098 IN STORE
Abseits polarises quite deliberately. This attitude is reflected in the extraordinary interior and the product range. The latter thrives on unusual fashion items.
The Great Gatsby. Abseits Germany/ Stuttgart. What a statement! Winni Klenk’s re-designed store really is something else. He certainly didn’t hold back. It’s confident, it’s compelling, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun. Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Abseits Germany
216 style in progress
It could have just as easily been a minimalist store with screed floor, a few clothes rails, and a couple of cubes, but Winni Klenk wanted something truly special. His investment has paid off. The new Abseits store is designed like the lounge of an upscale hotel. It boasts a fully glazed reception desk, a cool bar for indulging in a cup of coffee or a flute of sparkling wine, Hermès lamps, and expensive French wallpaper. The entire interior looks a lot more like a film set for The Great Gatsby than the cliché of Swabian frugality. Luxury and Trash
Winni Klenk is also not afraid of pushing his boundaries in terms of fashion. To this end, Abseits has become increasingly sophisticated over the last few years. “We want to sell better quality. We focus on unique pieces of the highest order. Our aim is to make a difference in the world of fashion”, Winni Klenk says with conviction. It therefore comes
as no surprise that the store’s product range is exceptionally exciting. It’s a bit rock & roll, not afraid of being extravagant, and definitely never boring. Customers will struggle to find grey sweaters and beige trousers here. Winni Klenk just loves picking the unusual elements of a collection. For women, he stocks jeans by Rag & Bone and R13, as well as the brands MSGM and N°21. He also offers high fashion by Valentino, See by Chloé, Kenzo, and Plein Sud. The product range is complemented with casual items by Sportmax and Tory Burch for slightly older customers. Winni Klenk knows that he needs to cover a broad spectrum in a city like Stuttgart. Here, you simply cannot specialise as you can in Munich or Hamburg. Furthermore, Stuttgart doesn’t offer many occasions for wearing spectacular robes that cost more than 1,000 Euros. For men, he stocks the likes of Balmain and Dsquared2. The latter has been
