Complete

Complete.

Apropos The Concept Store/Hamburg. Following the enlargement of the store for women in Cologne, the luxury fashion retailers Daniel Riedo and Klaus Ritzenhöfer have opened their second store in Hamburg. The store, which is in close proximity of the Alster river, is dedicated to men’s fashion.

Text: Martina Müllner-Seybold. Photos: Apropos The Concept Store

The architects Rodolphe Parente and Benjamin Liatoud, as well as Architekturbüro Unzen, were given no limits: exclusive materials and selected design objects are combined with bold colours and special features such as a fully mirrored dressing room.

It seems there is no end to the expansion process. After the main store in Cologne was extended by 100 square metres, Daniel Riedo and Klaus Ritzenhöfer turned their attention to Hamburg once more. Their store for women (Neuer Jungfernstieg 16) now has a “little brother” dedicated to men’s fashion merely ten house numbers up the road. “We have identified untapped potential in Hamburg in the designer segment for men”, Ritzenhöfer says while explaining the expansion plans of the company. The network of Apropos thus comprises six concept stores in Cologne (2), Düsseldorf, Munich, and Hamburg (2), as well as a Gucci franchise store in Cologne. On an area of 250 square metres, the demanding clientele of Hamburg can browse through the proven special mix of the concept store chain. In addition to fashion by brands such as Balenciaga and Gucci, the store also boasts selected interior and grooming products. “It is a menswear store for all the senses that has, up until now, not existed in this form in Hamburg”, a company statement reads.

Room for Growth

The wealthy clientele of Hamburg can certainly not complain about a lack of choice. Nevertheless, Apropos The Concept Store plugs a gap in the Hanseatic city. The owners, Klaus Ritzenhöfer and Daniel Riedo, stress that they brought “the best international menswear brands” from their designer range to Hamburg. The store that the two entrepreneurs chose for this expansion step was formerly occupied by Rena Lange. It is fortunate that Apropos The Concept Store, an independent multi-brand retailer, moved into the premises. No matter whether you look at Tesla, Nespresso, or - most recently - Lidl’s pop-up store on “Neuer Wall”, it is has become increasingly rare to find fashion retailers in the city’s luxury locations. The high rental fees, which conglomerates tend to declare as a marketing expense, can barely be generated by independent fashion retailers. The landscape of mono-label stores, which can be found all over the globe, is very rarely penetrated by individual concepts these days. It is therefore all the more gratifying that Apropos The Concept Store heeded the call of its customers. Henning Korb, the head buyer and managing director of the Hamburg branch, explains: “There are already very beautiful haberdasheries out there; they are all well-run and functioning businesses. However, there was, until now, no concept store for men. This was not only proven by the countless men who visited our women’s store in the hope of finding a men’s department like the one in our stores in Cologne, Düsseldorf, or Munich, but also by the feedback we received from producers. Here in Hamburg, we started with exactly the same designer range we already offer in Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Munich. I believe that proves that there was a gap in the market that we have now plugged.” There are currently no plans for further expansion in Hamburg or in any of the other cities, according to the two owners: “Now we are complete.”

Apropos The Concept Store

Neuer Jungfernstieg 6 20354 Hamburg Germany www.apropos-store.com Opening: July 2016 Owners: Daniel Riedo, Klaus Ritzenhöfer Managing director: Henning Korb Brands for men: Balenciaga, Fendi, Gucci, John Varvatos, Moncler, OffWhite, Saint Laurent, Thom Browne, Valentino Accessories brands: Aqua di Parma, Assouline, Christian Louboutin, Cire Trudon, Fornasetti, John Derian, L’Objet, Manolo Blahnik