So Much More

They open doors, whet appetites, and build foundations. They help, mediate, and make decisions. They solve crises, smooth the waters, and build bridges. The position of agents has never been as undisputed as now. Last year in particular, they significantly outgrew their role as mere brokers.

Text: Janaina Engelmann-Brothánek, Martina Müllner-Seybold. Illustration: Simona Gala Baronti

ENGAGE EMOTIONALLY

Marc Kofler, owner of Adventure Fashion

“I have been saying that the next order round will be the most challenging for three seasons. At the end of the day, I was always surprised by how well our customers responded. It is important to engage retailers emotionally. Our task remains to whet their appetite. I believe we succeeded. Naturally, this holds particularly true for new brands, because the budgets are allocated more carefully after so many closures. It takes convincing. However, our job is made easier by the fact that our partners trust us greatly in this respect.”

TOGETHER

Marion Hoferer, owner of MODEist

“We have already been focusing on deeper collaboration with our main brands for a few seasons alongside the classic agency model. Given that we are actively involved in shaping collections, one brand blends perfectly into the other. As a result, the collections look like a comprehensive product range in the showroom, not like individual collections by various labels. This, in turn, complements the way we work perfectly – a blend of enthusiasm and idealism.”

PARTNERSHIP

Matthias Schwarte, owner of Agentur Schwarte

“The core idea of our business remains unchanged in crises. I firmly believe partnerships are the most important assets – loyalty to both brands and retailers. The only way is to establish a solid relationship with both sides. When there is a need for more dialogue and solutions, as is currently the case, I think a certain generosity on all sides is equally indispensable.”

CONVEYING (TREND) SECURITY

Anna Zoi Rybinsky, co-owner of Meier & Rybinsky

“Right now, the most important tasks are clear communication and reassurance. We agents are the link between suppliers and customers. It is our job to help with all issues from returns, exchanges, and re-orders, to all bureaucratic aspects related to the collections. As retailers and buyers are forced to travel less, we agents are now increasingly assuming the role of trend scouts – and we are glad that our partners trust us to do so.”

TRADE UNION

Enzo Cagol, owner of Agentur Cagol

“We are experiencing tremendous solidarity – a new unity among suppliers, retailers, and agencies. We are almost a trade union, interested in everyone’s success and willing to work hard for it. We agents have more opportunities to act as mediators again, compensating and appeasing when things no longer run smoothly. We spend loads of time on the phone and in calls to support both retailers and suppliers, for example in terms of goods exchange and payment deferral.”

STRONGER NETWORKS

Elvis Giglione, owner of Elvis Fashion Agency

“Due to an increasing deluge of digital information, it is all the more important to maintain an excellent network. The agency in the role of trendsetter and middleman, with a profound know-how regarding the product, the manufacturers, and processes, as well as a close connection to the brand‘s roots, is more important than ever. A trust-based cooperation, both with retailers and manufacturers, is indispensable in order to reconcile the interests of both sides as effectively as possible.”

TEAMPLAY

Henrik Soller, co-owner of Komet und Helden

“Last year pushed all of us in the industry to our limits. I don’t just mean financially, but also in terms of personnel and personally. That makes the current pragmatic cohesion all the more important, be it with retailers or the industry. You almost have the feeling that everyone knows now is the time to play as a team. Egos can return later.”

A TREASURE

Bernard Waage, owner of Select Studio

“Valuable feedback, figures, data, facts across all sales channels, a daily updated market overview, important insights from all perspectives… we agencies are the key to this treasure trove of information. This is a huge asset we should be mindful of, especially when dealing with international suppliers. We multi-label agencies not only collect this information, but we can also draw conclusions across all categories and segments that positively influence performance in our market.”