Times Two

Times Two. Bungalow/Stuttgart

Everything has finally fallen into place. Bungalow in Stuttgart has given women their own space - at the same address, yet still

completely separated. Text: Martina Müllner. Photos: Bungalow

Next year, Bungalow will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a huge party. In summer 2015, Uwe Maier gave himself a gift in advance. He established a completely separate sales floor for women’s fashion, at the same address. “We could have only expanded our women’s section at the expense of the men’s area, which really wouldn’t have made any sense.” But let’s start at the beginning. In 2012, Uwe Maier entered the women’s fashion market with Bungalow Bel Etage, a store on the first floor above a well-known inner-city club. “Maybe I was a little too confident. It was also difficult for me to handle, because the location was far away.” This led to Bungalow unceremoniously integrating the women’s range into the initial store, which meant that the men’s area was suddenly extremely full. Uwe Maier always told his landlord, a household goods store, that he would gladly take whatever extra space becomes available. When the household goods store moved its incoming goods department to a green-field site, the time for expansion had finally come. However, there was the small matter of reducing the harsh industrial backyard atmosphere and delicate feminine fashion to a common denominator. This was a mere finger exercise for Dongus Architects, the lighting specialists Pslab, and Uwe Maier. “We know each other well. We create original concepts quickly by exchanging ideas.” Examples include a lush, planted facade, the central lighting object made of brass, and the well-placed modern antiques throughout the store.

The Multi-Brand Niche

Stuttgart has fallen in love with Bungalow, mainly because of its internationality with First Lines by the likes of Tom Ford, Saint Laurent, and Céline, in combination with exciting items by Kitsuné or Common Projects. Seeing that these brands are showcased in a backyard, the fine items instantly seem a bit cooler, which breaks down the fears some potential customers

may have in terms of high-end fashion. The regular comparisons with stores in New York and the high customer loyalty are no coincidence. “We have realised that our customers adore this multi-brand niche. Here, they can find something that department stores and mono-brand shops lack.” Some of those aspects include competent

Bungalow

Stiftstrasse 1a, 70173 Stuttgart/Germany www.bungalow-stuttgart.de, www.bungalow-gallery.com Opening: August 2015 Owner: Uwe Maier (managing partner), Lars Presche, Hans Peter Reichert (both co-owners) Employees: 4 full-time, 10 part-time Sales area: 200 sqm Brands for women: Acne Studios, Bottega Veneta, Céline, Chloé, Common Projects, Frame Denim, Kitsuné, Lanvin, Marni, Moncler, Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Thomas Maier Accessories brands: Dick Moby, Saskia Diez, Sumikaneko, Tsatsas, Vanessa Baroni, Und Gretel advice, a product selection with character, and an interior with a distinct handwriting. Thankfully, the new store now adds spaciousness to the list. “We haven’t really expanded our product range significantly. We basically showcase the same amount of goods, but present then more attractively. We allow ourselves the luxury of not planning out every square metre, which means that our customers can actually walk a few metres before running into the next clothes rail.” The store has only added one or two new designer brands to date. However, Uwe Maier is “on the lookout for small niche products, like the men’s range already has. You need a bit of space to present such products, to showcase them separately.” That space is available now.

Uwe Maier opened Bungalow, which is rightfully considered to be one of Germany’s top fashion stores, (almost) ten years ago.

Sleeves Up & Go! Die Stiefväter/ Lucerne

“Generation Y” you say? No way! Those young entrepreneurs, who know that success is always based on a lot of hard work, still exist. Dominik Schmid and Enea von Fellenberg decided to go all in and dedicated their lives to the realisation of a dream.

Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: Anja Wurm

It all started with the vision of an independent catering business. Dominik Schmid, a qualified coiffeur with a publican license, and Enea von Fellenberg, a professional chef, initially met while enjoying the nightlife of Lucerne. Although the city located on the shores of Vierwaldstädter Lake has quite a few bars and inns, it nevertheless lacks one that really rocks. The money was still scarce when the two were offered a location that was a little too small for a pub. Dominik and Enea decided to take up the offer anyway. The plan was to earn enough money to realise their restaurant dream down the line. While knocking back a few beers, the two came up with the name “Die Stiefväter” (“The Stepfathers”), combined with the clever caption “Your Guardian of Style”. They equipped the premises with two hairdressing stations, fashion items, and a few accessories. Dominik, who has Thai heritage, knew quite a few textile producers back home; if doesn’t get more sustainable than that. The store stocked up with a fine selection of brands and then finally opened its doors to the public. The boys had to work hard, very hard indeed! Dominik had to perform no less than 100 haircuts per week, mainly because the prices - 39 Swiss Francs for women and 29 Swiss Francs for men - attracted a lot of business. The cuts aren’t extravagant; it’s a simple “cut & go” concept. The young entrepreneurs had to share the 240 Swiss Francs rent for a tiny apartment without heating and warm water, kept their fixed costs low, and marketed themselves by combining music, another shared passion (Dominik once played in a band called “GeilerAsDu”), with Enea’s skills and organising various events. The news spread quickly. “Die Stiefväter” soon earned a reputa

Die Stiefväter

Hirschengraben 11, 6003 Lucerne/Switzerland www.diestiefvaeter.com Opening: November 2012 Owners: Dominik Schmid, Enea von Fellenberg Employees: 1 Brands: Cheap Monday, Desires, Eviltwin, Metallic Tattoos, Minkpink, Nude Audio, Timi Jewelry, Vagabond, Ynoru

tion for being an extraordinary store, as well as a location for cool record launches, extravagant parties, and a hell of a lot of fun. The boys even organised readings to ensure that the cultural aspect is not neglected. The young urban clientele loved the store, which is incidentally located opposite a vocational school, where Enea completed his leaving certificate simultaneously. The people of Lucerne talk to each other. Enea’s landlord - the two businessman were able to afford separate lodgings by that time - knew about their restaurant dream and had a former punk rock bar available. One thing led to another. The “Metzgerhalle”, a location with 90 seats, opened on the 14th of March 2015. Naturally, it is an ideal venue for music and even boasts a garden area. Dominik and Enea did all the renovation work, built the furniture, and worked their socks off. Today, it’s impossible not to notice the gleam in their eyes when they are given a chance to talk about their project. Alongside all this activity, Enea managed to create an independent bag brand called “Ynoru”, which is now available in the store. The original shop will remain open, especially as “Metzgerhalle” currently only opens at 4pm on weekdays. It is open continuously on Saturdays, while it is a brunch bistro on Sundays. That still leaves sufficient time for haircuts and school exams.