style in progress 3.12

SPRING SUMMER 13 # 3.2012

Red Price = Product Not Nice! How Marketable Would You Like It Then? /// USP The Human Factor.

Speciality Stores Need the Human Touch /// Cult & Commerce. Ways Out of the Discount Trap!

wo-men’s fashion

"Quality is Essential for Being Creative."

Carla e Franca Sozzani € 6.90

pixelart.communication

100% Inspiration plus 100% style in progress

In the mountains.

In the city.

Wherever I am It‘s also there – the desire.

That pulls me.

Out into nature as well as the truth Deeper into myself.

And to you.

You‘ll find more inspiration here: PREMIUM Berlin Hall 3 Booth H3-E 13 4-6. July 2012

luistrenker.com | info@luistrenker.com

006 EDITORIAL

Looking Ahead

Franca and Carla Sozzani, Italy's probably most influential sisters.

Photo: Sara Scanderebech

Welcome to these lines...

Nowadays, there are more than enough reasons for looking back: Because Europe's economy is heading towards an uncertain future. And it's not an easy time to be bringing garments to women and men. "Who needs a new jacket nowadays?" asks Franca Sozzani, in the style in progress longview (from page 058). Vogue Italy's intelligent editor-in-chief is thoroughly aware of the explosive power of this question. For she also knows that the wealth of the guild that she celebrates month after month in her edition, is based on the blind and unchallenged consumption of the past. And yet it is obvious that fashion must redefine itself if it wishes to awaken desires as it did in days gone by. This requires a great deal of honesty and sensitivity in response to customers' desires. Just because something flashes, sparkles and is filled with marketing promises doesn't make it an object of desire any longer. Carla Sozzani, who is something of a founder of the concept store with her 10 Corso Como store, notes: "The very word luxury is old hat."

And yet there is still great value in oldness and this must be redefined for the future. So it's hardly surprising that the successful Italian WP Lavori group who bought the English traditional label Baracuta (A special gift, from page 089) doesn't rely on history. They rely more on a product that also meets the needs of the current so price-sensitive customers. Jackets that won't be out of fashion tomorrow. Our author Kay Alexander Plonka tracks this promise of salvation and its commercial success in his article (The Attraction of Something Special, from Page 068). That a long history should come from a short one is explained by the new management team from the Deyk label ("We have to offer more", from Page 082).

Prices, delivery times discounts - a hot topic of discussion in the style in progress roundtable discussion (Blanket Discounts are the Kiss of Death, from Page 108). And since an intelligent round of discussions can also produce something intelligent, this is an article we highly recommend to our readers. The retail trade and its current challenges are topical themes running through this issue - no, our magazine - and are also to be found in other articles.

For example, Theresa Minatti-Einwaller talks about her dream of well divided delivery dates (Four + Christmas, from Page 120). And because we also always want and need to renew our own traditions, this issue of style in progress is bringing something new in lots of small detail: Two new categories should provide you with a bit more of a look behind the scenes (That’s my job, from Page 124, Backstage, from Page 106). We also have something new to announce in HR: Alexandra Hawel follows Nicolette Scharpenberg as Managing Editor: A sincere welcome to the team, dear Alexandra! Summing up everything new from content and HR does us good, we believe, visibly good - but what first creates the basis for looking ahead, as much in our magazine as in the retail sector and life, is still the mix of all things tried and tested and the reliable.

Something that you should certainly do, especially when starting the rounds of trade fairs and ordering with the vague signs for an indefinite future hanging in the air. Half-hearted promises won't help you any further now: But only a clear and decisive: Yes, I will. Help to shape a future that we all can show responsibility for.

Enjoy the read, Your style in progress Team

312 style in progress

008 CONTENT

058 Franca and Carla Sozzani on the quality of selection.

068 To be an iconic brand or to want only open up to demand?

108 The eroticism of pricing and the shark's tank of the internet – top retailers in discussions.

THE LONGVIEW 058 It's All about Editing style in progress in talks with Carla and Franca Sozzani CONCEPT 068 The Attraction of Something Special Iconic brands - the key to success 074 "We Don't Try to Constantly Reinvent Ourselves" Philippe Dugardin on a down-to-earth mentality and continuity at Aigle 076 The Professionals Alberto celebrates its anniversary

089 A Special Gift Baracuta is sailing under the Italian flag 090 Price Wars How axing prices and discounts determine the market 096 Choosing the Thorny Path Minimum moves to the right track 098 The Trendsetters Modernisation and new goals at Gloriette

078 Blue Chip Blauer USA relies on evolution in the collection and branding

100 Quality with Tradition Wolverine stands for high-quality products – for more than 125 years

080 Luxury Is Different Today Baldessarini also profitably on the road to success

102 Respect, Great Tiger!

Respect as the secret to success at FTC

082 "We Have to Offer More" Deyk's carefully planned comeback

104 Fashion Meets Charity A heart of gold - Mala & Mad do some good with street art

084 Guess - Who'd Have Thought It? The cult label turns 30

106 Backstage A look behind the scenes at Philippe Model

312 style in progress

010 CONTENT

128 Town. Country. Mountain. When alpine tradition meets sportswear with heritage.

136 Trousers in the focus of Stefan Milev's camera.

OPINION 108 Blanket Discounts Are the Kiss of Death Top retailers in talks with style in progress 120 Four + Christmas Theresa Minatti-Einwaller on her ideal order and delivery rhythm 124 "It Only Works Together" That's my job – Think Inc. owner Holger Petermann 126 Red Price = Product Not Nice!

An opinion piece by Manuel Rivera FASHION & INSPIRATION 128 Town. Country. Mountain.

The magic of a traditional note 136 Aiming High Lift your pants 144 The Colour White White and non-colours as a trend LOOK & FEEL 152 The Best Menswear Specialists in the City An ambitious goal for Pelikamo in Zürich

312 style in progress

144 Nude and white as a counterpoint in the current blaze of colours.

154 Craft Meets Hipster Joinery – A clever mix of trends and craftsmanship 156 Bento Box & Matcha Tea Oukan Berlin – How a Japanese tea bar evolved from a concept store 158 To See and Be Seen Mediterranean jet set by Louis Maximilian in Amsterdam 160 Change as a Constant Dahm & Schädler – Clean and modern in Trier 162 Modern, but not Fashionable Schmitt & Lair – Total revamp in Innsbruck 164 Opposites Attract Lola im Ersten – Milan, London and Paris in Vienna 166 Zip Me Up and Get Me Some Bubbly Darling New Lifestyle at Daen's in Utrecht

Standards 006 016 048 168

Editorial Shortcuts Selected Editor's Letter/About Us

www.swiss-chriss.ch

+39 02 255151.1

JACKETS

Timmendorfer Strand

Westerland

Timmendorfer Strand

Kitzb端hel

Photography: Bastian Görgens, Hamburg und Fotografica, Kitzbühel

THE EARLY RABBIT CATCHES THE NEW STYLE WE ARE HAPPY TO PRESENT SPRING / SUMMER 2013 AT PREMIUM, BERLIN HALL 7, D 46

AUSTRIA Collectionen Christian Teufl Vierthalerstrasse 11+16 AT-5020 Salzburg Fon +43 662 452 832

GERMANY Adventure Modeagentur GmbH / Prinz Alfons Palais Prinzregentenstr. 61 D-81675 Munich Fon +49 89 998 16 0

NETHERLANDS Podium 1080 BV Keienbergweg 34a NL-1101GC Amsterdam (Zuidoost) Fon +31 20 311 87 37

Follow us on facebook.com/wittyknitters and visit www.wittyknitters.com

SCANDINAVIA CPH Fashion Pool ApS Aarhusgade 117 Frihavnen DK-2100 Copenhagen Fon +45 70 22 47 70

SWITZERLAND Dave Bachmann Fashion AG Seefeldstr. 233 CH-8008 Zurich Fon +41 44 389 22 77

016

SHORTCUTS Josef Einwaller AT THE SUMMIT Elegant steht Vitali Klitschko gut.

Josef Einwaller has never shied away from steep climbs, rough storms and an element of risk, both in a figurative and literal sense. For over 20 years, the flagship dealer from Innsbruck has been out and about in the Himalayas every year and has seen and experienced much. He now has close personal friends amongst the Sherpas who he also helps with projects. At the end of May, Josef Einwaller reached the summit of Mount Everest and experienced just how close triumph and tragedy co-exist at the roof of the world. He returned happy and thoughtful, very fitting for a man who has always been able to see the big picture.

At this point, I would just like to congratulate Josef Einwaller for such a great personal achievement.

Stephan Huber

Josef Einwaller at the summit of Mount Everest.

”We are delighted to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Peuterey with such an innovative project,” say Francesca Lusini, President and Riccardo Coppola, Creative Director and Managing Director of the Peuterey Group.

Peuterey FOR THE TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY: LAUNCH OF A LIMITED EDITION

Ten years of Peuterey: That’s cause for celebration. Why not with a Limited Edition collection for autumn/winter 2012/13. Industrial Designer Karim Rashid and artist Terence Koh worked together on this project. High quality, stylistic confidence and avant-garde influences – characteristics that have distinguished Peuterey since being established in 2002 - will be re-interpreted with a modern twist in the Limited Edition. The collection will comprise 200 pieces for men and women and will be available via the Peuterey flagship store in Milan and from selected multi-brand stores worldwide. www.peuterey.it

Closed KOSTAS MURKUDIS IS CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Closed may soon welcome its new Creative Director: The designer Kostas Murkudis will take over creative direction of the women’s collection from the winter 2013/14 season. The couturier with Greek and German roots studied fashion design at the Lette-Verein in Berlin and after completing his studies worked at Wolfgang Joop for a season. Followed by seven years at the side of Helmut Lang. Since the end of the ‘90s Murkudis has been designing his own collection which has been presented at the Paris Fashion Week on several occasions. Berlin is his private and professional centre. www.closed.com.

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Floris van Bommel SALES AND MARKETING TEAM IN GERMANY IS COMPLETE

Since early 2012, the Van Bommel Since 1734 shoe manufacturer has been orgaSebastian Wachtel, new Sales nising sales and marketing Manager for North Germany. for the German market itself.

Now the sales and marketing team in Germany is complete.

Etienne Manderveld and Sebastian Wachtel reinforce the team around Commercial Director Pepijn van Bommel and Export Manager Patrick Meijers. 39-year old Manderveld had previously been active for the label in the Netherlands for three years and now officially occupies the position as Sales Manager for South Germany. He also gained experience with S. Oliver. Sebastian Wachtel has been Sales Manager for North Germany since the start of the season. The 32-year old had previously been active for Adidas, K-Swiss and G-Star Raw Footwear. www.florisvanbommel.com

WWW.MARC-O-POLO.COM

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Alberto FIT WITH THE FIT-CHECKER

The calling card of the the trouser specialist Alberto is a well tailored. At the end of May, the company launched its new concept Fit-Checker to make it even simpler for buyers and consumers to find the appropriate fit. From autumn 2012, fitting experts will be available at the PoS and will be presenting different types of fit using an innovative template system.

The company wishes to underpin its service capabilities for the specialist retailer and to actively support its clients in sales. Expert custom managers want to take this opportunity to also train their staff on the sales floor with their advisory skills.

An adviser trained by a FitChecker will then be presented with a badge. The promotion has been spread over one and a half years. www.fit-checker.de

Very British: What started life in 1894 as J Barbour & Sons is still being run as a family business, now in its fifth generation.

Barbour NEW SHOWROOM IN MUNICH

Established in 1894, the British label represented classic and functional clothing - from jackets and shirts through to knitwear. From 1st July 2012, the collection for women, men and children can also be seen in the new Munich showroom. The 400 square metre large showroom located in the “Neuen Balan”, a large business and office park also known as the Campus of Ideas, is right next to Munich’s inner city.

Dariusz Majchrzak has been Sales Representative at Barbour since April 2012 and will manage customers in the south of Germany from the Munich location. www.barbour.com

Prime Shoes ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

Prime Shoes GmbH was founded in 1993. Now, the company has evolved into one of the largest suppliers of welted shoes in the Germany-speaking area, growth has been at a two-digit figure for years. The business model is Detlef W. Stichling, Managing based on two brands: welted Director of Prime Shoes GmbH. shoes and the shoe brand Hamlet launched in 1998 towards a trend-oriented market. Both labels are to be found in the high-end mid-price segment. For the fiscal year 2011/12, total sales for both labels are expected to be 4.2 million euros, which would mean an increase of nearly 20 per cent in comparison to the previous year. For the coming fiscal year beginning on 1st July 2012, Prime Shoes is expecting a sales increase of approximately ten per cent, which should result from retail and wholesale business, as well as from the pre-orders and NOS sectors. The company’s trade partner network has always been selective, the Managing Director Detlef W. Stichling started to get involved in franchising in 2009. The increasing reputation of the brand, also owing to the city location, radiates positively on local trade partners. A pleasing business on both sides”, says Stichling. www.prime-shoes.com

312 style in progress

Markus Höhn and RalphMichael Nagel in front of the Lodenfrey store.

Lodenfrey SOCIALLY COMMITTED

With its history of tradition behind it, Lodenfrey München am Dom supports Children for a Better World e.V. The official collecting phase for the charity began on the 7th May with the campaign Buy My Dress.

This is the second time the campaign is taking place. High-quality clothing and accessories were collected at selected sites in Munich and the surrounding area over a five-week period. A charity event, Buy My Dress, took place at the close of the five-week collection campaign on 15th and 16th June 2012 in the Palais Montgelas in the Bayrischen Hof hotel where the collected pieces could be bought at a reasonable price.

The aim: People donating clothing gained space in their wardrobes and bargain hunters were able to find great deals as well as doing something for a good cause. The proceeds went directly to children growing up in poverty in Germany. www.lodenfrey.com

+49 (0)89 35892730 SPORTSWEAR COMPANY GERMANY GMBH

44198 THERMO REFLECTIVE PARKA IN THERMO REFLECTIVE FABRIC, WHICH UNITES TWO OF THE MOST CUTTING-EDGE STONE ISLAND AREAS OF RESEARCH: THE TECHNOLOGY OF LIGHT REFLECTION AND THE HEAT SENSITIVITY OF THE MATERIALS. BOTH GLASS MICRO SPHERES AND MICRO-ENCAPSULATED PIGMENTS ARE HELD WITHIN THE RESINS APPLIED TO A NYLON SUBSTRATE. THE RESULT IS A DYNAMIC INTERACTION BETWEEN REFLECTION AND COLOUR. THE FABRIC COATING MAKES IT WIND AND WATER PROOF. TWO POCKETS WITH DIAGONAL FLAP AND SNAP FASTENING. TWO VERTICAL POCKETS ON THE CHEST, EDGED IN COTTON TAPE WITH SNAP FASTENERS. INNER CUFFS IN JERSEY. PADDED COTTON LINING. HOOD LINED IN COTTON TERRY WITH VISOR LINED IN FELT. ZIP AND BUTTON FASTENING. WWW.STONEISLAND.COM

020 SHORTCUTS

Liebeskind Berlin OFF TO MOZART’S CITY

Marc O’Polo internationalised his recipe for success.

On 3rd May 2012, it was time – the first Liebeskind Berlin Store in Salzburg opened its doors. Almost 200 square metres in size, the store surrounded by small cafés and fashion boutiques snuggles into the row of houses along the Linzergasse – one of the best-known shopping streets in Salzburg. Beside the exclusive Liebeskind Berlin bags, there are also other accessories from the label such as scarves, shoes and belts. The shop design is simple, elegant with impressive clear lines.

At the opening ceremony, the first 1,200 visitors were presented with a gift in the form of a leather bracelet. Of course, the stylish début wouldn’t have been complete without the two famous Berlin specialities – Currywurst and beer. Prior to the new store’s launch in the heart of Salzburg’s city centre, grand openings also took place in Paris in the Vieux Colombier in the sixth Arrondissement on 31st March and on 7th April on Sylt in the Friedrichstrasse in Westerland. www.liebeskind-berlin.com

Marc O’ Polo ON THE ROAD TO EXPANSION

The premium lifestyle label Marc O’Polo is stepping up its presence in the European market adding two stores in Paris, a store in Brussels, and three stores in Warsaw. The first Marc O’Polo store will be opening on the 15th August in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. But there activity in Germany as well: Plans are in the pipeline for new shops and renovation work, although some of this has already been implemented.

For example, the largest shop to date in Munich’s Theatinerstrasse is to be converted in the summer and will be the first to showcase the label’s updated store concept. Marc O’Polo is working with a new distributor in the Russian market: LVB, one of the largest distributors of luxury goods in Russia, a subsidiary of the JamilCo-Group. www.marc-o-polo.at

The Liebeskind Berlin Store in Salzburg – a perfect setting for bags.

A Fish Named Fred PASSED THE SWIMMING TEST

On the 3rd May, the first Pop-Up store by the Dutch shirt specialist A Fish Named Fred opened for a total of three weeks in Amsterdam.

In keeping with the label’s kaleidoscopic collection, brightly coloured balloons were hung from fish hooks to guide the guests to the store. A happening that then went global via various photo blogs. Buoyed by the success of his first field study, the owner and founder of the label Rob Schalker is already planning to open up a second Fred act in the form of a Pop-Up store in parallel with the Olympic Games and the Peninsula Festival in London. Because the festival’s theme is fittingly called: “In Touch with the Dutch.” From 27th July until the 12th August, the label will be giving their own specially designed T-shirts to the crew, all musicians and hosts of the festival. The team around Rob Schalker is also working on a store design for Korea and another for Europe based on this, were the first steps will be focusing on a shop-in-shop design. In addition to the Netherlands, the collection is also to be distributed in Spain, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and South Korea. www.afishnamedfred.com

312 style in progress

Marlino SPLIT IN TWO

The spring/summer 2013 collection is bringing a few changes to Marlino. The jackets, until now designed as a unisex collection, will be available for women and men in future. In the process, the women’s line will be paying special attention to a finer line and a more figurehugging silhouette - men’s models will be more rugged.

There is also news online: InTypically Marlino: Casual look stead of advertising product jackets and parkas achieved by photos on the web, the means of a special dying process jackets will now be presented with the carefully selected material. in video presentations. This allows the special features of the collection to be seen.

At present, Marlino is successfully working with distributing agencies in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Holland and Switzerland. The label is still looking for distribution partners for the UK and the Austrian market. www.marlino.de

THE GALLERY DUESSELDORF 28. – 31. JULY 2012 WINDSOR SHOWROOM KAISERSWERTHER STRASSE 183 40474 DUESSELDORF TEL.: +49(0)211-516 166-0

windsor.de

BREAD & BUTTER BERLIN 04. – 06. JULY 2012 AIRPORT BERLIN-TEMPELHOF L.O.C.K. AREA / L27

022 SHORTCUTS

Add NEW HEADQUARTERS IN THE HEART OF MILAN

The Add label, produced by Comei & Co, has moved into new headquarters in the heart of Milan's fashion and design quarters. The studio was designed and realised by the architects Pagani Perversi. Comei & Co plans to stay true to its close artistic ties and continue to support leading art exhibitions worldwide. The premises in the new headquarters, therefore, provide sufficient space for constantly changing, contemporary art exhibitions. A sculpture by Giovanni Di Francesco is currently on show. www.adddown.it

Authentic and clean: The FGF brand world is presented in the new Italian store.

FGF Industry NEW STORE IN ITALY

A sculpture by Giovanni Di Francesco in the new headquarters in Milan.

FGF Industry has opened a new store at the heart of the Cortina d'Ampezzo. The high-end sportswear labels Blauer USA, C.P. Company and BPD Be Proud of this Dress, united under the umbrella of the FGF Industry in Italian Montegalda can be found in the 120 square metres shop. Suitably sturdy materials such as wood and metal, as well as glass, were used for the interior décor. The product displays made from cast iron originate from an old factory and add to the vintage charm. www.fgf-industry.com

Lucky de Luca SHIRTS MOVE IN

Lucky de Luca has made a name for itself with shirts. Now the label is delighting even more retailers by completing its range with shirts and polo shirts including such finesounding names as Different Fashion on Sylt, Dittrich in Minden, Bailly-Diehl in Frankfurt, Eder in Kitzbühel and Breuninger in Stuttgart. In 2012, the rising label will be represented by its agent and appearing at three trade fairs. At the Premium in Berlin from 4th to 6th July in Hall 3, F 13. At the Supreme in Düsseldorf, which is taking place from 25th July to 2nd August as well as at the Premium in Munich from 11th to 14th August. www.luckydeluca.com

Best sellers with persuasive casual elegance: Shoes by Lacoste.

Lacoste Footwear AN ADDITION TO THE AUSTRIAN SALES TEAM

Since1st March 2012, the brand Lacoste Footwear has been enjoying new reinforcements in its sales team: From now on, Nikolaus Wegschneider will be a sales representative, and so, will be responsible for sales and distribution activities in Austria. He is following in the footsteps of Thomas Reichsthaler, who will be working for Lacoste Footwear on an international scale, in Northern and Eastern Europe, from July 2012. ‘’We are looking forward to having Nikki Wegschneider, a young, creative person on our team who is responsible for taking good care of our Austrian customers,’’ says Stefan Böing, Sales Director of Lacoste Footwear. www.lacoste.com

312 style in progress

Lucky de Luca expanded his range with shirts and polo shirts.

info@ig-ideageneration.de

024 SHORTCUTS

The model 30/30, one of the three historical pieces to be relaunched for the anniversary.

Witty Knitters THE RABBITS ARE KNITTING AGAIN

The Witty Knitters knitwear collection is anything but off-the-peg knitwear. The label has big plans for the spring/summer 2013 collection.

For the first time, the knitwear collection was implemented completely in London Hitchin by the Design and Development Center around Heidi Pearson and Kate Sheryn. Lightness and tension are the two essential elements in the new design. Sweatshirts and shirts make up a large proportion of the collection. The highlight: In 2013, the first leather jackets

by Witty Knitters will be coming onto the market. Basics such as round necks and short cardigans with button facings are also going to be part of the collection for the first time. Also new are the Destroyed-Looks and spray technologies on cashmere. www.wittyknitters.com

Stone Island 30-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

The sportswear label Stone Island established by Massimo Osti in 1982 is 30 years old. A journey shaped by personalities such as Paul Harvey who designed the collection for ten years. In 2008, Carlo Rivetti, who himself took over the company in 1993, handed the creative leadership over to a multi-cultural team. ”30 years, but not a sign of old age. I feel like a surfing entrepreneur because I love moving on waves”, says Rivetti who has constantly devoted himself to experimenting with materials and technologies. In addition to a book with 300 iconographic images and an exhibition as part of the Pitti Immagine Uomo fair, three symbolic items of clothing from the autumn/winter collection 2012/13 represent the creative genius of Stone Island. www.stoneisland.com

André Karkalis, Managing Director of Karkalis PR.

Objektiv Photographen PHOTOGRAPHS WANTED – FOUND

The Objektiv Photographen website started its relaunch in mid-April.

Selected photographers from fashion and advertising display their work on the clear and well-structured platform. The restrained colour ensures that essential elements are placed in the foreground: the photos. Categories include Conceptual, Fashion, Lifestyle, People, Portrait and Still.

Clicking onto a photographer displays the fields in which he works. A short résumé with photo is presented for each photographer, including references. www.objektiv-photo.com

Relaunch: the Objektiv Photographen website.

312 style in progress

With shops at popular locations such as Hamburg, Sylt, Timmendorf and Kitzbühel, Witty Knitters are rapidly taking off.

Fashion PR Blog A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES

Offers of information about fashion PR are rare even though most fashion companies rely on public relations. The blog ‘’1x1 of Fashion-PR’’ – born of a partnership between AMD Akademie Mode & Design in Düsseldorf and the agency Karkalis PR – wants to now change this. For eight weeks, at the private academy, the profession of classic PR is being traded off against fashion PR. Because ‘’there are different rules for handling fashion journalists to those of traditional PR,’’ says André Karkalis, managing director of Karkalis PR, an agency which specialises in lifestyle and fashion PR. Students of fashion journalism/media communication regularly compile blog articles and shine light on background themes and subjects, such as social media and crisis communication. www.1x1derfashionpr.de

026 SHORTCUTS

Handstich NEW ONLINE PRESENCE

Handstich, based in the five-lake area of Upper Bavaria, now has a new online website: www.handstich.de. Not only does the website provide information for the end consumer, it also has a B2B section for retailers where the new spring/summer 2013 collection can be seen alongside the NOS programme. This also includes high-quality, welted shoes along with a small fine range of jackets which score a number of points with their colour gradations, functional closures, zips and metal clasps in vintage-copper. Designs for men are contemporary classics such as a short trench coat, a blouson as a bomber jacket in vintage l eather, two field jackets and a short jacket with summer down. Styles for women lean towards a more masculine appearance but are implemented and cut with women in mind. Colour and soft, lightweight types of leather are the dominant features in shoes. www.handstich.de

Femi9 combines European design with Arabic flair, an attractive mix.

Femi9 ORIENT FOR OCCIDENT

When Raha Fajjari took on a modelling job for the Arab women's fashion label Femi9, the 28-year-old never suspected that she would be so entranced by fashion that after the three-day shoot in the Maldives she would return to Zürich with a contract for the first European flagship store. The boutique has now been open for a year. And although it doesn't have a prime location, instead its tucked into a side street in Zurich's Seefeld, has been received by the young clientèle with great enthusiasm. The look: Colourful, suitable for business and exactly the right amount of Arabilità, prices range from 29 Swiss francs (for a top) to a maximum of 169 Swiss francs (for a long evening dress) and there is only one design of each model. Besides Zürich, Femi9 is also in 55 Saudi Arabian towns, in Egypt, Bahrain and Syria. www.femi9.com Handstich offers a small but fine line of jackets alongside its welted shoes.

Peter Pilotto GUESTS AT PITTI W Luis Trenker NEW FACE FOR THE AUSTRIAN DISTRIBUTION

From the 1st July 2012, as successor to Michaela Schaubschläger now on maternity leave, Meike Becker is taking over as a free sales agent for distribution in Austria for the South Tyrolean Label Luis Trenker. Meike Becker is looking forward to her new assignment which the experienced shopping and sales professional will be leading from the Luis Trenker showroom in the Salzburg cast iron factory: ”I’m happy to be bringing our customers closer to the design of the collection based on the Meike Becker is taking new design background.” Becker is a over Austrian distribulink between the inside and outside tion for the South Tyrolean label Luis Trenker worlds and wants to take the voices from 1st July 2012. and demands of the Austrian market on board and to implement these with the Luis Trenker team. Inspired by the abilities of the owner and Managing Director Michi Klemera - constantly able to inspire enthusiasm in the people around him - the new sales representative will make it her business to inject her 20-years of experience in purchasing and sales into the work of the collection in Bozen and, in so doing, to take on a creative and advisory position. www.luistrenker.com

312 style in progress

With their fashion label Peter Pilotto, the two creative forces Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos were acting as guest designers at Pitti Immagine W in Florence from 19th to 22nd June 2012. ‘’We were looking for a modern application of feminine elegance that is constant and profound and has the ability to reflect,’’ said Lapo Cianchi, communications director for Pitti Immagine, when explaining the choice. Cianchi also appeared to be impressed by Pilotto and De Vos’ approach to the trade fair event, which was based on the spring/summer 2013 pre-collection. ‘’When it comes to space, time and culture, the designers factor completely different sources of inspiration into the creative process. www.peterpilotto.com

Guest designers at Pitti Immagine W. Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos.

DRYKORN.COM

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dottirDOTTIR NORTH ATLANTIC FASHION CULTURE IN BERLIN

Exotic stuff from Scandinavia: During the Berlin Fashion Week 2012 the Berlin pop-up shop dottirDOTTIR will be housing the collections of ten selected fashion designers from the North Atlantic region. For Art Director and initiator Hulda Ros Gudnadottir great importance is placed on cooperating Bibi Chemnitz: The designer founded with representatives from the label of the same name together with the Dane David Røgilds in 2006. a wide variety of art and fashion directions in order to promote dialogue. "We want to show that the North is unique and incredibly exciting", says the native-born Icelander. Some of the fashion designers are newcomers and are presenting one-off avant-garde pieces, others such as Bibi Chemnitz from Greenland and Eyglo from Iceland are already established and are showing their current collection. The love of tradition and culture embraces its workmanship in the form of modern fabrics and designs. www.dottirdottir.com.

Hackett London BRITISH FASHION AS AN EXPERIENCE

Up until now only represented in exclusive Italian department stores, Hackett London opened its first flagship store in Italy on the 12 April – in Via Manzoni in the centre of Milan's fashion quarter. It's obvious that a store which shows the whole Hackett portfolio, from sportswear to bespoke goods, would also indulge itself in British style, for example at the cocktail bar. However, the store also pays tribute to the Italian element. Granite and limestone, antique standing lamps and a spiral staircase furnished with a wooden handrail are highlighted with the help of dramatic modern lighting. The walls are decorated with oil paintings and photographs from the '50s. With changing rooms decorated in suit fabric and lampshades made from old patterns the company founder Jeremy Hackett's love for detail is tangible. Customers will find casual wear on the ground floor, which includes the Aston Martin Racing Collection, the children's fashion collection as well as the Oxford & Cambridge lines. Mayfair and formalwear are displayed on the first floor.

Milan marks a milestone in Hackett's retail offensive: Other cities should soon follow. www.hackett.com

Genten Firenze FLORENTINE CRAFTSMANSHIP IN JAPANESE

Thursday, 5th April 2012, 6 p.m.: The launch of the flagship store Genten Firenze from the Japanese consortium Kuipo is like a journal entry. A day that will go down in history as well as the Tuscan Santa Croce sul' Arno hand-worked leather goods themselves. The timeless accessories - made from vegetable-tanned leather, hand-embroidered and with the Cerchi family's coat of arms - are to be a taken as a symbol of longevity. The high regard for the Florentine history and culture is also reflected in the prestigious location of the stores: the Palazzo dei Cerchi in the historical centre of Florence not far from the Piazza della Signoria. The architect Yukio Ishiyama is responsible for the interior design, the light installations originate from the renowned designer Eriko Horiki. Something exceptional is offered on the ground floor of the Genten Firenze flagship: Temporary exhibitions with items on loan from the museum, tea ceremonies in the Japanese style, as well as a workshop where a Florentine artisans give each leather original an individual touch. www.gentenfirenze.com

Unmistakably British: the Hackett London store in Milan.

Drykorn ONLINE FACELIFT

Genten Firenze: High regard for Florentine craftsmanship.

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After undergoing an extensive facelift, Drykorn will be showcasing its new online store for the first time in July. The online store was only launched in the autumn of 2011 so the measures will focus primarily on sales and marketing and will hardly be noticeable on the website itself.

As of July, the complete collection will also be available online to customers from Austria and the Benelux countries. www.drykorn.com

www.0039italy.com

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room with a view CONCENTRATE ON THE ESSENTIALS

15 instead of 30 collections in Switzerland, 32 instead of the previous 42 labels in Austria: By systematically streamlining its label portfolio, room with a view has time to focus on the essentials. ”We would like to put our energy into the best products and concentrate our future activities on reliable suppliers and long-term partners.

Niche labels require more attention than the main collections”, says agency owner Christian Obojes of the development. Without a shadow of a doubt, Seven for All Mankind belongs to the inner circle of the pared-down portfolio. New to room with a view is their sportswear collection containing accessories and tops made from materials such as silk and leather for women and men. Also amongst the newcomers to the agency is the Italian trouser manufacturer Pence 1979 who revived its success of the 80s with a relaunch five seasons ago. In contrast, Christian Obojes has parted ways with R95th. ”A good product in the unfortunately already wellstocked sportswear market”, Obojes explains his decision. It is not just the labels that are undergoing a radical change, so is the showroom in Salzburg: The variable design concept is getting a colourful, fresh look, the in-house bistro is to be expanded in the summer months with outdoor seating. There are changes in personnel in Switzerland: Jessica Astuta will be strengthening the sales team from 1st July 2012 and she will be responsible for the labels George Gina & Lucy, Gwynedds, and Tyoulip Sisters, amongst others.

Labels Austria: 81Hours, Dear Cashmere, Etichetta 35, George Gina & Lucy, Geospirit, Just Yummie, New Balance, Peuterey, Pomandère, Seven for All Mankind, St. Barths, Szen, True NYC. Labels Switzerland: 81Hours, Aglini, Dear Cashmere, Etichetta 35, Friendly Hunting, George Gina & Lucy, Geospirit, Giorgio Brato, Gwynedds, HTC, Just Yummie, Liebig, Masha & Kate, Mu, New Balance, Pence 1979, Peuterey, Pomandère, Seven for All Mankind, Simeon Farrar, St. Barths, Szen, True NYC, Tyoulip Sisters, Zoe Karssen. room with a view, 5020 Salzburg/Austria, www.roomwithaview.at room with a view, 8045 Zürich/Switzerland, www.roomwithaview.at Concentrate on good products and reliable partners.

The Italian label Annalisa Bucci offers finest cashmere from its own factory in Veneto.

Agentur Schwarte NEW CASHMERE FROM ITALY

The Munich-based agency, with its anchor brands of Armani Jeans, Parajumpers and Citizens of Humanity has long been an important pillar in the German agency scene. The carefully considered and continuous growth is one reason why Matthias Schwarte is viewed by the industry as a strong and reliable partner. He has a fine selection of new items in his portfolio for the spring/summer 2013 season, for example, the Italian cashmere label Annalisa Bucci. The small manufacturer in Veneto has worked in partnership with many large brands as a supplier of yarn. Annalisa Bucci is now its own label. There is also news from the house of Sundek. The Italians are offering functional swimming shorts made from Lycra under the Pool is Cool motto, available in specialised sports shops.

Labels: 30 Grad Berlin, Armani Jeans, Annalisa Bucci, Alp-n-Rock, Benson N.Y., Citizens of Humanity, Hell is for Heroes, Kieselstein Cord, Parajumpers, Sundek, Sundek

by Neil Barrett, Vintage 55 MS GmbH, Matthias Schwarte Modeagentur, 80807 Munich/Germany, office@agentur-schwarte.de

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Agentur Unifa DENIM REVIVAL

”Recently we have been extremely focused on the labels which give us the most success”, says Tanja Lehnertz, Sales Director of Agentur Unifa. These are brands like True Religion, J Brand, Wildfox, Hudson and Equipment which have generated a lot of growth for the Düsseldorf agency. However, besides all this focus, the agency also sets great storeputs stock in on having a good nose for hot brands. A new addition to this also includes the hot jeans label Mother from Los Angeles launched in 2010 by a highly promising team: Designer Tim Kaeding, for Creative Director for Seven for All Mankind and Sales Director Lela Tillem Becker, former President Sales and Marketing for Citizens of Humanity. The collection plays with contrasts, self-confident, strong and sexy looks whilst also being beautifully comfortable and soft to wear. ”There is something in the wind that tells us denim is experiencing a revival”, says Tanja Lehnertz for whom, besides the fashion aspect, working with customers and an outstanding dedication to service stand at the forefront. To this end, for example, retailers are to be offered more on-site training, in addition, the agency is also planning events with interested customers, providing assistance with products and marketing materials. ”Having an honest and partnership-based relationship with our customers as well as our suppliers is important to us”, says Tanja Lehnertz. ”The last few years have shown us that you can achieve more working together.”

Labels: Amor & Psyche, Dr. Denim, Ella Moss, Equipment, Hudson Jeans, J Brand, Juicy Couture, KARL, Mother, Snowmass, Splendid, Wildfox, Wildfox Jewelry, True Religion Agentur Unifa, 40221 Düsseldorf/Germany, www.unifa-fashion.com

Expansion of the Agentur Komet und Helden: A new showroom also at the Lodenfrey site in Munich but with three new labels.

Komet und Helden MORE SPACE, MORE LABELS

Expanding the Munich showroom was well worth it: The Komet und Helden agency can look forward to three newcomers next season. Baracuta, Liis Japan and Pence are new to the agency’s large portfolio with anchor labels such as AG Adriano Goldschmied, Blauer, Woolrich and Superdry.

The Italian company WP Lavori, who also own the worldwide licensing rights for Woolrich, has bought the English traditional label Baracuta which was relaunched at the Pitti in Florence on 19th June. The flagship of the label is its authentic G9 bomber jackets donned by such icons as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. The Japanese designer Madame Liis Yoshiko is looking to fuse Japanese tradition with the European look in her Liis Japan label. Dora Zecchini, the daughter of the Italian traditional C.P.A. company, is breathing new life into the Pence label and is placing German distribution into the hands of the agency bosses from Komet und Helden, Florian Ranft and Henrik Soller.

Labels: AG Adriano Goldschmied, B.D. Baggies, Baracuta, Blauer USA, Chevignon Heritage, Chevignon, Dr. Collectors, Gilded Age, Hartford, Liis Japan, Muks, Pence, Preventi, Purple de Nimes, Riccardo Forconi, Superdry, Togs Unlimited, Woolrich, WornFree Komet und Helden GmbH, 80805 Munich/Germany; 40221 Düsseldorf/Germany, www.kometundhelden.de

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New to Unifa: Jeans by Mother, sexy, strong and self-confident.

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Agentur Treibstoff GIRL POWER

”We don’t sell products, we establish brands”, says Fred Bschaden from the Agentur Treibstoff. And, in line with this, he works with longterm partners such as Dukes and Filson, Johnson Motors and the Red Wing label, all in Fred Bschaden’s portfolio for 12 years now. The Red Wing model Chukka is showcasing fresh colours for the new season so that they can also be sold more successfully in the summer, too.

Buttero from Italy is relying on a large collection of sportier shoes and is also expanding the women’s programme. At GRP, a line for women is also planned. So, for Fred Bschaden it makes sense to add Ella Sinds as a new member to the Treibstoff team, besides being back-up, she will be responsible for the women’s collection. Bschaden also intends to focus on communication with suppliers – and with customers. ”We are moving into a difficult market, information for the seller is important and we provide this as well”, he says. For example, training for Red Wing and Buttero at the dealers.

Labels: Buttero, Dukes, Filson, Gitman Vintage, GRP, Johnson Motors, Nigel Cabourn, Red Wing, Redux Agentur Treibstoff, 80796 Munich/Germany, www.agenturtreibstoff.com, www.agenturtreibstoff.blogspot.com

Free Mountain motto: ”Labels that warm the heart and sweeten life.”

Free Mountain NEW LABELS - COLOURFUL MIX

New favourites from the portfolio of Agentur Treibstoff. Label: Buttero.

There is something new to report from the Free Mountain camp.

The wholesale fashion agency can look forward to five exciting new additions: Handstich, Wool & Co, Icke Berlin, Rebello as well as Mala & Mad. Whether well-known collections or promising newcomers, Free Mountain always manages the very different labels in Austria in an authentic and committed manner. An overview of the new labels: Handstich, famous for its welted shoes, has been expanded by a men and women’s jacket collection. The label captivates with its perfect craftsmanship and Zeitgeist. Mala & Mad, a diverse scarf label with a charity background provides an entrancing mix of street art on rich fabrics such as cashmere and fine wool. Icke Berlin embodies Berlin culture and zest for life on T-shirts with slogans such as ”Junget Jemüse”.

Every conceivable variation of merino wool forms the base of the Italian Wool & Co label. Rebello represents young eco-friendly fashion for women and men, by working with materials such as bamboo and eucalyptus, the label aims to achieve innovations in the field of sustainability.

Labels: Add, Bloom, Citizens of Humanity, Dad Crown, Georg Maier, Goldsign, Gwynedds, Handstich, Icke Berlin, Inverni, Jagger & Evans, Junic, Luisa Brini, Mala & Mad, Michael Stars, Project e, Sophie, Sirio, Wool & Co Free Mountain GmbH, 5020 Salzburg/Austria, www.freemountain.at

The Moods of Norway motto: Happy clothes for happy people.

Deluxe Distribution NEW ENTRY FROM THE FAR NORTH

The Berlin distribution and trading agency Deluxe Distribution is taking over distribution and PR of the Norwegian label Moods of Norway for the German market. ”The brand surprises with unconventional designs for women and men that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to find in the mountains and fjords of the Nordic country. The collection is offbeat and multifaceted and also offers underwear, a sports line, bags, eyewear, accessories and shoes”, says Ilya Morgen from Deluxe Distribution. A high-quality line of suits entirely made from Italian fabrics is to be added to the men’s collection. A pink tractor is used as a trademark. Moods of Norway was founded in 2003 by Simen Staalnacke, Peder Børresen and Stefan Dahlkvist in Stryn, known for its glaciers and the salmon fishery and is already available in Sweden, the Benelux countries, Switzerland, Spain, Japan and the USA. The collection for women and men includes around 500 pieces and will be shown at the Bread & Butter in the Urban Superior Area.

Labels: Eucalyptus, Minimum, Moods of Norway, Skunkfunk, United Nude Deluxe Distribution, 10179 Berlin/Germany, www.deluxe-distribution.de

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BREAD & BUTTER BERLIN 04.–06. JULY 2012 Airport Berlin-Tempelhof NEW AREA: DENIm BAsE BooTh: D2

strellson-sportswear.com

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CP Fashion AN EAR ON THE MARKET

Exemplary: Lucky de Luca.

Die Hinterhofagentur THE WOW FACTOR

”With the Hinterhofagentur we are consciously relying on unknown and product-oriented labels that have something special to offer”, says Dominik Meuer who runs the Munich agency together with Lars Fischer. Tortuga Academy is a new addition, a men and women’s collection inspired by the California surf and beachwear of the ‘70s. The denim line Tramarossa belongs to the JT Industries company and has no less a claim than to be ”the sartorial pair of jeans”, with perfect fit, super-soft denim and the option of having your own initials on them. Hand-stitched shoes have been on the market for several seasons, the jacket line has been new since last autumn/winter and is now into it’s second season with the Hinterhofagentur. The agency’s existing labels also have something worth seeing, for example, Lucky de Luca. ”Valentino de Luca has delivered a special collection again, intoxicating colours like a day at the beach”, says Dominik Meuer going into raptures. ”New in the programme is a complete selection of polo shirts and T-shirts in crazy colours.”

Labels: Fratelli Rossetti, Handstich, Jey Coleman, Jfour, Lucky de Luca, Marlino, McAlson, Meatpacking D., Modfitters, Molo 11, Rossoforte, Soho, So nice, Tortuga Academy, Tramarossa, Wool & Co Die Hinterhofagentur, 80802 Munich/Germany, www.diehinterhofagentur.de

Premium jeans and the matching labels to these are the focus of the Düsseldorf agency CP Fashion. ”Having our own offices in L.A. means that we can have our ear right next to the premium denim market”, says agency operator Reinhart Oberstein.

As an importer he is able to provide customers with an especially good delivery service with the ability to obtain best sellers ex-stock with short notice in Germany. The agency is now also offering tops from two of their strongest denim brands: From Blood & Glitter and from Silver Jeans, a label that according to Oberstein is achieving above-average sales in the German market following four years work in building it up. Equally successful, for example, is the Michael Stars collection with a wide range of high-quality jersey styles in a variety of colours. ”It is important to me that we don’t just see our customers once a season, we do a great deal of travelling to keep in contact as closely as possible”, says the company owner who, in addition to the in-house team, also relies on the proven cooperation with agents for sales.

Labels: 1921, 3x1 New York, Beautiful People, Blood & Glitter, Brooklyn Motors, Custo Barcelona, Michael Stars, Rising Sun, Robins Jeans, Silver Jeans Inc, Yummie Tummie CP Fashion, 40211 Düsseldorf/Germany, www.cpfashion.de

The jeans collection 1921 from the importer CP Fashion’s portfolio.

Ben Botas is owner and manager of Ben and GmbH as well as founder and owner of the Cervolante label launched in 2011.

Ben and GmbH NEW ENTRIES AND NEW SHOWROOM

The Ben and GmbH fashion agency is recording growth. The portfolio will be expanded by two new labels in spring/summer 2013. Lois and Scapa Sports. Louis, a cult label bound to jog a few memories in a lot of people, is now celebrating its comeback with a wide denim range for women and men. On average, retails prices are 99 euros with a 3.0 markup. The label will be launched with a shop on Sylt at Different Fashion. Scala Sports, a Belgian luxury sportswear label, is now represented by Ben in Germany. The fashion line was founded by the captain of the Belgian polo team, Michael Redding, and offers a sporty yet elegant look complete for women and men. In addition, the Ben and GmbH represent the Cervolante, Franklin and Marshall, Mason’s and Gas labels. The agency has a new 500 square metre showroom in the Kaiserswerther Strasse 135 in Düsseldorf. However, head office is still to remain at the showroom in the Balanstrasse 73 in Munich.

Labels: Cervolante, Franklin and Marshall, Gas, Jakt, Mason’s, Scapa Sports Ben and GmbH, 81541 Munich/Germany, www.ben-and.com

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IG Generation STRENGTHEN THE STRENGTH

Noro Hoferer reflects on his passion for remodelling and expansion at the Agency IG Generation’s Munich location: The mono-brand floor space is increasingly replacing the showroom’s previous multilabel principle. As a result of this, Liebeskind, Aglini and Dondup have now been given dedicated areas, not least because the labels themselves have gained greater significance on the German market. Noro Hoferer and his team also want to strengthen the holistic approach: For several of the labels, the Agency is trying to find Shop-in-Shop-Partners, the agency owner works together with the labels to create the appropriate concept. After all, his passion for remodelling and expansion doesn’t just stop with his own agency.

The IG Ideageneration is spot-on for retailers in search of exceptional furnishings. Much of the furniture in the showrooms can also be bought. And, if need be, the agency team are happy to help design a shop and furnishing concept. Construction also applies to trade fairs. A shining example at the Premium was a stand concept for Dondup, modelled on the Casa Dondup opened in Milan in December 2011. A restaurant and café have also been accommodated beside the shop, a concept of hospitality that Noro Hoferer and his team also wanted to provide to the visitors to the booth. The plan behind it: Using Milan as an example, Dondup wants to open at key locations with partner shops.

There are no new additions to the IG Ideageneration portfolio because as the holder of the Agency says: ”In moments such as these, focus is key. Particularly because we want to grow with our existing clients with labels such as Blaumax, Liebeskind, Dondup or Aglini and to fully exploit potential.” This follows the agency’s philosophy of stepping up the holistic concepts offered to his customers and labels - from decoration, shop design, stockroom back-ups and service. The agency does its homework in order to do this: The internal structures, which also include an in-house PR department, have been strengthened.

Labels: Aglini, Blaumax, Brogden, Dondup, Etichetta 35, Liebeskind, Männersache, MU IG Generation, 80807 Munich/Germany; 40474 Düsseldorf/Germany,www.ig-ideageneration.de

Successful development: Duvetica in the Agentur d-tails programme.

Agentur d-tails LABELS FOR THE NICHE SECTOR

When Patrick Coppolecchia-Reinartz founded Agentur d-tails in 2001 with labels such as Mauro Grifoni and Woolrich in the programme, the topic of the niche sector didn’t exist in the German-speaking market. ”Where do you want to go with this fur collar? You’ll never get rid of it, a comment made by many a retailer”, says Coppolecchia-Reinartz. He still has the nose for something special today, such as the ecological fashion label Haikure from the CS Jeans house which focuses on respect for nature with high-quality ecologically-friendly produced materials. ”It has to be special, was always our philosophy, it must have knowhow and many years of craftsmanship behind it”, says Coppolecchia Reinartz. New to d-tails are trousers by Doo Wop for men and women, from fashionably faded materials and a times four markup and a retail price of 129 euros. Malloni is also currently featuring in the portfolio with individual knitwear and jersey pieces for women. And, last but not least, shirts by Happiness at $10 tee, which address a young audience with their quirky texts and which can be delivered all year round.

Labels: Bellwood Strick, Blancheur, Daks Sport, Doo Wop, Duvetia, Great by Sandie, Haikure, Happiness is a 10 $ tee, Ixos, JW Tabacchi, Malloni, Mosaique, Pollini designed by Kirkwood, Serafini, Siviglia Agentur d-tails, 80469 Munich/Germany, www.d-tails.de

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Premium CREATIVE INPUT

Since it was founded, the declared motto of the Berlin Premium has been ”You get what it says on the label”. ”The aim is to inspire the buyer and provide creative input for his order”, says Anita Tillmann. ”The Premium label portfolio has meanwhile become one of the most important guides to the national and international retail market.” About 1,400 collections which include Peuterey, Barbour, J Brand, Mason’s and Parajumpers are being presented over the 23,000 square metre area. But newcomers are also on the programme. For the first time, the fair is also welcoming a group of designers from Korea and young Turkish designers, once again underlining the internationality of its range. New this season is the Accessories Galore sector for jewellery, watches, bags, belts as well as hats and scarves, to be found in Hall 2 in the former restaurant area. In addition, Hall 5 is being expanded with a terrace this season for the men’s collections and, as always in summer, the courtyard is to be used as an exhibition area. 4th to 6th July 2012, www.premiumexhibitions.com

Bread & Butter STRONG STATEMENT

”The Rock” is Bread & Butter’s declared motto for this summer, a symbol of immovability and stability. However, when it comes to evolving successful segments and allowing new elements to come along, Karl-Heinz Müller’s tradeshow still continues to move. For example, there is the Area Treasury for accessories, added just last winter and which is fully booked up for this summer and will find a place in the gates expanded especially for it. It also applies to the Sport & Street Area concept with D.O.C.K. and the Fire Dept. which is continuing to expand L.O.C.K. with newcomers such as Brooklyn We Go Hard, Pantheone, Pedaled and Massaua. The heart of the Berlin fair still continues to be denim which has resulted in further expansion with a so-called Berlin Temple of Denim for the Denim Base in the Luna Park’s outside area. 3,000 square metres for luxury jeans labels and denim suppliers as a strong statement for the blue material. 4th to 6th July 2012, www.breadandbutter.com

Gallery Copenhagen EXPANDED

The Gallery will be arriving at the starting line from the 9th to 11th August 2012 with a higher number of exhibitors: 331 labels from 20 countries are expected, 14 designer shows will also be taking place again.

More than 11,000 visitors came to the Gallery in February, including international buyers from Liberty, Harvey Nichols, Barneys, ASOS, United Arrows and Colette. Gallery is also partnering with the Shanghai Fashion Week and Fashion Shanghai to attract Chinese buyers to Copenhagen. Gallery will be using electricity from a renewable wind energy source for the coming event, and has so far presented itself as CO2 neutral. The shuttle vehicles which run between the various tradeshows are electric. Around 2,400 labels will be presenting their collections as part of the Copenhagen Fashion Week from 8th to 12th August. 9th to 11th August 2012, www.gallery.dk, www.copenhagenfashionweek.com

The Gallery Düsseldorf/Berlin CHANGE OF SCENERY

The première of The Gallery Düsseldorf opened from the 28th to 31st July in the former American Consulate-General in Düsseldorf in the district of Golzheim. ”Now, The Gallery Düsseldorf is right at the very hub of Düsseldorf’s fashion world, within easy walking distance from Kaiserwerter Strasse and provides buyers with the ideal place of contact”, says Philipp Kronen, managing partner of the Igedo Company.

The event which has stepped into the former cpd signatures shoes, shows exhibitors such as Baum und Pferdgarten, Karen by Simonsen, Rundholz Black Label, Trippen or Ümit Ünal. The Berlin offshoot of the Düsseldorf Igedo Company is entering the ring for the second time now with a similar label portfolio from 4th to 6th July 2012 in Café Moskau.

The Gallery Berlin: 4th to 6th July 2012, The Gallery Düsseldorf: 28th to 31st July 2012, www.igedo.com, www.the-gallery-berlin.com

Panorama POSTPONED

Not yet at the start and already postponed: The new Panorama fair format will now be taking place in January 2013. The still unfinished airport has prevented the original plans for the event. It also proved impossible to find a new location or to set up a tent city in the short space of time available. The Panorama is now due to start in January 2013 even if flight operations haven’t started at the large Berlin airport by then.

Originally, the Panorama was scheduled from the 4th to the 6th July 2012 in the ExpoCenter Airport Berlin covering around 20,000 square metres. Around 250 exhibitors were won in the lead-up to the event, including Laurèl, Daks, Naf Naf, Mac, Roy Robson, Kapalua, Liebeskind and the Ahlers Gruppe. www.panorama-berlin.com

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Modefabriek Amsterdam 22.07. - 23.07.2012 Modefabriek BV, Rai Amsterdam, Europaplein, NL 1078 GZ

CPD Fashion Week Düsseldorf 28.07. - 30.07.2012 Showroom CG - Club of Gents/CARL GROSS, Halle 29, Rheinmetall Allee

Hot I 17.07. - 18.07.2012 Fashion Mall Salzburg, Showroom CG - Club of Gents/CARL GROSS, Hans Kitzler, Top 72, 4. OG

Fashion Première 05.08. - 07.08.2012

www.cg-club-of-gents.com

Fashion Mall Salzburg, Showroom CG - Club of Gents/CARL GROSS, Hans Kitzler, Top 72, 4. OG

Hot II 20.07. - 21.07.2012 Fashion Mall Salzburg, Showroom CG - Club of Gents/CARL GROSS, Hans Kitzler, Top 72, 4. OG

CIFF Copenhagen 09.08. - 12.08.2012 Bella Center, Center Boulevard 5, DK 2300 Copenhagen S, Showroom Degn B6-11, Phone +45 24 27 35 45

MODA MENSWEAR, NEC Birmingham 12.08. - 14.08.2012 Hall 20, Booth MA 18

CPM Moskau 05.09. - 08.09.2012 Expocentre Fairgrounds, Hall Forum, Contact: EastExpert, Phone +7 495 504 66 93

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Munich Fashion Women NEW LABELS ON BOARD

The Munich Fashion Women is taking place in the MTC from 11th to 14th August and will be presenting more than 750 collections in five halls. ”Colourful, offbeat and progressive, those are the fashion tags of this season. There are many new labels taking part again this season.

We are really extremely pleased that We are Replay and the new designer label Tigha from Düsseldorf have promised to attend,” says Aline Schade, Senior Sales Manager of the munichfashion company GmbH. Other labels represented at the trade fair: John Galliano Shoes, Red Valentino and Ella Luna. The legendary trade fair party will be taking place on the 12th August in Cavos. ”As the top dog in fashion it’s pretty obvious we’re going to be having a crazy party with loads of fun and great food”, says Aline Schade.

11th to 14th August 2012, www.munichfashionfair.de

Vision MERGED

The former cphvision and Terminal 2 events are merging under a new name in Copenhagen from August 2012: The new Vision runs from 9th to 11th August, parallel to the Copenhagen Fashion Week (8th to 12th August). The Vision will be taking place in the grounds of the former Terminal 2 – an old locomotive workshop – and covering around 20,000 square meters. The event is divided into the following segments and each are visually separated from one another: Shine (Premium Contemporary Design), Seek (young and fashionable high street brands), Dawn (newcomer designer), The Boiler (urban and street brands), Free (denim and sportswear) as well as Private (independent collections). The exhibitors also have the opportunity of designing their own individual showrooms. 9th to 11th August 2012, www.cphvision.dk, www.cfw.dk

Munich Fabric Start FULLY BOOKED

Already, at this early stage, the international trade fair for garment material and accessories which takes place from 4th to 6th September in Munich is able to announce more than 800 exhibitors. Even the annexed Blue Zone in the Zenith Halle which provides the denim market its important platform has encountered a consistently good response.

The organisation team around Sebastian and Wolfgang Klinder feels they were right about the direction of the fair: ”A strong home market is key to the success of a fair”, says Sebastian Klinder, ”And Germany is still the strongest and most important market in Europe.”

In the next round, which will launch the materials and ingredients for the autumn/winter 2013 season, the Munich Fabric Start will also be introducing the new pattern studio concept. This is to be a creative platform for suppliers of fashion designs and printing. The Ready-Made-Solutions (R.M.S.dpt) segment, which celebrated its premier in the Blue Zone last season, will be selectively expanded over the entire fair. It will be presenting complete solutions and a full-service under this banner.

4th to 6th September 2012, www.munichfabricstart.com

The Show & Order Trade Fair will be taking place in July for the second time.

Show & Order POPULAR BERLIN FAIR Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Dazed & Confused FASHION BROADCASTING FOR BERLIN

Two fashion platforms join forces. The London-based Dazed Group are presenting a new online platform in a broadcasting format for the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in July in Berlin which will showcase upand-coming talent from fashion sectors across the globe. The idea will be translated into visual form by using short films from local directors.

Cathy Edwards, Fashion Director of the Dazed Group, will curate the entire project. The Mercedes Benz Fashion Week partnering the project will supply plenty of material for the videos, as young promising talents are shown working on and backstage at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Weeks in Australia, Germany, South Africa, Mexico, Russia and China.

4th to 7th July 2012, www.mercedes-benzfashionweek.com

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The Show & Order Trade Fair in Berlin is almost fully booked up already.

The still-young order platform for High Fashion will be taking place in Köpenickerstrasse inside a former power station in Berlin-Mitte from 3rd to 6th July and a day before the official start of the Berlin Fashion week, just as it did at its launch in January. A concept that the event organiser, Verena Malta, would like to keep to: ”We consciously decide on an exclusive but maximum number of national and international labels.” Some of the new labels to appear in July are: Love Moschino, Hale Bob, Ella Luna, M Missoni, Parker NY and Odd Molly. 140 collections were presented at the first Show & Order from 17th to 20th January. According to the organisers, the fair was a huge success and met with a positive response throughout. The current shortage of booths best proves this. 3rd to 6th July 2012, www.showandorder.de

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www.bloom-f ashion.com

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SELECTED Spoon DO YOU PLAY GOLF?

Spoon’s luxurious sportswear is based on clean looks, from O-shaped polo shirts to slim-fit chinos or coloured nylon capes.

Classics, which thanks to their cut or unique stitching, have a new spirit and make a good impression on the golf course and on the street. Desi Görtz and Harald Jacob are the people behind Spoon and they work on the collection, which was founded in 2010, with a team of Italian designers. ‘’We want to show more appreciation for fashion and not only see the fast consumer item,’’ says Harald Jacob. There are 30 pieces for women and 20 for men, with cost prices for polo shirts ranging from 34 to 60 euros and for trousers from 71 to107 euros, with a markup of 180. The collection can be found in Breuninger in the Budersand Golf Shop on Sylt Island, or es ce in MunichSchwabing.

Ari Johan Pachur, 80798 Munich/Germany, T 0049.151.23503423, www.spoon-golf.com

Liis Japan MAN, FASHION AND NATURE

Fusing Japanese traditions with European influences - an idea by the Japanese stylist Liis Yoshiko who put it into practice by establishing the Liis Japan label in 2006.

The symbiosis of man and nature, so highly appreciated in the Far-Eastern culture, stands at the forefront and is expressed in the use of natural materials such as silk, cotton, linen and cashmere. Pieces are created which don't restrict movement and flatter the figure.

This aspiration is always carried out in a feminine way, sometimes with a little rock'n'roll, sometimes romantically. In the spring/summer season 2013, the label based in the Italian town of Arezzo focuses on an almost weightless natural fibre that flatters the feminine silhouette: Cashmere, worked in an 18-gauge fineness, printed silk and twisted cotton meet crêpe de chine and linen.

Borrowed materials such as rubber and paper are combined with the Japanese culture to create unusual looks.

Livia Gregoretti, 20141 Milan/Italy, T 0039.02.83241861, livia@liviagreg.com, www.liisjapan.com

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Q1 CUT A GOOD FIGURE IN BUSINESS

Behind the shirt and blouse brand Q1 founded in 2007, is a production business that has been in the family in Tirschenreuth, Bavaria for more than 60 years. Stefan Reiter, who is a son and grandson of this factory’s owners, joined Q1 in order to realise his own vision. Four times a year, Q1 presents collections that are made from classy, Italian materials. Pearl buttons sewn on by hand, or removable collar stiffeners with rounded corners are evidence of a love for detail. A perfect fit, figurehugging cut and pleasing value for money: This is what Q1 stands for. ‘’A sense of comfort and wellbeing among those who wear our products is the main focus of our efforts, not the satisfaction of the brand’s ego.’’ This is how Stefan Reiter, managing director and owner of Q1 describes the brand’s philosophy which is successful and humble in equal measure. Thanks to these virtues, and not least, good NOS services, Q1 has secured a permanent place in the product ranges of retailers such as Breuninger or Engelhorn. Retail prices range from 79 to 119 euros.

Q1 Manufaktur GmbH, Stefan Reiter, 95643 Tirschenreuth/Germany, T 0049.9631.60727, info@q1-manufaktur.de, www.q1-manufaktur.de

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D.S. Dundee BRITISH GENTLEMEN CONQUER D-A-CH

The British gentlemen's label D.S. Dundee was founded in 1994 by Oliver Pilcher and Jim Pickles. The two creative heads got to know one another whilst studying in Edinburgh. Nothing much happened at D. S. Dundee for a few years – time during which the two of them pursued their own careers: Oliver Pilcher in New York and Jim Pickles in Japan. The label, relaunched in 2008, is now being presented to the German-speaking market at this year's Berlin Fashion Week.

The credo on which the high-quality fashion is based: "Having pride in the appearance.“ Oliver Pilcher emphasises: "Right up to the '40s, men wore suits, either for work, in the pub or for leisure. We want to revive this pride in one's appearance and wake up men's desire to dress smartly." As a result the suits are the essence of D.S. Dundee and the central theme running through all previous collections. Both designers have Scottish roots, Oliver Pilcher comes from Dundee, Jim Pickles from Aberdeen – this is not only reflected in the name but also in the designs.

All the garments have something in common: Not only are they stylish, they are also functional, after all they were designed to withstand the rainy weather of Scotland. This explains, for example, the predominance of tweed in the collections which appear twice a year. The garments are produced as much as possible in Great Britain because the domestic economy and the high quality are both close to the Scotsmen's hearts. A recent addition to D. S. Dundee is Markus Rigg, who previously worked as a designer for Topman. The wholesale price for shirts lies between 30 and 50 pounds, for outerwear between 60 and 200 pounds.

D.S. Dundee, Zone 2, N1 7JH London/UK, T 0044.84.58622056, enquiry@zonetwouk.com, www.zonetwouk.com, www.dsdundee.com

Blake LIGHTNESS IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY

The Blake label founded by a small creative team in 2011 is characterised by its minimalistic silhouettes and clearly structured designs. The 36-year-old designer Maria Leonhardt is responsible for the identity of the brand. The designer, who grew up and lives in Copenhagen, has a very diverse background from fields of design, commerce, architecture and communication which provides her with a multifaceted approach across all aspects of product development. Maria Leonhardt compensates her penchant for dark motives and scenarios - at first glance slightly reminiscent of Rorschach ink blots by placing her shirt collection into an everyday context marked by lightness. Flowing structures and a strong graphic signature define the soul of the Danish label. In addition to two main collections every year, shirts that are in stock can be ordered all year round.

With a 2.7 markup. Shirts by Blake are also available at Casa Moda in Steyr, Shop Fashion in Hamburg, Stierblut in Munich, as well as at Waldraud AG in Zürich.

D21 Agency, 1454 Copenhagen/Denmark, T 0045.23.912419, jin@d21agency.com, www.blakecopenhagen.com

PlietS.H. PLANT CARE

What do the spindle tree and cardamom have in common with jewellery? Stefanie Hartwig has been creating extraordinary pieces of jew6ellery in her studio in Kreuzberg since 2008.

Plant components that the jewellery designer has collected herself and worked into elegant necklaces, bracelets and earrings form the basis and have turned her studio more into a botanical laboratory than a jewellery workshop. Silicone impressions of seeds, twigs and leaves are painstakingly taken and cast in silver. Some of the pieces are subsequently gold-plated. The jewellery display a bond with nature and are sold at Voo in Berlin or Wink in Zurich amongst other places. The collection changes twice a year. As a result, Stefanie Hartwig is regularly represented at the Premium in Berlin. Sale prices for bracelets and earrings are from 30 to 120 euros, necklaces 110 to 230 euros with a calculation factor of 2.8.

PlietS.H., Stefanie Hartwig, c/o Gorilla Cases, 10999 Berlin/Germany, T 0049.30.76231084, stefanie@plietsh.com, www.plietsh.com.

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Cocorose London BALLERINAS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH

Feynest WELL COVERED

Richly embroidered using cashmere yarns or hand-woven from goat velour leather – unique scarves and cloth from the Feynest label are all popular with enthusiasts. Each piece tells its own story and plays with a certain three-dimensionality through its embroidery and woven structure. The label is still young yet and belongs to Susanne Moser and Kathrin Bessel who founded Feynest in October 2011 in Stuttgart. The current début collection transports the philosophy of the brand along the entire line: The combination of high-quality material and a new-interpretation of traditional craftsmanship. In addition, the products for women and men are made from fine natural materials such as cotton, cashmere, leather and silk at selected businesses in India, Asia, Mongolia as well as in Germany. Purchase price is between 107,30 and 280 euros. Calculated using the factor 2.6, from the next collection 2.8 to 3.0.

Moser Bessel GmbH, 70182 Stuttgart/Germany, T 0049.711.91410256, info@feynest.com, www.feynest.com.

Pacific Heights SETS NEW STANDARDS

Jewellery that itself lives up to unusual fashion creations: The jewellery label Pacific Heights is based on this aspiration. The two owners of the label, Claire Rañoa Seitz and Martin Seitz intend to close the gap between industriallyproduced fashion jewellery and expensive pieces from jewellers. The pieces of jewellery à la Pacific Heights are sometimes classic and elegant, sometimes playful and innovative - but are always in tune with current hot styles. The exciting creations are delivered in limited editions to high-end fashion retailers in European fashion metropolises. Two collections are designed per year, these are regularly expanded and adapted to current trends. Pacific Heights’ bracelets, chains and earrings are available in notable stores such as Apropos in Cologne and Düsseldorf, Hasardeur in Münster, Fidelio in Zurich und Azzuro in Amsterdam. The recommended retail prices range from 150 to 700 euros.

Pacific Heights. Martin Seitz, 40237 Düsseldorf/Germany, T 0049.211.171877, reception@pacific-heights-lounge.com, www.pacific-heights-lounge.com

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Beautifully soft leather, velvet bows, glittering appliqués. There are lots of foldable ballerinas, these are different: The ballerinas come in a classy little handbag, which you can take with you everywhere – and if a woman swaps her high heels for ballerinas, she can store the high heels in a practical bag. The soles of the ballerinas are not continuous and so the shoes can be easily folded.

Premièred in 2007, the ballerinas are available in selected shops all over Europe, Asia, Australia and the US. Their own Capsule Collection, in cooperation with the Royal Ballet of London, is evidence of high quality and their aspiration to embody the charm of high heels.

There are two collections every year, spring/summer and autumn/winter. The label is made up of four different lines: Diffusion, Classic Elegance Leather, The Royal Ballet Capsule Collection and Luxury Heritage Made in England.

The retail prices are between 25 and 70 euros, the markup is from 2.5 to 3.0.

Cocorose London, Gareth Austin-Jones, T 0044.208.8298919, gareth@cocoroselondon.com, www.cocoroselondon.com

BREAD & BUTTER 4th-6th JULY 2012 AREA SPORT & STREET HANGAR 1 BOOTH No. S2

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Henry Christ A DUET OF SCARVES AND KNITWEAR

The Hamburg fashion label Henry Christ was established in 2009 and delights its customer with hip scarves and knitted styles in trendy colours. The designers Henry Kunstreich and Christian Holst, who gave the brand its name, focus on independent design, selected materials and solid workmanship. Henry Christ quickly impressed: After three years, more than 200 fashion retailers in eleven countries already carry the fashion label’s products. The collection is based on scarves and knitwear in classy materials like merino, cashmere and silk. Every collection has about 50 pieces – two thirds of which are scarves. Retail prices are between 99 and 499 euros.

Renowned retailers like Eickhoff and Jades in Düsseldorf or Frauenschuh in Kitzbühel have taken to the two collections per year, with knitwear available in sizes 34 to 42.

Henry Christ, Henning Kunstreich and Christian Holst, 20251 Hamburg/Germany, T 0049.40.38645121, info@henry-christ.com, www.henry-christ.com

Lord & Lady Baltimore WELCOME BACK, CHRISTIAN AUDIGIER!

Yes, he was missed: Since Christian Audigier pushed Ed Hardy from start-up to global brand in the briefest amount of time, the longing for a phenomenon such as this has been enormous. Is the marketing genius capable of landing such a success again? Lord & Lady Baltimore, the latest label from the French-born designer's pen, gives us an indication.

On the one hand we have the skilful combination of Audigier's signature and current prints that many dealers are currently looking for. Then there is the expansion of a genuine premium segment within the collection: The shirts, hoodies and caps have been expanded by leather trousers and -jackets for women and men. Soft, high-quality leather that clearly indicate the manufacturer's expertise. But the most important factor: the motivation of the team behind Lord & Lady Baltimore. Tommy Wieler from K&K Logistics: "You can tell that Christian Audigier and his team have really got the bit between their teeth with making the label big." The master is now back: A presentation in Los Angeles was as professional as it was impressive and followed the launch in the major markets. D-A-CH, Benelux, France and Italy were managed by K& K Logistics, the importer worked with his trusted network of agents in these countries. In the first season, Lord & Lady Baltimore can be ordered S/S 13, the label is still keeping its distance from a presentation at a trade fair: "We want to be very enthusiastic about positioning the label but also be selective.

A presentation in showrooms is just right to do this", says Clemens Kappler.

There will be two main collections and two flash programmes every year, prices will range for T-shirts between 22 and 45 euros wholesale price, leather trousers and -jackets will come into the shops at 500 to 800 euros retail.

Lord & Lady Baltimore, K&K Logistics, Tommy Wieler, 70329 Stuttgart/Germany, T 0049.711.5208970, info@kk-logistics.de, www.kk-logistics.de, www.lordbaltimoreshop.com

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photographed by Thomas Rabsch

Floris van Bommel 9th generation shoemaker since 1734

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054 SELECTED

V.i.Ra. FASHION AS A MELTING POT OF DIFFERENT CULTURES

Thone Negrón NEW WEST-BERLIN CHIC

As the owner of the Berlin store Konk, which was opened in 2003, Ettina Berrios-Negrón experienced on a daily basis how hard business can be with fashion that is not self-explanatory.

Through her experiences at the sales counter she also experienced vividly what her clientèle was missing. So, in 2010, Thone Negrón decided to create a collection which brings to mind designs by German fashion designer Schulze-Varell. The designer develops all of the patterns herself in her Berlin workshop.

The collection's pieces, most made of pure silk, are produced exclusively in Germany, some are worked on by hand. Ettina BerriosNegron displays 10 to 16 different outfits including glamorous evening dresses, elegant jackets and costumes, capes and silk longsleeved tops per season. A highlight is, for example, a classically cut shift dress with elastic lining that is elegant and suitable for biking at the same time. Finally, the label appeared at the trade fair Show & Order in Berlin.

Thone Negrón, Schröderstraße 13, 10115 Berlin/Germany, T 0049.30.53161116, mail@thonenegron.com, www.thonenegron.com

First model, then stylist, then designer: This is how Victoria Rader's CV reads, the face behind the new V.i.Ra. label.

Victoria Rader now lets the experiences and adventures she garnered as a model and stylist from the fashion capitals of the world flow directly into her fashion creations. The couture from the young Kiev designer is modern, elegant and stylish. The combination of lightweight fabric and soft leather are typical characteristics of V. I. Ra, she also does without flashy practices. Victoria Rader focuses on understatement and presents classic cuts with a modern twist. Designs by V.i.Ra. are feminine and sexy, the colours of the coming collection focus on shades of nude and white, their simplicity broken by neon colours such as bright green.

The demands that Victoria Rader places on herself: "I won't even consider copying something, I want to create something special. Each piece in my collection should be a small surprise."

The said, the designer keeps the wearability factor in sharp focus.

V.i.Ra., Agentur Griesinger 80538 Munich/Germany T 0049.89.332244 office@griesinger-mode.de www.griesinger-mode.de www.viktoriarader.com

Duffy A MATTER OF EXPERIENCE

The DZ group with agencies in New York, Los Angeles, Vienna, London, Shanghai and Beijing have been producing knitwear for well-known US designers in China for more than 30 years. The visionary head behind this is Edward Duffy. In 2009, the textile manufacturer decided to pour all his three-decades of accumulated know-how and his preference for using high-quality yarns into his own label smartly named after him. With the claim of versatility, the existing complete collection focuses on a clear and reduced statement with its sweaters, ponchos, cardigans and leggings. Focus always remains on the silhouettes, their effect emphasised through the interplay with proportions and structures.

Attention is also drawn to the shape through the use of neutral shades. Duffy offers two main collections every year and one mid-collection. Mark-up is 2.7.

The label based in New York has representatives which include Harvey Nichols in London, Jades in Düsseldorf, Flip and Stierblut in Munich, as well as Petera in Innsbruck.

Duffy, Christopher Dearman, W10 5JJ London/UK, T 0044.20.89695000, christopherd@uk.dzgroup.com, www.dzgroup.com, www.duffyny.com

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Zebratod FAIR HANDICRAFT

Animal rights activists can breathe a sigh of relief because the name of the label (Zebratod, or zebra death) from Hamburg has nothing to do with the demise of the black and white striped zebra. Rather, it is based on a childhood memory of the owner, Ilona von Preuschen and the word Zebaot, which she misunderstood in a hymn.

Along with the brand name, the knitted accessories made of merino wool also provide food for thought with funny names like Lange Frieda, or Knopf im Glück.The fine, loosely-knitted caps and scarves sold by the label, which was founded in 2006, are manufactured using fair handicraft in Germany by knitters, so-called knitting ladies some up to 80-years mature. The autumn/winter collection 2012/13 consists of 28 models and also contains cuffs, headbands and bags. The retail prices for caps are between 60 and 80 euros, for scarves between 90 and 200 euros.

The hand-knitted accessories are available at stores including Kauf dich glücklich in cities like Hamburg, Berlin and Stuttgart, as well as Ludwig Beck in Munich, among others.

Zebratod, Tania Hinawy, 40477 Düsseldorf/ Germany, T 0049.177.7784788, taniahinawy@gmx.de, www.zebratod.de

Augustin Teboul GERMAN-FRENCH FRIENDSHIP

The inter-cultural cooperation between German-born Annelie Augustin and Frenchborn Odély Teboul is one of the hottest tips of Berlin Fashion Week since their latest collection ‘’The Thread of Ariane’’, if not before. The graduates from Esmod Paris have already worked for Jean Paul Gautier and Y-3 and have brought the best of two cultures together: Blonde Annelie contributes avantgardism and minimalism, dark-haired Odély stands for sinister nostalgia and detailed craftsmanship. With this, they have created a look that is completely their own, with floorlength dresses made of silk with Swarovski features, hand-crocheted bodies or skin-tight leather trousers. Cost prices start at 85 euros for tops, prices for jackets range from 450 to1,200 euros. Stores from all over the world, such as L’Eclaireur, Paris, IT HongKong, The Corner and Apartment in Berlin have already been charmed by the duo’s crafted perfection.

Augustin Teboul, 12043 Berlin/Germany, T 0049.30.56829315, studio@augustin-teboul.com, www.augustin-teboul.com

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Cervolante IF DEERS COULD FLY

Cervo- the deer, volare- to fly: With the name of his label founded in 2011, Ben Botas from Munich brings more than just Italian flair with British influence into the Bavarian capital. Cervolante is produced exclusively in Italy. Deer leather, lambskin, cashmere, tweed: The owner of the Agentur Ben and GmbH wants his label to set new standards and utilises his many years of experience in sales - with success. Cervolante began its first season with jackets for men and women and thanks to its contacts with key retailers has won more than 40 accounts, including Flip in Munich and Different Fashion on the island of Sylt. In the spring/summer of 2013, the collection will be expanded with shirts, sweatshirts and polo shirts in jersey and silk. A bag collection is also being added. The average retail price is 899 euros with a 2.7 markup.

Ben and GmbH, 81541 Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.32308046, b.botas@ben-and.com, www.ben-and.com, www.cervolante.com

visit us at: bread & butter, berlin 04-06 of july 2012 SR21.1 urban superior women hall

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058 LONGVIEW

It's All about Editing

Carla Sozzani worked as editor-in-chief for Vogue Italy for about a decade, in 1986 she was appointed editor-at-large at American Vogue for Italy. Moreover, in 1990 she founded 10 Corso Como, one of the most visionary concept stores, which combines fashion, design and art. Her younger sister, Franca Sozzani remained true to her chosen path of journalism and after an impressive career she became chief editor of Vogue Italia in 1988. It is needless to say that both women are very influential in the fashion industry. In this interview Italy’s probably most fashionable sisters talk about how the internet – and the resulting easy access to information – has changed the fashion industry, the challenges young designers have to tackle and why big brands sometimes struggle to maintain their high quality.

Interview: Martina Müllner. Photos: Bruce Weber, 10 Corso Como, Vogue Italia

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ho do you think has more influence when it comes to “making a designer or a brand”. Is it the shops, or is it magazines and the media?

Franca Sozzani: It is definitely the shops.

Especially in the last two years I realized that most of the high level shops recognize young talents. And they work with them sometimes even before they are published in magazines.

That's because new labels and talents approach the shops directly. They would never come to my office, in a way it’s much easier to get in touch with Carla’s buyer. Three or four years ago, it was the press who had the absolute potential to make a designer big. This has changed: We give designers exposure, we say Vogue likes it when sometimes retailers have already discovered the new talent.

Do you agree, Carla?

Carla Sozzani: It's true that buyers are seemingly hunting all the time and when we buy, we give confidence to the up and coming brands and designers. Then a chain reaction starts: If the leading shops buy, all the other buyers follow. It all helps; actually one can’t live without the other. As a new talent, you have to understand the importance of both distribution and press, if you take only one side serious, you'll probably fail.

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Why do you think this has changed so much - because shops have changed their buying habits or because media has changed?

Franca Sozzani: Today, also to solve the issue of prices, every shop wants to find young designers, simply because they are less expensive. I don’t think that buyers just want to give a chance to young people, it's also because they cost less. Of course they have new ideas which might attract people to the shop. Today a great amount of shops are in a way like 10 Corso Como. Some years ago, it was only her, she was one of the first concept stores that was trying new designers.

The press is changing too, but honestly press is not changing that much. We at Vogue Italia do a special edition Vogue Talents once a year, but we are the only magazine that does something like this. There is one person whose only job is to scout everywhere, in every school, in every place.

We also do a lot on the web, we have this challenge called “Vogue Talents”. But I repeat, things changed a lot during the last 2, 3 years. I don’t think people were so interested in young talents before.

Carla Sozzani: Moreover, the big brands that became really huge, take the big groups.

They have great talents, so you go and hire new designers but the brands themselves

are not always new. As they are covered by such enormous advertising and fashion shows, it’s missing this magical part of fashion a little bit, because of having to try really hard. So I believe that shops like 10 Corso Como have to support new brands and designers.

Franca Sozzani: And the shops are all very much alike, even if you go to Commes des Garçons you’ll find the same thing here in Milan and in other places. Young designers let you experience something different.

Do you think these big brands are less interesting?

Carla Sozzani: No, they are equally interesting but you need to buy pieces that are not known to everyone, pieces that people can “discover”.

Franca Sozzani: Yes, they have to think “It's me, I am the one who has seen this special garment first”.

Is there something you miss in young designers’ approach?

Carla Sozzani: If you ask young designers what they want to do, they will tell you that they want to become independent and create a brand. However, they want to make it to the top without suffering and most of them are not aware of how much they will have to suffer. They only want the result. So when having to face problems, there is this ten-

Franca Sozzani, editor-in-chief of the Italian Vogue and her older sister, Carla Sozzani, owner of the concept store 10 Corso Como in Milan: An influential duo, far beyond Italy's borders. Their relationship is characterised by their mutual respect and admiration.

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Carla Sozzani: Italians are a little bit odd, we love whatever happens abroad.

But everybody looks up to Italy, because lots of things are created and produced here.

Opened 20 years ago in a garage in, at that time, still a humble area 10 Corso Como is since then undoubted one of the most influential fashion stores in the world. Carla Sozzanis Gallery was instrumental in helping to establish photography as art in Italy.

dency for many creative designers to give up almost immediately and become art directors in big groups.

So you say that there are many people in the fashion industry who want to become stars without having to suffer?

Carla Sozzani: Yes, but they don't realise that it is not enough to create a good collection. Young designers have to buy the fabrics to produce and they have to deliver in order to get paid. It's simply not enough to be a designer; you also have to be an entrepreneur.

Franca Sozzani: And that’s not easy, especially because shops, in these difficult times, are likely to pay big brands and groups first.

Carla Sozzani: Being an entrepreneur in fashion is very complicated because distribution is so challenging nowadays. Designers such as Gaultier started in the '80, when clothes were distributed to France, Italy, Germany and North America. There was no South America, no China, no Emirates, no Japan, no Korea, no India and no Russia – so distribution was much easier. Today, even if it is only a small brand, there is lots of work and money involved.

Do you consider Italian fashion inspiring at the moment?

Carla Sozzani: It's all inspiring and I think it is just an attitude to say: “There's nothing inspiring in Italy”, that's simply not true.

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There is always something, you just have to have a good eye and a positive attitude.

Italians are a little bit odd, we love whatever happens abroad. But everybody looks up to Italy, because lots of things are created and produced here. Some of the best shoe designers in the world are Italians, right?

Is it because in Italy craftsmanship and design are still closely linked?

Carla Sozzani: Probably yes, and I think it is something that should be protected.

Do you think Italy does a good job on protecting its craftsmanship?

Carla Sozzani: Well they are trying. We just have to encourage the designers to use this incredible know-how in Toscana, Marche, Prato, well, everywhere.

You mentioned you had to keep your eyes open. How do you that, when you see so much every single day?

Franca Sozzani: We achieve this by walking around, talking with people, looking at new collections, meeting new people, looking around on the web and so on.

On a personal level, what is it that makes you so open to new things?

Franca Sozzani: My curiosity. At this stage of life, not being curious equals giving up.

I simply can’t imagine myself working like many others do in magazines – staying in the office the whole day. When you meet

young designers and photographers you are constantly on the move and never even think about stopping.

The work you both do is constant editing, sometimes lasting one month, sometimes lasting a season…

Carla Sozzani: It's daily work, not by the season.

Franca Sozzani: (laughs) It never stops, so it’s better to call it pleasure.

Are you selective when it comes to charity?

Franca Sozzani: I do a lot of charity. It's actually not that selective. At this time of our life, we have this power, we have credibility, and people believe us. It’s very important that people like us share publicity and power with important charity projects. But of course also the charity work we do finds its critics. However, I don’t care, it's like everything you do in life: 50 per cent of the people will agree, the rest won't, but I don’t care about those 50 per cent. Both of us are like this: I remember when Carla opened up here, it was still a garage and she took the risk of selling high level cloth in here. The contrast was incredible, it was a poor street, people were selling vegetables, yet today its one of the richest places in Milan.

Both of you are known for your love of taking a risk…

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Carla Sozzani: Luxury in my eyes can be simple pasta, not being a brand in stock exchange.

Carla Sozzani's partner, the artist Kris Ruhs, influences the aesthetic signature of the concept store. In 2002, Sozzani opened a joint store with Rei Kawakubo in Tokyo, 10 Corso Como followed in Seoul in 2008.

Franca Sozzani: Taking a risk and being creative is only possible if you manage to follow a certain standard of quality. Quality is essential.

How do you define quality when it comes to fashion editing?

Franca Sozzani: To me, quality is in the images, it’s in the way you interpret a designer, and it’s the overall picture.

The integrity is important, as well as what you have in your mind. Clearly, you can’t please everybody, so staying true to yourself is most important. If you keep this integrity you can exchange and share your creative energy with all the other creative people who are attracted by places and editions like the one we are both working on.

So sharing is important to you…

Carla Sozzani: Sharing is very important, you learn so much from other people.

You reinforced your sharing very much throughout your blog…

Franca Sozzani: Yes, and it is so different from a magazine. Because on the website something is out so incredibly quickly, you get the reactions and you know immediately what your readers think.

Do you enjoy it?

Franca Sozzani: It depends, it certainly involves lots of work and sometimes, when I really get insulted I say: I'll stop it! But I 312 style in progress

have a commitment towards the readers.

Sometimes there are really mean comments and I could really explode..

It's an exceptional approach for a magazine like Vogue. I mean before the rise of social media it wasn’t possible to communicate with the editor-in-chief of Vogue personally - never, ever.

Franca Sozzani: Through the website people think Vogue Italia is more democratic, but we are still the most expensive magazine in the world. Online is a huge difference, although we keep our editorial concept: Italian Vogue would never be the magazine that tells you how to shop, where to go, or how to get your husband back.

Do you think the internet will change the world of retail as much as it changed magazines?

Carla Sozzani: I actually think there will be two directions, internet and experience shopping. Internet is a part of the future; it’s great for shopping, because in two minutes you’re done. On the other hand, there will be places like this, human places, not necessarily multibrand shops but concepts that are not just marketing concepts. These places, where you get touched in one way or another, will always remain, because you go there to have a good feeling. Then it is not about shopping in the first place, it’s more like an experience.

When talking about privileged people, nobody needs a new jacket; you just buy something beautiful if you want to please yourself or someone you love. So I am afraid that retail will be separated in these two directions.

So you might have been a visionary twenty years ago.

Carla Sozzani: I had no clue that there'd be something like the internet, although I wanted to build this place on communication, on sharing with people. That was the only way I thought I could do it, so I didn’t want to be a visionary, it just happened.

Do you think that the easy access to information changed fashion?

Carla Sozzani: Yes, a little bit, but not always in a good way. I’ll give you an example: Some clients know fashion better than us because they are obsessed with all the fashion-related information they receive on the internet.

We bought these amazingly beautiful leading brand coats in camel. But as everybody did camel-coloured coats the next season, the brand changed to blue for the forthcoming season. When clients entered the shop, they didn't want to buy the camel ones because they had already seen the following collection on the web so they considered the running season as “old”. I know that nobody can turn back time but in this case I am not sure whether it's 100 per cent good

064 LONGVIEW

Franca Sozzani: Things have to be commercial, what is the fashion industry’s problem with being commercial? In my eyes the word only conveys that something is beautiful and everybody likes it.

The legendary "Black Issue" of the Italian Vogue sold out in the US and Great Britain within three days of being published, this resulted in Condé Nast's decision to reprint 60,000 copies. Today the 2008 edition is a collector's item.

that information like this is accessible to everyone.

Franca Sozzani: They are so informed, they know everything, they double-check everything. They tell you that you used the same make-up as in an edition dating back to 1998.

We at Vogue Italia decided to do a fashion encyclopaedia with the readers. They propose what to write about and they do all the research and writing. When you read it, you are simply impressed by all the small stories they find out. And yes, very often they do know something better than we do.

How will this affect your work?

Franca Sozzani: You have to be more careful, you cannot lie, you cannot bluff, because readers are very critical and they question everything.

If you had to explain your daily work to a child, what would you say you do?

Franca Sozzani: Most people, even kids nowadays, have a certain image about fashion editors in mind and so they come up with concise questions.

Carla Sozzani: To a child, I’d say we’re having a good time and I’d compare it to Kindergarten: a place of joy and happiness.

In your FIT lecture you made the statement that creating a magazine today, with

312 style in progress

great photographers, top models and designer clothes is the old way – so what is the new way?

Franca Sozzani: The most important thing is the concept, if you don’t have a concept you can use the most beautiful model, the most important photographer, the greatest location, but if the answer is not an idea, is not really thought through, it doesn’t mean anything.

Many magazines design one page after the other and they all look like nothing, very good, but boring. So if you don’t want to be boring, you have to go inside a concept, an idea. You must be willing and ready to take a risk.

What makes it good in the end? Consistency?

Franca Sozzani: Consistency comes from a very strong concept, it’s something that you won’t give up on, you compromise, but you do not destroy what you have built up. I have to compromise every single day, but that doesn’t mean that you have to give up on what you believe in.

Do you feel that the concept of luxury has changed?

Franca Sozzani: The world has changed; nobody is impressed any more by somebody who is rich. You are more impressed by

mental power. I am impressed by an incredible book or an incredible piece of art, and I am impressed by people who have worked for their wealth. The concept of luxury certainly has changed, nowadays it might mean possessing a beautiful garden in the city centre like this one here at 10 Corso Como.

I mean: this is luxury! It’s the idea, the concept, which makes luxury.

Carla Sozzani: The word luxury itself is old.

Luxury depends on you, on your behaviour, on your attitude, it doesn’t depend on money.

Franca Sozzani: Details make the difference in your live, if you have a huge golden watch okay, but so what, this isn’t luxury, it’s simply money.

Carla Sozzani: Yes and it’s really disturbing, when I read words such as “luxury report”, “luxury meeting”, “luxury summit”. Luxury in my eyes can be simple pasta, not being a brand in the stock exchange. Who says that they're luxury brands just because you can buy a share?

And sometimes brands that are widely perceived as luxury, offer poor quality due to the fact that they have to satisfy their shareholders who expect growth every single year.

Franca Sozzani: Clearly, you can’t please everybody, so staying true to yourself is the most important thing.

Franca Sozzani allows photographers such as Steven Meisel plenty of room for experiments: The photo series extend across large sections of the magazine and lead editorial thoughts to the next level.

Carla Sozzani: The problem is when you become extremely big you have more employees and more responsibilities. So the more you grow, the more responsibilities you have and if you want to keep all these people, you have to increase production and distribution – as a consequence integrity is likely to suffer. Even worse if you are traded on the stock exchange, because then you have to open more shops, in every city and at airport terminals. Terminal 5 in my words means: Brands that distribute so widely that they are even available in the most important terminals in an airport. I understand the process very well and I can see clearly that all these companies have to be like this if they ever hit the road of international growth, but to me it’s becoming another word.

Carla Sozzani: I think it’s a matter of editing, to me it’s not important if it’s in or out, whether it’s exclusive or not, it’s all about editing. Whether you are a journalist, a buyer or a gallerist, you constantly make choices. I do not care which brand it is – if there's something that fits my edition, I want it to be in. Neither am I interested in whether they do marketing or not! I am really terrible: As you know, I was a journalist before, back then I used to look at every single detail, now I only look at the clothes, I don’t even look at the girls when I attend fashion shows. And clothes are made to be worn, not for exhibition, as my dear friend Azzedine Alaia always says.

What makes the brands you are working with different? Are they more exclusive?

Franca Sozzani: I know, but fashion can be beautiful and wearable. And yes, things have

312 style in progress

But there were times when it was quite insulting when you said clothes were wearable.

to be commercial, what is the fashion industry’s problem with being commercial? In my eyes the word only conveys that something is beautiful and everybody likes it. So how could it be that journalists judge something to be wrong simply because it appeals to everybody? There is nothing bad about being commercial.

The Sozzani sisters, Carla and Franca, are both very influential people in the fashion industry.

Franca has worked as editor-in-chief for Vogue Italy since 1988; In 1990, Carla, former editorin-chief at Vogue Italia and editor-at-large for American Vogue Italy, founded 10 Corso Como and, therefore, can be referred to as the inventor of the concept store. 10 Corso Como combines a fashion store, a gallery, a restaurant and a bookstore. They are friends with the most important designers and protagonists in the fashion industry and, therefore, truly respected.

068 CONCEPT

The Attraction of Something Special

Successful international cult brands such as Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson and Apple lead the way: The power of attraction their products radiate is as strong as it ever was.

The key to success appears to be simple: Authenticity, distinctive design and a loyal following of fans. But, how does an iconic brand, especially in the textile sector, achieve a permanently high level of status with its customers? Text: Kay Alexander Plonka.

Photos: Dominique Issermann/Old Ideas (2011), Manufacturer

I

n the first quarter of 2012, Apple was able to sell more than 35 million iPhones and nearly twelve million iPads, thereby increasing their profit by around 94 percent in comparison to last year. Apple products, even though they are sold in millions, enjoy cult status. The same thing applies to Harley-Davidson motorbikes with a 10.9 percent increase in turnover in the fourth quarter of 2011 to 40,359 models. Iconic Coca-Cola has long been available in every country on the planet, except for Burma, North Korea and Cuba.

Books on the subject fill entire bookshelves, including recommended classics such as "What is a cult?" by Karsten Kilian, “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell, "Du entscheidest, was Kult ist!"" by Myriam Wiederkehr and Bettina Nyffenegger and "Der Kultfaktor" by Klaus Schmeh. The authors shed light on the many different aspects. The common denominator that the experts always come back to is: The characteristic features of brands are essential. Authors also give the same name to the pillars on which the establishment of a cult brand are constructed: Tradition, presence, popularity, high prominence and widespread circulation.

But the fun stops when the words "widespread circulation" are used in the fashion industry. The formula could be: The more retailers carrying a brand, the more commercial it becomes. Although the entire textile industry lives from selling, the adjective commercial usually has a negative image.

Why is that? Surely, nobody at HarleyDavidson would ever get the idea of offering one of their motorcycles for sale via a nonauthorised trading partner. As it says on the Harley-Davidson web site: "Our dealers are the keepers of the culture and the heart of a unique customer base ..."

There are such keepers who give their heart and soul with their love for detail in the textile industry, too, of course. But in comparison to the number of points of sales recorded vertically or with franchise systems, this is really only a fraction. Apart from luxury labels such as Prada, Hermès, Gucci and Co, who play safe by having their own stores in addition to their specialist partners, it is the free specialist retailers who bring high-priced brand clothing to women or men.

Loyalty and Satisfaction. A current example for establishing a cult brand is Woolrich.

Launched as a specialist for the manufacture

and processing of fabrics, in the course of its more than 180-year history, Woolrich has always aimed product development of woollen blankets, coats and jackets, for example, to suit the functional needs of its wearer. In the course of this development, the most famous of Woolrich's products today is the Arctic Parka, which emerged in 1972. This downfilled jacket made of tear-resistant mixed fabric with the distinctive hood trimmed with coyote fur was originally designed to

Icon Meets Icon: Leonard Cohen, the grand old man of poignant poetry, isn't a testimonial, he wears Stetson simply because he has style.

protect workers constructing the pipeline from Alaska to America from the cold and wet.

Henrik Soller, who manages distribution and sales of Woolrich in Germany and Austria with the Agentur Komet und Helden, explains: "The Arctic Parka arose from the company's tradition as a work garment supplier. The parka even fulfils its original purpose today. Even if it has been slightly

modified for commercial use in an urban environment and the design, up to a certain point, has been given a fashionable twist, this doesn't turn it into a high-fashion product. The product will always remain true to itself and, therefore, limits its distribution network itself. We work with 200 specialist suppliers, department stores and selected online platforms and take great care that the brand does not become sold out. There is no mass production, even if the market always

wants more." So it is also unsurprising that eBay auctions for used Arctic Parkas regularly achieve much more than half of the new price of 650 euros. Soller explains the success of Woolrich by taking an example from the car industry: "The success of the nine-eleven which still continues today is based on the fact that it has never lost its identity and that Porsche has always remained true to itself. When designing something new with this model, consideration style in progress 312

070 CONCEPT

A virtually unchanged classic for 40 years: the Woolrich Arctic Parka.

was always made to take something of the old with it."

Called just eleven by its fans, the sports car has fascinated generations of car enthusiasts for almost 50 years. And it is no longer just the distinctive design that impresses. Customer satisfaction is key to Porsche's success and this is the decisive factor for every brand in winning customer loyalty. At Porsche, this is based on the outstanding engineering performance and the handling characteristics that result from this, combined with absolute suitability for everyday use, reliable durability and remarkably long service life – the direct result of strictly keeping to the company's maxim. There is a parallel to Woolrich here too because consistency is the first commandment. Henrik Soller: "It is important to look after the brand and not to jump onto any old bandwagon out of a responsibility towards the retailer. We are not going to budge our position and are going to do things at Woolrich as we see fit and will not go down the ultra-modern route."

Trust! Look! Who? The question remains,

how to translate a permanent high level of status with end consumers into new sales from season to season. Klaus Voll, who sells brands such as Woolrich, Red Wing Shoes, Nigel Cabourn, Canada Goose, Filson and HTC in his 200 square metre shop in Darmstadt and via the online shop of the same name volls.de, says: "Customers who have decided on a high-priced product want 312 style in progress

to be shown that the brand has a timeless character and quality. Issues such as selective positioning in retail stores and sustainable management in terms of price stability are also key. At the same time, this isn't just about the number of points of sale, but also the selection of the correct stores. When it is certain that the product and brand are being dealt with properly and everybody is pulling together, then adding another 50 points of sale won't harm a brand. In addition, there has to be a progressive development in the format and signature of a brand. Impulses must be created to keep the excitement level for new products alive in the customers. " Klaus Voll gives a good example of this with the Heritage Line, made in the USA by Red Wing Shoes: "Once they have been worn in, the shoes are a simply good and comfortable pair. Usually customers who like them buy a second pair as a change a little while later, then a pair for the summer and another pair for winter, then a different colour and then a new addition to the collection."

Red Wing is represented by 150 retailers in the D-A-CH countries, and with just a few exceptions such as Zumnorde or Ratter, they are hardly in pure shoe shops. The welted shoes and boots made from sturdy cowhide are mainly sold in shops such as Urban Speed, Kastner & Öhler, 14 oz., Daniels, Engelhorn, Riders Room, Crämer & Co, Gross and at Manufactum as well as three Mono-Stores in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin. The retail price spans from 230

to 350 euros. For 12 years now, Fred Bschaden from the Agentur Treibstoff has been looking after brand establishment in Germany. He says: "We only work with a small number of pure shoe specialist stores as brands in this sector are often only bought because of a certain look and five even cheaper copies are placed next to them.

Working like that isn't sustainable. Shoes like ours don't sell themselves, they need sales people who can lead the customer to this product which requires intensive advice.

This can only be conveyed credibly, if you are fully behind the product. Our retailers have passionately worked at long-term establishment of Red Wing Shoes in the market because their goal wasn't aimed at short-term sales success, it was to treat the brand and its products with decency. This includes a good portfolio management and by not having hasty reductions.

Better to Think Long-Term. The Stetson

brand exclusively focuses on one class of products and provides headgear for young and old. Both John Wayne and Frank Sinatra always found the right hat at Stetson.

The classic collection with a share of 30 per cent hasn't been changed for 20 years. The remaining 70 per cent are auxiliary with new developments and up-to-date silhouettes or a more fashionable presentation, changing materials and colours with the seasons. Half of sales take place in hat specialty stores, 40 per cent of turnover are in department and

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072 CONCEPT

The older, the better: Iconic boots from the small town of Red Wing in Minnesota, USA.

trend stores such as Harrods, KaDeWe, Galleries Lafayette and Burg & Schild. Stetson owes its roots to specialists in the hunting, fishing and outdoor sectors which make up ten per cent of the business. In Europe, Stetson has a total of about 2,000 points of sale.

It was Klaus Kirschner, Managing Partner of FWS GmbH & Co. KG and responsible for distribution of Stetson in Europe, who had the recipe for success which was based on a precise price-performance ratio. He says: "For us, a crucial factor is that a customer feels happy and contented with the product he has bought. Our prices range from 49 euros for a knitted cap up to 460 euros for a felt hat. But it's not about whether our 312 style in progress

products are expensive or low-priced. It must be worth the price it has. We live by people repeatedly buying our products.

Customer satisfaction is reflected by how prepared they are to recommend it further.

For us this is an extremely important element as we don't have a three million euro advertising budget." In addition, Kirschner also considers loyalty towards long-term retailers a given, and doesn't supply the same product to shops in their immediate vicinity.

"Long-term, this is the right way. It doesn't make sense to widen distribution during a boom phase, only to have a nice slice for just two or three years. We're not cut out for fast growth which is why we place importance

on treating people as partners. This means that in ten years time all parties are still benefiting from it, because the potential is enormous. So far, 80 per cent of people walk about with nothing on their heads."

The long-term status of brands in the textile industry is a combination of things including the fact that it isn't available on every street corner or in every popular store, instead it's available from a specialty retailer you can trust. The retailers have established a brand using a great deal of expertise and patience and have ensured their survival through forward planning, ultimately they deserve to reap their just rewards in the long-term.

PREMIUM BERLIN 04.-06.JULI 2012 I DIE HINTERHOFAGENTUR I HALLE 3 / F13 SUPREME DÜSSELDORF 25.-02.AUGUST 2012 I DIE HINTERHOFAGENTUR PREMIUM MÜNCHEN 11.-14.AUGUST 2012 I DIE HINTERHOFAGENTUR

WWW.LUCKYDELUCA.COM

074 CONCEPT

The Attraction of Something Special

"We don't try to constantly reinvent ourselves"

Aigle | Philippe Dugardin, International Sales Director, talks with style in progress about a down-to-earth mentality and continuity. Interview: Kay Alexander Plonka. Photos: Aigle

The 300th Aigle Store opened in May on the Champs Elysees in Paris.

Following positions at Decathlon, Adidas and Puma, Philippe Dugardin has been International Sales Director for Aigle since May 2011.

Y

ou are responsible for international development, primarily for the expansion in Europe and North America. How do you get the values of Aigle across?

We have an almost 160-year tradition and, with this in mind, we position ourselves as a French premium outdoor lifestyle brand with a unique mix of style and functionality.

At the same time, we don't make any compromises and we don't see ourselves as a fashion or a sports brand. We also transport this over our stores where we provide more than just a shopping experience. There, we outline the history and the evolution of the label as well as the origin of the individual products. Everything that we produce is designed as protection, from head to toe.

The current market trend and the new value awareness consumers have also help us to do this. We have been manufacturing our wellington boots by hand since time immemorial and attach great importance to comfort and quality combining this with a balanced price-performance ratio.

Aigle is well-known for its wellington boots. Textiles represent around 60 per cent of the turnover worldwide. How

312 style in progress

commercial may a cult brand become without losing consumer credibility?

That's the beauty of it and a challenge that constantly recurs in our profession: Keeping a consistent level of identity and stability with a brand on the one hand whilst also keeping customers happy with new and innovative products which remain true to the style of the brand.

How do you put this into practice?

You must never neglect the core competence if you don't want to lose long-time customers.

To do this, the distribution policy must have a down-to-earth mentality in order to meet the needs of the various segments On the one hand, Aigle has the classic outdoor work sector with specialists in riding, hunting, fishing and sailing as well as the garden sector and, on the other, the lifestyle and department stores. Continuity and function are the specialists' main priorities but in the lifestyle sector it is more a matter of finding the right themes and colours to suit the moment.

Do you have a concept in place that meets the needs of the retailers in the different segments?

First of all, we treat our tradition and the history of Aigle very carefully. We don't

try to constantly reinvent ourselves. Our wellington boots have always been made in France and impress by virtue of their outstanding quality. We also attach a great deal of importance on working with speciality stores in Europe and the US. This also applies to development and positioning of individual product groups. A similar thing also applies to marketing activities such as the limited wellington boot editions which came about through working with stores such as Liberty or Merci and the designer Agnès B. In July, we will be partnering with a well-known designer to showcase a capsule collection for spring/summer 2013 at the Bread & Butter, this will only be available in 30 stores worldwide.

Aigle was founded in 1853. Today, the label belongs to the Maus Frères Holding and is distributed by 3,000 customers in 70 countries.

Turnover in 2011 was 290 million euros. Every day, 4,000 wellington boots are manufactured in the French factory in Châtellerault. Aigle employees 1,000 members of staff and has more than 300 own stores, 75 of these are in France as well as more than 200 in Asia. www.aigle.com

Die Hinterhofagentur, Siegesstr. 23 - 80802 M端nchen - l.fischer@diehinterhofagentur.de / Free Mountain GmbH, Rupertgasse 4 - A-5020 Salzburg - info@diehinterhofagentur.de

076 CONCEPT

The Professionals

Alberto | The trouser specialist Alberto will be celebrating its 90th birthday this year. But Alberto still remains young at heart – the secret to becoming an internationally successful label.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Alberto

A trio for the Alberto brand, from left to right: JĂźrgen Schmiedel, Commercial Manager, Marco Lanowy, Associate Manager and owner Georg Walendy.

312 style in progress

CONCEPT 077

A

few months ago, visitors to the Alberto showrooms were met with an unusual sight. Laying in front of the window on the flat roof of the company's headquarters in Mönchengladbach, were several pairs of jeans, left exposed to the wind and the weather for the past twelve months. Of course, the Roof Destroyed Denims couldn't be produced in significant quantities. But for Alberto, these “naturally weathered” jeans were a source of innovation – and an indication of a fresh, experimental way of thinking which has stood the test of time at Alberto, even 90 years after the company was founded. "Our motto ‘Pants we love’ is much more than a snappy marketing claim", says Marco Lanowy, Managing Director of Alberto. "It is more a profession of faith. Soulless products softened with fabric conditioner and developed simply with an eye to making a fast buck just aren't our thing."

Calculated Risk. The cornerstone for the

label came in 1922 when Dr. Albert Dormanns first breathed life into the Dormanns Trouser Factory. In 1968, his daughter inherited the firm and her husband Rolf Walendy subsequently took over management of the business. Today, while still in keeping with the roots of tradition, the family-run company is managed with an entrepreneurial spirit and the vigour of youth by his son and owner Georg Walendy together with the associate managing directors Marco Lanowy and Jürgen Schmiedel. And so, the special skills and expertise acquired over the decades have been expanded, cautiously, always with a well-calculated risk.

The same can be said for all new concepts.

In 2004, the Alberto Golf Collection was created with a new stylistic interpretation and functional material and has continued in this direction until present day. This summer will see innovations such as the hightech materials Energiear and Coldblack, that will add UV protection to the clothing. As the name suggests, Coldblack doesn't heat up in the sun and its style won't be put in the shade. In addition to the more sedate, elegant pieces there are also strong block colours and retro-style checks and pinstripes for pants and Bermuda shorts.

In 2009 the company went one step further venturing into the jeans market with the start of the A Denim line, which gives lots of attention to detail and is handcrafted in Morocco. Up to press, the sales figures are

still in the single-digit percentage range in terms of Alberto's total sales. But there is some potential, which is why the collection for the upcoming autumn-winter season will see the addition of chinos or wool trousers in tweed, herringbone and flannel. Interpreted in a fashionable and casual way, this image renewal has a positive impact on the label as a whole. Nowadays, Alberto has three key lines - A Denim, Alberto Golf and the main collection that holds 80 items or 300 samples per season. These include narrow corduroy trousers and selected denims, as well as flannel and woollen trousers in a revival of the elegant style of the 1950s.

Team Spirit. Innovation is key to Alberto.

Added to this is the subject of service, which is to be expanded further in the future. "Not only do we want to respond to the wishes of our customers, we also want to work with them as partners", says Marco Lanowy.

"This includes a service package individually tailored to the customer, we don't have an across-the-board approach. This is why we have perfected our target/actual comparison in terms of inventory management and expanded our bad and bestseller management.

Our goal is more than simply informing the purchaser and retailer about all the steps, we intend to integrate them more fully into the process.

This team spirit also applies within the company and, as a result, the idea of a familyowned company is more fitting to Alberto today than it ever was, since Georg Walendys son, Philipp joined the company as product manager of A Denim and daughter Anna Walendy took over responsibility for the Alberto service concept. "We are fully committed to our work on all levels", says Lanowy. "Corporate structures are very slow and often without any passion. Quite simply, the whole subject of trousers is lived every day at Alberto. It is really great to see that a whole team can work towards the ideal of a perfect pair of modern men's trousers."

Alberto. Established in 1922 by Dr. Albert Dormanns as Dormanns Trouser Factory 17 per cent growth in the 2011/2012 fiscal year Current total sales: 35 million euros 600 shop floors and 2,500 points of sale in 42 countries, export shares 52 per cent www.alberto-pants.com

Innovation and know-how: Men's trousers

by A Denim (at the top) and Alberto.

style in progress 312

078 CONCEPT

Blue Chip

Blauer USA | Famous for its clear-cut jackets, the Blauer USA label doesn't want to be known as a one-hit wonder.

Evolution in the collection and branding are its key investments. Text: Martina Müllner. Photos: Blauer USA.

Guiseppe D'Amore, designer and heart of operations at Blauer USA.

Continuing to develop several product groups rather than just the jackets helps establish the Blauer brand.

W

ool meets nylon, functional materials such as Gore-Tex or Windstopper are kissing cousins with the label's distinctive look: But if you simply reduce Blauer USA to its new interpretations of old US police jackets, you won't be doing justice to the collection. The driving force of this development is Guiseppe D’Amore, the son-in-law of the owner Enzo Fusco. But the background as to why this family member has taken on the conceptual and entrepreneurial responsibility is more deeply-rooted than the mere continuance of one of the most proven recipes for success in the FGF Industries. With his enthusiasm for the brand, Guiseppe D'Amore first earned high regard which then turned to respect. The Blue HighTec line he initiated stands for motorcycle helmets and gloves, as well as functional jackets which not only protect bikers from the wind and weather but also from danger. And they look good too – after all, it is Italian.

The Ignition Is On. With its fashion collec-

tion, Blauer USA is intent on staying for the long-haul. Guiseppe D’Amore: "Little by little, Blauer USA is starting to become a label and not just a product. Which explains 312 style in progress

why we are driving branding on an international level. Once the ignition has been turned on, then we can turn up the revs.”

Advertising a lot of service for the retailer and joint POS promotions should help to create brand awareness for Blauer USA. "For example, in winter 2011/12, we worked together with shops such as Mientus, Peek & Cloppenburg or Galleries Lafayette in dressing the shop windows." Guiseppe D’Amore is also trying out Blauer's good fortune in the social media: Besides developing apps and online promotions, a presence on Facebook is a priority as a means of direct customer communication. "In the mid-term we will also be starting up our own webshop. We are assessing how we can pass on the success of the online shop we used with Yoox for the C. P. Company on to Blauer USA", says the designer.

Bulging Saddlebags. A label isn't born overnight, so Blauer USA has done its homework. The collection range has spread its wings, shoes and bags have been added and it's hoped they'll be more than just a passenger sidecar. To ensure a successful take-off, expert sales and marketing agencies

are pushing the collection in all export countries. "Of course, we have offered all our existing retailers the option of ordering from the collection as well. But we realise, in order to position the shoe and bag collection successfully, we have to get the appropriate specialists fired up too."

A Major Tour. Blauer USA has reached a long awaited milestone. "We are finally selling in the USA as well, this comes after ten years of lending our Italian style to the true-blue American history and creating new impulses “, says Guiseppe D’Amore. A flagship store is soon to open in New York, acting as a landmark for its return to its roots. "Growth for our label can only take place abroad. In the domestic Italian market, we are extremely well-represented with 600 dealers. In times like these, it's especially important to: Keep a steady hand."

The Italian FGF Industry Group has been producing and marketing Blauer USA across the world for ten years. In addition to the fashion collection for women, men and children, it includes: Shoes, bags (own sales and marketing) and Blauer High-Tec (motorcycle clothing and helmets). www.blauer.it

SPRING/SUMMER 2013 BREAD AND BUTTER BERLIN | 04.07. – 06.07.2012 | FASHION WEEK DÜSSELDORF | Cinque Showroom Speditionsstrasse 17 | 28.07. – 31.07.2012 GDS | 05.09. – 07.09.2012 | ILM | 22.09. – 24.09.2012 | MODA MADE IN ITALY | 12.10. – 14.10.2012 CINQUE MODA GMBH | Dohrweg 48 | 41066 Mönchengladbach | Deutschland | +49 (0)2161 9653 | info@cinque.de | cinque.de

080 CONCEPT

Luxury Is Different Today

Baldessarini | At Hugo Boss, Baldessarini was primarily an image brand. In Ahlers AG's portfolio, Baldessarini is well on its way to becoming an economic success too. Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Baldessarini

Burkhard Stuhlemmer, Managing Director, Baldessarini GmbH: "We will deliver a huge improvement in turnover and profit by the annual accounts for 2011 in November."

Old values, new look: The Baldessarini Collection conveys a coherent image.

T

he conditions were good. When Baldessarini was sold to Ahlers Konzern in 2006, the luxury brand had a spotless image. However, the takeover also meant a new beginning, particularly, as Hugo Boss owned 80 per cent of the 250 points of sale at the time.

Baldessarini is the Herforder-based company's first own premium brand. The company's licensed collections include Pierre Cardin and Otto Kern among others. "The aim was to successfully establish Baldessarini as a luxury brand in all sectors," says Burkhard Stuhlemmer, Managing Director of Baldessarini GmbH. To achieve this, Baldessarini needed to become more commercial without losing sight of what it was.

New Beginning. In 2010, from what were

initially three separate lines, Baldessarini Signature, the more commercial Black line, and Jeans, emerged one complete collection.

Today, Karl Zimmermann und Markus Brunner (formerly of Aesthetic Industrie) are adapting the spirit of Baldessarini to the modern era, four years after they first began with Baldessarini Black. “Werner Baldessarini could always be inspired by real men, confident and authentic, but with a twinkle in their eye,“ describes Markus Brunner.

"The brand today reflects these values ex312 style in progress

actly at the same time it has become more casual, cooler and younger." In line with this, the spring/summer 2010 campaign had Tony Ward as its star, rather than Charles Schumann, who represented Baldessarini in the past. Today the meaning of luxury has evolved and become less transparent. For instance, in the past we had sports jackets with crocodile print, nowadays, special features reveal themselves at second glance. They are subtly incorporated in high-quality workmanship, the feel of the material, or handembroidered Lederhose made from buck-skin for 2,490 euros retail price and developed in cooperation with Markus Meindl. ''Luxury is only relevant if it's interpreted casually, and being casual allows for liberal creation, “ says Karl Zimmermann. ''We enjoy this creative freedom to its full extent in the development of the collections.''

This is how to follow one's own path in marketing or production. The concept of “liberal creation” is also being demonstrated in the new partnership with a Croatian clothing manufacturer, with whom sophisticated details are being jointly developed and implemented.

Expansion. The path seems to be proving

successful. "We will deliver a huge improvement in turnover and profit by the annual

accounts for 2011 in November," says Burkhard Stuhlemmer. “Now, our main priority is shop-in-shops. To add to the existing shop-in-shops in Mientus, P&C Cologne and Konen, a new shop-in-shops will be opening in Galleries Lafayette, Berlin in July; by the end of 2013, there should be 50 total in Germany. Further mono-label stores are also in the pipeline. We also want to increase our presence with shop-in-shops in China, and in department stores in Britain.”

Werner Baldessarini, who, in accordance with his own wishes, finished up his advisory activities prematurely in 2007, is still closely linked with the brand today according to Stuhlemmer. "He has the privilege of personally seeing the collection in advance," says Burkhard Schlemmer. "And if he then says: ‘Well done, I recognise my values in the collection,’ that is the greatest possible compliment for us."

Baldessarini GmbH. Sales Figures: autumn/winter 2012/2013 42 per cent increase.

Ahlers Konzern’s licences for Baldessarini: watches, jewellery, shoes, glasses, head wear. www.baldessarini.de

Meet us at fairs: Bread & Butter Berlin Modefabriek Amsterdam CIFF Kopenhagen New York MRket Dallas Market Boston Collective Chicago Collective West Coast Trend Show Los Angeles Charlotte, Southern Men´s Market Las Vegas Market CPM Moskau Hot 1 Salzburg Hot 2 Salzburg Fashion Salzburg ÖSFA Salzburg Next Season Poznan Showrooms: Hamburg, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Mönchengladbach, Eschborn, Sindelfingen, München Worldwide: FR, CND, USA, NL, DK, SE, CH, NO, BE, AT, PL, RUS, IT, GR, IRL, J

www.alberto-pants.com

082 CONCEPT

Deyk was presented to a selected collection of customers in its new, sophisticated form in February of this year.

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CONCEPT 083

"We Have to Offer More!"

Deyk | In order to be fast in future, Deyk has taken a lot of time in its comeback.

Text: Stephan Huber. Photos: Deyk

Deyk Brand Director Kai Timpe with designer Kim Le, Kristina Kaiser and Anke Meister.

W

olfgang Drewalowski, CEO at Brax, caused quite a sensation in May 2001. Deyk, at the time still regarded by the industry as a pioneer in new womens- and menswear with their progressive trousers, were discontinued.

Not by way of being unsuccessful. Deyk was excellently positioned and able to announce sales figures that were equally as good. It was more an issue of focusing the company's strength on its core brand Brax. At the time, this met with widespread incomprehension and was subject to some harsh criticism but now Drewalowski can lie back and gently point to the results of this focus. Everything done correctly.

From the Right Moment. News that the

Leineweber-Gruppe were planning to relaunch Deyk first filtered down in the autumn of 2010. Actually, it really wasn't intended to be general knowledge at the time. First act and then talk, is the motto of the people from Herford. It was Kai Timpe, successful Brand Director of Brax Womenswear, who gave the decisive push. "There is an exciting gap in the market with great potential, namely for progressive, high-quality women's trousers. As a company we have the necessary know-how, resources and primarily a great thirst for this project. The time is most definitely ripe for Deyk."

With the financial and logistical power of Leineweber at their backs it was possible to structure the project in a way that for the hip-shooting fashion industry was almost irritatingly careful. Timpe: "We weren't looking to have ten pairs of trousers hot off

the press hanging at a booth at a trade fair just to wait and see what happens. The aim is to build up a label that will make longterm success for all parties possible."

From September 2011, after handing his agenda to Michael Horst as new Brand Director for Mens- and Womenswear, Timpe and a small but fine core team made up of Kim Le, Design Deyk Womenswear, Kristina Kaiser and Anke Meister were able to devote all their attention to Deyk and to designing the first collection. This involved painstaking care in developing new patterns and a completely new concept for fit, own materials mainly from Japanese and Italian suppliers, most of them exclusive, sophisticated labelling. The clear message was to have no half-measures, not even in the test phase.

Kai Timpe: "Deyk is independent in every respect. Giving clear in-house boundaries was an important signal, particularly at the beginning. But through the power of the company we had access to a level of quality and material usage that otherwise would not have been doable at all."

For Timpe, this no-holds-barred access to these material qualities is a key distinctive characteristic. Timpe: "Deyk directs itself to a very discerning and well-informed end consumer. We have to provide more than our competitors in order to perform as well as we would like in this market segment."

After all, the retail trade should make money with Deyk. For Timpe, this is the crucial factor for the so carefully planned long-term success. And the reason for taking the time to learn and understand.

In spite of the high material usage, the price ranges move mainly between 120 and 180 euros, show pieces made of finest leather can cost 800 euros.

Speed, Speed. Then the baptism of fire in

March of this year. The test collection was presented to hand-picked German specialist retailers and fashion houses in an extravagant but very focused presentation, amongst them were Lodenfrey, Bailly Diehl, Engelhorn, Konen and Beck. Eleven styles in a total of 90 variations. The reaction of the retail market drew a touch of euphoria from the usually more reserved Timpe.

"Nearly all our star clients have ordered the starter package. But, for us, the buzz on the collection was more important. Conclusion: The direction is right! "Not least because the rhythm Deyk is being offered at has been especially well received. From 2013, there will be a collection every two months with a total of twelve delivery dates. A speed that is increasingly being demanded by the premium specialist stores in particular.

Before this, however, the second test collection will be presented this summer – this time to dealers from Austria too so that they may gather and learn from the experience again. In January 2013, Deyk will then enter the first regular buying season.

What about men? Deyk is again taking its time on this one too. Kai Timpe: "We are certainly not going to be expanding the label before 2015. And whether we think about men's trousers or tops for women, we've still got time to mull it over until then." style in progress 312

084 CONCEPT

Now and Then – Guess Who?

Guess | 30 years ago, four French brothers set out to conquer the world of jeans in a time when nobody would have bet a handful of dollars on those denim pieces that were once revolutionary. The Marcianos' sensual approach proved the critics wrong: Currently, there are 1,559 Guess stores worldwide, of which 755 are directly owned by the company. The other stores are operated by valued licensees or partners. Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: Guess

Claudia Schiffer in one of the first legendary campaigns for Guess, picture taken in 1989 by Ellen von Unwerth.

O

n your homepage, your story is described as the American dream that came true. Wouldn't you say it’s more like the French dream?

Guess seduced American women with a very French attitude...

Paul Marciano: Yes, that is true. Guess began as a jeans brand taking a traditional American fabric and interpreting it with European/French styling to create something completely new and innovative in fashion.

We founded our brand in the USA and we love America and are very grateful for the amazing opportunities this country has given us.

Whose idea was it, to ''cover'' Brigitte Bardot in your campaigns? Did you ever meet her personally? And which one of your various beautiful models is your favourite ''Brigitte''?

I have personally been in charge of all Guess advertising campaigns since our brand was founded, and I am very passionate about them. Many of the best campaigns were shot in black & white because I wanted to refer to my memories of the '50s and '60s black and white movies that have inspired me from a very early age. I wanted to create iconic images of women from these movies 312 style in progress

Paul Marciano, 59, CEO and Creative Director of the LA-based Guess company.

like Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren and Anita Ekberg that will last forever. I am proud of all of my models, and over the years all the Guess girls represented important chapters of the Guess story. I never met Brigitte Bardot, but the icon who represents the quintessential nature of Guess to me, and who resembles her most, is Claudia Schiffer.

I knew the very first day I saw her that she was a star, and that she was going to embody the iconic beauty I had in mind.

Which decision in your 30 years would you say today was the best decision you ever made? Was there a time when you thought it would be better to stop, but you kept going?

The first key moment and the decisive business decision for Guess was when we ventured into jeans at the beginning of the '80s, when the entire world thought that this market was saturated. When the industry heard about 4 Frenchmen from Marseille coming to Los Angeles and starting a denim company, they thought we were crazy. But we knew we were bringing something new and fresh to the table. We convinced a Bloomingdale’s buyer to stock 20 pairs of the brand’s 3-zip Marilyn jeans. The jeans sold out within hours and the rest is history.

We have experienced crises and have overcome difficulties. There was never a moment where we considered stopping over the last 30 years.

What is the biggest challenge for your brand today?

We keep looking ahead and trying to predict the challenges we may face in the market, so we can survive the changes to come. The most important thing is to be focused on the things we can control like international expansion, retail execution, excellent customer service and new countries to penetrate. Also, it is important to have a good balance of continuity and innovation. When your customers look for a brand, they look for consistency.

This means consistency in quality, design and pricing. This is how you create a brand and a true customer base. Of course, season after season, we bring innovation and new trends to the collections, but we never forget to keep the key elements that our customers want.

Guess was set up as a jeans company in the

USA in 1981. Today, they have men's, women's and children's collections, along with accessories.

With over 1.4 million fans on Facebook, guesswatches is the watch brand with the biggest fan base worldwide. www.guess.com

Authentic Luxury Style Meindl Spring/Summer 2013

PORTLAND Field jacket of finest deerskin in vintage look, over-dyed in old black.

style in progress 312

ESTELLA Simple dress made of finest, lightweight kidskin.

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MONTGOMERY Jacket made of sturdy canvas and chequered linen.

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FIGARO Ladies tails made of ultra-soft kidskin, coat tails detachable.

Bread & Butter Berlin, L.O.C.K. L 22.2, 04-06 July 2012 Munich Fashion WoMen, MTC Messeforum, 11-14 August 2012 www.meindl-fashions.de 312 style in progress

CONCEPT 089

A Special Gift

Baracuta | The Italian consortium WP Lavori in Corso is giving itself a present for its 30th anniversary.

From now on, Baracuta the British traditional label will be sailing under the flag of the company from Bologna. Text: Martina Müllner. Photos: Baracuta

Baracutas Wall of Fame: Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Gregory Peck and many more.

T

hirty years ago, Cristina Calori, probably the must unpretentious company owner in the fashion industry, persuaded her father to invest in a business that sounded pretty crazy at the time. Under the name WP Lavori in Corso, she took off with Andrea Canè and a second partner to track down historic fashion labels in the USA and England and import these back to Italy. "A lot of what we tried to do at the beginning wasn't really very successful. This is because the market at the time wasn't really interested in the labels that we were bouncing around. It was the heyday of designer fashion and we were pretty much ahead of our time with our containers full of Vans shoes." The owner of WP Lavori in Corso paid dearly in the first few years of her start-up but this proved to be a wise investment as today WP Lavori in Corso is a big player in the sportswear segment with labels such as Woolrich, B.D. Baggies or Avon Celli. But Cristina Calori isn't seeking glory for this success, after all, she "purely and simply just worked, worked very hard" and for her company to be just the way it

is today seems to be the most natural thing in the world to her.

Baracuta: Another Legend. "We love

labels with history. We heard rumours that the traditional British label Baracuta was up for sale and so we took the initiative", says Cristina Calori. A year went by before agreements were reached with the label established in 1937 in Manchester. Such icons as Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen or Frank Sinatra wore the legendary jacket G9 and G4 designs. "And even today, cool people, such as Jamie Oliver for example, still wear Baracuta jackets, and quite rightly so", adds Andrea Canè, the creative strategist behind all the labels and licences of WP Lavori in Corso.

The Italians have a winning formula for awakening the straightforward, basic jackets and blouson bomber jackets from their deep slumbers: "We love the combination of original history, Italian know-how in manufacturing and style and a small dollop of Japanese influence."

This trinity is reflected in the collection as follows: Ivory Label forms the entry-level

price and basis of the collection, historic jacket models get a little Italian help in raw materials, manufacturing and finishing.

Then the Made-in-UK range, 24 historic jacket designs produced in Great Britain.

Massive investments were made into the product here, too: The use of Cotton Coolmax or Primaloft turn the jackets back into what they once were: Commodity jackets, an indispensable and functional basic that belongs in every man's wardrobe. On top, comes the Baracuta Blue Label, a project designed by Kenichi Kusano, former creative director of the Japanese Beams+ stores.

"Japanese people have a very humble approach towards the history of a brand, they don't force their own onto it - one of the many reasons why Kenichi Kusano was our first choice", says Andrea Canè.

Baracuta. WP Lavori in Corso is launching Baracuta with an event at the Pitti Immagine Uomo and a presence at the Bread & Butter: The spring/summer collection 2013 will be sold in Italy, Germany, UK, Scandinavia, USA and Japan.

The price of the men's jackets will be between 199 and 349 euros. www.wplavori.com.

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SALE

SPECIAL CLEARANCE SALE!

ILLW R E H T A E W THE W O R R O M O T BE-BAD SALE I-HAVETOO-MA JACKET NYS-IN-ST ORAGE SALE

SPECIAL WINTER CLEARANCE SALE

E C N A CLEAR SALE

BETWEEN-SPRINGAND-SUMMERCLEARANCE-SALE

Anniversary, high summer sale, the-season-is-almost-over-sale.

It makes the customer happy – but he no longer understands the world.

CONCEPT 091

The Price War

The image of shopping areas is often characterised by price reductions and sale campaigns the whole year round. But are retailers not messing up the whole business by doing this? Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Traders

B

y the middle of April, at the latest, it's already time. The first newsletters from high-quality fashion retailers flutter into the house. Mid-season sale, it says, with reductions of up to 50 per cent on selected pieces! Mid-season for spring/ summer at a time when you still feel a frosty chill in the mornings and the unused gardens - like balcony furniture, are covered in knee-high puddles everyday.

Classic Customer Conditioning. The big begin and the small follow. They feel as if they are driven to it by chain stores that define themselves through floor management and price marketing. Reductions are made for all their worth by means of outlets and internet portals – essentially all year round.

They have plenty of reasons: Funds need to be made liquid, so that new goods can be ordered, storage and retail spaces cleaned, and backlogs avoided. This means that price reductions of 20 percent can barely entice one customer into the shops. ''In the past, Saturdays when shops were open for business, and sale campaigns were sexy because they were the exception,'' says Hajo Greve, managing director of Greve Moden, a 1,100

square metre store in a top location in Krefeld. ''Today, the exception has become the boring rule and price reductions mean that customers no longer see fashion as a creative added value.''

Of course, merchandise density is high and the corresponding price battle in the women's outerwear industry is much fiercer than in the men's and boys' outerwear industry. However, often the red marker is reached for too soon and the product is left with no time at the point of sale. ''Women are early adapters, they already know in April what the winter will bring'' says PeterBoy Weber, managing director Modenhaus Ehlers in Wyk on FĂśhr island. ''Men, on the other hand, are seasonal buyers, they only buy their winter coats when it's cold. Reductions in October don't interest any guy.''

Mondenhaus Ehlers is unique on the island in terms of its product range, all brands are there exclusively. Up to 95 per cent of its business comes from tourism and it has followers all over Germany. ''We are in competition with all big cities,'' says Peter-Boy Weber. ''If a store in Hamburg makes early reductions, I quickly hear this from weekend guests from Hamburg. But what value do

the products then have, if prices go down too soon? The customer feels betrayed if he sees something he has purchased at the regular price hanging in the store at a reduced price shortly afterwards.'' To withdraw from the pressure of comparability, Peter-Boy Weber has determinedly pulled away from price reduction competition. He removed from his product range big brands that are reduced early by big, well-known retailers because of their floor management policies, and designed his product range in a more exciting way, around other, less widely-distributed collections. These include shoes, perfume and even a Schindelhauer bicycle.

Reduced items end up in the outlet. ''We are doing very well with this individualised concept,'' says Peter-Boy Weber. ''In addition, as much as is possible, we only work with brands run by their owners, such as Frauenschuh, Closed and Boglioli, as well as smaller agencies, the personal touch simply works better. And our customers find things here that they have never seen before.''

Celebrating the Sale. Mode Weber has seven branches in Switzerland in the medium to high-end segment, with brands from Pepe

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092 CONCEPT

Florian Koithan, Managing Director of Modehaus Koithan: ''Nowadays, price reductions are a normal part of business. The price war in the German market is huge at the moment. We don't want to Americanise, but we do it.

It's every man for himself, whether it's the retailer or the supplier. This creates vicious circle, and we can't let ourselves get dragged into it.''

Jeans and Drykorn to Burberry and Akris.

You won't find any price reductions here in the months of March, April, May or September, October and November. ''At certain times, customers don't want to see any price reductions in the store,'' says Urs Weber, a member of the management team. ''A summer sale at a time when the outdoor swimming pools and beer gardens have not yet opened is, for many, completely incomprehensible. Luckily, in our segment, lots of retailers think like us. Basically, the value of the brand must be protected.'' However, there are some exceptions, and in such cases, special measures must be taken. Like, for example, the steep drop in the euro last autumn, to which Swiss retailers reacted with early price reductions. ''We, too, began our sale campaign on the 20 November with a 20 per cent reduction,'' says Urs Weber. ''But it does hurt to reduce winter jackets before it gets cold.'' Because Mode Weber generally makes the first price reductions on winter fashion between Christmas and the New Year. ''Then the stores are really buzzing,'' says Urs Weber. The second wave of reductions begins a month later, with half prices. However no money is to be made from this, it's simply about liquidity and emptying storage space.

The Koithan fashion boutique in Braunschweig displays brands like Closed, Repeat, Strenesse and Dondup on its 400 square metres. For three months out of six, the floor is free from discounts, they are then only used in a certain context, as a way of bonding with customers. ''Regular customers are informed of reductions beforehand, because 312 style in progress

they are the ones who are important to me and they have earned them,'' says managing director Florian Kloithan. ''From the middle of the season onwards, we send out customer mails with ten euro vouchers as a treat, in order to get customers talking about us again. In the sale phase, we sell everything, there's no point in packing something away to take out again next year. The product doesn't get better.'' As well as this, the Greve fashion boutique doesn't bring any liabilities into the next season. ''If you do that consistently, it, of course, leads to a depreciation of the retail price by the end of a season, because something is always left over,'' says Hajo Greve. ''Starting at the beginning of January we celebrate a four-week seasonal clearance sale and, only then, do we open up communications about the price. The products continue to be presented in good outfits because we believe that they are still legitimate.'' For a high inventory turnover, Greve also no longer thinks in terms of just two seasons, for him this is an anachronism anyway. Instead, at Greve, the year is divided into several small periods. ''Of course, while the season is on-ging we must free our product range of any under-performers,'' says Hajo Greve. ''We do this by using clearance stands for special offers, but which are not labelled any further. For us, this is a way of generating customer footfall, like a daily special in a good restaurant. And this is how we present it too.''

Fair Trade. Product management is also

important in order to avoid mountains of products piling up in your store. Because,

Hajo Greve, Managing Director of Greve Moden: ''I don't require exclusivity from brands, just equal prices. But you can't just look in your own location. Today, customers travel to Essen, Roermond, Paris, surf the internet, buy at Zalando.

The competition facing everyone is much bigger than before.''

sometimes, it takes very little to be first. ''In January, I don't want any linen and I need classic polo necks in September, not in July,'' says Florian Kloithan. Instead, I try to better meet the needs of my customers by using staggered delivery dates. I don't want to already have my first autumn/winter products in the store on the 15 May. It's important that I can agree on this with my suppliers.''

The right time is a thin line, ans Urs Weber knows this too. ''If other retailers already have a brand's pre-collection, we also have to show it in our store, in order to keep up,'' he says. ''But often, they are delivered too soon. Down jackets only make sense from 1 September onwards, unless it's a trend collection, which must be delivered to us in August. However, it wouldn't be a bad thing if it could be moved back by a month across the board. Otherwise, we have gotten ahead of ourselves at some stage.''

It takes courage, as a multi-label retailer, to withdraw from the universal price war. But the risk also brings with it opportunities. ''We decided to follow a straight course and not to respond to requests for special discounts,'' says Hajo Greve. 'Today, we enjoy the results. The issue of price is no longer a determining factor for our customers.'' At Modenhaus Ehlers on Fรถhr no deals are done, even if the customer buys four pieces at once. ''If I were to get involved in bargaining, that would essentially mean, that I

www.modeist.com

094 CONCEPT

Peter-Boy Weber, Modenhaus Ehlers in Wyk on FĂśhr Island: ''The big cities have already partially reduced prices in October.

Of course, this is murder, a pure move to crowd out the competition and has nothing to do with commercial thinking.''

Urs Weber, Member of the Management Team at Mode Weber: Down jackets only make sense from the 1 September onwards, unless it's a trend collection which must be delivered to us in August. However, it wouldn't be a bad thing if that could be be moved back by a month across the board. Otherwise, we have gotten ahead of ourselves at some stage.''

take a higher margin than I need,'' argues Peter-Boy Weber. ''I prefer to ask an honest price.''

Hajo Greve knows that fashion must be communicated emotionally, and not through price. ''This means a top product range with a recognisable signature, passion and a bold statement,'' he says. ''We don't have any spaces dedicated to brands, when it comes to floor space we are one hundred per cent intuitive individualists, and so we are an exception among stores of our size.

Therefore, we research diligently, and when ordering, we go at the collections with all our senses. Our task is to make the spices that are to be found in every collection tastier than can be done in the canteens of the industry. Perhaps I do this by using my selection and what brands I place in competition with each other and how I place them on the floor. That's how I generate excitement.''

Meanwhile, the price war continues for the majority of retailers, although the war over prices can certainly not be won by small multi-brand retailers. The gloves are now off in the German market. ''None of us want to Americanise, but we do it,'' says Florian Koithan. ''It's every man for himself, whether it's a retailer or supplier, everyone wants a piece of the cake and the question is, how best to get it. This creates a vicious circle, and we can't let ourselves get dragged into it.'' A legal regulation limiting price reductions to certain periods of time is not envisaged. ''But we really must sit down at

With All the Senses. However, aggressive

price marketing across the board has meant that the value of the brand is underestimated by consumers. It's time to fight against value inflation, so that fashion is not completely transformed from a cultural good to a mass good. In the past few years, Mode Weber has recorded an increase in the goods that the chain store is selling at a reduced price. ''Now we want to bring this share back down to 25 per cent and bring the rate of sale of goods at their regular price up to 75 per cent,'' says Urs Weber. The advertising budget for the sale period is reduced accordingly – in favour of image advertising at the beginning of the season. ''It's about keeping our value high, even if it's less measurable in figures,'' says Urs Weber.

Furthermore, Mode Weber has cut back on floor space for certain suppliers in its stores.

This is also to avoid exposing itself to their fast-rolling reductions system. ''What's more important is the individual product mix with, for example, interesting accessories, or a new collection of blouses from Italy,'' says Urs Weber. ''This value is also difficult to convey in figures. A collection doesn't always bring the desired turnover, but, in return, it made the floor interesting.''

312 style in progress

Romy Seifert, Lecturer of business, starting up and business development at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) in Mittlerer Niederrhein: ''There are no indications that the bulk of retailers are interested in reintroducing the old legal situation in relation to price reductions and sales. The law on price reductions and the give-away regulation were lifted at the end of July 2001.

The ban on special events for sales promotion was introduced in 2004. The EU, and so all states connected to the EU, decided in favour of liberalisation.

However, businesses' freedom when it comes to price reductions and sales promotions is not without limits. Therefore, misleading the customer is not permitted. For example advertising with unrealistic prices is not allowed. Unrealistic prices are characterised as prices that were never actually and seriously demanded of the customer, but are used to suggest a higher price reduction.''

one table and debate a syndicate of highquality retailers,'' says Peter-Boy Weber. ''It would be great, even if I believe that that some would always break away, possibly because they feel the need to reduce sooner.

We have such a fear of rules. When we are told to go back to summer or winter clearance sales, we all shout: Down with universal rules. But if some things can't be regulated voluntarily – exactly why is this the case?

Firstly, there's only one thing left for retailers to do: To rely more confidently on their own flair for fashion, without losing sight of the commercial aspect. ''It only works along with strict discipline in the acquisition of goods,'' summarise Hajo Greve. ''I don't expect my supplier to take my products back, and I also don't expect him to share in my write-offs. But I also don't expect him to do that with any of the competition. Then, competition would be honest again.''

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096 CONCEPT

The collections are inspired by the urban pulse and evolved into designs reflected by the present trends.

312 style in progress

CONCEPT 097

Choosing the Thorny Path

minimum | The minimum headquarters are located in the centre of the industrial city port of Aarhus, Denmark. When entering the big open and high ceilinged office space, a photo studio, several showrooms and a “library” meet the eye.

The minimum library serves both as a waiting lounge for customers and other collaborators and lives out the theme of the current collection. Text: Ditte Bringø Bachmann. Photos: Minimum

Founder of minimum Peder Tang, “Success will first come when products are sold out of the shop, so retail knowledge is crucial.”

Progressive and young designs with undertones of Scandinavian coolness and metropolitan edge.”

M

inimum was established in 1997

by Peder Tang as a small retail shop in the centre of Aarhus. In 1999, the first minimum collection was launched as a pure male collection. Later followed by a female collection in 2007. Today, minimum has evolved into a well-established and acknowledged brand stocked in stores throughout the world.

Expanding Despite Crisis. Even though the world crisis has put many others to their knees, minimum has experienced a 20 per cent growth in annual turnover, doubled its exports shares from 30 to 60 per cent and increased its number of employees from 15 to 40 since 2008. And the growth rate is expected to rise even more due to the merging export markets that minimum is facing.

The success might be due to a daring philosophy behind the brand, “In minimum we believe in the different”, the charismatic founder Tang says and goes on “…and we know by experience that choosing the thorny path is more challenging but often also more fun and will eventually lead you to the best berries”.

At the moment, minimum receives inquiries from potential collaborators on new markets on a daily level. “Right now, we are watching our step and treading carefully by focusing on our existing markets rather than conquer-

ing new ones. We know that a clear strategy and deep market knowledge are needed before entering new markets. Moreover, the company should be 100 per cent leveraged internally”.

Scandinavian Coolness with a Twist. The vision of minimum is to conceive and develop progressive and young designs with undertones of Scandinavian coolness and metropolitan edge to women and men on the international stage. The ten annual collections of the lifestyle brand are divided into four main collections and six express collections.

The travel from Danish, to Scandinavian to a now fully European brand is holistically rooted throughout minimum, “We have tried to turn the mindset of the whole organisation to focussing on a broader framework while still keeping our roots”, Tang explains and continues, “This means keeping the red line but also listening to the different market needs.

Success will first come when the products are sold out of the shop, so retail knowledge is crucial”.

This insight was also adapted when positioning minimum on the German market: “The sales and marketing strategies we’ve been following with minimum over the past few years, have enabled us to position the brand on the German market and give it a well-earned place among its closest competi-

tors. In future, we will continue to work hand in hand with our retailers to produce the best suited collections for our market keeping our excellent price-performance ratio and focussing on the demands of our end customers”, Ilya Morgan, Managing Director of Deluxe Distribution explains.

Future Plans. Six months ago, minimum launched their online wholesale order tool so that customers can shop 24/7. The tool has been a great success and minimum is now focussing on another market demand. “Until now, the focus has mainly been on B2B, but now the plan is to launch a B2C online shop”, Tang states. Minimum also experience a great interest in opening retail stores where the Scandinavian look can be shown more fully, “If we go retail, we want to bring something new to the market and this could be very interesting, for sure”. minimum. Founded in 1997 by Peder Tang in Aarhus, Denmark where the head office is also located. The brand is stocked in stores throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and Canada, and presented in 25 showrooms worldwide. The team behind minimum consists of 40 employees who design, produce and market 10 annual collections distributed to more than 800 retailers. Agents/ distributors in 15 countries represent the brand. minimum a/s, Balticagade 16, hal 3&4, 8000 Aarhus/Denmark, T +45 7025 0531. www.minimum.dk

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098 CONCEPT

The Trendsetters

Gloriette | Traditional Austrian brand Gloriette is taking a fresh track thanks to the new owner, Siegmund Rudigier.

His thoughts on modernisation and Gloriette's goals. Text: Katja Weiland von Ruville. Photos: Gloriette, Portrait Photo: Rudigier und Partner

Siegmund Rudigier with his wife Claudia Rudigier. In 2006, they founded Rudigier und Partner GmbH together, to which brands like Mabrun, Arzberg porcelain, or the kitchen manufacturer RWK belong.

Classic designs with a special twist. Gloriette's autumn/winter collection.

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he New Year typically passes despite resolutions and without any big changes. This is not the case for the traditional Austrian business Gloriette.

From the onset of this year the fashion label has belonged to the Salzburg consortium Rudigier and Partner GmbH, who took the label over from the previous owner Peter Hofer.

A Fresh Approach. Founded in 1886, Gloriette is one of the most respected brands for shirts and textiles. The focus is not just on business-style clothes, but also traditional attire and for Rudigier this is the aspect that makes the label so exceptionally diverse. ''What interests us more than anything is the modernisation of the brand. We believe that we can internationalise the company considerably,'' says the founding and managing partner of Rudigier and Partner, and with this he makes his vision of Gloriette's future development clear.

The company from Burgenland has already managed to take a step in a a new direction with the current spring/summer collection: Shirts, blouses, polo shirts, knitwear and Co. focus on hip '50s elegance and a strong commitment to colour. Materials like linen and fine cotton are the highlight for summer; casual cuts and slim-lines bring together

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sportiness infused with style. When it comes to more exclusive products, there are made to order shirts and the Luxury Collection.

All are produced with high-quality products that will be largely sought after in the fashion market in China. ''Only a few people know that the company is very strong in China where Gloriette is sold as a luxury brand with very high end-customer prices,'' says Rudigier. But why are traditional Austrian values so popular in the Middle Kingdom?

The new owner speaks confidently as he explains: ''If you don't produce your products in Vietnam or North Africa like a lot of the competition, but rather produce them in your own factory, using high-quality Austrian materials, then that is a value which you can certainly communicate.'' Whether it is in the 18 Gloriette subsidiaries scattered throughout Austria, or in the countries to which the label delivers, Rudigier believes that the company still has a lot of potential when it comes to internationalisation. Currently the company exports to Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, South Tirol as well as China and the momentum is building as the label moves on its new path towards modernisation and global expansion.

A Healthy Process. The current headquar-

ters in Stergersbach as well as the production

and distribution facilities in Vienna, Bergheim and Hungary remain open in order to further develop the brand for the long-term.

Gloriette's 110 employees are also unaffected by the change of ownership. ‘‘We have a very good production facility in Hungary, which we want to continue to develop and use. And we will also increase the existing team in Stegersbach by one or two. But in principle, we will try to continue to work consistently with the existing resources,'' says Rudigier. There are also clear ideas when it comes to the timetable: ''Thank God we're not a private equity fund that must achieve a lot, very radically, in a small time frame. It's important for us to make the first big step in the next three to five years.

No rushed, short-lived measures, but rather continuous development.'' It all sounds promising for the years to come.

Gloriette. The HĂśnigsberg brothers originated the company in 1863 and in 1886 they began with industrial manufacturing. The production business in Stegersbach was built in 1962 and in 2005 the network of subsidiaries was developed.

Gloriette currently operates 18 subsidiaries of its own in Austria. www.gloriette.at

100 CONCEPT

Quality with Tradition

Wolverine | The American firm Wolverine is one of the oldest shoe brands in the world. As an innovative, traditional brand with a high-quality product portfolio, Wolverine provides comfortable footwear based on the roots of workwear and outdoor wear. Text: Kay Alexander Plonka. Photos: Wolverine

The two-tone model Addison from the 1000 Mile Boot collection

by Wolverine with a curved wing-tip design.

Sales-Manager Roy A. M. Goossens runs Wolverine in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

S

olid workmanship, high-quality materials and timeless design are required of products with longevity.

Wolverine unites these values in its premium collection, 1000 Mile Boot. The brand's very first shoe model represented its heart.

It was made from horse leather and, by means of a special tanning process, was particularly soft, yet extremely hard-wearing.

These medium-high, lace-up boots were advertised with the slogan ''Last a 1,000 miles...and longer.''

process with many intermediate steps during which the leather is treated with waxes and oils. The finished boots are available with cap-toe decoration, a curved wing-tip, or in two-tone combinations, and are equipped with smooth leather soles with Vibram rubber heels. The 1000 Miles collection is available at nearly 50 retailers, including Anson's, Breuninger, Ladage & Oelke, Gaspers, 6th Floor, Trüffelschwein, Uwe Van Afferden, RidersRoom, 14 oz., Dee Cee Style and Cultizm.com.

Here to Stay. After over 125 years, the quality and construction at Wolverine has remained unaltered. Stylish classics for men and women are available today with welted and hand-stitched details produced in Rockford, Michigan the Wolverine headquarters in the US. Alongside the limited top models made of horse leather at a retail price of 1,000 euros, there are medium-high and flat variations in up to four colours with retail prices of between 380 and 425 euros. These comfortable and elegant models are made from robust Chromexcel leather, which has been manufactured by the traditional American tanners Horween & Co. for 100 years.

What makes them special is their lengthy

Good Prospect. ''In our fourth season of

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presenting the 1000 Mile collection, we still have customers we want to win in the premium segment,'' says Roy A. M. Goossens, Sales Manager at Bosum Trading GmbH, which sells and distributes Wolverine in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He adds: ''It's important to us that we can continue to elaborate and expand our collection that is made in the US, so that retailers have more opportunities to work with this line.'' The new women's line received a positive response. This line was created in cooperation with the New York designer Samantha Pleet and will be available in stores such as; Madamski in Cologne, Nia in Munich and

Jelmoli in Zürich. Goossens explains; ''Here, we managed to get 30 customers interested in the first season. The designs are inspired by their original use in the 19th century as riding or expedition boots and reflect fashion influences from life today in Williamsburg or Brooklyn.”

With its third line 1883, which was named in homage to the year the company was founded, Wolverine is targeting both fashion stores and specialty shoe stores at the same time. Retail prices are between 150 and 230 euros, their 200 customers to date include P&C, Theo Wormland, Zeitzeichen, Skizzo, or Hagemayer. ''We still see a lot of potential in the market here. The collection links tradition and modern ways and unites classic, functional shapes with a modern, fashionable finish.''

Wolverine was set up in Rockford, Michigan in 1883 by the German, Gustav Adolf Krause. Back then Krause's shoes established themselves as robust working shoes with high comfort and long-term durability. Wolverine has been distributed in Germany, Austria and Switzerland by Bosum Trading GmbH since May 2011. The owners are Albert Bosum and Willy Umland.

Bosum distributes the brands Gant Footwear and Maruti as a licence holder.

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102 CONCEPT

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01 The young cashmere goats are reared under ideal conditions on a large-scale breeding farm. 02 Cashmere is a matter of trust â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a basic principle for the FTC boss Andreas Knezovic 03 The company's own combing works in the new plant in the Chinese province of Hebei. 04 Ultra-modern intarsia machines guarantee the pattern for the cashmere product is exactly reproduced. 05 The living quarters for the employees are right on the company premises.

06 Production at the new site has been in operation since January of this year. 07 The current FTC collection with bold colours and cool designs.

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CONCEPT 103

Respect, Great Tiger!

FTC | Andreas Knezovic from FTC (Fair Trade Cashmere) has discovered the secret to success: Respect. For the country, people, food, for simply everything. Because if you hold the things in life in esteem and put in exceptional amounts of effort, then success comes by itself. Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: FTC

W

ith Andreas Knezovic, if all you want to talk about is his fashion and home collection, then you've come to the wrong place. The FTC label – Fair Trade Cashmere – isn't just a label, it is an entire philosophy. When you talk about the sweaters, you are talking about the excellent quality of the cashmere, so good that even a layman can feel it. Of course, the special feel of the collection pieces is down to the meticulous workmanship, something that only textile workers with know-how can produce and who are enthusiastic about their work. But, people only enjoy their work if they feel contented.

And so, the workers in Andreas Knezovic's factory earn a decent wage, have reasonable working hours and comfortable accommodation built especially for them by Andreas Knezovic in a brand new location in the province of Hebei in China.

When people eat healthily, they are happy and productive. But somehow or other this didn't filter down to the canteen and chef properly, so without further ado, Andreas Knezovic and a team took the menu and meal organisation into their own hands.

Fresh vegetables are grown in their own greenhouses on the property and supply the workers living there.

Andreas Knezovic is involved in the 106,000 square metres Hebei Fumin Cashmere Goat (HFCG) farm where special grasses and fodder for the goats are also grown, but the quantities are not enough. Who would have thought that the quality of the cashmere raw product can be recognised by its feel, smell and taste? Even what the animals have eaten? The fodder for the suppliers of the valuable raw material (breeding value far exceeds two million euros), is then fetched

from arable land more than 1,000 kilometres away. Only the best for the best.

Woolly Networking. The cuddly goats grow up running free and are happy and satisfied.

When the young animals are around a year old they go to farmer families (the Shanxi government buys and allocates them) who have a long-term relationship with Andreas Knezovic and his partner and an exclusive contract for the wool. He has built schools (Swiss International FTC World Hope School) for their children and guarantees the farmers an above-average market price for purchasing the raw material.

The farmers deliver the raw material punctually and with care. The raw material is sorted and washed in a large washing plant, then coloured with special dyes from Switzerland and Germany. It goes without saying that water is recovered (over 95 %) using this process. The dyeing and combing process are also under their own control. Then it is spun, unfortunately, they do not yet have their own spinning company, but one is already in the pipeline. Naturally enough, the plot of land for this has already been bought.

Multi-Functional Adviser. The new HLCP factory covers almost 12,000 square metres at the new location in Hebei, offering space for more than 350 workers, incidentally, a great many followed the boss to the new location as they enjoy working for Lao Hu, as Andreas Knezovic is called here: Great Tiger. The Bavarian from Waging am See, who towers head and shoulders over most of his employees, has worked hard to earn this respect. His ideas of constructing a sustainable cashmere production, that delivers high-quality cashmere from cared for goats

to satisfied customers, has even impressed the Chinese government. And so much so that he is the first foreigner to have been officially selected as an unaffiliated adviser to the party board of directors in the province.

As such, he also ensures the town's development: A sports field is to be created, an idea which is to be implemented together with the Non-Profit-Organisation Right to Play (www.righttoplay.ch).

But why go to all this effort? You would do just as well simply handing over the designs – many with elaborate intarsia work – incidentally, these all originate from Jutta Knezovic and her team and come from Baar in Zurich – to those who can manufacture them the cheapest and make even more money? The subject infuriates the boss. Four to five times more of the cashmere products would be traded in the world than is available as a raw material, he estimates. This means: Fraud and dishonesty are commonplace. Knezovic couldn't live with that. He now has capacity for around 300,000 pieces, around 200,000 pieces a year are currently produced. Only his label nota bene, is a friendly exception to this: Herbert Seckler, the successful restaurateur on Sylt, is allowed to sell a limited number of pieces under the "FTC quality brand for Sansibar" label.

Cashmere is a matter of trust. FTC makes sure there's no cause to doubt this.

FTC (Fair Trade Cashmere) with headquarters in Baar/ZG Switzerland was founded by Andreas Knezovic and his wife Jutta in May 2003.

Currently 380 workers are employed in China, a further 20 in Switzerland and Europe. Sales are primarily through high-quality specialist stores. www.ftc-cashmere.com

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104 CONCEPT

Actions Speak Louder than Words

Fashion Meets Charity

Mala & Mad | „Wear art at heart“. This is the motto of the scarf label with a background in charity. Mala &Mad wants to make the world a bit better through small deeds. The shawls also bridge the gap between street art and high fashion along the way. Text: Elisabeth Bärnthaler. Photos: Mala & Mad

Street art does good: Mala & Mad.

Madeleine Farnbacher travels to Nepal regularly herself and is in direct contact with street children.

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product that is more than just a short-lived fashion statement. This is what Madeleine Farnbacher has achieved with her scarf label. She still can't really believe it. Everything grew from the deep need to help and to bring a bit of meaning to the fashion industry.

Mala & Mad's scarves embody social commitment in a wearable form, and link more than two worlds with each other. The most obvious thing is the style: creative energy and classy materials – silk, cashmere, fine-wool. With this mix, Mala & Mad quickly impressed when it was set up in 2011, for example it got the attention of shops like Stierblut in Munich, Eder in Kitzbühel or Sträuli in Zürich.

Nepal and India – Where It All Began.

The next bridge which Mala & Mad is building is one between Nepal, India and Europe. Her contact with street children in Nepal and India motivated Madeleine Farnbacher to set up the company. A share of the yield from every scarf sold flows directly into the charitable project ''Street 312 style in progress

Art for Street Kids.'' One of the organisations supported by this is the Salaam Baalak Trust, which is a club that offers street children protection, food, medicine and schooling. Basic needs that all too often go unmet.

Street Children, Street Art. And then, there is yet another link which could be seen as unusual: Madeleine Farnbacher prints street art on modal, viscose and cashmere.

At first, they were photos of street art from different metropolises, today Madeleine Farnbacher tries to make direct contact with graffiti artists and street artists. Enthused by the idea, many of them provide their motifs.

The founder also welcomes unknown artists.

Because Mala & Mad wants to show: Art is everywhere, even – or maybe especially – on the streets.

Social Commitment Is Cool. The project is doing well, not only among retailers, where Mala & Mad is enjoying sensational rates of sale. The label's sympathisers are also increasing. Just shortly after the company

began, well-known street artists and artists like Julian Vogel and Talin Lopez said they would be willing to have their work printed on the scarves.

100 Per Cent Fairness. Sustainability also plays a big role. So, the scarves are manufactured in Nepal and India in such a way, that ''economic, environmental and social aspects are taken into account,'' says Madeleine Farnbacher. She continues: In concrete terms, this means that fulfilling the need for a beautiful scarf is coupled with improving the opportunities of everyone involved,'' The committed initiator visits all of the production facilities regularly to ensure that the working conditions meet her standards.

Mala & Mad Goodstuff Fashion Company GmbH Obere Wörthstrasse 17 90403 Nürnberg/Germany T 0049.911.2350929, silvano@silvano-rose.de, www.goodstuff-fashion.de www.malaandmad.com

Backstage: Philippe Model | A sneaker is a sneaker is a sneaker. Or is it? style in progress has been invited to the production facilities of the Italian shoemaker Philippe Model.

------------------------A Look Behind the Scenes 01

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01 Input controls and sorted, the leather skins lie ready to be cut and punched. Each shoe size needs its own template.

02 The smaller parts of the pattern, in particular, require the expertise of the workforce: The aim is to produce as little waste as possible. Where other places rely on the use of computers, Philippe Model still relies on the expertise of the workforce.

03 Every handling step makes the production more expensive â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and yet it is the work performed manually that lends value to the shoe's finished effect.

04 All leather sections are joined, sewn and glued directly on the last. Nails are added to keep the leather in shape even before the first section of the sole construction is in place.

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CONCEPT 107

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09 05 Rubber isn't just rubber: eye-catching coloured soles .

By the way, this has historical significance: Once, red soles were used as a decadent stylistic device by the nobility to demonstrate they were able to afford the expensive purple even on the soles of their shoes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; walking was something for the lower classes.

06 After the glue has dried, the shoe is taken off the finishing last for the first time. In the final finishing stage before processing, any glue that has escaped is ground down with millimetre precision.

07 A sneaker gets its typical used-look in its finished state. Colour is applied with sponges and brushes to simulate traces of use. And "dirt" is wanted for this process.

08 When the worker is dirtying, scuffing and roughening up the shoe's leather uppers, you have to ask yourself isn't it a rather destructive process. "No, it's creative", she smiles back as though she was expecting the question.

09 A shoe in Vintage Look with bright new laces? Not really. So, the worker picks threads out of the laces using sharp tools. Then, a last critical inspection and the shoe goes into its packaging.

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In the “Chinese Room” from Leopoldskron palace in Salzburg: Christoph Bründl, Clemens Sagmeister, Markus Dielmann, Stephan Lanzer, Angelika Schmied-Hofinger and Stephan Huber.

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Blanket Discounts Are the Kiss of Death

Top retailers in the style in progress ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: The subject of discounts will not let us go, e-commerce is a shark tank and the human factor is the most important USP for retailers on their way into the future. Discussion: Stephan Huber. Photos: Andreas Hechenberger

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110 OPINION

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tephan Huber, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of style in progress:

getting together to discuss a common date for the summer too.

Angelika, when did your end-ofseason sales start last winter?

Stefan Lanzer (CEO Knilli, Graz, www.knilli.at): That is, of course, the ideal

Angelika Schmied-Hofinger (Hofinger, St. Johann in Tirol, www.hofinger.cc):

Angelika Schmied-Hofinger (Hofinger, St. Johann in Tyrol, www.hofinger.cc): I don't think we can be a yardstick for this.

You see, this season, we were able to get everybody local to agree to us all starting together on the 15th January. We've been doing it like this for years now. Shops on an equal footing discuss it and keep to it too.

A pre-Christmas sale would make an absurd mockery of customers. We will also all be

situation. But the only reason this can work in that format is because there aren't any large businesses in the area to put the pressure on everybody. But starting before Christmas is an absolute No-Go for us too.

In Graz, we started on the 27th December last season. The middle of January would also be ideal for us as well. But there are large chain stores around that tend to blow a hole in that idea.

But starting much too early in many towns and regions is only part of the problem. In

times gone by, the real meaning of an endof-season sale used to be a strong sales month on the one hand and a predictable way of emptying the stockroom on the other, but this has now been lost because it doesn't really interest customers any more.

Because there is always a sale going on somewhere. It isn't a special event any more. And retailers are struggling with exploding warehouses.

Stephan Huber: Do you think it would be possible for larger cities to discuss a common start for the sales?

Markus Dielmann (CEO DielmannGruppe, Darmstadt, www.dielmann.de):

In theory yes, in practice, there will always be somebody breaking ranks and this would trigger a domino effect. And I can confirm that this pressure comes from the Biggies.

We have around 40 locations in the shoe trade so we don't exactly belong to the small companies, but if a Karstadt or a Kaufhof were to unleash their marketing power, then you can't really get away from it. At Dielmann, we have managed to find a good way of signalling attractive offers to the customer without entering into a discount war. At the beginning of December and again in summer we have a very high-quality brochure for the customer. Attractive shoes for the season at an attractive, different price. This isn't a bold and in-your-face affair, but very high quality. The proper end-of-season sales, that is to say using that name, we only have in January, as well.

Clemens Sagmeister (CEO Sagmeister Herren, Bregenz, www.sagmeister.at):

We also started on 27th December. However, we send our regular customers a personal Pre-Sale invitation two weeks before it begins. This is a special service and a direct approach. It doesn't really matter then whether it's 20 or 30 per cent. Then, in January a different type of customer comes along. He examines each label and expects a discount of at least 50 per cent.

We also see the big problem of sales being a permanent business in the retail market.

Our salesman want to sell new, trendy and fashionable products, so we are now looking hard to find other channels such as outlets.

This is so that we can keep the discount prices in the shops as brief as possible or necessary.

Stephan Huber: The sports specialist retailer has pushed price marketing to an unhealthy level. Can Br端ndl Sports escape from this?

Christoph Br端ndl (Br端ndl Sports, Kaprun, CEO, www.bruendl.at): We come from the

Christoph Br端ndl: "If I am asking a lot of my staff, then I must also offer a lot."

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mountains, we love the mountains, and that is why we are going to continue to stay there. That even fits this topic. Sports retailers in the cities are already bogged down with stupid price wars, when we in Ischgl are just starting to unpack our products, for example. We open the season at the beginning of December.

20

Jahre Habsburg

KATHARINA VON GARZULY-HOHENLOHE IN EINEM MODELL DER HABSBURG JUBILÄUMS-KOLLEKTION

WWW.HABSBURG.CO.AT

112 OPINION

Stephan Huber: But tourists from the cities

come to you, don't they? Aren't they already in price-slashing mode?

Christoph BrĂźndl: I have to divide this into two parts now. With hard goods, such as skies for example, now we are partially forced to join in the radical behaviour and idiocy of the city. We try to counter this strategic stupidity with intelligent price points and with an excellent service. By doing it this way, after a difficult start, we then had a very good winter. And by this, I don't ever mean turnover but the contribution margin.

But this aggressive price marketing levelled at the Austrian sports retailer, I have to say this again, it's unbelievably stupid. One of them starts with 20 per cent, the other hits back with 30, mostly across the entire range, even before the real season has started yet.

You realise that most promotions are a reaction. We can't afford to work like that at all. Because then we'll have handed over the principles of taking action to somebody else and be too driven by competitors.

Markus Dielmann: Blanket discounts are the kiss of death for a trading company. Not least because our customers act rationally.

He has favourite items and pieces that he doesn't have the least interest in. And the purpose of a sale is to free us from those items that practically none of our customers are interested in. If I offer everything at a dumping price willy-nilly, even the really hot trends, I'm damaging my business and sending my customers completely the wrong signal. Most people say the reason for such blanket discounts are because of liquidity and full stockrooms. But an incorrect price reduction strategy is part of this problem and not part of the solution.

Stephan Huber: Is it really always pressure from major trading companies that set this spiral going and where the poor little ones can't then resist and have to join in?

Clemens Sagmeister: For groups, stock clearance is defined and a time point given by when it must be reached. If necessary, there can be special promotions, these often lead to a chain reaction. I think the basic principle is correct. But the problem is that, especially last winter, almost all the warehouses were much too big from the start.

Angelika Schmied-Hofinger: I also think it makes sense to have a close look at the home-grown factors. Because there I can make changes. But there is nothing I can do about the weather and the business policy of the Biggies.

Stephan Lanzer: I'll give you a good example to start off with. I was seduced by the dream winter of 2010 and quite simply slipped up on jackets last winter. Of course, I can always blame it on the weather if the pavement cafĂŠs are still full in November but it was my decision to fill the stockroom with winter jackets like that. Funnily enough, within 10 days at the beginning of Decem312 style in progress

ber, I completely sold out of the summer down coats by Moncler. Somehow, we have already got ahead of ourselves in the fashion industry.

Stephan Huber: Didn't the merchandise density create any sales?

Clemens Sagmeister: Nowadays, merchandise density prevents sales and ruins revenue because the merchandise density causes the retail market to come out in a cold sweat.

End-of-season sales are no longer a seasonal highlight when some real money could be made and when it was even sometimes possible to order a little bit extra, instead they are increasingly turning into a panic campaign when everything is flogged off

cheap willy-nilly just so that you can breathe easy again.

Angelika Schmied-Hofinger: Just consider how much money and energy is being put into advertising clearance sales. We should put this expenditure into products at the start of the season. That would be a step in the right direction towards getting away from price marketing. In future, we should definitely try shifting the budget to the start of the season.

Clemens Sagmeister: I agree with that.

The customers we serve don't have a fixation with prices as their main focus. First off, he appreciates the whole product. Added to this comes the service we offer, as well as the

Markus Dielmann: "An incorrect price reduction strategy is part of the problem and not part of the solution."

Photos by Irene Schaur

114 OPINION

special range available. Meanwhile, we have a lot of customers who say: "You don't need to send me an invite to the Pre-Sale. I'm not getting into that. I was just at your place in August," Christoph Br端ndl: When I look just how long and how hard we've been discussing this now, you would think that we've also succumbed to the eroticism of pricing. I would now just like to get back to the Human Factor!

Ultimately, we have three types of customer.

1. Customers who are just looking for a great product. With this group, they do care about the price but if a product is credible, special and is of a high-quality tangible to the customer, then price isn't important.

2. And then there is the so-called middle layer. Quality-conscious and open to trends and new products, but at the same time, very attuned to prices and totally convinced that you can still get things for considerably less on the internet. Which somehow or other is true.

3. Then there is the absolute bargain buyer.

He's set a limit for his winter jacket and is happy if he gets an item in the sales that cost considerably more. To put it bluntly, he doesn't bother us for the rest of the year then.

The internet is the great shark tank of Europe. In Austria, or in fact the whole of Central Europe, online trade today is still only a pale shadow compared to the USA or even Great Britain. The question is how is

Angelika Schmied-Hofinger: "We should make better use of the money we put into advertising the end-of-season sales by investing it in the start of the season."

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this going to evolve in the future. And my image of this is completely clear. Online is going to be a mass channel for certain products in the next three to five years.

And this mass channel will be operated by a few of the Biggies. Because the key theme of e-commerce is expertise in logistics.

Stephan Huber: The really big giants or very specialised ones Markus Dielmann: The specialised ones will be broken in the mid-term by the logistics expertise of the big players such as Zalando or Amazon. Because this logistics expertise costs enormous amounts of money. And these giants have set their caps at absorbing the specialists. For vertical players, this is different. Zara or H&M can both run in parallel without getting into the ring with an Amazon because they are masters of the entire system. For us, as stationary specialist stores we have to ask ourselves whether in future we want to sell products online that, from a pricing point of view, are open to attack by the logistic giants or whether we should focus on products that require a higher service in contrast to simple distribution.

Online is nothing more than mail order business 2.0. Mail order in Germany used to be very strong once but has now suffered a severe set-back. And even though online business is growing at a rapid pace today, I predict that when you take the large retail space into consideration, stationary retail trade will keep a market share of 80 per cent. 80 per cent!!! There are huge opportunities there. We should concentrate on this instead of jumping in with the sharks.

Clemens Sagmeister: I wouldn't necessarily subscribe to price being the main argument for the online trade. Although there are studies that say that customers are of the opinion they can buy every product 10 per cent cheaper on the internet, however, differentiation between the individual sellers will ultimately be no different than the customer who buys from the stationary shop. Because, this is usually the same customer. So, it will be a question of the service: How are returns handled? How do they go about dealing with my complaint?

Stephan Lanzer: That is exactly where I see the great opportunity for the stationary speciality shop. Because most online customers don't have a particularly positive experience to report when there's a problem. I also manage the Hugo Boss Store in Graz. And you just wouldn't believe the number of online customers who come to us to make their complaints.

Stephan Huber: Regarding the logistic competence of the e-commerce giants, may I also attempt a prediction: In the mid-term, the Zalandos of this world won't be able to afford to send packages free of charge all over the place. You can already see the beginning of this change. However, with this, one of the online retail trade's very strong arguments falls down in my opinion. And

116 OPINION

once the exotic attraction for something new has vanished, the customer will also notice just how much time he's wasting with all this to-ing and fro-ing.

Christoph Bründl: And now we are exactly at the question of how we can succeed in keeping customers and how we can prevent them migrating into the seemingly, or actually easy, and attractive online marketplace?

The recipe is simple, yet sophisticated. And it's called expertise. In order to have a successful future as a specialist retailer and earn money, you have to prove your expertise at every level.

At Bründl, we focus on two important distinguishing features. The first one is architecture and the shop aura. That costs a lot of money. But, with discipline and intelligence, a lot can happen. And the customer rewards these emotions. The second thing, in my eyes a still more decisive USP is the Human Factor. We also invest a great deal into this, for example in an own Bründlacademy. When it gets down to it, a company is only as good as the people who work for it, this isn't just a simple phrase but an economic truth. Selling is a demanding job.

And our colleagues must sell extremely well so that profitability matches. If I am asking a lot, then I must also offer a lot. With culture, wages, social benefits, in the workplace.

The Human Factor is the distinguishing feature that e-commerce cannot give to us.

Stephan Huber: Nevertheless it is a very costly way.

Christoph Bründl: That's right! And it demands strength and discipline in purchasing.

We make our suppliers equally responsible by dividing the risk between us. They have to accept block orders and returns or certain special conditions. But it is not a one-way street. Because, turned around, we offer these suppliers the appropriate fascinating environment.

By the way, something else is also essential so that we can earn money despite the high cost of the retail areas: Courage to spread!

Angelika Schmied-Hofinger: I absolutely agree with the belief that the specialist retailer should focus on his strengths instead of trying to swim in the waters of the online world somehow or other. I have a sense that nowadays, women in particular, want to have more service than before. More all-embracing and more personal. They're not just looking about advice on the product itself.

Sometimes, these are really intensive discussions. Many customers also come much more often than they used to do in the past.

Just to look to see if there is anything new but, up to a certain degree, also simply just to chat. From person to person. Actually, that's almost a logical counter-reaction towards the anonymity and de-personalisation of the digital world which seems to be inherent today.

Stephan Huber: If customers are coming into the stores more often, which must ulti312 style in progress

mately be the goal, isn't it also becoming more important for the stores to offer something new more often? Don't we actually also need, or especially in the high-end sector, a REAL four seasons?

Stephan Lanzer: First of all, in theory, that's a dream model, no question. Order more often, in return shorter delivery dates closer to the season and more in touch with the current trends. The problem is that for the industry it is naturally all about market shares. A supplier doesn't want for you as a buyer to divide your budget simply between pre- and main collections. He wants you to increase your budget as a whole. That is legitimate. For me, as a retailer, however, I would prefer that the collections as a whole

don't become bigger, but are simply more precise in their seasonal distribution.

Angelika Schmied-Hofinger: Now we are exactly at the subject that Christoph Bründl so rightly raised, discipline when buying. If we want to have a more precise supplier, then by reverse logic we must be ready to order more precisely. That was also a learning process for me. Because it obviously means purchasing budgets must be kept more strictly under control. And it requires the courage to make decisions. But that's what our job amounts to.

However, then the supplier must also really offer an independent statement each time and not just simply re-hash what we've already seen.

Stephan Lanzer: "The product and the seller must be a unit. Unfortunately, in the fashion trade this authenticity is often missing."

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04.09.- 06.09.2012

118 OPINION

Clemens Sagmeister: I also see this danger too. After all, we want to sell fashion. And now we also have the problem of the collections repeating their statements too often.

I can't see any advantage in ordering more often. A more important factor would be to get a grip on the elastic delivery dates. So that we can better plan what products we can have when on the retail floor.

Angelika Schmied-Hofinger: An end to the elastic dates – that would probably be my first request to the industry, if I'm allowed one.

Stephan Lanzer: Most of them can't manage it though.

Markus Dielmann: Perhaps they can't manage it because the retail market is in-

different to it. The retail market must also be very self-critical. We can't always be crying out to the industry about everything they should be doing differently if we're not prepared to meet them half-way and just cherry-pick things out here and there.

We really go to every fair, we fly to each of our suppliers when necessary. That's exhausting and also costly. But if you keep comparing the supplier's options and our retail needs on a one-to-one basis then you almost always come to a solution.

Stephan Huber: I just want to come back to the question again, in future, which USPs should rescue the specialist retailers from competition from the vertical and digital world.

Clemens Sagmeister: "I can't see any advantage in ordering more often." "A more important factor would be to get a grip on the elastic delivery dates."

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Christoph Bründl: That questions is pretty

much key!

Markus Dielmann: And it leads to price

again - indirectly. Because for the majority of customers, price, even if they are perhaps price-sensitive, isn't something that he likes talking to his friends and colleagues about.

He would much rather talk about what a great product he's bought, pass on what a good, dedicated and, above all else, well informed salesman has told him. And he also conveys the entire atmosphere of where he was when making the purchase. THAT is something we have to do as a retailer.

Stephan Huber: I've just got to think about the, what felt like, 1,687 talks over the past few months, on how really difficult it is to find good sales staff.

Christoph Bründl: That is why we are investing in the Human Factor. Yes, we do partially have seasonal employees. And we put in a lot of effort to make sure they come back to us. This includes a special culture, good money, but also the entire environment, from a great lunch up to a ski pass.

Stephan Lanzer: Our problem is not turnover of manpower. Almost all of our colleagues have been with us for 20 years or more.

Our problem is the new generation. Hardly anyone wants to learn this profession any more, hardly anyone wants to work on Saturday, or on the 24th December. This can't be solved with just money alone. It is more a matter of the lack of social prestige this job has nowadays.

Angelika Schmied-Hofinger: And many people interested in the profession, underestimate the needs. To serve a demanding customer at our level is hard work. It is a lot more than simply showing beautiful clothes.

You must be a psychologist. You must be credible. You must be taken seriously by your opposite number if you want to sell them a product that costs 800 or 1,000 euros.

Christoph Bründl: The best sales seminar in my eyes is still the farmer's market. I can really recommend to any retailer to let that experience wash over them on a regular basis.

What do you get there? You see laughing faces. You meet people who totally and utterly identify with the product because it is THEIR product. Because they have baked the bread themselves, planted and harvested the vegetables themselves, made the schnapps themselves. It is temptation and inspiration in its best and purest form. It's not about price.

Stephan Lanzer: Because the product and seller are a unit. Unfortunately, in the fashion trade this authenticity is often missing.

Stephan Huber: And at the farmer's market the clearance sale is right at the close of day – and not at 7.30 in the morning with a "30 per cent off all root vegetables" promotion! And with this, the roundtable talks were finished. Thank you very much for talking with me.

www.modeist.com

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120 OPINION

Four + Christmas

Theresa Minatti-Einwaller, responsible for sales at the five Einwaller fashion boutiques in Innsbruck, and famous for her incisive opinion, is calling for a new rhythm for orders and deliveries. She outlines why and how this can work in an interview with style in progress. Interview: Stephan Huber. Photos: Einwaller

Theresa Minatti-Einwaller has stepped into big shoes. The fashion dealer has long since delivered proof that she is continuing the brave philosophy of her father.

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OPINION 121

With five businesses in Innsbruck's city centre, Einwaller is a local hero in the Austrian Alpine city. Bold remodelling projects and investments in the familyrun business have given the stores character.

T

heresa Minatti-Einwaller, what date from the current round of orders do you remember positively?

Yesterday, we were at FTC Cashmere.

And that was positive because...?

This is an example of a product, with which we can make great sales figures. And this is not least because they offer the right rhythm. They deliver for June/July, for September/October and for November/December, which is the most important time for cashmere. If they didn't have this rhythm, we might not order the brand at all any more because they actually don't have the level of fashion that we otherwise look for. The right delivery time is becoming more and more important. It is a service that the suppliers must create. In June and July, it's summer here. Why isn't there any light cashmere?

It's a difficult phase for retailers in general. The summer stock is long sold, in temperatures of 30 degrees in the shade the autumn stock is like an insult.

Designer brands deliver their new looks early for fashionable customers who catch on very early. For the customer who shops according to need, I have to stock T-shirts and polos in current colours, blouses in appropriate colours and light knitwear alongside the new collections, which I need to showcase with the upcoming autumn image.

However, they are product categories which, in the current market reality, are already reduced two months before the beginning of summer.

That is why I also speak about new stock.

At the moment, spring/summer is delivered from December onwards and reduced from April/May onwards. Now the customer asks, why then should I buy summer stock regularly in June/July?

Because you, as a customer, do not choose your complete summer wardrobe in April, rather simply buy a polo and shorts when the weather suddenly gets warm.

The problem is simply that I can no longer get it in June/July.

Exactly. And why?

Because everyone insists the stock be delivered in December?

No, it's not as a result of the early deliveries.

Tell me who is actually delivering so early apart from the designers? In our Anna and Joseph stores, we had a sales ratio of 50 percent of spring/summer stock at the end of February because the collections were delivered at the end of October. New stock accounted for 50 per cent of sales figures in November/December. But this is only possible in the designer sector. Otherwise, they are not delivered as early. And, in my opinion, it's also a completely wrong approach. Everything doesn't have to constantly be pushed forward and delivered earlier and earlier. As a retailer, I need more flexibility in orders and more delivery dates spread over the year that I can adapt exactly to the wishes of my customers. That's what it's about. Not summer stock in December, which puts me under pressure storage-wise.

Seriously, those who don't receive summer things until February, reach

for the telephone because they at least want special conditions, if they are still to accept it.

If I don't have the stock until February, I don't need it any more.

And then you ask me why the customer is no longer receiving summer stock in June/July?

The solution is actually very simple. There are collections â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and we try to buy them more and more often â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that offer transitional stock. Particularly here in Tyrol, but ultimately in all of central Europe, we have more of a transition than a summer. In other words, 90 per cent of the things we buy are not for the actual high-summer season. For our store Sportsfrau, for example, I buy 30 pairs of shorts and 500 pairs of trousers. I sold the shorts between February and June.

Of course, then it is important to professionally manage such transitional collections and individual products in sales. We don't have any polos, tunics or shorts in our sales.

We're not daft.

The problem is, however, that many are daft in this way.

If we begin a sale on 27 December, we don't have one down jacket left anyway. Apart from a bad series, which no one buys, even when reduced.

But you already know when, for example, sales start in big German cities and even in stores at your level? The beginning of November.

If we only had both designer stores, we would perhaps also do that. At the end of December almost two thirds of the summer style in progress 312

122 OPINION

F.l.t.r.: Theresa Minatti-Einwaller, Alexander Minatti, Barbara Wolf-Einwaller, Ambros Einwaller, Ingeborg Einwaller, Josef Einwaller â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a family, a company.

stock in the Anna boutique was delivered.

Can you imagine how we are exploding for lack of space?

But do you really think it's right?

Do you think we would do it if the customer didn't demand it? I can't just stand still while everything is moving forward.

Why does the wheel constantly move forward? It's not the wish of the consumer.

But of course. Why do H&M and Zara do such good business? Because they're always first.

You don't see retailers themselves as a driving force?

Not at all. The customer regularly demands a new, fresh image in stores, and new stock.

So, we have to focus on transitional products.

Our success in recent years was that we received new stock so early. When buying, you just have to reflect carefully on what you can sell because it's only about having new stock there. For example blue blazers, I can sell them all year long. And they exist in different levels of quality.

Is it possible to plan orders in such a way that, over the whole year, you can also get it spot on when it comes to seasons?

It's exhausting, but we have to do it.

Are there enough suppliers who could stem it?

In the high-end segment, yes. It gets difficult in the casual sector. There, I can only depend on Moncler, Dsquared and certain knitwear providers. Everyone else delivers whenever.

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What would be your ideal rhythm for the year?

Four seasons plus Christmas. Over the year, there should be smaller programmes, really small. We could name them flash programmes. But this is still completely undeveloped.

Designer brands have been doing it for a long time. For example, we have included Polo Ralph Lauren once again, because, on this level, I can't think of anyone else who delivers early alongside Moncler and Dsquared. It was a deciding factor for us.

So, then at least I get new polos in June/July.

In addition, a new breakdown of the seasons must make it possible for specialist traders to better meet demand with their goods, and so reduce write-offs.

I would prefer to split my orders. So I can react more flexibly and so better meet demand. Why has it not yet happened, for example in the case of a jacket collection by brands like Duvetica, Moncler or Peuterey, where the winter collection for October/November has been ordered on time using two thirds of the budget, and the delivery date is in June/July/August, that by this time, there is, once again, a type of special programme on a smaller scale, just small and nice, for which a third of the budget is still free and can be used to top up my order in the shortterm? By this time I, myself, have a much clearer image of the upcoming season and can still react on top of this. That would be

the ideal set-up for me. But the reality is, when I come in August, all jackets are gone.

The same applies to cashmere. When it comes to Christmas, people want, once again, a nice, small, special programme in the store in November. What can be so hard about delivering cashmere in new colours?

FTC, Princess, Zanieri etc. manage it.

That would solve another basic problem, in that retailers would have to pay smaller bills thanks to this order splitting and wouldn't have to pay large sums in advance.

Exactly. And even more so, the volumes of orders would level off at a normal amount.

So, there should be lots of delivery dates, for example, for jackets?

Four. June/July/August, then October/November, then the end of January/February and before Easter, for the transitional period.

For me, order dates can stay as they are but then brands simply have to provide flash programmes to give retailers the opportunity to better meet demand. And have new things in their store. They can be basic products with small details. Take the four colours that sold best. That's sufficient. If you only offer a flash up to the time of Pitti Uomo and allow for a week to order, then it has to be possible to deliver in October. We simply have to make it happen.

And that would be the big opportunity?

Yes, in fact for all product groups.

Thank you for speaking to us.

www.villagaia.de ORDERTERMINE: PREMIUM BERLIN 04.07-06.07.2012 PREMIUM ORDER DÜSSELDORF 28.07.-31.07.2012 PREMIUM ORDER MÜNCHEN 11.08.-14.08.2012

124 OPINION

"It only works together"

THAT’S MY JOB | What does somebody like Holger Petermann actually do all day? Now resident in Munich, the cosmopolitan jointly heads Think Inc. Communications with his business partner Maria-Chiara Teza.

Text: Martina Müllner. Photo: Florian Harrer

He loves original brands – Holger Petermann.

A

conversation that is opened with a closing quotation: "It only works together." What he means by this can be understood by looking at Holger Petermann's professional past. "I have been working in the communication business for almost 20 years. First on the customer side, then from the agency's." He feels he's arrived in his own agency. "I like people, products and brands that have character, that go their own way."So it's no wonder that the agency cultivates a great affinity for brands that are allowed to proclaim their originality. "The fact that brands with this claim followed and follow us is probably down to our equation: "One plus one makes three." Holger Petermann was once given the lowest mark possible by his maths teacher.

But he doesn't let a bit of red ink put him off the philosophy that "more than the whole" can arise from coming together. Nowadays he has this this credo prominently displayed on his agency's business cards. "People who come into contact with this, first grin, but then usually see we have a point", he says laughing. His personal triumph over maths isn't an end to itself though: "I don't want to prove anything, I just want to move things in one direction and make brands successful, or if you prefer, accompany them

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along that path. What we do, must always be seen in context."

Think Inc. – a consciously formed conglomerate of advertising and PR but also with sales know-how. "For brands to appear in a sympathetic light, these parameters need to be adjusted correctly, it is even crucial for survival sometimes. More can be achieved together than can be done alone. We can do this and that is how we differentiate ourselves."

A Strategic Free Spirit. It is "a great blessing" to head the agency together with the temperamental Italian Maria-Chiara Teza. "Chiara works more emotionally and is sympathetic, I work more strategically and am sometimes a little more forceful. That makes her the ideal professional partner and private friend. She is also the one who loves looking after his dog Filippo when he can't go to appointments and travel around with him. A Labrador-Podenco cross-breed from Ibiza, an absolute free spirit. Somehow like Holger Petermann himself who finds a little piece of home on the island and loves to work there. "Ibiza gives me the freedom to break out of learned structures, to make international friendships and professional contacts and to open myself to all things new. What sounds a little like laissez-faire is essential to Holger Petermann.

Unusual ways are his favourite discipline, although never for its own sake. "We stay focussed, think along strategic lines, act in a straight manner and combine creativity with brand awareness, placing it at the top of our agenda."

A sentence that is frequently heard: "We work with original brands." Holger Petermann loves original brands as they provide the opportunity of bringing experience and strategic competence right to the very fore. To support this here, the networker flexes his muscles: He persuades top photographers to work for a brand, brings people together who can achieve more together. Sometimes a catalyst, sometimes a captain, never on the stage that he has built for others himself – but always present. A combination that also makes a project close to the communicator's heart successful. Jewellery by Label of Love, an idea that he pursues with the designer Franziska Dannecker.

Three symbols of the monotheistic world religions are united in one sign, the jewellery is intended as a symbol of the new beginning in an era of co-existence. He would like fusion, that strategist, creative and cosmopolitan man with strong roots – with colleagues and customers. Because PR, advertising and sales "can still only function together" and with this, his opening statement comes back full circle.

The New Contemporary September 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;23, 2012 Vienna International Art Fair www.viennafair.at

126 OPINION

Red Price = Product Not Nice!

Out of a fear of change has the retail sector overlooked the fact that change is actually the retail market?

An opinion piece by Manuel Rivera.

I

n challenging times, it does well to remember that we should trust in our own abilities, flair and courage more than ever instead of blindly following the dictates of the market being imposed on our industry by a couple of opinion leaders in the "FIRST IN SALE – ERFA GRUPPE".

We are no longer going to be a part of this cut-throat competition of brand and value annihilation! So, now it is time to mobilise a broad front, made up of all those who are still able to recall and want the real virtues of trade again.

For years, as you know, we have been strongly influencing the fashion and brand world at a very noticeable location, namely on Sylt, Germany's premier holiday island.

We have celebrated fantastic sales and success, discovered labels, made labels and some have survived.

How are we to make real money in the textile retail sector if nothing whatsoever has a value anymore?

We search trade fairs all over the world for the piece that we can mark-up using a minimum factor of 3.0 and then, once it has been delivered long before we actually need it, we throw out every business rule in the book and actually contrary to the natural comprehension of our customers too, we sell it dirt cheap with a 50 per cent discount.

The industry has discovered a seemingly good system for top customers. Convenient currencies, commissions, area partnerships with take-back agreements, assistance with discounts, etc. What's left at the end of the sale is returned, allowing the growing number of outlet stores in prime city locations to expand.

What's actually going on here really? We find the real prices!

What I mean is, if the retail price with its "marked-up" entrance margin only leads to store traffic and sales after a 50 per cent or bigger reduction is given, then we only really have fictitious prices and a parallel world.

The question is: Who is in the matrix and who is outside it?

This is a negative pyramid scheme with fatal consequences. Because the followers and conformist all have the same range of goods, the brands and the drastic devaluation are also additionally pushed by the second enemy, the internet. This is because the educated consumer can celebrate the same success that we had realised at the close of 312 style in progress

sales with our margins earlier in the evening, by finding an even lower price using search engines to find similar brands and products.

Those were good times when stockrooms were cleared and cash desks were filled by the summer and winter sales. Who did it ever bother when extra products were bought for these periods? Sales quotas were on the other side of 85 % at a full margin, anybody who didn't earn money then, was soon out of the running.

But unfortunately that was all a long time ago and it was nice that at least we were able to experience it once. When I tell younger colleagues about it, they think I'm telling fairytales and shake their heads in disbelief!

I am appealing to everybody with this emotional letter to leave the unspeakable, compulsive and ruinous red-price policy of the "FIRST IN SALE – ERFA GRUPPE" behind them and to rely on their individual abilities and gut feelings. Go to fairs and put together an interesting range of products.

It doesn't need to be about an individual brand. You can find brands on the internet and in department stores and warehouses stacked sky high. We, the speciality retail sector, don't really need to fear anybody but ourselves, because we are the brand. Unfortunately, we appear to have forgotten this owing to a certain amount of convenience and deep-seated complacency. But this is now our wake-up call, if you miss this then you can sleep in. Nobody can beat the market, it's with the first ones in SALE at the moment and not with those who have the best range and taste. "The last one to reduce has lost!", that's the stupid logic of today.

We have to change it and turn it around!

To do this we need to reflect and focus on the unbeatable competitive advantage that the speciality store has. The individuality, the presentation, the advisory service and the mood in the shop: Why should that also be rewarded with a price reduction too?

By having the courage to change ourselves, think and buy in four seasons. Through our purchasing power, let's force the industry to focus on us. Let's free ourselves from the dependency on brands, because WE are the brand! What we have and do is the best.

That must be the message. This is the way we prove ourselves as special and credible.

Customers will immediately start to make themselves visible, because we stand out from the crowd and will be rewarded with

high-margin sales. We will remain solvent and therefore independent, that is worth more in times like these than effective sales!

And by not allowing , I really HAVE to emphasise this, the "FIRST IN SALE – ERFA GRUPPE" to call the shots.

We are often confronted with discussions such as these: "Excuse me, but this item is already heavily discounted in Hamburg, you'll probably be able to be a little flexible on the price too, won't you?"

Our reply to this: "Excuse me, is there something wrong with our service? Is there a problem with the product or can you see any flaws? Didn't you feel comfortable with us?"

What do you think will happen?

The customer will then buy it and reflect how much fun and what a great experience shopping is and that service and mood are worth more. If we can't put this across anymore, then the retail market, particularly the owner-managed speciality retail sector, has lost. But that I don't believe!

"Red Price = Product Not Nice! " This sentence must be considered again!

Think about it for a little while. The coming buying season is approaching us in leaps and bounds, we don't have the slightest doubt that we can find and buy the right trends.

But we are certainly not going to pre-plan goods from July to September which have final delivery dates arriving in our shops from mid- to end of March 2013, just to have them devalued by the shops in the "FIRST IN SALE – ERFA GRUPPE" timed for the start of spring in April, beginning of May and then at the finish up be sitting on them because we don't reduce them!

"The last one to reduce has won!" That is the aim! In order to achieve this we must be courageous and face the challenges.

I believe in the specialised retail trade and in individualists. But there is no gain without pain. And what costs nothing, is worth nothing. So, be prepared for an exciting and volatile time because we are sitting in a boat and not on the "FIRST IN SALE – ERFA GRUPPE" ship which is sinking. We will keep on rowing and create the future of the industry, I believe in this!

I wish us all a lot of courage in this buying season. To good business!

Manuel Rivera Owner and founder of Different Fashion Gruppe Sylt

SPRING SUMMER 13 # 3.2012

Red Price = Product Not Nice! How Marketable Would You Like It Then? /// USP The Human Factor.

Speciality Stores Need the Human Touch /// Cult & Commerce. Ways Out of the Discount Trap!

wo-men’s fashion

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Shirt: Strellson Trousers: Boglioli Shoes: Floris van Bommel

Blouse: Elements Jeans: Brand Shoes: Soisire Soiebleu

Jacket: Boglioli Shirt: Closed Trousers: Stone Island Shoes: Floris van Bommel

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Blouse: Elements

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Jacket: Dondup Trousers: 7 for all Mankind Shoes: Joop

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Shirt: J. Lindeberg Trousers: Joop Shoes: Floris van Bommel

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THE COLOUR WHITE Photos: Ben Lamberty/www.benlamberty.com Styling & Production: Mody Al Khufash/www.modyalkhufash.com Hair/Make-up: Natalie Franz/www.nataliefranz.com Model: Valeriia/www.iconicmanagement.com Styling Assistant: Peninah Amanda Waigwa Photo Assistant: Sina Stieger

Jacket: Martin Niklas Wieser Bodysuit: Isabell de Hillerin Clutch: Kernesche Skirt: Villa Gaia Sneakers: Feiyue

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Shirt: Rebekka Ruetz Earrings: Supertrash Trousers: Seven for all Mankind

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Blouse: 0039 Italy Bag: Dad Crown Trousers: Daughters of Eve Shoes: Nelly

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Blazer: Sucre Top: Hien Le Body: Supertrash Clutch: Holly Golightly Skirt: Dietrich Emter

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Sweater: Dear Cashmere Necklace: Serenity Ring Maria Black Skirt: Cruciani Belt: M채rz Shoes: L'R

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Coat: Henrik Vibskov Blazer: St.Emile Shirt: Hartford Trousers: Rebekka Ruetz

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Top: Windsor Necklaces: Supertrash Trousers: Closed

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Blazer: Tiger of Sweden Blouse: Michael Sontag Shirt: Closed Trousers: Brax Shoes: L'R

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Well-stocked suits can be tailor-made on request.

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The Best Menswear Specialists in the City

Pelikamo / Zurich. The goal that the four founders have set with their store Pelikamo is no mean feat. However, with their concept, they have a great chance of achieving their goal. Text: DĂśrte Welti. Photos: Pelikamo

The four from Pelikanstrasse: Urs Wietlisbach, Mia Zeltner, Sebastian Vadasz and Christian Hunziker (from left to right).

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hristian Hunziker has been successful with his tailor service Nadelstreifen.ch for the past seven years. What started out in a student house as a ''service for friends'' quickly grew into a flourishing business. The 36-year old business manager wasn't thinking about a store back then, a small workshop in the hip 4th district in Zurich did perfectly fine.

However, this didn't last long, because his steadily increasing customer base began requesting a jumper to match the shirt, socks to match their suit, a tie and pochette. An acquaintance, Sebastian Vadasz, who runs the boutique Townhouse in Zurich along with Mia Zeltner, for the sake of convenience, set up a small Townhouse corner in the Nadelstreifen workshop. As a location in the centre of Zurich's Bahnhofstrassen area, Pelikanstrasse, conincedentally became free just then, the four - in the meantime Christian Hunzikers, Urs Wietlisbach's partner had come on board - seized the opportunity.

Two Become Three. Christian Hunziker today calls it the ''abso-

lutely perfect mix, Townhouse plus Nadelstreifen equals Pelikamo.''

It's not a merger, rather a new concept: ''Everyone of us has built up experience separately. Townhouse has the conceptual experience of setting up a store, we at Nadelstreifen bring our knowledge of tailoring and service.'' And it's unpretentious something, which the partly still young clientèle of businessmen and decision makers particularly values.

All Under One Roof. Pelikamo wants to cultivate the one-stop-shop

approach: You can buy anything here, from your socks, to suit, to cuff links. However, you will not find trends. Christian Hunziker:

''Timeless basics, which keep customer happy for a long time, are our core business. The quality and the fitting must be so good that customers don't part from items after one season.'' Ready-made suits and shirts hang in the store, but customers can also have items made to measure, there are materials from Loro Piana and Ariston. What is a real surprise is the price: You can buy a Pelikamo suit for just 750 francs, if made from extremely high quality material, about 1100 francs.

You won't find a warehouse at Pelikamo, there is simply a storage space behind the changing rooms. The calculation is simple: They produce on a small scale, so they have hardly any stock. And if something sells well, it's produced again. The goal: To gradually make everything themselves, there is already Pelikamo soap and Pelikamo whiskey. ''There is nothing in the shop that we wouldn't buy or use ourselves,'' muses Christian Hunziker. ''We follow this through right up to the style books on the coffee table.'' And, if the clientèle continues to grow at this rate, then it certainly won't take long for them to build up a reputation as the best menswear specialists in the city.

Pelikamo. Pelikanstrasse 11, 8001 Zurich/Switzerland, T 0041.44.2100406, www.pelikamo.com, info@pelikamo.com Opening: December 2010.

Owners: Christian Hunziker, Sebastian Vadasz, Urs Wietlisbach, Mia Zeltner.

Retail space: 90 sqm. Staff: 2.

Menswear: Lavenham, Orlebar Brown, Pelikamo, Ron Dorff, Tellason, White Briefs.

Accessories: Drakes, Mismo, Pelikamo, Simmonot Godard, whiskey and scented candles (Pelikamo), Lifestyle and fashion books (various).

Cosmetics: Aesop, Pelikamo.

Materials: Ariston Fabrics, Loro Piana.

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Joinery combines hot fashion tips with awe-inspiring craft and quirky knick knacks.

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Craft Meets Hipster

Joinery / New York. Joinery gets a sense of what is becoming trendy on the internet â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and combines this with finds from exotic places. Text: Petrina Engelke. Photos: Joinery

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rt director, blogger, shop owner: Maybe in the future this will be a typical career. The ex-art director Angela Silva began her blog "How to Change a Flat" in 2009. "Discovering new things, and then sharing them, becomes addictive," she says. Her research has always led her to more tangible ideas than what you can do on the internet, and at some stage it became logical to open a store. However, it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen quite so logically. Silva had a truckload of clothes and accessories, before she had a store. All simply because her father remarried.

Silva travelled to her homeland, Brazil, for the wedding and then travelled across the huge country. "I brought lots of handmade textiles with me and discovered some great designers," she says. Off the beaten track, however, she also found unique craftsmanship in Brazil, wonderful blankets and rugs, and even some hardware stores, which, she gushes, look like museums. So, it happened that not only clothes ended up in her store.

What Joinery Has to Do with Fashion. Here, all elements are

intertwined, just like in beautifully crafted wooden borders. Silva combines finds from Brazil ,with international labels and designers from the region, nostalgic household goods join with cutting edge jewellery and antique effect classic novels. A tag hangs from some such goods, which tells the history of the product or designer, once a blogger, always a blogger.

"Because I had the clothes before the store, it was easier to plan its construction," says Silva. A tight budget helped to sharpen the aesthetic vision. You can find almost everything you see in the store in a building supplies store, but Silva used it in an unusual way.

Wide planks of pine wood make for a curiously bright floor, on the ceiling Angela Silva flame treated the same planks of pine wood until they were dark enough for her. The changing rooms look almost like Scandinavian saunas and Quentin, who has worked with Joinery since the very first day, agrees laughingly that they may feel that way in summer, if the air conditioning ever breaks down.

Contrasts Appeal to Customers. The selection at Joinery is brought to life by Silva's love of contrasts. "The best products are those which elicit opposing reactions. For example, if I find something that comes from another country, then, for one person it signifies memories of their origin and past, and for others it's exciting because it's so strange."

Take, for example, brushes. Spread around the store, you will find shoe brushes, clothes brushes, even bottle brushes. "Yes," laughs Silva "those who know me can definitely certify that I'm a bit of a clean freak. However, they are in the shop because of their simple beauty, their craftsmanship, and because I am amazed by the long-established firms that produce them."

Joinery. 263 S 1st St, Brooklyn, 11211 New York/USA, T 001.347.8896164, www.joinerynyc.com Opening: December 2011. Owner: Angela Silva. Staff: 3.

Retail space: approx. 74 sqm.

Labels: Boessert Schorn, Erin Considine, Folk, H.Fredriksson, Hixsept, Joshu and Nela, Kora, Left Field, Libertine Libertine, Melinda Gloss, Mimi Berry, Osei Duro, Quarry Shabd, Southern Field Industries, The Hillside, Unis, Warmi, Winter Session, YMC.

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Bento Box and Matcha Tea

Oukan / Berlin. From the idea of setting up a Japanese tea bar, grew a special concept store.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Achim Hatzius, Portrait photo: Michael Mann

A weakness for all things minimalist: Natalie Viaux, owner of the concept store Oukan.

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ven the entrance is intriguing. There stands a platform, like a small stage, perfect for displaying fashion or other pieces. The winding stairs wrap around it and lead to the top floor, which boasts a tea bar and the women's section.

The tea bar was Natalie Viaux's starting point and basic concept.

Simply because the owner of Oukan has a weakness for all things minimalist. Only then did everything else follow. Natalie Viaux, who previously worked as a music journalist and television producer before opening a gallery dedicated to contemporary fashion photography, first in Hamburg and then in Berlin, curated "The Avant-Garde Diaries / Transmission#1" with Raf Simons in Berlin at the beginning of last year. "When disaster struck in Fukushima and Tokyo Fashion Week was cancelled, we had the idea of bringing the designers involved to Berlin,â&#x20AC;&#x153; says Natalie Viaux. Under the title Tokyo Gakudan, almost 40 Japanese designers presented their work last July at Berlin Fashion Week and Premium, some of them in what was a vacant building at the time, and which now houses the Oukan conecpt store. This is how the tea bar became a concept store with fashion.

"Smart design and high-quality materials inspire me, as does genuine sustainability," says Natalie Viaux. "Things, in whose every detail you can tell that someone has made a real effort with its creation and finish." For example, candles and room fragrances from the Japanese label T.A.S., ceramic bowls from Simplicity and wooden bowls intricately painted with pigmented varnish in neon colours by Kuichiro Kimura. And along with this, cermaics by Hedwig Bollhagen in the Bauhaus Design of the '20s and '30s, which have an equally timeless effect. The fashion goods in the store come predominantly from Europe, some from Hussein Chalayan, Ayzit Bostan, T-Michael from Norway or, from autumn onwards, Damir Doma, a German designer from Paris who uses layering in a modern way.

Natalie Viaux would no longer want to create a pure gallery. However, she can enjoy having a link with art in her store, seeing as many objects come across as art in any case. "Things I display must have substance," says Natalie Viaux, "and shouldn't be mere entertainment. That would not be enough for me."

Lawyers and Creative Connoisseurs. Your body is your temple, is Oukan's philosophy, a headline for everything in the store. Starting with a matcha tea at the bar, an intense green tea, which is said to have an antioxidant effect, then on to a typical Japanese bento box for lunch, as a vegetarian dish, or with fish. At lunch time during the week, there is always something going on at Oukan, where lawyers and office workers from the institutions around mingle colourfully with creative connoisseurs. Those who come here, appreciate the unique, this also applies to the rest of our range in the concept store.

Oukan Concept store for Japanese & International Avant-Garde.

Kronenstrasse 7, 10117 Berlin/Germany, www.oukan.de.

Opening: 27/10/2011.

Owner: Natalie Viaux. Staff: 5. Retail space: 300 sqm.

Womenswear: A.F., Vandeforst, Ayzit Bostan, Dummyhead Depaysemen, Hussein Chalayan, Mabuya Mabuya. a.o.

Menswear: BL 33 N, Dummyhead Depaysemen, Mabuya Mabuya, Norwegian Rain, Viridi-Anne a.o.

Accessories: includes Detaij, T.A.S., T.Michael a.o.

Special items: Cigno, Koichiro Kimura, Postalco, Simplicity, TRIFT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Design Objects by Judith Seng a.o.

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Those who shop here are looking for something out of the ordinary and don't need labels to feel confident.

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To See and Be Seen

Louis Maximilian / Amsterdam. Looking for a bit of the Mediterranean jet-set lifestyle in Amsterdam? Consider a visit to Louis Maximilian. Owner, Dwight Schenkers, offers high-quality fashion, accessories and champagne to style-loving men and women. Text: Miranda Hoogervorst. Photos: Louis Maximilian, Michael Graste

Dwight Schenkers: "I don't want any mainstream labels."

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n the ‘90s, Dwight became heavily inspired by innovative concept stores. As a dedicated lover of style and fashion, he then started developing the idea of creating his own fashion and design store.

After a career in the events business, Dwight decided, in 2010, that the time was right. In September 2011, he opened the concept store Louis Maximilian (LM). Moving from events to fashion wasn't a big step, he says: “In the event business, it is very important to combine passion, experience and style into beautiful events. That's what I want to do in my store: to offer people an experience of style and beauty.”

Delicious Luxury. LM is located on Haarlemmerdijk (honored as

one of 2012's best Dutch shopping streets), a fifteen minute walk from the central station. For 127 years, the location was home to Amsterdam patisserie Beune and filled with mouth-watering goodies.

The mouth-watering factor is still there. The entrance seduces visitors with luxury products like Zarb Champagne, Mykita sunglasses and design books. After the entrance, the store is split into two large floors. The basement floor houses men's collections and a cosy bar, and the upper floor is for the women’s collections. It’s easy for both men and women to completely update their wardrobes at LM, from underwear, tops and trousers to shoes, outer wear, hats and bags. LM even has stylish coats and boots for rainy days. LM sells mainly niche products and focuses on high quality. Dwight:" I'd rather not have the well-known, popular, mainstream brands in-store. It is important to keep the selection pretty exclusive and to a high level of quality.

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The few bigger names are here because of their outstanding style and quality. " VIP Treatment. Dwight loves to organize special events. They are

perfect for the "buzz" around LM and also for competing with online stores. There's something going on at LM every two or three weeks. Dwight: “Nowadays, you have to give clients something extra besides a very high level of service. That's what they expect from us, and from the brands we present. For example, we organize Ladies' Sundays. Last time, we spoiled our female clients with manicures.

We also run events in cooperation with the brands. We ran an event with Officine Creative to tell clients more about the concept and craftsmanship behind the shoes.”

Of course, real jet-setters don't need 'reasons' to have a good time.

Being surrounded by beautiful design, high-tech gadgets and bottles of champagne will do. That alone makes LM an interesting place to see and be seen. Unfortunately, LM does not do valet parking. Well, not yet.

Louis Maximilian. Haarlemmerdijk 156, Amsterdam / The Netherlands, T 0031,20,7531571, www.louismaximilian.nl.

Opening: September 2011. Owner: Dwight Schenkers.

Retail space: 130 sqm. Staff: 3.

Labels: 7d, Clarks Originals, Daniele Alessandrini, Dondup, Eau d’Italie, Folk, Under Underwear, Giancarlo Rossi, HTC, Ilse Jacobsen, Kuro Jeans, Laboratorio Olfattivo, Matthew Williamson, Mykita, Raf Simons, Resteröds, Roberto Collina, Schiesser, Stutterheim Raincoats, teNeues, Volta.

Shoes: Officine Creative, Clarks, Shoes for Two, Amsterdam Etiquette.

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Louis Maximilian wants to provide more than top service.

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Restored bricks from the imperial and royal era are the highlight of the store concept.

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Appealing Contrasts

Lola im Ersten / Vienna. Those who travel to Milan, Paris or London, are bound to allocate the inspirations they come across there to fashion. This was also the case for Edita Benedek, who demonstrated her weakness for international It labels by opening her own store in Vienna. Text: Jeanette Fuchs. Photos: Lola im Ersten

Edita Benedek has a soft-spot for It labels that are internationally hot.

T

he fashion enthusiast describes herself as stubborn. Even as a six year old girl, she knew exactly what she wanted to wear. It was only a couple years later that the idea of opening her own fashion store grew into a dream she pursued ambitiously. Along the way, this Viennese woman was inspired by hip stores in big metropolises and events in the fashion world.

High Fashion Beside St. Peter’s Church. In the store, which is simply called Lola and wears the first district of Vienna as a decorative accessory, white is the dominant colour. The pale, round leather seats and lacquered furniture contrast with the exposed brick walls from the imperial and royal period. Contrasts that are also obvious outside the store: With its historical location beside St. Peter’s Church, at first glance, you would not suspect that internationally popular It labels like Winter Kate, House of Harlow 1960, Haute Hippie or T-Bags have found a new home behind white lacquered window frames, between steel shelves and multicoloured wall lights.

"The decision to open up a fashion store with internationally-coveted brands in my home town was strategic on the one hand, but also a very personal desire on the other, a desire to make it possible for women living here to have access to high-fashion brands that have just captured Hollywood," says the ambitious entrepreneur. The labels Winter Kate and House of Harlow 1960 by neo-designer Nicole Richie fit in perfectly with this concept. Items from her shoe and sunglasses collections are only available, in Austria, at Lola im Ersten. A fact, which by no means takes from the other labels available at Lola, Edith Benedek puts an abundance of love into the sensitive selection of brands.

Cosmopolitan Patriotism. Along with US brands like Haute Hip-

pie, T-Bags and Doma, Australian and French fashion is also repre-

sented by such brands as One Teaspoon and Iro. And, despite the international focus of brand portfolio, there is also a touch of nostalgic, patriotic solidarity: "The first district seems to have been made for Lola. The square by St. Peter’s Church, in particular, emanates a certain type of romance, which suits us very well,'' says the founder of Lola. Edita Benedek sees her store as the beginning of something small, from which, day by day and bit by bit, something bigger should grow.

Come In, Get Dressed, Be Loved. The motto that greets Lola

customers serves one purpose above all others: To make customers feel comfortable. "In such a small space, it was important to me that store have an open and friendly effect, but without forgoing high quality, " says the business-like Viennese woman, who feels most comfortable in jeans and a simple top. Lola should appeal to women who love the modern lifestyle and who dress in a sophisticated and trendy way. The scope here is possibly very big: An extravagant, glamorous look, urban street style or casual wear is available to trend setters of all ages for prices ranging from 70 to 1,500 euros. Lola for men? "Yes, why not? Many of my male customers ask me this very often. But then the name Lola might prove to be too sweet for men."

Lola im Ersten. Freisingergasse 1, 1010 Vienna/Austria.

Opening: September 2011.

Owner: Edita Benedek. Staff: 1. Retail space: 43 sqm.

Labels: CC Skye, Deepa Gurnani, Doma, Haute Hippie, House of Harlow 1960, Iro, One Teaspoon, Superfine, Sauce, T-Bags, Winter Kate.

Accessories: CC Skye, Deepa Gurnani, House of Harlow 1960.

Shoes: House of Harlow 1960, Iro.

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After the conversion, Dahm & Sch채dler presents a clean and modern look for a sophisticated range.

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Change as a Constant

Dahm & Schädler / Trier. For Gerd Guillaume, the one thing that you must do to manage a traditional establishment successfully is: not stand still. His company Dahm & Schädler, founded by his grandfather in 1932, is the best proof of this. Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Dahm & Schädler

Gerd Guillaume manages the business in its third generation with entrepreneurial daring.

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ewly refurbished rooms at Dahm & Schädler exude an atmosphere of modern elegance and set a tone of understated perfection. With large Italian Travertine tiles and merchandise fixtures lit from below it’s just as Gerd Guillaume pictured it.

And yet, behind the modern establishment lies a long company history. Opened by Josef Schädlero and his business partner Theo Dahm in 1932, Heinz Guillaume took over the business in the '70s.

He made the bold step of adding a women's department to the pure, classic menswear range that existed at the time. This was a demonstration of his entrepreneurial daring, a basic principle adopted by his son Gerd Guillaume too. In 2002, two years after taking over the business, Gerd Guillaume started the first major renovation that also marked a change in the product range. "We wanted to be more individual, making ourselves unique", says Gerd Guillaume. By removing common labels carried by his competitors he set himself apart.

Individual and Distinctive. "Womenswear is far more dynamic, it increases numbers", says Gerd Guillaume. As a result, he expanded the department to 600 square metres following its conversion in the spring. The menswear department received an injection of new energy too, soaring to new heights with the additions of labels such as Tagliatore, Boglioli, Aglini, Monochrom and Notify.

The city of Trier has a rich history and the town is shaped by frequent day-trippers. Dahm & Schädler benefit from the tourism thanks to the prime location in the pedestrian area. But the regular clientèle from Trier and the surrounding area are more important,

especially those from neighbouring Luxembourg. This clientèle is rapidly growing, obviously because the ambitious new direction has hit the nail on the head. As a result, Dahm & Schädler's turnover within the last eight years has practically doubled, even though the retail space has only been increased by 250 square metres.

Despite this success, Gerd Guillaume is thinking ahead. Opened in 1993, next year will mark it’s 20th anniversary and a new store carrying a sportier range will open on the parallel street. To be named, Guillaume the sibling stores will both fuse into this new name. “The name is a better vehicle for fashion and is more suitable for nearby Luxembourg", says Gerd Guillaume. But for him, having a business that carries his name is also a personal statement.

Dahm & Schädler. Fleischstrasse 67, 54290 Trier/Germany, www.dahm-schaedler.de.

Founded 22th March 1932, Conversion finished 8th March 2012.

Owner: Gerd Guillaume. Retail space: approx. 1,100 sqm.

Staff: around 30.

Labels womenswear: incl. 1921, Adriano Goldschmied, Aglini, Boglioli, Boss Black, Caliban, Closed, Drykorn, Eleventy, Gimo’s, Hugo, L.B.M. 1911, Liebig, Mabrun, Majestic, Monochrom, Peuterey, Polo Ralph Lauren, Strenesse Gabriele Strehle, Tagliatore, Velvet, Woolrich Labels menswear: incl. 1921, Adriano Goldschmied, Aglini, Allude, Belstaff, Boglioli, Boss Black, Boss Selection, Burberry Brit, Caliban, Closed, Drykorn, Gimo’s, Hugo, Joop, L.B.M. 1911, Moncler, Monochrom, Peuterey, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tagliatore, Van Laack, Woolrich, Z Zegna Accessories: incl. Ludwig Reiter, Marjana von Berlepsch, Orciani, Pantofola d’Oro, Post&Co, Reptile’s House.

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Despite its new appearance, Schmitt & Lair has kept the expertise of the classic gentlemen's outfitters.

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Modern, but not Fashionable

Schmitt & Lair / Innsbruck. Glass instead of cherrywood: The gentlemen's outfitters Schmitt & Lair in Innsbruck are now reflecting the gradual transformation of their range with a total revamp of the interior.

Text: Jeanette Fuchs. Photos: Schmitt & Lair

From classic menswear to fashion for modern men: Hannes Schmitt sets a new course.

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oving with the times while still keeping authenticity – a challenge that many long-established companies have to face. And this was no different for the gentlemen's outfitters Schmitt & Lair in Innsbruck, owned by the Schmitt family since 1983. Hannes Schmitt paved the way with the ambitious face-lift which took a mere four weeks: "The business had been set up in the old British style. Over the years, with our expertise as a classic gentleman's outfitters we have evolved into a gentlemen's fashion store with trendsetting labels for the modern man. Remodelling was a logical step in the evolution process." The first harbinger of this new age in the House of Schmitt was the face of the building, refurbished in 2006. The glass opened up the front, suddenly drawing in a new circle of customers beside the faithful regulars. "Top Tyrolean industrialists are just as much part of our customer base today as the 17-year old Burberry fan", says Schmitt who took over the business in 1994 from his father.

Individual Shop Design with Patina. With the aim of creating a

timeless and minimalistic interior, the Tyrolean business man found a like-minded partner in Andreas Eccli from the fashion agency Conex. "You don't have to do much explaining to somebody from the industry", says Schmitt regarding the luke-warm ideas from system shop fitters and interior decorators. He spent about six months perfecting his ideas for the shop with Eccli, the dominant cherrywood falling by the wayside, replaced by an open appearance.

Demands were met in respecting the style and tradition of the house with carefully selected furnishings – furniture and lamps from the '30s and '40s, Venetian chandeliers made from Murano glass, a deerskin-covered armchair as well as a glass staircase that serves as a podium for presentations. The oiled, herringbone-patterned parquet flooring and the vegetable-tanned leather – used against the interior decorator's advice – provide a warm atmosphere with patina. An

interior which will benefit from the passage of time and will look as though it always belonged there.

Service with a Capital S. A more modern direction of Schmitt & Lair became apparent during the conversion and was also part of the learning curve. "In a classic gentlemen's outfitters you would serve the customer, not show him garments", says the owner whose preferred outfit is chinos, a white shirt and a casual jacket. They learned not to serve customers immediately and to provide space between the garments for them to browse around. But the personal advice service that the long-standing team of colleagues provides – headed principally by Peter Klingler who has been with Schmitt & Lair for 40 years – has certainly not died out and still continues to be one of the core competencies of the Innsbruck gentlemen's outfitters. "Our closure rate is very high", Schmitt underlines the importance of the service. Only the made-to-measure department has suffered owing to the wide range of sizes on offer. Nevertheless, the two permanently employed dressmakers have been provided a visible and valued platform by integrating the tailoring section into the sales area. The fact that half of his customers bring their wives with them is a welcome step for Schmitt: "Any objections are made immediately and then they are able to decide on a different item together."

Schmitt & Lair. Anichstrasse 4, 6020, Innsbruck/Austria.

Conversion: February 2012. Owner: Mag. Hannes Schmitt.

Staff: 10. Retail space: 350 sqm.

Labels: Andrea d’Amico, Artico, Aspesi, Burberry, Canali, Capobianco, Cavalleria Toscana, ChatCwin, Crick It, Della Ciana, Dressler, Drumohr, Eleventy, Fay, Fausto Colato, Hackett, Henry Cotton’s, Herno, Hiltl, Jacob Cohen, Lardini, Mabrun, Moncler, n.d.c., Orciani, Parajumpers, PT01, Santoni, Serafini, Seven, Stenströms, Sun 68, Tombolini, Truzzi Sport, Van Laack, Vilebrequin, Zanieri.

Labels Footwear & Accessories: B.belt, Burberry, Crick it, Fausto Colato, Hackett, n.d.c., Orciani, Ortigni, Santoni, Serafini.

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Zip Me Up and Get Me Some Bubbly Darling

Daen's / Utrecht. Presenting a beautiful lifestyle is a popular motivation for entrepreneurs to open a fashion store. It's also why Willem van Oostrum opened Daen's. With three entrepreneurial projects in one, he manages to bring back the long lost life into 'lifestyle'. Text: Miranda Hoogervorst. Photos: Daen's

Willem loves food and fashion and has managed to combine them in a fantastic location. It's so easy to spend the whole afternoon at Daen's.

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aen's is located in the centre of Utrecht, that lovely city in the middle of The Netherlands famous for its canals and Dom tower. On the outside of the building is an old sign that reveals its former function: a fire department. In honour of those days, Daen's (the name refers to Willem's dog that sadly passed away last year just before the re-opening) has two big fire truck toys for kids. The location is still 'hot': During the summer the terrace is bathed in sunlight from dusk till dawn. The interior of Daen's is inspired by Scandinavian minimalistic design. Vintage design chairs, straight lines and dark, sober colours create a clean yet inviting space.

Between stores is a wall with large glass arches allowing people to see what's happening on the other side.

Great Gifts for Great Friends. When it comes to brands, Willem

has changed style through the years. Ten years ago his collection may have been described as a little bit classic, nowadays Willem and his team sell 'dressed casual' men's and women's labels like Paul Smith Black and Mainline, Tiger of Sweden, Bellerose, Avelon and Denham.

Besides fashion, shoes, leather bags and purses, there is a selection of inspirational presents. 'Eco chic' perfumes by Honoré des Prés and delicate necklaces from Martine Viergever with funny silver hangers (think chewed-on-pen-lids and hairpins) make original gifts, just like Carine Roitfeld's Irreverent and the design book The Selby is in your place. A low vintage wooden cabinet holds smaller accessories like Paul Smith's famous cufflinks.

Drink, Dress, Dream... With an extensive re-styling of Daen's

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sure knows how to take the style of life to another level. The next level is in progress: A hotel room in the former storage space on the ground floor with a large window on the street side. When it's not booked for sleepovers, it will also function as a stylish showroom.

Outside, on the opposite side of the square, is an empty building (currently a squat) soon to be transformed into a boutique hotel.

Not a bad view for Willem's clientele in future.

Lured in by the lovely terrace in the summer and the smell of freshly made soups and fried bacon, newcomers will most likely first encounter the wine and coffee bar. Once inside they'll discover Daen's fashion store as well. Shop assistants Marloes and Lize: "This combination works very well, for couples too. While he enjoys his wine, she tries on a dress and shows it to him through the window."

The dressing rooms are right next to the glass wall. Smart thinking.

'Darling, zip me up and get us a bottle of bubbly please!'

Daen's. Korte Minrebroederstraat 13-17, Utrecht/The Netherlands, www.daens.nl Re-opening: September 2011 (shop), February 2012 (bar).

Owner: Willem van Oostrum. Team: 7 (shop), 6 (bar).

Sales area: 80 sqm (shop), 60 sqm (bar).

Fashion: Anecdote, Avelon, Bellerose, Denham, Dutchess, French Connection, Good People, Paul Smith (all lines), Royal Republiq, Tiger of Sweden a.o.

Shoes, Accessories: Charlotte Wooning, Martine Viergever, New Balance, Smaak, Vico a.o.

Other: Apartamento, Fantastic Man, Gentle Woman, Honoré des Prés, Marvis a.o.

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Wine, food, music: What else could you wish for after a shopping spree?

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168 EDITOR'S LETTER /// ABOUT US

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The Human Factor

wo-men’s fashion

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

By Stephan Huber, Publisher style in progress

Management Stephan Huber Nicolaus Zott

Editors-in-chief Stephan Huber stephan.huber@ucm-verlag.at Martina Müllner martina.muellner@ucm-verlag.at Managing editor Alexandra Hawel alexandra.hawel@ucm-verlag.at

B

ad pay, modest promotion prospects, unattractive working hours, low social prestige – just a brief and provocative run-down of the job as a fashion seller from the public's point of view.

That is disastrous! Why on earth should young people, especially if they're wanting to make a longterm decision on their choice of job, decide on such a career under conditions like these? The reasons for this, I'll repeat it again, DISASTROUS development are many and varied. Home-grown on the one hand, especially as people have been downgraded to a cost factor in the retail market. Considerations seemed to revolve more about how much money can be saved in the personnel field than thinking about how much you can gain THROUGH personnel. One factor which mustn't be underestimated was and is an educational debate which denigrates education outside the A-Level and/or degree route as a Plan B for the unfortunate intellectually challenged. And then there's a parallel world of media that tricks young people into believing they can be rich and famous without lifting a finger, all it needs is for somebody to wake the slumbering talent the whole world has been anxiously waiting for.

So, against a background like this, it's not really surprising that the hunt for qualified staff, or at least those with training potential, has also become more difficult, even for respected houses. In the increasingly fierce competition with the online retail market, vertical trading concepts and aggressively priced clothing chains, the informed, motivated seller, i.e. the human factor, is the key USP. It was once written here in all seriousness that to a large extent our industry depends on selling things to consumers that they actually don't need but ideally want. Or they don't even know that they want something or the wanting factor, that is to say the emotional need, is first triggered by an impulse. This impulse can be the weather. But you shouldn't go putting too much faith in that any more. This impulse can be the product or the label. But the specialist store should be able to put its faith in that because the consumer, in other words me, finds products or labels on the

312 style in progress

internet absolutely inflationary nowadays. However, despite all the technical bells and whistles with the relevant tools, despite all individualisation, what you CAN'T find on the internet is the Human Factor, somebody who can tell me a credible story about those things that I don't need. The Human Factor who can give me an honest opinion about the item I've just tried on and now doesn't find it that suitable.

And who then goes on to ask me whether he might possibly show me something else. Because he knows what I bought the last time. Because he's talked with me about other subjects completely apart from jeans and jackets that I've tried on and knows me!

Or because he WANTS to get to know me. Because he has internalised the most important characteristic of a successful seller, that is to say, taking an interest in people.

There is a difference between being welcomed by name by a person or welcomed by a computer. There is a crucial, emotional difference between whether it's a person who is doing the recommending and explaining to me personally or whether a very cleverlydesigned computer programme is listing what other consumers it has identified as similar to me have also bought.

In a breathless, confusing world, which is in many respects anonymous and dehumanised, the longing for something real will grow. This is a logical response.

Because man is a social being. This is a great opportunity with real potential for speciality stores. So to be able to tap into this potential, it's not enough to have a smart, individual range, a great shop and enormous personal commitment from the owner, what the speciality store needs most are people with a passion for strenuous, demanding, but also exciting work and the art of selling.

Many recognised this a long time ago, many have never done it any different. Not only do these businesses provide their staff with a decent wage, they also provide them with training and professional development opportunities. That's expensive! But investing in people is often money well spent.

stephan.huber@ucm-verlag.at

Art direction/production Elisabeth Prock-Huber elisabeth@ucm-verlag.at Contributing writers Elisabeth Bärnthaler Ditte Bringo-Bachmann Petrina Engelke Isabel Faiss Jeanette Fuchs Miranda Hoogervorst Claudia Janka Ina Köhler Kay Alexander Plonka Sonja Ragaller Nicoletta Schaper Dörte Welti Photographers Florian Harrer Andreas Hechenberger Ben Lamberty Stefan Milev 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 editor Nichole Barner English translations Petrina Engelke, transmit-Deutschland Printing Laber Druck, Salzburg Printing coordinator Manfred Reitenbach Account info Volksbank Salzburg 105 627 BLZ 45010

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