labels. With the Wollwelt, which opened in Mandling in 2010, Loden Steiner makes it possible to experience the special characteristics of the traditional material.

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Backstage

The Thing Doesn't Yodel

Exclusive classics, such as the "Whistler Mountain" jacket by Meindl, aren't marketing products.

They are the result of many years of traditional craftsmanship and know-how along with a passion for the Alpine culture. "Our products are honest, create trust and become more beautiful the more they experience with the person wearing them", Markus Meindl is convinced. These photos attempt to illustrate the many different steps and hours invested and the careful attention to detail.

Text: Daniela Angerbauer. Photos: Meindl

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2. Dyeing: Wood dyes (obtained from tree bark) are applied by hand using brushes and worked using a method performed hundreds of years ago.

This process is repeated up to five times until the desired result has been achieved. During this process, the colours are always applied on the hair side to allow the leather's natural shade to remain on the flesh side. No preservatives or chemicals are used in this natural process.

1. Chamois Tanning: This traditional crafting process takes a whole 3 to 4 months. At the beginning, the hide is salted, residual flesh and most of the hair is removed. Then the skins are placed in a solution of lime (the "ash bath") so that the hair side of the pelt sloughs off. The result: fine, unpreserved leather ("naked") - the actual tanning process itself only starts at this point. Cod-liver oil is worked into the skin by rubbing, mechanical pummelling and pounding. This step is repeated until the fish oil has penetrated the skin thoroughly. The wet skins are placed in the sun in order to produce the pure, natural yellow-whitish colour of the leather. The leather is then dry-drummed in special drums and then softened using a staking machine (this staking process removes grain defects from the flesh side). Finally, it is buffed using different grades of abrasive paper until the desired velvety velour effect has been achieved.

3. Sorting: Each individual skin is sorted according to irregularities and thickness. It requires many years of experience in deciding which skin is suitable for which product. This is a major factor in the quality of the final product.

4. CAD Cut: The products are prepared for the demands of our age using modern technology. The basic idea is developed on the computer screen and further creative processes take place in the studios. There, the seamstress transfers each section from the screen onto model paper, later sample materials are used and only once this has been done, is the perfected, revised cut transferred to the original material.

Waste Management: A computer programme helps to arrange the individual pieces in such a way that the maximum number of pieces possible can be obtained from one piece of material/leather. A jacket, for example, is made up of around 40 different pieces.

5. Cutting: On average, it takes eight years to thoroughly understand the craft of "deerskin cutting" and to be able to produce a jacket out of two to four deerskins. Every skin is individually pre-sorted, every piece brings new experiences with it - because buckskin knows no rules. Which skin suits which model and which pattern piece?

The bad pieces are cut off, after this, the pattern must be placed on the skin correctly. Since leather is calculated per square centimetre, precision work is essential for efficient manufacturing processes. After each piece has been cut by hand, it's time for the stitching process.

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100 WHAT'S THE STORY

Backstage

6. Ironing: Certain sections (small parts) of the jacket are glued and fixed with horsehair interfacing so that the leather is more stable and keeps its shape (e.g. shoulder section, pocket openings and buttonholes).

Then the lining is sewn and serged, panel seams stitched and turned.

7. Positioning Pockets: The position is mapped out beforehand, the pocket braid placed exactly and stitched.

8. Sewing Buttonholes, Turned-Under Buttonholes: Using stencils, the positions for the button holes are marked and worked.

9. Hammering or Gluing certain seams allows them to remain flat permanently. For example, pockets are fixed in place by additionally gluing underneath using extra tape.

12. and 13. Final Ironing and Sewing-On Buttons: The buttons are attached using various automated sewing machines and this is the last process along with the final inspection.

10. Stitch and Turn: Here, the outer skin (outer leather) is stitched and turned with the inner skin (lining), this means that no stitching remains visible on the outside.

11. Top-Stitching: Following this step, the jacket, apart from final detailing, is finished.

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End Product: 500 minutes of sewing; up to 1.5 hours of cutting (depending on the sorting grade). Between five to six metres of leather are needed for a Whistler Mountain jacket (at least twice as much as fabric products), an added complicating criteria in markup comes from the annual increase in the price of leather (min. 6 - 7 %). The company mainly obtains its buckskin from Europe and partially from Canada and New Zealand. Only the summer coat of deer is used for chamois tanned leather. The winter coat would be affected by moulting and the rutting season when deer lose 30 % of their body weight. www.meindl-fashions.de

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The Architect's Shoes United Nude. They are futuristic, extravagant and it's more than just Lady Gaga who likes them. Deluxe Distribution are focusing on shoes by United Nude for the German market and they still have a number of things in mind for them.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Photos: United Nude

It's dark inside United Nude's concept store, almost black. It's the perfect backdrop, a few targeted spotlights set the stage and the high heels are showcased like works of art. And their design really has something artistic and sculptural about them. It's not just a coincidence: The label was established in 2003 by the Dutch architect and designer Rem D Koolhaas, the nephew of the world-famous architect Rem Koolhaas. And his co-partner Galahad Clark comes from a no-less well-known family, his surname has long been synonymous with casual shoes.

United Nude's claim is to create as yet unknown new shapes using innovative designs and with the delighting use of unusual materials. So, it was no accident

Futuristic and extravagant: United Nude from Amsterdam.

The style of the stars: Lady Gaga in United Nude at the launch of her Fame perfume.

that Rem D Koolhaas took the Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe as a model for his first prototype called Mรถbius, made from a single Mรถbius strip. The shoe became a success and is now a classic in United Nude's collection.

The Future of Shoe Design

"Exclusive by design, not by price" is the brand's motto. The Mobius Hi has a retail price of around 180 euros and certainly contributes to the rather democratic price structure for the growth of United Nude. There are 300 points of sale in more than 40 countries, including Selfridges and Galeries Lafayette Paris. Plus flagship stores in Amsterdam, London and New York, which Koolhaas designed himself as an architect. These are now to be followed by one or two concept stores in Germany, the first in Berlin by the beginning of 2014 at the latest and under the co-administration of Ilya Morgan, owner of the distribution agency Deluxe Distribution.

"As a distributor, we don't just rely on the pure sales business, we want to think and act more as a brand", he says. Deluxe Distribution has taken over German distribution since July 2010 and has so far reached 50 customers. "We have been able to win major shoe customers in Germany in the space of just a few seasons, including KaDeWe, Oberpollinger and all the Tizian houses", says Ilya Morgan. "We aim to continue our selective approach towards the 100 shoe and multi-brand stores." He also wants to further expand the import business for United Nude so they are able to react to customer needs more quickly. In a similar vein, the collection for the 2013 spring/summer collection will be divided into several lines: Icon for the new varied classics, Ultra for particularly extravagant styles from 350 to 600 euros retail price and Hybrid as a fusion of novel TPU materials coupled with the know-how and craftsmanship of the traditional shoe trade. This is exactly where Rem D Koolhaas sees the future of shoe design. So, heels and wedg-

Ilya Morgan, owner of the Deluxe Distribution agency focuses on a few strong brands. One of these is United Nude.

es won't be higher than 85 mm and the ergonomically shaped footbed should also provide as much comfort as possible. The artistic niche is still to remain United Nude's style focus.

Cooperations such as that with the Amsterdam artist Niels Shoe Meulman for a 2013 spring summer edition are a testimony to this. Or the limited edition with the fashion designer Mattijs van Bergen, crowned most promising young designer by British Vogue.

To be continued.

United Nude Founded in 2003 Men and women's collection plus accessories 300 points of sale in more than 40 countries worldwide www.unitednude.com Deluxe Distribution 10179 Berlin/Germany www.deluxe-distribution.de

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Eye Candy This top international temple of the shoe trade is listed as a reference on every visual merchandising specialist's PC. Alongside traditional highlights like Kith in New York, the Sneaker Bistro Boutique on Long Island and Foot Patrol in London, new stores are constantly cropping up that boldly implement new ideas in their store design. Shoes can do more than simply lie there, stacked in rows.

Text: Isabel Faiss. Photos: Adrian/www.nicekicksuglykids.tumblr.com; Stores

Black Rainbow, Paris

213 style in progress Cool, strictly symmetrical. With tiles and metal grilles, boiling it down to the essentials.

WHAT'S THE STORY 103

Kith, Manhattan

Foot Patrol, London

Best Practice. The whole store has a log-cabin look.

Two faces, one store. The boots section is authentic and rustic in comparison to the clean, futuristic sneaker store.

Kith, Brooklyn

The ultimate sneaker temple. At the front, on the altar are the relevant style in progress 213 live-style packages.

104 WHAT'S THE STORY

Sneakermuseum Cologne

The Kicks'n Movies exhibition puts sneakers that either appeared in films or were produced in line with a film in the limelight.

Asphaltgold, Darmstadt

"In the online store, as well as in the retail store , we try to put the focus on the product in a simple, aesthetic environment. Clear shape and symmetry are given precedence over loud product presentation." Daniel Benz.

Saint Cream, Hamburg

Europalette upon Europalette. Wood is the latest interior trend in the shoe trade.

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Timberland Munich

As part of the Green Lounge Tour, Timberland designed the Munich flagship store completely in the green look.

Nia Chassures, Munich

Urban wood design, 300 fruit crates, 60 display cases, 50 metres of check wallpaper, 30 metres of floral material from the different labels' current summer collections and selected vintage furniture.

Beatnuts, Regensburg

style in progress 213 Embedded in a wooden matrix, the sneaker wall presents itself in 3D visuals.

106 WHAT'S THE STORY

Sneakerness

The operators of Sneaker-Zimmer, Cologne's Sneaker blog site, presented their absolute highlight models on a section of carpet that had been appropriately created at the Sneakerness in Cologne.

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Amen Store, Munich

The smart design of the sneaker wall with a purist design quality.

WHAT'S THE STORY 107 Lighting effects in neon colours provide highlights.

Starcow, Paris

The old, discarded wooden crates in Starcow have a well-protected, somewhat cosy and pretty stylish effect.

The Cork, Paris

Boiled down to the absolute essentials: Wood.

Ubiq, Philadelphia

The design temple in Philadelphia is one of the top 50 sneaker stores in the world.

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global hipsterism

Some call them relics from the noughties, others see them as the symbol of the current zeitgeist. Many smirk at the sight of them. The term 'hipster' brings together so many facets that you can settle on a stereotype of skinny jeans, a scarf and a beard that conceals what is actually a complete lifestyle. A lifestyle that is lived by a very brand-savvy, trend-aware target group that is happy to pay and whose consumption habits definitely bring a smile to the lips of the fashion industry. Alongside the traditional hipster strongholds of New York or San Francisco, some major cities in Europe have emerged as especially fertile ground for the scene, Berlin in particular. But also cities that aren’t considered fashionable, like Liverpool or Helsinki have been discovered by hipsterism.

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berlin

The German capital is notorious for its harsh tone and its cold winter. However, Berlin can also become a perfect habitat, if you are just part of the right population group. We're talking about hipsters. A type of person that has made the city his own within a short period of time. Comrades gave way to gentrification and East Berlin became the heart of this movement. In 2011, it was the venue for the first Hipster Olympics in the world. On about 10 square kilometres in Berlin-Mitte, there appeared a Bermuda triangle of multi-label stores, galleries, restaurants, bars and interior stores.

Text: Lisa Trautmann. Photos: Benjamin Lindenkreuz

So, you are surrounded by individualists in uniform, whose desire for labels and whose standard of living fluctuates between self-irony and conformism. They have created their own small universe. Now, the hipster look and lifestyle is legendary and easy to recognise. They wear narrow jeans or rolled-up chinos with shoes by New Balance or a limited, special edition by Nike.

The woolly hat is just as popular as before, but is replaced by a cap

by Norse Projects or Supreme in summer. The tote bag is only for beginners, for about two years now, the backpack has adorned the backs of young Berlin hipsters. Herschel or Essl are a safe bet for backpacks. Women like to wear their sneakers with a maxi-dress or high-waisted jeans with a blouse, and an over-sized coat on top. A full beard or a bun complete the look. The Berlin hipster's most important accessories are, along with the obligatory racing bike, a smart

Over a short period of time, the Soto Store has become one of the main places to go for Berlin's hipsters.

phone with an instagram app, horn-rimmed glasses as well as a bottle of Club Mate and a healthy dislike for Swabians.

Just like a dental filling, the Happy Shop's wooden pavilion fits perfectly onto Torstrasse in the gap between two old buildings.

Architecture and fashion melt into one constantly-transforming entity. Complex pulling systems make the clothes rails mobile and allow the Happy Shop to reinvent itself from season to season.

If you are looking for the newest T-Shirt by Maison KitsunĂŠ or statement fashion by Bernhard Willhelm, you are in the right place. However, you should have

the necessary change with you.

On the other side of the street is Soto Berlin. The well-arranged concept store for men opened its doors just years ago. In the nicely unfinished premises, you find an unbelievably tasteful selection of hip labels and the newest collaborations. It went down so well that now, one building further down, you stumble right upon Soto Zwei. Just as well-arranged, labels that are just as hip and with the dingy, old-building look that is so popular in the scene.

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110 WHAT'S THE STORY

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2

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1 | Never without the obligatory authentic vintage-style bike.

2 | The intellectual scene gathers in the book store ''Do You Read Me.'' 3 | To every hipster his organic drink. St. Oberholz stands for a conviction.

4 | "Laid Back" is the Berliners’ pleasant motto that also bravely covers hipsters.

and dried tomatoes and a soya milk latte. Now you shouldn't give yourself away, so, while you eat, you must surf on your Macbook using the free wifi. Because surrounded by the white, illuminated apples, the motto here is also "fit in." After our bodily needs have been satisfied, we make for Auguststrasse to satisfy our minds.

There, you can find the magazine store "do you read me?!."

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tumn 2011, "do you read me?!" opened the reading room in the Tiergarten district of Berlin, and since then has been causing gasps among their large hipster audience with such events as a book launch by Jürgen Teller.

Of course, you also need a matching coffee table for your new magazine. How great then, that there is a chestnut interior.

Since March of this year, the Danish cult label Hay's only flagship store has been providing colours and allows you to style your own four walls right down to the clothes-hangers.

Speaking of your home. If at all possible, it should be in Mitte, Kreuzberg and Neukölln aka.

Kreuzkölln. The sparse furniture should comprises a mixture of

vintage and design pieces. A fixie should hang on the wall of the hallway and in the living room, an art print of a Miranda July quote. There, you meet your hipster friends, drink Club Mate with vodka, and beer from the late-night kiosk while listening to the xx, M83 or Clams Casino.

Before moving on to a club, you go along to either the opening of an exhibition or a store event.

There, you meet your peers, not particularly interested in what is being exhibited but enjoying the free alcohol. You only have to walk once down Alte Schönhauser Strasse or Münzstraße to find something.

4

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1 | Berlin-Mitte is the fashionable epicentre of the capital.

2 | Sustainability also decides the interior in St. Oberholz. A perfect style mix.

3 | You come across hipsters around every corner in Berlin, only in BerlinMitte the picture is further intensified.

4 | A Mecca for choice menswear in all styles: the Soto Store.

4

You are also spoilt for choice, when it comes to which club you can go to and can convince the bouncer of your qualities. One of the coolest places at the moment is Chalet on Schlesischen Strasse in Kreuzberg. After Katerholzig, it's the second project by the operator of the legendary Bar25. The club is in the former wheelhouse of the royal water

inspection service from the 19th century and has perhaps the most beautiful beer garden in Berlin.

The following Sunday, all hipsters in Berlin have just one obligation: the flea market. Whether it's in Mauerpark, Arkonaplatz or Nowkoelln in Maybachufer, with Illesteva sunglasses on your nose and a coffee mug in your hand, every week you stroll past the new items in the stands without buying anything. Being there is all that matters and you are saving for a Barbour jacket for winter anyway.

Of course, it's always easy to put Berlin hipsters in a box and laugh at them. But when you look in the mirror and are very

honest with yourself, you have to admit that it's difficult not to be drawn into this movement.

The tote bag is now available at H&M. Club Mate has spread outside Berlin's city limits and is in clubs and bars in the rest of Germany, and Fielmann are stocking vintage, horn-rimmed glasses. Because, in reality, everyone wants to be a bit of a hipster.

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LiverPool Traditionally, Liverpool's fashion sense was the butt of jokes. This city, which won so much fame as the birthplace of The Beatles and lots of other bands over recent decades, was, for a long time a no man's land when it came to fashion. But then, along came the hipsters.

Now, Liverpool is the biggest hipster city in all of England.

Text: Amanda Moss. Photos: James Lacey

The typical image of a youngster wearing a suit with a head of black, curly hair and a beard still brings a smile to the face of most Liverpudlians. However, in recent years – particularly as the city was named the European Capital of Culture in 2008 – we have been enjoying being a cocktail-drinking, cosmopolitan society that also has fashion

sense. And this is constantly nurtured, when a new trendy bar or a new store opens its doors and is effortlessly integrated into the cityscape with its dated arcades and murky side streets.

You don't have to look for long around here to come across a hipster, hurrying nervously down the street in his low-slung skinny

jeans. ''Does he pull them down that low on purpose, or do they just slip down?'' you ask yourself.

It's already almost ten o'clock in the morning as he looks out his window onto the lively Dock Road, which is overflowing with historical buildings and stateof-the-art architecture. Behind it, the River Mersey flows by.

His apartment has no curtains and the furniture is also kept minimalist. Just a few randomlyscattered upholstered cushions and throws provide atmosphere.

No one looks up from the street as he risks one last look out the window, before he hurries in the direction of the underground station to the first meeting of the day. The city wakes up around him. His path to the office is accompanied by shutters rattling as they are pulled up over shop windows. Suit trousers and a matching jacket are definitely not on his agenda. Out of conviction, Liverpudlian hipsters wear skinny jeans and sneakers teamed with a grey jumper or cord jacket and the mandatory scarf. Compared with the con­ siderably younger Liverpudlian funksters, this look is a lot less work. Despite this, you need to have a feel for it, if you want to look deliberately casual and good as if by accident. Because the out-of-bed hairstyle, the out-ofdate Converse and the carefully selected slogan t-shirt under the leather jacket cannot seem contrived in any way.

Having now arrived in Liverpool, the Hipster scene has been instrumental in raising awareness of new fashion trends. In the meantime, Hipsters have now become part of the cityscape.

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A real top tip is Quiggins on Ren­ shaw Street, where you always see a few students skulking around the dimly-lit corridors. The

WHAT'S THE STORY 113

When it comes to good fashion stores, then Bold Street, leading directly to St. Luke’s Church, is one of the city’s main arteries.

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1 | The Resurrection store is the Mecca, so to speak, of the Liverpool hipster scene. Owner Lisa Pritchard is partly responsible for a trend.

2 | The famous County Road typifies the city of Liverpool more than any other area.

3 | The scene meets up in front of the Met Quarter, a popular shopping centre in the city.

somewhat quaint building was a town hall in the past, a large, curved hall in which you now get one of the best-stocked flea markets for vintage clothes, jewellery and furs. This place is brimming with creative energy. You hear the excited chatter of young students all over, students who have just moved away from home and are following the call to freedom for the first time. Alongside them, you encounter the more sedate hipsters in their mid-30s, with three or four children in tow.

They have renounced the fashion range of the commercial department stores and they show off their UGG boots here.

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Hidden in behind the big department stores on Colquitt Street is the workshop of the fashion designer Denise McConville who named her label after her daughter Marjorie.

As a fashion connoisseur, she describes the hipster scene in Liverpool as a very important target group for the local fashion industry. "They are like peacocks, vain, and they see fashion as a way of expressing their own individuality. In any case, they are trend-setters who shop in high fashion stores such as River Island and Urban Out­ fitters. It's funny that some want to look like Rihanna or the cool

kids who don't have the courage to have their own style themselves."

Ten minutes further out of the city centre, on the university campus, lies the cafĂŠ The Quarter. With the Anglican church as its backdrop, you can enjoy the atmosphere of a relaxed and unique bistro. The hipsters like to hang out here, browsing through the newspaper and

enjoying the intellectual flair.

No one is overdressed. The dress code is leggings, Ugg boots a scarf and a bobble hat.

On the Northern side of the city, you will find the smaller independent stores like Resurrection, for example, which has a well-stocked selection for women and men. The store was opened in 1991 by Lisa Pritchard who previously founded Quiggins

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1 | Fashion designer Denise McConville has critically observed the hipster scene in Liverpool since its onset.

2 | The Met Quarter is on a par with Berlin’s KaDeWe, the most central and most famous department store in Liverpool.

3 | Quiggins is a real insider’s tip and can be found along with other stores in the former city hall.

4 | Liverpool’s lifestyle can best be sampled with a beer in Newsham Street.

and then moved on to Bold Street. With Resurrection, she was very significantly involved in the development of the hipster scene in Liverpool. In her store, she has brands such as Eastpak, Cheap Monday, Chaos Bros and Amplified for men and Dr. Denim, Crazy Colours and Hedonia for women, among other brands.

There are also some pieces for children, the whole hipster family can be kitted out here. On the landing, a retro Sega games console trudges away and reminds us all of our own childhood. Lisa Pritchard explains: "Our style is strong-willed, friendly, trendy but not too out there. Resurrection's ethos is that everyone who

comes through the door discovers something for themselves. We often display styles that people don't yet know about, so that they are here before they see them anywhere else."

Halfway back into the city centre is Leaf Café, with its authentic wooden furniture, it is a favourite meeting place for hipsters and fashionistas who whisper excitedly about business or party arrangements over the mirror of their eye shadow box .

Under the oversized lampshades on the ceiling, they sip their latte or their freshly-made strawberry smoothie, while at the other table hungover party-goers happily

devour their ham sandwiches with organic bread.

What's really great about Liverpool is that you can find hipsters here in all age groups. It's a very tolerant city that is proud of its roots but is still open to new things that guests from other countries have to give. It was voted the most hospitable city in England. Liverpudlians like speaking to tourists and enjoy having the freedom to travel a lot themselves. And they enjoy the freedom of seeing fashion as a way of expressing themselves, and not as a status symbol.

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116 WHAT'S THE STORY

Mirva Anjala describes herself as a hipster of the trashy variety, a new style founded in Helsinki.

Photographer Timo Pyykönen is one of the young and creative residents of Vallilla, an up-coming hipster neighbourhood in Helsinki.

Vallilla is located right next to the very trendy district of Kallio.

Helsinki

Finland’s biggest city Helsinki, the World Design Capital of 2012, is a place that is just oozing with Nordic coolness – and that’s not referring to the winter temperatures that can drop to -15 Celcius. Instead, it’s the Finnish hipsters, the fashion-conscious artists, designers and their hangarounds that give this little-known city such a special vibe. Text: Mirva Lempiäinen. Photos: Terhi Ruuskanen

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WHAT'S THE STORY 117

After the stores close, the who's who of the hipster scene meet at their bar of choice, Siltanen.

The rise of the Finnish hipster movement is especially evident in the Helsinki district of Kallio ("The Rock"). Up until five years ago Kallio was, above all, known as a rough blue-collar neighbourhood populated by heavy drinkers, dive bars and numerous Thai massage parlours. When word got out about affordable rents and cheap beer, young people and artists started flocking to the neighbourhood by the busload. Consequently the 'hood is now home to trendy lounges, vintage flea markets and organic restaurants. In keeping with the spirit of gentrification, rents are no longer particularly low.

Whenever Restaurant Day rolls around every three months - a day devised by a group of Helsinkians when anyone call sell food in their apartment or on the street - Kallio is a surefire destination to head to for trying exotic dishes.

Vibrant street life is indeed a good sign that the cool kids have arrived. This August Kallio celebrated its second annual residents' block party, complete with live bands, sidewalk cafes and artsy performances. Hundreds of people came out to dance on the main square, commonly called Piritori ("Speed Market", referring to the drug LSD and the area's sketchy past).

"Let's seize the day and the whole block, get to know our neighbours and help to make Helsinki an even cooler, more communal and vibrant place!" states the Kallio Block Party's Facebook page.

The idea for the yearly fiesta came from the super trendy South Helsinki district of Punavuori ("Mount Red"), where the residents organized their first block party in 2010.

It's no wonder that Kallio and Punavuori are the two hottest

areas in Helsinki right now. In New York-terms, the former is like the Lower East Side and the latter a local version of Williamsburg. Adding to the Billyburg feel was the opening of Brooklyn Café in Punavuori this summer, an American-style coffee shop run by two sisters from New York, Sharon and Brenda Todd.

If you go to any trendy bar, you'll notice that a 1920s look that draws from the Burlesque movement is a true hit among Finnish girls. The frilly, feminine dresses are complimented by bright-red lipstick and a high bun on top of the head. Boys prefer to look studious and smart, but yet edgy: many go for neat vests, striped shirts, scarves, cardigans and a kitchy mustache.

The fellas may sport sneakers

by Nike or New Balance. The designers whose items are the most coveted by hip Helsinkians

are domestic stars Tiia Vanhatapio, Minna Parikka and Paola Suhonen with her IvanaHelsinki brand. Marimekko, the bestknown Finnish trademark, is also experiencing a surge in popularity as a provider of classically stylish quality wear.

Of the international hipster favorites, Finns tend to warm up to Apple computers and phones, Barbour wax jackets, winter shoes by Wolverine, Vans and Converse sneakers, and backpacks and outdoor jackets by the Swedish company Fjällräven.

And with Helsinki being a biking city, of course the local trendsetters love fixed-gear bikes as much as their counterparts all over the world - if not more.

"Fixed-gear bikes are about the hottest thing right now," said Joonas Berggren, the founder of Finland's first "fiksi" brand, Le Prince Bicycles. The popular bikes are currently sold online style in progress 213

118 WHAT'S THE STORY

1

3

4

2

1 | Anna-mari Fagerström is a typically trendy Helsinkian: an urban girl who likes to spend her free time in the city, eating in hip restaurants and hanging out in cool bars.

2 | Navy Jerry's is a 50's Hawaiian-themed restaurant and very popular among Helsinki hipsters.

3 | Italian inspired Bettola Milli Miglia is one of the latest additions to Helsinki's theme-bar scene. The decor features old Italian automobiles and their accessories.

4 | Shanghai Cowboy serves fusion Mexican food, and is a restaurant by day and a popular Latin bar by night.

at Leprince.fi with the slogan, "Fixed gear bicycles for the stylish." Berggren, 28, designs the bikes together with Olli Laaksonen and Jukka Kalliomäki. Some of the trio's creations have even found homes abroad.

"The bikes can be fully customized. They come with a good dose of street credibility, bright colors and unique features," said Berggren.

White trash look = sizzling hot While many Finns go for the classically stylish hipster look, 213 style in progress

the other end of the spectrum shoots for a totally different type of image: uber-trashy. The clothes these guys and gals wear are so cheap-looking and traditionally dorky –think big neoncolored T-shirts, mismatched prints and '80s worn-out high-waist jeans– that they've become the epitome of coolness.

"Helsinki hipsters are pretty similar to those found elsewhere, but here the trashy look is more popular," said Mirva Anjala, 26, a recently graduated theater

WHAT'S THE STORY 119

Joonas Berggren is one of the founders of Finland's first fixed-gear bicycle businesses, Le Prince Bicycles.

director from Helsinki and a selfproclaimed hipster of the trashy variety. "Sometimes I feel like the worse something looks, the cooler it is." According to Anjala, a good reference point for those wanting to copy the local style is the popular website Hel-looks. com, devoted to photos of hip Helsinki residents. Judging by the site, nothing could be hotter right now than a pair of tie-dyed leggings and a short jacket adorned with wolf pictures, carried with a good doze of selfconfidence. A word of warning: As with all things hipster, you need to move in the right circles to pull off these looks.

No matter how fun the bars in the center may be, most self-respecting Helsinki hipsters

won't be able to resist the lure of Kallio too late into the night.

After all, the neighborhood has the highest density of bars in the whole city.

The most popular one is Siltanen, the king of all hipster hangouts. With stone-faced bartenders, only Heineken on tap, a random selection of couches and whitewashed walls– this place is simply too cool for school. Next door you'll find its sister club Kuudes Linja, a live music venue with indie rock bands.

Other popular Kallio bars include Pulmu, decorated in the spirit of the retro-airline Pan Am with miniature airplanes and a turbine hanging from the ceiling, the small but cozy Sivukirjasto and the unpretentious Om'pu.

Not that there's no hip life out-

Pelago Bicycles is a newcomer to the Helsinki city center and sells bikes with a vintage-look.

side of Kallio. There certainly is, and not just on Iso Roobertinkatu, the bar street that is the heart of Punavuori and home to club classic We Got Beef.

But outside of these two districts the top party places aren't as obvious to spot and many are downright hidden.

"All in all the Helsinki hipster scene is starting to revolve around secret, DIY (do-it-yourself ) parties," said Berggren, who recently went to a disco held in a giant concrete bunker.

But of course there's one extremely popular public shenanigan in Helsinki that those in-the-know wouldn't miss for the world: Flow Festival.

Consisting of international and local performers most people have never even heard of, this

summer's festival line-up reads like a Finnish hipster's wet dream: The Black Keys, Friends, Mode 2, Shangaan Electro, Awesome Tapes from Africa, Karri Koira DJ-set, We Love Helsinki, Bon Iver, Kindness‌ Anjala figures that the principles of what makes for good hipster music are similar to the clothing choices of said group."The weirder something is, the cooler it is. Smaller is bigger."

While the skinny-jeans army arrived to Helsinki much later than it did to its hub in Brooklyn, New York, where hipsterism was all the rage already a decade ago, their ranks are now growing in full force.

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120

Roundtable

Discussion

"There are Customers and Customers" 213 style in progress

THE TALK 121

Are hard times looming for the "giants" in the retail trade? Talking with style in progress Editor in Chief Stephan Huber are (from left) Bernd Deuter from the Reischmann Group, Holger Grabmeister from Oberpollinger, Christian Greiner from Ludwig Beck and Oliver Commentz from Hirmer.

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122 THE TALK

Compared on a European-wide scale, the German fashion retail trade holds the record for retail space, tendency rising. In 2011, around 320,000 square metres of retail space were leased to fashion retailers nationwide in the best prime locations. For large houses in particular, the question is now arising, what price growth? The market is becoming increasingly more complex and demands new instruments.

Interview: Stephan Huber.

Text: Isabel Faiss.

Photos: Julian Henzler

Stephan Huber, Editor in Chief style in progress: A recent study

by the company Team Retail Excellence GmbH from D端sseldorf predicts that traditional multibrand retailers, particularly large houses, will half their turnover by 2020. I can tell you what I think about this study right away, nothing. So, gentlemen, are you feeling the cold wind biting the back of your necks?

Oliver Commentz, Head of Marketing Hirmer Munich:

We all know that the market is saturated to a certain extent, that is a fact. And that, nationallyspeaking, no real growth is to be expected over the next few years.

Still, I wouldn't predict a decline in the market, especially not in Munich. We have a different situation here which is down to a variety of factors. The increase in purchasing power is one in particular and is thanks to the growth of the population and tourism. There is great opportunity for positive developments in the next few years as far as we're concerned.

Christian Greiner, Board of Directors Ludwig Beck Munich:

I wouldn't generalise. If you were to remain stagnant in 2012 and not evolve any further until 2020, then it may well come

about. Although, you'd be long gone from the market before your turnover had halved. I see that as an indicator that none of us in the retail trade should allow ourselves to remain static.

You have to constantly adapt and continue to evolve. If you can do that then you're home free.

Holger Grabmeister, Managing Director Oberpollinger Munich:

I think you have to look at it differently. I agree with Mr Greiner that if you stick with the concept you have today, then you've got no chance. Change will be pretty much a necessity but it's also a question of location. Take us in Munich, we have a special position but there are multi-brand dealers all over Germany who are making massive losses because they simply don't have a profile.

Collecting brands together isn't a recipe for success at the moment.

Stephan Huber: Putting this study on one side, I feel that specialised trade has become considerably more sophisticated and complex over the years, for the large houses to a greater degree. What's changed in the last ten years? The consumer, the competition?

Oliver Commentz: The consumer is certainly a key aspect in this. He's become much more

discerning and better informed.

Nowadays, the added value regarding issues such as differentiation and profiling needs to be created with real emotional because the merchandise can more easily be replaced. This is becoming increasingly more difficult. Take online shopping, for example, expectations have risen through new consumer behaviour. You have to adapt to this, for instance, expertly portraying the style and theme worlds with targeted looks and outfits. And then, of course, competition has changed too.

Stephan Huber: What was the biggest change in the competition? Online is obvious...

Christian Greiner: Think about the entire lifestyle market. Even the most banal everyday object is turned into a lifestyle product, awakening desire. What we lack in the textile trade is innovation.

We introduce a new label, a new designer or a new type of material into it, but nothing else. We can't push innovations into new sectors like the technology market, for example. So, that's why we need to stage the experience we have on the shop floor more.

Stephan Huber: Aren't you also taking about a communication problem there? From my point of view, there is a lot more to communicate on a product level than the consumer actually notices.

Christian Greiner: Yes, that's right.

Stephan Huber: If you were to communicate cars in the same way as you do fashion, then you'd be saying the new Mercedes now comes in five different colours and Justin Timberlake has just bought one. End of.

Oliver Commentz: It's always about stories and emotions.

Stephan Huber: Perhaps the fashion trade isn't a particularly good story-teller?

"The only thing that we failed to do was to maintain the value of the product." Holger Grabmeister, Managing Director Oberpollinger 213 style in progress

THE TALK 123

Bernd Deuter, Head of Marketing Reischmann Group Ravensburg: What is it we're

not telling? There are very few sectors that have as much staging around a product as in fashion.

Fashion is celebrated. I can tell you quite the opposite goes on.

A car dealer came to me and wanted to have a fashion show or a lifestyle event because this kind of hype is exactly what's missing in cars. A car is just a piece of metal that you replace every few years. Ultimately, emotions are missing in this market, particularly at the point of sale, or in car showrooms.

Oliver Commentz: I do think that the textile industry has a little catching up to do in terms of communication. Fashion has to be visually inspiring, of course, but take the company Manufactum for example. They manage to produce an incredible attractiveness around a product using staging. And they don't do it by focusing on the product, it's more about telling the story behind it. We don't really do this

"As retailers we need to define and also present ourselves as a brand more strongly." Christian Greiner, Board of Directors Ludwig Beck

very well in the textile trade. At Hirmer, we certainly have a target group with the men who are open for special finishes, benefits or innovative details. If we have an article that has a specially attractive feature, then we have to communicate this aspect more directly to a specific target group to enhance its desirability.

Holger Grabmeister: I don't see this need to stage individual products. Instead, we have to differentiate the target groups more. There are customers and customers. So, brands position themselves according to target groups and their needs. The success of Boss greatly relies on the

"We are in dire need of brands because of the promise of quality that individual brands give." Bernd Deuter, Head of Marketing Reischmann Group

brand's outward self-promotion, the placement of testimonials, the placement of relevant media. I don't see any failure in communication there. The only thing that we failed to do was to maintain the value of the product. The seasons have become so short that we are constantly working with discounts. This leads to the consumer becoming total insecure. This is the point.

For me, the greatest challenge is in raising this value again.

Stephan Huber: Speaking of which, it's the end of October now. Is everything ready for the sales? After all, winter is just around the corner.

Oliver Commentz: This question will pop up soon, but at Hirmer we try hard not to further exacerbate this spiral. Our philosophy is to have stable prices until the final sales and then only to have reasonable discounts. We don't have any sales activities within the season, such as the growing mid-season sales. If you can't sell on a proper basis during the season, then you have a problem.

Stephan Huber: Everybody agrees that sales are one of the industry's biggest problems but nobody alters a thing about it.

Holger Grabmeister: You can hardly alter anything about the sales system. Moaning doesn't help. Our approach is to free ourselves from this focus on pure price issues. We have regular customer workshops to see what consumers expect from large fashion houses. In a nutshell, it's being friendly, people want to have the feeling that you're happy that they're there. It's the staff that reflect this, through small touches like a cup of coffee. style in progress 213

124 THE TALK

"If you don't go forwards, you move backwards. Growth is our future security."

Oliver Commentz, Marketing Manager Hirmer

Do you know what features last?

The price. Although I know that we'll never be free of this price neurosis, it always plays a part.

But at least for our discussion here, price isn't an image building exercise. We have other tasks to meet.

Oliver Commentz: Exactly. It's about providing our customers with a good time, for his experience to be so positive that he's prepared to pay a certain price for a product that he could perhaps get for 10 per cent less on the internet.

Christian Greiner: Or that he doesn't really need...

Oliver Commentz: That he gets a certain reward for having invested the time.

Holger Grabmeister: A lot of our clientèle have to grab time for shopping when they're able.

They sacrifice their precious leisure time to do it. And they want to enjoy this free time and not be stressed out. We have a few women who clearly stated in the survey that they went into town shopping when they were in a bad mood, but only to certain stores where they knew they would be warmly greeted.

There has to be a reference point like this.

Christian Greiner: This is the 213 style in progress

reason why I go to a bar nowadays, even though beer from the fridge only costs a third of the price. Because I have beautiful surroundings there, because I meet other people and get to have pleasant conversations.

It's all about added value. The bottom line with the aspect of added value is probably cheaper than mark-downs in the finish up.

Bernd Deuter: We've found out that customers nowadays clearly rely on highlights and emotionalised objects. We need fewer average products, actually we don't need any anymore. The customer makes the decision right at the point of sale. If he can class it as an emotional highlight, then he buys it. We're back at the mediocrity of fashion again now.

We have numerous suppliers who don't continually build up their image, they're simply not very exciting and are difficult to define in terms of price. We repeatedly discuss the issue of mark-downs with the buyers, you can't not. But that's basically where we have to remain stable.

We have to bring emotion into it, create enthusiasm and a passion for our product instead of immediately reducing it down to a matter of price.

Stephan Huber: Holger Grabmeister mentioned it earlier.

Service is at the forefront for premium customers. This requirement can only be met with the right staff. The fashion trade is still generally seen as an unattractive employer. Why does the industry have such a massive image problem with this.

Holger Grabmeister: That's easily explained. It's to do with the fact that the trade's social prestige isn't highly valued enough.

There are no real reasons for this.

But it's rooted in the past. Background knowledge is so often lacking, what skills does a very good salesperson need to bring with him. One stereotypical train of thought is: "Anybody can do retail, you just stand in a shop and collect the money." Or at least that's often the image. You can also see this in how difficult it is nowadays to get apprentices.

To make matters worse, working hours in retail aren't attractive to everybody.

Christian Greiner: The customer's regard for this service group is more important. I think it's absurd that it is completely normal to go into a restaurant and give a tip if I've been well served. But nobody would ever think of doing that in the retail

sector. Because very few people value the service in the retail trade. It's a learned process in the catering industry that I pay more than I need to if I've been well served. But if you've spent hours advising in the retail sector, the most you get is a thank you.

Bernd Deuter: You don't need to reduce everything down to monetary value. For example, we did away with the term personnel years ago, we only have employees and don't have salesmen, they're consultants instead. We have employee training courses that clearly point out that customers are our partners.

We've done away with "The Customer is King" because people aren't honest with a king and always need to be aware that he can turn his back on a friendship at any time and whenever he fancies. Partners are for the longterm. These are issues that our industry needs to grow towards.

Christian Greiner: When we talk about whether we'll still be around in 2020, then one of the biggest questions I ask myself is whether we, as retailers, can manage to define and present ourselves as a brand more strongly. We, as retailers, are the brand in whose house the brands may play a guest role.

Of course, you must fill your own label with life, values and with certain views and stories.

Brands from the Young Fashion sector have shown how it's done and have also made themselves so attractive as employers that people will stand topless in the autumn weather for starvation wages. As retailers, I don't think that we can trigger the same kind of hype as a brand but it would benefit us in all areas. Only, you can't be a brand if you allow the other brands you carry to impose various things on you.

Stephan Huber: How important is a brand actually nowadays in houses of its category compared to the past?

Oliver Commentz: Brand stands for quality. Everybody here at this table stands for quality.

Which is why brands are inherently essential for us all. The question is more, how heavily do you want to be dependent upon brands. I also think that we should still brand ourselves even more and crystallise the added value of our house from it. Brands are important because they create confidence in consumers, but the added value, that's our job. What is the difference between Edeka and Rewe, for example? It's not the product range. But Edeka loves food.

That is the brand. Try and find a few good brand concepts from retailers, it's very difficult.

Holger Grabmeister: Ultimately, a brand promises core services that everybody associates with the brand. We all see our name as a brand and the brand that our house carries is part of our core service promise, that will ultimately help us to position ourselves as a brand. A certain level of quality and positioning go with the brands and their content. Which is why brands are very important for us. They also create diversity and demand.

The question is, therefore, how much brand do you need because too much brand makes you open to blackmail. You don't need to give every brand its own shop but one or another can also help a shop to become more interesting.

Bernd Deuter: We need brands as a guide more than ever. We are

Learning from the greats.

Christian Greiner from Ludwig Beck (right) and Oliver Commentz from Hirmer met with their counterparts on an equal footing at the Charles Hotel in Munich to discuss the strengths and weakness of their respective business models.

in dire need of them due to the flooding of the overall market and because of the promise of quality that individual brands give. The customer isn't willing to compromise anymore.

Because he can switch when he wants something he can't get. If he's looking for a certain brand it's practically impossible to show him any alternatives. Customers nowadays are no longer willing to make substitute if a brand is no longer available.

Stephan Huber: I just want to touch briefly on the subject of growth that is currently being subjected to critical debate in society as a whole. Because the knowledge is there that growth in itself doesn't mean anything.

How important is the growth strategy in your houses?

Holger Grabmeister: We essentially need to talk about qualitative growth. Otherwise growth is always a goal. Marginalisation will also play a large part in this, because I think that the market as a whole cannot substantially grow and that growth is ultimately defined in terms of new retail areas. We will continue to have growth in retail space even though we are already absolute leaders in the field in Europe.

So, you can only grow through cleverness, that is to say higher, faster, further. Organisation plays a key role in this and locations in particular. I believe that only prime locations have a chance.

What if? All four parties (left Bernd Deuter, right Holger Grabmeister) were subsequently asked, if they were to become omnipotent for a moment, what changes they would make within their industry.

Oliver Commentz: If you don't go forwards, you move backwards, we all know this. Growth is our future security. It must be healthy above all else. For example, in the gold rush fever in expanding online channels, many ideas were developed that were focused on quantitative revenue growth and suddenly a fairly radical re-evaluation took place as many people found that pure revenue growth doesn't mean anything. A rethink definitely took place there. Nevertheless, we are all doomed, so to speak, to grow in order to secure our own future.

Stephan Huber: If you were to implement one binding measure for the whole industry, what would it be?

Bernd Deuter: I don't really hold with any rules that everybody has to stick to. If so, then it would be values like trust and reliability.

Holger Grabmeister: That all houses only opened at 11 a.m., because the hour between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. doesn't make much economic sense.

Christian Greiner: A greater customer appreciation of what we do in the retail trade.

Oliver Commentz: Limited and regulated sales and clearance sales to increase customer appreciation for the brands through a uniform price structure.

126 THE TALK

"We have plans for growth to put into practice" Timo Schmidt-Eisenhart is Vice President and General Manager Europe at Timberland. He has been a member of the brand's new management team since it was taken over by the VF Group last year in its biggest acquisition yet.

The VF Group also owns such brands as The North Face, Vans and Napapijri.

Text: Isabel Faiss. Photos: Timberland

Timo Schmidt-Eisenhart, Vice President and General Manager Europe Timberland.

Timberland was taken over by the VF Group last year.

Comprehensive structural changes to management were carried out accordingly. How is the brand placed now?

The brand is well placed now, it is strong and it has always been.

Of course, VF, as the parent group, brings us strengths both in back end and front end but Timberland also has some best practice themes that are now being taken up by the overall VF Group. The environmental aspect of the brand and the credibility that it has built up in this field are of particular interest to the whole Group, also to create synergy effects for other brands, especially when it comes to the supply chain and sourcing, a field in which VF is already extremely well placed.

Timberland is already very well represented in the European market, but it is still an original American brand. How would you like to attract European trade even more?

The company is already extremely international, that is that a large proportion of its business is outside of the US. Europe is very well placed but we do, of course, have plans for growth that we want to see through examples of this are Shop in Shop and franchise growth. We want to be consumer centric and develop the right products for our different consumer base.

What was the status quo when you took over Timberland?

It's a strong brand that is well placed and was well managed 213 style in progress

over the past 40 years. There were no areas that had major failings that we really needed to work on. The main thing for us is to make the most of our opportunities with Timberland and, particularly to develop cooperation with retailers on a local level, and to use synergy effects with VF. Our goal is to aggressively grow the company's total turnover in the next five to eight years. And here, as the largest acquisition ever carried out by the firm, Timberland has a big role to play.

What are the medium and long-term goals?

We can clearly see potential for growth in three fields. The men's footwear category is already extremely strong today but there is still great potential for growth there. Women's footwear is an area, in which we are not particularly strong worldwide and in Europe. We want to get a lot more out of it. And the third category is the apparel line, which we have just started up.

Here, there is a lot of input from VF too because it's a clothing specialist and we are benefiting from their know-how.

What are your goals for developing the woman's line and the apparel collection?

First and foremost, this is about the brand's position. As a result of the brand's history, and its roots in work wear, we are a very male-dominated brand. Therefore, we need a communication strategy which targets and appeals to our female target group.

At the moment, we have an 80

to 20 ratio of male to female customers. In the long term, a 60 to 40 ratio is realistic.

This is why the brand's strategy is moving more in the direction of urban lifestyle and away from the pure outdoor segment?

We are not like brands such as Mammut or The North Face, but we aren't a New York fashion brand like Polo Ralph Lauren either, we sit in the middle linking these two components, fashion and lifestyle on the one hand, and outdoor and function on the other. It's something that the brand has managed to do well to date. We translate outdoor as your clothes always allowing you to be ideally dressed for conditions outside. Outdoors can be anywhere, including in the city.

It's also important for retailers that we develop Timberland as a year-round brand because that's how it generates cash flow for retailers and for us. It's a simple calculation. Timberland is still very focused on autumn/winter and so is unevenly divided across the seasons. In terms of market potential, we want to guarantee equal cash flow across the whole year. Our supply chain gives us huge advantages over other firms because we can guarantee that we will deliver on the dates indicated. That's an important service for retailers.

What do you imagine the contents of the new lines to be?

What does an expert in dampness do for the summer?

Summer isn't necessarily always hot and dry. Think for example

THE TALK 127

Target ratio between the women's and men's collection is 40/60.

about the whole issue of boots, a big business. For us, this includes all activities such as hiking and sailing, but also light shoes and sandals for women. The New England lifestyle is part of our brand image and is a total summer theme. Brand Innovation is key here to expand our product lines from Fall to Summer.

Should there also be an adjustment or expansion of the customer portfolio in retail?

We are very well distributed in Europe. Of course, we want to win over shares of the market, especially with the spring/summer collections, particularly for the women's line which will be a fourth area we will be working on. To that effect, we will speak to retailers and come up with ideas together on what can be done. Perhaps one or two department stores will be added and our channels strengthened.

Summer shoe styles for women extend the product portfolio into a brand for all year round.

What role does online trade play?

At the moment, there are only online stores in the US and England but we already have a roll-out plan for the whole of Europe. With the aim of shaping and displaying the brand online both in our owned online distribution and with our key partners. Showcasing the brand experience online is key and a major focus for us.

well as this, there will continue to be events in the company where employees take on voluntary social service and pro bono jobs, and they are released from work to do so. It's an important part of the firm's DNA. EarthKeeper is not just a label but a philosophy.

Sustainability is an inherent part of the Timberland philosophy. Most recently, we had the EarthKeeper collection. What's next?

It's hard to say what the next big innovation will be. There are a lot of ideas in the pipeline, especially at product level. But we can say in any case is that we are sticking to this philosophy.

It would be the biggest mistake the Group could make, to let go of the part of Timberland that has characterised the brand for decades and will become even more important in the future.

This is how we can set ourselves apart from a whole sea of brands and not throw products onto the market season after season. As

www.timberland.com

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128 THE TALK

It's possible to combine a successful IPO with ethnic principles – Brunello Cucinelli is intending to prove this is true.

"I don't believe in affordable luxury" Brunello Cucinelli, the sophisticated cashmere producer, tapped the capital market in spring 2012, despite his fundamentally socialist ideas. His stock market début saw market returns of over 30 percent.

He invests the proceeds into mono-brand stores and the development of production facilities. By 2015, the number of employees is expected to rise by about one quarter, with 1,000 in total working in Solomeo.

Interview: Thesy Kness-Bastaroli.

Photos: Brunello Cucinelli

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Mr Cucinelli, you developed a model factory near Perugia.

An environmentally-friendly climate, a workplace with humanist design, sustainable growth. Will flotation on the stock market not "lure" you into profit maximisation?

No way. I presented my model to investors at the roadshow held when I placed my offer.

US financial investors have also accepted that I reject rapid sales growth and profit maximisation.

I aim for gradual growth, which should be between seven and 15 percent, depending on the economic environment.

Many a listed luxury company has compromised quality in favour of profit... We are a company that produces luxury fashion. Luxury is synonymous with quality, creativity and artisan craftwork. Without quality, there is no luxury. I can't and won't give up quality. I don't believe in "affordable" luxury, luxury has to be "pure."

With 16 new stores of your own in 2012, you are developing mono-brand distribution.

Is this at the expense of the wholesale business?

Our approx. 1,000 multi-brand retailers make up the biggest share, about two thirds, of our sales. Indeed, I do want to open new mono-brand stores in various countries but the multi-brand stores will remain in the majority. For me, they are, among other things, an important indicator of competitiveness; they indicate how my collections are being received.

You recently distributed five million euros in a special bonus to your employees. How did the other big shareholders react to this?

The bonus was paid out by the Cucinelli family, not by the corporation.

Do you have any difficulties in sourcing the finest cashmere?

Demand is finally growing in the Asian market too.

We have no difficulties what­ soever. We mostly buy in Mongolia. Demand is increasing, but not for the highest quality.

Italian fashion firms bought Cucinelli shares when they were floated on the stock market. An interconnectedness of sorts within the luxury system?

Ermenegildo Zegna bought three percent and Benetton bought one percent of the shares. I see this as proof that "System Italy" exists and works.

Thank you for speaking to us.

THE TALK 129

Women Want Different Stories Women think differently than men - and they shop completely differently. Because what's important for men when buying fashion, doesn't apply to women, not by a long chalk.

A commentary by Nicoletta Schaper.

Photo: Peter Schaffrath

A customer comes into the shop, he needs a new jacket. He looks around hesitantly, doesn't know where to start. Then he takes hold of a model whose material he likes and looks at the label. "The jacket comes from a designer who's gone through the archives of Italian wool weavers looking for old designs and making them current", says the salesman and explains a couple of interesting details on the craftsmanship. The customer, meanwhile, is all ears - and perfectly willing to try the jacket on.

Men first buy the history, then the product. Christian Brennenstuhl from Berlin once told me that. He should know, he ran several successful fashion shops for men and women with Iris Jorde. If the story is true, then the product can even be not as well-known. Take the jackets by Holland Esquire, for example, very British, with recognisable craftsmanship. Or the shirts manufactured by Merz B.Schwanen on historic knitting machines in the Swabian Alps.

When it comes to authenticity, worlds and stories can be wonderfully constructed and

traditional brands fit perfectly within this. Would women actually find shoes by Alden good if the label had only been around for two years? And is any woman interested in that? It's not the same for women. They want different stories.

be carried away by a good story into buying something that, objectively-speaking, they don't actually need, is that seduction too? Call it what you will, this is the essence of fashion. For both men and women.

Impulse Buy

The product itself tells you this.

Women often manage very well in stores by themselves, even if they've nothing against a little chit-chat. If there's a good, pleasant atmosphere, then all the better. But they prefer to let the fashion do the talking.

This could be the special way a Schuhmacher dress drapes, the contrasting edging on a woollen Odeeh coat, the cardigan from 0039 Italy which when fastened has been turned into something extra special through the addition of a spotted ribbon. Or the special puckering on a Vanessa Bruno Athé blouse which tells them: This piece has been made just for me. If it fits and I feel like a goddess in it, then the price is insignificant - and no further persuasion is needed.

This little magic works with women. They don't buy ordinary things; find basics boring. The designer, Dorothee Schumacher, understands this magic and reworks it into her collection every season. As do the creators and true women whisperers of Odeeh, Otto Drögsler and Jörg Ehrlich who have been exciting their female customers with their seemingly simple looks since their début in 2009. Women also like stories about a label, but more as a nice addition to it. But it's fashion that gives the real impulse. And the decision isn't necessarily always the right one. Bad buys are always possible, especially if she gets carried away and tempted into buying a piece that is a little too flashy but looked so good on Alexa Chung at the last gala. The decision to buy is often impulsive where women are concerned, sometimes irrational. It's about emotion - and about seduction. Incidentally, the same thing applies to men, allowing themselves to style in progress 213

What Value Fashion Has. Does fashion have its own economic cycle, is it crisis-resistant? Well, of course.

The fashion that we mean. The fashion that is not about changing the guard as quickly as possible. The fashion that wishes to stay. Because it isn't actually a fashion - more applied aesthetics combined with the art of making an experience out of a product. Text: Martina M端llner. Photos: Bernhard Musil, brands

Trends autumn/winter 2013/14

Out into the City

Despite all the dreams of the glossy magazines, there are only a few of us who live in the romantic idyll of the mountains and tend our own hearths. The longing for primordial urges still remains after a reality check - successfully adapted. Adapted to the needs of real life it finds its expression in a surprising pairing: Loden and nylon complement one another to an unbeatable functionality, filled down meets delicate leather or earthy knitwear. Nobody who loves to live in the 21st century needs to dress as though they were an American pioneer or a Canadian lumberjack any more. But it's still possible to enjoy daydreaming of the hiatus the two things bring occasionally.

Woolrich

Ten C

Chevignon Togs Unlimited

Barbour

Diemme Footwear

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FASHION 131

Barena

Uptobe G-Star

R95th

Boglioli

Add

Lodental

Luis Trenker Berg Hackett Chevignon

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132 FASHION

Out into the City

Filson

Luigi Bianchi Rough

Re-Hash

Nigel Cabourn Schneiders

Chevignon

1881 Cerruti

Diemme Footwear Manuel Ritz

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Roy Rogers Tuscan Wool

FASHION 133 Peuterey

Roy Rogers

Diemme Footwear

Nigel Cabourn

Wrangler

Canada Goose Swiss Chriss

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Mabrun

Knit One, Purl One

Uptobe

It's lovely to touch: handmade items, the chunky, artfully-crafted knitwear with thick intarsia, patterned and jacquard designs. But, when it comes to functionality, there is always a drawback with chunky knitwear, especially when it has to do with its suitability for winter: Too thin for outdoors, too thick for well-heated rooms indoors.

So it's comes as no surprise that the marriage of knitwear and technical, quilted or lined materials has been celebrated with gusto. It's not only beautiful to look at, but it's also innovative, new and, yes, just as good at fulfilling those old longings.

Barena

Gloriette

Hetreg贸

Szen

Lamberto Losani

Hartford

BPD

Geospirit

B.D. Baggies

Phil Petter

Liis Japan

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Capital Merchandise

FASHION 135 Woolrich

Frivolous, blind, irrationally emotional consumption? So last century. If you want that golden credit card to do some serious damage, then you need to present some golden ideas.

And values placed in a product can outweigh gold itself: Finest cloth from Italian manufacturers as the outer fabric of a well-known outdoor parka, seductively cosy cashmere as the lining of a Chelsea boot, silky-soft glove leather on the collar of a shirt, sinfully opulent fur trims with the best of all consciences. It can only be too much if the luxury appears old. As cheap bling-bling, as a decoration that only hides the lack of ideas.

Moorer

Meindl

IQ Berlin

Schneiders

Canada Goose

Henry Cotton's

Postcard

Loden-Frey

Hetreg贸

Toni Sailer

Norwegian Rain

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Floris van Bommel

On It's Own Legs

Trousers are the best indicator of fashionable understanding. Anyone turning away from chinos and jeans will be faced with a never-ending selection: Not narrow in the least, more consciously wide. Along the lines of Cary Grant with a high waistband, elegant pleats, wide legs and - for those who fancy it - even with a thin merino wool sweater worn behind the trousers.

The others don't need to combine their leg room with colourful socks, instead with the correspondingly new shoe: A cross between the soles of coarse boots and the elegance of Chelsea and lace-up boots. The female variety proposes the current hip (ankle) boot or court shoes with trousers.

Siviglia White

Pence

Re-Hash

ADenim Buttero

Fratelli Rossetti

Aquarama

MMX Atelier Gardeur

Stetson

Dockers

Marc O'Polo

Handstich

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Injeanious

FASHION 137

Long prophesied - and yet in a surprising quality: Denim is back and brings into play every trick in the book that the popular material has learned over the last few years: From authentic raw washings to gently-aged vintage varieties. Printed, combined with patterns and checks, for city slickers or adventurers. Elaborate detailing gives the exalted workwear its character. Whether with leather appliquĂŠ, silky-soft finishes or the new colourways in muted, elegant shades: Denim is so back again.

Chevignon

G-Star

Gilded Age

Wrangler

Roy Rogers Tricker's

Pepe Jeans 7 for all Mankind

Brunello Cucinelli

AG Adriano Goldschmied

J Brand

Re-Hash 7 for all Mankind Ra-Re

Jaggy

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Brilliance

Winter, well it's certainly, sometimes bleak, when muddy meadows and low-hanging banks of fog spread anything but romance. The colour therapy against the winter gloom: Strong, bright, trendy orange. No variety has been left out, no creative idea for using the colour omitted: Whether as accessories, trousers, knitwear or jacket, the feelgood colour does its own thing in livening up product ranges and store images.

Converse

Nichol Judd

Roy Rogers Tuscan Wool

Aquarama

Holuban Pantone

Nigel Cabourn

Hackett

Hardy Amies

Lodental

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Schneiders

FASHION 139 Mabrun

Caruso

Warm-Me

Luigi Bianchi Rough

Dockers

Boglioli

Mason's

Uptobe

Felted Phil Petter

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A Touch of Skin

A minor comeback or merely a new focus on a material that has always known just how to tantalise? Leather is creating emotional moments in many a collection. Sophisticated processing methods make the material oh so interesting: chamois-worked, vintage tanning techniques, open edges, straightforward patina, brushed surfaces: Leather delights the sense of touch, conveys a sense of value and pleases customers.

Felted

Parajumpers

Blauer USA

7 for all Mankind Stewart

Hackett

Mavi

Stetson

Pence

Hardy Amies

Bomboogie Baracuta

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Lady's Likes

FASHION 141

Rough, tough, voluminous? Certainly not. A lady is a lady is a lady and never wants to be a man in skirts.

The autumn/winter collections 2013/14 pay tribute to this commandment: With womanly silhouettes, softly flowing fabrics, feminine colours and lots of other small details. Highlighting this god-given appeal naturally is more important than the big show - and that is something that both sexes can agree on. Only, this generally accepted credo of a season for women has been translated into clothing again using a much more subtle language.

Peuterey

Stetson

Holy Ghost

Guess Jeans Iheart

Marc O'Polo Fornarina

1881 Cerruti

Gwynedds

Woolrich

Henry Cotton's Marina Yachting

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Wearing the Trousers Photos: Katja Hentschel, Styling and Production: Mody Al Khufash, Models: Streetcast by Mody Al Khufash

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From left to right Jacket: Cervolante Trousers: Mason's Boots: Red Wing Blazer: Blame Shirt: Closed Trousers Drykorn Boots: Stylist's own Jacket: Levi's Trousers: Wool & Co. Sneakers: Vans style in progress 213

From left to right: 144 MODE Denim shirt: Closed Chinos: Brax Sneakers: Vans Jacket: Stylist's own Shirt: AG Adriano Goldschmied Trousers: ADenim Boots: Preventi Blazer: Levis Made & Crafted Shirt: Closed Trousers: Deyk

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MODE 145

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146 MODE

From left to right Jacket: Stylist's own Shirt: Tiger of Sweden Trousers: Strellson Boots: Fratelli Rossetti Blazer: Levi's Made & Crafted Shirt: Diesel Trousers: MAC Boots: Stylist's own Sweater: Closed Trousers: Monocrom Sneakers: Nike 213 style in progress

MODE 147

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148 MODE

From left to right Sweater: Closed Jeans: Strellson Boots: Preventi Leather jacket: Tiger of Sweden Sweater: Closed Jeans: Pence Sneakers: Vans Jacket: Levis Made & Crafted Shirt: MAC Jeans: AG Adriano Goldschmied Shoes: Sorel 213 style in progress

MODE 149

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NEW PATTERNS Photos: Rene Fietzek Production and Art Directing: Mody Al Khufash Styling Assistant: Ella Plevin Hair/Make-up: Lisa Zeitler sponsored by B&B Model: Denisa c/o Iconic model management Special thanks to: Jean Luc Martin Nivaggioni, Katharina Schn盲cker & Blackbird Berlin team

Bolero: Thone Negr贸n Blouse, dress: Tiger of Sweden Skirt: Semi-Couture 213 style in progress

Patterned dress: RenĂŠ Lezard Dress: Dietrich Emter style in progress 213

152 MODE

Leather jacket: Guess by Marciano Blazer (worn as blouse): RenĂŠ Lezard Trousers: Reality Studio Stockings: Wolford Sandals: Deepmello by Anne Gorke 213 style in progress

Dress: MODE Lala Berlin 153 Blazer, trousers: Blame Skirt: Diesel

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154 MODE

Blouse: Hien Le Bandage: Wolford Trousers: Raphael Hauber 213 style in progress

Blazer: Stine Goya MODE 155 Blouse: Vladmir Karaleev Dress: Joop

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156 MODE

Blouse: Semi-Couture Skirt: Vladmir Karaleev Dress: St. Emile Clogs: Tiger of Sweden 213 style in progress

MODE 157

Trousers, neckline top: Semi-Couture Blouse: 0039 Italy Shoes: Sydney Brown style in progress 213

158 IN STORE

Exclusive fashion and an elegant atmosphere meet at Amicis Women.

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IN STORE 159

The Joy of Shopping Amicis Women und Amicis Men / Vienna.

Arash Daie has an instinct for trends. Proving his point in his two luxury stores in Vienna's city centre.

Text: Katja Weiland von Ruville.

Photos: Amicis, Oliver Gast

Where once cloth merchants and tailors went about their business has now evolved into one of Vienna's most exclusive shopping streets, the Tuchlauben. Textile workshops have been jostling along in the Lauben, the arches, since the 13th century, but it is now luxury boutiques that shape the townscape today. As great as the differences between past and present may be - the traditional street in the first district has still remained true to its original theme. So it is all the more fitting that Arash Daie recently moved into the newly opened location with his Amicis Women Store. And in the neighbourhood: The Amicis Men Store.

But, we'll politely let ladies go first. Since November 2012, fashion-conscious cosmopolistyle in progress 213

160 IN STORE

tans are as equally likely to find high-fashion labels as trendy fashion designers here. "With the designers we are currently carrying, the next logical step was to be in the best possible location", says Tina Flögel, Amicis Women Store Manager. And the Arash Daie team have certainly managed that.

Haute Couture Architecture

Architect Denis Kosutic was contracted for shop design as he had already taken over the design on the other Amicis shops. Under the motto "The Butterfly Effect" Kosutic translated opposites such as hardness and fragility as well as transparency and semi-transparency into the shop design. The draft of the "passionate perfectionists" as Tina Flögel describes the architects, transports an atmosphere of "easy luxury" over the two floors and draws its inspiration from the delicate beauty of the butterfly.

The result? Feminine nude and pastel shades meet masculine steel elements, design statements

to immediately catch the eye are between the glass-encased silk lace and hand-made Murano glass chandeliers.

Individual Service

A few houses further on, in Amicis Men Store, no fragile butterfly gave its inspiration for the design, in its place is an expressive dragon. For the motto "Dragon Luxury" Denis Kosutic selected opulent carpets with Chinese designs, solid, angular wooden shelves and steel display cases in which to put the creations of Acne, Brioni and Co. But who actually decides what should be offered to the fashion-savvy Viennese? "The selection of designer brands and pieces we carry in our stores isn't determined by the price point, but by the trained eyes of our buyers who put their trend-sure skills to the test every season", says Toni Bajrami, Amicis Men Store Manager. "No distinction is made between a 60 euro T-shirt and a 10,000 euro leather jacket as both pieces are equally selected as the IT-piece of the season." But even though male fashion victims can buy trend pieces at a small price at Amicis, the current best-selling labels of Tom Ford and Bottege Veneta are luxurious, timeless classics.

The relationship Toni Bajrami builds with his customers is especially important to him as a friendly relationship usually evolves from this. As a result, the instinct as to what a customer would enjoy comes almost automatically. "The close relationship

They know what their customers want: Toni Bajrami, Tina Flögel and Amicis Women Chief Buyer Daniel Marker.

to the customers and their trust in us is reflected during their shopping experience: Certain items are exclusively purchased for our regular customers", says Bajrami.

Amicis Men: Striking design concept for high-end men's fashion.

Amicis Women Tuchlauben 14, 1010 Vienna/ Austria.

Opening: November 2012.

Owner: Arash Daie.

Staff: 9.

Retail space: 500 sqm.

Labels: Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang, Antonio Berardi, Balenciaga, Balmain, Burberry Prorsum, Chloé, Giambattista Valli, Givenchy, Helmut Lang, Isabel Marant, Jil Sander, Jimmy Choo, Maison Michel, Peter Pilotto, Stella McCartney, Tom Ford, Zac Posen.

Amicis men Tuchlauben 4, 1010 Vienna/Austria.

Opening: November 2011.

Owner: Arash Daie.

Staff: 5.

Retail space: 250 sqm.

Labels: Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Balmain, Bottega Veneta, Brioni, Kiton, Burberry Prorsum, Dior Homme, Dsquared, Givenchy, Lanvin, Tom Ford, YSL (Saint Laurent Paris).

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IN STORE 161

25,000 Paper Bags for Beyoncé Owen / New York.

At just 25 years old, Phillip Salem fulfilled his childhood dream with the luxury boutique Owen – and he is about to revive the concept of service.

Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Juliana Sohn

"Everyone who comes in should be treated like Beyoncé," the first sentence of the guide that introduces Owen's employees to their job. The feel-good factor comes from someone who is knows celebrities well: Philip Salem studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and and became the New York Fashion Week correspondent for the institutes's in-house station – responsible for backstage reporting and interviews with designers and famous guests. He also went through the streets of New York for the station talking to store-owners about their seasonal purchases and trends.

However, he put a career as a fashion journalist to one side.

Fashion as a Preference, Not as a Rule

Ultimately, even back in Akron, Ohio, Salem dreamt of his own fashion store. That's the only reason why he left his beloved home in 2006 to study in New York. During his research for various media commitments, he observed that several labels that he found important aren't to be found in downtown Manhattan at all – and he also further developed his style, which today shapes his product range.

Ultimately, it was clear from the very beginning: in his own store, he would compile the product range personally. At Owen, he combines well-known designers with discoveries. So there are brands like Vena Cava, Timo Weiland, Rad by Rad Hourani, Ashley Rowe and Ohne Titel among others. "For me, fashion is a preference, not a rule," says Salem. "That's why I concentrate

on modern, structurally-strong, detailed pieces – with an inclination towards the dramatic."

A Drama Made of Paper Bags

Phillip Salem needed the appropriate environment for this.

What seem to be the simplest of resources bring about dramatic effects: 25,000 paper bags cover the whole curved wall and ceiling surface, making the store an eyecatcher. While Jeremy Barbour from Tacklebox Architecture designed the store, Phillip Salem rehearsed for two weeks with his selling staff and had them study designers' biographies and images of their fashion. Owen doesn't only place importance on customer service, but also on the overall look: the luxury clothes hang on rectangular steel rods, accessories in glass cases with a steel base, Owen displays selected pieces on tables covered in quartz crystal.

Of course, things like this cost.

The 25 year old got the starting capital from his father – but

At Owen, paper bags create a dramatic contrast to the industrial charm of bricks and concrete floors.

only after he had successfully completed an advanced course at FIT, which he left with a watertight business plan. The family ties are represented in the name too: Owen is Salem's second Christian name and the maiden name of his late mother.

Owen 806 Washington St, New York, NY 10014/USA, T 212.524.9770. www.owennyc.com.

Opening: May 2012.

Owners: Phillip Salem.

Staff: 5.

Retail space: 167 sqm.

Labels: A.P.C., Ashley Rowe, Henrik Vibskov, Jen Kao, Ostwald Helgason, Patrik Ervell, Preen, Robert Geller, Timo Weiland, Vena Cava, among others.

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162 IN STORE

With wild paintings, music and films, The Hoodie Shop appeals to hipsters – and hanging from everything are hoods.

Not Without a Hood The Hoodie Shop / new york.

A shop has opened in New York, in which all of the clothes have hoods – and the owners have chosen just the right spot for it.

Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Adam Kane Macchia

Aleah Speranza loves hoods. She could hardly believe that there were no shops that specialise in them. Ultimately, you can find a hoodie or something similar in almost every wardrobe. "There are denim shops, hat shops and shoe shops, so why no hood shops?" she asked herself. Peter Shapiro listened to this question with great interest. He can definitely be described as an impresario: in New York, he ran the night club "Wetland" (now closed), then turned his attention to the "Brooklyn Bowl" – a venue in a former warehouse that combines bowling with concerts, and it's the first bowling alley in the world with eco-friendly 213 style in progress

construction certification. He also produces films, for example the 3D concert film "U23D." "When you combine my love for hoods and interior design with Peter's experience with locations, and then add our common passion for music and fun, you get The Hoodie Shop," says Speranza.

In the Centre of the Historical Fashion Mecca

They soon found the right place for the concept: the store is on the Lower East Side, on Orchard Street. In the past, traders stood there with their carts on the street and sold cloth and clothes that often came from sweatshops in the area and from neighbouring Chinatown. This led to shops, in which you could have anything tailor-made, from corsets to suits – or you could buy

them very cheaply on the street.

Today, what remains of these stores mixes with vintage stores, young designers and bars.

With long opening hours, Speranza is fully equipped to cater for the appropriate clientèle. "We get a lot of passing trade from people who leave bars after a few drinks," she says. "It's hilarious when they come in and then start to dance and mess about in the living tower." The designer furniture is in the back section of the shop and is asking to be climbed upon. Above it, films play on a screen, a DJ box also lies at the ready, and psychedelic murals cover all the walls.

also dresses, overalls and leather jackets. The latter are doing particularly well: "Something like this is so rare." says Speranza.

"And there are always new hoodies to discover."

New Hoods All the Time

This furniture is virtually crying out for events – and they bring more customers: from magazine parties to corporate events, the store has already seen a lot since it first opened, bands have also appeared there already. And the products? Speranza has stayed true to her idea: There are only hooded clothes – not just jumpers and shirt jackets but

The Hoodie Shop 181 Washington St, New York, NY 10002/USA, T 646.559.2716, www.thehoodieshop.com.

Owners: Aleah Speranza, Peter Shapiro Opening: March 2012.

Retail space: 63 sqm.

Staff: 2 (incl. Speranza) Labels: Alternative Apparel, Aviator Nation, B. Scott, Nicholas K, SVLDR.

IN STORE 163

A Stroke of Luck WalDraud / Zürich.

Daniel Fay, Ann and Lorenz Isler realised their dream with plenty of enthusiasm: their store Waldraud is celebrating its first anniversary.

Text: Dörte Welti.

Photos: Le Bon, Linda Giezendanner

How do you come up with such a name for a store? "We spent three days brainstorming," laughs Ann "it had to be a name with few Google hits, which sounds the same in all languages, and which is friendly." So, a strategic decision. And with all the southern Swedish abandon that Ann radiates (she comes from Ängelholm in Skåne), you sense the elaborate plan that is behind Waldraud: to open a real concept store that deserves the name.

Focus: furniture and fashion. But also a platform for workshops, for lectures and events. The interior of Waldraud is designed in a way that, within 15 mins, you can create enough space for a stage and an audience. There's even yoga at Waldraud!

Anything but Ordinary Eye-Catching Designers

The three, who got to know each other through a mutual friend, also had a stroke of luck with their location. In the middle of the hip Kreis 5 in Zurich, with lots of bars restaurants, cafés and special shops. Passing trade does half the work because hardly anyone in Switzerland knows the sometimes very unusual designers. For example, Jenny

Peiz and Yvonne Fehling from Kraud, who produce "upholstered" pigs made from leather, oak stools and twisted lights. Or Christof Plümacher, who is currently displaying his photos in the mini-gallery that's integrated into the store. There is also space for pop-up stores with special products. Waldraud is growing.

"We want to animate people, to better underscore their personalities with colours and playful things," says Ann and this is how she justifies unusual designers like Barbara i Gongini from Denmark, who sews avant-garde fashion.

The conclusion after one year: it was worth it. Indeed, all three still have part-time jobs, but they are receiving more and more requests from famous brands who would like to be represented in Waldraud. It sounds like a very happy future!

The Waldraud trio: Daniel, Ann and Lorenz, from Germany, Sweden and Switzerland.

The concept: brands that you only find in select locations around the world.

Waldraud Josefstrasse 142, 8005 Zürich/Switzerland, T 0041,44,5546050, www.waldraud.com.

Opening: October 2011.

Owners: Ann Isler, Daniel Fay and Lorenz Isler.

Retail Space: 100 sqm.

Fashion Labels: AZABALA, BARBARA i GONGINI, BLAKEcopenhagen, Brooklyn We Go Hard, C.Cruden, Comme des Garçons PLAY, Cuisse de Grenouille, FREITAG REFERENCE, Jupe by Jackie, l’eskimo, Martine Viergever, MAXJENNY, Mr. Who say's hi, Mutewatch, Nico Uytterhaegen, Peter Jensen, Reality Studio, Still Good, Stine Goya, Susan Bijl, Susan Bijl Maria Jobse, Waldraud by Mikka Fay, WAITING FOR THE SUN, White Mountaineering.

Furniture Labels: ANTONIO ARICÒ, BYRK, Claire-Anne O’Brien, Decode, Kraud, MeS, MILLIMETER MILLIGRAMM, Miracle Magazine, MINT, minus tio, Moustache, nachacht Berlin by artificial, Nick Fraser Design, Polkkajam, Pols Potten, Project Interior, RS Barcelona, Studio Pepe Heykoop, Superfolk, t.e., Vij5, Waldraud Books, Magazines, Photo Gallery.

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164 IN STORE

New Luxury Temple in Milan Excelsior Milano / Milan.

Milan is now a whole special shopping and lifestyle experience richer. A mere five minutes away from the Cathedral and just another five minutes from the luxury fashion quarter of Montenapoleone, a former multiplex cinema has been transformed into a luxury shopping temple Text: Thesy Kness-Bastaroli.

Photos: Excelsior Milano,Kaufhaus Coin

At the Excelsior Milano, luxury articles have been arranged according to five floors.

On offer are a delicatessen and cosmetics, eye-catching fashionable highlights, designer clothing for men and women, accessories and shoes. Avant-garde labels such as Dries van Noten, Marni, Balmain, Band of Outsiders, Haversack, Nigel Cabourn, Piombo or Moscot are on the second floor, luxury labels such as Valentino, ChloĂŠ, Maison Martin Margiela, or Altuzarra are located on the third floor.

There is a bistro-pub restaurant on the ground floor, with views of the neoclassical Piazza Beccaria.

Responsible for both exterior and interior design is the French star architect Jean Nouvel. The building is made from glass and steel and exudes the same atmosphere as a classy boutique: Cool, transparent and elitist.

High-tech design, coupled with plexiglass escalators and transparent lifts, are clear indicators

Exterior of steel and glass in the Galleria del Corso.

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of the futuristic lifestyle concept.

The luxury department store was opened in September 2011 and is an attempt for the Coin store chain, owned by the British financial investors BC Partner and the Coin family, to join the top market segment. The General Director of the group, Antonio Beraldo, explains the novel concept: "We limit the use of our own personnel, our partners operate the shops on their own."

Two floors, ground floor and basement, are reserved for gastronomy. The bistro restaurant specialises in fresh products and the gastronomy and restaurant chain of Eat's scores highly with its comprehensive supply of food. The delicatessen chain was founded in 2009 by the Venetian Sergio Menegazzo and is currently in full swing. Part of the success is due to also having its own bakery and pastry shop, a fishmongers and a wide range of hams. Following the layout of a classic department store, cosmetics and beauty care products are

found on the ground floor. The first floor is divided into travel accessories - mainly fashionable US labels hardly found in other Italian stores and a superb selection of men's fashion. Antonia Giacinti, who runs three "Antonia" top boutiques in Milan, is responsible for the selection here.

Specialists Only

Ladies fashion can be found on the second and third floors.

Here, besides bumping into the classic Italian fashion collection of Giorgio Armani or Dolce & Gabbana, there is also a fine selection of choice pieces from luxury brands such as Givenchy, Isabel Marant or Balmain. Exclusivity and luxury characterises the shoe selection. Models by Christian Louboutin or Manolo Blahnik are arranged like museum pieces behind the glass display cases. Antonia Giacinti has also had a creative hand in this too.

With so much splendour on show, the Excelsior certainly lives up to its name: The only drawback is the current crisis which clearly puts a question mark next to the 2012 sales target of 50 million euros. It also delays the proposed launch of a further three luxury shopping temples in Padua, Verona and Naples.

Excelsior Milano Corso Vittorio Emanuele/ Galleria del Corso 4/ Italy.

Opening: November 2011.

Owner: Coin department store group, financial investor BC Partner.

Retail space: 4,000 sqm.

Labels: A wide selection of labels ranging from avant-garde brands such as Dries van Noten, Marni, Balmain, Band of Outsiders, Haversack, Nigel Cabourn, Piombo or Moscot to the luxury brands such as Valentino, ChloĂŠ, Maison Martin Margiela, or Altuzarra.

IN STORE 165

Luxury accessories are displayed in glass cases in the Excelsior Milano.

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166 IN STORE

The entrance area to Dressingroom & Home has the same store design as the shops on Wiener Platz. The setting for the menswear collection at the back and to the right of the entrance area has a more masculine design.

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IN STORE 167

Vintage as an Attitude to Life Dressingroom & Home / Munich.

You can't rely on trends, buy you can rely on your own good taste. And in the case of Julia Prislin and Gerald Klepka this certainly hits the spirit of the times. In 2006, they opened the two shops Livingroom and Dressingroom in Haidhausen, adding a third shop with Dressingroom & Home in March where vintage is presented as a lifestyle rather than a trend.

Text: Isabel Faiss.

Photos: Gerald Klepka, Livingroom

"Here looks exactly like it does at home." Julia Prislin sits on one of the old, lovingly restored wooden tables in her shop, surrounded by a few guests drinking coffee from small cups and nibbling toasted paninis. These are personally toasted behind the sales counter that also serves as a bar by her business and life partner Gerald Klepka. If you visually just take the guests out of the picture, you can quite well imagine it.

A little Stockholm, a little Paris

The Livingroom idea with its integrated lunch-cafĂŠ, the first of her now three shops, actually came about through chance.

"With our shops, I wanted the customers to have the opportunity to actually live them for themselves rather than just simply looking at them. After all, we are in a living room here." And, as it happens, with every turn of your spoon in the cappuccino, a new glass cabinet, an even more lovely coffee service and a further vintage chest of drawers is discovered. The entire set-up is for sale. And despite this, the shop still has a harmonious room layout, one that surely every woman would love to transfer directly into her own home using copy and paste. The style of the furniture bears a ScandinavianFrench influence, the pale porcelain, the white-stained furniture, the delicate fabrics, it all requires a fine sense for aesthetics and a functioning network, because vintage furniture is experiencing a boom and you have to be able to distinguish between copies and the original.

The owners have both, but it didn't just come out of thin air.

They acquired the first in their jobs, her as a fashion stylist and art director, him as a fashion photographer and musician. The two of them got around quite a bit during their work, mainly in Cape Town where many of the ideas for the shop came. But the network needed to be built up first, running nowadays mainly style in progress 213

168 IN STORE

A self-contained women's world in just 35 square metres. From its door sign to the changing cabinets, Dressingroom presents a successful setting, rather reminiscent of a lovingly recreated boutique from a French city.

(Bottom left picture) At their recently opened location in T端rkenstrasse, Julia Prislin and Gerald Klepka have also been presenting a menswear collection and created the CI of the shop accordingly.

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IN STORE 169

via dealers in Belgium and Scandinavia. Julia Prislin brought the know-how for vintage furniture with her as she comes from a family of antique dealers herself.

fashion. We prefer to select labels that represent a lifestyle that suits us and that show great attention to detail and offer good value for money."

The Logical Step

New Address, New Concept

Nestling on the right-hand side of Livingroom is Dressingroom, a mere 35 square metres in size.

It was added in 2008 as the next logical step and expresses Julia Prislin's and Gerald Klepka's enthusiasm for fashion. A spatial miracle. Every item on display is stored in the warehouse in all sizes. So, what you see is only the tip of the iceberg, says Julia Prislin. The shop is kept in the same style as Livingroom, very informal, very feminine, very elegant. The changing cubicle is a particular highlight, transporting you back to Paris in the '50s if you use a little imagination.

The product range is largely composed of delicate cotton basics in pastel shades mixed with a few unusual pieces. "We're not particularly at the vanguard of

The passing trade at Wiener Platz, the pleasant market square in the centre of Munich's hip district of Haidhausen, is mainly young families. Livingroom's and Dressingroom's shop concept has been extremely well accepted, especially by young mothers, and this gave the owners enough of a boost after six successful years to further expand the concept for male customers. And so since March 2012, a symbiosis of the first two shops, Dressingroom & Home in the Türkenstrasse, has been carrying a men's collection over its 240 square metres of space with labels such as Scotch & Soda, American Vintage or Caporal. Elements from Industrial Design were also added to its fixtures. "We have been

success­fully working with several labels such as Maison Scotch in Dressingroom for women for a long time, so we had the idea of expanding the men's range with several products such as Scotch & Soda. We have a completely different type of clientèle in the Türkenstrasse, lots of tourists, lots of students and, thanks to the new product range, also a lot more men. This makes it all very exciting again, of course."

Dressingroom & Home Türkenstrasse 54, 80799 Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.24241816, www.livingroom.la.

Opening: March 2012.

Owner: Julia Prislin, Gerald Klepka.

Staff: 3.

Retail space: 240 sqm.

Women's brands: Beck Söndergaard, Black Lilly, Campomaggi, Fiorentini & Baker, Maison Scotch, Michael Stars, Munthe plus Simonsen, Muubaa, Plus Fine, Rabens Saloner, Rich & Royal, Sacks, Set, Star Mela, Stephan Boya, Wildfox.

Men's brands: American Vintage, Danieli Fiesoli, Fiorentini & Baker, Japan Rags, Kaporal, Scotch & Soda, Stephan Boya.

Interior: incl. Antice Line, Astier de Villatte, Bloomingville, Braxton, Chehoma, House Doctor, Jeanne d'arc Living, Lisbeth Dahl, Milljögarden.

Livingroom Wiener Platz 2, 81667 Munich/Germany, T 0049.44141991, www.livingroom.la.

Opening: 2006.

Retail space: 140 sqm.

Interior: see Dressingroom & Home.

Dressingroom Wiener Platz 2, 81667 Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.54255762, www.dressingroom-online.de.

Opening: 2008.

Retail space: 35 sqm.

Women's brands: Dressingroom & Home.

Owners Julia Prislin and Gerald Klepka have turned their dream into reality with their shops Dressingroom, Livingroom (see photo) and Dressingroom & Home. They draw inspiration when on their travels, from Cape Town for example.

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170 IN STORE

Detachment as a Virtue MODE FÜR MÄNNER / Constance.

With their second men's shop in Constance, the Zwicker Family are appealing to customers beyond the concept of men's outfitters: "Mode for Männer translates into English as "Fashion for Men" and the name not only describes what's to be found there, it is also an appropriate name for the store launched in the old town.

Text: Jeanette Fuchs. Photos: Zwicker

The "Mode für Männer" men's store was newly opened in the old town of Constance in February 2012 and rules out any misunderstanding right from the start. "We wanted to make the difference to our business in Marktstätte perfectly clear", says the owner Ottmar Zwicker on the plain and meaningful name. The distinction applies to the parent company which has been in existence since 1797, first manufacturing hats, then as a gent's outfitters. In 1995, Anneruth and Ottmar Zwicker took over from their parents.

The End of an Era

Despite its long history, the Zwicker parent company cannot be pigeon-holed into the traditional category of outfitters: "Classic gent's outfitters don't exist any more. How many

Mode für Männer in the old town of Constance: The large windows and bright façade are sure to appeal to passing customers.

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people wear classic clothing on the streets nowadays? There's no need for bankers and freelancers to wear suits any more. All they really need is a jacket and a sporty shirt, that's enough", says the entrepreneur who knows what he's talking about. In the main store, this development is also taken into account, with a sportswear-focused product range spanning from Closed to Peuterey. Once again, Zwicker clearly emphasises the distinction between the two locations: "The product ranges from the two stores only overlap by about 10 to 15 per cent and this is limited to just a few labels."

Ottmar Zwicker is increasingly of the opinion that owner-managed shops are about to become a rare breed, which is precisely why they want to counteract this trend with a visible presence:

"Not only is the business called Zwicker, there is also a Mrs and Mr Zwicker who take care of things when something isn't running correctly."

Size Counts

The decision to open a modern men's store was down to a happy coincidence and a strategic decision: Not only did the attractive shop in the old town become available, but the entrepreneurial couple had also been toying with the idea of expanding for quite some time. "I think it will be increasingly important to appear on the market in a certain size in the future - both to customers and suppliers", says Zwicker.

They decided their customer approach to the considerably broader target audience should be more detached: "We have noticed that some people don't

IN STORE 171

Also a permanent presence in the new men's store in Rosgartenstrasse 32: Owner couple Anneruth and Ottmar Zwicker.

wish to be served, perhaps because they are just not used to it any more. Vice versa, the longstanding regular clientèle are possibly irritated because they are no longer addressed by name in the new shop or nobody asks them how Rover's doing." As Mode für Männer customers, Ottmar Zwicker also includes those who think: "I like going to Zwicker's but I don't have to have a jacket for 499 euros, one for around 199 euros will also do the trick."

But the higher foot traffic in the new men's store isn't just down to the lower prices, the open visibility also plays a role: The bright façade and large windows give a welcoming appearance to passing trade, customers are met by the integrated shop-in-shops

by Gant, Napapijri, Tommy Hilfiger and Brax in the front sector of the ground floor. The structure has been well thought through and runs through the entire store: The rear section has classic sportswear ranging from Bogner to Bugatti, the first floor has men's jackets, business shirts, suits and overcoats. The ambience is friendly - strongly influenced by the oak and domestic greywacke - customers can browse peacefully. Detached, yet at the crucial moment ready to provide advice, as only a speciality retailer can.

Mode für Männer in the old town of Constance: Oak furniture and greywacke tiled flooring create a friendly atmosphere to a broader target audience.

Mode für Männer Rosgartenstrasse 32, 78462 Constance/Germany.

Opening: February 2012.

Owner: Anneruth and Ottmar Zwicker.

Staff: 12.

Retail space: 600 sqm.

Labels: Altea, Ascot, Barbour, Bogner, Mario Barutti, Boss, Brax, Bugatti, CG Carl Gross, Eduard Dressler, Eterna, Fynch & Hatton, Gaastra, Gant, Hiltl, Jacques Britt, Lodenfrey, März, Mayer, Napapijri, New Zealand, Paul & Shark, Pierre Cardin Jeans, Roy Robson, Scotch & Soda, Tommy Hilfiger, Wellensteyn, Wilvorst Shoes: Boss, Gaastra, Gant, Napapijri.

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172 IN STORE

Everything Stays Different Gassmann Zürich / Zurich.

In 1895, the first milestone in the Gassmann company: Founder Jacques bought the entire house in which he had run his fashion business for women's and children's clothing for eleven years, in order to "very much enlarge the same thing". In 2012, tradition was turned on its head: Gassmann includes men's fashion in its product range.

Text: Dörte Welti.

Photos: Gassmann Zürich

130 years of successful continuity. One question begs to be asked, in times when similar family-run businesses in the Zwingli town of Zürich were forced to give up the fight long ago or were incorporated into financially strong holding companies: How can there still be a Gassmann?

The Magic Word Is Regular Clientèle

Well, for one thing, there's the service. "There are regular customers who practically have an entire wardrobe put together for them year after year", says Doris Hahnloser. Even during the purchasing process, suitable outfits are specifically sought out for these customers. And then, there's the team spirit: A strong team made up of willing, motivated and trained customer advisors. Constancy as a lived value. Gassmann places its faith in many traditional labels. One can look back on cooperations whose roots date back to when the label was first established, such as Akris.

who took over the company from his uncle in 1984, no longer went to trade fairs owing to health reasons. A new buyer was taken on, daughter Katja Hahnloser, just 23 and a student at the University of St. Gallen, also hopped on board. Greater things developed from the summer job in the parent's company, the women together decided that to not offer menswear was an issue no longer relevant to the present climate and promptly hired a men's buyer. With typical Gassmann effect: The new product range found favour straight away. Oh yes, bubbly Katja also set up a new web appearance and online shop, of course, by herself needless to say. But that's "like other similar companies in Switzerland, more a 'nice to have,'" says Doris Hahnloser. Looking after the regular clientèle with great enthusiasm is preferred and now her husband too, or her son who has outgrown the children's department. And that is why Gassmann will still be around in the next generation.

Change Management

The family has learned how to constantly evolve and adjust to new circumstances, this helps in the survival game. Much has needed to be revised over the past year, Thomas Hahnloser, The new menswear range at Gassmann is prominently displayed to the right of the entrance.

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Team spirit: Doris Hahnloser (left) and daughter Katja rely on their motivated team – many a project has been successfully completed with a great deal of flexibility.

Gassmann Zürich Poststrasse 5-7, 8022 Zürich/Switzerland.

Opening: 1882.

Owner: Doris and Thomas Hahnloser.

Staff: 40 Retail space: 1000 sqm.

Women‘s labels: 7 for all Mankind, Agnona, Akris, Akris Punto, Anne Valerie Hash, Alberta Feretti, Avant Toi, Azzaro, Bally, Barbour Gold Label, Burberry, Burberry Prorsum, B Private, Bleulab, Bruno Manetti, Comme des Garçons, Della Ciana, Derek Lam, Dice Kayek, Donna Karan, Doo.ri, Ermanno Scervino, Iris von Arnim, IRO, Isaac Sellam, Jacob Cohen, Joseph, Julie Park, Kristensen du Nord, Manzoni 24, Matthew Williamson, Mr. & Mrs. Furs, Odeeh, Paul Smith, Pierre Balmain, Plein Sud, Ralph Lauren Ralph Lauren Collection, Roberto Collina, Sanaz Shiraz, Schacky and Jones, Schneiders by Peter Pilotto, Shiatzy Chen, Stephan Schneider, Superfine, Talbot Runhof, Utzon, Zuhair Murad.

Bags, shoes, accessories: Alberto Fasciani, Burberry London, Camilla Skovgaard, Gabriele Frantzen, Hunter, Isajon, Loewe, N.D.C., Pollini, Priyanka, Ralph Lauren, Santoni, Tod’s Sunglasses.

Men‘s labels: Aquascutum, Carven, Cycle, Della Ciana, Lacoste, Ermanno Scervino, Comme des Garçons, Pierre Balmain, Pyrenex, Windsor.

Bags, shoes, accessories: Alberto Fasciani, Bally, Loewe, N.D.C., Tod’s Sunglasses.

IN STORE 173

"The Loft" drew its architectural inspiration from the idea of an open, airy wall-less space.

All's not Quiet on the Western Front!

KaDeWe / Berlin.

The Kudamm is experiencing a revival, the boulevard is booming! At any rate, Berlin's boulevard now has a new attraction. The third floor of Berlin's luxury department store KaDeWe is showing off a new look: Less wall, more loft.

The boutique boulevard on the ground floor is reminiscent of fine addresses such as Selfridges in London or Galeries Lafayette in Paris, the beauty sector with niche perfumes is anything but a niche itself and the 20,000 square metre large third floor even has its its own name: "The Loft".

Text: Janine Dudenhöffer.

Photos: KaDeWe

As the Name "Loft" Implies

Fashion is change – or else it would be called "style" – and the same thing also applies to the houses selling fashion. This is particularly true of the Kaufhaus des Westens - or the Department Store of the West to you and me.

This latest renovation, the most impressive since being founded in 1907 by Adolf Jandorf, culminated with its Grand Opening at the end of September. "A milestone, an "upgrade" as the managing director Ursula Vierkötter fashionably likes to call the new rooms of the luxury liner.

20 per cent of the 60,000 square metres of retail space have been completely redesigned.

For two long years, ideas on presenting an accessory temple on the third floor in an appealing and contemporary manner were honed to perfection in a joint venture by the design offices of Interstore Design and Dioma AG. This joint venture involved creating a luxurious and exciting staging for shoes, leather goods, accessories and even lingerie, for example, through the use of changeable interiors.

"The main focus is on creating an opportunity to play with the products, to vary them and to constantly be able to rearrange them in the best possible light." explains Marco Dionisio, Visual Merchandising Expert for Dioma AG. Illuminated display cases were used as highlight staging and showcase the shoes as

individual pieces: A Prada in the display cabinet is like a Picasso in an art gallery. Vintage-look product displays work well with the soft designer carpet with its baroque ornamentations. Shimmering metal and sandstone harmonise with pale wood accents.

Cleverly placed mirrors enlarge the space. Somewhere amongst it all, the model Julia Stegner sprawls on the posters advertising the reopening of the "Loft".

Luxury and Perfection Across the Entire Line

"There isn't a one-size-fits all solution to presenting accessories perfectly. The key factor is the customer feels at home." says Beni Heiden, Creative Director Interstore Design. Shopping with wellness effect, so to speak.

Strategists and engineers must also have experienced the same thing: At its Grand Opening "The Loft" corresponded exactly to the plans drawn up at the start. And that, for a major construction project in Berlin, is really something quite new!

In implementing the idea of a luxury "Loft" on the third floor, Beni Heiden, Designbüro Interstore Design, and Marco Dionisio, Dioma AG, were in perfect accord with the KaDeWe management and project team from the very first moment.

KaDeWe Tauentzienstrasse 21-24, 10789 Berlin/Germany, T 0049.30.21210, www.kadewe.de.

Opening: 1907.

Grand Re-Opening: September 2012.

Managing Director: Ursula Vierkötter.

Owner: Nicolas Berggruen.

Staff: 2000.

Total retail area: 60 000 sqm.

Own shoe shops: incl. Jimmy Choo, Prada, Miu Miu, Yves Saint Laurent.

Accessories: incl. Aigner, Alexander Wang, Anya Hindmarch, Burberry, Chloé, Diane von Furstenberg, Loewe, MCM, Michael Kors, Mulberry, Rachel Zoe, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tory Burch, United Nude, Unützer, Victoria Beckham.

"The New Luxury" Boutique Boulevard: incl. Burberry, Céline, Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Louis Vuitton.

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174 IN STORE

Monox's design concept focuses attention on the essentials: selected sneakers and streetwear.

It Was Brave Monox / Aachen.

There is a new point of interest on the international map of sneakers: Aachen. Monox was the first sneaker store to open in the region, a fruitful concept for this untouched landscape.

Text: Isabel Faiss.

Photos: Monox Store

"Perhaps before us, no one was brave enough to attempt such a concept in a small city like Aachen with 240,000 residents.

We are now benefiting from this because we are the first, and our catchment area goes far beyond Aachen and the tri-border area," says Mohamed "Mo" Ben Hamou, owner and founder of the sneaker boutique Monox which opened in July 2012. The biggest challenge in the first weeks after opening was the design of the product range.

Because without experience that can be analysed – Monox is the first concept store in Aachen and Mo, a skilled online-marketing specialist, is also new to the territory – it's a question of instinct, how progressive the products can be to be sure to attract customers, but without scaring them away. Because Mo isn't deluding himself: he must familiarise many of his customers with sneakers first.

Balancing Act

How brave can you be in stimulating your customers without scaring them away? "Sneakers have only been a big thing here213 style in progress

for a few years. Four or five years ago, it was the passion of a small, die-hard fan base. I grew up in the Aachen region myself, and if I wanted to buy sneakers, it essentially meant that I sat on the train to Cologne or Düsseldorf.

That's where the idea came from to set up a good shop right on my doorstep. Since then, many have asked why no one thought of it earlier."

in advance. A former highlight, the floor that was varnished with wet-look synthetic resin, scared some customers away.

They thought the floor was still wet from renovations. So, he decided to do away with counter-productive design and to place the focus on the sneakers themselves. Apart from the mattpolished floors, the store has not lost any of its sparkle.

Good Things Are Worth Waiting For

The starter pack of course included big brands like Adidas, Nike, Asics and Onitsuka Tiger as its driving force. Based on this foundation, Mo wants to constantly move towards meeting his customers' demands but also their readiness for new brands.

His first attempt with the brand Clae was a complete success.

"The customers understood this brand immediately," he says. Mo has no illusions that he can push wings shoes á la Jeremy Scott on the Aachen public. He is gloriously down-to-earth in what he buys. Incidentally,this is another main theme of his store's design, which he pored over for a year

Monox Franzstrasse 50 52064 Aachen/Germany www.monox-store.com.

Owners: Mohamed Ben Hamou.

Staff: 2.

Opening: July 2012.

Retail space: 70 sqm.

Labels: Adidas, Asics, Clae, Nike, Onitsuka Tiger.

IN STORE 175

Fashion and Art Under One Roof The Space / Paris.

With the opening of the concept store "The Space" in the 6th arrondissement in Paris, the two founders, Tallulah Rufus Isaacs and Julia Van Hagen, prove that fashion and art irrevocably belong together.

Text: Jeanette Fuchs.

Photos: The Space, Anouska Beckwith

The upscale concept store in the Arrondissement du Luxembourg in Paris was christened "The Space" by Tallulah Rufus Isaacs and Julia Van Hagen. With its launch in October 2012, the two 25-year-old founders have realised their vision of uniting fashion and art under one roof and in a mere 50 square metres.

"We don't think that the two are so very different and so should be put together in one place", says Tallulah Rufus Isaacs. "Both elements have the same origin and both are an expression of style and taste - even if art may survive the seasonal character of fashion.

Multi-Cultural Flair

The English name of the store should make Parisians curious as

The vision of uniting art and fashion under one roof became a reality with the concept store "The Space" in the 6th arrondissement in Paris.

well as demonstrate the international character of the two owners. Whilst Tallulah Rufus Isaacs, daughter of an American music producer and a Norwegian model, came into contact with fashion at a very young age making stopovers in Los Angeles, Rome or New York, Julia van Hagen grew up in Paris as the daughter of a British lawyer and a German art collector. They organised art exhibitions in Berlin or Basel and guided collectors through the Parisian art scene through the "Art Bus" project.

The clientèle who find their way into the concept store are also international: "Our customers aren't simply looking for things that will match their wardrobe, they're looking for items that will make them stand out. As well as the already well-known artists and designers we have in our product range, there are also newcomers whose pieces are very collectible and allow you to discover a part of Paris", says the store owners.

Charm Instead of Perfection

"The Space" provides space for individual items that can't be found anywhere else: "We sell objects from artists with whom we closely work, such as FourèsVarnier – you will only find her ice bucket with us", says Isaacs.

Anybody looking for something special will find it at "The Space"

- whether its hand-made hats

by Victoria Grand or bags from Delphine Delafon. In addition to buying and selling, the two friends are also responsible for the store's design: "We do everything ourselves. If we think that something needs changing, then we just do it. Change is part of our concept and it always allows new, unique atmospheres to be created", the two entrepreneurs are of one mind in this.

Time, Space and Opposites

"Fashion should be fun and shouldn't be taken too seriously", Tallulah Rufus Isaacs is convinced of this. However, she also emphasises the importance of appreciating the time and skill designers invest in each individual piece of work. A philosophy that Julia Van Hagen also agrees with: "Art is about falling in love with a piece that you want to look at again and again. So, it's important to know the history and the message behind an artist since it needs to be personally directed to the buyer." Are 50 square metres enough space for future plans? Absolutely: There's talk of other concept stores around the world, from pop-up ideas and an own clothing line.

With their creative understanding of time and space, the two ambitious and creative talents make it clear that "The Space" is just the beginning.

Two like art and fashion: The "The Space" founders Tallulah Rufus Isaacs and Julia Van Hagen.

the space 21 rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris/France.

Opening: October 2012.

Owners: Tallulah Rufus Isaacs, Julia Tinkerbell Van Hagen.

Staff: none.

Retail space: 50 sqm.

Labels: Air Fur, Anabelle Dexter Jones, Aperlai, Austique, Constance Boutet, Faith Connexion, Lou de Testa, Nichole de Carle, Rutzou, Vivienne Westwood.

Accessories: Annelise Michelson, Bex Rox, Delphine Delafon, Meli Melo, Nina Peter, Sylvia Toledano, Twins for Peace, Victoria Grant.

Art and Design: Atelier Hapax, Jade Fourès-Varnier, Worldwide Women.

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176 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 Editors-in-chief Stephan Huber stephan.huber@ucm-verlag.at Martina Müllner martina.muellner@ucm-verlag.at Managing editor Stefanie Spreitzer stefanie.spreitzer@ucm-verlag.at Art direction/production Elisabeth Prock-Huber elisabeth@ucm-verlag.at

I'm Proud of the Fashion Industry

Y

es, after four great days in Berlin, I can sum it all up in a single sentence. I'm proud of how our industry has reacted to a more than mixed year 2012 with a winter and Christmas season that was, on average, rather unpleasant.

information and business plat­form that was so comprehensive and excellently prepared and one that is essential and indispensable for us all. Once again: We need strong tradeshows, we have them. And in exactly the right location.

The worry of facing a mixture of nervousness, wailing and despondency at the start of the round of tradeshows wasn't an unrealistic one. But the exact opposite was the case. Everybody reflected on their strengths with their heads held high and focused on the challenge of turning things around with an almost sensual pleasure.

Above all, I am proud of the trade. All stereotypes were contradicted. There were no phrases like "Oh, leave it, I'll go and look at it in the showroom then" or "Keep away from me with new things. I don't need them."

Instead there was a candour, a curiosity and a desire for change.

My personal observation and many interviews revealed that the buyers were really taking the offensive in terms of the merchandise. They wanted to feel and understand them, in the double sense of the word. New things, the unknown were seen as an opportunity and not as a risk.

It started with the brands and manufacturers who brought an unprecedented concentration and range of products to the table and with such a quality and strength of innovation that was quite obviously suited to delighting and luring the buyers out of their shells. This continued with the tradeshows themselves with a cleverly differentiated scope.

In their entirety, they offered an 213 style in progress

So, everybody realised that the response to poor(er) times can only be to be better.

Now it is to be hoped that this

momentum and this candour will become a permanent feature when it comes to the specific task of putting the many positive reports on this brilliant start down on paper.

I, therefore, wish all a courageous, wise and consequently successful order season and a steady hand for the right quality and quantity.

And: We are working in a great industry! It's a fact!

Cordially yours, Stephan Huber

Contributing writers Daniela Angerbauer Thesy Kness-Bastaroli Janine Dudenhöffer Petrina Engelke Isabel Faiss Jeanette Fuchs Linda Glezendanner Ina Köhler Jule Lauber Mirva Lempiäinen Adam Kane Macchia Amanda Moss Kay Alexander Plonka Katja Weiland von Ruville Nicoletta Schaper Juliana Sohn Lisa Trautmann Dörte Welti Photographers /Illustrators Benjamin Lindenkreuz Rene Fietzek Esther Gebauer Sammy Hart Katja Hentschel Julian Hentzler Andrea Krizmanich James Lacey Bernhard Musil Terhi Ruuskanen David Sailer Peter Schaffrath 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 Petrina Engelke, transmit-Deutschland Printing Laber Druck, Salzburg Printing coordinator Manfred Reitenbach Account info Volksbank Salzburg 105 627 BLZ 45010 Next issue 24 June 2013

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43332 TELA STELLA FIELD JACKET IN TELA STELLA, THE FABRIC ON WHICH STONE ISLAND WAS FOUNDED IN 1982.

TELA STELLA WAS INSPIRED BY AN ENQUIRE ON THE TECHNICAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ARMY TRUCK TARPAULINS CLOTHES. THIS COTTON CANVAS IS IMPREGNATED ON BOTH SIDES WITH CONTRASTING PIGMENTS SPECIAL RESINS. THE FINISHED GARMENT THEN UNDERGOES AN EXTENDED ENZYME WASH IN ORDER TO GIVE IT A FADED LOOK AND TO BREAK DOWN THE DENSITY OF THE MATERIAL. THE RESULT IS A WINDPROOF GARMENT THAT HAS AN AIR OF OLD OILSKINS CORRODED BY THE SEA, WHICH, AT THE SAME TIME, HAS A MARKED MILITARY FEEL. TWO FLAP POCKETS WITH SNAP FASTENING AND TWO BELLOWS POCKETS WITH FLAP AND SNAP FASTENING ON THE CHEST, ONE OF WHICH HAS A ZIP FASTENING POCKET ON TOP. FOLDAWAY HOOD IN RAISED COLLAR WITH SNAP FASTENING. EPAULETTES. INNER DRAWSTRING AT WAIST. HIDDEN ZIP AND BUTTON FASTENING.

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