style in progress 3.13 EN

spring summer 14 # 3.2013

Don't Worry. How Online Is Helping Retailers Against Online /// The Throwaway Fashion Generation.

Why as Much Fashion as Possible For as Little Money as Possible Works /// The True Point of Sale.

Why Changing Rooms Are So Important ///

style in progress

“We are undergoing a great revolution!

Not evolution but a revolution.”

Armand Hadida

€ 6.90

His Favourites WWW.MARC-O-POLO.COM

FOLLOW YOUR NATURE

FOLLOWPEPE PEPEJEANS.COM

pixelart.communication

100% Hidden Meaning

Still hidden is our new Summer Collection 2014.

But the meaning is obvious: Visit us in Berlin!

Meanwhile enjoy the view.

PREMIUM BERLIN. 2. – 4. July, Hall 3, Booth E16 luistrenker.com | info@luistrenker.com

008 editorial

Today Decides Tomorrow

Welcome to these lines.

"We are going to finish with a lot of brands", a bold statement by Armand Hadida, owner of the world's most recognised store L’Eclaireur and one of the faces behind the Tranoï tradeshow, in his style in progress interview (the longview, on page 076) with Markus Ebner – and naming names. This openness is very refreshing and is something we wished would occur more often in many of the talks we've had – which is to say, that what is said behind closed doors may actually be quoted in public. Hadida has every reason to laugh, don't you think? We think so too because the visionary dealer has certainly been planning well ahead, deciding just yesterday what he wants to tackle head-on tomorrow. This is a question that an entire generation of "transferees" are putting to themselves - even though the challenges they face of taking an

existing business into a new era are no doubt very different for them. Isabel Faiss and Janaina Engelmann-Brothánek have spoken with several of them (The Legacy of the Greats, page 112) and discovered that no success can be acquired without the courage of a new generation.

But who makes up this new generation of consumers to whom these entrepreneurs are turning? Can people who were passionate Primark customers as teenagers ever be acquainted with the understanding of values regarding "our" kind of fashion?

Can you make them passionate for products – I've deliberately not used the word brands here – that cost several times more than the amount they had previously been budgeting for? In her article (Fast and Furious, page 128), Isabel Faiss tackles this question in greater depth. Well, we don't want to reveal the punchline to you at this point, but so much is to be said: The principle of a high-end speciality retail sector with its strong advisory focus is still worth believing in. Our authors from far-flung corners of the world have put together some impressive examples for this issue: Petrina Engelke visited the top floors on Madison Avenue and lifted the lid on the secrets of the top ten-thousand (The Secret of the First Floor, page 184), Jan Joswig, Dörte Welti, Kay Alexander Plonka and Nicoletta Schaper also have articles on other cities to contribute which will be of interest to our specialist readers. The thing in these reports that pleases us the most is the clever mix of answers given to the question of how you can become a successful fashion retailer. After all, the best way of learning is by example.

Enjoy the read, Your style in progress team

Cover Photo: Adrian Crispin

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010 CONTENT

The Longview 076 "I Don’t Like Collections But Products!" style in progress in conversation with Armand Hadida, the well-known retailer and trade fair organiser

What´s the story 084 Timing is Everything When delivered? When sold? The question that moves us all 092 Avanti!

You could hang your head as a textile trader in Prato too.

You could

076

102 Pole Position 40 Years Pepe Jeans - Congratulations!

106 Leather, Motorbikes & Kate The roaring return of Matchless, the motorbike legend 108 It's All About Desirability 0039 Italy is becoming international – fleet-footed and quite naturally 110 60 Years of Sportalm – A Good Reason to Look Ahead Austria's model business has good reason to celebrate 112 The Legacy of the Greats Changing generations nowadays: What companies can learn from founders 120 One Who Didn't Set Forth Lorenz Bach, the Swiss retailer replicates his success 122 Romance and Business Acumen Rosemunde couldn't be more Danish: feminine and successful with it

084 124 There's No Such Thing as Monsters ...

Online or offline? Why not both? You can do it with cooperative ideas 128 Fast and Furious The generation of bulging bargain bags has grown up. With premium fashion?

132 City High-Tech Because it's just so practical: Fashion at the interface of function and passion 135 Water is Life Consume less, help more: AG Adriano Goldschmied show’s how

The Talk 136 Celebrating, Not Squandering!

Clever alternatives to reduced prices 092

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142 "Accessories Are the Essential Poster Child" Tyoulip Sisters Mastermind Oliver Bruhn in an interview

SPORTSWEAR COMPANY GERMANY GMBH_+49 (0)89 35892730 C.-P.-HANSEN-ALLEE_KEITUM/SYLT 45561 MESH REFLECTIVE HOODED DOWN JACKET IN MESH REFLECTIVE. AN OUTER RUN-PROOF MESH PROVIDES THREE-DIMENSIONAL EFFECTS AND MAGNIFIES THE REFRACTIVE FEATURES OF THE HISTORICAL REFLECTIVE JACKET, MADE IN A HIGHLY REFRACTIVE MATERIAL OWING TO A COATING ENRICHED WITH THOUSANDS OF GLASS MICROSPHERES. THE COATING OF THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL MAKES THE FABRIC WATER AND WIND RESISTANT. THE GARMENT IS FILLED WITH THE FINEST DOWN TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL THERMAL INSULATION. TWO HORIZONTAL POCKETS WITH SEALED ZIP FASTENING. DIAGONAL FRONT POCKETS WITH WINDPROOF FLAP AND SNAP FASTENING. DRAWSTRING BOTTOM HEM. HOOD WITH DRAWSTRING. ZIP AND SNAP FASTENING.

WWW.STONEISLAND.COM

012 CONTENT

Fashion 144 All White 152 Utility in the City

In Store 160 The Fitting Room, Please!

Not claustrophobic, not fusty: Changing rooms with that certain something

144

166 A Feel-Good Challenge Stakks, Essen 168 The Spirits She Evoked Dotti’s Lovely Vintage + Labels, Zürich 169 Intimate Fashion Boutique in Old Berlin The Corner Berlin West, Berlin 170 From Shop Owner to Streetstyle Icon You You Store, Turin 172 Sombre Luxury Odd, New York 173 A Living Room For Everybody Toykio, Düsseldorf 174 All Good Things Come in Fours Aerni Haar Kleid Bar Spa, Bern

152

176 Next Stop: Fashion Business Wooster, Feldmeilen 178 From a Shopping Site to a Shop Piperlime, New York 180 Positive Growth Trends Soto Store, Berlin 182 Mini with Style Welcome Shoppe, New York 183 Bespoke (Pyjama) Suits White Chalk, New York 184 The Secret of the First Floor Madison Avenue, New York

160

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Standards 008 Editorial 014 Right Now 056 Want it!

192 Editor's Letter/Imprint

014

RIGHT NOW “We are absolutely delighted with the newcomer and to have a brand like Superga with such a rich tradition in our portfolio.”

Philipp Castien, Adventure Modeagentur

Superga epitomises the ease and confident style of the Italian zest for life.

Mario Sorrenti was the photographer for Calvin Klein Underwear’s new campaign with Christy Turlington.

Calvin Klein

A Spring Clean…in Autumn!

Calvin Klein is getting rid of the initials – well, almost.

The famous fragrances CK and CK One are actually allowed to keep their names. However, the fashion giant PVH, which has owned the fashion label since 2003, announced that, from autumn 2013, the bridge collection CK Calvin Klein will simply be called Calvin Klein and this should contribute to giving all of the brand’s lines one clear, common structure. However the differentiation between price classes does not fall by the wayside here: Under the new, old name Calvin Klein, the bridge collection carries the additional title “platinum label,” while the sportswear collection is to be given the title “white label.” Both of these, and the catwalk collection Calvin Klein Collection, are also expected to have their own advertising and distribution channels. However, in the midst of change, Calvin Klein also proves itself to be an anchor. This is why Christy Turlington Burns is returning as the face of Calvin Klein Underwear – in the ‘80s she got her big break with a shoot for the company helping on her way to becoming supermodel. www.calvinklein.com

Superga

New Licence Holder and Distributor

Since 1 May, CMH Consulting, Management und Handel GmbH, based in Kufstein in Austria, has been the new licence holder of the Italian shoes brand Superga for Germany and Austria. Distribution is being carried out by the Adventure Modeagentur GmbH, which has showrooms in Munich and Düsseldorf. The agency Christian Teufl has taken over representation in Austria.

“We are absolutely delighted with the newcomer and to have a brand like Superga with such a rich tradition in our portfolio,” says Phillip Castien from the Adventure Modeagentur. “The cult status of the 2750 model alone makes working for this brand extremely exciting.” With its newly-focused marketing strategy, Superga wants to place more emphasis on partnerships with other brands, on exclusive collections for big retailers or on strategic partnerships with selected retailers. The launch of a mono-online store is planned for December 2013. Superga will be represented at the Bread & Butter in Berlin www.superga.co.uk, www.adventure-gmbh.de, www.teufl.cc

Better Rich

Better online

After redesigning their online presence in July 2012, the beginning of the year saw the launch of the online store: The sportswear label Better Rich’s current men’s and women’s collections can be ordered online within Germany. The product range focuses on shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts and knitwear. Comfortable trousers complete the collections. Better Rich mastermind Helmfried Strupat appears to be happy with the first few months: “We are learning a lot from our online presence.” Since its introduction to the market in 2010, the brand has wanted to be seen as a provider of authentic styles that always refer to typical American sports like football or baseball as well as referring to the New York meatpacking district, which is hip among artists and in fashion circles. An attitude towards life, which the online store also picks up on and implements consistently with the philosophy of simple looks in reserved non-colours. www.better-rich.com

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Delivery within Germany: Better Rich launches its online store.

spring summer 2014

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Schneiders

With Peter Pilotto on the Catwalk

The highest accolades for a traditional manufacturer like Schneiders: Thanks to Peter Pilotto’s capsule collection, jackets from the Premiere cooperation are celebrated on the catwalk. And this has meant the Salzburg company’s dream has turned into a reality. Every season during the London Fashion Week, the two designers, Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, are present with their own collections – and now that Schneiders has been on board since February as well, this demonstrates the extent to which the two designers have integrated the capsule line into their collection. www.schneiders.com, www.peterpilotto.com

Schneiders pride: The joint capsule collection with Peter Pilotto.

Still waters run deep. The headquarters of Marc O’Polo is located in the tranquil Bavarian Stephanskirchen.

Born Lucky

Marc O’Polo

“Who Hasn’t Wished For It?”

Valentino de Luca will introduce a small children’s collection within the Lucky de Luca brand for the first time in the spring/ summer season 2014, which, with Born Lucky, makes clear where the journey is leading: Colourful prints, beautiful pastels and pure joie de vivre mixed with a casual Capri style. The total of three models (two for girls, one for boys) are to be introduced this summer at the Lucky de Luca stand at the Premium in Berlin. The sizes go from four to 16 years and the purchase prices are between 89 and 109 euros with a markup of 2.7. In order to guarantee absolute top quality without chemical pollutants in the textiles, Valentino de Luca also only uses Italian fabrics here. www.luckydeluca.com

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Top Rank as Employer

The Working in Fashion study, created by the Textilwirtschaft in 2009, identified the attractiveness of employers in the fashion industry in 2013, as part of an online survey of about 1,500 participants of Young Professional Days, which is held regularly.

Young professionals under the age of 35 were asked to answer questions, from those just starting out up to management staff.

After Adidas and Hugo Boss, Marc O’Polo in Stephanskirchen achieved a top ranking once again, coming third for the fourth time in a row. There were ten categories such as e.g. work-life balance, international career opportunities and salary. In the categories “Good Business Atmosphere” and “Social Responsibility/Sustainability” Marc O’Polo won second place. www.marc-o-polo.com Only the best for the little ones. Born Lucky focuses on premium quality.

spring summer 2014

rene-lezard.com

018 RIGHT NOW

160 Aigle

th

Anniversary The American, Hiram Hutchinson, founded the brand Aigle in France in 1853 and named it after the American eagle. Today the brand is part of the Swiss Maus Group, is available in 70 countries and operates in 350 of its own stores around the world.

A love of the countryside in the city: Aigle’s family home has retained its bright, friendly country-cottage style furnishings.

The Aigle Heritage Collection, consisting of seven pieces, will be available for men and women from September.

Aigle opened its first boutique 25 years ago in the sixth Parisian district of SaintGermain des Prés. The store on 139 Boulevard Saint-Germain became Aigle’s family home over the years and was reopened with a new shop-fitting concept this April, on the occasion of the brand’s 160th birthday. The flagship store is furnished in the style of an individually designed home with a fireplace lounge, boudoir and smoking room, as well as a conservatory. Wellington boots, from popular classics to the newest creations, or partnerships with famous stores, such as Liberty or Merci, and designer brands, such as Agnes B. or Swarovski, are displayed on the big boot bar. With over 70 models, the majority of which are produced in France, Aigle is known in Europe for manufacturing wellington boots and also weatherproof clothing. In France, and particularly in Asia, the brand has long been established as a provider of sports-inspired casual wear.

The Aigle Heritage Collection is appearing in France in September especially for its birthday. Each of the seven pieces is limited to 160 articles worldwide and is only available at selected trading partners. Alongside two wellington boot models for men and women, there are also safari jackets for women made of Ventile cotton, a waxed hunting jacket by British Millerain for men and a down, hooded parka made of Ventile with attached pockets and a fur-trimmed hood. The collection is rounded off with pea coats for men and women made of Melton Wool by the French manufacturer Jules Tournier with a leather trim on the pockets and buttons. Other capsule collections with famous designers and producers are in the planning stages and will increase levels of awareness of Aigle’s textiles collection in Europe. www.aigle.com

The blue jeans by Roy Roger’s are now also represented with a monobrand store in the Italian Forte dei Marmi.

Roy Roger’s

On Course for Expansion

The Roy Roger’s mono-brand store, which opened in the Italian Forte dei Marmi at the end of April, is already the second of its kind, after the store opening in Florence last autumn. Further national but also international stores are to follow.

So alongside Naples, Rome and Milan, fashion metropolises such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Shanghai and Hong Kong are also envisaged for the coming years. The manufacturer Sevenbell, which sells cult Italian blue jeans for men, women and children under the name Roy Roger’s, explains this expansion strategy with the importance of continued investment – in economically tough times too. CEO Niccolò Biondi has confidence in the two big strengths of the brand: Its historical roots and its production by hand in Italy. www.royrogers.it

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020 RIGHT NOW

G-Star

The Power of the Brand

Brand power: The G-Star store opened on the Kurfürstendamm in Berlin in May.

G-Star's retail offensive is entering into the next round: In April, the world's largest flagship store was opened in Cologne's Neumarkt and showcases the Dutch brand's programme over 800 square metres of floor space, which is typically designed in usual G-Star style using a backdrop of bare concrete and exposed brickwork. "The Cologne flagship store represents what we are as a brand", says Axel Schukies, Country-Manager for Germany. "We can show our entire range there and reflect the power of the brand." In addition, a new G-Star store was opened in May on the Kurfürstendamm in Berlin, and a further store is to follow in Leipziger Strasse at the beginning of next year. As a result, G-Star now has around 43 stores and approximately 850 points of sale in Germany. Axel Schukies: "We have never been so well positioned in Germany before. Germany counts as one of G-Star's traditional markets along with France and the Benelux countries."

The brand also has its sights set on international expansion, too. This can be seen in the current spate of new openings of other stores, such as in Oslo in June, for example, and Rome in July, followed by Minneapolis in the Mall of America and Yokohama, Queen's East Mall. Because, according to Axel Schukies, both Japan and the United States are focus markets which are to be expanded further. "But we also want to grow there organically," says Axel Schukies, emphasising the point, "this means, first and foremost, via the product and by using good dealers who represent the brand."

Besides Raw Denim, the collection is focusing on innovations such as 3D Denim. But there are also factors exhibiting this innovative thinking, such as the Special Editions currently demonstrated by the new interpretations of classic design furniture by Jean Prouvé for Vitra, which can be seen in the Cologne store, for example, or the cooperation with the industrial designer Marc Newson who created G-Star styles with a special leaning towards the functional. The latest cross-over activity will be presented at the Bread & Butter and is the result of a new and exciting cooperation which is not going to be let out of the bag early so as to not to spoil the surprise. www.g-star.com

Canada Goose

Welcome to Winnipeg

In April, the Canadian outdoor specialist Canada Goose announced the opening of a new production facility in Winnipeg, Canada. “Our exceptional growth in the past decade (approx. 3,500 per cent, editor’s note) illustrates the demand for authentic products produced just where you would expect, and for the production of extreme weather clothing, there is no better place than Canada.” Here, Dani Reiss, President and CEO of the brand underscores, once more, the company’s production philosophy, a company, which only produces in its own country. With the new factory in Winnipeg, Canada Goose is also highlighting its growth trends because production capacity is being doubled and the staff figures are also expected to increase by 20 per cent this year. At the moment, Canada Goose employs about 1,500 employees worldwide, 160 of whom are at their location in Winnipeg, which is to pave the way, in particular, for innovative, new state-of-theart technologies in the fields of trimming, down filling and seams. www.canada-goose.com

CEO Dani Reiss opens the new Canada Goose production facility in Winnipeg.

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The Listener’s logo also has a silhouette of a gramophone, because in the store, it’s about the history of the brands as well as the needs of the customers.

The Listener

Fresh Wind in Frankfurt

In the middle of Frankfurt’s city centre, running parallel to the main shopping mile Zeil, a new fashionable area has emerged with the MA* and others, which has ten selectively chosen retail concepts. Investor Ardi Goldman, developer of the designer hotel chain 25hours, is implementing one of these, together with Hakan Temür, owner of the commercial agency Brandpool.

With the denim boutique, The Listener, which does justice to their concept of product selection and service, and at the same time, has its own personality and an international standard, both creators want to close the gap between fashion-orientated shops and young jeans stores. Their creative concept intends to involve the art and gastronomy scene in the presentation of the area.

Around 100 brands are expected to make up the product range: Acne, AG Adriano Goldschmied, Aglini, Alden, A.P.C., Boglioli, Buttero, Canada Goose, Costume National, Current Elliott, Drakes, Drykorn, Edwin, Equipment, Fred Perry by Raf Simons, Gilded Age, Goldsign, Grenson, Hartfort, Haversack, Homecore, HTC, Kuro, Nanamica, Natural Selection Denim, Nudie Jeans, Our Legacy, Pendleton, PRPS, Roberto Collina, 7 for all Mankind, Tagliatore, Tellason, Trickers, Wolverine, Woolrich and Yuketen among others. The store’s opening is planned for 15th August 2013. www.thelistener.de

SHOP ONLINE AT DRYKORN.COM

022 RIGHT NOW

Fiona Bennett

Spectacular Framework for Spectacular Hats

Hat creations by Fiona Bennett are certainly a tempting way to make a grand entrance. The new Berlin store in the former premises of the Tagesspiegel newspaper not far from the new national gallery and directly opposite the VarietĂŠ Winter Gardens is the perfect spot to do it. The combination of studio and showroom join together to form a feather-light, dreamy world made up of a stage, a jewellery box and a chamber of marvels.

The magnificient hats dominate a completely white room filled with burlesque details. The artist Barbara Caveng has placed a fan-like mosaic into the wooden floor. The moveable pieces of scenery from Fiona Bennett's work universe - a wooden head for taking measurements, an iron, work tables - unite to form a walk-in painting. The staff support this impression of being inside a complete work of art - the visitor feels like a participant in Alice in Wonderland, whilst also being able to buy the hats with their costume comprising a white blouse with an elaborate black bow. Hats with a magical aura. www.fionabennett.com Not a shop for realists: The dreamy atmosphere inside Fiona Bennett's Berlin store.

Earnest Sewn

Finest Understatement

Isko presents itself to end consumers as a brand on hangtags and labels on the insides of pockets.

Isko

The Fourth Dimension is the Goal

The Isko company belongs to the Turkish concern Sanko Holding and is one of the world's largest producers of denim. At the beginning of the year it introduced its innovative concept for co-branding. The long-term goal is to be known as the first denim fabric manufacturer in the world in much the same manner as the brand names Gore Tex and Intel and should also be recognised as such by the end consumer. In so doing, as a producer Isko wants to create a fourth dimension beside such categories as price, fit and brand name with the title of fabric technology which will help consumers to decide which jeans to purchase. Isko has been partnering with international brand names for around three years to implement the co-branding.

For example, making itself visible through the use of hangtags, labels on the inside pockets or through joint measures at the PoS, The most successful projects to date have been marketing measures for Diesel Jogg Jeans, the Let’s Breath by Boss, the 50 Years of Denim line by Tom Tailor and The 24 hours Jeans by Esprit. www.isko.com.tr

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Earnest Sewn doesn't just claim to be the first California heritage denim brand – well before 7 for all Mankind and all the others. A certain claim of sovereignty in terms of the premium jeans genre also exists. Last January, its new owner, Plusfashion GmbH headquartered in Nordhorn, first introduced the label to the European market at the Premium in Berlin. Plusfashion GmbH is a subsidiary of the American company Denim Group, who are also shareholders of numerous international brands and who recently acquired a 100 per cent interest in Earnest Sewn. After a first tentative attempt in 2009, Plusfashion GmbH took over control of the label at the beginning of 2013 in order to launch the brand into Europe under the direction of an external distribution partner.

With great success, because the objective they had set of winning 300 customers from the premium category - such as Breuninger in Stuttgart, KaDeWe in Berlin or Galeries Lafayette in Paris - paid off within six weeks following the tradeshow. Earnest Sewn is already represented in twelve own stores in the United States, including in the Meatpacking District in Manhattan. A trend that will also continue in Europe. Six own stores are planned by the year 2014, including in Munich, Paris, London and Berlin, where the first store outside the United States should already be open by the end of 2013.

By that time, an extensive NOS programme should also be set up so that customers can be supplied as flexibly and as quickly as possible. In terms of price, the collection moves at around 80 euros wholesale with a markup of 3.0. CEO Reza Tehrani and William Koolen, European Sales Manager, also have their sights set beyond Germany, focusing on countries such as France, England and the Eastern European countries. www.earnestsewn.com

The premium denim brand Earnest Sewn will be presented to the German market using a clear, visual concept.

BREAD & BUTTER 2. - 4. JULY 2013 AREA: URBAN BASE, BOOTH No. A22

024 RIGHT NOW

Stetson Europe

A Century of Headwear

100 Years of Friedrich W. Schneider When Friedrich W. Schneider founded his company in 1913, he could not have imagined that it would survive two world wars and also establish itself internationally as one of the most significant companies for contemporary hats and caps. The FWS GmbH & Co. KG, the company behind Stetson Europe, will be a whole one hundred years old on the 1st September 2013. FWS acquired the Stetson licence for Europe in 1998 and started its own production in Hartha in Saxony. The models manufactured in Germany have also been available from prestigious dealers in the United States since 2008. The new corporate headquarters in the north of Cologne has also been playing a part in the further growth. FWS was always an owner-managed company. The managing shareholders, Rüdiger Bigus and Klaus Kirschner, took over the company in its current legal form in 2008, after having worked for FWS for many years: Bigus started an apprenticeship there in 1980 and became a shareholder and managing director in 1997. In 1996, Kirschner entered FWS and joined the management team in 2005 as well as the group of shareholders. "Working together so successfully for such a long time, has been achieved by pulling together over generations", say the two FWS bosses happily. "We would like to start the second century with the people who have accompanied us along the way to where we are now and who are a part of FWS", Kirschner describes his motivation for the anniversary celebrations which will be rocking the River Rhine on the 31st August 2013 with a party boat tour departing from Cologne. www.stetson-europe.com

The two heads of Stetson-Europe, Rüdiger Bigus and Klaus Kirschner: "We can look back over an eventful period with a good feeling. But we much prefer to look ahead!"

Upcload

Sits, Wobbles and Has Space

In Tokyo, Opening Ceremony has decorated four floors according to themes.

Opening Ceremony, Tokio

A Fashion Zoo for Japan

The New York all-rounder Opening Ceremony (OC) has gone one step further in Tokyo: On the opening of its new flagship store in Omotesando, the firm’s own label has teamed up with Japanese model Mizuhara. The line Kiko Mizuhara for Opening Ceremony consists of prêt-à-porter, lingerie, beachwear, jewellery and accessories. However, the store also plays host to other celebrity clothes hangers. Ultimately, OC lives on its reputation for entering into top-class partnerships and so, in Tokyo, they have lines directed by Chloë Sevigny, Yoko Ono, Adidas Originals, DKNY and G.V.G.V. They mingle with Acne, Kenzo, Rodarte and the irreverent, cheerful mix of fashion brands, for which the store is known. In this vein, OC has decorated four floors according to themes, for instance in the style of pop art with Ben-Day dots or a zoo floor, where painted wooden animals carry fashion display cabinets. OC began to conquer Japan from the Shibuya district in Tokyo in 2009. In Omotesando, the store meets a young, daring audience – and neighbours such as Burton and Paul Smith Jeans. www.openingceremony.us

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The idea has been used so sparingly that it still has novelty value: A body scanner as the solution for the high number of garments returned in the e-commerce sector.

It flopped spectacularly in the bricks-and-mortar trade but the system has proven its worth for online stores. The Berlin company Upcload proclaims in its advertising that it achieves a 10 % reduction in the number of returns for online shops such as The North Face or Otto. At the same time, the average conversion rate has doubled says Steffen Poralla from Upcload. “As well as measuring the customer, whose data is then stored together with his profile and which is then accessible from all the partner shops, it also measures the individual pieces in a collection. All of them!”

In order to do this, the brand names need to disclose their size charts and cutting profiles. The retailers remain undisturbed by all this, only paying when a consultation actually takes place via a Pay-per-Use pricing model. The Upcload measuring system was also refined even further recently, so that only age, weight, sex, body shape and size of the customer need to be added to the collected data in order to create a profile. In spite of all the scepticism, 20,000 registered users provide a powerful argument in its favour. www.upcload.com

Upcload measures e-commerce customers using their web cam.

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Gardeur

Brand Architecture

Handstich will once again be demonstrating its high artistic standards in presentation at the Premium in Berlin.

Handstich

A Reshuffle for the Opening Season

After the success of last season, the Handstich label will now be presenting for the second time at the coming Premium in Berlin with its own themed stand. The new distribution partners acquired in the course of the internationally planned expansion will also be on site, too. From this coming season, the Charisma Agency in Munich with Marco Camdic will represent the collection in Southern Germany and the Anziehungskraft agency in Düsseldorf with Silke Thomas will be representing in North Germany. The successful collaboration with Free Mountain and Andreas Schied in Salzburg will be continued in Austria. www.handstich.de

The Gardeur company is based on three brands: Atelier Gardeur, G Design and Thomas Rath Trousers. "We have put an enormous amount of work into the product and into our processes", says CEO Gerhard Kränzle. "Our fully-integrated trouser workshop is something that sets us apart from our competitors. It makes us faster and guarantees the high quality of our products." This also includes our own design and our own pattern maker, laboratory, tailoring, laundry right up to quality control, everything takes place under one roof in Mönchengladbach. As a result, the Atelier Gardeur collection represents everything from a neat, casual style up to something more classic and elegant and has an average retail price of 89.95 euros, while the progressive subsidiary line, G design, represents fashion-conscious customers.

"G Design doesn't follow any trends, it sets them", says Gerhard Kränzle. "We experiment a lot to do this: We spray wool coarsely, we throw the paint pots right into the machine." This is how G Design is now starting its fourth season – with a certain degree of success because around 60,000 pairs of trousers were sold last season.

The line by Thomas Rath has ultimately been constructed as a premium trousers brand, feminine with strong details. "Customers wrote 100 orders in the first season, a fantastic success", says Kränzle who is still looking for a representative for the collection in Austria. The one thing that applies to all the brands from the Gardeur house, is speed. "We want to set the delivery date close to the sales date", says Kränzle, who consciously doesn't rely on his own retail space but works in partnership with the trade. Gardeur GmbH's export share lies at 54 per cent; the markets will consolidate this even more now. The declared goal is to achieve a balanced turnover ratio between the individual markets with 60 per cent in womenswear and 40 per cent in men's/boyswear. www.atelier-gardeur.de, www.g-design-trousers.de, www.thomas-rath-trousers.de

Pinko

Bags from Ethiopia

It has nothing to do with charity: The Italian lifestyle brand Pinko presented a new bag collection during the last Milan fashion week, which it developed together with the project F4D (Fashion for Development). Here, the striking Pinko bags, which already saw success as cult bags back in the ‘90s, were re-issued and designed by the Italian designer Marina Spadafora. She mainly used passed-down body-painting patterns and typical symbols of the tribes of the Omo Valley in Southern Ethiopia. All of the bags are made of 100 per cent African wool and are made exclusively by women in factories that are run according to environmental standards in Addis Ababa. “This is about efficiency not charity,” explains Marina Spadafora. “As a result, step by step, the women achieve economic independence and social standing in their villages.”

The fashion agency Aco in Düsseldorf is taking on its distribution for the German market in its time-tested manner. www.pinko.it

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The Pinko project for Ethiopia was such a hit with customers that the bag line was recently extended by a small line of garments.

Close to trends with a strong background of expertise: the G Design collection by Gardeur.

www.aigle.com

DEPUIS 1853 paris . london . tokio . natur

SPRING/SUMMER 2014 AT BREAD & BUTTER IN L.O.C.K.

Aigle Store Düsseldorf, Königsallee 60, Tel.: 0211-13065988.

Händlernachweis über info@aigle.de, Tel.: 0211-23956910.

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The current snowboarding world champion Isabella Laböck acts as a model for Georg Maier.

Georg Maier

Homeland and Handicraft

The name of Georg Maier has stood for handmade knitwear since 1947.

The knitwear is entirely made by a manufacturer in the Bavarian town of Rosenheim. Andreas Loth and Carola Westner both took on the company as managing partners on the first of January and integrated the year 1947 into the company name to proclaim its long-standing traditions. The Georg Maier 1947 GmbH still continues to focus on craftsmanship and high-quality materials such as merino-, Shetland- and lambswool from Scotland and Italy. The 18 employees are supported by additional home-knitters during the peak season so that the three annual women's and men's collections plus the Oktoberfest programme can be produced much more quickly.

George Maier knitwear can be found in retail stores such as Lodenfrey, Hirmer, Breuninger and Strolz. Jackets cost around 300 euros retail, coats around 400 euros. www.georg-maier.de

Creation Gross

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Appearances in Berlin

In the coming round of tradeshows in Berlin, the Creation Gross company will be celebrating a première: For the first time, the two labels CG-Club of Gents and Carl Gross will be presented at both the Bread & Butter and the Panorama tradeshows. "If we want to be noticed by fashion community on a national and international level, then Berlin is definitely the place to be", says Jürgen Putzer, Head of Marketing and owner Peter Gross. The split over the two events came about through the very different characters of the two collections: The younger, more progressive collection of CG-Club of Gents is showing in the Urban Superior Hall 2 at the Bread & Butter, the Carl Gross label at the Panorama in Hall B. "In this way, we manage to make our two brands stand out from one other, both are noticed on a national and international level in the marketplace and the respective profiles are further honed which also underlines the two individual characters", says Peter Gross explaining the decision. www.carlgross.de

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Andrea Karg, the creative director of Allude has expanded the knitwear with trousers for the coming season.

Allude

From Head to Toe

The Creation Gross company is appearing with the CG-Club of Gents label at the Bread & Butter in Berlin.

In keeping with the exclusive knitwear by Allude, creative director Andrea Karg has now designed a suitable programme of trousers. "I aim to offer my customers an easy head-to-toe look so that they are perfectly and fashionably dressed at any given time", says Andrea Karg. "The clean and sartorially-crafted trousers absolutely meet all the usual demands on quality and design of my collection." The seven-piece programme of trousers is stylistically summed up in a narrow, feminine silhouette made from power-stretch baby cord and comes in summer pastels, goat suede and a PPT cotton stretch material. The summer collection 2014 is delivered with two delivery dates and distributed by the agencies Schuhmacher & Kubanek for Germany and Switzerland, as well as by Texco for Austria. Retail prices for the trousers are between 229 and 599 euros. www.allude-cashmere.com

DRESS FO R T H E N I G H T

Join us in Berlin | 02. - 03.07.2013 | Das Stue | Drakestrasse 1 | 12205 Berlin Tiergarten MENAGE A TROIS at Trust Bar Berlin

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Peek & Cloppenburg Düsseldorf

Generously expanded

Right in time for the start of the spring season, Peek & Cloppenburg opened its generously-sized extension in March 2013 at its headquarters in Düsseldorf. Originally designed by the American architect Richard Meier, the building in the cosmopolitan city was expanded by an area of around 2,000 square metres and another entrance was also added to the ground floor. The new section of the building was also designed by Richard Meier & Partners Architects. The architecture is seamlessly integrated into the building. Peek & Cloppenburg now has six floors in Düsseldorf with more than 16,000 square meters of space. This has now set a benchmark for the adjacent Kö-Bogen which is to open in the autumn. The store design was also carefully revamped as part of the transformation. The online shop Fashion ID was also launched in the spring: There are around 400 brand names and labels to be found here taken from the wide product range of the company. www.peek-cloppenburg.de, www.fashionid.de It integrates seamlessly with the original building designed by the famous architect Richard Meier: The Peek & Cloppenburg annexed building in Düsseldorf.

The Swiss Cross Edition is celebrating the heritage of Strellson, the Swiss brand.

Strellson

Happy Birthday!

For the 2013 autumn/winter season, Strellson Sportswear will be celebrating its tenth birthday with one of its best-sellers from previous years: the original Swiss Cross jacket. To celebrate the heritage of the brand, the so-called Swiss Edition is now being released which is a complete programme ranging from jacket to shoes. A limited edition of 3,000 jackets was first launched in 2003, linings were made from original Swiss Army blankets and the jacket quickly went on to become collector's item. It also gave the starting signal for the Strellson Sportswear collection at the same time. The highlight of this latest edition is the Swiss Cross Edition jacket, numbered and limited to 1,500 pieces. They are lined with a replica of the Swiss Army blanket in white and have been given a lambskin collar. As an additional extra, they also come with a genuine wooden Swiss penknife from the famous Wenger brand.

The small collection will be entering the worldwide retail market from August 2013 and is also available in German-speaking countries from the Strellson online shop. www.strellson.com

Fashionlocals

Online Shopping Platform for Fashion Enthusiasts

Whether in London, Milan or Paris – Fashionlocals opens the doors to Europe’s most popular stores.

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To make the shopping atmosphere in international fashion metropolises into an online experience – this is the goal of Andreas Muscheid and Markus Haggenmiller. With their start-up Fashionlocals, you can already browse over 20 of Europe’s hippest stores effortlessly at any time with the click of a mouse. As well as the customers, the stores’ operators also benefit from this concept: The highquality presentation of product ranges, real representation of store design, high coverage of target groups and its safe payment process make Fashionlocals an attractive sales platform. The fashion scouts’ selective way of choosing stores also guarantees that only shops with an insider character are represented, shops that underscore the “Stay Unique” claim and so meet the associated requirements. www.fashion-locals.com

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Matthias Schwarte Modeagentur

Sustainability and the Right Partners

“We trust in labels that work in a product-orientated way,” Matthias Schwarte describes one of his most important principles, not just for the coming season.

His goal is to continue to grow sustainably with the right partners and to serve them even more intensively.

A newcomer among these partners is the Italian brand Praio, which has specialised in specially-developed Jogg Jeans made of Jersey in the five pocket style and, this year, will also be represented at its own stand for the first time, opposite the Parajumpers stand, at the Premium in Berlin. The collection by Just Blue is also new with colourful, fashionable five pocket trousers models, offered with a markup of 3.0. Besides this, the Schwarte agency focuses on representation during the Munich Fashion Week as usual, where it is represented all year round at its showroom and The Gallery in Düsseldorf.

Labels: Armani Jeans, Felted, Just Blue, Kieselstein Cord, Myths, Parajumpers, Praio, Sundek, Vintage 55 Matthias Schwarte Modeagentur, Munich/Germany, office@agentur-schwarte.de, www.agentur-schwarte.de

The Schwarte Agency will be presenting once again at the Premium in Berlin with the brand Parajumpers among others.

With New Balance, Room with a view achieved a 120 per cent increase in turnover last season.

Room with a view

Confidence and Service Get Results

“Our strategy of relying on our established brands that make great collections, and are one hundred per cent professional in delivery and customer service, in unsure times has proved itself. The best example of this is still the premium denim brand 7 for all Mankind. The ready-to-wear part of the collection has a constantly growing share in the turnover in its third season, and its latest denim collections brought us 30 per cent growth per season,” explains Martin Klösch from Room with a view in Salzburg. With New Balance too, the agency saw an increase of 120 per cent in comparison to the previous year. With Canada Goose, last autumn’s newcomer, Christian Obojes’ team managed to win over all desirable customers and to outperform the set budget. “A product that the market was waiting for and that has the potential to become the jacket of the coming winter season.” A new addition was The Textile Rebels, a young sweatshirt collection for women, which was brought to life by the sons of a traditional fabric production entrepreneur from Milan.

Labels: 7 for all Mankind, Aglini, Bleulab, Canada Goose, Etichetta 35, George Gina & Lucy, Giorgio Brato, Hanky Panky, HTC, Lord & Lady Baltimore, My T-Shirt, New Balance, Peuterey, Pomandere, Roque Ilaria Nistri, Simeon Farrar, Swiss Chriss, Szen, The Textile Rebels, Tkees, Tyoulip Sisters, Warm-me, WLG, Zoe Karssen Room with a view, Salzburg/Austria, Zurich/Switzerland, office@roomwithaview.at, www.roomwithaview.at

"All things fabulous", one of the promising newcomers in the CP Fashion portfolio.

CP Fashion

Wild Wild West

The proven mix of denim and tops is refreshed with two new T-shirt lines from the US: Blondes Make Better T-shirts is the name of the label by Lise Ellingsen, who designs ironic statement T-shirts with great humour. The shirts by All things fabulous come from Los Angeles. The designer originally worked for Ron Herman and now has her own store in Venice Beach. Robin’s Jeans, one of the most eccentric jeans brands at CP Fashion, is at home in Beverly Hills. Joe’s Jeans by the designer Joe Dahan are also enormously successful in the US. Their trademark is sexy, elegant fits. The new Silver collection focuses more strongly on the theme of denim once again, says the owner of the agency Reinhart Oberstein. The premium line 1921 displays lots of complex vintage washes, which are designed in their own design studio in Los Angeles.

Italian sportswear by Jaggy tops off the selection. This year, the brand plans to first open its own stores in Italy and a flagship store in Germany.

Labels: 1921, All things fabulous, Blondes Make Better T-Shirts, Blood & Glitter, Jaggy, Joe’s Jeans, Michael Stars, Pajar, Robin’s Jeans, Silver Jeans Co. CP Fashion, Bad Säckingen, Düsseldorf and Munich/Germany, wwww.cpfashion.de

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Best of 19

Luxury Parkas and Towelling Blazers

Scandinavian cut, Italian fabrics: Sand from Denmark is the latest newcomer to the Ben And agency.

Ben And

A Step Forwards

The Ben And agency has notched up a prominent newcomer in the form of Sand from Denmark. “As far as I’m concerned, the collection is the perfect symbiosis of Scandinavian silhouettes with Italian fabrics, all made in Europe,” says agency boss Ben Botas. “We will be greatly increasing our focus in Germany with the début of Sand; with a big booth at the Panorama, extensive marketing activities and our own showroom in Düsseldorf.”

The second new label is called Papis Loveday Jeans which was founded by Ben Botas with the world’s most famous black male model, Papis Loveday. The men and women’s collection is divided into the Coloured Line for coloured jeans with prints at around 100 euros retail and a mark-up of three and the cleaner Couture Line for around 200 euros retail. The jeans are produced by Lucky’s Line in Italy. Moreover, according to Botas, the agency is developing in a very positive way with the existing brands. “We have made great steps forward and our team has been strengthened by nine new members.” The new showrooms in Munich’s garden area of Schwabing and in Düsseldorf in the Kaiserwerther Strasse are pretty good evidence of this.

Labels: Cervolante, Franklin & Marshall, Frye Company, Gas, Mason’s, Papis Loveday Jeans, Sand Ben And GmbH, Munich and Düsseldorf/Germany, www.ben-and.com

With her Best of 19 agency, Gabriele Frantzen places a strong emphasis on special service and exceptional brands from the United States and Europe. As a result, she took the Red Chapter label into the programme, a company from Los Angeles with a focus on metallic ambigrammes, which can be read from both the front and the back. Army, another new entry, has a fashionable, small programme of parkas made in Italy. There is, for example, a short-sleeve version with a flowery silk lining, vintage brooches and typical army elements and retails between 450 to 700 euros. All for Terry is the name of the label of a Berlin couple with urban beachwear for men and women, ranging from swimming shorts to tunics and on to towelling blazers with a retail price between 100 and 500 euros. Add to this, the classic of the Munich agency, the Utzon label, strong in fur and leather as well as Gabriele Frantzen Jewelry which adorned the Christmas windows of Saks in the 5th Avenue last November. The Best of 19 have some gimmicks for the trade with accessories such as nylon backpacks bearing slogans like: “Why be normal?”

Labels: All for Terry, Army, Best of 19 Accessories, Gabriele Frantzen, Market, Redchapter, Utzon Best of 19 GmbH, Munich/Germany, www.bestof19.com, www.gabriele-frantzen.com

Luxurious elegance in leather. The Utzon label is a successful size in the Best of 19 agency’s programme.

Adventure Modeagentur

The Complete Service Provider

Philip Castien from the Adventure fashion agency in Munich states that bidding farewell to the classic salesman’s way of thinking and positioning yourself as a complete service provider is one of the most important points for the coming season. So, the agency is also concentrating on brands, for which they cover the complete service chain including marketing, logistics, land management and retail.

“The two newcomers Superga and Matchless fit in perfectly with our new direction,” says Philip Castien.

Labels: 0039 Italy, 120% Lino, AJ 117 Project, BPrivate, Corneliani, DNA, Ebony & Ivory, Jenny Packham, Mademoiselle Tara, Matchless, MDK Boots, Mes Demoiselles, Plein Sud, Plein Sud Jeanius, See by Chloe, Superga, Witty Knitters Adventure Modeagentur GmbH, Munich/Germany, info@adventure-gmbh.de, www.adventure-gmbh.de

The brand Superga, among others, joined the portfolio of the Munich agency Adventure this season.

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Agentur D-Tails

Italian Niches

The agency around owner Patrick Coppolecchia Reinartz is sticking with its approach of concentrating its contents on Italian niche products and product specialists in its segment. The team mostly discovers relevant brands on its trips to Italy. Best example for the coming season: The three brands Egg Skirt, Siviglia White with a new design team and the knitwear collection for men by Become, which stands out by being particularly good value for money. Another important goal for the coming season, alongside promoting the service features of the agency, is the development of services with exchange of goods, consignment possibilities and regular customer visits and particularly the careful avoidance of over-distributing individual brands.

Therefore, only one customer is taken on per location.

As a first taster of the collections, the agency D-Tails invites us into their own trade fair hall Loft 1 at the Premium.

Labels: Anna F., Baldan, Become, Department 5, Duvetica, Egg Skirt, Happiness, Massimo Alba, Memento, Mosaique, Neera, Pollini, Route des Garden, Serafini, Siviglia White, Spektre, Uneeto D-Tails Coppolecchia Reinartz GmbH, Munich and Düsseldorf/Germany, info@d-tails.de, www.d-tails.de

New L.A. denim by Genetic, freshly imported by Unifa Fashion.

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Unifa Fashion

Wild Style

The rock n’ roll lifestyle has always been one of the agency’s driving forces: Wildfox is bringing out its first women’s line this autumn, which are designed by jeans designer Michelle Siwy (Siwy Denim). Speaking of denim, Unifa has also taken Genetic Denim, a new jeans brand from Los Angeles, under its wing. To match this, there are boyfriend tees by Lauren Alexander and April Leight, who quickly conquered the hearts of celebrities such as Mischa Barton or Nicole Richie. Styles by the Canadian brand Dom Rebel have also been tried and tested by celebrities, this was only available for guys up until now – starting this season there will also be a selection for women. In addition, customers can have select pieces customised with rivets in the Montreal loft of Dom Rebel: Processing takes about two weeks.

The Italian cashmere label Blue Area focuses on celebrity photos: It prints collages of rock musicians or actors on scarves, jumpers or cardigans. Another newcomer: Statement shirts by Les Benjamins.

Labels: Amor & Psyche, Blue Area, Dr. Denim, Dom Rebel, Ella Moss, Equipment, Genetic, I Love My Moments, J Brand, Juicy Couture, Les Benjamins, LNA, People Like Us, True Religion, Snowmanns, Splendid, Wildfox, Wildfox Jewelry Unifa Fashion/Triple H Agency, Düsseldorf/Germany, www.unifa-fashion.de

The agency D-Tails launches into another, successful season with the brand Happiness.

Agentur Stirner

Old and New

Yesterday a foundry, today a showroom: Raw materials surround the streetwear and denim labels in the Agentur Stirner's portfolio and lend an authentic flair.

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Until they discovered the foundry in Salzburg, Eva and Wolfgang Stirner had been searching for a new location for a long time. The foundry was converted three months later and was ready to move into at the start of this year. With its exposed walls, the former foundry creates the perfect visual link to the denim and streetwear labels such as Gang or Tigerhill. Sliding doors made of iron were put to new use and act as a partition to the warehouse area. They are a perfect complement to the vintage furniture put together by Eva Stirner. The roof timbers and windows were completely replaced and a loft-like effect was created between the various floors. "Great consideration was given to energy when restoring the building so that the agency would have a solid footing for the future", say the two entrepreneurs, handing the agency over to the two sons working in the agency was at the forefront of this decision. While Fabian manages the streetwear labels, Stefan devotes himself to the Edwin, Penfield and Dunderon labels. There is still room for new discoveries in the 600 square metres retail space. Take Front Row Society, for example, a label based on an open designer collective.

Marken: Dickies, Dunderdon, Edwin, Front Row Society, Gang, Hä?, Komono, Penfield Ragwear, Tigerhill Agentur Stirner, Salzburg/Austria, office@stirner-agency.com, www.stirner-agency.com

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Colorful Trade

A Proven Team

New agency with a tried-and-tested team: Jörg Korfhage, formerly Managing Director of Sixty Deutschland GmbH, teamed up with his former colleagues Boris Korlatzki and Tanja Oidtmann in the past year, to form the Colorful Trade distribution agency. “With our agency, we also want to map out segments which are also essential for the trade to have in their portfolio”, says Jörg Korf­ hage who, as the agency’s managing director, is responsible for the key accounts and strategy.

“A dealer needs a pillar of brands that underpin his expertise but also pure product specialists around the denim theme. And that is exactly what we offer.”

The Italian collections Met, Ra.re and Nolita make up the core of the collections. The agency has taken on a general contract with these companies in terms of a sales and marketing consulting service for the German market. The complete collection by Met is comprised of jeans with their typically self-confident feminine style and perfect fit. Nolita represents feminine casualwear with a strong south-European focus, while Ra.re are presented with a dressier and tougher image.

Kultivate brings T-shirts for men, Catwalk Junkie is the name given to the women’s counterpart from Holland ranging from tanktops to the single jersey dress. There are two collections every year plus an additional eight other trend editions with a four to eight week delivery date. Production takes place in Europe and retail prices are between 39 and 49 euros for the shirts.

Red Soul for men and women from the Provence are a great hit with their French esprit for wearable fashion and have an average retail price of 60 euros with a mark-up of three.

Labels: Catwalk Junkie, Kultivate, Met, Nolita, Ra.re, Red Soul Colorful Trade GmbH, Munich/Germany, colors@colorfultrade.de, www.colorfultrade.de Strong in all things denim: The Met complete collection.

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Free Mountain

Preferably Affordable Luxury

Andreas Schmied, owner of Free Mountain, is delighted with the growth of his fashion wholesale agency, only founded in 2008: “We have discovered a great, everyday label.”

Here, he is sparking about Ivi Collection, the dream of two young designers Ivonne Beneke-Eidmann and Corinna Giesen from Cologne, which has become a reality. Andreas Schmied will have the fashion in Berlin for the first time since starting off in 2009.

Why? “Because they fit in brilliantly with our portfolio and underscore our efforts to extend affordable luxury,” explains the head of the agency, “Good products, a good price – this fits in with our credo of only presenting fresh, young brands which certainly don’t leave our customers cold.” Ivi Collection’s target group is style-conscious, independent women.

Labels: Add, Bloom, Benedetta Novi, Georg Maier, Gwynedds, Handstich, Icke Berlin, Inverni, Ivi Collection, Luisa Brini, Mala & Mad, Made in Heaven, Masons, Michael Stars, Nurage, Sophie Free Mountain GmbH, Salzburg/Austria, office@freemountain.at, www.freemountain.at

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Getting comfortable: Ivi Collection is mostly made of silk, cashmere, leather or jersey. The line comprises about 100 styles.

The agency Aco Austria cooperates very successfully with German labels like Riani.

Aco Austria

Versatile, Flexible Brands

The fashion agency Aco, based in Vienna and Salzburg, has a plan to focus in the coming period. In concrete terms, this means streamlining the brand portfolio to strengthen cooperation with existing customers who work very successfully. “Put simply, our agency is building on three pillars; Italian brands, German brands and casual brands.

Our customers have had particularly good sales with Italian brands such as Cavalli or Versace Collection or with German brands such as Steffen Schraut, which, in my opinion, is thanks to the high levels of investment. In general, we place importance on brands that can respond flexibly to our customers and who facilitate close cooperation,” describes Katharina Hell. This also refers to exchange of goods during the season and generous treatment of returns and mutual support by means of fluid processes. The agency doesn’t see itself as an intermediary, rather as a mouthpiece and a partner. Therefore, intensive exchange is a top priority. The brand Napapijri has developed particularly well in the agency’s casual segment, which has opened ten new mono-label stores, two of which are in Austria.

Labels: Anneclaire, Catch 22, Cinque, Ean13, Etoile du Monde, Frankie Morello, Geospirit, Gimos, Herzensangelegenheit, Ice Iceberg, Iceberg, Jaques Britt, Just Cavalli, LeRock, Maliparmi, Napapijri, Phil Petter, Pinko, Riani, Rossoforte, Steffen Schraut, Tru Trussardi, Versace Collection, Versace Jeans, Who are you, Who’s Who Aco Modeagentur, Salzburg and Vienna/ Austria, info@acomode.at, www.acomode.at

Gazzetta Lucky

La vita e Bella

PREMIUM BERLIN 02.07.-04.07.2013 halle 3,Stand H3-F14 ..

Premium Dusseldorf 17.07.-24.07.2013 Hammer Hallen Hammer strasse 27 Stand a-06 WWW.MODERAUMFISCHER.com www.clothingconcept.at

www.luckydeluca.com

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Hidden Secrets

Continuity as a Plan

The agency Hidden Secrets, owned by Biehl and Liane Schewe, has been around for ten years. Continuity and long-term partnerships characterise their work. In the coming season, their labels are representing them at the Premium. “We will never make a brand in our agency that doesn’t have a story and a soul,” says Benny Biehl. “We identify ourselves with brands and stand behind them 100 per cent. This is where our success comes from.” From the next summer season, there will be a new special service for key accounts: The agency will offer a payment target of 90 days for select styles in the Hudson and Odd Molly collections, items that are not sold can be sent back. “As an agency, we don’t see our big customers as key accounts, but customers together with whom we develop brands,” says Benny Biehl.

“Here, it’s not about the size of the store, rather about the quality and the mission that we want to achieve and convey together.”

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

The Spanish shirt collection Koike is one of the newcomers at the Hinterhofagentur in Munich.

Die Hinterhofagentur

The Specialist Scouts

“We always want to offer our customers something new,” says Dominik Meuer.

“The Hinterhofagentur’s concept is the introduction of new collections whose products give them something special. We will deepen our existing collections further in cooperation with the manufacturers and will help even more to adapt them to the demands of the German market.” Etiqueta Negra, the only complete collection at the Hinterhofagentur, is presenting itself at the coming trade fairs after a relaunch of its contents, with a sharp focus on the two key themes polo sport and old-timer passion. The Indas Group’s second brand, Tortuga, has also sharpened up its profile and the focus of its contents considerably with Olmes Carreti as its new Chief Designer. As newcomers, the agency welcomes the Spanish shirt collection Koike Barcelona and the Italian T-Shirt and polo shirt collection by Bob, which has come up with a very special design feature: All polo shirts und T-Shirts are handmade and/or painted by students at Italian art colleges.

Labels: Bob, Camplin, Etiqueta Negra, Jey Coleman, Koike, McAlson, Modfitters, Take a Way, Tortuga Academy, Wool & Co Die Hinterhofagentur, Munich/Germany, info@diehinterhofagentur.de, www.diehinterhofagentur.de

The Griesinger agency has taken on a small complete collection for the coming season in Dante 6.

A successful team for ten years: Liane Schewe and Benni Biehl of Hidden Secrets.

Rolf Griesinger

“We Believe in Niche”

The Munich agency Rolf Griesinger Internationale Mode GmbH is expanding its brand portfolio for the coming season to include the Dutch brand Dante 6 for Southern Germany, a brand which is already represented all over Scandinavia and is rated very highly among retailers. For the moment the agency is not taking on any further brands along with this small women’s outerwear collection. “The situation in the market makes us pensive. In my opinion, niche products, in particular, have a real chance because they provide innovation and the trade need this. Collections work if they are incomparable because the trade is suffering as a result of the fact that everything looks the same,” Rolf Griesinger explains his agency’s philosophy.

Lables: Bloom, Dante 6, FFC, Flowers for Friends, IQ+ Berlin Rolf Griesinger Internationale Mode GmbH, Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.332244, office@griesinger-mode.de, www.griesinger-mode.de

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www.sandcopenhagen.com 路 facebook.com/sandcopenhagen

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Selekteur.com

Marketing Looks Towards End Customers Thanks to the internet, more and more brands are circumventing intermediate steps, looking towards end customers and abandoning distribution agencies and retailers.

Instead, they are establishing their own web stores. However, distribution companies can also make use of direct brand-customer contact on the internet. This spring, Felix Staeudinger’s Düsseldorf-based agency Panorama Europe GmbH set up a web store called selekteur.com. They use this to provide brands, which, as a distribution company, they have in their portfolio. Under the motto “Life is awesome. Don’t buy crap,” selekteur.com focuses on small but long-established brands, which, for the most part produce in Europe according to traditional manufacturing methods. Leather belts from Alsace by Menil, boots and sandals from Camargue by La Botte Gardiane, sailor jumpers from Brittany by Orcival but also braid hats from California by Bailey of Hollywood and original Schott jackets from New York make up the product range. Thanks to direct access to selekteur.com the end customer is becoming more independent of buyers’ ordering habits, as is Panorama Europe GmbH – a new alliance thanks to the internet.

Labels: Bailey of Hollywood, Bensimon, Caran d’Ache, Espadrij l’originale, Geschmeidig, La Botte Gardiane, Menil, Orcival, Rivieras, Schott NYC, Super Panorama Europe GmbH, Düsseldorf/Germany, www.selekteur.com

The Agentur Ventrella places great importance on innovation in its collections, with brands such as Monocrom among others.

Agentur Ventrella

“We Maintain the Standard”

Striped shirt – one of the classics at selekteur.com.

Moderaumfischer

Service as a Distinctive Feature His working credo of being available to speak to customers, to answer their questions and to deal with their problems within the shortest period of time is what Lars Fischer defines as the way of the future. “I am convinced that we stand out thanks to our special service and our closeness to our customers.

My approach is to engage with retailers at their level and to deal proactively with any possible problems.”

With two newcomers – both creations by the designer of Lucky de Luca, Valentino de Luca – the agency is expanding its portfolio. The additions are a casual Italian trousers collection in Barb’one and a children’s collection by Lucky de Luca called Born Lucky with three shirt models for girls and boys.

The starting signal for the spring/summer season 2014 will happen, as usual, at the Premium in Berlin. In addition, sales will begin in the Munich showroom and at the Premium in Düsseldorf. With Fratelli Rossetti, Lars Fischer continues to concentrate on the premium segment in shoe retail and, in doing so, achieves continuing growth.

Labels: Barb’one, Born Lucky, Fratelli Rossetti, Lucky de Luca Moderaumfischer, Munich/ Germany, Tel 0049.089.45239893, 0049.179.5231505, lars@moderaumfsicher.de, www.moderaumfischer.de

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The Agentur Ventrella neither plans to make a big move in either one or other direction because space in its showroom is simply limited and “we owe our customers our complete attention and a professional presentation of the products,” says Gaby Ventrella. They are sticking with suppliers who have proved very successful with customers, and space is also being made for newcomers. Io is a new, small, sophisticated capsule collection, which makes its products exclusively from original African fabrics.

Another collection with strong ethnic features is the collection by Bazar de Luxe, the second newcomer.

The jacket collection, which is equipped with very elaborate details such as pearl embroidery and border decorations, uses ethnic fabric patterns and also likes to use them in an intercultural mix. “They are equally ideal as an everyday piece with jeans, chinos or a skirt,” says Gaby Ventrella who, together with her husband, set the goal of keeping the level of innovation in the collections as high as possible in order to always give a new image to their customers as a specialist agency.

Labels: 813, Altea, Altea Donna, Au Revoir, Avant Toi, Bark, Bazar de Luxe, Caliban, Cash Dog, Communication Love, D’Amico Flowers, Giovi, Guglielminotti, Io, Leather Crown, Le Sarte Pettegole, London Ink, Mono­ crom, Monocrom Skirts, Mauro, Mr. & Mrs. Furs, Mr. Wolf, Objets de Désir, People, Raparo, Riccardo Forconi, Rue de Mathieu, Tagliani, Tagliatore, Tintoria Mattei Agentur Ventrella, Munich/Germany, mode@agentur-ventrella.de, www.agentur-ventrella.de

Two great newcomers have been added to Lars Fischer's Munich showroom.

Anton Wormann, Model

Carlo Alberto Silvestri, Visual

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Montana Sport

Kigokochi – hai!

Montana Sport is one of the oldest fashion agencies in Switzerland, founded by a young salesman named Alfred Müller in Stans back in 1939. Emphasising revolutionary features in the sale of skiwear, shoes and textiles was always the vision of the senior citizen. So Christian Gerlach, current Head of the Outdoor Division for Montana Sport is delighted to exclusively hold the brand Goldwin in his portfolio for distribution and marketing in Switzerland from the autumn/winter season 2013/14.

“Goldwin’s slogan is ‘Kigokochi’,” explains Gerlach, “that’s Japanese for the wear comfort of a piece of clothing.” The brand is already successful internationally, has been the official outfitter for the Swedish Alpine-skiing national team since 1987, and supports various national skiing greats in Japan.

Labels: Asics, Berghaus, Cross, Keen, Onitsuka Tiger Montana Sport AG, Neuendorf/Switzerland, info@montanasport.ch, www.montanasport.ch

Strategically located: Deelux rents a place just a few minutes from Zurich airport by car.

Deelux

A Small Market With Big Possibilities

When you work in a manageable market like Switzerland, you could be tempted to take a cushy number. A steady brand portfolio, a handful of customers – you can manage on this alone. Things are different at Deelux. “We want to revive the fashion scene,” CEO Silvio Bischof explains the most important credo of the agency, which will celebrate its 15th anniversary next year. This is: “Refreshing the portfolio is essential.” This season, Wool & Co and Chevignon are new additions.

“And we are running our own concept store,” explains Bischof, for example, a Superdry store in both Zurich and Basel and, from August, in Winterhur, as well as a Nudie concept store in Zurich. Further stores are expected to follow.

Labels: Bench, Chevignon, Hartford, Nudie, RE, Sessùn, Superdry, Wool & Co Deelux Trading AG, Zurich-Glattbrugg/Switzerland, silvio.bischof@deelux.ch, www.deelux.ch

Limited Goldwin jacket, up to 100 per cent produced in Japan and recreated in the style of samurai armour.

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A new addition to the Teufl agency for this coming season in Germany is the accessory and shoe collection

by Twin Set.

Collectionen Christian Teufl

Investments Secure Success

"Despite the constant negative headlines in various media, in the order round for the pre-collection spring/summer 2014 we have observed the opposite happening. The upmarket specialised trade are recording very good figures and even the well-known major houses are registering very good sales with our brands", says Christian Teufl happily, talking about the coming season in which he has also made an investment or two. The headquarters and showroom in Salzburg, Austria have been expanded and redesigned. The back-office is moving into new premises on the top floor. Investments have also been made in personnel in order to manage the new brands in the agency's portfolio. These also include Superga, St.Emile, Twin Set, Susan Kraus, Soisire & Soiebleu and Neon Boots. Teufl: "There is a lot of potential in these brands. It is now down to us to bring it to the fore", a similar thing had recently happened with Grace, one of the success stories of last season. The Teufl agency is also taking on distribution for Grace in Bavaria this summer, this being one of the reasons for the move into the new spacious showrooms in Munich's Lehel district and in which Furla will also be presented in future, of course.

Labels Austria: 0039 Italy, 120% Lino, Bikkembergs, FTC Cashmere, Furla, Grace, Hunter, I Blues, Lauren Moshi, Lua Accessoires, Marella, Michael Lauren, Neon Boots, St.Emile, Superga, Susan Kraus, Soisire & Soiebleu, Twin Set by Simona Barbieri Labels Germany: Furla, Grace Collectionen Christian Teufl, Salzburg/Austria and Munich/Germany, teufl@teufl.cc, www.teufl.cc

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collection preview on premium july 2nd through 4th

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Michael Schreittmiller

Going solo

Freshly renovated: The showroom for Woolrich, one of the strongest brands in the Agentur Komet und Helden's stable.

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Komet und Helden

In-Depth

It was pretty much obvious, wasn’t it? That after guest performances in leading agencies Michael Schreitt­ miller would be going his own way, the most recent one being for Dondup in the IG Ideageneration. From now on, the professional distributor will be independently dealing with brands that matter to him and conducting these under his own name and under an own roof that still has to be defined. Forte Forte, for example, as well as the shoe label O.X.S., who would like to stand out from the sister brand a great deal more. “My guarantee to both suppliers and customers is that he will be personally looked after because he knows who will be sitting on the other side of the table.

My ambition is to advise, not to sell”, says Michael Schreittmiller. Sixteen years of experience and excellent contacts throughout the whole of Europe have made “the Michl” who he is today – also a brand as a One-Man-Show.

Labels: Forte Forte, Gray, O.X.S., True NY Michael Schreittmiller Munich/Germany, michael@michaelschreittmiller.com

The Agentur Komet und Helden has built up a focused range of products around the core brands of Woolrich, Blauer, Superdry and AG Adriano Goldschmied and one that is also extremely diverse. "Nowadays, the ball is back in the dealers court for him to tailor his product range as individually as possible. The possibilities are there and our doors are open", says Michael Prues, Head of Sales, explaining the situation. The agency has taken on three new salesmen in order to accomplish this, meaning they are also able to add more depth and further strengthen the service they provide. Several newcomers will be sent to the starting gate for the current season, for example, the Alain label which has only recently been established and has already gained a pole position. The label was founded by Alain Fracassi together with the three Boglioli brothers and the famous tenor José Carreras. The look is strikingly different without being too striking in itself, take the gentleman's blazer made of bouclé by way of example. The B.P.D. collection also originated in the same vein as Blauer from the FGF house, a compressed, light down programme with two models in bright colours. Kindlein is the name of the new line of caps by Marion Pestner from Gmund am Tegernsee – unique hand-knitted items for men and women, whereby some can still be ordered for the autumn date. Komet und Helden already launched the shoe label Gino-B back in April.

"With a certain degree of success, our sellers have been able to position the collection extremely well", says Michael Prues. For example, at 14 oz. and Christina's on Timmendorfer Strand.

Labels: Alain, AG Adriano Goldschmied, Baracuta, B.D. Baggies, B.P.D., Blauer USA, Bowery, C.P. Company, Diemme Footwear, Gilded Age, Gino-B Concept, Hartford, Liis Japan, Kindlein, Pence, Stewart, Superdry, Wally Walker, Woolrich, YOU Footwear Agentur Komet und Helden GmbH, Munich/Germany, www.kometundhelden.de A well-known face: Michael Schreittmiller is going it alone.

Deluxe Distribution

Full Service

Fashionable and very wearable. The Minus collection belongs to the Danish Minimum A/S company.

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"For the needs of the market we are offering a full-service and making investments so that we can be good across the board", says Ilya Morgan, Managing Director of Deluxe Distribution. "This also includes the 360 degree of commitment for the labels in terms of PR, an own complaints department right up to our own warehouse in Berlin so that we can quickly make deliveries." There are three new additions to the Berlin agency's portfolio which include the well-known menswear label Junk de Luxe, which has now been taken over by the Danish Minimum A/S, strong trendy British image for the core target group of 30- to 45-year olds. The high-quality denim label Neuw Denim from Australia for men and women is also another newcomer and which, according to Morgan, is to be selectively distributed on the German market, with retail prices between 99 and 149 euros per pair of jeans. The women's label Minus ultimately offers fashionable and wearable womenswear from Denmark. "Minus belongs to the Danish Minimum group which stands for reliability and a good stock programme", says Ilya Morgan. There are four main collections plus an express programme around jeans which have a retail price of between 119 and 149 euros. Ilya Morgan: "We have managed to reach 20 of our most important customers in the test season already, which is certainly very promising."

Deluxe Distribution, Berlin/Germany, www.deluxe-distribution.de

Baron Christian von Geusau

www.haBsBurG.Co.at

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fairs Munich Fabric Start

Quality First

Urban Base remains the biggest hall at the Bread & Butter on the Tempelhof site and, in future, it will also be protected by the outer wall in summer.

Bread & Butter

Growth in Hangar 1

Last season, it wasn’t used by exhibitors at all – now the Bestseller Group is exhibiting its collections in Hangar 1: Brands such as J. Lindeberg, Jack & Jones, Junarose, Mamalicious, Name it, Only, Object, Outfitters Nation, Pieces, Selected, Vero Moda and Vila are presenting their various profiles on 6,000 square metres. “In the case of the Bestseller Group, we are expanding our brand product range with a versatile and important trading partner for international specialised trade,” says Karl-Heinz Müller of the Bread & Butter. “We are thus facing the reality of the trade – and in my opinion the Bestseller Group does its job very well.” In previous seasons, the Danish company showed its collections at its own location in Kreuzberg and this season is moving to the Tempelhof site. “We expect an increase in visitors,” says Müller. “In addition, buyers benefit from shorter routes.” The structure of the halls at the Bread & Butter remain mostly unchanged otherwise: The Urban Base in the entrance area mixes sporty brands with denim. Premium labels present their collections in Urban Superior, L.O.C.K und Fire Department show specialist and vintage products. The halls Upper Street and Urban Fashion target younger customers. The flexible outer wall, which is otherwise only used in winter, is to be also used in summer to protect exhibitors from the weather, says Müller. There is an innovation in relation to the admission policy: In future, retailers, buyers and the press will also receive free entry cards for Active Guest Management, other visitors will pay entrance fees in future. Guests can expect a big picnic as a warm up for the opening party on the Tempelhof site. 2-4 July 2013, www.breadandbutter.com

The organisers of the Munich Fabric Start are sticking with the concept of the preview fair “View.” On 10 and 11 July 2013 about 100 select fabric and accessories manufacturers present a first look at the autumn/ winter 2014/15 season in the Prisco Haus in Munich.

The main trade fair in September was already booked out once again a few weeks after the last trade fair in February. The segment men’s outerwear and also the recently launched project Design Studios have developed into stable workhorses, where artists and textile designers can present and market their fabric designs, artworks and unique pieces in a workshop atmosphere. In general, the organisers are focusing more on quality – when it comes to both the selection of exhibitors and the design of the fair. This also applies to the trade fair’s high-quality denim segment, the Blue Zone, which also displays innovative flats and interesting prints for chinos and five pockets in the neighbouring Zenith Hall beside the leading denim collections. For the further development of the concept and new approaches to the denim industry, the Munich Fabric Start has now got the Italian denim expert Piero Turk on board. The first results of the new partnership will be visible at the next trade fair from 3 to 5 September 2013. mwww.viewmunich.com, www.munichfabricstart.com

For the coming event in September 2013, the Munich Fabric Start has taken up the cause of an even clearer design.

Show & Order

A Boosted Portfolio

This season, the Show & Order presents itself in Berlin Mitte’s Kraftwerk with a consolidated portfolio of exhibitors comprising about 240 brands. The many positive voices from last season contributed to the fact that Show & Order is starting off as good as fully booked, said the CEO Verena Malta back in May. In particular, more designers and international brands are expected at the event. However, they do not want to grow significantly. “The exhibitors’ and retailers’ desire for an individual, sophisticated concept confirms our decision to implement the right idea in the right place,” says Malta.

“The ‘Late Night Order’ from 7pm to 11pm went down very well among exhibitors Verena Malta and visitors and it offers an additional service once again on Wednesday night is delighted: The this season. Included this season are collections such as King Louie, Label by Show & Order has Label, Vive Maria, M Missoni, Love Moschino, mw by Matthew Williamson or grown to 200 brands.

Paul & Joe. 2-4 July 2013, www.showandorder.com

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BREAD & BUTTER tradeshow for successful brands

AIRPORT BERLIN-TEMPELHOF

02.–04.07.2013

www.breadandbutter.com

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Panorama

Focus Business

Menswear, womenswear, kidswear, lingerie and accessories – the munichfashion.company appeals to numerous target groups.

munichfashion.company

In a Pack of Five

Managing Director Jörg Wichmann is presenting the second Panorama in Berlin as a service-orientated international fashion marketplace. "As we get tremendous feedback, we are again expecting a successful event and even more visitors", says Wichmann. "We have a clear aim which is to become the world's number one in our segment." Around 400 exhibitors are spread over 21,000 square metres in three halls, these include Airfield, Mac, Mexx, Liebeskind, Sand and Marc Cain. The entrance hall B represents a Best-Of mix, Hall C is reserved for Casual Creativity. Hall A is to give itself a considerably more youthful appearance under the motto "A Modern Woman's World". Catering and the meeting points are to be relocated into the outside area so that additional space can be created inside. And this is where the Panorama Party will be taking place on the Wednesday of the fair at 4 pm. Moreover, the shuttle service is also to be stepped up a bit more so that visitors can quickly reach the tradeshow in Berlin's ExpoCenter Airport and get back into the city again.

2-4 July 2013, www.panorama-berlin.com

One company – five dates: In the coming season, the munichfashion.company is presenting numerous order events at its locations in Munich and Düsseldorf. During the winter season, the company tapped into new target groups with the takeover of Dessous Paradies and MTC Kindermoden. The opening event is the MunichFashion.MeN in the MTX from 7 to 9 July 2013. This is followed by the Supreme in Düsseldorf, which presents about 450 labels on 4,500 square metres in the permanently rented B1 (19 to 22 July 2013). Kids at MTC will be shown in Munich at the same time (19 to 21 July 2013). Lingerie and Following a successful first Panorama in January, along comes the second one now. beachwear will be on display from 28 to 30 July 2013.

The round of orders will end with the renowned and fully-booked MunichFashion.WoMeN in the MTC from 10 to 13 August 2013 with about 750 collections. For Fashion shows in Shanghai: The Novothe coming year, the munichfashion.company want to mania is moved to the pool their events under a strong umbrella brand. summer and has a new munichfashioncompany.com owner in UBM Asia. fairs

At the previous Tranoï Homme in January 2013, the trade fair showed its elegant side at the Carrousel du Louvre, where the Tranoï Preview will take place in June.

Novomania

In Summertime Tranoï Preview

The Second Round From 29 June to 2 July, the organisers of the Parisian trade fair Tranoï present, for the second time, the Tranoï Preview in the Carrousel du Louvre with about 100 women’s outerwear pre-collections, ready-to-wear collections and accessories. At the same time as the Tranoï Homme, which is happening in the Palais de la Bourse from 29 June to 1 July, and offsets the main trade fair the Tranoï Femme, which happens in September, the Tranoï Preview offers pre-order opportunities and is expected to bring the overall selection at the trade fair closer to the needs of the market. In this way, people are a step ahead of the market reality and this allows the exhibitors to present collections four times a year rather than twice a year, explains Armand Hadida at the press conference, speaking about the need for more flexibility on the market. The coming event has gained firms such as Faliero Sarti, Ela Stone or Madame à Paris among others. www.tranoi.com

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With its new date in July, the Novomania places itself strategically amongst the global trade fairs: The date was selected on purpose – after Europe and before the shows in the US. The current event will take place in the Shanghai Mart once again after a brief spell at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre. In March 2012 about 13,000 visitors came, in July 2013 the Novo Group organisers expect about 20,000 visitors and 200 fashion brands.

The newcomers include brands such as Fly London, Hedgren, Le Temps des Cerises, Robin’s Jeans, Nobrand or Joe’s Jeans. This spring, the Asian trade fair organiser, UBM Asia Ltd, took on a 60 per cent share of the trade fair in a joint venture with the Novo Group. UBM Asia is active with several trade fairs in China, India and Southeast Asia. 17-19 July 2013. www.novomania.com.cn

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Who’s next Prêt-à-Porter Paris

Why Paris?

"Paris remains the magnetic field for inspiration", says Mayouri Sengchanh, Managing Director or Exalis, the German Liaison Office for the tradeshow Who’s next Prêt-à-Porter Paris. "Paris, and our tradeshow along with it, is the first port of call for many visitors from Japan, Korea and the United States." The tradeshow needs to provide new inspiration in line with this, which explains the wider range of creative labels on offer. There are around 2,000 labels awaiting the visitors and these have been sub-divided into several areas to make it easier finding your way around. Fame for creative labels and Private for commercial ready-to-wear, Mr. & Mrs. Brown for urban and denim collections and Première Classe for accessories.

"Service is being spelt out in bold letters", says Mayouri Sengchanh emphasising the point. "More than 1,200 buyers took advantage of the offer we had for the event in January, which was to be accompanied around the fair by our Personal Shoppers who were on hand providing advice." The trendsetter magazine, which can also be found at the fair, is also a great help as well as a trend forum and an artistic fashion show. 6-9 July 2013, www.whosnext.com

The international nature of exhibitors and visitors to the Premium is constantly growing. Photo: © Jennifer Fey.

Premium

East goes West

Creative offering: Who’s next Prêt-à-Porter Paris.

fairs

GDS

Under Palms

Around 800 exhibitors from 40 countries are expected for the GDS tradeshow taking place in September. The tradeshow will be spread over seven halls and will include eleven themed worlds. One of which will be the premium segment to be presented in Hall 4 with the White Cubes concept area. The Design Attack in Hall 3 provides a platform for 100 design newcomers who will be appearing under the motto of Bahama Mama with palms, white sand and fruity cocktails.

Experts will be providing advice on the latest topics and trends in the shoe industry in the Speakers' Corner, as well as the Installation Trends Inn in Hall 5 and the GDS Trend Show and the Upper Style Show which can be seen daily in Hall 2. The relaunched GDS website will also be providing more input and will also be regularly keeping every­ body informed on what's happening at the tradeshow with portraits, interviews and photo galleries. 11-13 September 2013, www.gds-online.com Trend spot for the shoe industry: The GDS in Düsseldorf.

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For this season too, the Premium is making strong brands under one strong roof its top priority. There are around 900 brands showing around 1,400 collections which will include such newcomers as Novemb3r, Paul & Joe Sister, Henrik Vibskov and Swildens. Asian labels will be presenting under the banner of East goes West and, similar to the events of last year, a delegation of Chinese buyers will also be invited to the current Premium in order to promote business between Europe and China. In the so-called Dissonance Area, the Premium will be putting the spotlight on avant-garde collections such as Rundholz, Hannes Roether and Kami Organic. The showroom concept of The Essence of Premium will be a further highlight, with collections such as Giorgio Brato, Roberto Collina and Avant Toi. This also includes the daily Happy Hour on the terrace of the studio such as The Essence of Premium Party, and which extends a welcome to both exhibitors and visitors in equal measure.

2-4 July 2013, www.premiumexhibitions.com

BREAD & BUTTER BERLIN 0 2 .  0 4 . J U LY 2 0 1 3 / A I R P O R T B E R L I N  T E M P E L H O F URBAN SUPERIOR / HALL 2 / BOOTH H6.10

S H O P AT J O O P. C O M

STORES FLORENZ Via della Vigna Nuova no. 40, 50135 Firenze Oktober 2013 PARIS 8 Place des Victoires, 75002 Paris September 2013 MÜNCHEN Hohenzollernstraße 31A, 80801 München September 2013 DÜSSELDORF Königsallee 21-23, 40545 Düsseldorf November 2013 BERLIN Schlüterstraße 51, 10629 Berlin

W W W. 0 0 3 9 I TA LY. C O M

München

Robert Kochstrasse 13 – D-80538 München – Tel.: +49 (0) 89 3090 53670 Furla & Twin Set by Simona Barbieri Accessoires & Schuhe, Grace (Gebiet Bayern)

Salzburg

Vierthalerstrasse 11 – A-5020 Salzburg – Tel.: +43 (0) 662 452832

© kniveset - Fotolia.com

0039 Italy, 120% Lino, Bikkembergs, FTC Cashmere, Furla, Grace, Hunter, I Blues, KWay, Lauren Moshi, Lua Accessoires, Marella, Michael Lauren, Neon Boots, St.Emile, Superga, Susan Kraus, Soisire & Soiebleu, Twin Set by Simona Barbieri

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

056 Benci Brothers

want it Billy Reid

Southern Comfort

@Billy Farrell Agency

Best Menswear Designer of the Year 2012 – Billy Reid is once more hitting the headlines with this award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). The designer from the US state of Alabama is bringing classic workwear up to a whole new level for the fashion demands of the cultivated Southerner. This also attracts companies such as the legendary cowboy hat maker Stetson, just as much as Levi's or K-Swiss into forming a partnership.

Recently, Billy Reid is also much sought-after in Europe too: The label dressed Daniel Craig for one of his scenes in the "Skyfall" Bond film.

Success only came with the second attempt though. In 1998, the designer established the William Reid label which disappeared into obscurity three years later. In 2004, he launched under the name of Billy Reid again and meanwhile he now also has women's collections as

Billy Reid

well as accessories. Stores are also part of this recipe for success since they reflect Reid's personality and the whisky-drenched lifestyle of a Southern Dandy. The label is also present in well-known multi-label stores such as Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's.

Billy Reid, Florence, Alabama/USA, T 001.877.7573934, sales@billyreid.com, www.billyreid.com

Benci Brothers

Once Shoes - Always Shoes Bruno Bencivenga had successfully launched the Navyboot shoe label in 1991 and five years ago sold the company, which had in the meantime grown into a fashion business, to the Swiss entrepreneur Philippe Gaydoul. Now his brother Flaviano is doing what is in the Bencivenga's blood: Producing hand-stitched welted shoes in Italy. Bruno, who sits on the Board, and Flaviano Bencivenga didn't care if they were the only ones who were going to be wearing the luxury item but the shoes were ripped out of their hands (again) right from the first small production. One fast seller is the men's classic shoe, the "Goodyear Welted" which costs the quite considerable sum of 680 francs.

In the meantime, there are now 14 point of sales in Switzerland and recently the first own flagship stores have appeared in Zurich along with a small but fine collection of bags and accessories. The brothers are keeping to themselves whether distribution will also take place outside Switzerland. However: A Bencivenga remains a Bencivenga... Prices: Shoes from 200 francs, bags from 350 francs (all retail prices).

Benci Brothers, ZĂźrich/Switzerland, T 0041.4334.43035, seraina.hartmann@flowcube.ch, www.bencibrothers.com

Natural Selection Denim

The Spirit of the Five-Pocket Jeans A good pair of jeans gets better the longer they are worn. This denim

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Natural Selection Denim

theory of evolution has been a mission of the British collective of Natural Selection Denim.

Since 2009, it has been dedicating itself to the earthy spirit of the original five-pocket jeans. Five different fits and four washings are enough. Natural Selection Denim relies on English understatement, on quality at the second glance. The denim originates from Japan, production takes place in Turkey. Chinos and knitted pieces are added to the denim jackets and shirts and are also manufactured to the same high heritage demands. Natural Selection Denim will be starting off the spring/ summer of 2013 with the premium line Origin of Species. The label is using red selvedge denim from Okayama for this denim line and will refine it with a few invisible details such as concealed rivets and chain-stitching to hem the inside edges, exactly as it used to be done in the golden era of jeans production during the 1940s. Retail prices lie between 140 euros for the 12-oz jeans and 190 euros for the 13-oz jeans made from selvedge denim.

Natural Selection Denim, London/UK, T 0044.207.7498625, info@concrete-studio.com, www.nsdenim.coml

WANT iT 057

Anneclaire

Praio

The traditional Italian company Chiemar, which was founded in 1953 as a family business and is run today by the third and fourth generations of the Chiecchio family, has undertaken a self-prescribed rejuvenating cure with the new Anne­ claire collection. An elegant, very feminine and, at the same time urbane, knitwear collection has been created, in which the company presents its handicraft know-how at a top level. Only premium materials are processed, such as pure cashmere, as well as cashmere combinations with wool and silk and Baby Alpaca wool. At the moment, Italy is the most important market with a 70 per cent share, where the company itself produces near Turin and supplies about 500 stores around the world. However, international expansion in Europe, the US and Japan is at the top of the list and so Chiemar is working in cooperation with leading distribution partners in the relevant countries. The Modeagentur Aco based in Düsseldorf is responsible for the German market.

Maglificio Chiemar Srl, Carrù/ Italy, T 0039.02.42296757, info@chiemar.com, www.anneclaire.it

Riccardo Manente has accomplished two things that will give impetus to the fashion industry: the list of references on his CV includes his time as marketing officer and brand manager for the companies Dolce & Gabbana and Dsquared.

He runs his own brand, Praio, together with his parents. Concentrated Italian fashion expertise.

From this grew a trousers collection, which celebrated its launch in September 2010 in stores such as Brain & Barry in Milan, Heliopole Homme in Tokyo and Barneys in New York.

The very colourful trousers models for men and women are made of environmentally-friendly and recycled materials. To this end, the Manentes patented a process by which fleece and jersey is processed during production so that the end product looks like denim. Retail prices are 150 euros with a margin of 2.7. In the meantime, Praio has extended its distribution over half of Europe, Japan, Russia and the US and has gained customers such as Luisa via Roma in Florence or Hospital in Antwerp. As a special service, the experienced marketing expert Riccardo Manente offers his customers a wide range of additional services in support of the sale.

Praio, Venice/Italy, T 0039.042.11774633, praio@praio.it, www.praio.it

An Italian Soul

Family Business

All Things Fabulous

All Things Fabulous

The Essence of Good Humour Designer Daisy Linhares presents Californian light-heartedness in its original form with her All Things Fabulous Collection, which was presented for the first time in 2012: delicate cotton T-shirts, casual oversized tops, supersoft knitwear and whimsical prints that exude a happy sunshine mood.

“Fashion got so serious, and I thought, why not have a line that would be fun, unpretentious, effortless and imaginative. Low key but memorable...,” Daisy Linhares explains her

approach, which tells a completely new story every season. She is already represented at some top locations like at Ron Herman (USA), Selfridges (UK) or Ships (Japan) and other stores in Canada and Australia. The collection’s prices range from 50 to 90 euros retail. Reinhart Oberstein has taken over distribution for Germany with CP Fashion from this season.

CP Fashion, Reinhart Oberstein, Bad Säckingen/Germany, T 0049.7763.9277060, reinhart.oberstein@cpfashion.de, www.loveallthingsfabulous.coml

Praio

Anneclaire

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Magdalena Ernst

Colombo

Colombo

Master of the Fibre Nobili

Barre Noire

Barre Noire

The New Serenity „We distinguish ourselves through our daring in bringing colour into Berlin,“ says Timm Süssbrich, Designer by Barre Noire.

The preference for bright colour combinations place Barre Noire into the category of the young wild ones. However, behind the strong colours, it is essentially the wearable cut of the pieces and the everyday, no-frill design that gives the collection its nonchalant air. „High-quality processing technology known from Haute Couture and translated into a high-street label“, Timm Süssbrich describes his philosophy. The Berliner had just reached his mid-twenties himself when he established the label in 2009. Today, the collection is composed of around 60 pieces per season, all made by hand and therefore only available in a very limited edition. Prices range between 150 and 1,300 euros. Berlin local heroes such as the Soto Store, The Shit Shop, Stereoki or Van Liebling are already on the distribution list, a large proportion of the business still takes place as direct sales to customers, mainly from France, the United States and Australia.

Barre Noire, Berlin/Germany, T 0049.1717.116854, shop@barrenoire.de, www.barrenoire.de

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Magdalena Ernst

Simply Beautiful Magdalena Ernst bought a piece from the Comme des Garçons collection with the first of the money she earned herself. That was when the whole fashion retail world all appeared wearing black to the shows and trade fairs. For the student of the fashion speciality class that exactly matched her style. And so, as a result, all the pieces that she first made under her own label founded 19 years ago were all in black, then a little later, white was added too. The customers have always loved the blouses and trousers with their sophisticated cut. They shouldn't always be for everyday wear, but they should always be wearable, Magdalena Ernst does not go out of fashion. Today, she sells in boutiques in Switzerland and Germany and has had her own stores in Switzerland for the last 12 years. And she has just recently moved into a new, bright showroom, a loft on the trendy Gold Coast. Her fashion ranges between 165 francs for blouses, trousers are available from 175 francs, coats from 290 francs (all wholesale prices). In August, Magdalena Ernst will be present at the "Order Now" in Zurich.

Magdalena Ernst Fashion, Küsnacht/Switzerland, T 0041.4438.36360, info@magdalena-ernst.ch, www.magdalena-ernst.ch

The label from Northern Italy doesn't just place value on the high-quality materials, it also values the genuine craftsmanship Made in Italy coupled with innovative technologies. The two production sites of the Colombo weaving mills in Borgosesia and Ghemme employ 340 members of staff today and process 500,000 kilos of the finest fibres every year, including the so-called Fibre Nobili: Cashmere, vicuna, guanaco and camel hair. The new generation of Colombo, the two brothers Roberto and Giancarlo, have been producing their own Prêt-àporter collection and a very successful home line since the 1990s. The line is sold in major department stores in the United States, in Japan and Europe.

There are now nine flagship stores around the world and the tenth will be opening in Rome in summer 2013. The label is represented in Austria with its own shop in Vienna. Every year, two main collections appear which are then sub-divided into accessories and women and men's fashion. Prices start at 195 euros retail.

Colombo, Ghemme/Italy, T 0039.0163.844800, info@lanificiocolombo.it, www.lanificiocolombo.itl

060 WANT iT

Pop.On

When Colourful Art Meets Fashion Aleandro Roncarà is a genuine multi-talent, a former professional basketball player and now a restaurant owner and artist. In 2010, he was persuaded by his good friend Luca Ginanni to have his famous designs printed onto leather bags. The two Italians established the colourful accessory label Pop.On the same year. Since then, they have been working in cooperation with Progetto Marchi Moda from Reggio Emilia every season to make bags in a variety of different forms. Shopping bags, satchels, bowling bags and laptop bags with prints which represent a mix of Pop Art and Graffiti Art – hence the name, Pop (Art) on Bags.

Iconic models such as Vivian, Charlie or Carrie have been given an update with the brash colours and eye-catching designs which breath a refreshing new personality into classic bag shapes and retail between 89 and 195 euros. The label regularly takes part in the White tradeshow in Milan and can be bought from Raspini in Florence amongst other outlets.

Pop.On, Progetto Marchi Moda, Reggio Emilia/Italy, T 0039.0522.501789, www.poponbags.com

Satorisan

The Yeti and Japan The Satori is a mythical ape-like creature originating from the book "Encyclopaedia of Yokai" and derived from Japanese mythology. It has become the namesake of the new shoe brand headquartered in Valencia Satorisan. Why is that? Well, although there is some similarity, in contrast to the Yeti, the Satori symbolises understanding, balance

and harmony. Attributes which fit in with the brand remarkably well. And now that's enough of the mysterious creature. The company Alliance Footwear established in 1994 is behind the brand and holds its own production facilities in Vietnam and launched its own label with Satorisan in 2010. Shortly after entering the market, the collection was already represented in 13 countries, including in stores such as Stierblut in Munich, Local Heroz in Rotterdam or Alli C Aps in Copenhagen. Prices range between 69 and 196 euros. To date, Satorisan has approximately 230 customers and also plans to have its own stores in the future.

Satorisan, Valencia/Spain, T 0034.96.3619818, info@satorisan.com, www.satorisan.com

Daily’s – Nothing’s Better

Hippy Heritage

San Francisco, at some point in the early 1970s.

In the Haight Ashbury harbour district, Trevor Spindelton manufactures cotton T-Shirts by hand on his weaving benches, which he then predominantly sells to relevant hippy boutiques.

The basic Tees quickly get their nickname as Daily's owing to their super-soft washing (organic based), their light quality and their feel.

The secret of their success is the very slow running time that Spindelton uses on the 27 Maxwell 20 needle weaving benches. Business booms, until production in the Far East undercuts his price and he becomes out-dated.

He abandons production. 40 years later, the sourcing experts Markus Leicher - who operates his own production facilities in India - and Max Witzel stumble across Spindelton - who is now 73 years old - and they decide to revive the American cult brand. The weaving benches are to be shipped out to India where production will start under Spindelton's supervision. Daily's will be introduced back onto the market again for the spring/summer 2013 season and will be presenting basics manufactured like their historical ancestors on the old machines. Prices for the collection retail at 13.30 to 53.30 euros with a markup of 3.0. An extensive NOS warehouse

Pop.On Satorisan

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in Hamburg guarantees repeat deliveries within 48 hours. From the spring/summer season 2014, a launch is also planned for Austria, Switzerland and France via independent distributors. Daily's is already represented by customers such as Ludwig Beck in Munich, Ortner in Dortmund or Stehen in Hamburg.

Daily’s – Nothing’s Better GmbH, Cologne/Germany, T 0049.221.29782326, office@dailysnothingsbetter.com, www.dailysnothingsbetter.coml

Daily’s – Nothing’s Better

fratellirossetti.com

Moderaumfischer 路 M眉nchen 路 +49-(0)89-45239893 www.moderaumfischer.de

062 WANT iT Koike Barcelona

Dante 6

Barb’one

Dante 6

New York During the Day, Paris at Night The relatively small women’s outerwear complete collection by the Dutch brand Dante 6 connects the lifestyle of two worlds: New York’s city living with its casual street styles and the Parisian nightlife with its special fashionable look. With this, the team around designer Evelyne BrekelmansKranendonk has managed to establish itself in Scandinavia since the brand’s launch in the spring/summer season 2010, and has now also entered the German market. Dante 6 is already represented in stores such as Centre Little Soho in Amsterdam, Vanessa Cardui in Oslo and F95 in Berlin. Tank tops begin at 35 euros and the stretch leather pants, which are a central feature of the collection go for up to 599 euros retail price.

The markup for the collection, which consists of about 20 pieces, is 2.8 and 2.5 for leather pants. For 2014, the brand plans to open its own shop-in-shops in The Hague, Amsterdam and Oslo. They also intend to expand into the Swedish and Canadian markets.

Dante 6, LB Barendrecht/The Netherlands, T 0031.180.643869, info@dante6.nl, www.dante6.nl

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outside with piping along the trouser leg, which is further highlighted using contrasting colour schemes. De Luca places great value on aesthetic details like two USD cent stitching on the back pocket, interior floral patterns and patterned buttons among others. All trousers are produced from high-quality two-ply and are exclusively produced and grown in Italy. The collection presents the finest casual chinos in mellow pastel colours, in the boyfriend cut and slim fit for women, and with a low waist for men.

Purchase prices are between 63 and 75 euros. Lars Fischer from Moderaumfischer represents the brand in Germany, Erwin Kronawettleitner in Austria. The first delivery is planned for January/February 2014, then the next for June/July 2014.

Barb’one, Valentino de Luca, Eching/ Germany, T 0049.172.4506820, valentino@luckydeluca.com, www.borb’one.com (since August 2013)

Koike Barcelona

Under Construction Barb’one

The Great Adventure It sounds like a pretty attractive promise: firstclass Italian design and reliable organisation and distribution channels too. Valentino de Luca has already proven once that he can do this. He has the shirt and blouse collections for Lucky de Luca produced from Italian fabrics in Turkey.

However, he handles all other processes and services for his customers at the headquarters in Eching near Munich. Valentino de Luca has taken up the cause of unconditional reliability and this also applies to his newest project: He will present his first trousers collection, which occurred more by coincidence than anything, at the upcoming Premium in Berlin. On his travels to production locations in Italy, he met Piero Moretti, a producer with notable references from the European premium market, a real artist of life, who likes to tell of his adventures as a vagabond. This struck a chord with Valentino de Luca. Together with Diego Vacalebre, he developed the trousers collection Barb’one (Barbone Italian for vagabond). The distinctive feature of the total of three trousers models for men and women is the side seam that is turned to the

Koike Barcelona’s website is currently still under construction, the colourful and patterned shirt collection for men is already represented in Spain, France, Switzerland and Greece. For the spring/summer season 2014, designer and owner Koike Escayola initiated cooperation with the Munich Hinterhofagentur for the German market.

Koike Escayola develops all fabrics for the eccentric shirt models herself, which guarantees the exclusivity of the design.

Complex things such as border materials in contrasting designs, piping, trimming, contrasting button threads and selvedges and unusual prints characterise the shirts that are produced exclusively in Portugal.

For the two collections per year, which have about 120 pieces at a markup of 2.7 to 2.8, there is a small warehouse alongside the possibility for classic pre-ordering. As early as in the first season, they managed to win over customers such as Daniels in Cologne and Munich.

Die Hinterhofagentur, Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.38887747, info@diehinterhofagentur.de, www.koikebarcelona.coml

064 WANT iT Merry Autumn

Merry Autumn

Make a thousand from a single bag When the two friends, Federico Lorenzi and Francesco Matteoni, met up by accident at the airport in Los Angeles, they both had the same problem. They couldn't get anything else into their hand luggage and the airline only allowed one bag per person. Federico's new T-Shirt collection and Francesco's treasured California records had to be left behind in Los Angeles.

"Somebody ought to invent a bag that can expand or get smaller depending upon what you want." This statement triggered the beginnings of the start-up Merry Autumn. Since September 2008 (hence Merry Autumn) the Italian label has been producing bags made from leather and rubberised canvas which can be enlarged using so-called expansions in a single step. The expansions come in seven different colours and can be mixed and matched with one another in a variety of different combinations – so, a flat, black and elegant laptop bag can be turned into a colourful sports bag.

These 2.0 models can be put together online and have a retail price of 39 euros.

Merry Autumn, Chiesina Uzzanese/Italy, T 0039.0572.1976073, info@merryautumn.com, federico.lorenzi@merryautumn.com, www.merryautumn.com

resented at Harrods and Trilogy in England and but is only expected to appear on the German market in autumn 2013.

Feel the Piece, Los Angeles/USA, T 001.213.7480388, info@feelthepiece.com, www.feelthepiece.com

Feel the piece

The Berlin manufacturer Emma Opitz exclusively makes key bands, pen bands or cloth bands, otherwise known as Lederlinge. The label was named after the founder's grandmother. The binding technique that Emma's granddaughter uses for the Lederlinge today is based on the traditional knot used in a hangman's noose, a knot that Grandma Opitz used to use working on her farm back in the day. In Berlin, painstaking hand craftsmanship is used to manufacture all the Lederlinge which are made from leather strips of Canadian cowhide that has been waxed four times and ground-tanned. There are around ten models to choose from with different shackles and hooks and retail prices range between 89 and 179 euros. The band can be attached to belt loops using the snap closure at the top end, and at the lower end the pen can be attached or the keyring can be bolted on. So far, Lederlinge are available from Vater und Sohn in Hamburg and from 14 oz. in Berlin.

Emma Opitz Lederlinge, Berlin/Germany, enkel@emmaopitz.de, www.emmaopitz.del

Rockin’ L. A.

Feel the piece

Since she married Jeff Rudes, founder and CEO of the Californian jeanswear brand J Brand in May, her husband’s brand is often mentioned in brackets alongside designer Terre Jacob’s brand Feel the Piece, which was founded in 2010. However the clean, basic women’s collection by Terre Jacobs doesn’t need this collaboration to do well.

Less is more is the motto of its T-shirts, dresses and jumpers made of high-quality cashmere, sheer modal and silk-cotton blends that justify retail prices of between 50 and 350 euros. Temporary partnerships with various street artists offset the clean chic with graphics and artwork – sponsored, incidentally, by the mastermind of the Californian street art scene Tyler Jacobs. With customers like Ron Herman or shopbop.com, Terre Jacobs is placed in the high-quality premium segment. In Europe, the brand is so far rep-

Emma Opitz

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Emma Opitz

Lederlinge from Berlin

www.meindl-fashions.de

www.meindl-fashions.de

Bread & Butter Berlin, Juli 02-04, 2013 www.meindl-fashions.de

WANT iT 069

of fashion and lifestyle products spanning trousers to copper bracelets to belts and socks. At the same time "Think global, act local" remains their motto. All fabrics come from Japan. They select all the stores with whom they collaborate around the world themselves. They would have as little trust in a distribution agency as they would an outsourced manufacturer. The stores have to fit in with the family. In Europe, for example, they are carried in the Garbstore in London, Uwe van Afferden in Düsseldorf and Soto in Berlin. Retail prices move between 21,000 Yen (around 170 euros) for the Flat Shoulder Bag or a baseball shirt and 6,000 Yen (around 50 euros) for a leather iPhone case.

Nap Inc, Okayama/Japan, T 0081.867.341117, info@supreriorlabor.jp, www.superiorlabor.jp

Paolo Pecora Milano

Alain

Belting It Out

Paolo Pecora Milano

Clear Lines and Luxury Yarns The Milan brand was founded in the ‘80s

by Paolo Pecora and, in recent decades, it has developed from a blouse and knitwear specialist into one of the most popular Italian fashion brands. Nowadays, the founders’ children, Camilla and Filippo, design Total Looks for him and her. The collections are known for clear cuts and high-quality materials, typical ‘Made in Italy’ features. The combination of Italian attention to detail and innovative style led to the label’s expansion: Since 2004, the number of points of sale has risen to 600 worldwide, including shops like Raspini in Florence, Amicis in Vienna, Bongenie Grieder in Geneva or Behaviour in New York City. In February 2013, the first flagship store was opened

in the fashion metropolis of Milan, the seventh worldwide. The company is represented at the trade fairs White in Milan and Tranoï in Paris.

Paolo Pecora Milano collection pieces are available from 70 euros retail price.

Emmegierrefashion S.A.S., Osio Sopra/Italy T 0039.02.97070135, showroomman@paolopecoramilano.com, www.paolopecoramilano.com

Superior Labor

Full control in Okayama All items of clothing at Superior Labor are as carefully sorted as though they were family members. The Japanese family-run business around the designer Makoto Kawai keeps all the threads in its own hands, from draft design to the finished product itself. In 2007, Superior Labor started production of leather and sail cloth bags in a converted school close to Okayama. Now, they offer an extensive range

Alain has very promising genes: those of the Alain Fracassi and Boglioli families, crowned with those of the Spanish tenor José Carreras.

This unusual trio makes men’s fashion together that can appeal but by no means has to or wants to. This is because the complete collection is sharp in the best sense of the word. Unusual materials characterise the Easy Collection as well as distinguished cuts and silhouettes.

Despite this: commercial prices, about 20 per cent under the competitors, to which they align themselves. It is by no means “more of the same” when it comes to style. Consciously selective in its marketing and distribution, during its premiere season Alain will only be available for the German and Aus­trian market to order in Milan. The agency Komet & Helden didn’t just invite selected customers to go there but also to a special kind of presentation of the collection: on the Saturday after the Pitti, Brescias Piazza became an open-air stage for the menswear and vocal performance of its mentor and sponsor José Carreras.

Alain, Brescia/Italy, office@alainworld.it, www.alainworld.itl

Alain Superior Labor

Fashion from Alain has good genes: Those of a good retailer, those of a renowned manufacturer and those of star tenor José Carreras.

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070 WANT iT

Waxed

Gino-B

Gino-B

Waxed

Go for Fashion!

Back in 2009, the Gino-B label landed its first sales hit with their sheepskin-lined après-ski sneakers. But it didn't all just stop with this one innovation: Take, for example, the cork the makers of Gino-B used in the production of the fashion sneakers. By using a technology originally found in conventional men's shoe manufacturing, the label created something which is especially light and comfortable. In general, all the materials are natural products, from the leather to the cork and over to the rubber for the soles. The collection produced in Portugal has also evolved in a fashionable way too, with metallic looks and a special method of top-stitching for the sneaker-wedges for her and for boots for him and are available in natural shades as well as stronger colours. Retail prices, therefore, range from 200 to 300 euros with a markup between 2.4 to 2.5. So far, there are 100 points of sale in the domestic market in the Netherlands as well as an additional 75 worldwide, which also include Strolz in the Austrian town of Lech, 14 oz. in Berlin, Van den Assem in Rotterdam, Lorenz Bach in the Swiss town of Gstaad and Buouvy in Brussels. Since this current season, the Agentur Komet und Helden has been distributing Gino-B in Germany and Austria.

Komet und Helden, Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.9705280, webmaster@kometundhelden.de, www.kometundhelden.de

PB0110

Purism counts Linear design, clear model selection, high-quality materials such as linen or vegetable-tanned leather – Philipp Bree introduced his bag and accessories line following this recipe for success. His know-how didn't just appear out of nowhere though: Bree's parents established the bag label of the same name in 1970. Together with his brother Axel he took over management

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Well-Equipped for Wind and Weather

PB0110

of the leather good specialists in 1998, he left the operating side of the business in 2011 in order to follow his own path. With the PB0110 line, which bears his initials, he focuses on bags and accessories, which are produced in European factories.

The line straightaway won him international retail partners, such as Selfridges in London, Quartier 206 in Berlin or Project No. 8 in New York. He will also be running his own online shop from summer 2013. In terms of price, the bags are around 140 to 430 euros wholesale, retail prices between 349 and 999 euros.

PB 0110 e.K., Hanover/Germany, T 0049.511.80602861, contact@pb0110.com, www.pb0110.com

"Uniforms for Workers" is the slogan of the new jacket label from Italy with roots in North America. The mission, the manufacturer Space 2000 follows: Combining products that have the look of American and Canadian railway pioneers with modern functionality. Two men's styles were launched last winter: The rustic Halifax jacket in Husky Look, the Kluane parka and the Winnipeg waistcoat.

Two styles for women will also be added to the current season.

All pieces are made from waxed material – the procedure has been used for many centuries and it makes the material waterproof. Details such as leather and velvet inserts and metallic logos are what give the line its look. Purchase prices of the pieces range from 95 to 119 euros with a markup of 2.8. So far, retail customers in Germany include Hirmer, Schustermann & Borenstein, Waxed is distributed internationally in stores such as Le Form (Russia) and Kolon Industries (Korea).

Space 2000 S.P.A., Baldissero Canavese/Italy, T 0039.0124.510007, info@space2000spa.com, www.space2000spa.com l

Order periOd 08.07. - 30.08.13 路 see YOU at OUr shOwrOOms for further information contact: info@cashmereworld.com telephone +41 (0) 41 - 767 27 37 路 www.ftc-cashmere.com

072 WANT iT

Lele PyP

Andrea Ventura Firenze

Lele PyP

Aiming High Forget Louboutins and Jimmy Choos: Lele Pyp is the new high heel for shoe aficionados. Or at least, that is the first thought that goes through your head when you march into the latest own shop of the Müller Knab siblings in Zurich. The motto: Slip them on and feel good, the pumps and stilleto boots and stiletto ankle boots are super comfy despite their eye-wateringly lofty heel height. No wonder, this is all down to the youngest girl, Samantha. She originally only wanted to make shoes that weren't being worn by the masses for herself and then for her closest friends. And, while she was about it, they should also be comfortable to wear. Right from its very beginning in 2009 the collection has been produced by a master craftsman in a limited edition. Meanwhile, Samantha, Stefanie and Bernardo Müller Knab sell to customers in France, Germany, Malaysia, in Lebanon, Japan and the United States. And in Switzerland, with two own shops in Zurich into the bargain. The next step on the To Do List is a franchise, they already have an online shop. Prices: Pumps from 320, ankle boots from 450, boots from 650 francs (all retail prices).

Lele PyP, Zürich/Switzerland, T 0041.4425.31000, contact@lelepyp.com, www.lelepyp.com

variety of different colour combinations.

The shoes are already available to buy in the following shops: Eredi Chiarini in Florence, Bartoli in Forte dei Marmi, Franz Kraler in Cortina, Jean Jacques in Montecarlo, Victoire in Paris and Braun in Hamburg. Retail prices from 300 euros.

Firenze Stile Capolona, Arezzo/Italy T 0039.0575.421236, commerciale@andreaventurafirenze.it, www.andreaventurafirenze.it

Ele Misko

Petit Galaxy Ele Misko's jewellery has an hypnotic effect: Driven as though by an invisible hand, you long to touch all this irresistible jewellery and try it on. Because Misko's unisex collection Petit Galaxy combines minimalism, elegance and geometry down to a fine art. At the same time, the latter is the common element in the collection – one can feel that the Berlin-based designer is inspired by architecture.

Ele Misko originally came from Australia. As a result, she loves to use Australian opals and mixes them with other materials such as bright and blackened silver, gold, rose-gold and oxidised titanium. She gives her rings a voluminous hexagonal or pyramidshaped form using a mix of metals such as rose-gold and silver, for example, and sets coloured opals into these. This gives them the contrast between clear-cut forms and natural stones and metals producing an almost mystical aura.

The modular systems are a special feature: Lots of the rings can be combined with one another and be playfully transformed. For example, a ring or the trio bracelet can be worn in eight different ways. Misko's collection can be found at Coincidence in Paris, at Baerck in Berlin and directly from the designer's online shop, prices range between 150 and 380 euros retail.

Ele Misko, Berlin/Germany, T 0049.176.30788361, enquiries@elemisko.co, www.elemisko.col

King of the Moccasins The luxury label from Arezzo stands for the true craftsmanship of Made in Italy. Shoe experts, Iacopo and Roberto Soldini have been producing shoes in cooperation with the renowned designer Andrea Ventura for a young, yet still traditional-conscious, audience since 2007. The company has developed a special production process that gives each model, from the Budapest to the Doublemonk, a certain degree of flexibility. In addition to wearing comfort, the three Italians naturally also consider style to be extremely important. For example, there is a vintage line shoe where the soles are also dyed too. But the hobby-horse of the comprehensive product range, which consists of ten men's and six women's lines, still remains the Tasca moccasin - a loafer made from exquisite leather material such as calfskin, ostrich or crocodile leather and which is available in a wide

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Ele Misko

©le creative sweat shop

Andrea Ventura Firenze

PREMIUM PZERO SS’ 14 COLLECTION 2 - 4 July 2013 Station - Berlin, Luckenwalder Strasse 4-6 H3 - F3 ACO MODEAGENTUR infoacomode.de +49 211 5425630

b.m.h werbeagentur | hamburg

PREMIUM BERLIN 2.-4. JULI 2013 STAND H7-D54 CPH VISION 8.-10. AUGUST 2013 LOKOMOTIVVAERKSTEDET OTTO BUSSES VEJ 5A DK 2450 COPENHAGEN SV STAND 226 DÜSSELDORF 19. -22. JULI 2013 UNITED FASHION RATHER STR. 49E,2.OG 40476 DÜSSELDORF MUNICHFASHION WOMAN&SURPREME 10. -13. AUGUST 2013 AGENTUR STECKEL HIRSCHAUER STR.12 80538 MÜNCHEN

www.bloom-fash ion.com

SPRING SUMMER 2014

076 THE LONGVIEW

Armand Hadida has good reason to smile, his stores are booming.

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THE LONGVIEW 077

"I Don’t Like Collections But Products!"

He is one of the most admired retailers in the fashion world: Armand Hadida has made a piece of fashion history with his L'Éclaireur stores in Paris. He was the first to discover and completely master the combination of furniture design and fashion, and, recently, the world of modern art. Who would have thought that Belgian artist Arne Quinze could develop a fashion store? Besides, Hadida has also introduced some of the most important avantguarde designers, such as the creator Carol Christian Poell.

Hebrought new life to the Tranoï trade fair and helped to develop the Parisian Marais quarter into a shopping Mecca. We spoke to the man who will next be opening a store in one of the famous Parisian flea markets.

Text: Markus Ebner.

Photos: Adrian Crispin

style in progress: Please give us a short summary of your biography, Armand.

The most interesting thing is that it is a story of travel. I originally come from Morocco. However, I left my country as a very young man because I wanted to have more freedom. At the time, we lived right behind one of those animal markets, at the back of which there was a typ­ical Moroccan favela with more than 3,000 small huts. The buzz of activity in front of the house was always like a frame to me.

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

My parents were hard workers.

There were 13 of us and I was the second-last child.

How many children do you have and what came after Morocco?

I have 4. They all work with me in the business. My upbringing in such a big family was very interesting. It taught me lots of values. Later, when I left my country and my family, I entered a kibbutz in Israel for a year and a half to learn something different. At the age of 21, I came to Paris and decided to stay. I looked for any kind of job,

just to pay the rent. One day, I was supposed to help a woman who worked in one of the best boutiques in St. Germain and, at first, I passed it up because I had nothing to do with fashion.

I also felt uncomfortable going to this chic area, but the woman didn’t give up.

What year was this?

That was the beginning of the ‘70s. I finally went there to help this woman in the store. Not in sales, but to keep an eye on the stock. The first customer wore a scarf around her hair and big sunglasses and asked me for some information. I was very shy, and in my desperation I directed her to a sales assistant.

At the end of the day, the sales assistant came up to me to thank me for sending her the customer and asked me if I knew the person, but of course I didn’t. It was Brigitte Bardot. The following day it was Mireille Darc and so on and so forth. I began to think that I could find this type of work very interesting.

What came next?

Then, at perhaps 23, I began as a buyer and manager of a small company from St. Tropez. I worked hard and was very proud

of having this privilege and of leading a small team of ten people in several small stores.

In 1979, I decided to open my first store with my wife Martine.

It was a small basement store on the Champs Élysées and the beginning of L'Éclaireur. We actually began at a difficult time because it was the start of the Iran crisis, which began with the hostage-taking in Teheran in 1979. However, we had our own philosophy, to fight for young but creative designers.

What were your first big labels?

Girbaud and Stone Island. I did a lot for Girbaud and we made a killing. Keyword: creative jeans, now this is making everyone crazy once again. However, Girbaud’s sales management and I had fundamental differences and I decided to look elsewhere for talent. I continued to travel to Milan, Florence and London. At the time, I discovered Antwerp Six. It was a shock for me, something completely fantastic because it was the complete opposite to what the market wanted. At that time, the kings were Alaïa, Montana, Mugler and Gaultier. So I began style in progress 313

078 THE LONGVIEW

with Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten and the others. It was not at all easy. All of my female customers told me that they wanted to keep their sexy silhouettes and that their husbands didn’t want to see them in flat shoes. Or in these completely different and mostly androgynous silhouettes of the time.

Your first store spanned just 28 square metres, how did it look?

There was a cocoa carpet because we didn’t have much money back then. I made everything myself.

We bought wooden shelves, just like most of the interior furnishings, which were also made of wood.

Do you have the skills to do this?

I’m a very haptic guy, I’ve always been a talented craftsman. If you like, my roots and culture were severed from me when I came to this country. Someone like me must always fight more than someone whose degree hangs on the wall and feel its security. It’s a struggle. Life is really a struggle.

My motivation was always to ask what I could do better.

very important for us because you can get very good press by having them.

Who were your customers?

From the very beginning, we were lucky enough to have music and film stars as customers. They love the way we are and our style. In 1990, we were lucky enough to find a beautiful store on Rue des Rosiers in the Marais and we decided, although there was yet another crisis in the form of the Gulf War, to open there in April. This time we also wanted to display products made of glass, silver metalwork and design. In this branch, we had works by Ron Arad, Marc Newson, Tom Dixon and David Palterer, all English designers.

It had the feel of a museum because the people who came to the store often wondered if the

products were for sale or were just for presentation. At the time, it was something new and they called it a concept store.

How did that develop? Did you and Martine sit down together one day and decide to sell furniture?

We never spoke about it. It came naturally and was logical.

So that’s what L'Éclaireur was at the end of the ‘80s and the beginning of the ‘90s, the alternative fashion destination?

Yes. It was about strong personality with integrity, like for example, Junya Watanabe or Rei Kawakubo. People who didn’t just follow trends but did their own work with personality and inspiration. I also had Katharina von Lehndorff’s belt collection from Germany. She was a bestseller in my stores for many

years. It was a huge success and I remember that my minimum order was over 3,000 of the most expensive belts on the market at the time. The belt was more expensive than trousers, for example, almost like a jewel. I was lucky enough to discover her belts and to sell them exclusively in France.

Why did you want exclusivity in France?

I wanted exclusivity because I never held sales. This was to protect the brand and the image.

For example, I didn’t really sell any Ann Demeulemeester in the first three or four years but I still didn’t hold a clearance sale.

I wanted to protect her and I simply kept all the stock. That was really our power and still is today. We are against private sales or anything like that.

"I Wanted Exclusivity Because I Never Held Sales."

How should we imagine your everyday life? You and your wife in the store?

Yes. Two years later, we opened our second store at 26 Champs Élysées, which we still have today. Again, two or three years later we opened the store on Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, which also still exists today. We tried to display Galliano and all the young designers from London there. A few years later, we discovered Prada und Dolce & Gabbana. In the case of Prada, we bought some pieces from the men’s collection and for Dolce & Gabbana, it was this cocktail of very sexy dresses inspired by Sicily, which brought them success.

Did you combine the labels in your stores?

Always. From the very beginning, Martine and I had a dream. I said to her: Martine, the store can be small but our work must be great and without limits. A store is more than its surface area and 28 square metres is not a lot. I was away a lot, for example in America, I hoped to find a fantastic belt producer, which I could bring to France.

Accessories have always been 313 style in progress

In front of the entrance to his L'Éclaireur boutique in the Marais.

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080 THE LONGVIEW

"It’s Not At All Exciting To See a Collection Made of 3,500 Individual Pieces."

craftwork. Here in the new store, we decided to concentrate on a combination of art and new technology instead of design.

Did you invent the concept store?

No, I didn’t invent it because my inspiration came from a visit to the old Barneys store on 16th Street/ 17th Avenue in New York. The first time I went into the store, it really impressed me. All the things you could get there; clothes, shoes, antiques, jewellery and watches and an impressive décor. This was act­ ually my inspiration for all my stores thereafter and so I didn’t invent the concept store because it already existed.

Do you still go on trips to places like Milan for example?

Yes, I travel and I still buy.

Today, I am lucky enough to have two assistants by my side.

My wife and my daughter are responsible for womenswear and I am responsible for menswear and the development of the stores.

In the meantime, you are being copied by other stores.

That’s normal. We are very proud if we can be an inspiration to some­one. When I was in Holland or Berlin people came up to me and thanked me for my work and the inspiration it gave them.

Barneys inspired me back then.

This is the classic way things happen.

It doesn't get more unusual than this: Hadida thinks Arne Quinze's store decoration hits the spot.

Tell me more about the discovery of Carol Christian Poell.

When I was in Milan, I was told that there was a guy there called CCP who had completed his first collection. I had never seen anything like it. It was impossible to buy it because it was no longer fashion. It was beyond fashion, just reflections and research. It looked like a chemistry lab. I wanted to meet the guy who had created it but it was not possible.

Still, I bought some pieces from his first collection to share this experience with my customers. We began to campaign for Carol and I have to say that he is the most copied designer in the world. The fit of the clothes, the shoes, simply everything was copied by everyone, even

by Prada and Jil Sander. Carol is the most exciting surprise in my career. I never reduced the 313 style in progress

price of one of his products. It makes sense. We have exclusivity for France and there are only 15 or 16 stores in the whole world.

On top of this, he only produces one collection per year. That’s all. He delivers when he can and we think that’s a good thing. For us, there is no season, fashion, weather, sale, nothing we have to worry about.

We are now in 2013 and we are in your store designed by Arne Quinze. When did you begin to design your interior with artists?

At first, we worked with architects and then we started doing more and more ourselves. When you work all day in your store, then you learn a lot and see what’s missing. At first, I placed my trust in architects, later I felt more and more like I was ready to express my desires myself. This

Have you ever created your own collection?

is what we did for Rue Herold, for example. When I met Arne, I told him that I love his work, I wanted to show it to the world and particularly to France. I had the store in Rue Herold and I began to exhibit his paintings and sculptures there. I told him everything that was important for him to know. He did the rest completely alone. A few weeks later, he came with and idea and we used it. This is how we presented the project, made some amendments and added in things, such as the sliding walls so as to display the products in homeopathic boxes and not to overwhelm the customers with rails full of clothes. Of course, also to create an atmosphere an to be different to all other stores.

We created the concept store in Rue des Rosiers with the three components fashion, design and

I don't like the term "collection." I think more in terms of products. It's true that we have begun to produce our own products. We began with menswear, suits and jackets.

We would like to extend the line at a later stage. I think, in a year, we will be ready to present it at the Tranoï but I really don’t want to speak about our own collection. I just want to think of them as products.

And e-commerce?

Yes, we began two years ago, that’s actually pretty late. We are part of Farfetch. We are not very happy to support their philosophy and I wish that we had the time to set up our own website for e-busniess, something which better conveys the identity of our stores. Everything will change with e-commerce and dealings between big companies and retailers will never be the

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With his Junya Watanabe jacket, Hadida is wearing an elegant sleeve over his Dior Homme jeans after meniscus surgery.

313 style in progress

THE LONGVIEW 083

same again. As all companies will learn, if they don’t already know it, with e-commerce, they will have more of a profit margin, fewer worries than with retailers, and concentrated distribution.

It’s just a question of strategy. I think we are undergoing a great revolution. Not evolution but a revolution. Everything will change in relation to dealings between companies, retailers and distribution.

"We Are Very Proud If We Can Be an Inspiration To Someone."

Where do you see the most potential at the moment? You have moved away more and more from the big names.

We are going to finish with a lot of designers with big names such as Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Marni. We are not going to continue with Saint Laurent, and definitely not with Balenciaga, because I reject these brands’ policies. They use you, and when they are big and strong enough, they do what they want.

The opening is the beginning of June. It’s at the Marché des Puces, Clignancourt. Someone who bought this has great plans for it.

I visited it and I immediately fell in love with a small house or hut.

I will create a new experience for our customers, to go there, enjoy a coffee or another drink and discover something different. Some archive pieces from the collections are being displayed there but the majority will be design, one-offs and limited editions.

I think it’s interesting because it complements what the other traders are offering there and it’s great because it’s something completely different.

Thank you for the interview!

Suppose Nicolas Ghesquière rang you tomorrow and asked if you would sell his own coll­ ection, would you do it?

Of course. One day, in 1990, a man came up to me whom I already knew. He was the designer of Prada menswear at the time, Neil Barett, and he came up to me and said: Armand, you have often told me that you like my work. I would like to hear from you today that you would buy my own collection and support me in my work. I replied: Please start Neil, start tomorrow and begin your work. From the very first day, I supported him and I am very glad I did because it’s working out well.

As we have just spoken about products rather than collections. Do you have the feeling that it’s the end of the era of designer fashion?

For me, it’s the end of the road for huge collections. It’s the end.

I’m responsible for the Tranoï and I’m a very important witness of this development. I only see success in products. That’s why I said to you that, in our store, we don’t speak about collections, but products.

You mean you see labels that work without presenting a new collection every season?

I’m speaking like a buyer now.

It’s not at all exciting to see a collection with 300 individual pieces, or a Prada collection with

3,500 individual pieces because I only want the best items. So, instead of producing 3,500 or 300 pieces, it would be better to just make and produce 50 pieces, so they provide a selection of something good, and concentrate on how to produce a top selection of articles, to make it even more original, and to work on the product.

I can only be successful with products and young designers.

I don’t need support from big names. We were the best support for the big names when they began, and today we can survive without those big names because we have so many things that we share with our customers. All these young people with their personal work and their creat­ ivity are very important.

Can you reveal anything about your next plans?

In Hadida's office, there are finds gathered from all around the world.

style in progress 313

084 WHAT'S THE STORY

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WHAT'S THE STORY 085

Timing Is Everything Two main collections a year are no longer enough. Those who want to score in the trade also need fashionable updates during the season. It’s high time, then, to fundamentally question the existing order and delivery system: what timing makes sense? With what are retailers – and suppliers too – possibly overburdened?

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Illustration: Katjana Lacatena. Photos: Companies, Tom Lemke

The store is full and the customers are in the mood to buy on this sunny Saturday in April. They are particularly interested in biker jackets in appealing colours, which have just arrived at Greve in Krefeld: in mint, yellow and sky blue. 100 per cent leather-free, says the label, for 129 euros.

The look is cool, the quality is good and the jacket suits the current weather. Seen, bought.

Strawberries in Winter

Hajo Greve’s plan of, for a new image in his store again in April using new stock has taken off. For him the classic order and delivery cycles, once for spring/summer and once for autumn/winter no longer apply today. “As retailers, we need to become more flexible,” says the Krefeld native. “I

can see that where I behave flexibly, I am successful and things become much more tedious when I stick to the rigid, long-term pre-order system.”

The weather this spring demonstrated once more the problems associated with the rigid cycles. The frosty weather until April meant that there was practically zero interest among customers in little, thin, fluttering dresses and summery tops. The summer stock, which had already been delivered to retailers, simply wasn’t appropriate for the weather. “Many collections are delivered too early,” says Stephan Becker, owner of the fashion boutique Constanca in Trier.

“The industry must revise the timing and the seasons because many retailers are concerned that the system we have had for years can’t continue in this way.” style in progress 313

086 WHAT'S THE STORY

In recent seasons many premium brands have developed the so-called first collections or pre-collections for early adopters. “The order dates for these collections are set ever earlier, for example, in May, for a delivery date in November because spring supposedly appears then,” criticises Hajo Greve. “However this means that the product range is all the less appropriate for the delivery date. Planning six months in advance in simply too long a time period because what you found fashionable six months ago, you might judge differently today.” However, here we need to differentiate, says Stephan Becker. “I need new stock early because it is in demand.

With Marc Cain, for example, I couldn’t do without it. The brand delivers new colours in November in materials that you can wear immediately. Strenesse also delivers a spring

Michael Schulz, CEO of the agency Aco Mode Düsseldorf: Despite all prophecies of doom, it seems important to have an early delivery date and, in fact, things are moving toward fashion and away from basics.

programme at the same time, which can be combined festively with the Christmas holidays.” However Stephan Becker is still shifting his pre-collection share from 40 back to 30 per cent. “We produced this effect and now are undoing it because we simply have too much stock in total.”

More Speed, More Product Pressure?

Nico Pesko, CEO of Pesko in Switzerland is also aware that the market has changed significantly once again in recent seasons.

“People want strawberries in winter. They no longer live according to seasons,” he says.

“However, this is not the actual problem.

It’s that the retailers have full storehouses that can’t take anymore and budgets that are pouring out until there’s nothing left. I always say: don’t hate the players, hate the game! Anyone who wants to play along shouldn’t question the seasons but rather the quantities they order.” As these need to be more precisely assigned. The Aco Modeagentur has the majority of its brands in store for 313 style in progress

Nico Pesko, CEO of Pesko in Lenzerheide: Don’t hate the players, hate the game! Anyone who wants to play along shouldn’t question the seasons but rather the quantities they order.

four collections per year, with pre-collections and main collections. “For two seasons we have been noticing that buyers have been dividing up their budgets differently,” explains agency CEO Michael Schulz from Aco Mode Düsseldorf. “This is in fact not for the benefit of inexpensive subsequent amounts or basics, but to be able to react to short-term trends. Retailers need fashionable images in their stores, which they only get with new trends, which are often not brought in with their main collections.” This is how the Aco Modeagentur has come to not only stock high-fashion collections, which according to Michael Schulz, should not be sold according to needs but emotions, and so are sold more regardless of time, but also the label Pinko with pre-collections and main-collections as well as flash collections during the season.

“Within this, trends are picked up, which have only taken off in the last two months,” says Michael Schulz. “From a sales and marketing point of view, it’s not about generating more budgets with more collections, but rather that the customer budgets for it from

Hajo Greve, CEO Greve Moden in Krefeld: Where I behave flexibly, I am successful and things become much more tedious when I stick to the rigid, long-term pre-order system.

the outset. For example 30 per cent for the pre-collection and 50 per cent for the main collection, and then 10 per cent again for flash collections as well as another ten for fashionable snap shots during the season.”

Other agencies have also partly adjusted their product selection to a faster cycle. A new contract at Deluxe Distribution comes in the form of Danish women’s label Minus, with eight complete collections per year, trendorientated and wearable. “Some retailers have reacted cautiously to the interim collection plus a small flash programme because they still need to recover after the difficult winter season,” says CEO of the agency Deluxe Distribution Ilya Morgan. “However, in general, the willingness to assign budgets more precisely has grown significantly.” The faster timing also has the advantage that the success of the collection can be assessed at the relevant point of sale a lot faster. “Within eight weeks the retailer can already tell if the brand is performing well in his store,” says Ilya Morgan. “With a normal pre-order collection, however, the customer orders twice at random before he can judge after three seasons if the collection is selling well for him or not.”

Then, does the faster timing help the stock at the PoS to be more in line with requirements? The opportunity is there at any rate, says Ilya Morgan. He gained the best experience with the collection Minimum, which he has been distributing on the German market for five years. “With seven deliveries per year, we have managed to meet demand in a timely manner,” says Morgan. “This was a completely new experience for us as an agency after the classic two main orders system. However, this also means that we consistently work at the same level because

milano - via santo spirito, 22

088 WHAT'S THE STORY

after the season is before the season. The collections are so close together that we deliver every two months.”

Time for Specialists

Admittedly, the principle of speed doesn’t suit every brand. Creativity needs its head start and the production period also remains the same. Companies often lack the structures to bring out several collections. Not so at 7 for all Mankind. It has been in the VF Company’s portfolio since 2008 and in recent years the brand has managed to make the leap necessary to survival from premium denim brand to premium trousers specialists,

Stephan Becker, Owner of Constanca in Trier: We retailers need to limit ourselves so that we have money leftover for flash collections during the season.

Customers want to have something new constantly.

They have become much more addicted to fashion and much better informed.

when chinos took over for jeans. Rather than stock goods for retightening, fashion with faster timing was in demand. This means nothing less to the brand than paying in advance and implementing internal processes and production within the time lapse and taking a much bigger risk overall. “With fashion items, it’s all about being at the forefront of a trend. We need to produce even before we have shown the customer anything,” says Marco Stein Country Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The balancing act between enough, but not too much stock has become a lot more difficult.

Still it bears fruit, thanks to a changed brand strategy. “We are growing from season to season,” says Marco Stein.

Four Times a Year

So which cycle works for whom? For Nico Pesko’s main store in Lenzerheide, the four collections cycle has proved itself. Even if he has to order four times in the showroom for it, he sees the advantage of it in more clearly differentiated fashion themes. “For us, the July delivery for autumn/winter is the most important,” he says. “In addition, we need a bit of a cruise collection in November and autumn stock in spring.” A special feature in the classic skiing destination is, however, the time between the skiing and biking season, in April, when the lifts are closed. During this time, the store Pesko also takes a break for four weeks. “The suppliers don’t always adjust to the fact that we have a reduced sales period for spring/simmer,” says Nico Pesko. “We would like to have a bit more differentiation from the distribution side sometimes. Brands like Akris and Schumacher, for example, are real partners and I know that I could call Dorothee Schumacher if I had a problem. Here, we feel well looked after.” Still, all partnerships are about more flexibility because a retailer has to be able to say no to a pre-collection too when it doesn’t convince him. Very few retailers find minimum order budgets appropriate at this time of difficult market circumstances.

Seven years ago, in search of more flexibility,

Ilya Morgan, CEO of the agency Deluxe Distribution Berlin: After the season is before the season.

The collections are so close together that we deliver every two months.

313 style in progress

Marco Stein, Country Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland at 7 for all Mankind: With fashion items, it’s all about being at the forefront of a trend. We need to produce even before we have shown the customer anything.

Pesko said farewell to the big players, Prada, Dolce e Gabbana and Gucci, in favour of the much-touted mentality of sniffing products out. “The question is with what will we stand out,” describes Nico Pesko. “By travelling to Florence, staying in Berlin, going to Paris or taking a look through the back streets in Bologna. At the Premium, we see a small flash programme by a label, which we had never had before but we know immediately: that’s exactly what we need now. We might only buy there once but when it hits the nerve of the time it’s just right.” Sensitivity is also sought after in the graduation of prices. Stephan Becker knows that “from March the price needs to go down again.”

“At the moment there is not much willingness to pay a lot of money for one piece. If Strenesse were to offer a flash collection of dresses with a delivery date in April priced at 350 or 450 euros, I would certainly not buy it.” As the mid-season sales begin at the same time in many places. “If my competitor starts in Trier, then I need to go along with it,” says Stephan Becker. “However, I don’t reduce everything, just blazers which I have already had in the store since November, while T-shirts and blouses still suit the season completely.”

So it’s time to rethink correct seasonal timing. As a fixed system only gives supposed security nowadays. Instead, more responsibility and instinct is desirable in terms of retailers.

However, this is definitely a new opportunity.

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090 WHAT'S THE STORY

It’s About the Product Mr Greve, is there a perfect rhythm for cycles of collections?

I believe that a rhythm of any kind is an increasingly noble desire, which is less and less appropriate to buying behaviour.

I also believe that individual multi-brand retailers need to return to their original function as traders. This has something of the charm of a big vegetable market, where people go to look for the best things every morning. When it’s three degrees I can’t sell any asparagus but when it’s nice outside then I have to have it. We retailers need to become more flexible.

Retailers need to be more independent, says Hajo Greve. In this interview, the co-owner of Greve Moden explains what this means.

What’s the best way to do this?

By doing intensive research. I need to be willing to travel a lot more and to engage in lots of discussions at the trade fairs.

This also involves scrambling in the backyards of our industry in order to come across hot shots or stock offers. It means

working with new partners, who think in terms of short-term cycles, as my so-called regular suppliers.

This calls for the necessary budget.

If I put everything into pre-orders, I’m inflexible. I need to rethink and restructure my focus. With some suppliers, I can order in February for delivery in March or April, whether they have produced beforehand themselves or are importers.

In doing so, they also take on a greater risk. These are suppliers who allow retailers to return input, who don’t have any brand ambitions but have nice labelling and a good appearance. They are flexible enough to take on the current business.

With fashion, which is enjoying excellent sales at our stores.

So is it no longer as much about the brand for customers?

In recent seasons, customers have clearly given up the brand loyalty they once had.

What now counts is a good product for a good price. G-Star is cultivating the slogan “Just the product.” This slogan was never as true as it is now.

Retailers Want to Order on a More Short-Term Basis Herr Stein, from post-ordering to fashion retailers is a big step. Why did you need to take it?

The premium brand 7 for all Mankind has transformed into a premium trousers specialist in a short amount of time. Marco Stein, Country Manager for the German-speaking market, explains how and why in an interview.

In the past, we were clearly focused on denim. However, in the past three years fashion development has exploded: beginning with chinos, followed by the trend of colour, all the way to prints. We have rapid development behind us, when it comes to the processes, production facilities and storage capacity. Also, when it comes to the materials. Other materials react differently and we needed to adjust to this very quickly. Under the umbrella of the VF Company, we also managed to do this. Through fashion development alone, we have eight times as many factories in comparison to before.

The risks today are also completely different.

We can’t simply display a collection, which is first being ordered and then produced. Rather, today it’s more about being at the forefront or even setting a trend and going into production before 313 style in progress

we have shown the customers anything.

So we have to plan much more exactly than before, set out the print, the cut and the quantities beforehand. In the case of a flash collection, we need to define which articles we are focusing on.

As part of this new rhythm, you have also developed your own European organisation.

American order cycles are too late for Europe. This is how the idea arose to establish our own design team in Lugano.

In this way, we can better meet the needs of the European market. The four-order cycle really proved itself for us, together with fashion snap shots, which have been very successful for us. This shows that retailers want to order trends on a more short-term basis and that, incidentally, the trend is bringing denim more into focus once again.

092 WHAT'S THE STORY

Prato and its Distretto della Moda were once strongholds of the European textile industry and winning Italian exporters when it comes to fashion. Today, the area is not just suffering the negative side effects of globalisation and the global economic crisis, but is also suffering as a result of the country’s political instability. We took a visit to four masters of “Made in Italy” production and heard their opinions on the current situation in their city.

Text: Janaina Engelmann-Brothánek.

Photos: Federico Batelli

313 style in progress

The state and local institutions can’t help the Pratesi, and the figures speak volumes: of the almost 10,000 companies active in the mid-‘90s, only 7,465 are left and the number of those employed in the textile industry has fallen by approximately 40 per cent in the last 15 years. What are the reasons for these figures?

How can companies survive these times of crisis? We visited four successful companies from the “Distretto”, two from Prato and two from Campi Bisenzio and asked for their opinion on their city’s problems. The cashmere producer Annapurna, the scarf specialist Faliero Sarti, the designer Ilaria Nistri and the jeans producer Roy Rogers are certainly a diverse bunch.

However, they do have a lot in common – they know how to do things right. They believe in know-how and the Distretto’s tradition of craftwork and they celebrate the real “Made in Italy” produce. The motto for survival: only those who produce beautiful things of the highest quality

will survive the crisis. “You can’t mess with quality,” declares Niccolò Biondi, Sales Director of Roy Rogers.

When Values Are Lost and the State Is No Help

At the beginning of the ‘90s, the pratese companies reached their high point: products made in Prato were popular, turnovers were increasing exponentially, the Pratesi were always out and about, attended parties all around the world and quickly developed their reputed arroganza pratese. Was it perhaps the arrogance or the overblown confidence that weakened the pratese firms? After the boom in the ‘90s, Prato’s successful image changed quickly. The new generation came to the fore and needed to prove themselves.

Some seized the opportunity and continued to run the companies with dedication and innovation others failed. Handing over to the next generation is known to be difficult “because one generation’s successful idea is not neces-

sarily the same for the next,” says Niccolò Biondi. Many pratese entrepreneurs’ children rested on their parents’ or grandparents’ laurels, others closed down, let staff go, rented out property at high prices and sold the out-dated looms. The new tenants were mostly Chinese. No one guessed at the time that just a while later these exact immigrants would gain the upper hand in Prato.

Roberto Sarti, Faliero Sarti’s son and the proud father of Monica und Federico, explains: “The Chinese concentrated more on the end product back then and not on the materials” – and that was their recipe for success.

You often hear that the crisis is a result of the invasion from the Far East. The city has immigration rates of 12 per cent, the highest in Italy. “Today, you almost see more Chinese people than Italians in Prato,” sighs Aida Barni – and this is also backed up by the figures. In 1990, 169 Chinese immigrants were registered at the residents’ registration office, in 2007 there were

WHAT'S THEIlaria STORY Nistri,093 de-

signer of the label Ilaria Nistri and Roque in front of Prato’s landmark, the Castello dell’Imperatore (The Emperor’s Castle, once the residence of Frederick II).

style in progress 313

094 WHAT'S THE STORY

Aida Barni, founder and owner of the cashmere producer Annapurna, here with her husband Pier Luigi Galli and three of her four children. From the left: Andrea, Alessandro and Elena. Elisabetta is missing; she was (you won’t believe it) in the Annapurna Mountains at the time.

10,077 – and these are only the official figures. The authorities speak of 25,000 Chinese people in the city, which makes it the third biggest Chinese city in Europe. The immigrants are said to have taken over whole sectors of Prato, they have established themselves in the local fashion industry, introduced bad quality and dumping prices, promoted illegal employment and tax evasion and tainted the definition of “Made in Italy” produce, this is the opinion of some Pratesi.

Attempts at integration by the city and the region have failed miserably, so that today the city is split in two and there is no rapprochement between the Chinese and the Pratesi in sight. The problem is not just the Chinese and their working methods and work ethic. The city authorities are also failing to take legal action against the 313 style in progress

immigrants’ criminal activities. If a Chinese company is convicted and, for example, has to pay high fines for tax offences or illegal employment, the firm is shut down immediately and, just a little while later, reopened under a new name. Indeed, the authorities know these tricks but are powerless.

Why are these companies’ low cost products in such high demand? Aida Barni, founder and owner of the cashmere manufacturer Annapurna, has a theory: “We are currently in the midst of the cultural Middle Ages. People no longer appreciate quality and individuality like they used to – people aren’t reading good books or listening to good music and, even with food, people don’t pay attention to quality. Unfortunately, this is how things now are in terms of choosing clothes – there is no product culture.” So

those who make more mediocre products are (still) the winners of this age.

The next problem is the high t ax burden, which Italian firms must bear. Andrea Galli, Sales and Marketing Director for Anna­purna and Aida Barni’s second eldest son explains that tax pressure has been a significant problem over the years: “Labour costs have risen steadily in recent years and place a huge burden on “We are currently in the midst of the cultural Middle Ages.” Aida Barni

a business. The state can’t seem to let go of one cent. In fact, they always need more. This robs us of many resources, which we could invest in further development. The state obviously doesn’t understand that, with more growth, more taxes would come

flowing in.” Equally, Monica Sarti, designer for the scarf label Faliero Sarti, can’t explain why e.g. the import tax out of China is lower than the export tax into the Middle Kingdom. “This means that our produce is not being protected or even supported and that is just a shame.”

Another weakness in Prato and its Distretto del Tessile is the lack of specialists in the textile sector.

Guido Biondi, Head Designer and Product Manager at Roy Rogers, explains that many young people are now studying to be managers and the new generation don’t want to know anything about craft work: “You will hardly find one 20 year old who wants to become a tailor because it is hard work.” The value of true handicraft was not passed on to the young Pratesi and the schools are also failing in his eyes. Elena Galli, Annapurna’s

Photo by Irene Schaur

096 WHAT'S THE STORY

The third generation of jeans producers – Guido and Niccolò Biondi from Roy Rogers place great significance on tradition and highquality denim products. Niccolò is the Sales Manager and Guido is in charge of design and production.

Product Manager: “These fashion schools let young girls and boys dream of designer careers and none of the graduates know how to link, sew or even use the Shima machines.” Too much theory and too little practice.

Courage, Foresight and Family

Despite the prevailing problems, many companies are managing to produce successfully in Prato. In times of crisis, like e.g. the ‘80s, they continually rediscovered themselves, opened up to the requirements of the market and still remained true to 313 style in progress

themselves. Instead of continuing to produce worsted wool, they moved towards the production of other textiles and end products, and, in a short space of time, Prato went from being the capital of “stracci” (rags) to one of the most important fashion centres in the world.

Monica Sarti confirms this: “The Pratese was always a master of reinvention and “arrangiarsi” and made world history by recycling.” Today, Monica and her brother Frederico are at the head of the family’s second company L’Accessorio, where their luxurious pieces of fabric

are designed and produced.

Their secret is the courage, the pratese craziness, their great and profound knowledge of their father’s firm Lanificio Sarti. The “Made in Italy” image needs to be preserved, explains Frederico Sarti: “We have tried to develop the Faliero Sarti product, to renew the brand without losing the Italian – or to put it better – the pratese identity.”

The two directors of Roy Rogers, Niccolò and Guido Biondi are also very attached to their tradition and roots and explain that there were always crises and that you must learn from them.

In the ‘80s, the brand took the plunge and made the move from work clothes to fashion products and it paid off. The jeans “You can’t mess with quality.”

Niccolò Biondi

producers are now in their third generation and have been working in Campi Bisenzio for over 60 years and some of their staff have been with the company for 40 years. They attribute their steady success to a seamless transition between the generations, to the values inherited from their grandfather and father and

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Ilaria Nistri in her workshop in Prato. She is famous for her „fragilely gothic“ style.

Annapurna Aida Barni founded the familyrun cashmere company in Prato in 1978. Since then, the pioneer has been producing the finest collections. Today, along with her husband Pier Luigi Galli, her four children also work for the manufacturer: Elisabetta is responsible for legal affairs and contracts, Andrea is Sales and Marketing Director, Elena is Head of Design and Alessandro is Product Manager. Alongside the main brand, Annapurna, there are now two more labels from the Barni/Galli house: Aida Barni and 5+1_Annapurna. www.annapurna-aidabarni.com

Faliero Sarti L’Accessorio is, after Lanificio Sarti, the Sarti’s second family company and has been making luxurious scarf collections since the beginning of the ‘90s.

Monica and Federico Sarti, grandchildren of the founder Faliero, today run the firm from Campi Bisenzio together, and more successfully than ever, with support from their father Roberto. Monica is responsible for design and Frederico for sales. www.falierosarti.com

Ilaria Nistri Together with her husband Simone Rafanelli in 2006, the pratese designer founded the company Stilab S.p.A., and has been successfully creating her two labels Ilaria Nistri and Roque ever since. The brands are currently booming in countries like Japan, South Korea and Kazakhstan. www.ilarianistri.it

Roy Rogers The company Manufatture 7Bell has been around since 1949. It was Italy’s first blue jeans producer. Today, Niccolò and Guido are the third generation to run the firm in Campi Bisenzio and successfully produce the Roy Rogers collections. The elder brother Niccolò is in charge of sales, while the younger, Guido, is responsible for design and production. www.royrogers.it

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to production facilities in Italy alone. Last season, Roy Rogers brought out a special knitwear collection: the Tuscan Wool Capsule – every piece of clothing was made in Tuscany. Even the yarn was from sheep on Monte Amiate and the Maremme plains.

The collection was particularly successful in Japan, so the “Made in Tuscany” product range is to be extended next season.

“I couldn’t produce my two labels Ilaria Nistri and Roque anywhere else.”

Ilaria Nistri

Annapurna is another company that has emerged from the crisis.

The Barni/Galli family has been producing high-quality, “Made in Prato” cashmere collections since the ‘70s. As a family, they stand for success. Of course, they all wear cashmere jumpers. Their

recipe for success is never having broken the code of quality and the family’s strong ability to stick together. All of Aida Barni, the founder’s, four children now work for the company and peu à peu they have found their place in the firm. Their mother and their father, Pier Luigi Galli, are Italian cashmere pioneers. After 35 years, you can see that they still do the job with passion.

Their youngest son, Alessandro Galli, tells that, for them, family and work were always one, the parents built up the company with so much devotion and dedication that it was natural for its heirs to take over at some stage.

So who’s the boss here? All turn to their mother laughing.

The avant-garde designer Ilaria Nistri also comes from a pratese textile family. Her father is coowner of Furpile. She is a proud model Pratese, lives directly

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Roberto Sarti, owner of Lanificio Sarti, and son of the founder Faliero Sarti, here with two of his five children Monica and Federico Sarti. Monica and Federico are now at the head of the family’s second company, the scarf label Faliero Sarti.

behind the city’s landmark, the Castello dell’Imperatore, and had the courage to set up her own firm Stilab S.p.A. in Prato in 2006. Ilaria knows that the Distretto’s know-how is multifaceted and can feature the highest quality: “I couldn’t produce my two labels Ilaria Nistri and Roque anywhere else because, here in this neighbourhood, I get everything I need for these collections – from the dye factories, weaving mills and tanneries to the fabrics.” She has hard work, her family and this city to thank for her success. In order to demonstrate the uniqueness of the Distretto, Ilaria Nistri created a photo project in 2012, which she presented to her 300 customers around the world. They are photos of Tuscan 313 style in progress

craftsmen at work – the images speak for themselves: wonderful handmade prints in strong colours, hardworking men in dark tanneries, big washing machines, in which the new stone-washed methods are being tested. People abroad know to appreciate this.

About 80 per cent of her annual turnover is generated abroad.

“The Pratese was always the master of reinvention and of ‘arrangiarsi’.”

Monica Sarti

The other three firms also still rely on exports and benefit from the markets outside Italy. While Faliero Sarti is even taking the plunge in South America with its scarves, Annapurna is now look-

ing to Japan and South Korea.

Roy Rogers wants to further develop retail and to score in China in the near future. So the tables have turned: a pratese product conquering China.

In answer to the obligatory question: what would guarantee Prato’s future, all four labels say the same thing: no cheap mass production and only high quality, made in Italy. When it comes to real, high-quality “Made in Italy” produce, only the Italians can really have a say.

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British spirit and familiar faces shape the image of Pepe Jeans London: from Sienna Miller to Natalia Vodianova.

Pole Position Pepe Jeans London.

More than a jeans brand – Pepe Jeans London stands for an attitude to life. A European product with a Spanish brain, but its heart beats in Great Britain. This year, Pepe Jeans London has turned 40.

Time to serenade them.

Text: Ina Köhler.

Photos: Pepe Jeans London

40 years is a long time for a fashion brand, for a jeans brand in the fast-moving youth market it is almost an eternity: It was a long road from its beginning in the London Portobello Market to sponsoring Formula 1 with the Red Bull racing team. The founders ensured from the very beginning that the brand

always had the right twist for the relevant generation. In the early ‘70s, London was the place to be for everyone who felt at home in the world of music, youth culture and Zeitgeist. This was particularly true for the Portobello Market – a multi-cultural melting pot for ideas, creative types, for youth culture. And there, in the midst of it all were the brothers Nitin, Arun und Milan Shah, who sold their jeans there, products with character, which stood out from the anonymous masses and which they gave the catchy name of Pepe. “At the time, London was raw and hot,” says Nitin Shah. “It was a place with an irresistible, rebellious music and art scene. I was 19 when I came to London, directly from Africa to the centre of the world.” The ‘70s was the decade style in progress 313

104 WHAT'S THE STORY

of jeans – they became a completely normal part of everyday life, a lifestyle product. During this decade, the brothers established their brand as a constant and soon had other countries beyond the island in their sights: In the ‘90s Pepe Jeans London supplied France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland.

A Focus on Stars

The image of a brand lives off pictures. Pepe Jeans London always had a nose for campaigns: By employing Bruce Weber, for example, they bagged one of the most established fashion photographers of past decades. In 1992, he photographed supermodel Bridget Hall for the brand. The list of stars who represented Pepe is much longer – Laetitia Casta, Ashton Kutcher, Natalia

Sebastian Vettel is not just one of the fastest men in the world he also makes a good model for the Formula 1 collection Infiniti Red Bull Racing.

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Vodianova, Sienna Miller, Jason Priestley or recently Cara Delevingne have all posed for Pepe.

Photographers like Steven Klein produced the look: edgy, beyond the mainstream and always with a special twinkle in its eye.

A Racy Partnership

Since 2010, Pepe Jeans has been sponsoring Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing and has been building on the success of the young racing star Sebastian Vettel, who has been racing from victory to victory with his team. Now the company has extended it cooperation with Red Bull for the next two years: Until 2014, Pepe Jeans London is not only an official sponsor but is also producing an accompanying collection Infiniti Red Bull Racing – a premium line for men, women and children. In addition, Pepe

Campaigns with the stars: Personalities like Alexa Chung characterise the image of Pepe Jeans London.

Jean London is developing team uniforms for the racing team.

The premium line has been in the brand’s flagship stores since April and is available on their own online store. In addition, they are being marketed on the Red Bull Racing store and in the context of Formula 1. The media presence is tangible. “Our partnership with Formula 1 has given us a really great drive,” says a delighted Uwe Boser, Germany’s Country Manager, who has been working for Pepe Jeans London for 18 years. His goal for Germany is focused on sport. “Of course to be number one,” he says. “We are already very strong in the market when it comes to our women’s collections. With them, we stand for high-fashion, trendy collections. It’s important to us to have more of a presence for men.” The share between men and women is 60 to 40 per cent, they are expected to even out in the long term. Pepe Jeans supplies 680 doors in Germany alone. In 2013, the brand is focusing even more on the youngest customers: “Growth rates among kids are high,” says Boser, “there is still enormous potential here.” Pepe has had its own sales team in Germany for the junior lines since February with showrooms in Berlin, Munich, Düsseldorf and Hamburg. New from this year are collections for the youngest customers, from two years old – an investment in the future for the new generation, which could possibly give Pepe Jeans London another 40 years.

Star photographers like Bruce Weber photographed for the brand – here, the supermodel Bridget Hall in 1992.

In 1973, Pepe Jeans London was founded by the Shah brothers. Today’s CEO Carlos Ortega took over the company in 2001 and moved the company’s headquarters to Madrid. In order to boost international expansion, the investors L Capital and Artá Capital Partners came on board three years ago. With great success: Today Pepe Jeans London has expanded with approx. 2,000 staff in more than 60 countries, and it runs over 300 stores around the world.

In Europe, France and Germany are its strongest countries with subsidiaries of their own. In Austria and in Switzerland, distribution has been carried out by the Agentur Madison for many years now. In Germany, Pepe Jeans London has its own stores in Cologne, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Oberhausen and Berlin, where another branch is expected to appear on Leipziger Platz. They are also present in Zurich, Mendrisio, Vienna and Graz with their own stores. The British menswear label Hackett has also belonged to the consortium since 2006. As well as this, they are a distribution partner for the brands Tommy Hilfiger and Esprit in Spain and Portugal. www.pepejeans.com

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Kate Moss in Matchless on Matchless. Photographed by Terry Richardson for the motorbike lifestyle brand’s current campaign.

Leather, Motorbikes & Kate Matchless. As a holistic lifestyle approach Matchless, the oldest British motorbike brand, doesn’t just want to conquer the fashion market.

Text: Stephan Huber.

Photos: Matchless

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In order to really understand Matchless’ actual ambition, you have to wait for the moment when the urbane, cool entrepreneur Michele Malenotti very briefly transforms into a little boy. It is with bright eyes that he strokes the saddle of the lovingly restored Matchless T3, which is exhibited in the showroom of the agency Adventure in Munich.

He enthusiastically indulges in the rich history of the motorbike pioneer in London, tells of its victory at the first Isle of Man TT, or its time as an innovative supplier of the British Army, or of Marlon Brando and James

Dean, both of whom made film history on Matchless motorbikes. It becomes clear no later than at this moment that Franco Malenotti and his sons Michele and Manuele haven’t just bought the licensing rights to exploit the archive of a big name and ride the vintage wave, which is still going strong. Rather, the motorbike and film enthusiasts are on a cultural mission. Michele Malenotti: “The company is so rich in history and stories that we feel obliged to treat this legacy with respect. Our goal is to resurrect Matchless as a lifestyle brand inspired by motorbikes.”

A Holistic Approach

When they took over Belstaff in 2005, the Malenottis showed that you can make an big old name sexy again. Not least by using product placement among the Hollywood elite. In 2011, the Labelux Group then bought Belstaff for 110 million euros.

A healthy foundation to start off with Matchless, and also to go in new directions. Michele Malenotti: “We don’t want to copy ourselves. The approach with Matchless is holistic. In addition to clothing and accessories, from 2014, there will also be Matchless motorbikes once

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Marlon Brando in “The Wild One”. You can tell by taking a closer look at the upside-down logo. Just wild!

again, produced in Great Britain.

These will not be replicas but new developments in the classic look based on the history of the oldest motorbike manufacturer in England.”

The Matchless collection presented for the first time last winter is only beginning its journey. Although it’s only available relatively late in the ordering season, the focused, sophisticated selection of jackets has managed, from day one, to impress many desirable customers from the top genre of the trade in the German-speaking market. Philipp Castien from the Adventure Modeagentur GmbH: “In the case of Matchless, it’s not just the product that’s right but also the history behind it and this history is exactly what the trade needs nowadays, if it wants to win over sophisticated customers with a new brand.”

You could also describe Matchless’ first advertisement as sophisticated. British fashion icon Kate Moss was presented as tough in black and white by enfant terrible Terry Richardson.

Driven by passion: Father Franco Malenotti on the left, his sons Michele and Manuele on the right.

Matchless Henry Collier founded Matchless, the first British motorbike brand, in 1899.

Particularly in its first few decades, the company achieved many successes in motor sport and was also extremely commercially successful. In 2012, the Malenotti family, former owners of Belstaff, bought Matchless to develop a motorbike-inspired lifestyle brand from its rich legacy.

The clothing line was first presented in the autumn/ winter 2013/14 season.

From 2014, Matchless is also expected to produce high-quality motorbikes once again. www.matchlessmotorcycles.co.uk www.adventure-gmbh.de

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The entire world of 0039 Italy is given a top-class platform at the new flagship store in Berlin.

It's All About Desirability 0039 Italy is ready for the transition from successful product to international brand.

Text: Stephan Huber.

Photos: 0039 Italy

Aysen and Rachid Bourak don’t actually like talking about their company and their label 0039 Italy, or at least not to the press. “We’re not really all that interesting”, they say and aren’t even saying it tongue in cheek.

But the performance of 0039 Italy over the past twelve years is certainly highly interesting.

The idea of providing a range of high-quality blouses and shirts beyond the basics and with a

top mark-up has, without any fanfare whatsoever, gradually turned into an international success story. This success story has been built, and will continue to do so in the future, on unerring design, reliable delivery and a high sales quota. Bourak says dryly: “A label is made at the cash desk! Ultimately, it is quite simple. Supplier and retailer have to earn money. And a product that can make that happen is a good product.”

A Signal of Self-Confidence

However, things like this don’t happen by themselves, it requires incessant work. The fashion trade in particular needs the balance between reliability and steady renewal and further development. Bourak: “0039 Italy today, now has the maturity to move on from being a product to becoming a brand name.” Of course, there doesn’t have to be a

Behind the scenes: Aysen Bourak (right) and Eleonora Carisi on the set in Milan.

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song and dance about it, instead it can be done with a number of small and somewhat bigger steps. For example, the launch of the flagship store in Berlin in March of this year. A step that was deliberated at great length within the company. “0039 Italy is a specialised trade brand.

And nothing is going to change there, either. Own shops, as well as those operated as part of a joint-partnership, provide the opportunity to present the brand holistically. We hope that this will provide a major boost for all our customers.” Own stores in Florence and Paris are to open in September; in Germany, the next locations in Munich and Düsseldorf are busily involved in the development stage. Partner stores are to be opened in Asia in 2014 as well as Australia. At the same time, Bourak carefully strives to ensure they don’t fall into the typical success trap of over-distribution. “Ultimately, desirability is the key factor. After all, we’re not selling convenience goods.

We’re attending to emotions.”

Doing without something also creates desirability, sometimes even doing without a turnover.

We have decided we are going to move ourselves in a very selective way in terms of online trading, in order to control the sales channels. To start off with this will really cost us money but over the long-term, we consider this to be the right signal. To be a signal of self-confidence.”

It-girls as Brand Ambassadors

0039 Italy is also showing its self-confidence with its new campaign which will be accompanying the brand. Rachid Bourak: “Advertising for fashion is difficult. The classic image doesn’t work anymore because it has become too interchangeable. We have always strived to go a slightly different way.” And will continue to do so in future.

Brand ambassadors are to give consumers the face and weight of 0039 Italy. Ariane Sommer, a former It-girl is a successful author in Los Angeles nowadays and will be promoting the brand in the major growth market of the United States. Collaboration with Eleonora Carisi is even more exciting. Starting off with her streetstyle blog, the 28-year old from Turin with the striking mole above her top lip, has evolved into one of the few real superstars of the fashion blogger scene, busily active with ease on pretty much all the social media channels and with joujouvilleroy. com a leading medium of the scene. Rachid Bourak: “It’s all about glamour, but it’s also about authenticity. Our brand ambassadors combine the two quite as a matter of course.”

www.0039italy-fashion.com

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It-Girl and Fashion Blogger Eleonora Carisi is the new brand ambassador for 0039 Italy.

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60 Years of Sportalm – A Good Reason to Look Ahead Sportalm. The family company from Kitzbühel celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. However, the Ehrlichs have very little time to take sentimental journeys into the past because they have a great array of projects and plans for the future.

Text: Daniela Angerbauer.

Photos: Sportalm, Atelier Ender

Sportalm is turning 60; the head of the family Wilhelm Ehrlich is turning 70. Two good reasons to hold a lavish celebration. This is exactly what is planned for the 12th July of this year in Sportalm and the Ehrlich family’s hometown, Kitzbühel in Austria. You can understand why the chief designer Ulli Ehrlich doesn’t linger on detailed descriptions of the anniversary, considering the company’s steadily increasing growth. Whether it’s rebuilding the company headquarters, national and international store openings, expansion into the North African market or the relaunch of an independent ski collection for men – the brand Sportalm stands for financing yourself step by step. A 14 per cent increase in sales with the fashion line e.motion, or 20 per

cent in the ski fashion segment provide impressive proof of this once again.

A New Store Culture

In 2009, they began to consistently adapt new and existing flagship stores to a completely changed look. All three areas – fashion, skiing and Tracht (traditional costume) – have been presented in a white, modern environment since then. Three further openings are expected this year in Zakopane in Poland, as well as Prague and Spindleruv Mlyn in the Czech Republic.

However, the company is not just focusing on Eastern Europe, there is also demand from the North American market, which should and can no longer be met from Austria alone. In 2014, Sportalm will display its

ski collections in Denver for the first time at the SIA Snowsports Tradeshow. At the same time, they are also working on developing their own distribution in the US and, if negotiations continue successfully, Ulli Ehrlich believes that even a Sportalm store in Aspen isn’t out of the question.

Sportily Proper

The core business of Tracht is constantly growing, the market is booming on average; things look significantly more manageable according to Ulli Ehrlich. However, for last year’s ski collections, “absolutely everything came together.” “Along with a collection that got great reviews and good sales, the winter weather gave our balance sheet an extra boost,” says the chief designer.

In the fashion sector too, with e.motion, there hasn’t just been a visual and conceptual transformation, but also an economic increase. “We have added a more proper aspect to the collection.

Now, you can find blazers for the office on e.motion but our typical Sportalm signature is still recognisable,” this is how Ulli Ehrlich describes her design approach. A clear increase in sales and customers who stand with conviction behind the product are a great motivation to still be going in new directions, even after 60 years of the brand.

Strong Family ties (from left to right):, Hertha, Ulli, Wilhelm and Christina Ehrlich.

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WHAT'S THE STORY 111

Since as far back as 1973, the name Sportalm has stood for extravagant and fashionable skiwear.

The core business of Tracht has continued developing over the past 60 years.

60 Years of Sportalm Sportalm was founded in 1953 as a knitting mill. In 1973, Franz Kneissl took over the business and began to develop into the skiing sector. In 1980, the CEO Wilhelm Ehrlich became the new owner (68 employees, 2.3 million euros turnover). Today, he owns the company together with both of his daughters, Ulli (design) and Christina (sales) Ehrlich.

Since 1979, Hertha Ehrlich has been running the first core business in Kitzbühel and is also Sportalm’s best customer.

Today, the business employs about 820 staff in Austria, as well as Bulgaria, and serves 1,200 customers in 21 countries. The firm now has a new building in its headquarters in Kitzbühel. Its own production facility in Bulgaria guarantees the company has high standards of quality and on-time deliveries.

There are currently 16 Sportalm shops and outlets in total. The total turnover for 2012 was 60 million euros, the export quota is 80 per cent. www.sportalm.at

The new collection e.motion presents itself as more proper and classic without compromising any of its recognition value.

Four million euros is being invested in rebuilding the company headquarters.

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Roberta Cirri (far right), with her two daughters Maria (right) and Paola. The sixth generation of the family business is already represented in the workshop by both grandchildren, even if they are just playing.

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The Legacy of the Greats WHAT'S THE STORY 113

You can acquire values one to one, perhaps leadership styles too, but this is definitely not the case with visions of the future. Those who run their parents’ family business come up against completely different challenges to the founder themselves: a completely changed market and competitive environment, e-commerce and new structures for trade, the new generation of multi-channel consumers, old gender discussions and transforming thinking from the global to the local. What are the strategies when learning from our elders is no longer enough? Text: Janaina Engelmann-Brothånek, Isabel Faiss.

Photos: WĂśhrl, FGF Industry, Leonardo Beglieri, Vaude

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"Our way of making hats is like our way of cooking" INVERNI. Maria and Paola Cirri took over the traditional Tuscan company which is already in its fifth generation.

The two sisters have been involved in the business for 15 years and took over the company five seasons ago.

Maria Cirri, how do you deal with high expectations both within your family and externally?

New generations need to assert themselves twice as much in a family business.

There is a high risk of judging people according to their role in the family and of pigeonholing them as a result. In business life, you develop certain characteristics, which you perhaps never displayed before in family life, because you grow when faced with challenges. Our secret is that both Paola and I know exactly which direction we should be going in and we are still prepared to change our course if the headwind is too strong. We always keep our goal in mind and remain positive. Things have changed a lot in the past 10 years, that’s why we keep defining our goals more clearly, but we continue being flexible.

What do you and the generation before you have in common?

Respect for the shareholders and our employees, and that we place a lot of significance on the service for the end consumer.

And a passion for quality. Quality is almost an emotion for us Italians. Our way of making hats is like our way of cooking. We use the best ingredients, match

different tastes, always using strong colours. This produces a real "Made in Tuscany" product.

What do you do completely differently to your mother today?

In the past, we produced much more for other brands. But my sister and I didn't want to bow to this system anymore and we decided to concentrate on our own line. It was a brave decision but one that paid off. We also refined our marketing strategy because otherwise we would be making beautiful things and no one would know about it. So we are now represented at the most important trade fairs like Pitti Uomo in Florence, White in Milan, Premiére Classe in Paris or Premium in Berlin.

How was the "generational shift"?

You mean "how IS the generational shift?" Our mother Roberta is still very active and dynamic. In the past she has always controlled all phases of production although here are specific resources now, she still keeps her eyes open. She is our living fashion archive. Thanks to the input she has given, we are in the position to produce an extremely high-quality, handmade "Made in Tuscany" product.

How important is it for a company of its type to draw from the "old" know-how?

Her advice is in demand: Roberta Cirri can give her daughters a lot of it – even if they have moved the brand Inverni in a completely new direction.

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The know-how that is passed on is our secret. We have been working with the same suppliers for decades and almost all our employees were trained here. If a hat isn't prefect, everyone at Inverni recognises it.

Inverni in three words?

Exquisite, indispensable, sensual.

Basically: chic.

Inverni in 20 years?

We want to develop our knitwear collection. We have already presented cardigans and shoulder warmers, scarves, ponchos and we would perhaps also like to create a home collection and a children's collection. A dream would be to have our own stores in selected cities but without upsetting our retail partners because we really value these partnerships.

Is there already a 6th generation waiting in the wings?

WOW! We have three boys! Two are too young and only think of playing games. The third is attending a humanistic grammar school and plays bass...

“New generations need to assert themselves twice as much in a family business.”

Maria Cirri, Inverni

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Rudolph Wöhrl (left) founded his firm of the same name in 1933 and handed it down to his two sons Gerhard (middle) and Hans Wöhrl in 1970. His grandson Olivier Wöhrl (right) has been running the company since 2012.

"The Life's Work of Two Generations Was Entrusted to Me" WÖHRL. When he became CEO in January 2012, Olivier Wöhrl took over the company Wöhrl, which was founded in 1933 by his grandfather Rudolf Wöhrl, and which today is represented at 38 locations in Germany.

Mr Wöhrl, what was the situation like when you took over the company in January 2012?

I took on the new position with joy and commitment. Last year, we opened stores in Ingolstadt, Coburg and Straubing, which clearly show where I see Wöhrl going in the future. Our new presentation concept is catching on brilliantly and we have also consolidated our network of branches in a significant location with our new store in Coburg.

My goal is to continue to optimise the potential for quality brand value and consumer confidence in the coming years and to expand our presence in attractive locations that are useful from both a logistical and an entrepreneurial point of view.

In the meantime, the family company Wöhrl has taken on an external manager. Why did you return to the family business model?

Wöhrl is and remains a family company; this is the core and foundation of our 80 year-old success story. Marcus Kossendey was brought into the company to promote modernisation.

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more than was possible in recent years.

Your grandfather Rudolf Wöhrl founded the company in 1933 under the shadow of the economic crisis. Once again today Wöhrl is being faced with economically challenging circumstances. What do you see as the biggest challenges in keeping up with the rapidly changing market?

My grandfather developed the company and also continued to run it successfully after the Second World War. My father has already achieved a lot in further developing the company.

The family expects me to fill the role at the head of the company by completely going for it and being personally dedicated. I have been entrusted with the life’s work of two generations.

I take this very seriously. The accolade of Germany’s favourite fashion house from last year shows where retail needs to go in the future: we determine our position through our quality, trust, brand expertise and shopping experience. A central building block for this strategy is our staff and we see their intensive development as extremely significant.

You took over the company from your parents who, in comparison, ran it in an “ideal world.” What are you adjusting to?

Perhaps the best answer to your question is that Wöhrl is

celebrating its 80th birthday this year. We are a family company with an evolved tradition and a successful business model.

Despite this, we have to continue to adapt to the circumstances of our business: we want to work consistently on the sales ambience of our individual stores and to implement budgets for modernisation and renovations, as well as moves to more attractive locations, like our store in Bamberg.

With regards to our online presence, added value is our main focus. Our focus is to extend our business model from our physical stores to the internet.

“The family expects me to fill the role at the head of the company by completely going for it and being personally dedicated.”

Olivier Wöhrl, Wöhrl

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David Among the Goliaths vaude. When, in 2009, Antje von Dewitz took over from her father at the mountain sports supplier Vaude, for her sake and that of her staff, she first needed to define what role she would take on.

This led to a comprehensive restructuring of the company.

Antje von Dewitz, in 2009, when you took over at Vaude you had a two-year-long restructuring process behind you. Happy with the outcome?

The aim of the restructuring process, which began in 2005, was to prepare the company intensively for the transition by restructuring and reorganising processes, so they would suit me, so to speak. Ultimately, I am an entrepreneur and not the founder. I couldn’t bring all of the experience, skills and leadership methods that my father had.

Most significant decisions were made by my father at his desk.

The organisation structure was orientated towards him. With the restructuring, we directed the company more towards me and my leadership style. My main goal was to create more shared responsibility in the team.

Speaking of responsibility, could you give us some key figures regarding Vaude?

We have 480 employees here in the Tettnang headquarters and approx. 5,000 trading partners around the world. We do 60 per cent of our trade in Germany, the rest in 60 countries around the world, but mostly in Western Europe.

How difficult was it to earn respect in an area as maledominated as the outdoor market?

First and foremost, I acquired a certain standing through my expertise and cooperation in the company. Of course, there was a time when I was looked at critically as “Daddy’s girl” but I wasn’t conscious of it for long.

My first years in charge were spent finding my role. What is my own contribution to Vaude?

I spent a lot of time thinking about this.

My main goal is to concentrate more clearly on our core areas of expertise; so our first step was to reduce the base of the product range. This highlighted the core brand even more. Don’t get me wrong; of course we want to continue to grow. Our sales growth between 2009 and 2011 was 50 per cent, but growth is not our top priority.

So what is your contribution?

I have always seen myself as a bridge between tradition and innovation because I grew up with the company and so incorporate Vaude into my character. At the same time, I stand for modern times and a new way of leading employees. I manage to put my visions into words very well, or in other words, to lend the company meaning through its business activities.

Most changes of generation bring a lot of self-profiling hysteria with it, which is expressed through very progressive ambitions for growth. Your first act in office was to reduce Vaude’s product range?

“Of course, there was a time when I was looked at critically as “Daddy’s girl” but I wasn’t conscious of it for long.”

Antje von Dewitz, Vaude

Albrecht von Dewitz (left) founded the company Vaude in 1974, which he named after his initials v.D. In 2009, he handed management of the company over to his daughter Antje von Dewitz.

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118 WHAT'S THE STORY

Not just a unit in this picture: bottom right, founder of the firm and fashion design legend Enzo Fusco, beside him his wife Silvana Fusco. Above them are the representatives of the new generation, daughter Federica Fusco and her husband Giuseppe D’Amore.

“We Are Slowly Being Initiated” FGF Industry. Federica Fusco and her husband Giuseppe D’Amore have been with the Fusco’s company for 12 years. The company manages such brands as Blauer USA, C.P. Company, Ten c and BPD.

Frederica Fusco, when you look back at your father’s path and compare it to your own, where do they intersect and where do they go in completely different directions?

My parents still work in the clothing industry even now, so I grew up with the fashion industry. They have been working together for 30 years, so, as a child, I witnessed a lot of their business discussions and disputes. It still helps me today to understand and share my father’s thoughts and ideas. Of course we do have differences of opinion but that’s always the case in the workplace.

The percentage of women in Italian companies is still very low (the second-worst after Portugal in comparison to the rest of Europe). Was your father’s decision to name you as his successor a brave one?

At first I had the feeling that there’s a very big difference between men’s jobs and women’s jobs. However, after a few years’ experience, I learned to deal with the people I work with in a more relaxed and confident way. This attitude helped me to assert and implement my ideas. However, so far, I haven’t thought about my father retiring. He is still full of ideas and initiatives and never stands still. Perhaps my husband and I are slowly being introduced to his work and we will take it over at some stage.

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Mr D’Amore as an external manager, so to speak, what do you think are the advantages of this family business?

As I wrote my thesis about Mr Fusco’s business, I had the opportunity to thoroughly analyse and get to know the various sections of the business before I joined the company. When Mr Fusco then asked me to become a part of the company, and to allow him to change the initials of the company from XLE to FGF, where G stands for my name Giuseppe, I was very honoured.

One of the many positive aspects of a family business is that, despite disputes and discussions in the boardroom, everyone is moving in the same direction and puts the welfare of the company first.

in both cases, they deal with niche products. I imagine there will be targeted retail expansion in the future, for the individual brands, or also in the form of corporate FGF stores. Internationalising the brands is a major focal point and this is why, in May, we opened the first Blauer store in Shanghai and two others in China.

Where do you see FGF’s greatest potential?

Our strength is the product.

FGF’s four brands are well placed in the high-end sportswear segment. Blauer and C.P. Company are very successful traditional brands. Our brands Be Proud of this Dress and Ten C are growing rapidly at the moment, although,

“Of course we do have differences of opinion, but that’s always the case in the workplace.”

Federica Fusco, FGF Industry

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120 WHAT'S THE STORY

One like him: Lorenz Bach in Lorenz Bach, the owner makes fashion that he prefers to wear himself.

One Who Didn’t Set Forth Lorenz Bach. Gstaad is a village, albeit a glamorous one. Lorenz Bach is not completely without blame for this. Fortunately, Gstaad can say that it didn’t have to search high and low for its happiness.

Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: Lorenz Bach, Raphael Faux, Dörte Welti

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Lorenz Bach was born here on one of the farms. The boy became a farmer, but one who also loved to ski and wasn’t half bad at it, a dynamic guy. It wasn’t enough for a huge sporting career but enough for him, in 1980, to open up a store selling skiing equipment and accessories in his hometown of Gstaad.

People happily came to the quiet guy with the sparkling blue eyes because he knew what he was talking about, understood skiing, respected quality and made his name this way.

33 years later nothing much has changed for Lorenz Bach.

He still knows what he’s talking about. However, now there are eleven (yes, eleven!) stores in Gstaad and twelve more in Rougemont, Lausanne, Villars, Zermatt, Crans-Montana, Ver-

bier and Sion. He employs 140 people during the peak season.

However, Gstaad has remained his base, he belongs here. When you walk through the village with Lorenz Bach and pass his business’ individual locations it becomes clear why he his so successful. He knows everyone by name, in the café, on the street, in his shops. He speaks to everyone in their language, French, English, dialects and standard German. Lorenz Bach moves back and forth easily, no big deal, just a familiar manner.

How Customers Like It

The core of Lorenz Bach’s company is the store of the same name located in a quaint chalet on the promenade in Gstaad.

It provides fashion for women, men and children from the attic

to the ground floor. The control centre so to speak. In the village, divided into different locations adapted to different target groups, there are mono-brand stores like Brunello Cucinelli, there are glamorous locations for high fashion like Chloé, Christian Dior or Stella McCartney, sophisticated arrangements for brands like Philipp Plein, Steffen Schraut or Dolce & Gabbana, and casual shops like a former bank, where the vault is now filled with jeans and shirts. The pure sports stores are also still going. The portfolio has grown, one shop led to another, that’s how the customers wanted it, says the boss. As the customer is king, now there is also a furniture store where sophisticated part-time Gstaad residents can find anything from wall panel-

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A modern classic with loving details: the own brand “Lorenz Bach” is now being distributed internationally.

ling made of weathered wooden panels, to luxury beds and fine baskets for the sophisticated dog, including interior design consultations.

Out into the World with His Own Label

Is it still a surprise that the logical conclusion was his own label? Two years ago, Lorenz Bach designed his first collection with his team, the brand Lorenz Bach is now established. Details are what make it unique, like the embroidered red cross on the corner of the collar, the subtle weft on the sleeve or visibly stitched shoulder yokes. With this, Lorenz Bach can live out everything that he has learned over the 33 years: high standards of quality in processing, cuts that really sit well, high-class materi-

als, distinct colour combinations and a real sense of what the customer wants. At the same time, customers who are happy with Lorenz Bach’s own brand are turning into clientele who buy it internationally. Like in all other areas of the business, this also works in the typical Bern style: always nice and slow, simply no rushing, no stress, what will be will be. Soon, the brand will also be available in shops that don’t belong to Lorenz Bach.

Why did one man have so much success here, at a time when, in other places, things are moving backwards with shops closing down rather than opening? The word “shrewd” comes to mind, in the best sense of the word. On his parents’ farm, which is still running and where he personally makes cheese in the summer

The Lorenz Bach store in Gstaad is also the company headquarters.

(You can buy Lorenz Bach cheese. What did you expect?), Lorenz Bach learned that you should let things take their course in a natural way so that they can thrive. Also, that you can be successful and that yields are abundant when you follow the rules: quality, solid trade, not overestimating yourself.

The owner is happy, the business belongs to him alone, the eldest son (of five children) Jean-Pascal, is already working for the company, Lorenz Bach’s sister coordinates sales. His heirs shall inherit a healthy, debt-free life’s work, as it should be – in the countryside.

Headquarter Maison Lorenz Bach Promenade 81 Gstaad/Switzerland T 0041.33.7446878 info@lorenzbach.ch www.lorenzbach.ch Lorenz Bach’s International Distribution MPH Agentur Philippe Stitzel Thurgauerstrasse 117, TMC Showroom 450 Zurich-Glattpark/ Switzerland info@mphagentur.ch www.mphagentur.ch

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122 WHAT'S THE STORY

Romance and Business Acumen Rosemunde. Good products at the right time. The Danish collection Rosemunde’s recipe for success can be easily summarised. However, there is more behind it.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Photos: Rosemunde

The name Rosemunde mainly stands for feminine, easy to wear. Ten essentials are available in nine colours all year round, from their tank top with lace elements to cardigans. For each main season, the range of colours is expanded once more to 30 fashionable shades. Then there are flash programmes with delivery dates in April and October.

"Rosemunde is the luxury basic top to take away. With its top quality, the label has acquired a good standing with its customers,” describes Olly Dees who distributes through his agency Rosemunde in Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. "The label also got it spot on with its flash programmes, ideal for retailers who want to follow suit once again in the short term.”

Dynamic Business

"Rosemunde is one of the few brands which, in addition to a strong collection, also generates high turnover with its unique basic products," says Rosemunde CCO Torben Olsen.

Rosamunde is supported by a company in Copenhagen with 50 employees and Torben Olden as CCO since November 2012.

Under his management, the collection is not only being developed with additional ready-towear clothing – including dresses, blouses, blazers, skirts and trousers –, but marketing is also being advanced. "Our focus is on worldwide expansion, especially overseas,” explains the Dane.

Nine years after it was founded, Rosemunde is now available at 1,000 points of sale including Breuninger in Stuttgart, Globus in Zürich, Trilogy in London, Seibu in Tokyo and Shinsegae in Seoul. This year, Rosemunde are planning on opening their own store in Beijing, another in Sweden and, in the coming year, a store in the Middle East. At the same time, the distribution network for new customers is being further developed, so distributors in Spain, Japan, South Korea, Australia, the US and Canada are now being joined by Italy and France – as well as Eastern Europe in the near future.

A Fashion Balancing Act

"The best silk is used for the collection and quality simply works," says Olly Dees, owner of the agency of the same name.

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Such ambitious expansion requires good preconditions. Rosemunde primarily uses silk, wool and also sometimes cashmere for its knitwear – everything in

Easy to wear, comprehensive colour palettes, rapid delivery and high markups, Rosamunde’s success model sounds simpler than it is.

high quality in order to keep customers interested in the long term. The markup of between 2.75 and 3.0 is just as important, for instance for a cotton-silk top with lace at a retail price of 49.95 euros. Delivery capacity is guaranteed by both logistic centres in Flensburg and Copenhagen, in which approx. 20,000 pieces are available from stock.

Last but not least, fashion forms the basis of Rosemunde’s success.

This is how the design team of nine manages to attract consumers in Germany and China alike, without changing for either market. With innovations that offer

incentives – at the moment lace in all its varieties is a bestseller – but don’t go overboard. Promising for long-term commercial success.

Rosemunde. Founded in 2004 Rosemunde APS, 2950 Vedbaek/Denmark 50 staff in its headquarters 1,000 points of sale worldwide Collections for women and children Collection share of turnover: 40% Essentials share of turnover: 60% www.rosemunde.com

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There's No Such Thing as

Monsters ...

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WHAT'S THE STORY 125

If it's not to be consumed by online, why specialised trade needs online and what new concepts could help them in the process.

Text: Isabel Faiss.

Illustration: Lamoral Kloss.

Photos: Companies

"Ten years ago they would have laughed at us. Five years ago they would have said, leave it, I'll do it myself. Nowadays, they understand the concept and are joining in", Thomas Janson from Shops Unite is describing the willingness of the retail trade to accept cooperative models.

Instead of constantly reiterating whether online trade damages offline trade and what can be done about the dominance of giant e-tailers, start-ups are taking a pro-active step and providing solutions on how a bricks-and-mortar trader can use the Net to its own advantage.

B2B exchanges and networking have raised and professionalised topics such as sourcing, order processing or exchanging goods - in the offline world, something between individual retailers that always used to take place anyway - bringing it to a different level.

Four companies present their concepts on how you can achieve more through the simple process of joining forces.

Kleidoo Strolling Through the Online City

"New online platforms against the death of boutiques" was the title of the e-mail that spilled into the Editor's Office at the

beginning of March. Written by an enthusiastic Kleidoo customer who was looking for some support for the start-up. Kleidoo presents itself as an independent business idea, one that has made a virtue out of a necessity: Many bricks-and-mortar stores are finding it increasingly difficult to compete in the arena between online stores and international retail chains. Kleidoo gives these stores the opportunity of putting their product range into a joint online shop and for them to take advantage of the synergy effects this causes. The spotlight in this process is first and foremost on personality. Every store is introduced along with its owner, every customer can firstly choose a store in which they would like to buy something. This means it comes very close to the idea of a virtual shopping trip. "Our primary focus is on being a partner for the retail sector", says Aranga Rahim, Managing Director of the central office in Hamburg which now has a staff of 18. "We put together a comprehensive welcome package for all our new partners." The first photo studio session of the products is included in this package free of charge, along with constructing the web presence with a portrait of the store and the starting costs and hosting fees. When a sale

takes place, Kleidoo takes a 12.5 or 15 per cent cut as commission. Since the participating dealers can generate a better margin by selling goods offline rather than via the online platform, this credibly backs up Kleidoo's argument of a partnership with the retail sector.

Brick on Brick

However, there are still a number of things that need to be worked on in the stylishly-designed Kleidoo world. For example, how competition between the participating stores should be regulated. "We don't want to have a price war. At the moment, we are in the process of regulating this by means of programming", says Managing Director Feodor Kouznetsov. The issue of sales is on track for this: Anybody who would like to reduce the price of individual products between seasons, are only permitted to do so by having promotions that only last for a limited period and by advertising these accordingly. All other price reductions exclusively take place in the outlet section.

Plans are also in the pipeline for an enterprise resource planning system for smaller stores to enable them to manage stock. This is still being run manually at the moment and will soon be offered as an additional service.

"We consider ourselves to be a partner for the retail trade." Feodor Kouznetsov (left) and Aranga Rahim.

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126 WHAT'S THE STORY

"We provide suggestions with Style Selection, similar to a fashion magazine, to help the buyer find his way around." Oliver Frielingsdorf

POP-Market Wholesale, Made Easier

Order 365 days in the year, no expensive showroom, no travelling expenses. The idea of POPMarket was launched on the B2B platform around two years ago in the United States and turns many dreams into a reality.

Roughly explained, not only is it the digital form of a tradeshow, it is also better organised as well.

Buyers and labels can expect a range of services on POPMarket which we could go on to describe on the following eight pages. But, to briefly summarise: The European team around Oliver Frielingsdorf - which is just being put together at the moment and will work from New York and Z端rich similar to the Global Team - provides labels and buyers with all the necessary tools to enable them to easily communicate presentation of collections and all the formalities surrounding the ordering process in an interactive and highly professional manner. "In addition to many pre-designed order sheets, which can be sent directly to the buyer, for example, there are also features such as the patented online order programme for the iPad which facilitates business at tradeshows." The package also includes regular marketing activities in the form of sending out newsletters to a total of 55,000 registered buyers in the United States and around 18,000 in Europe as well as additional advertising measures in specialised media and cooperations with tradeshows such as the Coeur & Elements in the United States where the majority of activities take place.

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The POP-Market company works with a programme that has been specially developed and patented for the iPad.

Tradeshow, Made Easier

Rising prices of booths at the tradeshows and a selection process that is become increasingly more select, have both played into the hands of POP-Market.

"However, we don't consider ourselves to be a rival event to tradeshows, we are more of a logical complement. Labels that are perhaps still in their early development stages and cannot afford marketing and tradeshow appearances, can still target buyers via POP-Market, and in other countries too", says Frielingsdorf.

There shouldn't be selection, just orientation. Different trend topics are regularly introduced under Style Selection. Additional traffic is to be generated in the direction of the brands and buyers by collaborating with relevant bloggers and specialist media. In the meantime, the product range consists of a selection covering more than 350 brands and is

classified into different genres in order to facilitate the searching process for buyers. "Every brand has the opportunity to present themselves in the freely accessible marketplace or only to allow selected users into their virtual showrooms. In addition to the current pre-order collection, warehoused goods or NOS articles, collection backlogs may also be offered there during the season", says Oliver Frielingsdorf.

Shops Unite The Exchange Professionals

"We didn't want to give any false impression that may suggest to the consumer that they might as well buy online anyway. Absurdly, we have much too much merchandise in the marketplace nowadays and yet you still have customers walking out of a shop without the product they want," says Thomas Janson, explaining

At the moment, the Shops Unite website is still in its beta version but is currently under construction.

"We didn't want to give any false impression that may suggest to the consumer they might as well buy online anyway."

Thomas Janson

why, in his opinion, all concepts that bring bricks-and-mortar retailers into direct contact with e-commerce are counterproductive. In December 2012, he teamed up with two business partners to launch the closed B2B platform Shops Unite designed for retailers and enabling them to exchange products with one another. For a commission of 15 per cent of the retail price, Shops Unite assumes professional execution of the respective transaction. Janson explains the concept by using a concrete example: A customer would like to buy a pair of shoes in a store, however, the retailer doesn't have the appropriate size or colour in stock. Through Shops Unite he can forward the specific purchase wish of the customer to the retail community. A retailer who has the shoes in stock, can accept the offer and complete the purchase by mail order directly with the

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"An individual retailer is too weak for this large and rapidly burgeoning market." Theo Poursanidis

FashionHub is a virtual shopping spree through around 40 of the best high-fashion stores in the country.

buyer. The original store receives ten per cent of the sale price at Shops Unite for his recommendation, he has also offered his customer a service that has exceeded his own warehouse capacity and has helped a colleague to make a sale.

Me to You, You to Me

Shops Unite is based on a giveand-take principle. "Retailers nowadays are ready for cooperative models. We provide a system that is of mutual assistance but is anonymous", says Janson. As a result, risks such as unwanted domestic commerce are excluded from the outset. The closed B2B platform and strict controls through the system also preclude direct sales taking place.

FashionHub "We Are the Robin Hood of the Retail Trade"

FashionHub was launched in March 2012 by the qualified investment banker and experienced retailer Theo Poursanidis.

His targeted objective was to provide the most prestigious boutiques and concept stores in the premium and highfashion segments with a highly professional joint online shop - regardless of whether they are already operating an online shop of their own or not. Poursanidis, who had established the Pulse & Vogue store in Frankfurt am Main in 2005 himself, straight away won well-known clients such as August Pf端ller in Frankfurt, Bungalow in Stuttgart and

F95 in Berlin. "We have defined an extremely clear target group, and this is the customer in the progressive luxury sector. In this regard, we exclusively cooperate with image stores from the premium and high-fashion sector, with stores that have a certain standing in their city", says Theo Poursanidis, explaining the attraction for the FashionHub user who wanders through 40 of the most exclusive boutiques in the country. From his own experience, he sees the greatest advantage for retailers in pooling the product range, which at the moment has around 300 brands whereby "one reaches a critical mass in terms of width in the amount of brands and depth within the product ranges themselves".

Working with Professionals

"We smooth the way for retailers by allowing them to enter into ecommerce gently, with the lowest possible expenditure in terms of costs, staff and time." The costs are a tenth of what an online shop would pay running its own business. Consequently, without any specific know-how, the retailer can immediately conduct e-commerce at a highly professional level since FashionHub takes on all the relevant processes for him. "FashionHub is made by retailers for retailers and considers itself to be a partner with retail expertise, not as an IT service provider." The aim of the start-up established in 2011 was to provide retailers with the opportunity to meet the needs of the changed market- and shopping behaviour and to be able to stand up to the might of the big

e-shops. "Zalando made a billion euros in turnover last year, after returns. Where does such a turnover come from? Is this additional turnover? No, because German consumers haven't suddenly spent more than they had done beforehand. This is the turnover lost by the German retailer. That is the reality of it. An individual retailer is too weak for this large and rapidly burgeoning market. We are the Robin Hood of the Retail Trade, so to speak", says Theo Poursanidis.

Kleidoo Managing Director: Aranga Rahim, Feodor Kouznetsov Online since: June 2012 Staff: 18 www.kleidoo.de Pop Market Managing Director: Oliver Frielingsdorf Online since: 2011 Staff: Team Europe: 8, Team Global: 40 www.pop-market.com Shops Unite Managing Director: Thomas Janson Online since: December 2012 Staff: 3 www.shopsunite.de Fasionhub Managing Director and founder: Theo Poursanidis Online since: March 2011.

Staff: 40 www.fashionhub.com

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Fast and Furious They buy lots, constantly, and cheaply. Those who preferred to surrender the young generation as a target group for fast fashion to H&M and Primark are now getting a shock, because the first of the so-called H&M generations have just crossed the magical threshold into the high potential DINK (double income no kids). The only thing is, who is actually ready for this? Text: Isabel Faiss.

Photos: Bernhard Musil, Brands

In November 2009, the Irish chain Primark opened its first German store in Bremen. The rush is so big that on its website of the same name, a Primark bus is organised that brings fans from all around Germany on a shopping trip to Bremen. XXL shopping baskets kindly provided by the chain are filled to the brim.

Primark is significantly cheaper than H&M, Zara and Mango and turns its products around even faster, so it is even more up with trends. Complete hysteria is breaking out among the young consumer generations. Now there are over eight branches, no buses needed.

The buying behaviour based on “as much fashion as possible, for as little money as possible,” slightly worrying from an economic point of view, was first given a tangible face when the first branches of H&M opened in Germany in the ‘80s. Since then, the company has been a symbol for low fashion. Nowadays, H&M’s biggest market worldwide is Germany, where, as the second biggest textile trader, the company has 406 branches and achieved a turnover of about 3.5 billion euros in 2012. The fact that young and fashionconscious target groups seem to have been lost to such price formats, has led to a comprehensive trading up in many fashion and young fashion brands. This has also continued in retail, where people have long since been relying on the hope that every buyer will grow out of the H&M phase and will want to buy fashion with added value once again. From 30 at the latest, if not exclusively, then at least alongside what they had been buying before.

Sensitised to Fashion

“The driver of fast fashion is not bulk or bargain hunting, but fashion. It’s also not a question of age, rather a question of lifestyle. For this target group, 313 style in progress

fashion, definition and being up to date are more important than sustainability or quality. They don’t buy something good so they can still wear it in two years.

They don’t want that at all,” explains Petra Mücke from GfK (Consumer Research Association), responsible for the Consumer Panel Fashion & Lifestyle.

She believes that classic retail can even look forward to when the typical H&M customer comes to their stores because she was sensitised to fashion very young and is very trend conscious. “We shouldn’t demonise the Primark customer, we should ask: what is the incentive? Not just the price, not just the opportunity to get more for your money. The basic incentive is to always be able wear new, fashionable and trendy clothes. In this respect, classic retailers have missed something, not when it comes to low prices, but more desirable product ranges.”

“I see that in lots of industries this rapid and acute growth of cheap products has a natural end.” Lucia Reisch

The hope that Primark purchases are a temporary phenomenon – like the need to rediscover oneself everyday with a different style – and that people emerge from it during the social and career development phase of the late 20’s is something that Michael Bailly from BaillyDiehl has represented with his 14 branches in Germany. “I believe that our best chance is that these generations undergo certain social and career changes at some stage that bring about a development in their personality, which also decides their system of values.” At the same time, you ask yourself what signs of growing up has this society of excess given us? A society that looks at monogamy as “missing out on something”? A society that has

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A trench coat for € 6.99, a T-shirt for € 2.99 and a cashmere jumper for € 7.99.

Thanks to Primark, fast fashion has gained a new face and a further fall in prices. Primark distinguishes itself from Kik with a professional CI and up-to-date fashion, which brings about upwards pressure even for established brands.

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130 WHAT'S THE STORY

complete availability of fashion at the lowest prices? Have expectations of a product fallen along with the pricing? Is growing out of it really the solution?

And who in the fashion industry really wanted to think about this in recent years?

Clothes Libraries Instead of Mass Consumption?

The majority of young people consume fast fashion. We can’t expect anything else of a generation that grew up with shortlived things and a style that was scarcely different to that of their parents’ generation. Three yearolds now dress like their mothers and this naturally leaves its mark in their socialisation and in perceived needs,” explains Lucia Reisch, Professor for Intercultural Consumer Behaviour, Consumer Policy and Sustainability.

For more than 25 years, she has been researching in the fields of consumer behaviour, consumer policy and sustainability and is a member of the German Federal Council for Sustainable Development. “I believe that the biggest challenge for industry and retail is to develop new business models. There are already clothing libraries in Copenhagen, where designer brands exclusively provide their products for rental.

“We shouldn’t demonise the Primark customer, we should ask: what is the incentive?”

Petra Mücke

This, of course, calls for a completely different way of dealing with the product.” The low price of a product automatically takes away from its intrinsic value and that of the work carried out.

However, what happens when a whole generation starts their consumer career with a completely displaced understanding of price? “H&M and Primark’s core target group is clearly not the most reflective of generations but there are definitely trendsetters who have found a very positive approach and who question mass consumption.

They account for just 20 per cent of the young segment but it is a clear trend. Brands must manage to communicate to customers that a product doesn’t lose value rapidly. Treating the product sustainably lends the whole brand 313 style in progress

credibility and value. Nobody is completely rational when buying fashion. When a brand speaks to us emotionally and gives us the so-called warm glow, an emotional reward, because we have a feeling that we bought the right thing, something that suits us, then this is a tremendously strong bond. It’s also a very good argument for paying more for a product, which is also available from a low cost provider in the same look. H&M are working very actively on this at the moment. A worldwide returns system for old clothes is being rolled out. The long-term goal is to establish H&M as a quality brand.”

Primark Yesterday, Prada Today

In the coming years, we will see for the first time that the generations who grew up with the H&M price structure as their deep-rooted understanding of value will be coming into the attractive target group of 25 to 30 year-olds, and so, into the defined base of the majority of brands represented in trade. This brings with it new challenges for industry and retail, understanding the needs of this extremelydemanding target group and transforming yesterday’s Primark customers into today’s Prada customers. The price isn’t what will decide this, the service will.

“For us, this is an existential issue. We need to create a certain added value using our product range, our type of store and particularly, personal contact and advice, which make clear to the customer why products are a certain price. There is no personal contact at Zara, young generations no longer know that people are given honest advice,” says Michael Bailly. With its branch in Frankfurt’s Steinweg, the company is located at the centre of it all, so to speak. With the high-fashion range of Goethe­ strasse on its left and the large commercial chains at Zeil on its right, you find out here everyday what it means when a generation of customers grows out of Zeil and moves towards what Goethestrasse has to offer, taking the path of classic retail along their way. They bring with them an individual style, very concrete perceptions of price and a lot of

critical questions. “We are the interface for this transition. It’s about the personal service in our store. We need to convey a solid sense of style and conviction and we have to be able to explain why a product is more expensive than at Zara. This is because the pressure is coming from below. If “For me, definition is the biggest challenge for the future.”

Michael Bailly

Zara has a blazer, which is of OK quality, spot on when it comes to style and costs 69 euros, then this means that lots of brands have to explain themselves. I believe that our biggest challenge in the future is to face up to this competition. The value for money of branded products is being questioned more and more. So, just like the brands, we have to do our homework. This begins with designing the product range. We need to distinguish ourselves so the customer, who feels at home in a certain style, finds this style implemented solidly and knows what she is spending her money on. For me, definition is the biggest challenge for the future,” says Michael Bailly.

A Natural End

“I can’t give you any scientific answer on whether we will ever get over fast fashion again, but I see in lots of industries like the food industry that the rapid and acute growth of cheap products has a natural end. At least in our markets. In the youth segment, there is a clear group that reflects and questions. It’s not very big, but about ten to 20 per cent are standing up against this rapid consummation,” explains Reisch.

However, Petra Mücke is sure: “Price formats like Primark have caused a long-term structural change which will continue.

Retail and industry must react to this but not simply by reducing their prices. The waves of reductions in recent years have showed that the issue is much more challenging. It’s about inspiration and staging, about being up to date, about fashion.”

Lucia Reisch is, among other things, a member of the German Federal Council for Sustainable Development and lectures at Copenhagen Business School.

Petra Mücke is responsible for lifestyle and fashion at the Consumer Research Association.

With his company BaillyDiehl, Michael Bailly is depending more on professional advice and contact to impress young customers. His motto is “Service without pressure to buy”.

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“It’s Not the Price” The desires and values of the young, female target group are like a closed book. With regards to price alone, their fashion consumption behaviour cannot be definitively decoded, explains Verena Roskos, Editor in Chief of the magazine Mädchen in her interview. A conversation about 14 year olds, empathy and definition.

Text: Isabel Faiss.

Photo: Vision Media GmbH

Ms Roskos, in the magazine Mädchen you represent a value system and an attitude to your readers. How do you broach the issue of cheap fashion consumption?

Where does the desire to grow up quickly actually come from?

In the past, almost all relevant trends came from youth culture. Where has this energy gone?

This is a real conflict for us.

On the one hand, we represent fashion, which needs to be affordable, but on the other hand, we represent the aforementioned value system, which looks very critically on unscrupulous consumption. We communicate this, for example, using reports on a textiles factory in Bangladesh. Our target group is very communicative and sensitive. If a T-shirt turns up somewhere for five euros, the community on mädchen.de also comments on it. We incorporate this dialogue into our magazine again and again.

Being a grown up means being taken seriously. This energy is not lost it’s just not being channelled as clearly. Today, we have access to everything at the same time. This infinite diversity makes it difficult for uniform trends to act against the myriad of micro-trends. Fashionable youth movements are still around. They no longer provide definition because, for a long time, there has been no difference between a 14 year old and a 40 year old when it comes to fashion. In the past, a 40 year old would never have worn a neon T-shirt with a smiley face. Today, that’s totally OK. The generations have grown closer when it comes to fashion.

What importance does fashion have for this target group?

Fashion allows them to try things. Firstly, the target group wants to grow up as quickly as possible and to feel grown up, but they also only have a certain budget at their disposal. They try to identify themselves with their peer group. They want to be different to the masses, but also don’t want to stand out too much.

Are we not taking something essential away from 14 year olds then? How do they rebel if not with ripped T-shirts?

They define themselves on another level. Mostly with overriding and very political themes, which they get worked up about, such as animal transport. This happens through the value

system. They prefer to moan at their mother because she still eats meat rather than because she dresses too young.

Are there golden rules for buying fashion?

It’s important that everyone knows the brand and that the products are always retrievable.

Online trade is difficult because at 14 they can only shop using their parents’ cards. This is an obstacle. So it’s important for them to have shops on the ground and they can run riot in there.

So are brands as important as ever?

For this age group, without question. However, it’s about more than just the brand. It’s about being able to say something. Primark is an image. It’s not about the price but the attitude to life.

They want to belong to this and to be able to individualise themselves to a certain extent without going over the top. At Primark, they can buy things that their mothers find awful. They are showing that they know what is trendy at the moment, and they can join in.

You say that the price is not the principal argument. Then what is?

This target group is empathetic, critical and still needs to define itself but no longer in the classic channels used by their parents’ generation. There is often a lack of supply here on the side of brands. Flexibility is an important key word. Many only pick up the target group at 18 at the earliest because they simply don’t take them seriously.

Why only a few marketing experts from the industry use the potential of open forums and discussion platforms like on Mädchen. de to be close to the target group’s issues, is a puzzle for Editor in Chief Verena Roskos.

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132 WHAT'S THE STORY

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WHAT'S THE STORY 133

City High-Tech The hype surrounding functional outdoor jackets has not died down. Especially in the city. As ever, the desire for adventure and nature can be cashed in on. How much exactly is behind the label ‘function’ is almost incidental, at least for fashion premium customers. The most important thing is that they look right. Meanwhile this is also true for the transitional periods between winter and summer. The super-light down provides jacket specialists with an item for the summer.

Text: Sonja Ragaller.

Illustration: Andreas Klammt.

Photos: Brands

If you were to forget the tower blocks and the urban panorama for a moment, you might think that you had landed on the North Pole. From October to April, the cities are full of men and women wrapped up warmly in highly functional down jackets and fur hoods. Whether they would actually have survived an expedition to the North Pole with their equipment is questionable. When it comes to how they look, an extreme athlete’s high-performance jacket and a fashion trendsetter’s city jacket have definitely grown closer.

The hype surrounding outdoor jackets seems never-ending. The same can also be said for the price pain threshold. No wonder more and more performance brands, such as Arcteryx, Salewa, The North Face and Mountain Force are now thronging the fashionable, urban scene – even if the market is highly competitive and the gridlocked seasonal cycles drive retailers to carry out ridiculous reductions as early as November. Despite all this, the

label ‘function’ can still make money. The urban end consumer shops according to his desire for adventure and nature and so looks for water resistance and Gore-Tex. Now, even in spring and autumn, the super-light down jacket under the cardigan doesn’t just keep you warm but also looks stylish.

The Desire for Nature and Adventure

“People are surrounded by the city and dream of mountains, of skiing. It’s simply about an attitude towards life,” says Katharina Schneider from Habsburg. She has made her parents’ functional hunting collection suitable for the city and is benefitting from the general wellness and sportswear trend. “People today want to be more energetic and younger, and they dress themselves accordingly,” says Schneider. It doesn’t matter if they actually go to the mountains or not.

The work life balance, which now leans towards more leisure time, has also contributed hugely

to the continuous trend of sporty jackets. “People are used to wearing functional jackets when playing sports or during their leisure time. Now they are seeing that functional clothes can also be useful for everyday city life,” says Carlo Rivetti, owner and creative director of Stone Island.

“What fashion brands then add to this is an edgy style.”

There is some disagreement in the industry about how much function the consumer actually wants and needs. However it’s clear that the consumer gets more than he generally needs.

“You can say the same about cars, the new four-wheel drives.

Nine out of ten of those have never driven on anything but tarmac,” says Matthias Schwarte from the Agentur Schwarte, which distributes the Italian premium sportswear brand Parajumpers among others. However, the end consumer enjoys technological developments and what their jacket can or could do. It’s not about need, rather about an style in progress 313

134 WHAT'S THE STORY

Crossover pieces, which can be worn when skiing, but also with jeans in Munich when it’s minus five degrees.

Roman Stepek, Owner Mountain Force

cool fashionable ski jackets,” says Marcus Bässler from the Agentur Bässler, which distributes Swiss Chriss and the Italian brand Hetregó among others.

A Piece of Summer

emotional dream world.” In spite of this, function is, of course, a valid sales argument, which completely justifies prices of about 1,000 euros for a certain clientele. “Men in particular like such information. Functional features are an additional benefit for the consumer,” says Thorsten Stiebing from the Italian jackets specialist Mabrun, “However, it then needs to be authentic.

Where function is written on the outside, there should be function on the inside too. The look alone doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Looks Taking Precedence Over Function

Last winter was a good example because, with its extreme temperatures over a long time period, it justified a certain level of function. However, the fashion customers at least, who increasingly see their jackets as a statement and status symbol, won’t be talking shop in the new Globetrotter branch about water resistance levels, unless the highly functional Patagonia jacket is his statement. “The question really is what levels of function do we want to bring to sportswear brands. Or would the end consumer then not just prefer to wear the Primaloft jacket by a producer of functional clothes?” says André Berger from Handstich.

In fact, performance brands like Mountain Force, who are now moving from the mountains into the cities, depend on informed customers and on its expertise in functional clothes. “With our studio collection, we are bringing crossover pieces onto the market which can be worn when skiing, but also with jeans in Munich when it’s minus five degrees,” Roman Stepek from Mountain Force. “This is an absolute trend for us. Just offering pure functional performance would be too little. We need a little oomph.

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For example, we have short softshell coats or longer raincoats with prints. The products need to be fashionable too.”

Crossover at All Levels?

What worked in the medium price bracket with jackets by Jack Wolfskin for instance – cross­ overs – doesn’t necessarily have to work in the premium bracket.

“Anyone who walks around the square once, has trekking shoes.

In Germany that’s extreme.

There, everyone is perfectly equipped for every type of sport, and if they like the jacket then they also wear it in their leisure time. It’s not a fashion trend, the focus of people’s lives has just changed,” says André Berger from Handstich. However, he does speak about a renaissance of specialists in the premium fashion bracket, and even about how people buy their functional jackets at Patagonia and their shoes at Alden.

Patrick Coppolecchia-Reinartz from Duvetica doesn’t disagree with him on that point. Function is also not his motivation.

“It’s less about function, more about comfort, warmth, fashion.

Maybe a motorcyclist might buy a breathable jacket but most nylon materials are not waterproof.” This generally doesn’t bother the end consumer, unless they are using the jacket for skiing. This is who the new technical line by Dulvetica is aimed at. The super-light down jackets for the Alpine region have sealed seams and are impermeable. This is a fashion attack on the mountains, which, admittedly, up until now has very rarely worked. Although every segment decorates itself with features and details from other segments, consistent movements from fashion into sport and vice versa are clearly not easy. “We don’t all manage to make cool jackets that are also functional. I can’t think of any

Hetregó also had the superlight summer down in stock for spring and it was a huge success.

“Here, what counts is the style, lightness, the price bracket, the complete package,” says Bässler.

He, like lots of other agencies and brands, is very happy about the trend, which gives jacket companies, hugely dependant on winter, an item for the summer. “They were a fantastic sell out,” says Thorsten Stiebing from Mabrun. “The jackets are light, warm you up and are nice to wear. They satisfy the natural need of the consumer to be protected.” The practical lightweight seems to also be a welcome alter­ native for retail to the defunct autumn-spring transitional jacket.

Together with colour, the down brought spring-like freshness to the product range as early as December and January. “For example, the jacket by Napapijiri or Parajumpers worked. Of course price is an issue. They can’t cost much more than 300 euros,” says Johannes Steiner from Loden Steiner, who runs a sportswear store in the Austrian ski resort of Schladming among other things. “If they have as an additional function that they can easily be folded and stored in a backpack, then that’s a great sales argument for us. Whether the consumer actually needs the jacket is another issue.”

We can’t build on the novelty effect for much longer. There are now “super lightweights” in all price brackets, right down to the discount stores. However, this is also the case with jeans. No one wants to talk it to death – quite the contrary. The light sum-

mer down is to become a basic article, which works by itself and as part of your layered look.

Alongside this, new exciting themes are being developed. This is because jacket specialists have smelt danger and are now bringing interesting innovations onto the market to free themselves from the iron grip of seasonal trade. Most of them are turning towards a combination of materials. “The number one issue for us is lightness. This has been borrowed from consumer electronics: smaller, lighter, simpler,” says Thorsten Stiebing from Mabrun. “For instance, we combine nylon with super-light knitwear or with Jersey.” Habsburg is also experimenting with different materials. “For example, we are combining down with loden or producing Schladmingers made of down – a mix of the traditional and the modern,” says Katharina Schneider. If it were up to her, then loden – the 19th century’s Gore-Tex – would see a real renaissance. The odds are not so bad. The longterm trend towards tradition, authenticity, natural materials and handicraft will not pass by the jacket trade. However, at the same time, it will need to be just a little high-tech.

Men in particular like such information. Functional features are an additional benefit for the consumer.

Thorsten Stiebing, CEO Mabrun

WHAT'S THE STORY 135

Water Is Life Action Is Gold / AG Adriano Goldschmied.

Worldwide, there are 800 million people who do not have access to fresh drinking water. The AG Adriano Goldschmied backed the NonProfit organisation Charity Water in its attempts to raise awareness for clean drinking water in developing countries through the use of a fundraising campaign.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka.

Photos: AG Adriano Goldschmied

According to a Greenpeace study, there are 320 million people in China alone who do not have access to drinking water and only 2.5 per cent of the world's available water is fresh water. In addition, 40 per cent of China's surface water is considered to be polluted and 20 per cent of the groundwater used in urban areas of China is drinking water that is already partially contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals which are also used in the textile industry.

Water Is a Human Right

As part of the World Water Day on 22nd March, Charity Water and AG Adriano Goldschmied started a one-month campaign with the intention of collecting 100,000 US dollars in donations for water projects in Ethiopia. Money has been pouring in via the AG stores in Japan and the United States as well as via the website itself www. mycharitywater.org and AG Adriano Goldschmied themselves doubled every amount donated by his customers. "The statistics on the worldwide crisis regarding drinking water are frightening, especially when you consider that every one of the numbers represents a human life.

Every year, 2.2 million people die because of the lack of access to drinking water and that is absolutely unacceptable. We at AG are doing our utmost to try and keep water consumption in our production as low as possible. But we all have to do more! We are extremely proud of our cooperation with Charity Water and support their actions for more fresh drinking water", says AG Adriano Goldschmied's Creative Director Samuel Ku on the joint project.

Leading By Good Example

AG Adriano Goldschmied has been working with the slogan of Charity Water "Water Changes Everything" for a number of years already and during this time has been able to significantly reduce water consumption in the denim production.

Ozone technology is used in the manufacture of jeans which uses

Yellow water canisters to remind us all: AG Jeans supports the donations campaign in its stores and online with a great deal of personal commitment.

50 per cent less water and also requires fewer chemicals and uses less energy at the same time. In addition, water filters are used, these absorb the small pieces of pumice stone, for example, and the flocks of cotton in the production water so that clean water is again available at the end of production. Furthermore, AG also uses a lot of modal in its collections. This is obtained from beech wood and uses up to 100 times less water during planting and cultivation than the cotton plants.

"We are highly delighted to be working in cooperation with AG Adriano Goldschmied“, says Scott Harrison, founder and CEO of Charity Water: "We love joint projects with brand names that represent style and substance. This allows us to make people aware of the scarcity of drinking water because 5,000 children die every day before

they have even reached the age of five owing to the lack or contamination of water. We are pleased to let this partnership grow and to be able to contribute together towards improving the drinking water situation."

www.mycharitywater.org

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Smart bargain hunters or hopelessly spoiled customers?

Nowadays, most consumers are out to get fashion a little bit cheaper, whatever stage of the season it is.

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THE TALK 137

Celebrating, Not Squandering!

A permanent sale in store, reduced prices no matter what season? The result is yawning customers and empty cash registers. There are clever solutions to this. Namely, solutions that don’t reek of desperation, but make sale campaigns into a real, attractive business once again.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Illustration: Lamoral Kloss. Photos: Retailers

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138 THE TALK

No Invest, No Return

“Twice a year, in spring and in autumn, we send handwritten gold vouchers to our top customers, whose names we write out personally by hand. We started this campaign two years ago and were surprised ourselves by its success. Over 20 per cent of the customers we wrote to cashed in their vouchers, with an average receipt of 1,000 euros.

Sensational! This proved to us once again that, rather than talking about a crisis, we needed good ideas and investment on our side in order to continue to be successful in the future. It’s about telling customers: forget the crisis, have fun and spoil yourself!

In this context, we also created the event Shopping Night, which took place in October of this year for the third time. On the day of the event, we keep the store open to customers until 11pm and spoil them during their stay with us, giving them champagne and special finger food. Several models show off the latest trends, the current sprayer by UGG will also be there, allowing our customers to design their UGG boots individually in store. We have also invited a tattooist from the scene who tattoos the first 20 customers on request. These fashion nights go down extremely well and provide the best sales figures of the year. Of course, we also need to offer something that costs money, but at the event,

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Immaculately Decorated, Immaculately Folded

when the atmosphere is right, the figures also add up. ‘No risk no future’ was written on the T-shirts worn by the Nepalese Sherpas who accompanied me on my climb up Mount Everest last year. That really impressed me. So we have made the motto ‘No invest, no return’ our slogan.

We simply need to do something! Those who don’t provide anything, won’t achieve anything either.”

Together with his family, Josef Einwaller runs the Innsbruck stores Anna and Joseph for designer fashion, they also own the stores Sportsmann and Sportsfrau as well as an outlet. Einwaller is known for entrepreneurial thinking and brave investments. In June, both of the women’s stores Anna and Sportsfrau will be completely renovated and the portfolio will also be expanded to include a new kidswear store, which is expected to open in August. www.einwaller.com

“In our Witty Knitters partner stores, we work strictly according to a multi-layered plan.

According to this plan, in the first phase, we reduce individual articles, which didn’t do well during the season by 20 per cent in January or July. During this time, we decorate these items with promotional products, which we rebuy, or with articles from last year reduced by 50 per cent. In the second phase, we reduce stock that is no longer arranged. Only then, does the normal sale phase begin for the whole product range. This sale phase is designed according to the old days of the classic sale.

Winter stock is sold off in February and summer stock in August.

Our customers clearly appreciate the system: they see what is reduced as a good bargain and go for it.

We only arrived at this system through experience. In the first year, we tried out various different things at our branches and then took on the system, which proved to be the best one. Last spring, our store in Kitzbühel was a good example once again.

The store is run by experienced retailer Manuel Rivera. He only really started his sale at the end of February; before that, cashmere jumpers and winter jackets were still being bought as normal. This worked because it was cold. This is how we generated the full margin, or even earned significantly more, with jackets reduced by 20 per cent, than others who had already reduced theirs by 50 per cent. Only for our stock clearance in March did we reduce by 50 per cent for 14 days in order to completely sell off the remaining stock. We sold really well, which showed us that it’s important to have themes in a sale too. For example, only jackets are reduced but they are presented very well in the promotions area: immaculately decorated, immaculately folded, and treated as a trendy theme.

This area can certainly not give the impression that stock is being sold at a loss, it’s still needs to be valuable. This is also an integral part of our sale.”

Matthias Lemcke is Marketing, Key Account and Export Manager for Witty Knitter’s women’s outerwear complete collection, which was founded in 2011 and currently has 150 points of sale as well as 21 Witty Knitters partner stores on the German market. Their aim is to reach 300 customers and 50 Witty Knitters partner stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the next two years. www.wittyknitters.com

140 THE TALK

January Is Not Summer

“When we started off with our own store five years ago, we naively went for the sale theme and made reductions really late, like for example a winter sale in January. Now, it is common practice everywhere to make reductions even before Christmas so that a winter jacket at half price also lies under the tree. At this stage, the real winter has not even begun yet. Over the years, we’ve noticed – and it’s getting worse – that there are on-going sale campaigns in retail 365 days a year. Transparency in the network reinforces this process even more because the customers get their information from it and downright demand a reduction in store. We had a leather jacket

by Acne in our store for 2,500 euros. A customer came in and said that it had been reduced to 1,700 euros elsewhere. I told her to go and buy it there! Of course, I can give my customers reductions of a few per cent but not 30 per cent. Eventually, they learn to understand this and buy the jacket from us anyway.

However, in general, delivery rhythms are a real mess and delivery dates are getting earlier and earlier. At the end of January, I had the first summer delivery to my store. What am I supposed to do with it? It all generates huge product and cost

Reductions Weaken the Business

pressure. Today that has become normal, but, for me January, is not the summer. I don’t know any customer who goes out to buy summer things that early.

It was particularly extreme this year because it only started to get warm in April and people only started buying then.

A week before our sale, we send cards to our regular customers with discount stickers of 10 to 50 per cent. Last year, we did this in mid-December, which, in our field, was still relatively late. The sale has a time limit, which makes it all the more desirable and gives customers the opportunity to get something cheaper then and there. I believe this doesn’t just make the sale more attractive but also makes us, as a store, more attractive.

We don’t just work according to price, our stock is worth something and so are we as the brand Amorph. Finally, it’s also still about distinctiveness and an individual style which makes the store attractive.”

Christian Brennenstuhl runs three stores in Berlin’s Charlottenburg together with Iris Jorde: Amorph Black for contemporary fashion, Amorph Concept Store with fashion, books, CDs and fragrances as well as the Amorph Blue outlet. www.amorph-berlin.com

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“For about 15 years, we have been giving our long-term customers ten per cent off every purchase. Once you begin this, you can never get out of it, but it does have the great advantage of customer loyalty. They don’t get a higher reduction than that, nor does my mother, my best friend, nor do the footballers from Stuttgart VfB who shop in our store. At most, there are reductions of up to 20 per cent on expensive individual pieces near the end of the season, before we put them in the sale. However, we decide this case by case.

We received lots of interim collections in May, which we won’t reduce before mid-July. We don’t phase in our sales; we begin right away with 50 per cent for two weeks. Customers would find it dishonest if they bought something in the first week with 30 per cent off and we then sold the same product with a reduction of 50 per cent one week later.

During this time, we try to get as much autumn/winter stock as possible so we can then completely pass on the reduced goods to our outlet. Old and new products should not be mixed.

We open our outlet “Gib Alles” twice a year for three months in an empty shop in the city centre, which we rent for the occasion.

We generally try everything to sell our products in the normal way. Reductions always weaken the company. I can understand that other retailers write off more stock sooner so that they can pay their bills. The pressure is growing for many small stores, also because they no longer have unique selling points. Those who are not distinctive can feel forced to reduce more easily. This is why it’s all the more important to take the roads less travelled.

For example, to visit smaller trade fairs or to go back to Scandinavia to find what no one else has. To only order what you think is good yourself, instead of trailing others – this is what characterises a feel for fashion.

Then, you are under less pressure to reduce prices.”

Winni Klenk is the owner of the fashion store Abseits in Stuttgart and an established name in German retail. His first store, 1983, truly reflected the meaning of the store name “Abseits” (off the beaten track) because it was located on a four-lane thoroughfare outside the city and cost 200 Deutschmarks at the time.

Today, some of the most important brands in his store are MSGM, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Dsquared and Iro for men and women.

His slogan is “No one escapes fashion.” www.abseitsgermany.blogspot.de

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“Accessories Are the Essential Poster Child” He is a man who likes to keep a low profile – his products should be under the spotlights. Oliver Bruhn, creative head of the bag label Tyoulip Sisters, in a rare interview with style in progress.

Text: Isabel Faiss.

Photo: Departmentgreen GmbH

Are there comparisons that you like to hear in relation to Tyoulip Sisters? Or do you, as someone behind the line, always want to be incomparable and so prefer also not to be compared?

We are delighted when our brand, which is still small, grows slowly and if everyone who wants to partake in it is happy with the product. We are not looking for comparisons, we simply want to make a product that is beautiful, modern, fashionable and independent at the same time.

What factors of success do you see as indispensable if you want to be quickly accepted onto the market with a line of bags? What is the ultimate door-opener?

What is the significance of accessories – for consumers and retailers?

Accessories have always been the most important element to round off a fashionable ensemble. At the same time, in the case of bags, they are also a practical accompaniment for the necessary odds and ends of everyday life.

For retailers, the accessory has become an essential poster child for their own understanding of fashion, which rounds off the look of their store.

I believe that the ultimate factor for success is high independence in design, without losing sight of daily wearability. Now more than ever, it’s about being authentic and believing in what you love yourself. You should stay true to your own idea and not look too much at what others are doing.

Are It bags still in keeping with the times? Or to put it another way: Do you believe that brand awareness of bags is less pronounced nowadays?

Personally, I was never a fan of the term It bag. A bag should be exceptional and should support the individual style of the wearer in every situation in a subtly fashionable way, without ever losing sight of the aspect of practical use. The way I see it, the brand plays rather an inferior role, at the same time the brand can be a guarantor for the retailer, who, of course wants to have a saleable and reliable product in his collection.

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Tyoulip Sisters has been active on the European market since 2012 and offers leather bags and bags with leather-canvas combinations. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Spain the label is represented in 115 stores. www.tyoulipsisters.com

Take this waltz.

Art from Austria, Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe and other Easts Vienna International Art Fair 10—13 October 2013

www.viennafair.at www.facebook.com/viennafair blog: thenewcontemporary.com

All White Photos: Federica Roncaldier, www.federicaroncaldier.com Styling & Production: Friederike von Bock, www.sowow.de Hair/Make-up: Memo Schmage, www.memoschmage.com with products of YSL Model: Maria, www.izaio.de Photo Assistant: Alexander Wohlrab, www.alex-wohlrab.de Styling Assistant: Christina van Zon, www.christinavanzon.com

Dress: Malaikaraiss 313 style in progress

Necklace: Pieces Top: Michael Sonntag Trousers: Airfield style in progress 313

Dress: Kilian Kerner 146 MODE

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Blazer: Tiger MODE of Sweden 147 Necklace: Perlens채ue Top: American Apparel Trousers: Tiger of Sweden

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148 MODE

Necklace: Stella & Dot Jacket: F.rau Dress: Cinque 313 style in progress

MODE 149

Jacket: Karlotta Wilde Blouse: Nu Look Jeans: Deyk style in progress 313

150 MODE

Top: Barre Noir Belt: Perlens채ue Skirt: Markus Lupfer Shoes: Converse 313 style in progress

MODE 151

Sunglasses: Mango Blazer: RenĂŠ Lezard Top: Cheap Monday Skirt: Barre Noir Bag: Liebeskind Shoes: Scholl style in progress 313

Utility in the City Photos: Harling-Darsell Styling & Production: Mody Al Khufash Hair/Make-up: Julie Skok Model: Philipp Schmidt c/o Mega Models Production Assistant: Ele Butas Styling Assistant: Peninah Amanda

Bag: Nike Jacket: Marc O'Polo Top: Adidas Shirt: Joop Pants: Adidas Shoes: New Balance Socks: Cep 313 style in progress

Glasses: R.T.CO Backpack: Adidas Jacket: Tiger of Sweden Vest: Arc'teryx Shirt: Jungvision채re Short Pants: Adidas Shoes: Soulland style in progress 313

Jacket: Montain Force Vest: Siviglia Earphones: Urbanears Shirt: Strellson

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Backpack: Weekday Jacket: Diesel Shirt: Strellson Gloves: Nike Pants Outside: Sissi Goetze Pants Inside: Adidas Shoes: Adidas Socks: Cep 313 style in progress

Sunglasses: R.T.CO MODE 155 Jacket: Ac'teryx Vest: Woolrich Tie: Joop Shirt: Siviglia Waist Bag: Adidas Pants: Brax

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Jacket: Ac'teryx 156 MODE Shirt: Houdini Tie: Sissi Goetze Shorts: Nike Shoes: K-Swiss

MODE 157

Backpack: Qwstion Jacket: Adidas Windbreaker: K-Way Shirt: Soulland Pants: Siviglia Shoes: Tommy Hilfiger style in progress 313

158 MODE

Jacket Outside: Uber Jacket Inside: K-Way Shirt: Siviglia 313 style in progress

Jacket Outside: Cheap Monday MODE 159 Jacket Inside: RenĂŠ Lezard Shirt: Arc'teryx Shorts: 1404 Pants: Adidas

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High Tech

Everything is better with music: Tablet computers with different music programmes that are embedded into the wall delight the teenie target group in this branch of Aeropostale, designed by GH+A Design, in the Roosevelt Field Mall in Long Island. Aeropostale, 630 Old Country Road, Garden City, NY 11530

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To the Fitting Rooms, Please!

67 to ten – this is the difference that fitting rooms make.

A study by Envision Retail shows that the probability that fashion customers who are just looking around will buy something is ten per cent. Among those who try something on, it shoots up to 67 per cent. In this case, customers must like being in the fitting rooms. However, up until now, these rooms have been somewhat neglected: examples of ugly, cramped, badly lit fitting rooms are ten a penny. In the USA, selected stores show how fitting rooms can be attractive.

Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Alan Melconian/Deja Vu Studios, Joy Bell, Stores

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A Change of Perspective

Mirror, Mirror ‌: In this Jil Sander store there are rolling mirror cubicles which give you a 360 degree view of how the clothes sit when you try them on. You can rotate the face of the mirror to access the fitting rooms. Jil Sander, 30 Howard St, New York, NY 10013

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Cliquism

Whether it’s the designer’s story or travel dreams that are pinned to the wall, the fitting rooms in Lilly Pulitzer in New York convey the warm feeling of the store. Lilly Pulitzer, 1020 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10021

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Hand-Crafted

Don’t worry about problem areas! Bright colours entice people to try things on and lift the atmosphere in the Lilly Pulitzer store in Tysons – and perfection must stay outside: the walls are painted by hand. Lilly Pulitzer, 1807G International Drive, McLean, VA 22102

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Waiting Lounge

In Dressing Room in New York, the name says it all: In this combination of a boutique and a bar, young women show the items they are trying on to their companions sitting at the bar. They are particularly patient with a drink in their hands. Dressing Room, 75 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

Not Naked

Are things faster when done virtually? The US company FaceCake has developed a technology in conjunction with Swivel, which allows the customer to see themselves on the monitor in the piece of clothing they would like. www.swivel.me

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A Feel-Good Challenge Stakks / Essen. The erstwhile shopping centre in the Ruhr area has lost a lot of its charm in the past ten years. But Doris and Titus Brandsma in a lovingly created backyard store in the Rüttenscheid district of Essen, demonstrate that the upmarket segment still has something to offer.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka.

Photos: Stakks

Rüttenscheid lies to the south of Essen, between the city centre and Lake Baldeney. A long shopping street, lots of offices, lots of cafés and restaurants, beautiful apartments in the old buildings, the exhibition grounds including the Gruga Park and several major traffic junctions all combine to form the image of the city.

Slightly hidden away and not far from the large shopping street, lies the entrance to Stakks. A large, old delivery bicycle, now laden with an information board, serves to catch the eye of potential customers and guides them towards the backyard.

Here, the visitor is confronted by a wood-panelled coach house in the style of an American cottage and which has 150 square metres of retail space divided into three areas. The Brandsma couple serve the customers here themselves. Stakks came into existence after the two of them had been in the advertising industry for nearly 25 years and became the result of their desire for a new challenge. "Over the last few years, friends and acquaintances and we ourselves were always driving to Düsseldorf or Münster to go shopping.

We wanted to create a shop here in Essen that is a little uncon-

ventional and that also surrounds the shopping experience with a feel-good atmosphere," says Titus Brandsma.

A Good Thing Is Worth Waiting For

The store was furnished in the style of a warehouse and packing house from the '20s and '30s with vintage furniture found at antique markets in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The Brandsmas took a whole year for the conversion of the shop and furnishing it, they travelled, looked at lots of shops, conducted research on the internet and took their time in contacting agencies whose labels they wanted to carry at Stakks.

The thorough planning by the two newcomers was well worth the wait. From the brand-name portfolio to the website right up to the furnishings - the whole appearance is perfect!

"The beginning was all about discovering what would and would not work in terms of the brands. We slowly edged towards the merchandise and collected first impressions, also with regard to the various target groups," says Titus Brandsma.

The Brandsmas also had particularly good experiences with

Self-taught retailers in the clothing trade, the newcomers Doris and Titus Brandsma.

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the lesser-known brands: "I was sceptical to start off with because I considered consumer awareness of the brands to be a very important factor but our customers are absolutely open, you could go as far as saying nearly grateful for new things and this resulted in us selling small brands extremely well, comparatively speaking."

With shoes, their main focus is primarily concentrated on boots by Fiorentini + Baker for women and Red Wing Shoes for men. The latest additions for women are jeans by AG Adriano Goldschmied and Earnest Sewn as well as tops by Aglini and Hartford. For the gents, jeans

by Prps but especially those by Jacob Cohen have proven their worth.

The unusual location in the backyard has now become part of the concept. The customers feel very much at ease well away from the hectic hustle and bustle of the prime locations, which tends to be illustrated in the length of their stay. The fact that many a customer also remains for a beer in the courtyard after closing time also demonstrates that it isn't just personal contact to customers that contributes to the success of Stakks, it is also the fun factor too.

Stakks Rosastrasse 16a, 45130 Essen/Germany, www.stakks.de Opening: February 2012 Owners: Doris and Titus Brandsma Retail space: 150 sqm.

Labels women: AG Adriano Goldschmied, Aglini, Athletic Vintage, B.D. Baggies, Blauer USA, Dondup, Earnest Sewn, Filson, Fine Collection, Fiorentini + Baker, Handstich, Hartford, Hollywood Trading Co., Lucky de Luca, Pence, Woolrich Labels Men: Athletic Vintage, B.D. Baggies, Blauer USA, Baracuta, Jacob Cohen, Drakewood, Filson, G.R.P., Handstich, Harris Wharf, Hollywood Trading Co., Lucky de Luca, Panolis, Prps, Prps Goods & Co., Red Wing Shoes, Woolrich Labels accessories: 365 Italy, Campomaggi, Dukes, Filson, Hollywood Trading Co., Johnny Belts, Leigh & Luca

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Unexpected feel-at-home ambience in the backyard: Stakks is no longer a secret any more.

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Online meets offline: The idea of sorting vintage fashion into colours has a style of its own.

The Spirits She Evoked Dotti’s Lovely Vintage + Labels / Zurich. If Ms Schumann had known what her feel for vintage fashion would trigger amongst her friends and then her fans she would do it exactly the same way again.

Text: Dörte Welti.

Photos: Dotti’s, Dörte Welti

The advertising copywriter, Ulrike Schumann, has always had an unerring feel for true vintage fashion, that is to say, for pieces that are either genuinely old or have perhaps been reworked according to original patterns dating from the '40s, '50s and '60s. "Colourful - old - wild", is how Ulrike Schumann describes this look on which she has based her business.

She first started off by marketing herself, she blogged, something totally new five years ago. The girls from Germany's most successful fashion blog "Les Mads" stumbled across Ms Schumann who moved to Zurich from Berlin via a couple of brief stopovers in Hamburg and then Munich, and offered her the opportunity to blog directly from Switzerland. Dotti's was born.

When a Business Is Born Out of a Necessity

As cheerful as their fashion: Catherine Eigenmann (left) and Ulrike Schumann.

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Ulrike Schumann has always really bought more than she could wear herself, her surplus finds were ripped out of her hands by vintage fashionistas.

Ulrike Schumann found she was more and more often taking whole shopping lists for orders abroad with her or on her

vintage-hunting trips. The logical consequence of all these things ultimately led to an online shop.

With a distinctive concept: "I didn't do ordinary second-hand pieces, everything is at least 40 50 years old."

From Online to Offline

Online business is tough, especially when you are actually dealing with a tactile experience. People like to touch fashion, hold it, try on the shoes, handbags and pieces of jewellery. Ulrike Schumann became increasingly aware of this with her customers, so a bricks-andmortar shop needed to happen.

It's been open for a year now, in the trendy Kreis 5 in Zurich alongside other with-it shops and also offers new fashion as well as the genuine old pieces that will suit the look. The online shop records around 50,000 page views per month, turnover makes around a quarter of the overall business. But you can't really make a living out of it all yet, so Ulrike Schumann found a comrade-in-arms in Catherine Eigenmann who earns her daily bread elsewhere (as a physiotherapist) and who takes it in turns with Ms Schumann (who still

works in an advertising agency in order to remain financially independent) as a stand-in. This is a good thing. It means less stress for the two of them as they divide the duties as well as the time spent on activities. It does, however, mean that a lot of work, such as with the online shop, which Ulrike Schumann still continues to run alone, is left until the weekend.

Has it been worth it so far?

"Absolutely" the two of them say together." The two things complement one another, the regular clientèle from the online shop also comes into the shop, we've noticed that the mix is just right". Lovely!

Dotti’s Lovely Vintage + Labels Josefstrasse 144, 8005 Zurich/Switzerland, www.dottisvintage.com Opening: June 2012 Owners: Ulrike Schumann, Catherine Eigenmann Retail space: 90 sqm.

Labels: Baum und Pferd­ garten, Blossan, Vivetta Accessories: Charlotte Wooning, Early, Francis et son ami, Kvinna, Lunettes Selection, Mugon, Origami Jewellery, Rita in Palma, Susan Suell, Turina

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Intimate Fashion Boutique in Old Berlin The Corner Berlin West / Berlin. Fashion at an international level of luxury in Berlin means: The Corner.

The founders Josef Voelk and Emmanuel de Bayser have discovered a new language for the entire shopping experience in their colourful branch in the old western section of Berlin.

demonstrate their support for both of the Berlins with their concept store "The Corner."

They opened their main business in 2006 on Gendarmenmarkt close to Friedrichstrasse and moved into a smaller branch in Knesebeckstrasse within walking distance of the Ku'damm the following year.

Text: Jan Joswig. Photos: The Corner

The West Is Catching Up

For those who have worked for the director Luchino Visconti in Italy and for Armani in Cal­ ifornia, then their visions go far beyond the confines of a local level. Which is why Josef Voelk doesn't just see typical Berlinlike material in Berlin but sees it more from an international perspective. Similar to the Rive gauche and Rive droite divide Paris, for example, or New York is split into its Uptown and Downtown, Berlin also has two centres: The eastern one around Friedrichstrasse and the western one around the Kurfürstendamm. Right from the beginning, Josef Voelk and his partner Emmanuel de Bayser wanted to

Whilst the business on the Gendarmenmarkt set new standards in Berlin both aesthetically-speaking and in terms of price, with its product range of fashion and accessories, and quickly rose to become a leading light in the firmament of glamour, the Knesebeck branch remained stuck in its shadow. "The clientèle there were rather conservative to start off with," says Josef Voelk and remembers how it was in 2007, "Berliners from the West had to be led to fashion." But Berlin has caught up at a tremendous pace, much of the impetus came from outside influences."

In autumn 2012, Voelk and de Bayer devised a new address that is de rigeur for this fashionablyemancipated West Berlin, it is

not a fashion temple but rather more of an intimate boudoir for connoisseurs of shopping.

They abandoned the branch in Knesebeckstrasse and moved a few streets further towards the west. In Wielandstrasse, in direct proximity to Armani, Saint Laurent or Dolce & Gabbana, they have put together collections between the stucco ceiling and pop-art furniture which, for the most part, can only be found here along with home accessories that have written design history.

Beautiful Pieces Combined Beautifully

Editing is a magic word for Josef Voelk: Collecting beautiful things in an interesting way, be it fashion, interior design or accessories. "They must show an unusual side to the customers. We wanted to break away from the monotony of corporate design, where shops from Hamburg to Hong Kong all look the same. It should be fresh, modern but also colourful. Berlin has this long grey period in winter...

We wanted to contrast this with something bright, something intimate, a modern drawing room. You must ring the door-

Sophistication has a face: Josef Voelk by The Corner.

bell to enter..." When looking for the location, Voelk and de Bayer made no con­cessions to standards, nor with their product range either. Through the floorlength windows the eye is drawn to an Italian piazza by the star architect Hans Kollhoff. Cosmopolitan grandeur and intimate exclusivity come together at this address which is just crying out for further planning: From autumn 2013, a select men's coll­ection will be added, the interior sector will be extended – and cocktail evenings like the ones at Gendarmenmarkt are planned, however, Josef Voelk emphasises that these will have a more personal note.

Like a painting by Edward Hopper: A view through the shop window.

The Corner Berlin West Wielandstrasse 29, 10629 Berlin/Germany thecorner-berlin.de Opening: October 2012 Owner: Josef Voelk, Emmanuel de Bayser Staff: 2 Retail space: 230 sqm.

Labels: including Acne, Alaia, Alexander McQueen, Balencia­ ga, Balmain, Carven, Céline, Chloé, Haider Ackermann, Isabel Marant, Jil Sander, Kenzo, Lanvin, Maison Martin Margiela, Rick Owens, Saint Laurent Paris, Stella McCartney Interior: India Mahdavi and selected vintage pieces (in­ cluding Marco Zanuso, Willy Rizzo, Warren Platner)

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From Shop Owner to Streetstyle Icon You You Store / Turin.

You You Store owner Eleonora Carisi combines everything required by the fashion industry: Charm, style, vision and business sense.

Text: Janaina Engelmann-Brothánek.

Photos: You You

Not everybody is familiar with her name but most fashionistas know her face, the dip-dyed hair and her off-beat looks. Vogue Spain elected Eleonora Carisi the "Ultimate Fashion Muse 2.0" at the beginning of 2013 and her outfits, a mixture of street-style and couture, are regularly shown in weekly magazines all over the world. She is an all-round talent: Blogger, stylist, model and photographer with a permanent subscription for the front rows of the most important shows.

But it's not just the internet with her almost 10,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter that love her, designers are also kept happy when the petite "ragazza" from northern Italy wears their collections.

Eleonora is not only a shooting star, she offers more

Her main occupation is owner of the You You Store in the centre of Turin, her range here carries approximately 30 brand names – 313 style in progress

fashion for ladies and gentlemen, shoes, and accessories. In 2006, after completing her marketing and communications studies, she took on the boutique and turned it into a "happy island" for young, emerging artists and the fashion-conscious. She set up the shop by herself – she loves decorating the room, moving furniture around, recreating the display window and showcases and she regularly changes things around. So, there is always a surprise waiting for you every time you go into the shop. The atmosphere is informal and amongst the many fresh and unusual labels there are also some very well-known brands such as Jeffrey Campbell or Vivetta to be found. To start off with, Eleonora predominantly searched for the right labels at tradeshows such as the Bread & Butter in Berlin, White in Milan or Pitti in Florence. But she also uses the internet for researching stuff nowadays or

when she's on her business trips around the world. She feels that the best towns are New York and Amsterdam, the people and their looks are "cutting edge" there and she draws fresh inspiration from them every season.

Labels in You You Store: Anything Other than Ordinary

The labels could have come right out of Carisi's own wardrobe: Herschel, Co | Te, Daniel Palillo, GCDS, Giechi or Odeur – dresses and accessories which are a touch more noticeable without appearing contrived. "Most of my customers are people who like to be free to develop, who want to try to be a little daring and love trying on new things, they don't want to be restricted or reduced down to a single style and definitely don't want to compromise on quality. They are curious explorers," says Carisi.

And she has to come up with innovative items for this clientèle every season. This also resulted

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Eleonora Carisi’s You You Store in Turin, where the city's fashion elite meet up with artists and young designers.

Fashionably-speaking, always one step ahead – Eleonora Carisi is a blogger, photographer, stylist, model and owner of the You You Store in Turin.

in her label What's Inside You in 2009. The current collection is hanging in the shop, of course: Bon-Ton clothes in powdery tones with plenty of sequins and frills. How does the pretty concept store owner manage to get everything under one roof?

She remains true to herself and has made a home out of her shop – here, she can switch off and enjoy the time with her friends.

And how does she see herself in ten years time? "Probably with grey hair." Wonder whether it will still be dip-dyed then?

You You Store Piazza Vittorio 12F, 10123 Turin/Italy, www.youyoustore.com Opening: 2006 Owner: Eleonora Carisi Labels women: Co | Te, Daniel Palillo, GCDS, Odeur, Phonz Says Black, Vivetta, What’s Inside You Labels men: Odeur, GCDS, Phonz Says Black Labels accessories: Forfex, Gienchi, Herschel, Jeffrey Campell, Solovair, Super Sunglasses

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Sombre Luxury Odd / New York. CCTV monitors in the shop window attract an unconventional kind of clientèle to Odd people looking for alternative fashion. Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Odd

tion has deliberately been kept androgynous – ultimately Odd's claim is to move its clientèle into thinking outside conventional patterns. The store should open the door for them to a sombre, alternative luxury fashion.

The Internet as a Sounding Board for Sombre Luxury

"Fashion is everyday art as far as I'm concerned," says Judson Harmon. "Through fashion, you tell the world who you are and how you are doing without the need for words." He writes his own message using timeless, but eccentric pieces. He dresses boyishly during the day, but when he really wants to feel dressedup or there's a special occasion, "then I grab something out of that section of my wardrobe that makes people really sit up".

This principle also applies to his shop, fine pieces mixed with shock elements. At Odd, items such as the Kofta bags - which appear to have screaming faces pushing their way out of them - share the room with almost innocent-looking white tops by Isabelle Benenato. And there's something laughing mis­chievously in every corner, such as the Häschen leather bags

by Mandy Coon. The selec-

Finding the right selection wasn't just a lucky accident for Judson Harmon. He had initially made his name as a designer and stylist – and then he made his first attempts using a sounding board. He put his idea for his shop concept on the internet first of all, to try it out in peace. That was in January 2012.

However, just nine months later an Odd shop also sprang up in Ludlow Street in New York.

"The reactions to the online store were so strong so quickly that I thought that a shop was obviously the next step," says Harmon today. That went faster than expected. However, while developing the shop, Harmon also met up with something unexpectedly long-lasting: art.

Video Art Creates New Perspectives

Harmon first of all engaged Jason Akira Somma for alternating installations in the store. He built infra-red cameras into the

Judson Harmon's own personal style runs through the product range at Odd.

foreheads of two mannequins, transferred the images of the customers onto a computer in the cellar and then sent these to old CCTV monitors spread throughout the store and also standing in the shop windows using a specially programmed app. "As soon as you enter the store, you see yourself from a completely diff­ erent perspective," says Harmon enthusiastically. The installation was so well received that it has now become a permanent design feature.

Old CCTV monitors are part of the art installations in the store.

Odd 164 Ludlow Street, New York 10002/USA, T 001.646.559.0406 www.odd-style.com Opening: October 2012.

Owner: Judson Harmon Staff: 9 Retail space: 185 sqm.

Labels: Cinzia Araia, Dominic Louis, Gareth Pugh, Heather Lawton, Isabel Benenato, Issey Miyake, Jean Pierre Braganza, MA_Julius, Mugler, Odd, Parkchoonmoo, Rochambeau, Skingraft, Song for the Mute, Sruli Recht, Steffie Christiaens, Todd Lynn Labels accessories: Kittinhawk, Kofta, Mandy Coon, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

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Eva and Selim Varol: Closely connected in life and for Toykio.

Café, gallery, or toy shop? Toykio is everything rolled into one.

A Living Room For Everybody Toykio / Düsseldorf.

Selim Varol is a passionate collector of designer toys and street art; his toy collection should be one of the largest in the world. He shows a portion of it in Toykio, an inspired mixture of bar and café, toy shop and gallery.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Toykio

A very mixed audience is sitting at a long wooden table: School children and suit-wearers, hobby knitters, creatives and tourists from all over the world. Its refreshingly unusual to have Toykio in the Japanese district of the generally more reserved city of Düsseldorf. The mix of curiosities – easily visible from the outside through the large shop window – has just as much of an attraction for the trendy people as it does for those who just happen to be passing by and are fascinated by the brightlypainted toys and pop-surrealist images.

Colourful Playground

Toykio was originally launched

by Selim Varol and his wife Eva Varol. "Selim had been longing to create a place where everybody can get together round a big table for a long time," says Eva Varol. "He combined everything he likes into Toykio; delicious coffee, good food, art, books and lots of other things." Everything is based around the collection by the Düsseldorfer resident who originally comes from Turkey.

He was mad about toy figures even as a child, particularly the

heroes from Star Wars. The fact that his mother gave away all of his toy figures when he was twelve because she considered her son to be much too old for them, didn't have any effect on Selim Varol's passion. So, a little while later, he started to collect designer toys, mainly from limited collections. "Selim really only collects art from artists that he knows, he often links them up with his project," says Eva who tries to accompany him on his travels as much as possible and also deals with everything around Toykio. There are quite likely to be more than 15,000 figures now, including models from the film industry such as the Terminator and Batman as well as figures from comics and mangas. The Toykio Gallery in the café room and in the basement display part of these but they are also presented at exhibitions too. For example, in the museum shop in the NRW Forum Düsseldorf, in Berlin in the ME Collectors Room by Thomas Olbricht and in the Museum CAC in Malaga.

Nice Network

Toykio itself has evolved into

an extremely lively spot – with events such as the show of the London artist Ryca or get-togethers when a new designer toy is released, and with a bar open at the weekend with changing DJs. "There's now a genuine Toykio-Community," says Eva Varol. "The place has been made into what it is by much more than just the people standing behind the counter – the confectioner, the artists and the friends who have now become regular customers."

Toykio.

Immermannstrasse 18, 40210 Düsseldorf/Germany, www.toykio.de Opening: May 2011 Owners: Selim Varol, Eva Varol Retail space: 200 sqm.

Number of staff: 12 Labels toys: Bearbricks, Coarse, Gestalten, Ginko Press, Joe Ledbetter, KAWS, Kidrobot, Medicom and others Books: Gestalten, Ginko Press and others Labels art: Banksy, Ben Eine, d*face, JR, Kozik, Mark Ryden, Ryca, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, Stefan Strumbel and others

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Vanishing point: The 30-metrelong room is cleverly divided using optical tricks and literally pulls the visitor completely through it.

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All Good Things Come In Fours Aerni Haar Kleid Bar Spa / Bern. First a relaxing jacuzzi, followed by a massage. Then have your hair and make-up done and deck yourself out in a new outfit from top to toe. Round this off with a snack and a delicious glass of bubbly. Does this sound as though you're racing from pillar to post to get all this done? Not in Bern.

Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: Roger Reist

Something that sounds like a storyboard for one of those "Styling You Beautiful" TV shows is actually reality at Aerni in Bern - every day. The location is a renovated listed Art Nouveau hotel in the old city of the Swiss capital. A stroke of luck for Marc Riedo, who finished his training as a hair dresser at the timehonoured Salon Aerni in Bern, graduating with honours. The Aerni and Riedo Families have known one another since time immemorial, Senior Riedo and Hans-Peter Aerni both trained together. That forms a connection. Aerni, who doesn't have any children himself, left his successfully-running business to young Riedo in 2005, and he immediately rolled up his sleeves to turn his vision of a neverbefore-seen service operation for esteemed clientèle into a reality.

A suitable location practically landed in front of his feet, not far from the Salon Aerni. The reconstruction turned into a treasure hunt, coming to the fore behind the well-intentioned '70s panelling, beautiful stucco work appeared and a generous floor plan saw the light of day.

Beautiful framework: The picture on the wall is simply a glass frame hanging over the wallpaper by Ulf Moritz.

The Latin Conceptus, the Conception, Taken Literally

Marc Riedo wants to adapt the business to the needs of today.

Well-being and style are values that have always been practised and handed down the Riedo Family since time immemorial.

This has resulted in a concept store that is unique in Switzerland. The 150-square-metre large spa is located in the basement and is used to celebrate all manner of different treatments, many of them following Ayurvedic principles. The entrance to the store is spacious, dividing into a bar on the right-hand side and a fashion boutique on the left.

Sophistication: The clothes rails on the walls can be raised almost right up to the 4.5 metre high ceiling, which then allows plenty of space for events, such as fashion shows for example. There is an area for bulk merchandise along the windows and in the rear section, where a piece of sloping furniture with compartments visually separates the area into the hairdressing salon with space for 24 people.

Junior, effortlessly jumps from one area to the next, but he has hired professionals to deal with the areas that he is unfamiliar with - the bar, boutique and spa.

His heart soars in the hairdressing world. In 2008, Marc Riedo was able to set up another, pure hairdressing salon in the world famous luxury hotel VictoriaJungrau in Interlaken. Being a family man himself (he is the father of two children) it was important to him that people stand behind the labels in the Aerni Bern. So, the fashion labels are selected accordingly, along with the exclusive beauty lines.

After all, the business generates 40 per cent of the turnover with fashion. And if Marc Riedo continues thinking up ingenious ideas for ensuring customer loyalty such as the limousine service with Jaguar that chauffeurs every customer with their shopping bag from A to B for one year free of charge, then there will be an Aerni Bern well into the next generation.

Beautiful boss: Fans love to compare Marc Riedo with the young Tom Ford.

Aerni Haar Kleid Bar Spa Aarbergergasse 60, 3011 Bern/Switzerland, T 0041.31.3112468 Opening: July 2006 Owners: Riedogroup AG Retail space: 600 sqm.

Staff: 35 Labels: Annette Görtz, Armani Jeans, Cambio, Crea Concept, High, Isabel de Pedro, Marc Cain, Marithé + François Girbaud, René Lezard Labels Hair and Spa: Aerni 1929, American Crew, By Terry, Ligne St. Barth, Redken, Shu Uemura

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Next Stop: Fashion Business Wooster / Feldmeilen.

A concept has rarely fitted into this category as well as Wooster has. Because the Greyhound bus, filled with trendy labels, is always at the door of fashion-savvy customers looking for something out of the ordinary...

Text: DĂśrte Welti. Photos: Wooster

That was what the plan actually looked like when Odile Burger, literally after a drink or two, came up with the idea and then transformed it into reality, the idea that is of getting hold of an old, original Greyhound bus dating from 1948 and transporting it to Switzerland, converting it and setting it up as a mobile boutique. Containing: Labels, that little Miss Switzerland 313 style in progress

doesn't usually have access to, unless she shops in New York's Wooster Street regularly herself.

Wooster Street in trendy Soho, the street that gave Odile Burger the name for her business idea.

The dream of bringing New York style to Switzerland became a reality. Of course, there wasn't enough space in the bus for fashion and a warehouse. So, the bus actually just served as a sort of mobile changing room, the affluent ladies targeted should then place their orders via the webshop that had been set up to run alongside it. The plan took off, the online shop gradually started up, the bus certainly won a lot of attention on its first tour of Switzerland which took in a total of 20 stops. It's hardly surprising in a country where the largest employer has based its success on an Armada of mobile supermarkets. But you can't really grow properly doing something this way, something the entrepreneur found out for herself. Odile Burger, who personally took the lorry driving test so that she would be able to drive herself, was confronted by the customer's desire for a bricks-and-mortar business. So, as it happened chance played a part and provided the perfect location, a shop available to rent right next to the traffic lights on the lake road leading along Zurich's Gold Coast. The shop had a certain loft character about it as it had formerly been an old garage and was exactly the feel that Wooster was looking for.

Seen, Rented.

Riding the Wave of Success

Yes, kids do give a funny look when their parents discover their late 1968 phase and let their hippie dream – or whatever other dream they might have – turn into reality. For Philippe Burger, his mother's mobile fashion business and its development provided him with the opportunity to enter into the fashion business himself. The young man initially only helped in renovat-

ing the site. He has become coowner in the meantime and runs the business when Odile Burger devotes her time to journalists, editors and her latest activity as a marketing and communications manager for UNICEF Switzerland and spends time at tradeshows or shopping trips in New York.

Bus Stop in the Concept Garden

This winter saw the bus as part of one of the larger shop concepts planned, the Geroldsmarkt in Frau Gerolds Garten in Zurich, an area with pop-up stores and concept locations in containers or warehouses. The Greyhound fitted in perfectly, a permanent location has been booked for this season. The bus is still principally used as a showroom, to promote the webshop which so far only makes up 10 per cent of the total turnover. A promotion tour is planned again for next year.

When and where the fashion bus will be stopping will be published on the homepage. Long live that hippie feeling!

Knows where it's heading: Odile Burger has turned a unique fashion concept for Switzerland into a reality.

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Wooster is stopping for the season at Frau Gerolds Garten - a hot spot and tourist attraction rolled into one.

The converted bus opens up extraordinary possibilities for presenting fashion in a Soho style.

Wooster Seestrasse 11, 8706 Feldmeilen/Switzerland, www.woostershop.ch Opening: March 2011 Owner: Odile and Philippe Burger Staff: 4 Retail space: 116 sqm.

(Bus: 20 sqm.)

Labels: Benson, Catherine Malandrino, Earnest Sewn, Gryphon, Haute Hippie, Helmut Lang, Line, Mara Hoffmann, Morgane Le Faye, Nili Lotan, Phillip Lim, Raven Denim, Theory, Velvet, Yeohlee Labels shoes: Candela, CYDWOQ, Frye Labels accessories: Bliss Lau, B-Low The Belt, Brave, CC Skye, Cleobella, Eugenia Kim, Fallon, Gabriele Frantzen, Hue, Kathleen Novak Tucci, Lillian Crowe, Nuana Kane, Post & Co, Tilo

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In its offline version, Piperlime has high, spacious rooms with theme-related, open departments.

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From a Shopping Site to a Shop Piperlime / New York.

The online dealer Piperlime is still continuing its broad range of prices and themerelated presentations in its New York store.

Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Chun Y Lai/Piperlime

Nowadays, online trading is no longer just online trading. This is a conclusion you quickly reach when you're standing in front of the first Piperlime store - the US online fashion house belonging to the Gap Group. "We’re even better looking in person," is splashed across the display window. Behind this, stretches a high and airy shopping paradise with women's fashion, shoes, jewellery and accessories, including those by Milly, Rebecca Minkoff and 7 for all Mankind.

"The store brings the brand to life in a new and exciting way," says Piperlime boss Jennifer Gosselin. "With an edited assortment of trends, inspiring head-to toe looks." Even the sales staff play a crucial role in the process following Gosselin's store concept – this is one of the advantages that the store in New York's trendy district of Soho has over the online retail trade.

The Online-Offline-Relationship

But Piperlime hasn't cut the ties to retail trade completely yet. Scattered around the store stand monitors with the "Online Kiosk," a place where customers can also order items directly – for instance, if the desired size isn't in stock. And the other way round, it's also possible to go online, call up the heading "Shop the Soho store from home" to check and see what items are available in the stores.

Via customer data, Gosselin is able to see that the website already has a huge fan base in New York. In 2009, Piperlime surprised with a Pop-Up store – for the Fashion Night Out, the shopping dream of every New York fashionista and which traditionally marks the beginning of the New York Fashion Week in September. The success at that time opened the door to the idea of also having a permanent store.

Order According to Seasonal Trends with a Broad Range of Prices

Of course, this is also run like the website too: The pieces are

not sorted by brands, types, or colours, they are grouped together into seasonal trends. There is a corner showing how to combine a statement jacket. This is done by hanging several matching pieces behind one another on the clothes rail. Another department, Colour Crush, does justice to its name by having a sea of strong, bold colours.

Every last inhibition falls with the "Girl on a Budget" category, a particular favourite with the customers: Here you will only find pieces that cost a maximum of 100 dollars. But the pricing policy also catches the eye in other departments too: A C.Luce dress for under a 100 dollars can be hanging right next to a Red Valentino for 850 dollars.

Extra Clothing Rails for Fashion Celebs' Favourite Picks

Jennifer Gosselin is convinced that this mix is right. Gathering something like this into one single shop, in a boutique atmosphere hasn't really been done in such a grand style as this before. And then there are also the guest curators, too. Designers, who include Rachel Zoe and It-Girl Olivia Palermo, they seek out their favourite pieces for the website and these are then suitably labelled there. These fashion gurus have their own clothes rails in the shop – almost as though you were allowed to borrow something from them.

The lime-green main colour of the website is the supporting element at the entrance to Piperlime.

Piperlime 121 Wooster Street, New York 10012/USA, www.piperlime.gap.com Opening: September 2012 Owner: Gap Inc. Retail space: 371 sqm.

Labels women: 7 for all Mankind, BB Dakota, C&C California, Citizens of Humani­ ty, Dolce Vita, French Connec­ tion, Haute Hippie, Joie, Juicy Couture, Koral Los Angeles, Milly, Rebecca Minkoff, Parker, Lilly Pulitzer, Rachel Roy, Red Valentino, Sabine, Z-Spoke by Zac Posen and others Labels shoes: Ash, DV by Dolce Vita, Frye, Hunter, Keds, Schutz, Sigerson Morrison, Steve Madden, Stuart Weitzman and others Labels accessories: Kate Spade New York, Kenneth Cole, Pim + Larkin, Rebecca Minkoff, Trina Turk and others

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Positive Growth Trends Soto Store / Berlin.

With their menswear concept of combining premium streetwear together with high-end fashion designers, the makers of Soto are on a course of expansion and, following in the footsteps of their webshop, have now opened up their second bricks-and-mortar store.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka.

Photos: Soto Store

In 2010, the three founders of Soto - Omer Ben-Michael, David Fischer and Philip Gaedicke - launched their wild mix of essential classics and innovative trends for the modern man in Torstrasse in Berlin. They had already opened a webshop of the same name the previous year, offering a mix of American, European and Asian streetwear labels with designers such as Dries van Noten, Adam Kimmel or Thom Browne. "Our concept is to offer a smart, broad spectrum to men, ranging from blazers to sweatshirts, from trainers to the full brogue Derby or even from dressed-up trousers to jeans," says Philip Gaedicke.

Besides accessories such as belts, penknives, watches or bound

The Trust Bar used to be known as a place for drinking and dancing but it now houses the second Soto store.

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notebooks in printed canvas, the Soto store also stocks toiletries by Baxter of California, environmentally-friendly detergents with a lavender/mint fragrance

by Remedy and Mexican luxury chocolate with salt and pepper flavours.

New Chapter in the Success Story

Once it was clear that the neighbouring Trust Bar was closing its doors and the property management offered the location to the Soto owners, they took on the premises straight away. subjecting it to a thorough renovation.

The old building is generously proportioned with high ceilings, dilapidated mouldings, stripped wooden floors and large shop windows and now has a bright, open and inviting appearance.

Twelve brands were freshly added to the product range. Amongst the latest newcomer brands are extravagant shoe creations

by Louis Leeman from Paris, bags from Superior Labor from Tokyo, the collection from the Munich label Kind of Guys, high-end streetwear by Mr. Bathing Ape and jackets and shirts by

Cash CA from Japan. Moreover, there is also an own in-house label called Le Berlinois. The Soto team have already brought out a number of collaborations with the label, teaming up with such names as Lacoste, Maharishi, Libertine-Libertine or the Italian newcomer President's.

Torstrasse Is Booming

After just three years, the three Soto founders employ around 13 employees during peak periods.

"We have set ourselves a goal for this fiscal year, which is to achieve the same turnover with the webshop as we have with both of the bricks-and-mortar stores," says Philip Gaedicke.

Tourists make up around 80 per cent of the customers entering the stores. Numerous shops have opened in the area surrounding Torstrasse over the last two years. "The fact that Torstrasse has turned into THE place to go in the east of the city - both for national and international visitors to Berlin - is mainly down to the bars, cafĂŠs and restaurants in the area," he says, and adds: "It would be nice if it could stay like this for a little longer."

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Omer Ben-Michael, David Fischer and Philip Gaedicke love to dress their customers well.

Soto Store Torstrasse 72, 10119 Berlin/Germany, www.sotostore.com Opening: October 2012 Owners: Philip Gaedicke, David Fischer, Omer Ben-Michael Store Manager: Lia Reiss Staff: 12 Retail space: 110 sqm.

Labels men: Acne, Adam Kimmel, A.O.CMS, Asp­ esi, Barre Noire, Band of Outsiders,Barbour, BLK DNM, Brosbi, BWGH, Camo, Car­ ven, Case Scenario, Clarks, Common Projects, Converse, Dries Van Noten, Dr. Martens, Etiquette, Gitman Brothers Vintage, Han Kjøbenhavn, Herschel Supply, Kitsuné, Lacoste L!VE, Lavenham, Le Berlinois, Libertine-Libertine, Maharishi, Marcelo Burlon, Mark McNairy, Mismo, Mon­ sieur Lacenaire, Nanamica, New Balance, Nike Sports­ wear, Norse Projects, Opening Ceremony, Our Legacy, Orlebar Brown, Pendleton, Penfield, President’s, Raised

By Wolves, Sansovino 6, Saturdays NYC, Soulland, Sperry Top-Spider, Tantum, The Hill-Side, Thom Browne, Vans, Velour, Warriors of Radness, YMC Labels accessories: Alexander Olch, Ambush, Anderson’s, Illesteva, Linda Farrow, MCM, Miansai, MWC Watches, Sabrina Dehoff for Soto, The Superior Labor, Super, Victorinox

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How to fill up the smallest room without it appearing cramped - the Welcome Shoppe is a past master at it.

Mini with Style Welcome Shoppe/ New York. This shop invites you to enter on a journey around the world with products from countries such as Ethiopia, Italy and Japan, all packed into the smallest space possible.

Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Bryan Gursky

A shop with a retail space less than 10 square metres? That is entirely normal in New York. "Hole in the Wall" is what they call it. But they are usually more for Fast Food, having shoes resoled or selling cheap jewellery. Robin Weiss, however, has managed to tuck a whole treasure trove into such a mini-store. There are stripy shirts, silk scarves and jewellery from New York and hair clips from Paris inside the Welcome Shoppe. "I believe in the history of a product," says Weiss, "the craftsmanship, the weaving style, the creation."

Inspiration from Three Years of Travel

Robin Weiss opened the shop in May 2012.

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The previous owner of the popular Butter and Consignment boutiques in Brooklyn felt in need of a break at some point.

She travelled around for three years, founded her own label "small trades", moved into a flat in Manhattan and decided: I have to have a shop in the neighbourhood - and she soon found one too. However, the furnishings caused a bit of a problem to start off with. After putting down the first coat of paint on

the floor, the painter rang up and said: "You're not going to like it but the floor is dirty already." So, without further ado, Weiss drove to a tile merchant and discovered - pebbles. And that is how the Welcome Shoppe came to have a floor that hints at an open-air shop in the sunny south.

"We gradually put up the shelves, bit by bit, so that I could use the space as best as possible," she says. So, you'll find sunglasses on a narrow ledge, wider boards provide space for socks, handwoven scarves hang from a hook opposite and there's enough room everywhere so that the shop looks tidy and has an open appearance.

How to Build a Changing Room in 7.4 Square Metres

There aren't any rooms in the back. "If we need to go to the toilet we have to go into the launderette next door," says Weiss laughing. She still managed to squeeze in a dressing room though: The high clothes rails are on wheels and can close off a corner if need be. There's something else that acts defiantly in Robin Weiss' shop: Space for art. She had the artist Katie

Lewis put up a fixture made of pins on the wall - it took 40 hours to make. In contrast to everything else in the shop, you can't just take it with you. But Weiss will put you in contact with the artist if you want to have a similar fixture on your own four walls. "The only thing you can't have here is most likely my computer," she laughs.

Welcome Shoppe 36 East 11th Street, NY 10003/USA, www.welcomeshoppe.com Opening: May 2012 Owner: Robin Weiss Staff: 2 Retail space: 7.4 sqm.

Labels women: A Detacher, CP Shades, Kapital, Small Trades, Urban Soldiers Always Itinerant Labels shoes: Isapera, Justin Rothshank, LOCAL Labels accessories: Arielle de Pinto, Bajra, Dries Van Noten, Faliero Sarti, Justine Ashbee, Mansur Gavriel, Mercado Global, Mischa Lampert, Odette Jewelry, Pip Squeak Chapeau, Sophie Digard, Sylvain Le Hen, VEGA Interior design: Creative woman, Teixidors, Welcome Shoppe

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Bespoke (Pyjama) Suits White Chalk / New York.

Breaking away from the structures of tradition White Chalk in New York created a new vision for Savile Row quality.

Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Ben Ferrari

You need two words to describe a good suit: Savile Row. The quality of the sartorial men's fashion from the shops of the legendary London street permeates through the entire world. But there are also gent's tailors with passion elsewhere. And so, a small shop in New York wrote a new chapter in the history of men's suits.

As it happened, Aaron Black had had more than enough of suits.

He was a designer and store manager for a popular menswear brand for quite a while before he decided enough was enough. But

then a friend brought him back to the world of bespoke tailoring once again. "When I made a special suit for him, I was seduced back to my love," says Black. A little while later he opened his own shop with White Chalk, giving it the name of the thing he held in his hand every day and what also represented his vision: The white tailor's chalk.

"What we have in common with Savile Row is quality, heritage and handicraft" says Black. "But we are different because we are modern and not stuck in our ways." So he still ensures the quality of his wool material but they have dropped just ever so slightly in significance for him - it is all about style and shape at the moment. He focuses on exclusivity to achieve this: Everything from the ready-to-wear line is limited to just four items.

fulfil this wish: pyjama suits. The silk pyjamas that some of his clients like to wear outside the bedroom are practically cut in the same manner as real suits, just a little thinner and with a little less structure to them. Here too, bespoke tailoring is also available.

White Chalk even designed a made-to-measure tuxedo pyjama suit for one gentlemen - the new owner wore it to a wedding.

Tailor made

Narrow room, white tiles, neon light: White Chalk focuses on a clean image.

Ultimately, in doing this he follows the bespoke traditions of the Savile Row tailors - quality over quantity - and on top of everything Black still makes made-to-measure suits for his clientèle. White Chalk takes four to six weeks to make a tailormade suit which costs around 3,500 dollars. Aaron Black places great value on never repeating a design again: His customers will never meet someone else wearing the same suit.

Even though this is an extremely exclusive concept, White Chalk dispenses with pompous décor.

Instead, the walls are tiled in white as though the shop is hosed down every evening.

The cool ambience allows the sales area to appear larger - and cleaner. Other small details also appear more noticeable as well.

For example, camouflage prints.

They are on trend at the moment in New York - as are wedding suits. Aaron Black considers these a seasonal phenomenon.

On the other hand, he has noticed that many of his customers don't seem to care about what time of year it is. "If a suit’s good they want to wear it all year round," he says.

White Chalk also has something remarkably special in mind to

The Guardian of the White Chalk: Aaron Black brings British style to New York.

White Chalk 240 Mulberry Street, New York 10012/USA www.whitechalknyc.com Opening: August 2012 Owner: Aaron Black Retail space: 70 sqm

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Madison Avenue New York

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The Secret

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A lot more than 400 stores with Prêt-à-Porter, couture and jewellery are lined up on Madison Avenue. Despite this, it excels among the luxury shopping streets of the world with local colour rather than superlatives – and it perfects its choiceness upstairs.

Text: Petrina Engelke.

Photos: Clemens Kois, Alice+Olivia by Stacey Bendet

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Fifth Avenue is the symbol of luxury shopping. However, those who can afford it don’t necessarily go there. In fact, glittering displays and spectacular shop windows on Fifth Avenue attract the masses to department stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks lead them to Tiffany’s and into the world’s biggest Louis Vuitton store. However, for exclusive shopping in New York, you would be better advised to go to a different location. There, in contrast to Fifth Avenue, there are no gigantic H&M or Abercrombie & Fitch flagship stores.

On Madison Avenue, there is a shopping world of a different type. Lanvin, Chanel, Chloe, Hermes, Gucc,. Missoni, Prada, Belstaff, Asprey, Dolce & Gabbana, Carolina Herrera, Emilio Pucci, Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Tom Ford, Valentino, Helmut Lang. They are all here next to each other. “Many big labels have several stores in New York but on Madison Avenue they have a very special and extremely local market, says Matthew Bauer, who has been running the property and location association Madison Avenue Business Improvement District since 1999. “What Madison Avenue makes clearly different to the luxury shopping centres in the rest of the world:

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1+2 | Typically New York: Children are also dressed up for shopping on Madison Avenue.

Many customers come from the surrounding area – and they are loyal. They see it as their street.

It’s important to them.”

The Perfect Luxury Customer Just Around the Corner Upper East Side ladies can afford to buy a Hermes scarf when they are out walking their awardwinning Maltese dog. For her sake, designers turn up in their stores personally or shine at the posh charity events organised by Madison Avenue BID. Ultimately, Madison Avenue is not just a real luxury mile because 455 fine stores are situated in 29 buildings. Rather because this part of the street is also in an area where the average annual

income is in the tax category between 165,000 and 250,000 dollars (125,000 to almost 200,000 Euro).

Despite this, Madison Avenue exudes the calm of a small city.

Most other luxury shopping streets have grandeur on view, which is a little intimidating.

Like a classic boulevard, trees line the grand Avenue Montaigne in Paris; on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills you meet hoards of tourists hoping to meet Hollywood stars. In Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, you are surrounded by banks and by a 13-storey department store and within seconds are rushed into a decision, in short: struck by megalomania.

In contrast to this, the neigh-

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3 | Above the display windows of the fashion stores on the ground floor, you will find another world of luxury on the first floor – here, for once, easily visible with a gallery.

4 | Building regulations ensure that a clear visual divide remains between stores and upper floors.

bourhood saunters along Madison Avenue – solvent, swish and a little sedate. At lunchtime, women from the area wear their Birkin bags to lunch there, where the waiters know their favourite drinks. Then, they have an appointment at a top hairdresser around the corner and on their way back they chat to one of the gallery owners about Turner’s “Snowstorm” or the weather in New York.

This also has a magnetic effect on the international market.

Ultimately, tourists love nothing better than experiencing local colour and discovering places where they move among locals.

As well as this, on Madison Avenue, you won’t meet just any

New Yorker, but those who move in the same circles as them – and stay among themselves.

Well-Guarded Secrets on the First Floor

On the one or two floors over the display windows, an appropriately exclusive everyday existence is played out, which spreads by word of mouth. From hairdressing and beauty salon to a special cleaning and a babysitting agency, everything is of the best quality. Advertisements would have a downright bourgeois effect; instead the level of privacy is a measure of real luxury. A normal fitness studio would be unthinkable on Madison Avenue. Over the luxury fashion style in progress 313

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The latest fashion meets old buildings and a prosperous neighbourhood on Madison Avenue.

Discretion Meets Word of Mouth

stores, the financially well off sweat in rooms with individual showers, your own towels and personal trainer. If this doesn’t help, cosmetic surgeons offer their discreet services just a few steps away.

However, they are not the only ones who know who from the neighborhood has put on a few pounds. Shahin Samouhi could also tell us – of course she never would. Society women have their wedding dresses fitted here, big 313 style in progress

dresses and business ensembles that are tailored and they even change the dressing room, if it no longer suits. For this, they climb inconspicuous stairs to the second floor – and are suddenly surrounded by the most magnificent fabrics.

“Some come because of a wedding. They want a dress for an award ceremony or an honorary dinner, also for school or university graduation ceremonies,” says Samouhi. “Others can’t find

what they want in their size, or have something special in mind that they would like to have.”

Piles of Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and similar magazines are left by the armchairs where customers sit. The fact that she copies designer dresses on request, whether in bigger sizes or in model sizes, no longer annoys the relevant stores in a few of the buildings, says Samouhi.

They prefer to use the tailor for complicated alterations.

During the revolution in Iran, the Jewish woman left her home to move to the US. First, she worked as an alterations tailor in a luxury department store in Washington, then went to Emilio Ungaro on Madison Avenue and took on private customers to bring up her three children.

Some years later, she opened Shahin Design. “After a short time, I knew everyone from Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue in this area and now I sit here and give interviews,” laughs Samouhi.

Next to the big fitting room with the pretty bench, on which she gossips with her customers, is a second fitting room, which is reserved for one sole customer.

Samouhi doesn’t give any names.

However, on the wall flit the

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Not only tourists but also neighbours stop by at the restaurants and bars along Madison Avenue.

At this corner, connoisseurs turn down to the luxury hotel The Carlyle, where Woody Allen plays the clarinet in a jazz band on Mondays – he lives nearby.

faces of princesses, film actresses, and society greats. There are newspaper cuttings with women in dresses that Shahin Samouhi fitted exactly down to the last stitch or designed herself.

Many of her customers have been coming to her for 20 years – and recommend her to their friends and daughters. This is how Samouhi knows how the demands of Madison Avenue have changed. “This young generation can’t afford some big designers.

They also don’t want to get all dolled up. They want casual chic, even for parties, they are less chic than past generations. They also want to be comfortable because they are businesswomen and travel a lot.”

sembles a penthouse apartment.

There, hip-hop moguls, Chinese bigwigs and Arab noblemen display the latest fashion in a huge room, while their entourage scoff hors d’œuvre while watching TV on a high-class couch suite and either give their two cents or are faded out using a sliding door.

After the store has closed, four sports cars are still parked outside Michael Kors, because some people want special treatment, even on the most exclusive shopping street. Away from tourists with platinum credit cards who buy a Montblanc fountain pen, Valentino dress, Louboutins and a Hublot watch in one go.

Young Designers Mix with the Luxury Establishment

Below on the street, some young

women are on their way to have an evening drink. In doing so, they take a quick look at the display windows of Tory Burch, Rag & Bone, Proenza Schouler and Alice + Olivia. The Upper East Side’s clientele has recently been tempted by young designers. They answer the question of where their customer of choice is, no longer in the trendy quarters of the city, but on Madison Avenue. Some of them also mix with the die-hard glitterati – at charity events, exhibition openings or in a top-class restaurant.

And with a bit of luck, they let someone in on the secret of the stores on the first floor.

Of course, Madison Avenue also attracts customers from other parts of New York, America and the rest of the world. So the luxury department store Barneys has a fitting room for VIPs that re-

Expanding in the Midst of the Financial Crisis

However, Madison Avenue did not always glitter with sales and growth. During the financial

crisis, stores in New York were suddenly empty; what shocked economics experts the most was that this also happened on Madison Avenue. Matthew Bauer calls it a “perfect storm”. “A cluster of leasing contracts reached their notice period at the exact time the financial crisis had balanced everything out and posed the general question: How do we invest?,” remembers Bauer. This made estate agents and fashion brands nervous, all wanted to definitely have the best deal – and this involved manoeuvring regarding when you sign a rental agreement. “I had the impression that the owners were of the opinion that they had to stay loyal to Madison Avenue, which they did. They ensured that all brands that got a leasing contract fit in with the characteristics of Madison Avenue – and are real style in progress 313

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2

1 | Ralph Lauren already had a big flagship store on Madison Avenue in the historical Rhineland Mansion. In the midst of the financial crisis, he invested in further stores.

2 | In her workshop on the second floor, Shahin Samouhi tailors luxury for the ladies of Madison Avenue.

3 | Newspaper cuttings on the wall at Shahin Design betray something of her top-class clientele.

4 | Truly exclusive: Behind this black door is where George Torpe provides private cleaning services.

5 | Madison Avenue is characterised by a small-town atmosphere.

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luxury brands,” says Bauer. The fashion scene itself became active. In the middle of the crisis, Ralph Lauren decided to invest significantly in Madison Avenue.

Since the ‘80s, the luxury brand has been residing in the Rhineland Mansion, a richly decorated historical villa on Madison Avenue. And while other stores were arguing about the extension of their leasing contracts, Ralph Lauren was expanding. He didn’t just take one store; rather he had a complete building redesigned so that it looked like an old residence. “The fact that such a brand invested so significantly gave the quarter a sense of security and attracted other labels,” says Bauer.

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Where Even Dirty Laundry Gets Special Treatment

“Madison Avenue is Madison Avenue – what could be better?

It’s one of the most coveted spots in the whole country,” says George Torpe on the location.

He knows what he’s talking about: the store, which he runs together with his brother Jim, was set up by his family back in 1908. Admittedly, they don’t buy any couture dresses – they clean them. Whatever the cost: Celebrity New Yorkers rave about how Trope works real wonders with his handiwork and rids Chanel jackets of red wine stains, brings out the lustre in a forgotten fur covered in mould and makes the antique rug usable again after a

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Stacey Bendet: “It shouldn’t always be so serious.”

I love how global the Madison Avenue customer is. Women from all over the world shop in that store and that is so special to me.

As a native New Yorker, how did you view Madison Avenue ten years ago, and how would you say it has changed?

Is it a trend? Young designer labels neglect the hipster haunts and move to Madison Avenue. For example, Alice + Olivia: In 2002, Stacey Bendet founded the label upon leaving college and her collection landed immediately at Barneys. In the meantime, a million-dollar company has grown out of the brand, which is represented in more than 800 stores around the world.

Alice + Olivia also has some of its own boutiques from Malibu to Midtown Manhattan – and since 2012 on Madison Avenue.

Why did you choose Madison Avenue as a store location for Alice + Olivia?

Stacey Bendet: Madison Avenue is known for luxury and features some of the best brands in the world. I wanted to bring some energy and fun to the street.

How do customers at the Madison Avenue store differ from other store locations?

party that got a bit too rowdy. In addition, the stores on Madison Avenue call when a gala dress is smeared with make-up after being tried on. George Torpe usually takes on new customers upon recommendations from other customers. There is no promotional sign, not even a brass plate that points to private cleaning. Their entrance is concealed behind a black door beside an imposing residential building. Whose dirty laundry

You know, I think Madison Avenue is one of those places that are eternally chic. But I think the emergence of contemporary designers on the street shows how the way a woman dresses has really changed.

Some say it was about time that young, fresh labels came to Madison Avenue.

Do you feel like you started a trend?

I think so! People were so excited to have us there. I think women need a little bit of fun in their shopping experience; it shouldn’t always be so serious.

You’ve been seen wearing a tiara in the office and racing with a pink scooter. What would be a good example for something you did on Madison Avenue that made people turn their heads?

I do love a pretty tiara! I think I might have to stand in the window with a tiara and a tutu this week.

makes it through that door is a question for Madison Avenue’s high society. The area is at least open to the rest as the longest luxury shopping route in the US – as long as they take along their credit card.

The Alice + Olivia store stirs things up on Madison Avenue.

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192 editor’S Letter /// about us

Dutiful Dismay and the ShortTerm Memory

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

I

t's barely been two months since one of the most cheaply and most illegally-built textile factories in Bangladesh collapsed causing the death of more than 1,000 people. And if we were now to be completely honest: This tragedy, which was actually a criminal offence, has been more or less completely eradicated from our memories. Nothing reflects the one-way mentality of our society so precisely as that of news journalism. The unwritten law "Speed kills" shortens the half-lives to a radical extent.

Of news, of ideas, of products.

This is tangibly unhealthy for the individual, but especially for the society that now appears to be unanimously suffering from ADHS. But I don't want to go opening Pandora's Box here, I want to remain with the dead of Dhaka, who stand for so much more and are so much more than victims of the collapse of a dodgy and illegally built factory. This is about nothing less than the fundamental question of how the cycle of a globalised economy works – or does not work. And who is responsible for what within this cycle. Making a scapegoat of the corrupt local politicians and unscrupulous entrepreneurs on the ground is (too) cheap and it prevents the necessary discussion concerning the circumstances.

Anybody who pays 1.80 euros for a kilo of chicken, knows that these chickens have been brutally raised to slaughtering maturity within the space of just one brief month and kept under the most 313 style in progress

appalling conditions. Anybody who sells chicken for 1.80 euro per kilo, knows this too, of course. Anybody buying a T-shirt for 1.80 euro knows that it was manufactured in a factory, where attention to standards has gone to .... the dogs, and that every now and again they happen to collapse or burn down. Anybody offering T-shirts for 1.80 euros, knows this too, of course.

Then, when a chicken battery farm for people happens to collapse, dutiful dismay is the order of the day. Dead people are in this instance quite possibly damaging to business. Damages are promised and the agreements made and signed regarding fire protection and building security are played out to great effect in front of the media (for one day).

And, admonitions are handed out, of course. Take, for example, the admonition given by Arndt Brockmann, Esprit Manager as part of a tribute speech on behalf of the Irish discount store Primark: "We all are called upon to take due responsibility.

A responsibility for those who make it at all possible when it comes to securing an ability for competitive prices in the first place. People in countries where other values, standards and laws apply."

Secure an ability for competitive prices? Primark, Kik & Co don't offer anything when it comes to securing an ability for competitive prices, they offer competition-destroying prices. Because these prices are only made

possible through the exploitation of "people in other countries where other values, standards and laws apply". This price and product policy has reduced clothing across the board down to being a disposable commodity and in so doing, has taken away value and appreciation.

Identifying and criticising this in this manner doesn't mean that (textile) production in countries in the so-called Third World or in emerging countries has generally gone to the dogs. It's more about averting the pars pro toto damage away from companies who have been wrongly put into the same boot in the face of such conduct, even though they have taken due responsibility and, in so doing, are also key employers as well as playing a major role in development. This criticism doesn't go on to mean that one can put the principles of the free market in question.

Quite the opposite. Once again, I must emphasise at this point, that freedom does not mean that there are no rules and laws.

Rather, it means that this so fragile freedom, that is still taken for granted by every one of us, must be protected (as wisely as possible) by laws. Unfortunately, voluntary self-commitments are all too often only good for quick PR transmissions. Trusting in the short memory.

Cordially yours, Stephan Huber

Art direction/production Elisabeth Prock-Huber elisabeth@ucm-verlag.at Contributing writers Mody Al Khufash Daniela Angerbauer Markus Ebner Petrina Engelke Janaina Engelmann-Brothánek Isabel Faiss Jeanette Fuchs Jan Joswig Ina Köhler Kay Alexander Plonka Sonja Ragaller Nicoletta Schaper Dörte Welti Photographers/Illustrators Federico Batelli Leonardo Beglieri Joy Bell Adrian Crispin Raphael Faux Ben Ferrari Bryan Gursky Harling-Darsell Andreas Klammt Lamoral Kloss Clemens Kois Katjana Lacatena Chun Y Lai Tom Lemke Alan Melconian Bernhard Musil Roger Reist Federica Roncaldier David Secombe Dörte Welti 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 15 July 2013

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