Just in Time

American Vintage. Just In Time

American Vintage. This year, American Vintage is celebrating its 10th anniversary and has decided to reward itself with the re-organisation of its operations in the German-speaking markets. The brand has decided to opt for its own sales team, an innovative scheduling concept, and a strategy that includes taking risks within partnerships. The brand is eager to introduce itself and its sophisticated complete collection. It’s worthwhile to listen carefully… Text: Isabel Faiss. Photos: American Vintage

“I set the bar high and I’m not afraid to take risks. We demand a high level of excellence from the products and from the collection”, says Michaël Azoulay, the founder and CEO of American Vintage, while describing the brand’s two main principles. Last September, Martina Schmidl, the wholesale director for Germany and Austria, assembled a new team to replace the previous importer. The in-house department operates via showrooms in Munich and Düsseldorf. Christian Teufl’s fashion agency was chosen as the brand representative for the Austrian market. “American Vintage is already very well-positioned in the German retail sector, but we are often perceived as a t-shirt brand. However, we offer a complete 450-piece collection for both men and women”, Martina Schmidl explains.

An Idea That Not Everyone Understood Initially What sounds like an uncomplicated description of American Vintage’s philosophy, is nevertheless a very courageous approach. Michaël Azoulay’s product philosophy is, after all, characterised by his willingness to shoulder risks for his customers quite deliberately. The concept is based on real-time orders. The order phase for spring/summer 2016 starts on the 15th of October and the delivery date is set at late December. The spring order starts early May, with deliveries scheduled for July and August. In between, the brand offers flash collections, which enable it to react to current trends and individual customer requests. For example, American Vintage currently offers a capsule collection for online image customers; the capsule collection consists of a handful of selected fashion items. While classic pre-orders do take place, approximately 70 percent of the collection - mostly basics - are already part of an NOS programme and can be readjusted on short notice depending on the order volume. This concept, as well as the fact that these items are produced in Europe, ensures that the products can be delivered within a few weeks. “At first it was difficult, because we were considered late compared to other brands, and then our clients didn’t have a sufficient budget left for us. But we are flexible and offer a real customer service; the clients do understand that it’s in their interest to collaborate with American Vintage.”

The First Step “Our goal is still the same as it was at the beginning: to continue to expand the brand. We want our international B2B market to grow and we strive to conquer new continents. We also want to further develop our retail network by opening new stores and establishing new shopin-shop concepts worldwide. The foundation of our German subsidiary is a first step”, Michaël Azoulay explains.

“We still have an eye on where we come from, but we prefer to look forward to the future.” Michaël Azoulay, CEO American Vintage .