style in progress 1/2023 – STRELLSON

“WE EMBRACE CHANGE”

Marino Edelmann started reorienting Strellson about three years ago: more progressive, younger, and smartly aligned with the zeitgeist. He generated momentum for Strellson by reconciling brand perception with customers. Strellson underlined the dynamic of its newly defined collection last year in its collaboration with e­sports platform Oviation.

“I decided three years ago that we were capable of cranking up the pace in the fashion stakes,” says Marino Edelmann, Managing Brand Director Strellson, describing the potential that courage has in fashion – especially when addressing a young target group.

Strellson continues to inch closer to its customers season after season, and an increasing number of them are Gen Z. This generation is fuelling the success of D2C brands, as well as the paradigm shift within the market, like no other. How are you reacting to these developments?

Marino Edelmann, Managing Brand Director of Strellson: Personally, I consider this a very complex issue and certainly the most significant paradigm shift in recent years. In the past, the buyer was a gatekeeper of sorts who decided what would ultimately reach the market. Today, consumers themselves decide what they like and what they want to wear. We quickly realised, even at the onset of the social media age, that the customer now has greater decision-making power than the buyer. I am delighted with this development, as it is very honest and genuine. D2C channels generate brand awareness much faster and introduce a new dynamic to the market, which also drives us to move forward. And that not only applies to streetwear, but spreads across the whole of menswear as a zeitgeist phenomenon. This is one of the reasons why ready-to-wear is experiencing a revival.

What does that mean content-wise, especially for the collection and your sales channels?

Our own D2C channels reveal that topics that may be irrelevant to buyers are performing fantastically online, or that topics that were initially successful online are becoming relevant to retailers. We plan to commercialise TikTok on a trial basis this year, not least to gauge to what extent this is feasible with our customers. Our main focus at the moment, however, is the continuous improvement of our online shop in terms of usability and implementing a high­quality visual language. The traffic and exposure of our web shop are extremely high, and it is once again growing at a high double­digit rate this year. Moreover, I am convinced that our communication and presentation via these channels also benefit our retail partners, as it stimulates brand appeal and sales on the floor.

Last year, you gained Ovation eSports, one of the biggest gaming platforms in Switzerland, as a partner. What are the plans in this regard?

The first step was to generate reach through this cooperation and our social media channels, and now we are really stepping up the pace. Ovation helped establish contact with numerous content creators and gamers. I believe this is essential to remain close to that particular target group and highlight our brand within that audience. You need a keen sense for this type of customer, and, above all, you need to engage. Listening, being open, and accepting that things are different now is certainly a very important first step.