Do B e t t e r – R e n e wa l
WHAT’S THE STORY
DANIEL HECHTER
FRIENDSHIP
Daniel Hechter questioned everything during its latest brand and strategy evaluation process. The conclusion is that the brand’s traditional values are wonderfully suitable for the future. Text: Martina Müllner-Seybold. Photos: Daniel Hechter
“P
lease don’t tell us what you think we want to hear,” was Philipp Aulbach’s assignment to the brand and strategy partners he had brought on board with his brother Stefan Aulbach. There was no urgent reason for this move. Ever since the Miltenberg-based textile dynasty Aulbach was given the chance to rise from licensee to the owner of the brand in 1998, many things have been going very well for the Franco-German company. It handles a total of 50 Daniel Hechter brand licenses in 65 countries. “As a former licensee, we knew exactly which adjustments we had to make to get the best out of each partnership,” Philipp Aulbach says. The brand is as well-ordered as the company itself. And yet: “We had never questioned Daniel Hechter as fundamentally as we did,” Stefan Aulbach adds. “Collection, presentation, B2B and B2C relationships - everything was placed under the microscope.”
With Daniel Hechter, the brothers Stefan and Philipp Aulbach manage a discreet global group. It sells its products on all five continents. The brand’s womenswear and menswear is sold in 700 stores and at 2,900 multi-brand retailers.
IN PARTNERSHIP
Given that market conditions have changed, the brand must change, distinguish itself, and show attitude. The management took time to think and analyse the situation in depth. The result can be seen, for example, in the Daniel Hechter Racing Suit and a Suit Separate programme. The latter utilises a high-tech material called 37.5, which was developed in co-operation with the Renault Formula 1 Team. The promotion involving a Formula 1 racing car (or an F1 simulator) was so successful that retailers became quite enthusiastic. A project to Aulbach’s taste, especially as changing the brand is not an end in itself. It is the company’s contribution to a prosperous future for both sides. Or rather: the laying of the foundation for such a prosperous future. What is particularly exciting is that the strategy evaluation
process unearthed that the term “friendship” is often used when talking about Daniel Hechter, both internally and externally. “This begins with the Franco-German friendship that we live and breathe within our company, which is manifested in corporate offices in Miltenberg and Paris. But the word ‘friendship’ is also often used by external partners,” Stefan Aulbach explains. Daniel Hechter is a company with handshake quality that has built up deep competence in all processes from design to sale. It is committed to partnership, but also knows that it’s only friendship when both sides benefit. The brand’s credo shows how modern this approach is: #together. style in progress
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