style in progress 3.16 EN

style in progress

#3/2016

ANINE BING

“IT’S THE NEW WAY.”

€ 6.90

Goodbye Sale. Is it Possible to End the Devaluation Spiral? /// Speed Kills. Clothing Should not be a Disposable Item /// The Retail Industry of Tomorrow. Big Data, Service, and the Power of the Niche /// Transformation. Change is Only Dangerous When One Fears It.

ROADTRIP THROUGH MONGOLIA

VISIT US PREMIUM BERLIN HALLE 3 - STAND E 05 PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO FORTEZZA DA BASSO - CENTRALE - F/10

by MEINDL

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KULTUR UND HANDWERK

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www.meindl-fashion.de / www.facebook.com/meindl.fashion / www.instagram.com/meindl_bekleidung

Manche Neuheiten hinterlassen

bleibende Spuren.

Luis Trenker präsentiert: die neuen Sneakers.

Und die Sommerkollektion 2017 Premium Berlin, 28.06.  30.06.2016 Halle 3, Stand E01

NEU Luis Trenker Showroom Deutschland Lodenfrey-Park, Osterwaldstraße 10 München

luistrenker.com | facebook.com/originalluisworld

006 EDITORIAL

Focus on the Customer

Cover photo: Therese Ohrvall

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Welcome to these lines.

In our Longview interview a few years ago, Natalie Massenet, the founder of net-a-porter.com, answered the question how it can be that the timing of the fashion shows doesn’t correlate with the sale periods at all. “This too shall change”, she said then with a knowing smile. In 2010, this was still a dream that seemed unrealisable. Today, we are in the midst of this profound transformation. Anine Bing, one of the figureheads of the paradigm shift in terms of timing and our Longview interviewee in this issue (from page 060), also couldn’t stifle a smile. She is so used to working with monthly collections, that she was only persuaded to comment on her modus operandi after a few persistent questions. As a blogger and a lateral entrant into the fashion industry, she has set her mind on other issues, primarily the needs of the customers. Shifting the customers back into the focus of all considerations - no more, no less - is the essence of what we so eloquently describe as “transformation” in our main topic section.

If one looks at the fashion industry through the eyes of the customers, it becomes clear that it has gone utterly mad. Designers are outdoing each other in making women look difficult.

The new term for “difficult” is “blogger taste”, by the way. That says it all, really. It merely needs to survive that one photo; after that, nobody cares about the outfit anymore. In her article titled “Don’t Chuck it in the Bin” (from page 102), Quynh Tran speaks to manufacturers who are not only fighting the devaluation of fashion for ecological reasons, but also for economical reasons.

It’s an equally Herculean task to break free from the spiral of clearance sales. In her article titled “Goodbye Sale” (from page 096), Nicoletta Schaper persuaded retailers to share their recipes for safeguarding the value of goods as long as possible.

It seems like their efforts aren’t successful just yet. As we write these lines, the summer sales are increasing their grip on the inner cities. After the early summer presented us with a few weeks of cooler temperatures, consumers,

who strive to purchase their summer fashion wardrobes now, can already benefit from 30% discounts as the weather finally turns a little milder. While we stroll through the trade fairs in the scorching heat, one can already sense a hint of autumn in the product ranges. It therefore comes as no surprise that - in this environment - one still needs to translate the term “transformation” with “the market is consolidating”.

But rest assured: the weather isn’t to blame when the devaluation spiral leads to a few bankruptcies. The real reason is the failure to recognise the opportunities that this transformation process offers. Consumers want to be understood (“I’ll Never Grow That Old”, from page 084) and want to see their modern lifestyle reflected in the retail environment. In which direction is the retail industry heading (“The Retail Industry of Tomorrow”, from page 110)? This is a huge, multi-faceted topic. Take the time to ask yourself the right questions. As always, of course: enjoy your read!

Your style in progress team!

PH. JACKIE NICKERSON

WOOLRICH WOOLEN MILL, PENNSYLVANIA, WARPING CREEL

WOOLRICH SINCE 1830 THE OLDEST OUTDOOR CLOTHING COMPANY

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008 CONTENT

006 EDITORIAL

Focus on the Customer

012 RIGHT NOW 046 WANT IT

THE LONGVIEW 060 “I Instantly Know if a Piece Will be a Bestseller or Not” Anine Bing is perceived as the icon of fashion with a new rhythm – she explains how this works in an interview with style in progress.

060

WHAT’S THE STORY TRANSFORMATION 068 Transformation Digitalisation, attention economics, and Industry 4.0 072 Fashion is Worth More!

Industry experts discuss how one can give back fashion its reputation, status, and - most importantly - value 084 I’ll Never Grow That Old The elderly lady with handbag and hat is history 088 Changes Need to be Lived Airfield’s Walter Moser speaks with Stephan Huber 090 Power Base Agencies are becoming more professional by the day – are they irreplaceable?

096 Goodbye Sale?

The battle against cut prices 090

102 Don’t Chuck it in the Bin Sustainability for cold-blooded calculators 108 “Only a Culture of Respect Creates Value” FTC Cashmere’s Andreas Knezovic on successful sustainability 110 The Retail Industry of Tomorrow Showrooming and the digitalisation of the POS – a look behind the visions of the future 116 “We Need More Emotion!”

Christian Mikunda believes it’s time for the stationary retail industry to act 117 “Our Advice is Worth Something!”

Beat Zürcher has decided to charge an advisory fee in his Intersport store 120 It’s Tech, Baby The future in 1s and 0s – why the retail industry needs digitalisation

102

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123 #Fashiontech – The Conference on the Future of Fashion The conference format of the Premium trade show enters the next round

010 CONTENT

124 Back to the Future Lorenzo Osti follows in the large footsteps of his father Massimo 126 Friendships Between Men Carl Gross and CG Club of Gents have ambitious plans 128 Ready for Take-Off PME Legend has Germany in its sights 124

130 Surf On Windsurfing legend Roberto Ricci on shore leave 132 Lateral Entrant Manuel Forster and the perfect leather jacket 133 Tradition for New Markets Manila Grace interprets the contemporary segment completely independently

FASHION 134 Take me Back The fashion trends take us back to the glory days

IN STORE 146 Marais in Berlin Mitte April First/Berlin 130

148 Looking for Something Special Ralf’s Fine Garments/Munich 150 New Paths Fräulein Sonntag/Berlin 152 DIY Preferred!

Thomas i Punkt/Hamburg 154 Right Direction Maat/Leipzig 156 New Appearance Roy/Sylt 158 Change as Opportunity Reyer/Hallein 159 Quite a Footprint Jelmoli/Zurich

160 EDITOR’S LETTER Quality, Not Quantity 152

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160 ABOUT US

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Frayed-look loafers by Espadrij l’originale made of soft suede leather.

Espadrij l’originale Leather for the Summer Mainly manufactured in the last remaining manufactories in the French Pyrenees, the shoes by

Espadrij l’originale are handcrafted in line with traditional production methods in original quality.

For the spring/summer 2017 collection, the brand has decided to expand its Cuir collection by adding new styles made of Spanish cowhide. A key piece of the collection is the Versailles loafer, which is a combination of espadrilles, loafers, and moccasins. All Cuir models are made of high-quality smooth or suede leather and fitted with a robust jute sole coated with water-repellent natural rubber. In addition to the three classic leather models Cuir - velour and cap - and the plateau sandal Nice 9 with wedge heel (which is also available as a closed version under the name Cannes), there are also open and closed sandals with flat soles and delicate laces.

The purchase prices range from 12 to 31 Euros; the retail prices range from 29.95 to 99.95 Euros. Another new addition to the product range are the Palm Basket bast bags, which are bags with leather handles that resemble the classic market bags one sees while on holiday in South France. The new models by Espadrij l’originale are on display at the Seek trade show in Berlin and at the Panorama trade fair in Nova Hall. www.espadrij.com, www.panorama-distribution.com

The Lab Pal Zileri line stands for young, style-conscious menswear by Pal Zileri.

Lab Pal Zileri New Drive As of the spring/summer season, Aco Modeagentur Germany welcomes Lab Pal Zileri as a prominent addition to its brand portfolio. The name Pal Zileri has been the embodiment of high-quality menswear from Italy since 1980.

The business, which was founded by Gianfranco Barizza and Aronne Miola, was once owned by Gruppo Forall in Quinto Vicentino. For the last two years, Pal Zileri has been owned by Mayhoola, a Qatari state investment fund that also owns a majority stake in the fashion house Valentino. The change in ownership went hand-in-hand with a restructuring of the business. As a result, Lab Pal Zileri, the younger and more inexpensive line of Pal Zileri, has become considerably more fashionable. The fits of the menswear emphasise the body shape and the colour palette is fairly muted. In terms of pricing, the retail prices range from 499 to 699 Euros for suits and from 89 to 129 Euros for shirts. The calculation factor stands at 2.8. Coats, jackets, and knitwear complement the collection which is represented by Aco Modeagentur Germany in the German and Austrian markets. www.acomode.de, www.palzileri.com

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Schott NYC Bombastic Development “Schott NYC, a traditional US brand, recorded an exceptionally good first quarter in 2016 in Germany and has been - overall - very successful in the last five years. One reason for this is the classic bomber jacket, which guarantees bombastic sales”, explains Mark Grütters, the owner of Fashion

Factory and responsible for the distribution of Schott NYC in the German market. The collection will be expanded once again in summer 2017. There will be new models of the bomber jacket, the details of the jackets will be enhanced, and the brand will develop specific models for the German market.

Customers can currently choose from six delivery dates per year. Models with large embroideries on the back or vintage patches provide a fresh look and play an equally important role in the coming season as linings with floral and graphic prints. For the ladies, there will be a completely new, more fashionable version of the bomber jacket with an extremely wide waistband. The “Suka Jacket” model is the first feminine, soft, and shiny satin jacket for women. Many bomber styles for both women and men will be available in light, piece-dyed, and washed cotton. “The aim is to ascend to the top five jacket brands in the German-speaking world in the medium term. To this end, we have to work hard on every point of the brand image and its expansion. The competition is fierce, but the conditions for Schott NYC are extremely good”, says Grütters. www.schottnyc.com, www.ffbymg.com

New at Schott NYC: bomber jacket in bi-colour variant.

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Stetson Europe Street Art for Bird Protection Friedrich W. Schneider (FWS), a Stetson Europe supplier, implemented this campaign and parts of the spring/summer 2017 collection in co-operation with the creators of the New York-based art project Audubon Mural and the Harlem-based Gitler &_____ Gallery. The focus is on North American bird species that are threatened by climate change. These bird species were painted as huge murals on walls and window blinds in the New York districts of Hamilton and Washington Heights by seven carefully selected artists. The National Audubon Society dedicates itself to the preservation of the legacy of the great American artist and pioneering ornithologist, John James Audubon, who lived in the aforementioned neighbourhoods. Recent research claims that almost half of the bird species in the area could be in danger of becoming extinct by 2080 due to global warming.

“The artists’ paintings depict 314 birds that were classified as endangered by climate change in the Audubon report of 2014, thus raising public awareness for this important issue. This project is a perfect fit for our understanding of the environmental challenges of modern life and the responsibility for future generations”, says Klaus Kirschner, the managing director of FWS. He adds: “In addition, the project makes Manhattan more beautiful, creates attractions for both tourists and locals, and is a fresh and surprising way of highlighting a very important problem in terms of environmental and natural conservation.” With carefully planned and enduring styles - removed from fast trends and unsustainable consumption - FWS has been promoting an authentic lifestyle for decades. With the collection, which was designed in co-operation with the Audubon Mural Project, Stetson Europe strives to raise awareness of nature in our everyday lives. The aim is to preserve and restore natural ecosystems for the benefit of both birds and humans. “Our designs are a hat-tip to those who laid the groundwork for the extraordinary work for fellow human beings and their environment: John B. Stetson and John James Audubon. Many people are still eager to fight for their aims with enthusiasm and conviction today”, Kirschner explains. www.stetson-europe.com, www.audubonmuralproject.org Andre Trenier, a street art artist, is the model for the new spring/ summer 2017 campaign of Stetson.

Essentiel Antwerp Model Pupil in the Contemporary Segment Nothing is more authentic than founders who

are the perfect testimonials for their own respective labels. This rings especially true for Essentiel of Antwerp. The Belgian couple Esfan Eghtessadi, the son of designer Nicole Cadine, and Inge Onsea launched their family business in 1999 in their own living room with a few t-shirt models. Initially, they sold every single item personally. The t-shirt range soon turned into womenswear collections; menswear was added to the portfolio in 2004. Today, Essentiel is an international brand with sales in the millions and it launches nine collections for men and women per year. The couple embodies exactly what the brand wants to be: young, attractive, modern, and successful - and all this despite two children. The clothing and beachwear lines are defined by classic items freshened up with playful, floral prints and vivid colour combinations. They are basic and special alike, as well as being essential elements in every wardrobe. Over the years, Eghtessadi and Onsea, whose brand is positioned in the mid-premium segment, have created a distribution network that successfully utilises various

International success: Essentiel Antwerp.

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channels. Commercial director Gérald Didnik says: “Essentiel is a contemporary brand that is successful in both a vertical and a retail-oriented structure, because it offers the perfect mixture of good quality, an independent design signature, and an excellent price-performance ratio. This is particularly important in a market like Germany.” In addition to its own online shop, the brand has more than 40 mono-brand stores in countries such as Belgium, France, Great Britain, Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. The latter is - alongside the US and Russia - one of the largest growth markets in recent years. Among the 800 retailers worldwide one finds household names such as Harvey Nichols, Galeries Lafayette, and Printemps. Essentiel also strives to become more essential in Europe. In order to expand in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the brand opened a permanent showroom in Düsseldorf in 2015. The list of current German retailers includes the likes of Anita Hass in Hamburg, Modehaus Fischer in Konstanz, and Bungalow in Stuttgart. Essentiel also opened a new showroom in Paris. A first flagship store in the Netherlands - in Amsterdam, to be precise - will follow soon. This proves how far one can come from one’s own living room as long as one has the right strategy and designs. www.essentiel-antwerp.com

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Exploring the Mongolian steppe on a motorcycle: Meindl produced its photos in front of an authentic backdrop.

Meindl Mongolian Adventure Taking in endless expanses, spend-

ing days and nights in the fresh air of the great outdoors, and enjoying the silence at the campfire under starry skies - Christian Müller, a co-founder of the Nomadic Off-Road travel agency, offers all the aforementioned in co-operation with his two Mongolian partners. Since 2015, they organise six-day adventure trips to the Gobi desert, to the statue of the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan, or to Lake Khuvsgul.

Upon arrival in the capital Ulan Bator, the travellers are whisked off to a socalled “Gear Camp”, where they can familiarise themselves with the Enduro motorcycles of the Austrian KTM brand. One does need a little off-piste experience to survive the 1,200km tour on gravel and dirt roads without injury. Christian Müller promises the ultimate feeling of freedom to groups of up to eight people. In order to get to know the country and its people, the travellers spend their nights in traditional yurt camps. A week of off-road fun, during which one spends hours in the wild steppe without encountering another living soul, costs 2,500 Euros (incl. food, fuel, and motorbikes). The journey to the destination needs to be organised and paid privately. Meindl, a leather jacket specialist, supports the adventurers as sponsors of their large-scale advertising clip and, at the

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same time, produced its own film. The latter can be viewed on the website alongside photos of jackets from the new collection. “Meindl’s jackets are as unique as Mongolia”, Christian Müller says. He is thrilled to have Meindl as such an enthusiastic partner for his venture. Markus Meindl, the managing director of Meindl Bekleidung GmbH & Co. KG, adds: “Mongolia is a country that has thrilled and fascinated me for years: the people, the light, and the vastness. One of my dreams is to hunt there, ride horses, and explore the country on a motorbike.” www.nomadicoffroad.mn, www.meindl-fashions.de

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Alpha Tauri Bull on the Rampage It’s no news that a certain energy drink company has been working on a textile image of its brand for quite a while: initially in co-operation with Drykorn and always under the stylistic auspices of Tanja Gündling, who even transformed her multi-label stores in Salzburg’s “Getreidegasse” into a so-called “Red Bull World”. In May, passers-by were surprised by a new sign over the prime location. The brand Red Bull launches in the re-designed store is called Alpha Tauri. Those looking for merchandising with the famous jumping bull will be sorely disappointed. Alpha Tauri is a collection with its own design language and a claim to translate the world of Red Bull into contemporary fashion. This is achieved by highly functional fabrics, a streamlined design, and urban looks. Like so many projects launched by Red Bull, Alpha Tauri will be given the opportunity to spread its wings slowly. Red Bull claims it wants to see how the brand performs before Ahmet Mercan, the general manager, disclosed specific plans. www.alphatauri.com

Alpha Tauri is the brightest star within the Taurus star constellation and also the new women’s and men’s fashion brand of Red Bull.

Dielmann Acquisition

Quantum Courage’s first mono-brand store in Lyon is run by an enthusiastic customer.

Quantum Courage First Flagship Store Quantum Courage’s success story is making great strides forward. On the 18th of April 2016, the Franco-German brand opened its first flagship store in Lyon. The store enjoys a prime location close to the famous “Place de Jacobin” in the “Rue Jean Fabre” (2nd Arrondissement). The grand opening party is scheduled for early September.

The design of the 50 square metre store is very elegant and plain, thus reflecting the philosophy and the identity of the brand. To emphasise the brand’s exclusivity, it only stocks limited items from the women’s collection and the new handbag line. The latter focuses

Dielmann, a Darmstadt-based conglomerate, took over a “traditional company that had fallen on hard times” in May. Schuh Mengin, a shoe retailer with branches in Erlangen, Regensburg, and Ansbach, complements the existing 45 Dielmann and Sport Hübner branches. The brand name Schuh Mengin has been retained. Of the original 12 stores, Schuh Mengin announced the closure of 8 locations. Synergy effects are necessary to continue operating the 4 acquired stores profitably. The central operations and logistics will be handled by Dielmann in Darmstadt in the future. Markus Dielmann: “In terms of the branches for which we managed to develop a viable concept, we are convinced that we can implement a modern and sustainable shoe retailing concept.” www.dielmann.de

on clutches with the popular city prints. The store is managed by a long-term business partner and supporter of Quantum Courage who has been selling the label in her own boutique for five seasons with considerable success. In the course of its internationalisation, Quantum Courage has appointed M&L Harris Agencies in London for the UK market, Imexfa in Madrid for the Spanish and Portuguese markets, and Sonoho in Antwerp for the Benelux region. Its expansion in North Germany will be handled by Aco Modeagentur in Düsseldorf in the future. www.quantumcourage.com

4 of the 12 original Schuh Mengin branches were saved by the takeover; the new owner is the Dielmann Group.

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Frankie Morello Hello Germany Every now and then one comes across a collection of which one wonders why it hasn’t reached the German market yet.

Frankie Morello is an excellent example.

The two designers Maurizio Modica and Pierfrancesco Gigliotti, who founded the business in 1999, have developed a collection with a highly individual signature. The life story of the two designers is reflected in their designs to this day.

Maurizio Modica started his career as a dancer, choreographer, stage designer, and costumer before he discovered his love for design while working at Alessi.

Pierfrancesco Gigliotti, on the other hand, graduated from the Politecnico in Milan.

In his thesis, he examined the suit as the architecture of the body. He worked in Stockholm, New York, and Tokyo before returning to Milan. The collection has always broken conventions and strong design elements guarantee excellent recognition values.

Frankie Morello complemented its menswear range with a womenswear line in 2004. In 2006, the brand added an underwear, beachwear, and home collection to its portfolio under the title “Sexywear”. The label started expanding its accessories segment in 2010 and now offers everything ranging from socks to costume jewellery. Frankie Morello’s children’s line - named “Frankie Morello Toy” - caters for the little ones from nine months to 14 years of age. As if that isn’t enough in terms of fashion education, the two designers are also lecturers at the fashion colleges Istituto Marangoni and Domus Academy.

Maison Frankie Morello, located in the centre of Milan, is particularly impressive.

On 1,000 square metres, it not only houses the brand’s press and styling office, but also a public exhibition space. Frankie Morello also boasts a flagship store in Milan, which acts as a blueprint for the

stores that will be opened in locations such as Dubai as part of the brand’s expansion plans. Part of the internationalisation strategy is that Frankie Morello has now appointed a worthy brand ambassador for the German and Austrian markets: Patrick Coppolecchia-Reinartz’s fashion agency D-tails. This is but one of the expansion measures since the brand was taken over. The new owner strives to transfer the excellent reputation the brand enjoys in Italy to selected export markets. Sponsoring an event at the Nova Concept in Berlin is the starting point.

“The collection is very edgy and expressive. It’s an excellent fit for the current trend in the contemporary segment”, Patrick Coppolecchia-Reinartz argues.

The average purchase price of 130 Euros defines the niche Frankie Morello is aiming for. It strives to position itself as a brand at the price level below designer collections. www.frankiemorello.it

What are your plans for the German-speaking countries? The export to Ger-

man-speaking countries currently contributes 7% to our annual turnover. Our aim is to reach 15% in one year. We expect to reach this target through dedicated marketing and communication activities that we are planning to launch next season.

Angela Ammaturo is a shareholder in the family fund FMM, which owns a 49% stake in the Frankie Morello brand.

Frankie Morello is very successful in Italy. What are your plans in terms of export? Frankie Morello is ac-

tually a well-known brand all over the world, especially in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East. The export business presently accounts for 60% of our annual turnover. Regarding our plans, we are planning to arrange several partnerships abroad. They are aimed at opening mono-brand stores in major international cities.

Please describe what has changed in Frankie Morello’s organisation since the company has new owners? What

Unmistakable: Frankie Morello.

has changed is that the company now covers all fashion activities including style, marketing and sales, and the management of production in general. We have specialised teams dedicated to each specific area. In view of the spring/summer 2017 season, we are working on fashion collections for men, women, and kids. Looking forward to the season after that, we intend to include various accessories too.

Accordingly, I would argue that we are focused on setting up an organisation adequate to our own development targets.

Success story: sneakers by P448.

P448 Expansion in Europe P448, an Italian designer sneaker label, offers models such as Running, Skate, SlipOn, and Tennis Sneakers made of exclusive material blends involving full-grain leather, suede, mesh, and canvas with poppy or brightly coloured patterns and letterings.

“We are very pleased with the brand’s development. Numerous customers requested an early order meeting for the upcoming season”, Stefan Wittmann, the owner of the fashion agency Agentur Stefan Wittmann GmbH, says. “Due to the strong demand, P448 will now also expand to Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ireland, and Great Britain with our assistance.” Agentur

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Stefan Wittmann is responsible for Germany and Austria, as well as the aforementioned new export markets. The Austrian market is covered by the fashion agency Collectionen Christian Teufl. The collection consists of approximately 70 styles for women and men at retail prices ranging from 159 to 199 Euros. The calculation factor stands at 2.7. The brand has no minimum order volumes and lots. The list of German customers includes Kaiser in Freiburg, Görtz in Hamburg, Berlin, and Frankfurt, Konen in Munich, and Conley’s. In Austria, P448 is listed at the likes of Kastner & Öhler and Ennsmann. The brand showcases its collection at the White trade show in Milan, at the Premium in Berlin, at the Pure trade fair in London, at the GDS in Düsseldorf, and at the Premium Order in Munich. www.p448.it

Floris van Bommel 9th generation shoemaker since 1734

• 60 SAISONABHÄNGIGE MODELLE AUF VORRAT (SO LANG DER VORRAT REICHT) • KOSTENLOSER VERSAND AB ZWEI PAAREN • 30 STANDARD MODELLE AUF VORRAT (DURCHGEHEND) • LIEFERUNG INNERHALB VON ZWEI TAGEN Berlin: Premium, Düsseldorf: GDS, Supreme, Heilbronn: SABU, Mainhausen: ANWR Fashion Day’s München: Essenz, Premium, Breitscheid: SOC Präsentztag - Contact: Sales Support (deutschsprachig), T. +31 13 51 36 930, E. vertrieb@florisvanbommel.de

Adv Style in Progress 1-1 (DE).indd 1

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Colmar Originals underlines its fashion claim with a capsule collection created in co-operation with Vogue Talents Italia.

lection was recently expanded by adding new items to the sportier segment, the brand has consequently decided to strengthen the distribution of its menswear line. In southern Germany, the brand is now represented by Cristian Rott of CR Handelsagentur. In the future, the men’s collection, which has been expanded continuously over the last few seasons, will be on display alongside the women’s collection in the showroom of Andreas Saam in Munich’s “Prinzregentenstrasse”. Since November 2015, FTC Cashmere has the whole production process in its own hands. It now has its own spinning mill right next to its own factory in the Chinese Hebei province.

The brand strives to further intensify co-operations to ensure quality on all levels. www.ftc-cashmere.com, www.cr-handelsagentur.com, www.andreas-saam.de

Colmar Re-Branding Sport, style, technology, and innovation are the cornerstones that define the DNA of the Italian Colmar brand. This applies to the sports apparel range with ski, golf, and activewear, as well as the more urban and lifestyle-oriented Colmar Originals collection. The latter was launched in 2009.

From the autumn/winter 2016 collection onwards, Colmar has a new modernised logo, which expresses the dynamic nature, elegance, and innovation potential of the brand, as well as its history. For its skiwear range, Colmar has developed a ski suit, two jackets, functional underwear, and a polo shirt made of graphene. The material, which is based on carbon, acts like a filter between the body and the environment, thus optimising, for instance, the temperature for the wearer.

Colmar Originals also focuses on innovation in terms of fashion. In co-operation with Vogue Talents Italia, the brand developed a capsule collection called “The Future Generation” for the autumn/winter 2016 season. This high-quality capsule collection for men and women – developed in Italy – combines the heritage of the brand, which was founded in 1923, with the creative potential of young design talents and once more embodies the brand’s fashion claim.

The Monza-based company is on track for further growth.

In the fiscal year 2016, Colmar expects to increase its revenue to 100 million Euros, which is 10% higher than the previous year. The brand currently serves approximately 1,500 customers worldwide. In Germany, the company’s revenue rose by 60% from 2015 to 2016. In France it rose by 19% and in Holland by 31%. In Germany, Colmar and Colmar Originals is listed at 310 retailers. The fashion agency CCT Collectionen Christian Teufl is the brand’s

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FTC Cashmere Continued Growth FTC Cashmere is becoming more masculine. After the men’s col-

American Vintage Athleisure

sales representative in Austria and currently co-operates with 70 premium customers. Teufl has also taken over the distribution of the golf apparel range.

To this end, he has assembled a special sales team with sports expertise, thereby committing himself even more to this Italian label. www.colmar.it

From September onwards, American Vintage will offer a new sports range that is 100% in line with the current “athleisure” trend. The compact collection for women consists of a small number of styles in different colours. It goes without saying that the sports bras, windbreakers, shirts, leggings, and track pants utilise the latest technical materials. Also, one should not forget to mention the processing with smooth seams to ensure that there is no friction during sport. The collection items also look great outside the gym. “It is a hybrid collection in the truest sense of the term. An active and athletic woman can combine it with other garments for numerous occasions”, the company itself states. The purchase prices range from 17 to 35 Euros.

At the end of June, American Vintage opened its fourth German store in Munich. The 46 square metre store in “Send-

linger Strasse” showcases the entire collection for men and women. www.americanvintage-store.com

Swift and agile: American Vintage reacts to the current activewear trend with its own sports collection.

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Zalando Next Puzzle Piece: Tradebyte and Amaze After the Berlin-based online retailer invested heavily in more efficient logistics, customer communication (acquisition of Bread & Butter), and technological infrastructure (i.a. the acquisition of a 20% stake in online brand integration software specialist Anatwine) last year, Zalando remains on the growth path. In 2016, the e-commerce giant plans to invest a total of 200 million Euros in advanced logistics, IT infrastructure, and customer experience - excluding potential acquisitions. Among the unquantified M&As are the takeovers of Tradebyte, a German IT developer that specialises in software that allows online retailers to turn their shops into veritable market places, and fashion app Amaze. The acquisition of Tradebyte is another building block of Zalando’s platform strategy.

This strategy includes partner programmes that allow the integration of brands and specialised retailers in company’s own e-commerce platform. According to Zalando, 150 partners were involved in the programme at the end of the first quarter of 2016, among them brands such as Adidas and Superdry, as well as selected specialised retailers. Amaze is a lifestyle app that allows female users to like or dislike outfits via swiping. In the background, an algorithm evaluates the user’s fashion taste. All outfits can be bought via the app. This allows Zalando to expand its styling network after launching Zalon, its curated shopping platform, in 2015. www.zalando.de

Stone Island Co-Operation with Dormeuil

Teamwork: Dormeuil and Stone Island have jointly developed a wool blend fabric.

Stone Island, an Italian sportswear label, has teamed up with Dormeuil, a UK-based company that has been one of the most renowned wool manufactories worldwide since 1842, to launch a hooded jacket with a so-called House Check pattern for autumn/winter 2016/17. For this jacket, the high-quality wool of Dormeuil was, for the very first time, blended with a Nylon Metal fabric with a metallic-shimmering look. The latter is an in-house development of Stone Island. The metallic-shimmering look of the nylon material is created by special trilobal nylon yarns, grey weft threads, and nondyed warp threads. A special double-dye formula lends the jacket unrivalled colour depth with intensive hues. The complex material structure created by Shetland wool and nylon was developed on an historic loom in the headquarters of Dormeuil in Huddersfield. The weavers even integrated Stone Island’s compass rose into the design of the check pattern. The pattern is double-weaved and thus also visible on the reverse in order to highlight the compass’ star motif once more. The water-repellent and breathable jacket is lined and quilted with ultra light Primaloft thermal insulation. www.stoneisland.com

The yearning for the mountains translated into textiles: Luis Trenker.

Luis Trenker New Showroom in Munich Michi Klemera has always dreamed of having his very own represent-

ative showroom in Munich. As of the sales season 2017, he can cross this dream off his bucket list. There is a very good reason for the focus on the Bavarian capital. After all, Southern Germany is the second most important export market of the Bolzano-based lifestyle brand after Austria. In addition to showrooms in Munich and Salzburg, the brand also showcases its product range at the trade shows Premium and Tracht 316 style in progress

& Country. The collection includes numerous new approaches in terms of the brand’s typical blend of tradition and functionality. The jacket segment in particular has been strengthened with many models that are hybrids between rustic looks and high-tech wearing comfort. In the summer, Luis Trenker focuses on functional parkas. Wool lining replaces the lightweight down elements. The popular Luis Trenker sneakers, which are characterised by exquisite material combinations, will remain available next summer too. In addition, the sneakers utilise many materials from the textile collection. This creates a truly eye-catching look, no matter whether the sneakers are worn solo or in combination with a suitable Luis Trenker outfit. www.luistrenker.com

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Superga New Sports Line The shoes of the Italian brand Superga are among the bestsellers of the past few seasons. No matter whether in pure white or in one of the countless variations including metallic, leather, and platform soles, New model: Adriano Panatta, a former tennis pro, is a Superga brand ambassador and lends his all models are the perfect fit for name to the label’s new men’s shoe. culottes, hot pants, skinny jeans, chinos, and Bermuda shorts. Up until now the majority of the fans of the casual canvas shoes were Marc Kofler, the owner of Adventure Fashion Agency and the brand’s sales female, but the brand from Turin wants to increase the number of male representative in Germany, explains: “The development of Superga in fans significantly in the future. The new Superga Sport Line is expectGermany is very positive. The brand has a strong presence in the retail ined to contribute to achieving this goal. The range is inspired by the dustry, but there is still room for improvement. The popularity of the brand historic “dovetail logo” from the 1970s. At the beginning of June, it was is already well-positioned among members of the upcoming generation presented to selected journalists in the Le BHV Marais concept store and the brand awareness is increasing continually. We are currently quite in Paris by former Italian tennis pro Adriano Panatta. 40 years after his popular in the retail environment, which makes us very happy of course. magnificent victory at the French Open in the Roland Garros stadium We will now build on this base with additional communication measures in Paris in 1976 and winning the Davis Cup in Chile, Panatta revealed and hope to expand further. The collection continues to evolve too. Not the re-launched model that he competed in tournaments in. In addition only the classic 2750 model is well-received, but also the “Volleyball” modto the distinctive “dovetail logo” in the shape of patched side stripes, el. We continue to increase our focus on the men’s segment. We believe the model boasts grippy soles made of natural rubber and a reinforced that the Superga Panatta Sport model has enormous potential.” Superga is rubber toe cap. owned by Turin-based BasicNet SpA, which also owns the brands Kappa, Jesus Jeans, Lanzera, K-Way, Robe di Kappa, AnziBesson, and Sabelt. www.superga.com

Lucky de Luca No Need Jealousy for One could be forgiven for thinking that Valentino de Luca is a really

Drykorn specialises in fast fashion and offers the retail industry more flexibility in terms of the order process.

Drykorn Weekly Fashion Update This order round, Drykorn offers weekly in-season fashion updates

to complement the classic order. With this move, the brand can react flexibly to short-term trends that emerge. “We are basing our efforts on the speed of vertically integrated players. Such an approach didn’t exist in our segment to date”, says Marco Götz, the managing director of Drykorn. “The aim is to afford our retail partners more flexibility in terms of their respective sales floors.” The weekly fashion updates are aimed at specialised retailers. The selected retail partners are informed about the programme, which is developed within six weeks, in advance via a newsletter and can then order items via the B2B platform. According to Marco Götz, the first test runs were highly successful. For spring/summer 2017, the brand has decided to focus on tight stretch t-shirts and bodies, as well as short-sleeved knitwear and turtlenecks. The range is complemented by tees and bodies in the context of the underwear theme. It also offers a hot-seller programme consisting of the respective season’s bestsellers. www.drykorn.com

lucky guy. He travels to the most beautiful places in Italy – most recently to Tropea – to photograph his collection. He always has a smile on his face and he always seems utterly relaxed. A quick selfie on a motor yacht – then it’s back to work. “It may look like an easy life, but I am actually treading a really difficult path. One is never allowed to tire of what one does, never allowed to stop, and always needs to be better than others in the same field. In addition, it requires a lot of courage to not fold in times like these. Other brands are offering you return guarantees? If that is the case, I tell my customers that they should probably buy from the supplier who offers those guarantees. I want retailers to buy my brands because they know they can sell them, not because they know they can return the items.” No matter whether Lucky de Luca, Barb’One, or Heritage Stitch, Valentino de Luca’s collections are immensely popular among individual specialised retailers. “I am not interested in a store chain that first celebrates my products and then reduces them to junk status.” His customers know that and value his approach.

“Collections that always offer more of the same certainly don’t inspire people to buy. We need fashion that conveys passion to the consumers.” www.luckydeluca.com

Italian fabrics and individual design: Lucky de Luca is unmistakeable.

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PREMIUM INTERNATIONAL FASHION TRADE SHOW June 28 – 30 2016 House of JOOP! Atelier I Luckenwalder Str. 4 – 6 10963 Berlin

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Room with a view Like Starting Anew “It feels like 15 years ago, when we had just started the business”, says Christian Obojes. His statement has nothing to do with the loss of Peuterey after 13 years of co-operation. “The mood is very optimistic. We had to re-think our portfolio setup and have added fresh brands to the mix.” The new additions prove that the agency’s positioning is less pointed than before: Better Rich is now under the care of room with a view, for instance. “AOS Articles of Society is a fresh denim label with upscale styles developed by a reputable expert. The label’s retail prices range from 99 to 149 Euros.” The agency also added Annabel Ingall, a bag brand that presents its hip styles in 40 colours. “We are also very pleased with the performance of RRD, which was a last minute addition to our portfolio in winter. The brand is a shooting star in the upscale retail segment in Italy; it has all the top customers one could wish for.” Laidback London, a brand that specialises in handcrafted sandals from Mombasa, strengthens the sustainability claim of Christian Obojes and his team. “The artisan production in Africa creates countless jobs on-site.

In addition, parts of the label’s profits are invested in educational programmes.”

Labels: 7 for all mankind, Annabel Ingall, AOS, Better Rich, Ecoalf, Hanky Panky, Laidback London, Opportuno, Philo-Sofie, Pomandere, Pyrenex, R13, Roque Ilaria Nistri, RRD, Stand, Warm-Me room with a view, Salzburg/Austria, office@roomwithaview.at, www.roomwithaview.at

Des petits hauts, a classic in the brand portfolio of Hinterhofagentur.

Die Hinterhof­ agentur Visions for Product Ranges “We firmly believe that these difficult times afford the perfect opportunity for independent specialised retailers to sharpen their respective profiles”, says Dominik Meuer, the owner of Hinterhofagentur. “However, retailers need courage and vision in terms of product ranges to attract customers. Many consumers are simply overwhelmed by the offers on the Internet, at vertically integrated players, and the brands’ own retail operations. This density of information and offers often leads to disorientation.

Competent, informed retailers can turn this to their advantage on a regional level, if they offer their customers individual, stand-alone product ranges that cannot be found at every competitor.” To this end, retailers need innovative - yet still commercially viable - collections. Hinterhofagentur has strengthened its portfolio in this respect for the next sales round. It has not only added to its menswear range, which is the historic focus of the agency, but has also augmented its womenswear range. Due to Julia Meuer’s commitment, the latter now contributes no less than 40 percent to the agency’s revenue. “We focused our search on collections with a comprehensible pricing structure. The French denim and pants collection by Lab Dip of Paris and the Neapolitan shirt range by Portofiori prove that our search was successful.”

Labels: 0039 Men, BOB, Breco’s, Cape Horn, Des petits hauts, Koike, Lab Dip, My Bro Tie, Portofiori, Re.Ve 77, Sophie, Stramici, Wool & Co Die Hinterhofagentur, Munich/Germany, d.meuer@diehinterhofagentur.de, www.diehinterhofagentur.de

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New look: the Salzburg office.

Matthias Schwarte Frequency and Revenue AT.P.CO, an Italian label that offers complete collections for men and women with a calculation factor of at least 3.0, is a new addition to the brand portfolio of Matthias Schwarte’s fashion agency. The retail prices for the pants, jeans, and chinos range from 90 to 150 Euros, while sports jackets cost between 190 and 290 Euros. “The collection is performing admirably in its home market in Italy at the base level of the design segment. It guarantees customer frequency and revenue in premium stores”, says Matthias Schwarte. “We strive to remain on the path of success in the German and Austrian markets.” The People of Shibuya collection has been part of the

agency’s portfolio for two seasons. “The outdoor jackets boast a minimalist design; the collection experienced a terrific winter”, Matthias Schwarte explains. Parajumpers presents the Kegen capsule collection, which is a fusion of sport, fashion, and technically inspired elements. A three-layer laminated rip stop with a nylon surface and a polyester rear is coupled with glued seams, thus guaranteeing that the jackets for men and women are completely waterproof. The broad colour palette ranges from Acid Green to Geranium Pink.

Labels: A Fish Named Fred, AT.P.CO, Daniele Fiesoli, P.G., Fil Noir, Jet Set, Lodenfrey 1842, Manifattura, Parajumpers, People of Shibuya, Siviglia, Sundek, Wunderfell Agentur Schwarte, Munich/Germany, office@agentur-schwarte.de, www.agentur-schwarte.de

FTC CASHMERE SHOWROOMS DEUTSCHLAND, ÖSTERREICH, SCHWEIZ Rather Strasse 49c Mark Seebach Modeagentur Rote Halle Mariendorfer Damm 1-3 40476 Düsseldorf, Deutschland 12099 Berlin, Deutschland T +49 211 484 691 20 T +49 30 767 665 13

Prinzregentenstrasse 95 81677 München, Deutschland T +49 172 853 31 93

Collectionen Christian Teufl Vierthalerstrasse 11 5020 Salzburg, Österreich T +43 662 45 28 32

WWW.FTC-CASHMERE.COM

JL Fashion Agency GmbH Schwabachstrasse 33 8706 Feldmeilen, Schweiz T +41 79 636 65 74

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Room Nine Agency Fashionable Rainwear

New addition to the Heritage Agents portfolio: 04651/.

As of now, Torsten Müller’s Room Nine Agency can list Rainfest, an Amsterdam-based label, as one of its portfolio brands. Rainfest offers fashionable rainwear for women and men - fully functional due to waterproof materials and taped seams. In addition to blousons and jackets made of classic chemical fibres, the collection also boasts waterproof woollen trench coats. The retail prices range from 100 to 399 Euros. Womsh is, on the other hand, a new sneaker collection from Padua, Italy. It offers wonderfully soft sneakers that can, thanks to terry cloth lining, be worn without socks. The retail price stands at 159 Euros.

Kangaroos has decided to re-launch classics from the 1980s as part of its Kangaroos Made in Germany line. This small collection for men - with retail prices starting at 199 Euros - is handcrafted in Germany and will be delivered to retailers from August onwards.

Last but not least, Torsten Müller boasts C.P. Company yet another prominent label for the German market - as a portfolio brand. “The last three seasons were extremely successful”, Torsten Müller reveals. “Designer Paul Harvey is about to launch a capsule collection that focuses on readyto-wear fashion and re-interprets the technical materials that are so typical for C.P. Company in, for instance, the sports jacket segment. This is an innovation and is - in this form not available on the market currently.” The capsule collection complements the significantly expanded main collection. The latter is delivered at three early dates ranging from Christmas until early February.

Labels: Blake Seven, C.P. Company, Deyk Pants, Flip Flop, Kangoroos made in Germany, Pajar Canada, Rainfest Rain Couture, Womsh Sneaker Room Nine Fashion Agency, Düsseldorf/Germany, torsten.mueller@roomnineagency.de, www.roomnineagency.de

Heritage Agents Three New­ comers The clear focus on upscale menswear is set, as are most of the brands in the fashion agency’s portfolio. “In this segment, we could add a new brand every day”, Malte Kötteritz laughs. “There are a lot of good brands out there at the moment. Strolling through the Pitti has never been more inspiring.”

However, Kötteritz and Michael Brockmann are very demanding when it comes to new collections and rightly so. “The brands must be able to offer the service our focus customers expect right from the start.” Three newcomers fulfilled these requirements for the current Rainfest is a new addition to the brand portfolio of Room Nine Agency. The label offers women’s rain jackets that have very little in common with traditional oilskin jackets.

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season: sportswear collection 04651/, men’s coats specialist Coats Milano, and jacket specialist Jan Mayen. “We need to have a real passion for the brands we add to our portfolio. After all, we always feel like we are part of the brand project as a whole. That’s how we manage to win over retailers.”

Labels: 04651/, Andrea Zori, Coats Milano, Jan Mayen, Lardini, Mey Story, PT01, PT05, Xacus Heritage Agents, Munich/Germany, info@heritage-agents.com, www.heritage-agents.com

Paris

Copenhagen

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MAB Mode­agentur Benabou Growth

Aco Modeagentur Germany Focus on Product Marciano Los Angeles is the upscale line by Guess. The latter recently decided to re-position itself completely. “The brand’s fashion range is adjusted to the zeitgeist with a ‘two seasons re-launch’, thus re-defining the brand identity”, explains Michael Schulz, the managing director of Aco Modeagentur Germany. The entry prices are in the same brand environment as contemporary brands such as Pinko, Patrizia Pepe, and Twin Set. Ice Play is a young and fashionable collection

by Iceberg. The sporty line for men and women will be launched in co-operation with JeanCharles de Castelbajac. The launch is to take place for the spring/summer season 2017 with the support of well-known international bloggers. Just Cavalli, which now presents itself more modern, younger, and with a revised pricing structure, is also part of the brand portfolio.

In a newly created segment titled “Product”, Michael Schulz focuses on individual products such as a bag, a pair of trousers, or a jacket. New additions to this particular segment are, for instance, Purotatto and White Sand.

“We want to strengthen our research efforts, especially in this segment. We strive to offer our customers new products with very attractive margins”, Michael Schulz explains. In addition, Aco Modeagentur Germany continues to focus on its competence in terms of High End and Advanced Contemporary in the womenswear segment, as well as on a clear product range development in the menswear segment.

Labels: Anneclaire, Any di, Chalet Affair, Concept: Product The Shirt, Dsquared Underwear, Ebony & Ivory, Fracomina Fusalp Geospirit, Hydrogen, Iceberg, Ice Play, Just Cavalli, Lab. Pal Zileri, Marciano L.A., Moschino Underwear, Parosh, Peuterey, Pinko, Purotatto, Ora Cashmere, Seventy Superjeans of Sweden, Stefano Mortari, Tara Jarmon, Thé Liquid Company, Versace Collection, Versace Underwear, Yves Salomon, Zegna Underwear Aco Modeagentur, Düsseldorf/Germany, info@acomode.de, www.acomode.de

Aco Modeagentur Germany focuses on its competence in the High End and Advanced Contemporary segments - and on individual, high-quality products with attractive margins.

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Paul & Joe, a portfolio brand of Modeagentur Benabou, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

Modeagentur Benabou, a Düsseldorf-based fashion agency, is on track for further growth. “We were recently appointed as the European - bar Italy and the UK - distributor of the US label Rachel Zoe and have reorganised the whole operation”, Regis Benabou explains. “Other brands from our agency portfolio will follow suit.”

Furthermore, the Paul & Joe brand celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. To mark this occasion, designer Sophie Mechaly created 20 special shirts based on the brand’s roots. “Simplicity and Quality” is the motto of National Standard of France, which offers luxurious hand-crafted sneakers at retail prices ranging from 189 to 269 Euros with a calculation factor of 2.6. In Germany, the brand, which was founded in 2010, has 65 carefully selected points of sale. In France, it opened its first flagship store in Paris. Modeagentur Benabou has been the German sales representative of The Kooples since January 2015 and has agreed to also cover the Austrian and Swiss markets from the current season onwards. The Kooples only recently launched a new denim line with retail prices ranging from 155 to 185 Euros.

Labels: 3∙1 Phillip Lim, Ba&sh, BLK DNM, Jimmy Choo Textile Accessoires, Kenzo Men Shoes, Mackage, National Standard, Opening Ceremony, Paul & Joe, Paul & Joe Sister, Proenza Schouler, Rachel Zoe, The Kooples, The Kooples Sport, The Kooples Jeans MAB Modeagentur Benabou, Düsseldorf/Germany, dirkhellfeuer@mab-fashion.com, www.mab-fashion.com

Aco Austria Statement Dynamic, easy to wear, and urban - the complete line Trussardi Jeans for men and women is an important brand in the portfolio of Aco Austria. Reason enough for Rudolf Kail to make another statement for the brand by opening a new Trussardi bag store at Vienna’s “Trattnerhof”. “The Trussardi bag store in Vienna will prove to be a milestone for both Trussardi Jeans in Austria and us as an agency”, the managing director of Aco Austria explains. “The latest collections are showcased in a chic environment in one of the fastest growing cities in terms of fashion. Allow us to surprise you!” The grand opening is scheduled for July. A new addition to the Aco Austria portfolio - as well as the portfolio of its partner agency Aco Germany - is the Marciano Los Angeles line by the fashion house Guess. The latter is currently in the process of redefining its brand identity.

Furthermore, the agency - with offices in Salzburg and Vienna - is a leading player in terms of the distribution of exclusive women’s and men’s fashion in Austria and plans to expand its position successively. The agency also serves the Eastern European markets to the borders of Belarus and the Ukraine in the East and Greece in the South. In addition, Kail relies on foreign partner agencies. “Alongside a sense for fashion, the most important factor in our industry is the personal contact with the customer to identify trends

Trussardi is among the most successful labels in the portfolio of Aco Austria.

Rudolf Kail, the agency’s managing director, plans to open a Trussardi bag store in Vienna this July.

before the rest of the market does”, Rudolf Kail explains. He stresses that long-term relationships with customers and sales partners are paramount.

Labels: Allegri, Atos Lombardini, By Paprika, Garage Nouveau, Gas, Geospirit, Just Cavalli, Lost in Albion, Maliparmi, Marciano, Napapijri, Ora Cashmere, Pinko, Riani, Steffen Schraut, Trussardi Jeans, Versace Collection, Versace Jeans Aco Modeagentur Austria, Salzburg/ Austria, salzburg@acomode.at, www.acomode.at

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The men’s shirts by Bevilacqua, which are a new addition to the Komet & Helden brand portfolio, are characterised by finest materials and special designs.

Komet und Helden Timing is Vital Komet & Helden has a lot of news in terms of the current season.

One of the new additions to its brand portfolio is Bevilacqua, an Italian men’s shirt collection that attaches great importance to traditional manufacturing, finest soft-touch materials, and special designs.

J.W. Brine, a high-end Italian trouser collection of casual elegance, is another newcomer at Komet & Helden. The third new addition is Happiness, a sweater, trouser, and shirt collection designed in LA and manufactured in Italy. The latter offers six delivery dates per year.

“In terms of brands, we focus on a change of rhythm”, says Henrik Soller, the managing director of Komet & Helden. “Strong brands with volumes such as AG, 7 for all Mankind, Save the Duck, and - for the very first time - Woolrich offer a four delivery rhythm with pre-collections and holiday collections to ensure that the goods can be kept

on the sales floors at original prices for a longer period. In addition, we have developed a concession model with the Timothy Everest collection. This allows us to offer selected retailers a high-quality NOS programme.” The concession model will be made available to a maximum of 26 retail partners throughout Europe. “A test run in our own store Stereo/Muc convinced us that exclusivity works for contemporary fashion in the upscale segment.” The online shop www. stereo-muc.de was re-launched recently in order to spread the flair of Florian Ranft and Henrik Soller’s store beyond the city limits of Munich.

Labels: 7 for all Mankind, AG, Baracuta, Bevilacqua, Blauer USA, Bowery, Diemme, Distorted People, Gilded Age, Gino-B, Happiness, Hartford, June 7.2, J.W. Brine, Ottod’Ame, Paltó, Save the Duck, The Nim, Timothy Everest, Woolrich Komet & Helden GmbH, Munich/Germany, muenchen@kometundhelden.de, www.kometundhelden.de

Colorful Trade Development Work

Catwalk Junkie of Amsterdam focuses on soft t-shirts at affordable prices.

“Our goal is to continually improve our service for the medium to upscale market segments”, says Jörg Korfhage, the managing director of Colorful Trade. Korfhage’s fashion agency has set its sights on the German and Austrian markets. To this end, the agency represents Catwalk Junkie, an Amsterdam-based womenswear collection with soft shirts at retail prices ranging from 40 to 50 Euros. The label offers eight delivery dates per year. According to Jörg Korfhage, Anonyme Designers, a dress collection with a calculation factor of 3.0, has also developed outstandingly. Koll3kt is a small - yet excellent - urban contemporary line for men focusing on technical features, while MY F utilises mainly natural materials to create fashion for demanding women who value Italian product knowledge.

All collections are showcased in the agency’s showroom in Munich.

Colorful Trade presents Liu Jo and Koll3kt at the Premium trade show, while Anonyme Designers and Kultivate is on show in the Nova Concept area of the Panorama trade fair. Koll3kt is also on display at the Gallery trade show in Düsseldorf. Moreover, Colorful Trade has plans to open its own store in Mannheim. The grand opening is scheduled for September. The main collection shares the name of the store: Catwalk Junkie. Other womenswear labels will be grouped around the main collection.

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Agentur Toepfer Potential With Semi Couture, Agentur Toepfer has secured an exciting new addition to its brand portfolio as of the summer season 2017. “We are very proud to be afforded the opportunity to represent the second project of the successful designer Erika Cavallini in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland”, says Udo Toepfer, the managing director of the Düsseldorf-based agency. “We really believe in the potential of Semi Couture.” The prices of the collection are about 30 percent lower than the prices of the Erika Cavallini line - with a mark-up of 2.7.

One of the classics in the agency’s portfolio is Circolo 1901. Toepfer is pleased to reveal that Circolo 1901 managed to increase its turnover exorbitantly over the last two season, mainly due to great sales results in the specialised retail sector. Myths, a pants label, established itself at 200 upscale retailers in just two seasons. The list of retail customers includes household names such as Donna Hannover, Apropos Cologne, Braun Hamburg, Fischer Singen, Fidelio Zurich, and Reyer Hallein. In addition to collections that are already well-established in the market, the agency will also present new additions this season. It does so exclusively in its own premises in Düsseldorf and Munich.

Labels: 8PM, Barena, Circolo 1901, Erika Cavallini Precollection, F Cashmere, Faliero Sarti, GMS 75, Holy Ghost, Kengstar, Lost in me, Myths, Semi Couture, Siyu, Smarteez, Via The label Semi Couture by Erika Cavallini is Masini 80, VSP a new addition to the brand portfolio of DüsAgentur Toepfer, Düsseldorf/Germany, seldorf-based Agentur Toepfer. The fashion office@agentur-toepfer.com, agency has been appointed to represent the label in the German-speaking markets. www.agentur-toepfer.com

Ben and Upgraded The integration of Ben Sherman into the structure of fashion agency Ben And is completed. As a licensee, Ben And has extensive responsibilities for which it has strengthened itself by hiring sales director Riccardo Meyer. Many will recognise the name from the past of Ben Sherman.

Mayer was the general manager for Europe at Ben Sherman between 2005 and 2009. In addition, Ben And hired two new brand managers, namely Christian Trimborn and Jörn Freese. Trimborn was a key account manager at Ben Sherman until 2011. The Ben And back-office welcomes three new employees who will work for

The Ben And showroom in Düsseldorf.

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all brands in the agency’s portfolio. “Our service concept requires additional staff”, says Ben Botas, the owner of the agency.

With permanent showrooms in Düsseldorf, Hamburg, and Munich, Ben And covers Germany in its entirety. “This aspect is very important, because most brands want a contact in Germany, preferably for the entire German-speaking region. That makes sense.” A new addition to the Ben And portfolio is Von Floerke, a brand that specialises in accessories.

Labels: Ben Sherman, Bobi Los Angeles, Cervolante, Dstrezzed, iBlues, Manuel Ritz, Mason’s, Matinique, Nabholz, Sand Copenhagen, Refrigiwear, Von Floerke Ben And, Düsseldorf/Hamburg/Munich, agency@ben-and.com, www.ben-and.com

The What for footwear brand is a new addition to Deluxe Distribution’s brand portfolio

Deluxe Distribution Two Newcomers Deluxe Distribution, a Berlin-based fashion agency, is, with immediate effect, the new German distributor of the What for footwear brand.

The women’s shoes are manufactured in the same production facilities as the shoes by Alexander Wang, Michael Kors, and Hermès. At a calculation factor of 2.6, the retail prices range from 135 to 180 Euros. The four collections per year are divided into a pre-collection and a main line and consist of approximately 130 items per season. The label itself was launched in Asia by Stella Fashion Group in 2008. The latter has been a luxury footwear specialist since 1982. In addition to two own stores in the Parisian districts Marais and Saint Germain, What for is stocked by more than 500 stores worldwide, of which 30 are located in Germany.

The What for collection is showcased at the Micam trade show in Milan and the GDS trade fair in Düsseldorf. The second new addition to the Deluxe Distribution portfolio is Nemen, an Italian sportswear brand for men. The agency has been hired to represent the jacket specialist from Milan in Germany and Austria. Nemen showcased its collection at the Pitti Uomo in Florence at Arena Strozzi.

Labels: Ben Sherman Footwear, Circle of Trust, Freddy, Kerbholz, Minimum, Minus, Nemen, Pete Sorensen, Skunkfunk, Smash, United Nude, WeSC, What for Deluxe Distribution, Berlin/Germany, info@deluxe-distribution.de, www.deluxe-distribution.de

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D-tails Urban and Artisanal “Generally speaking, I sense that retailers are on the lookout for two major trends. They are interested in urban and edgy designers with a contemporary design signature. This ‘wave’ has reached the premium segment, meaning that even non-avant-garde retailers can now earn money with such looks”, says Patrick Coppolecchia-Reinartz, the owner of the D-tails fashion agency. “The second major trend is craftsmanship. Smaller manufactories that are particularly good at what they do are very popular. These collections aren’t necessarily from Italy. We just visited England and one can find some really excellent products with a great background story and a lot of tradition in terms of craftsmanship.” Ettinger, a bag manufacturer who is a purveyor of the Queen herself, is a new addition to the agency’s brand portfolio. “In terms of the trend topics sneakers and summer business shoes for women we still see room for new labels. However, the purchase price is decisive. Lorenzo Mari, which we recently added to our portfolio, offers cool shoes at purchase prices ranging from 50 to 60 Euros.” Coppolecchia-Reinartz is convinced: “The time of the large brands is well and truly over. This applies to both premium brands and designer fashion. These brands compete with their retail partners on no less than four levels.

They have their own retail operations, utilise outlets, are listed at large online retailers, and manage their own e-commerce platforms. Once a brand has such a broad distribution network, one has to remove it.”

Labels: 81 Carati Collection, Alpha Studio, Borbonese, Bosideng, Bruno Parise, Clan Milano Sunglasses, Costume in, Essenti´ial, Ettinger, Fattori Shawls Como, Frankie Morello, GH Bass the loafer, Gheradini, Globetrotter, Graziani Jewels, Liverani, Lorenzo Mari, Lumberjack, Massimo Alba, Nanà, Pianura Studio, Pier Antonio Gaspari, Pollini, Riders on the Storm, Roberto P. Uomo, Wally Walker D-tails, Munich/Germany, info@d-tails.de, www.d-tails.de

Patrick Coppolecchia-Reinartz is convinced that high-value collections will replace big brands.

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Brama Gallery Mr Wu

Grey Jason Wu is a new addition to the brand portfolio of Brama Gallery.

Grey, which is Jason Wu’s secondary line, has teamed up with Brama Gallery. Janine Knizia, a showroom manager, recently revealed this sensational news. Actually, Brama has already received the first orders. The showroom responsible for the new collection within the Brama network is located in Paris, where Grey by Jason Wu has found its permanent home. “Jason Wu himself presented the collection to us. It is quite fascinating to see how well-devised the line is and how exciting the background of the products is”, Janine Knizia explains. Why is the collection called Grey? It is the designer’s favourite colour. The secondary line is more reduced, basics-oriented, and seasonless. Jason Wu: “I felt there was room for a sister collection that very much addresses the needs of women who look for a beautiful, seasonless wardrobe that is neither too edgy nor too sweet.” The list of international reference customers includes household names such as Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman in New York.

The purchase prices range from 130 to 450 Euros. Jason Wu recently had the privilege to create his own colour at the Pantone Colour Institute.

Do you really need three guesses? It’s grey.

Labels: Current/Elliott, Doma, Enza Costa, Equipment, Grey Jason Wu, Isapera, J Brand, James Perse, Mother, Norma Kamali Brama Gallery, Düsseldorf/Munich/ Germany, janine@bramagallery.de, www.bramagallery.de

Agentur Stefan Wittmann Three New Labels The latest addition to the brand portfolio of Düsseldorf-based fashion agency Agentur Stefan Wittmann is the Fabienne Chapot label. In his capacity as the general agent for the German and Austrian markets, Stefan Wittmann accompanies the reorientation of the Dutch brand after its recent re-branding. While Fabienne Chapot started off as a jewellery and accessories brand, it is now, for the first time, a complete collection including tops, shirts, dresses, jumpsuits, shorts, and jackets at retail prices ranging from 45 to 199 Euros. It also offers footwear at retail prices from 79.95 to 220 Euros and bags from 179 to 299 Euros. Fabienne Chapot launches two main collections and two pre-collections per year, as well as an extensive NOS programme. The items are manufactured in Portugal and Morocco, as well as in the brand’s own production plant in Bali. In Europe, it currently serves 500 accounts and also operates a flagship store in Amsterdam. In order to improve its customer service, Stefan Wittmann recently added two permanent employees to his staff pool. In addition to the brands listed below, the agency is, from this season onwards, responsible

for the German label Drakewood and its affiliated womenswear line 7 Days Circus, as well as the brands Canadian Classics, Gardenia Copenhagen, and Shoe Biz as a trade agency in the areas Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and NRW. It also represents the Daniele Fiesoli brand in the German zip code areas 0 to 5.

Labels: Baronio, Carlie Joe, Daily’s Nothing Better, Daniele Fiesoli Shirts, Fabienne Chapot, I Love My Moment, La Fée Marabouée, Litchi, Moment by Moment, P448, Project Foce, Silvian Heach, Ten117, Trevor’s Choice, Ylati, Wunderfell Agentur Stefan Wittmann, Düsseldorf/ Germany, T 0049.211.58589690, stefan.wittmann@agentur-wittmann.de, www.agentur-wittmann.de

Fabienne Chapot has transformed into a complete collection following its recent re-branding.

next trade shows Pitti Uomo 90 June, 14-17 Booth: D14 selvedge run June 28-30 Booth: CLOAKROOM

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Modeist Duo of Sisters CCT Collectionen Christian Teufl Prime Location On the 1st of May, Christian Teufl recently opened

a new luxury showroom for accessories in Munich’s “Residenzstrasse”, directly opposite Louis Vuitton.

“I believe we are the only agency that has opened a showroom at such a highly visible location in the city”, says Christian Teufl. “Our retail clients are over the moon, because they can now combine their orders with a stroll through the city.” In said Munich-based showroom, Christian Teufl presents, among other brands, Furla of Italy for the German and Austrian markets. “We managed to boost revenues quite significantly during the last fiscal year, especially with the bags and footwear. We achieved this with fewer customers, because we are even more selective in terms of distribution these days”, Christian Teufl explains. The SeeMe label, which was founded by EU parliamentarian Catherine Occhio, is also on display in Munich. The label manufactures necklaces in Tunisia and employs victims of domestic violence. In the name of SeeMe, these women learned the traditional Tunisian jewellery craft and can now feed their respective families. The exquisite pieces are only stocked by carefully selected specialised retailers, among them household Exclusive collections, selective distribution - the names such as Colette and Luisa Via Roma. The Furla label is now part of brand strives to conquer the German market next.

CCT Collectionen’s brand In his showroom in Salzburg’s “Vierthaler Strasse”, portfolio.

Teufl showcases brands such as Colmar and FTC Cashmere for the Austrian market. A new addition to the portfolio is Colmar’s golf collection, for which Teufl has assembled a sales team with sports expertise. “Colmar is developing into a particularly popular label.

It is also fairly affordable due to retail prices ranging from 245 to 350 Euros for summer down jackets”, Christian Teufl notes. Peuterey, which is considered a classic collection and a level above Colmar in terms of pricing, is a new addition to the agency’s brand portfolio alongside 0039 Italy and 120°Lino, as well as American Vintage. The latter is a pronto line for autumn/winter 2016. “We have increased the number of employees at our agency and are therefore swimming against the current”, Christian Teufl stresses. “We are achieving excellent results in a very difficult market.”

Labels: 0039 Italy, 120%, American Vintage, Colmar Originals, Colmar Active & Ski, FTC Cashmere, Marlino, Manila Grace, P448, Peuterey, Post&Co, SeeMe, Twin Set by Simona Barbieri, undici dieci CCT Collectionen Christian Teufl, 5020 Salzburg/Austria and 80333 Munich/Germany, office@teufl.cc, www.teufl.cc

The shirt brand Portuguese Flannel is a new addition to the brand portfolio of Fashion Factory and Panorama Europe.

ModeIst, a Munich-based fashion agency, will present two new fashion lines by Marlino GmbH at the upcoming Premium trade show in Berlin. The two lines are “related”, so to speak. Silk Sisters, a feminine blouse and dress collection, stands for clean easy-chic and relaxed cuts with elastic silk and cotton stretch material. The Sisters of Jersey collection consists of t-shirts and sweatshirts in casual cuts made of high-quality 50/1 cotton with an extra soft touch.

To accompany the exciting premieres and to mark the start of the next season, Marion Hoferer has more news to share.

The small and concentrated pants range by Dolores… but you can call me Lolita, which the agency owner launched last year, has swiftly developed into a coherent pants collection with 35 models in unusual qualities ranging from Silk Satin to Techno Jersey. The next delivery date is scheduled for November 2016. The retail prices range from 149 to 199 Euros; the brand delivers goods flexibly via its permanent NOS programme. There’s also news in terms of Another Bag: the coming collection covers five different themes. “At the moment, the market demands everything from feminine-clean to casual and washed leathers with oversized zippers”, Marion Hoferer says. The shoppers, weekenders, backpacks, and clutches (core retail price 249 Euros) will include a small hand mirror. Just like in the fairytale: Mirror, mirror…

Labels: Alessandra Bi, Another Bag, B.Belt, Blaumax, Dolores, Kobo, Montgomery, Musthaves by Montgomery, Sassi Cara, Silk Sisters, Sisters of Jersey, Wannahaves by Montgomery ModeIst GmbH, Munich and Düsseldorf/Germany, info@b-kleidung.com, www.modeist.com Silk Sisters, one of two fashion lines

by Marlino GmbH, is a newcomer in the Modeist brand portfolio.

Fashion Factory by Mark Grütters/ Panorama Europe Focus on Brand Building Felix Staeudinger and Mark Grütters have been working on their concept with the right mix of distribution, marketing, public relations, and service for the last six years. The aim is to build and expand the market presence of brands with history, tradition, and relevance. “In times of upheaval in our industry and in a difficult market environment, this strategy has proven that there is always space in the market for niches and brands that boast special classics. This means that there is also a desire among consumers”, Mark Grütters of the Fashion Factory explains. While Espadrij l’originale started off with one simple model in five colours, the brand’s collection has since developed into a complete footwear range with numerous models in more than 50 colours and an extensive stock management programme. The development of Schott NYC is quite similar.

The brand had eight customers in Germany initially. Today, it is listed at 140 retailers in the German-speaking markets.

“The brands Penfield, Rivieras, Menil, Paraboot, and Portuguese Flannel, our new shirt range, have cult potential. If and when these brands manage to successfully re-launch in the German-speaking region is a question of time, patience, energy, and the associated zeitgeist. This will determine whether they can re-establish themselves as classics in the long term”, Grütters says.

Labels: Espadrij l’originale, Grundens, Menil, Paraboots, Penfield, Portuguese Flannel, Rivieras, Schott NYC Fashion Factory by Mark Grütters, Düsseldorf/Germany, contact@ffbymg.com, www.ffbymg.com Panorama Europe GmbH, Düsseldorf/Germany, mail@panorama-europe.eu, www.panorama-europe.eu

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Panorama Berlin “Trade Shows are Essential for Exchange!”

Our industry is undergoing a profound transformation.

How do you perceive this transformation in terms of the trade show as a tool?

In times of massive change, trade shows are essential, because they provide opportunities for communication and exchange. We strive to provide answers to the questions of the market and offer the industry an attractive platform that inspires the visitors. In addition, our lectures provide reliable information on various topics and trends. Together with the Panorama Digital, it is a unique tool to represent all exhibiting brands.

What can you tell us about the future of the new Nova Concept?

Nova Concept remains the trend laboratory of the Panorama Berlin. Alongside trendsetting fashion, we strive to focus on lifestyle and non-textile topics, thus combining different themes. True to the principle of so-called “hidden object games”, we want to emotionalise, inspire, and encourage browsing.

Will the Panorama Berlin move in the direction of the premium segment? Is being the trade show for the “fashion­able middle” not already an achievement in itself?

Th­at’s right. The Panorama Berlin is a great success! In our eyes, the term “premium” is merely a label, mostly in terms of marketing. Products, ideas, trends, and dealing with the retail industry is what drives us. Our vision of fashion is relevant and this vision is best described with the term “zeitgeist”.

What else is new at the Panorama Berlin?

We will present a number of innovations. First, we have restructured all core segments in the halls 1 to 6. MA!N is our very first hall dedicated exclusively to menswear. In addition to a new hall for accessories, we have expanded once again.

Hipstar is our first hall dedicated to “plus size” collections.

We have also significantly enlarged our footwear section and have decided to stage catwalk shows for the first time.

28th to 30th of June 2016, www.panorama-berlin.com

Jörg Wichmann, the managing director of the Panorama Berlin, answers question about his trade show.

Show & Order Revenue Generator It’s a real statement of intent! For the spring/summer 2017 season, the Show & Order trade show has decided to expand its accessories segment by creating a new 4,000 square metre exhibition area. In addition to the ready-to-wear segment, this guarantees an exciting mix of brands which strives to both inform and inspire with revenue generators such as jewellery, bags and shoes, cosmetics, books, art, and interior design items. “In response to the great demand from footwear exhibitors, we have decided to create the contemporary ‘The

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Shoe Gallery’ concept, which was developed with the industry specialist Thomas Aichinger”, says Verena Malta, the managing director of the Show & Order trade show. The early start of the trade show also applies to the upcoming event in “Kraftwerk Berlin Mitte”; the Show & Order therefore starts on Monday once again in order to allow the visitors to start the Berlin Fashion Week in a relaxed manner. A special event is the Show & Order’s Shopping Night for consumers on the 28th of June between 7pm and 11pm.

The event offers live music, food, and drinks. 27th to 29th of June 2016, www.showandorder.com The Show & Order trade show has decided to expand its accessories segment by creating a new 4,000 square metre exhibition area.

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Gallery New Streetstyle Segment This July, the “Böhler Areal” will not only play host to the four existing segments Agencies, Contemporary, Organic, and Accessories, but also to a new Streetstyle area. The latter will be staged in the “Altes Kesselhaus” in co-operation with Daisy Dee Rollocks of DD Productions. “We are working on establishing the Gallery as a fashion event in Düsseldorf”, says Ulrike Kähler, an authorised officer and project director at the Gallery. One high-profile name that has been announced for this summer is particularly impressive. The collection Karl Lagerfeld will present its readyto-wear collections for women and men at Düsseldorf’s order

platform. In addition, DZZD and Maison Douze will be represented by the Salto Agency.

Other exhibitors include YTTF - Yesterday Today Tomorrow Footwear and CSP Shoewear & Clothing. In the growth segment Organic Fairtrade Fashion the exhibitors include household names such as Frajorde, Steps of Spirit, Good Society, Haikure, and People Tree by designer Safia Minney. Furthermore, visitors can place orders at numerous agencies like D-Tails, Agentur Norbert Klauser, Hinterhofagentur, Moderaum Fischer, Fashion 22 Agency, and Agentur Gabi Heininger. In the adjacent “Alte Federnfabrik” the organisers of the Platform Fashion trade show stage numerous fashion shows of various designers.

22nd to 25th of July 2016, www.gallery-duesseldorf.com

Munich Fabric Start Innovations This year, the Munich Fabric Start celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The next event is expected to attract more than 1,000 international exhibitors with approximately 1,700 collections - a new record.

This means that the three segments - Fabrics, Additionals, and Design Studios - have expanded. The event also marks the debut of Keyhouse, an innovation and creativity forum. The new 1,000 square metre area is located between the Munich Fabric Start and the Bluezone. Keyhouse is dedicated to showcasing the implementation of the latest technologies, sustainable and innovative textiles, and pioneering trends. “With the Keyhouse area we have - in the literal sense of the term - created a key position; it provides space for new products and segments with a high development potential.

Innovative and progressive suppliers are afforded an opportunity to launch their ideas and concepts in an exclusive environment and surrounded by modern architecture. This allows them to present said ideas and concepts to a broad and qualified public”, explains Wolfgang Klinder, the managing director of the Munich Fabric Start.

Due to strong demand, the denim and sportswear sector has been expanded by an additional hall. This is where suppliers showcase a selection of innovative denim developments with a focus on Heritage, Sustainability, and Innovation. 30th of August to 1st of September 2016, www.munichfabricstart.com

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Premium, Seek, Bright, #Fashion­tech Business 2 Community The #Fashiontech conference format, hosted by the Premium and Seek trade shows, takes place for the fourth time in the “Kühlhaus” of the “Station Berlin” event location. This time it is spread out over two floors.

The aim of the conference is to inform the industry about the latest developments regarding the intersection of fashion and technology. Fashion experts, industry insiders, start-ups, designers, and global players come together to discuss potentials, opportunities, and new business models. Visitors can attend the conference for free as long as they register in advance. The event boasts a first-class schedule with topics and projects in the fields of E-Commerce & Future of Retail, Wearables & Design, and Digital Marketing & Communication.

A new highlight is the [‘P :PI] STUDIO Area. This format inspired by the pop-culture of South Korea - reflects the influence of art, music, fashion, and film.

This summer, the Seek trade show offers 280 carefully selected brands from the segments Modern Menswear, Upper Streetwear, Elevated

Sportswear, New Classics, and Authentic Designer Collections.

The new exhibitors include the likes of Barleycorn, Rivieras, Grenfell, Lupe, and W’LFG’NG, Impossible, and Incase. The Bright x Seek panel on Tuesday is dedicated to discussing how streetwear and skateboarding influence the current fashion trends, as well as how much power micro-brands have. The Sneaker Spot, which is organised in co-operation with Ebay, Hikmet Sugoer, and turnschuh. tv, is a marketplace for the international sneaker community.

Drago Publishing of Rome is the curator of a very special exhibition. It involves photographic artists such as Boogie, Estevan Oriol, and Letizia Battaglia. The long-awaited summer framework programme of the Seek trade show in the “Arena Club” area, the “Hoppetosse”, and the “Badeschiff” offers an opportunity to party and network after hours. The events include the Seek Magazine Launch in co-operation with the blog-zine CeeCee, the Run & Rave with the support of Runbase Berlin, the Bright Opening Party in the “Else”, the Patta x 24kilates x Asics BBQ, and the Seek & Bright x highsnobiety Party, as well as the Closing Party in the “Chalet”.

28th to 30th of June 2016 www.premiumexhibitions.com, www.fashiontech.berlin, www.seekexhibitions.com, www.brighttradeshow.com

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GDS Impulses New trends, new schedule - the GDS trade show takes place from Tuesday to Thursday towards the end of July. The fair showcases international footwear and accessories collections divided into the three lifestyle worlds Highstreet, Studio, and Pop Up. While the Highstreet section is dedicated to classics, young fashion, and sport and comfort shoe brands, the more exclusive Studio segment showcases brands such as Ash, Calvin Klein, Donna Carolina, van Bommel, and Porsche. The motto of the Pop Up area is urban and alternative, which means that this segment focuses on individual labels from the streetwear and fashion scene.

The kick-off event of the trade show is traditionally the GDS Studio Show, which highlights the current catwalk trends. The GDS Trend Spots supply visitors with suggestions for the PoS, especially in terms of how shoes and accessories can be visualised with installations. To this end, the so-called Trend Codes identify the fashionable must-haves of the season and combine them to an outfit with the matching shoes as a supplement. The FashionbloggerCafé takes place for the fifth time. During the blogger runway show, bloggers present their own fashion looks. Styleranking experts answer the questions of industry representatives about the optimal social media strategy during the FashionbloggerCafé. tag it!, a private label show, takes place at the same time as the GDS. It is a sourcing trade fair with a wide range of product, price, and quality segments.

26th to 28th of July 2016, www.gds-online.com

The GDS trade show offers three fashion segments and an optimised hall structure, as well as an extensive trend service.

Der Berliner Modesalon Made in Germany

Supreme Women&Men Full Steam Ahead Both the events in the “B1 Haus” in Düsseldorf’s “Kaiserswertherstrasse” and the order fair in Munich’s MTC World of Fashion are fully booked. “In the case of the Supreme Women&Men in Munich, we have decided to expand the new lifestyle article concept by awarding it more space in hall 5. There buyers can find items that ensnare the senses and provide the retail trade with new impetuses”, explains Aline Schade, a management board member of the Munich Fashion Company GmbH. “We focus all our attention on the wellbeing of our exhibitors and visitors. In Düsseldorf, we have the large tent

in front of the ‘B1’, which affords retailers, brand representatives, and fashion agencies an opportunity to exchange information while enjoying excellent food and drink. This summer, the specialised retailers will, of course, also receive the ‘Supreme Full Service’ in Munich”, Aline Schade adds. The framework programme once again consists of evening get-togethers for exhibitors and visitors in the direct vicinity of the event locations.

Supreme Women&Men Düsseldorf, 23rd to 26th of July 2016, Supreme Women&Men Munich, 6th to 9th of August 2016, www.munichfashioncompany.com

©Andreas Rentz

Impetuses for the senses: the Supreme Women&Men trade show in Munich has expanded its area dedicated to lifestyle articles.

The concentrated presence of more than 40 German designers at Der Berliner Modesalon (the Berlin Fashion Salon) in the “Kronprinzenpalais” strives to illustrate the relevance of fashion as a cultural and economic asset in Germany.

Simultaneously, it aims to promote national and international awareness for fashion design from Berlin in order to establish a new, sophisticated, and self-confident understanding of German fashion. At the same time, the initiative seeks to promote the sales aspect through co-operations and a continuous exchange with renowned luxury department stores and concept stores. As per usual, the event kicks off on Monday with Zeit Magazin’s “Fashion & Style” conference. On Tuesday and Thursday, the Berlin Fashion Salon plays host to shows and presentations of four designers. The highlight is the curated group exhibition on Wednesday. It showcases a cross-section of relevant German fashion talents. Alongside renowned brands such as Escada, Talbot Runhof, Dorothee Schumacher, and Iris von Arnim, it also offers a platform for young emerging designers such as Tim Labenda, Golpira, PB0110, and Hien Le. Unützer, Brachmann, and 22/4_ hommes_femme have decided to attend the event for the first time this season. Moreover, the Vogue fashion magazine is organising a separate presentation at “Kronprinzenpalais”.

28th to 30th of June 2016, www.derberlinermodesalon.com

Isabell De Hillerin´s runway show at Der Berliner Modesalon.

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STAND 2.53

SUPERFIT SUMMER

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Skunkfunk Zero Waste Annabel Ingall Who Kors?

Which retailer with an alignment somewhere between the commercial and premium segment is not constantly on the lookout for a bag Ă la Michael Kors? On the lookout for a bag brand that can grow stronger if the dominance of the US designer should ever wane? Annabel Ingall, an Australian designer, nurtures the hope that she could be the one to fill the void. Shoppers, totes, and crossbody bags - she offers all bags in forty motley colours. Her designs are made of leather, are simple in terms of design, and highly fashionable. Retailers adore the NOS offer that affords them the possibility to re-order in the short-term. The purchase prices range from 55 to 220 Euros; the calculation factor is, of course, highly attractive too. The designer is currently showcasing her range at the Tranoi in Paris and the Designers & Agents in New York.

International top accounts such as Bloomingdales, Shopbop, Revolve, and Lyst are already on the customer list.

Australian Design & Marketing, New York/USA, T 001.917.2842395, annabelingallorders@gmail.com, www.annabel-ingall.myshopify.com 316 style in progress

Skunkfunk, a Spanish fashion label, utilises GOTS-certified cotton, Tencel, Lyocell, recycled polyester, and linen for its collections.

The production process is environmentally friendly. In order to set new standards within the streetwear segment, the label’s designers have developed a Zero Waste Capsule Collection. The challenge lies in identifying square or rectangular shapes on the fabric and implementing those shapes with an architectural approach in terms of design. The aim is to arrange all segments in a geometric base without wastage. While creating the patterns, one of the major aspects was to explain the concept, which is based on simple cuts and reduced seams, to the Indian production partners. To this end, the partners sat down together and cut each segment by hand to ensure that every single centimetre of fabric is used. The lengthy process has paid off: the first items of the Zero Waste Collection are four dresses with a retail price ranging from 65 to 75 Euros. The dresses are available at, among others, the Greenality online store. The Zero Waste Collection is showcased at Pure London, Momad Madrid, Premium Berlin, Ethical Trade Show Berlin, and Innatex Frankfurt.

Skunkfunk Headquarters, Lezama/Spain, T 0034.94.6257922, info@skunkfunk.com, www.skunkfunk.com

People of Shibuya Technoid

People of Shibuya, an Italian jacket collection named after a district of Tokyo, managed to win over renowned retail customers shortly after its launch. The list of customers in Germany includes household names such as Masculin Group, Konen in Munich, and Kuttenreich in Ingolstadt. These arguments are compelling: the highly functional urban-style jackets boast a 10,000 water column, welded or taped seams, and details such as reflectors.

Most of the outer fabrics are sourced from Japan. In addition to technical polyester materials, the brand also offers functionally enhanced wool, partially printed. Every jacket of the autumn/winter collection, which consists of no more than six pieces, was equipped with a fully self-supporting inner jacket made of light down. This 2-in-1 principle impresses even more when one takes the purchase prices into account. They range from 145 to 209 Euros with a calculation factor of 2.8. In order to be the retailers’ ultimate favourite, People of Shibuya has a strong warehouse programme that allows re-orders and exchanges during the season. The spring/summer collection continues the 2-in-1 principle in coats that are equipped with a light-weight down vest. The average purchase prices for the summer range from 110 to 120 Euros.

Goodfellas srl, Brescia/Italy, T 0039.030.5788045, commerciale.italia@thegoodfellas.it, www.peopleofshibuya.com

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Kengstar Just the Product

Tonno & Panna A New Kind of Blouse

Tuna and cream is not only a favourite dish at all Italian restaurants. Tonno & Panna is also a blouse collection by Emily van den Bergh.

As of the current season, the collection is represented by Adventure Fashion GmbH. The predominant retail price is 99.95 Euros at a calculation factor of 2.7. Fresh names are very welcome in this particular segment, especially as many blouse specialists have already moved on to higher prices. “We are convinced of the potential of beautiful blouses that cost less than 100 Euros”, says Marc Kofler, CEO at Adventure Fashion GmbH. Unlike its sister collection Emily van den Bergh, which has managed to list its tunics and light shirts at retailers such as P&C, About You, and Zalando, Tonno & Panna is more reserved in terms of design. Including perfectly white blouses, longer variants, and cropped blouses, Tonno & Panna has committed itself to an urban design language. The range is a perfect choice to combine with other premium and contemporary collections.

Fashion Pure GmbH, Grefrath/Germany, T 0049.2158.401050, office@tonno-panna.com, www.tonno-panna.com 316 style in progress

Lost in me New Wool

The new wool coats are coming! Thus, it is the time for labels such as Lost In Me from Italy. The collection is defined by women’s coats with a masculine touch, for instance in pepper-salt design, over-checks, glen-check, or uni-coloured. The fairly tight cut and a classy, sporty look are characteristic for Lost In Me. The detachable real fur collar adds a special twist. The collars are made of mink or rabbit fur and can, upon request, be emblazoned with a printed star as eye-catcher.

Toepfer has been the representative of Lost In Me in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for a season. The label is listed at renowned retailers such as Reyer Hallein, Frauenschuh Kitzbühel, Daniels Cologne, and Abseits Stuttgart. The purchase prices for the coats range from 230 to 330 Euros at a mark-up of 2.7.

Visconf s.r.l., Empoli/Italy, T 0039.0571.711822, office@violanti.eu, www.violanti.eu

A different kind of bomber, parka, and the like: the Italian label Kengstar’s innovative design ideas bring a breath of fresh air into the young outerwear segment. Kengstar has been represented by Toepfer, a Düsseldorf-based fashion agency, since spring. “This label is all about the product and it convinces immediately; the parkas sold very well right from the start”, says Udo Toepfer, who managed to list Kengstar at household names such as Donna Hannover, Different Sylt, Fischer Singen, and Bailly Frankfurt. The collection consists of five basic models: a short and long version of the bomber jacket and parka, as well as a women’s blouson. The jackets are made of canvas or nylon in the colours white, olive, and black. The style can be compiled individually: fake fur collar and lining in nine colours such as natural, pink, red, fuchsia, yellow, or blue.

There are also optional all-over patches, for instance with a panda motif or embroidered stars. The purchase price for a bomber jacket is 140 Euros. An embroidered bomber jacket costs 159 Euros. The purchase price for a non-embroidered, long parka is 159 Euros, while the fully embroidered version costs 188 Euros. The calculation factor stands at 2.9.

Think Tank s.r.l., Bologna/Italy, T 0039.051.6647907, showroom@thinktanksrl.it

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Von Floerke Fly With Me

Lab Dip Sea of Colours

Lab Dips are the small fabric samples one knows from style-sheets or when watching designers work. It is the perfect name for the womenswear label, which was founded in Paris in 2003. After all, Lab Dip has not only committed itself to denim, but also to colours and fabrics in all variants. Pants are the label’s core competence. It also offers a great range of reduced blouses, shirt dresses, and day dresses. The retail prices range from 90 to 129 Euros for pants and from 120 to 160 Euros for dresses. This means that the label lives up to its core argument of an understandable pricing structure. The feminine and no-fuss design signature lends the collection a certain amount of individuality. At the same time, the label is also perfect for combinations with other collections. This truly is a beautiful discovery in the womenswear segment.

Lab Dip, Paris/France, T 0033.1.42337028, info@labdip.fr, www.labdip.fr 316 style in progress

Handcrafted men’s accessories produced in Europe - partly in Germany - with great attention to detail: the range includes hand-knotted bow ties, hand-rolled pocket squares made of silk woven in Krefeld, and hand-linked socks knitted in Baden-Württemberg. David Schirrmacher, the founder of Von Floerke, has more unbeatable arguments: retailers are supplied with short-term collections four times per year - trend-oriented and in smart packaging.

The retail prices are highly competitive: bows cost 39 Euros, while bow ties and ties cost 29 Euros. The calculation factor is 2.8 or 64 percent respectively. The previous season’s items are exchanged as soon as the next collection is launched. The aim is to keep the image fresh at all times. The coherent concept - known, inter alia, from the start-up TV show “Höhle der Löwen” - convinced retailers such as Wöhrl, SinnLeffers, Breuninger, and Konen.

Von Floerke is a sales champion that needs very little space on the sales floors. “Modehaus Selting, a fashion retailer in Borken, is an excellent example. There, we currently have a floor productivity of more than 14,000 Euros per square metre”, David Schirrmacher explains while outlining the label’s potential.

Von Floerke, Schirrmacher Moden GmbH, Bonn/Germany, T 0049.228.29971580, dennis@vonfloerke.com, www.vonfloerke.com

Thomas Royall What to Wear Poolside

Do you need new swimming trunks? If you do, this English brand is a red hot tip. The purchase prices range from 37 Euros for a short model to 41 Euros for a longer one. The calculation factor stands at 2.7. All uni-colour variants are part of an NOS programme and can be ordered at any time. The patterned shorts, on the other hand, change seasonally.

Stylish father and son duos can also buy the Thomas Royall swimming trunks in a “mini-me” version. Not only can retailers choose from two lengths, but also from two different waistbands: elastic and firm. The label’s creators are former professional footballers and have persuaded numerous colleagues to act as testimonials. The list of supporters includes household names such as David Beckham, David Alaba, and Jérôme Boateng. Stephen James, the model of the current Thomas Royall campaign, is just as attractive. Just look at all those tattoos and sculpted muscles!

Thomas Royall, London/UK, T 0044.775.1047747, info@thomasroyall.com, www.thomasroyall.com

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052 WANT iT

Happiness The Name Speaks for Itself

The Happiness story started in Los Angeles in 2007 when a student joined forces with Michael Scarpelli, the founder of Happiness, to develop innovative - yet affordable - t-shirts.

Today, the Italian label stands for sweats and jerseys with rock & roll motifs, ironic slogans, and quirky prints. The label’s name speaks for itself; fashion should, after all, make people happy. The focus is on perfected basics paired with clever marketing measures - at a very competitive price. The purchase price for t-shirts is 12 Euros, while sweatpants cost 27 Euros. The calculation factors for the aforementioned items range from 2.7 to 3.2.

The average purchase price for fashion pieces is 32 Euros with a 2.7 calculation factor. In addition, the label, which produces its garments primarily at Yuma S.r.l. in Italy, offers short intervals between order, production, and delivery. The four collections per year are delivered within one to two months, depending on the customer’s wishes. The label also offers two flash collections. Happiness has approximately 1,400 points of sale worldwide and now wants to re-conquer the German market with the assistance of Komet & Helden.

Happiness Brand, Rimini/Italy, T 0039.0541.740698, info@shophappiness.com, www.shophappiness.com 316 style in progress

Jan Mayen What an Offer

Granted, the jackets by Jan Mayen, a brand of the Moorer Group, are not new to the German market. Ever since Jan Metzger introduced the brand to the market successfully, the collection has managed to win over numerous reference customers. The list of customers includes Braun in Hamburg, Lodenfrey in Munich, P&C Nord, and P&C Süd. From the start of the 2017 sales season onwards, Heritage Agents will support the brand by promoting its men’s collection. What does Jan Mayen stand for? The brand offers jackets at prices that make this particularly difficult field seem a little more forgiving. The retail prices range from 329 to 399 Euros, meaning that the jackets are a lot easier to sell. “Retailers breathe a sigh of relief when they see that the price doesn’t start with a five”, says Heritage Agents’ Michael Brockmann. What else has Jan Mayen to offer? It offers valuable items, beautiful hybrid models, and thoughtful details such as the jersey lining of light down jackets.

Jan Mayen, Castelnuovo del Garda/Italy, T 0039.045.6450770, showroom@janmayen.it, www.janmayen.it

AT.P.CO Italian Style at a Good Price

Viva Italia! AT.P.CO hails from the Italian town Fanciacorta. The label is also Italian through and through in terms of materials, cuts, and its casual urban style. The total look collection for men and women is characterised by its excellent price-performance ratio, which positions it below the designer segment in the premium retail trade. The retail prices for trousers, jeans, and chinos start at less than 100 Euros. The brand also offers sports jackets at retail prices ranging from 190 to 290 Euros.

The collection, which is complemented by shirts, t-shirts, sweaters, and accessories, has a calculation factor of 3.0.

The driving force behind AT.P.CO, which was launched in 2010, is the company Golden Season. The latter is managed by CEO Luca Orsatti. The first three AT:P:CO stores - located in Como, Brescia, and Salò - were opened in 2015. The brand intends to open further stores in Italy and abroad. The label had its own stand at the Pitti in Florence.

Golden Season Srl, Erbusco/Italy, T 0039.030.723777, office@agentur-schwarte.de, www.atpco.it

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054 WANT iT

Articles of Society The Answer J.W. Brine Style and Effortless Elegance

In 1982, Giacomo Rizzo came across a pair of US Army uniform trousers in a vintage shop.

The initials “J.W. Brine” were embroidered on the trousers. This find inspired the Italian to team up with Carmelo Pistone, the chairman of Bastille S.r.l., to launch an eponymous trouser label. Today, the collection for men and women is characterised by style, an impeccable sense for fits, and effortless elegance, as well as high-quality workmanship and Italian materials in a variety of colours. There are two collections per year with approximately 150 pieces. The average purchase price is 70 Euros with a calculation factor of 3.0. In its Italian home market, the collection has no less than 200 retail customers. Other important markets are Japan, South Korea, and the US with an additional 60 points of sale. The customer list includes household names such as Eral 55, Space, Ron Herman, Fred Segal, and United Arrows. J.W. Brine restarts covering the German-speaking markets this season with the assistance of the Komet & Helden fashion agency.

J.W. Brine - Bastille S.r.l., Carrara/Italy, T 0039.05858.57001, carmelo.pistone@jwbrine.it, www.jwbrine.it 316 style in progress

Kragü Belts Made of Ties

A hip tie may sound unusual, but it’s actually exceptional. Back in 2012, four young entrepreneurs from Munich had the idea to convert old ties into belts. Their business idea earned them 3rd place at the Europe-wide Young Enterprise Competition. Only three entrepreneurs remain in the business today: Konstantin Zedelius, Otto Reygers, and Basile Schellmann. The label offers its customers unusual accessories that give every outfit an individual touch due to their respective unusual patterns. The belts are manufactured in a Munich-based sewing shop with exquisite craftsmanship. Old ties are separated, cut to the correct dimensions, and are finally given a lining of micro-fibre and foam fabric, as well as a double D-ring as a buckle. The design possibilities are limitless. Long forgotten patterns that one would never dare to wear as a tie anymore suddenly look great in combination with chinos, jeans, and leather pants.

Every single tie belt is a unique item and costs 59.90 Euros. The label’s sales representative is Agentur Kappler’s Mansur Hakimi, who is based in Munich. Kragü has been listed by household names such as Abseits in Stuttgart and Laufsteg in Augsburg, as well as Konen, Slips, and Lodenfrey (all in Munich). www.kragu.com

“The Articles of Society collection is the answer to all the denim market’s problems”, says Reinhart Oberstein, the label’s sales representative for the German market. It offers innovative cuts as an alternative to the predominant skinny jeans and affordable retail prices ranging from 99 to 149 Euros. The calculation factor stands at 3.0. The driving force behind the label, which was founded in 2012, is the Goldwing Group. The collection is designed in Los Angeles and manufactured in the Far East. “The label offers real value for money and proves that the LA look doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive”, adds Reinhart Oberstein, who started distributing Articles of Society last season and managed to convince more than 20 customers from the outset. “The success motivated me to start distributing the label in Switzerland and Austria with Room with a view as a partner agency.” Among the innovations of the collection for women are jeans in different body heights made of super-soft denim stretch and flowing Tencel blends. The collection includes flared and so-called “Boyfriend Cropped” models that are complemented with Tencel jackets, shorts, dungarees, and blouses. The label has also added a men’s line with high-quality denims with slim Italian cuts.

CP Fashion Core Products Ltd, Düsseldorf/ Germany, T 0049.7763.7021, reinhart.oberstein@cpfashion.de, www.cpfashion.de

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056 WANT iT

Nemen Urban Tradition

Nemen, an Italian sportswear brand for men, combines traditional Italian tailoring with modern materials. Its aspiration is to deliver items of the highest quality manufactured in Italy. All materials are sourced from renowned Italian suppliers and characterised by their technical qualities and innovative dyeing techniques.

Passion, tradition, and craftsmanship are the terms that best define the 80-piece collection designed by Milan-based Finest Cloth Studio.

In addition to jackets at retail prices ranging from 399 to 990 Euros, Nemen offers knitwear, sweatshirts, shirts, t-shirts, polo shirts, and shorts. The calculation factor stands at 2.65.

For the third time, the brand has teamed up with the urban outerwear label Acronym to create a joint fashion line named ACR_NMN. Another highlight is the experimental L.E.D. Jacket Project. A transparent hard-shell is illuminated by LED technology. Deluxe Distribution, a Berlin-based fashion agent, has been appointed as sales representative for the German and Austrian markets. In Austria, Nemen is stocked by the likes of Sagmeister, Helmut Eder, Einwaller, and Neumann. In Germany, the brand is listed at household names such as Konen and Die Form. Nemen showcases its collection at the Pitti Uomo in Florence and in Arena Strozzi.

Nemen, 12th Man S.r.l., Milan/Italy, sales@ nemen.it, www.nemen.it 316 style in progress

04651/Sylt A Weekend on Sylt Portofiori A Flower in Every Port

Concentrated “Italianitá” at a good price those in search of such a shirt often had to admit that their search was ultimately futile.

Handcrafted shirts made of beautiful fabrics with exclusive patterns often cost approximately 150 Euros. With Portofiori, Dominik Meuer’s Hinterhofagentur has an attractive offer for its customers: the average price in retail is no more than 99 Euros. How is this possible, you ask? The shirts are manufactured by an Italian company which owns factories and also produces for third parties.

The company doesn’t source its fabrics from agents, but buys directly from the producer.

This makes the pricing structure possible. In addition to the main collections, a broad NOS offer is almost self-evident in this segment.

Portofiori, Florence/Italy, T 0039.081.8268557, commerciale@f2pitalia.it, www.portofiori.it

“A trip in a bag” is the motto of 04651/Sylt’s men’s collection, aptly named after arguably one of the most prominent area codes in Germany - that of Sylt. It’s a refined, luxurious casual collection produced in finest qualities by renowned European manufacturers. Matthias Garske, the brand manager, says: “Sylt has a very particular spirit and style; we want our collection to reflect this. The idea was to design a collection I would pack in my weekender.” The term that best describes the 40-piece fashion line is “effortless chic”. The collection is represented by Heritage Agents. “The range is very broad: it includes bags, sauna towels, jersey jackets, and cashmere knitwear”, Michael Brockmann explains. “The average purchase price is 70 Euros at a calculation factor approaching 3.0.” 04651/Sylt has been listed at a handful of men’s outfitters since early 2016, but now strives to expand significantly.

Naturally, the label wants to achieve this with sustainability and composure. At the end of the day, this is Sylt, not Sansibar.

04651/Sylt, Sylt/Germany, T 0049.4651.8044980, info@04651-sylt.de, www.04651-sylt.de

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060 THE LONGVIEW

Anine Bing: “I Instantly Know if a Piece Will be a Bestseller or Not.”

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062 THE LONGVIEW

Almost overnight, Anine Bing, a former model and blogger, turned into a brand in her own right. A brand with a real explosive power too: instead of conforming to the established seasonal rhythm, the Danishborn fashion expert and her husband created a - if not THE - real time fashion label. Monthly collections, an online platform for re-orders, and many icon pieces that last beyond seasons are just some ingredients of the recipe of success that is so popular among retailers. Today, Anine Bing is not only the figurehead of a generation of bloggers who have built a tangible business on the back of their reputation, but also the impulse generator in terms of a new rhythm within the fashion industry. Interview: Nicole Doleh, Martina Müllner-Seybold. Photos: Anine Bing, Anna Maria Zunino-Noellert, Trever Hoehne, Sofi Fahrmann Why did you decide to take this path into the fashion world?

Well, I felt something was missing on the fashion market.

I always had a very simple style and people liked my style, so I felt I had a good chance to mix things together to make it look very effortless, in a very relaxed way. And I love denim. Jeans are everything I wear basically, so I wanted to create some really basic great pieces that all women needed in their wardrobe. So I wanted to start this label and started four years ago, just with a couple of pieces. I started very simple and just launched it on my website. And I built the brand from there. From the beginning, I worked very differently than other brands; I launched new products every month instead of doing two collections a year. I came out with new pieces all the time, which keeps it interesting for the customers.

How did you come up with this idea of the monthly collections?

I think that I am just a very eager person myself. I like when things happen all the time, so I did not have the patience to sit and wait one year until the next piece came out, so it was basically starting from my own needs. But then I saw the industry would go that way, you know with Instagram and all the social media, it’s the new way of working, I feel. When people see a picture on Instagram, they want it immediately; they don’t want

to wait six months. I was lucky to build my brand the same time when Instagram became popular, so I was one of the first brands to jump on that. I saw the effect of Instagram and I also had my blog for many years, so I saw the needs of my followers, of the women out there. Women who wanted what I was wearing, so I thought this was a smart way of building a business.

For retailers it is very different to order a brand in real time, they have to rethink, have to have a new idea of buying…

I feel like many of the other brands, who have been around for many years, are working towards this direction now. I feel it’s the new way of working. A lot of people are going to follow this way. People seem to like it and it works in the store. Every week the retailers can find something new on the website and it works out very well this way, no matter if they are in the US or Europe. I think it’s a good way.

Retailers do not have to look too far ahead and can order here and now.

Retailers here in Germany call you and your brand gamechanging. They say Anine Bing is the way we want to have brands in the future. Do you know that they’re talking about your brand in this way?

(Laughs) Well, I did not know exactly, because I am very focused on the design, but my team has told me. That’s very flattering and great that people like the way we started up four

years ago. And we hope that we can inspire others to do the same.

Did you inspire Christopher Bailey?

I have no idea (laughs), but of course, in a way they started to do the same. I just did it my way and it works for us. We’re very happy.

How do you implement this fast pace in the collection?

How does it work in terms of production?

It works very well, because we have a really good setup with our factory in Turkey. We design six months ahead, and then we just set the dates when we get the items from the factory. So, of course not all companies can do that, because they do not have the same setup with their own factory. Sometimes items sell out very quickly and then it’s hard to re-order, because we only order what we think we can sell.

Why did you decide to produce in Turkey?

Because they are really good and that’s the main reason we’re producing there. And the location is good for our international business.

In shops, your brand works very well with brands like Etoile, Isabel Marant, or Iro, just to name a few of the socalled contemporary segment brands. Would you be happy to see consumers compare your brand with these names?

Yeah, it’s exactly whom we want to hang next to. I think they are all great brands and that’s exactly

who we are next to in the stores worldwide.

Do you perceive your brand as a contemporary brand?

Yes, I would. You know, when I created the brand I wanted something that is easy to wear, easy to get dressed in the morning, easy to mix and match with each other, and easy to mix with other brands too. It is very basic, but with a feminine twist.

Do you call your collection fashion or is it a lifestyle you represent?

Hm, I think it’s a mix. I have the core collection, which consists of basic pieces everybody needs in the wardrobe. They are very basic. And then I do the more fashion-oriented pieces - a few a month. But I am trying to not be too complicated, because sometimes fashion gets too complicated. So the real, normal people can’t wear it. It looks good on the catwalk, but normal people can’t wear it. So my challenge is to keep it wearable but, of course, right in time.

Is the catwalk even a relevant role model for your fashion?

No, actually I don’t pay too much attention to what’s going on there. I don’t want too much information about what other people do. I want to stick to my own vision. I just get inspired by my everyday life. I go to flea markets, get inspired by art, looking at the street style, living here in LA, and travelling the world. So my inspiration is what’s surrounding me and not what’s on the catwalk.

“I don’t want my brand to be available on every street corner.”

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064 THE LONGVIEW

The world of Anine Bing is portrayed by many images: Her blog and

Instagram account have a loyal fan base and form the basis of the brand.

Featuring new products is twice as successful in such an environment.

No follower perceives the posts as clumsy advertising, especially as they are high-quality content produced with heart and soul. The eye enjoys beholding this professionalism. Anine Bing knows how to entertain her fans and how to make them dream about this life that seems so happy and effortless.

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THE LONGVIEW 065

“I am a huge advocate of the stationary retail industry.”

That’s what many retailers and customers feel too: The catwalk isn’t the source of inspiration anymore, street style and normal people are far more inspiring.

As I said before, sometimes it looks really cool on the catwalk, but in real life it’s too complicated. That’s why I’d like to keep it basic, but still in fashion. With great materials and great fits, that is something I really focus on.

In the US, your Anine Bing brand has a large following.

You have been a famous blogger for many years. Do you think you can achieve the same success in Europe? Do you really want to go big in Europe?

For sure, as I am from Scandinavia, Europe will always be in my focus. That’s also why my brand is a mix of the minimalistic Scandinavian style and the bohemian LA Style. And I think that’s why it works so well in Europe and here. We just opened the store in Paris and the plan is to open at least three more stores in Europe this year. So there are a lot of things happening right now and yes, the plan is to grow big, bigger even in Europe and the rest of the world.

How widely do you intend to distribute the brand? A lot of retailers have jumped on the bandwagon recently, especially during this order season.

The news about the excellent sales figures is spreading like wildfire. Which limits have you defined for yourself?

I do not set limits for myself, but I wish to grow organically, so I do not want to be in every store in every corner. I want to be in well-selected, very nice stores that carry other brands I want to be together with. We are very selective when we choose where to be. Then, of course, I want to continue to open my own flagship stores, because I think that nice for branding and showing the whole concept. So the plan is to continue growing organically, but at a very fast pace.

Do you have to enlarge the collection, seeing that European winters are a whole different story than LA winters?

Exactly, but it’s all going to come, you will see in the autumn/winter delivery. It’s coming, the big winter jackets for Europe. We are aware of that.

Which customers do you want to address? Would you prefer a customer who is always on the hunt for the newest styles or one who has already found her own personal style?

Well, the typical Anine Bing woman is between 30 and 40. I’d say she’s a hard working woman, who has a career. She lives a busy life and she wants to look good, but still be comfortable.

Of course, we have the younger customers too and also up to seventy plus, so it is a very wide range. A lot of age groups can find something in the collection, but the typical customer is in her thirties, who wants to look good, but not seem to be trying too hard.

As you share so much – even private photos of your kids and such - do you feel that your customers are part of the Anine Bing world?

Yes, that’s what I wanted it to be. Invite them into the world, so that they not only get a little taste of the clothes, but also of the lifestyle - the Anine Bing lifestyle. It’s fun and I think it’s so sweet. Fashion can be a really tough business, but whenever I meet my customers, I feel that they are really sweet people. That makes me happy.

What is more important to you – customer feedback or the feedback of the retailers and your wholesale team?

It’s a combination, you know? I want to keep everybody happy.

Maybe you can’t keep everybody happy, but I try my best to meet their demands. But, of course, I have to stay true to myself. As long as I am happy with what I am doing, then I can stand behind it. But, of course, I always listen to what I hear from retailers and customers and take the feedback back to my team. I think both are very important.

What is your greatest success?

Being sold out?

Having products like our Charlie boots, the gold-studded boots we

have since day one and they are still selling like crazy. We have an army jacket that has been in the programme for many years and still is a bestseller. And then, of course, the lace bras - people go crazy for them. We have like five basic pieces that are really bestsellers.

Do you change those icon pieces or do you keep them?

I do different versions of them, but I will always keep the classics. A classic is a classic, so I don’t take it away and change it completely. I try different colours or different materials.

How long would you like a customer to wear a specific item? And what can one, as a producer, do to actively contribute to ensuring that customers enjoy the items they bought as long as possible?

Do you design for a season or for a lifetime?

For lifetime! Of course there are a few items here and there that are more fun right now, but my whole concept is to design for lifetime. If you buy a good quality leather jacket, then it should last for a very long time. I don’t want to design things that are only trendy for six months and then you can’t wear them anymore. I really like to design pieces that last for a very long time. That’s the way to go.

Is a brand with little or no sales the new definition of luxury?

That’s why I want to design more classic pieces, because if you design something super super crazy you have to put it on sale. So it’s a balance between it all. I don’t even like the sales. In our own flagship stores we never have sale.

We limit our sale to be online only and 3 times a year.

Do you ask your wholesale customers not to put your items on sale?

With our set up - working with immediates and no real minimums we remove the risk for wholesalers to end up with a large inventory that doesn’t sell so we honestly rarely see our products on sale.

Do you still call your company a family business?

I guess it is, because it’s me and

“We only manufacture what we think we can sell.”

my husband running it together.

We own it hundred percent, so it is a small family-run business.

We have a great team now and I am very excited about the direction we are going.

How large is the team you are running this business with?

In the LA office, we are 25 people right now. On top of that, I have all my employees working in our five different stores. It’s a total team of like 50 people, if I include all the stores.

What is your vision? Do you want to remain privately owned?

We haven’t decided yet. If the right partner comes along in the future, we’d think about it. But for now we are very happy being the only ones making all the decisions.

Can you stay that open – showcasing your private life, your husband, and your kids - when the brand is growing even bigger? Do you think you can keep this down-to-earth attitude and remain so accessible?

Of course things are changing and the bigger the company gets and the busier I get, of course I can’t sit down with everybody and chit-chat. Although it’s always inspiring to meet other people. The bigger the brand gets, the busier I am with designing and focusing on everything here at the office. But I think it’s important to keep the time to meet. And yes, I want to stay down-to-earth. I think it is important for everybody to keep their brand personal and grounded.

Where will the next stores open?

In Barcelona, then in Berlin, and something exiting is about to happen in London - all in 2016. It grows organically, but very quickly. And that’s how it has been from day one. I never thought I would have this many stores when I began.

Do you think this pace of growth was possible because you started your business in the US and not in Europe?

That’s a good question and I’ll never find out, because I started it in the US. But of course, if you start it in the US, then you style in progress 316

066 THE LONGVIEW

Mother and career woman: Benjamin and Bianca, Anine Bing’s two children, are regularly part of the private photos shared by the entrepreneur. While some wonder why that is the case, Anine Bing merely wonders why not?

think bigger than when you sit in a small city in Europe. So for me it has been perfect to do it here. I love LA and I get so much inspiration for the brand.

Did your blog and your followers help to establish the brand so quickly? Would this success have been possible without it?

It would have been possible, but I do not think it would have grown so fast. I had my followers with me from day one, so that helped tremendously. I think it was a really good timing of designing the right pieces – people at this moment didn’t want too complicated fashion anymore, they wanted wearable things – and launching it when Instagram just started and no other brand had realised that this was a brilliant way to promote fashion.

From blogging and being on Instagram, I knew my customers from day one.

What makes Instagram so powerful in fashion marketing?

It’s very powerful, because you see the effect right away. I instantly know if a piece will be a bestseller or not. It’s a very direct connection to the customer, which is very nice.

Do you think social media and online magazines will replace traditional media someday?

It has become huge in the last 316 style in progress

“Sometimes fashion is simply too complicated.” years and I guess it is taking over more and more from magazines, but I hope that magazines will always continue to survive, because there is something special about opening a Vogue or Elle or whatever magazine you like. Sit down and flip the pages, actually feel the magazine. I very much love that, but people are on their phones constantly and on their computers, so of course people find their inspiration that way now.

Talking about e-commerce: How much do you sell online compared to the wholesale business?

I think its fifty-fifty.

You yourself, do you prefer to shop online or do you prefer to go to a shop and have a nice treat?

I am so lucky that I never really shop, because I only wear my own line. I guess if I would shop, I’d prefer to go in a brick and mortar store. I love going to the flea market, so that’s a thing online shopping can’t replace.

There is something about going to stores and actually feeling the clothing. But online is really great for people who don’t live in a big city where they can find

everything. Or for those who do not have the time. So I think both are very important. We started online only and it worked out great for the first couple of months. But for now it’s great to have both. And it’s a different kind of shoppers. Some people love to shop online and other people prefer the stores.

Will it continue like this in the future?

It’s maybe a little bit like with magazines. Some of them are dying, but I hope it’s not going to happen to stores. I am a big supporter of brick and mortar stores. But online is taking over a lot. But I think: If you have a good store, then it will succeed.

It’s all about how you do it.

Are you connected to other bloggers or other brands that started the same way you did?

Not brands, but some of my very close friends have big blogs, so I am connected to them and they supported the brand too, which has just been amazing.

Do you share ideas, do you do business together?

Not business, they wear my stuff when they like it, but I don’t do any business with any of them, no.

What was the key moment, the moment you realised that your brand has established itself?

Hm, god, there were so many moments I did not expect. When we got into some great stores. Or when I was in the Spanish Vogue who did one of the first interviews with me. That was a big thing for me. And opening the store in New York was also one of these moments. New York is a cool city and recently opening in Paris was also huge for me. It’s an iconic city; it’s a fashion place, so it’s great to have a store there. There have been a lot of these moments.

Are you still nervous when events like the Paris opening are coming up?

I would not call it nervous, because we have a whole vision, it’s a plan we are following. I’d rather call it excited and I always hope that people love it as much as I do.

Are there still names on your wish list, stores that you really want to be in?

There are a few stores that we are not in at this moment, but we are really lucky with the situation as it is. We are in so many great stores.

Thank you for the interview.

WWW.ESSENTIEL-ANTWERP.COM

068 WHAT'S THE STORY TRANSFORMATION

Transformation Change is neither good nor bad in principle. It is, however, bad to fear change. Moreover, it is dangerous not to face change.

An opinion piece by Stephan Huber

Let’s start with a dry definition: The term “transformation” describes a significant change of a fundamental characteristic such as external shape.

“Transformation” seemed more appropriate as the main topic of the latest edition of style in progress than the inflationary term “revolution”. The latter always tends to conjure up romanticised images and Che Guevara posters.

However, the radical change of our society in general - and the fashion industry as a mirror of said society in particular - has very little to do with romance. In fact, this process brings enormous challenges for us all. The first of these challenges is to define the essential characteristics and implications of this transformation.

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Total Digitalisation Symbol, motor, risk, and opportunity all in one – it is indispensable and unmanageable. The unstoppable digitalisation of all areas of the economy and life in general - or the handling of this dynamic by the individual and society as a whole - is the biggest challenge of this transformation. It could be the greatest challenge mankind has ever had to face. While traffic lights at curb height in the field of vision of smart-phone addicts may pass as a curious first world problem, it is undeniable that the digitalisation has - in the sense of the definition - transformed humans to an extraordinary or even terrifying extent. The implicit promise is that life becomes easier, while the day-to-day business can be

conducted in a more time-saving and economical manner. The digitalisation process was the promise of freedom through the dissolution of physical boundaries and ligations, as well as the promise of equality. From one day to the next, everything - especially knowledge and information - became available to everyone. That was the so-called “big picture”, in theory at least. However, the promised freedom has long turned into dependence and the promised equality has long turned into maximised inequality. The fulfilment of the aforementioned promises was cast aside by the immense centrifugal forces of digital acceleration.

What benefit can boundlessness have when it is mostly misused to circumvent (necessary) rules? What good is free access to knowledge and information, if the individual can’t even grasp

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and classify such a huge amount of input? And how did our life and time economy become simpler if the deal actually means that we should - or have to - do more, especially tasks that were considered an integral element of customer service until a few years ago? This willing self-exploitation in the service of progress is one of the truly bizarre results of digital transformation.

We have to realise that digitalisation cannot be the answer to every question. Technology is only a tool, but never the sole solution. The crucial question for the future is whether we humans can master technology or whether we will be enslaved by it.

Attention Economics The constant stimulation and information overload means that awareness - in the sense of attention - is a both rare and valuable commodity. The term “Economics of Attention” was coined by Georg Franck, a visionary architect and urban planner, as early as 1998.

His era can be described as Mesozoic in terms of digitalisation.

Back then, he said the following: “The attention of other individuals is the most compelling of all drugs. Its bearing outshines any other form of income. That’s why fame towers above power and why wealth pales beside prominence.”

However, attention has always and still has - a direct economic value. It is therefore only logical that the attention of individuals is controlled and filtered more than ever. The extent to which the perception of individual attention is controlled by algorithms today is utterly staggering. It is, by the way, absolutely right in principle to push for a structured pre-selection within the endless, universal haystack of information. The problem is that this pre-selection is almost exclusively based on economic 316 style in progress

criteria. It is therefore limiting in nature, mainly because the algorithm discards everything that doesn’t promise economic value. It is, according to rational criteria, better to sell one product 1,000 times than 1,000 products once. The much-touted and seemingly cherished individuality of humans is actually a problem in the context of digital competition for attention. It’s a bug, not a feature.

Buzzword Industry 4.0 Once again there is a direct connection with the digitalisation process. The impact of the socalled Industry 4.0 on the working environment - and thus on us humans - is one of the hottest and most controversially discussed topics among economists, futurologists, and other actual or self-declared experts. Profanely said, the key question is: Are we running out of work because robots are better at almost everything and don’t demand a minimum wage? Jeremy Rifkin would answer this question with yes mercilessly. I deny it in this consequence and I’m in good company in this respect. Nevertheless, machines will replace manpower to an extent that we last witnessed during the industrial and agricultural revolutions of the past. There is no guarantee that this development will create new equivalent jobs. The fact that Adidas’ so-called Speed Factory means that that brand will, for the first time in almost a quarter of a century, produce shoes in Germany is excellent news and also quite exciting. However, the running shoes will be produced by robots and 3D printers. On the plus side, the move creates 160 skilled jobs, which is a highly symbolic comeback of Europe as a production location. It shows that digitalisation and the transfor-

mation of the economy and society can create needs that, in turn, create new jobs.

Two factors are vital for the positive management of the transformation that is merely described in a compressed form here:

Optimism Change is the biggest constant in human history. Fearful ducking has never proved to be successful in this context. As breathtaking our seemingly smaller - yet still so vast - world may seem, there are more market niches than ever - not least thanks to digitalisation. The process has not only created new demands, but also revitalised and strengthened existing needs. This offers great opportunities, not least for our industry. After all, the fulfilment of emotional needs is ultimately the only raison d’être of fashion.

Human Touch Man or machine? A modern society and sustainable economy needs both factors. It’s all about the balance. An app can read stories to children, a robot can care for elderly people, and an algorithm can suggest a specific dress.

However, the app can’t stroke a child’s head, a robot can’t comfort a sick person, and an algorithm can’t pay a compliment.

Johnny Talbot & Adrian Runhof

Meike Lohmann

Fashion designers / Talbot Runhof

Artist / Kauft mehr Kunst

Dirk Hoberg

Markus Meindl

Entrepreneur / Meindl Fashion

Two-star chef / Ophelia restaurant Constance

Lay your trust in the world‘s finest white T-shirt. Find out more online or shop at Andreas Murkudis/Berlin, Braun/Hamburg, Schnitzler/Münster, Wirschke/Düsseldorf, The Listener/Frankfurt, Laufsteg/Augsburg, Lodenfrey/München, Helmut Eder/Kitzbühel, Jelmoli/Zürich, Phänomen/Luzern, United Arrows/Tokio, etc. www.meystory.com

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Fashion is Worth More!

Our industry is struggling with declining sales, dwindling customer frequency, price wars, and bored consumers. It seems as if the latter no longer attach any actual value to fashion despite a fairly positive consumer climate. How can we inspire consumers to get excited about fashion again?

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka, Nicoletta Schaper. Illustration: Claudia Meitert@Caroline Seidler

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Information = Head Start

Personalised Offer

Emotions Count

“In this day and age, it’s all about emotions. The consumers need to be inspired by various factors in order for them to feel a ‘must-have’ urge. This urge can be created by the perfect look and feel of a product at a retailer, or by a hip social media profile. Another highly important criterion is well-trained staff in the stores. This element is becoming increasingly crucial for the success of stationary retailers, especially in times of a rapidly expanding online market. Salespeople need to capable of triggering emotions in a customer through storytelling, an apparent love for their vocation, excellent trend and product knowledge, kindness, and empathy.”

Janine Knizia, Showroom Manager at Brama Gallery

“We still believe that passion for fashion exists, but the range of products has multiplied due to digitalisation.

However, the attention span of the customers remains limited. The point of sale and the inspiration sources need to move closer together again and stop functioning decoupled from each other. This is why a personalised offer and customer inspiration is becoming increasingly important - both key topics for Zalando.” David Schneider, founder and board member of Zalando

“Just last weekend, I was once again reminded of the fact that particularly busy stores always seem to have particularly enthusiastic employees. Employee training is so important, but falls by the wayside in so many cases.

How do I welcome customers? How openly do I approach customers? How do I pass on information correctly? How knowledgeable are employees in terms of fashion and product range? Are the employees aware of competitors? Instead of plugging gaps at the PoS with temps, the retailers should invest in training and the suppliers should offer more support too. Which brands are already good at this? I’d say Benvenuto and Carl Gross are good examples. They have committed themselves to this approach and take good care of their respective retail partners. Information is the decisive advantage of today.” Holger Schmies, Managing Director at Onomato

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Not Enough Real Interest

Sustainability and Transparency

“In addition to the classic Manufactum clothing range, which is defined by outstanding durability and natural materials, we increasingly rely on brands from the field of ethical fashion, thereby also appealing to younger customer groups. These younger customers not only have different design demands, but also a different understanding of sustainability. Transparency, a high level of credibility, and responsible manufacturing are decisive factors for us to ensure that customers remain enthusiastic about our products and promote relevant social issues.” Christine Fehrenbach, Head of Brand Development at Manufactum GmbH & Co. KG

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“It is impossible to create a positive mood in stores as long as they all display the same goods in such a careless manner. There are very few retailers who are capable of seducing customers to buy with beautiful and individually designed sales floors. Today, everything needs to be perfect: product mix, presentation, and the sales personnel. In many stores, the service philosophy ends as soon as the customer has paid at the cash register. However, this is where the service philosophy of online retailers starts. In the future, there will be more and more services in terms of home-shopping, home delivery, and selection mailings.

Generally speaking, the people behind the scenes of the fashion industry seem to have lost their enthusiasm for their craft. Every link of the value chain needs to be enthused: manufacturers, B2B salespeople, and even the customers in the store itself. The classic system errors we are all aware of are not the only contributor to the industry’s fatigue, but also the fact that there is now enthusiasm from the bottom up. Too few of us still have a real interest in fashion. How on earth are we supposed to excite consumers when we’re not even excited ourselves?” Christian Obojes, Managing Director at Agentur Room with a View

Represent Values

“Is it really a regrettable development that consumers show fatigue due to ever faster rotating cycles within the fashion industry and their own overflowing wardrobes? In the context of this question, I don’t believe we should try to inspire customers with new approaches in terms of the ‘fashion product’. We should simply inspire them with excellent clothing items. By that I mean clothing that not only looks good for half a season, but far beyond that time frame due to its robustness and timelessness.

In addition, the clothing items need to be manufactured under fair conditions and in a manner that protects our resources. The era, during which it was enough that an item of clothing was inexpensive or particularly hip, seems to have come to an end. But if fashion is no longer about the newest trend (which will be replaced by the next a few months later), but about products that have a value and also represent certain values, then the fun and joy of consumption should return. The positive feedback we received for our F-abric collection makes me confident that it is not merely a pipe dream, but an attitude that will define our future.” Markus Freitag, founder and Creative Director at Freitag Lab AG

CIFF.COPENHAGEN.HOT I.HOT II.CPM.MOSKAU.PANORAMA. CPD.FASHION.WEEK.DÃœSSELDORF.FASHION.PREMIERE. CREATION GROSS GMBH & CO. KG // HOUBIRGSTRASSE 7 // 91217 HERSBRUCK // GERMANY // WWW.CG.FASHION PHONE +43 (0) 664 4 12 35 17 // E-MAIL: H.KITZLER@CARLGROSS.COM

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Unique Premium Products

Experience Surprises

“In order to thrill customers again in the future, we need to surprise them and - more importantly - inspire them on a deeper level. This not only requires an excellent product range and innovative visual merchandising, but also requires a completely different approach. Consumers want to be seduced. Credible storytelling and the way the product is ‘packaged’ are more important than ever. Generally speaking, brands and retailers need to work 30% harder to achieve the same results or generate a slight increase in business. Inspirations from other industries - such as successful concepts from the catering industry - show us how we can repeatedly reinvent ourselves and in which direction we need to develop to remain at the top of our game. In terms of goods and merchandising, we all need to be braver again. Too many stores are showcasing the same products. The retail industry lacks the courage to show trends and tendencies, even if products from this category are not - or mostly not yet - among the ultimate top sellers. We need more diverse product ranges to inspire consumers on a deeper level. Naturally, target group-oriented service is the key to success for retailers. Excellent and innovative service increases the enthusiasm and satisfaction of customers. It also contributes to customer loyalty. In addition, consumers desire to experience and discover things they didn’t initially expect. Surprise moments and experiences will always be a way for retailers to excite their customers anew. They also allow them to compete against the large online and mono-label concepts.” Claus L. Sørensen, Head of Sales & Partner at Minimum A/S

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“We have been a specialised retailer since 1979. We were ridiculed when we introduced our first self-produced shoes to the market in 2008.

As a small manufactory, we already offer an exceptional product experience, which is what many large brands lack. Small, hand-crafted series made of the finest materials supplied by small manufacturers - this is the approach we are currently utilising for numerous technological innovations. The haptic experience of elect materials, in combination with German workmanship and the latest technology, turns into a unique asset when it is refined with a good design. The diversity we aspire to achieve can only be made tangible and communicable by good specialised retailers. The only way that regional retailers can compete with ‘crate pushers’ in the event arena and generate customer loyalty based on achievements is by offering distinctive premium products. Fashion always affects the entire value chain in terms of a repeatedly changing choreography of technical feasibility. What will make a fashion brand attractive to customers is the creativity they show in co-operation with the retail industry.

The ‘quality’ maxim reaches a whole new dimension due to the countless possibilities offered by modern production lines. Products are becoming more complex and the communicable experience of cultural taste is modulated more intensely. The retailers that have survived have already assembled an interesting portfolio of brands and products. They can stand up to any comparison.

This attracts the interest of the new digital consumers and also brings some movement into the web-based ‘shock and awe’ within the retail industry. The ‘coming soon’ stands for ‘booming soon’ - the remaining question of ‘if and what?’ is paired with the question of ‘who?’. Ulf Lunge, Managing Director at Lunge Lauf- und Sportschuhe GmbH

Inspiring Products

“We need to focus our attention on products and their respective details. Italian fashion has earned an excellent reputation in terms of product development and is developing into a production hub for the global luxury industry. This is the reason why I decided to promote seasonal co-brandings with the likes of Duvetica, JPlus, and K-Way. When two companies decide to strike up a partnership and combine their know-how, the result tends to be a truly unique product. It offers added value to the customers and inspires them to wear our fashion.” Alberto Bresci, CEO at Hydrogen

AIRFIELD SHOWROOM Sonja Clodi-Kathriner, T +43 (0) 664 255 05 07, sck@sck-mode.at Walter Moser GmbH 4863 Seewalchen am Attersee, Industriegebiet 2, T +43 (0) 7662 3175-0, E office@airfield.at, www.airfield.at

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Create Value Together

“The successful retailers of the future need to highlight their positive arguments more distinctively. Above all, I see opportunities in terms of professional and competent advice. The businesses need to update their employees regarding brands, trends, and the current zeitgeist permanently - not only about the brand world at their own workplace, but also in general. Modern technology will become increasingly important. It is vital to dispel the employees’ fear of new techniques. Tablets are no longer a rarity, for instance. The somewhat dusty image of the classic retail industry needs to be polished with such tools to make it more attractive for consumers.

Simple postal mailings are, for example, not a potent enough weapon anymore. It is important to develop your sales floor constantly with events. These events need to be a credible match with the respective retailer, thus leading to a long-term benefit.

The product range of the future, regardless of the respective price range, needs to consist of established brands with new and ever-changing innovative labels.

These need to be presented adequately in the store. The consumers need to feel that they aren’t merely buying a price, but a product that fulfils their desire for reliability, modernity, and sustainability. This creates a bond between the consumers and the retailers in the region.

Touching, feeling, and experiencing a product in a pleasant environment will, after all, always be beneficial for the ultimate purchase impulse.

The great opportunity for the retail industry lies in co-operating with product specialists, which allows retailers and manufacturers to jointly develop added value in terms of craftsmanship, reliability, and innovation. That’s exactly what pure online retailers still haven’t figured out how to do.

Nevertheless, the stationary retailers cannot ignore utilising social networks - such as a blog or a newsletter - for their respective stores. Social networks will be an important tool for reaching future customers and a credible way of persuading consumers that the overall concept of said store is coherent. Stationary retailers need to catch up in this respect. They need to educate themselves and ask professionals for their input.” René Michaelis, owner of Michaelis Fashion Agency

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Convey Joy and Passion

“I recall a statement I made in 1999. I said: ‘Fashion does not care what you think.’ As contradictory as this simple - and rather disrespectful - statement may sound in terms of the obvious logic of every economic business model, it does remind me of the real meaning of the underlying message: You are the centre of the world, so do what you love and enjoy it! I think that’s an attitude that allows one to make a difference in every area and harbours the potential to achieve a real breakthrough with every idea one has. The inherent power of such an attitude cannot be shackled. I started with producing board-shorts and t-shirts in my mother’s factory, which was located right next to my father’s car workshop. That’s also where I manufactured my first surfboards. I figured that everyone who bought a surfboard from me would also like to own a shirt or some shorts made by the same bloke. I believe that’s how many modern success stories start. We design and manufacture items we love with a real passion and we enjoy doing so. The jackets we produce are based on the many years of experience we gained while developing our wetsuits. In the case of our Summer Storm jacket, we created something new that nobody had ever seen before and it was soon adopted by the Italian fashion market. The winter version with goose down lining was the next logical step and hit the stores at exactly the right time. Our successful advertising campaign, in which the successful Italian businessman and passionate kite surfer Alessandro Benetton wore our jacket, allowed us to reach the consumers in the fashion districts of Milan and Rome. We’re still at the beginning of this new journey into the jacket business, but I believe that the love and joy we put into producing such beautiful boards and jackets are ultimately reflected in the product. That’s what appeals to people and persuades them to buy a product. Nothing is simpler. Love what you do - not who you are.” Roberto Ricci, CEO at RRD - Roberto Ricci Designs

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Action!

We Need Personalities Staging

“Traditional departments, lines of sleeves, categorised display tables, dizzying stack heights, product range uniformity, personnel reduction, and temps who are hired by brands via agencies - does that trigger enthusiasm in you? I doubt it would. Stores that continuously stage fresh product ranges for their customers and physically and/or digitally celebrate interesting experiences, will never have to worry about a decline of customer frequency or decreasing average prices!” Thorsten Link, Managing Brand Director at Strellson

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“The shopping experience is becoming an increasingly important factor. We need the courage to be different than our competitors.

I need to surprise my customers, not merely satisfy them! As a retailer, I need to ask myself whether my store’s touch points are in line with my target group. Are my sales assistants in line with my customers? Not all business decisions in this context are easy. Moreover, it is difficult to find suitable salespeople, mainly because the retail industry doesn’t pay enough. We need competent people and those competent people need to be paid adequately. The situation in upscale restaurants in Italy has already changed completely. Ten years ago, the restaurants were full of cheap temporary workers, but the industry has realised that it needs personalities. Guests enjoy a lively discussion at eye level and an enthusiastic recommendation.

They are willing to pay a little more for this experience. In the process, being a waiter has become a highly coveted job that offers adequate remuneration. The premium fashion retail industry also needs such personalities. It will take a while before this sinks in; the retail industry isn’t suffering enough yet to realise what it needs. But I am sure that it will sink in eventually.” Heiner Oberrauch, owner of Oberrauch-Zitt in South Tyrol

“As soon as the weather threatens to ruin things, many retailers get scared and start reducing prices early.

During the order process they promise not to start reducing prices before a certain date, but as soon as a larger retailer in the area starts, almost everyone violates those agreements. In my opinion, the biggest problem is that the suppliers don’t take action when this happens. It’s high time to put a stop to this and make clear that those who violate the agreements simply won’t be allowed to order next season.

I have been running my business for 29 years.

Our regulars know that we only start reducing prices in the last week of December and six weeks after Pentecost. We try to remain calm, even if the business doesn’t perform as well we expected for four weeks. We retailers should all try to extend the seasons. Many rivals argue that they wouldn’t stand a chance, but of course we have a chance!

In our case, it all starts with the fact that we buy in line with our sales ratio, which means that we don’t really have a problem with price reductions in general. In addition, we do our best to order in a more targeted manner. This concept works. Today, the regular customers of our women’s and men’s store are willing to travel 80 kilometres to come and see us, mainly because they know that our product range is a little different to those of our rivals.

In addition, we strive to offer our customers a welcoming atmosphere. Many of them visit us on Saturday to watch the football. We serve beer, we make conversation, and at half time the customers try on and buy some clothes.

We team up with manufacturers for two to three events per season. Our employees contact their regular customers when new goods they might be interested in have been delivered. We also take back old clothes in exchange for store credit. In this respect, we co-operate with an outlet in Hamburg. We retailers have to work really hard, but our reward is action in the store - and reasonable sales figures.” Matthias Beckmann, Managing Director at Beckmann Männermoden Gelsenkirchen

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Clear Differentiation

Feeling and Experience

“The shopping experience is the key element of the stationary retail industry. Marketing teams spend a lot of time trying to attract customers to the stores. What happens to the customers on the sales floor is, in many cases, unfortunately merely of secondary importance and sometimes even downright disastrous. Uninspired, ‘play safe’ product ranges, unmotivated staff, and lacking or wrong product know-how are sadly becoming commonplace. When the only two arguments for a purchase are ‘discount’ and ‘sale phase’, then stationary retailers will find it increasingly difficult to persuade customers to shop. After all, discount codes and sales are more easily obtainable on the Internet and they are available earlier too. Offering the customers a comprehensive shopping experience - before, during, and after a purchase - promotes customer loyalty and ultimately increases sales. When customers enter a store, they want to experience products live and expect professional advice that is tailored to their specific needs. Compared to e-retailing, the stationary retail industry has much more scope for creating a shopping experience and charging products with emotion. Stationary retailers are better equipped for reaching customers who are willing to spend money and not only those who buy out of need and are constantly looking for the lowest prices. The sales strategy needs to include an experience philosophy. The customer wants to buy a feeling, not merely the product itself. The catering industry provides the best examples for this. I am, for instance, willing to drive almost an hour every time I feel like eating at my favourite Italian restaurant, even though I can get good pasta anywhere in the city or could simply order online and have it delivered. However, the overall experience of entering the restaurant and taking in the location’s interior and atmosphere, experiencing the friendly staff and its caring guidance, and seeing how much love the people have for their products ultimately leads to me feeling like I’ve had a good time and a great evening. Those are the main reasons why I don’t want to eat my pasta anywhere else or alone at home. That this approach can also work in the stationary retail industry here in Berlin is proven by retail concepts such as Voo Store and Andreas Murkudis. They work in locations off the beaten track, because they don’t merely sell products, but offer a feeling and an experience. That is what the customers of today want when they visit the city centre.” Lars Holzbrecher, Head of Buying at Firmament Berlin

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“At present, consumers are more demanding and that trend is set to continue. They want the best brand and the best product, but for the lowest price possible and with optimal service. Demanding customers should stimulate the fashion world to reinvent itself constantly and to raise its business to the next level. This begs the question what ‘the next level’ actually means. Especially in recent years, it was commonplace for fashion companies to copy each other. The current product ranges lack individuality and differentiation, which is why the consumers are bored. The price positioning has also been subject to strong fluctuations over the last few years. While products used to be sold at the suggested retail price or at a discount during the two large clearance sales per year, the customers can now find the same products with various price labels all year round.

At some point, the pricing collides with the value perception of the consumers. What is a product really worth when I can see it becoming cheaper and cheaper over time? That’s when customers start questioning what they are actually paying for: the fabric, the design, or the underlying meaning of a product or brand? And that is precisely the point. Fashion needs to stand for something and persuade consumers to identify themselves with it. Customers need to experience an added value after a purchase. If that is not the case, the value of a brand is decimated. This leads to customers buying less and, consequently, paying less for the products in question. This is the reason one shouldn’t tackle declining sales and customer frequency with price wars. In my humble opinion, true differentiation is the key factor to generate enthusiasm among customers and brands. I emphasise the term ‘true’ in this context, mainly because true differentiation is hard to copy and offers unique attributes. Every fashion brand should therefore ask itself the following question: ‘What do I stand for and how can I tap into the feelings of my customers?’ After all, the ultimate goal is to ensure that the customers really want to own the product and to create a desire for it. If a brand manages to stand out and to involve its customers emotionally through a unique positioning, then customer loyalty follows suit. These are effective weapons to dispel customer boredom, declining sales, and price wars.” Vanessa Sosa Erfurt, General Manager at Havaianas Central Europe, Alpargatas S.A.

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I’ll Never Grow That Old It’s a bit like the recurring amazement that the cold season returns every year. Everyone is suddenly “surprised” by the first snowfall that paralyses airports and motorways even though it is a law of nature that winter rears its snowy head on a yearly basis.

The consumer goods industry seems similarly amazed by a new generation of customers; this rings particularly true for the trend-sensitive fashion business. This new generation of consumers has completely different demands and preferences. Companies that are not prepared resemble motorists with summer tyres and airports without winter maintenance.

In accordance with the doctrine of various management courses, such companies shift their own positioning - and the positioning of their respective competitors, for that matter - to and fro in “Ansoff Matrixes”. Yet they still can’t understand why their approach isn’t working, even though they know their own positioning all too well. The questions that should be (but often aren’t) just as important in these analyses is: How is the structure of the market changing? How are the axes and parameters defined? The concrete question for the consumer goods industry is: How does the customer think?

Precisely these aspects are often neglected by fashion business, which is why they often miss trend shifts.

The New Customer Generations

In times when customers are becoming more complex with more differentiated demands, emulating the story of “Sleeping

It’s time again: the old generation of consumers is being replaced by new customers who are better informed and more demanding than ever before.

This development is a real challenge for long-established fashion businesses.

Text: Quynh Tran.

Illustration: Claudia Meitert @Caroline Seidler

Beauty” is fatal. Today, one can no longer define just one customer type, but has to take into account that there are many different customer cohorts that need to be addressed individually.

The nature “Generation Y” (or the so-called “Millenials”), which consists of individuals born between 1980 and 2000, has been debated extensively in the media and in scientific studies. In 1988, Russell Belk, a marketing professor at York University in Canada, published an essay titled “Possessions and the Extended Self”, in which he states that possessions are a way to maintain the construct of the self. For the “Baby Boomers” and the “Generation X”, which were at the perfect age for consumption at the time, this may have been perfectly true. However, Belk needed to revise his thesis in 2013. Given the ownership and consumption patterns of the Millenials, he now describes consumption as

“largely invisible and immaterial” in his essay titled “Extended Self in a Digital World”.

A 2015 study about the behaviour of the Generation Y in the food industry, conducted by the consumer researcher Concept M, claims that the representatives of this particular generation do not merely want to buy a certain product, but want to buy something that gives them a sense of identity. It stands to reason that this conclusion can be transferred to the buying patterns of the fashion business.

This would explain the increase in lifestyle-oriented content marketing by fashion conglomerates such as Levi’s or Calvin Klein.

Even Mature Customers are Trendy

Not only the Generation Y and the adolescent, social media-oriented “Generation Z” have become more complex in terms of demands; the same applies to the middle-aged and mature customer generations.

Two years ago, the Nuremberg-based Institute for Consumer Research (GfK) re-segmented its consumer groups for studies pertaining to the clothing industry. In these newly defined structures, the styles of the customers have changed.

The mature consumer group now includes two new segments that describe a fashion-conscious customer type that didn’t exist previously. The sample is still too young to make concrete judgements in terms of developments within these individual styles, but the introduction of this segmentation is a sign that fashion demands are becoming more specialised across all age groups. Against all expectations, the expenditure and average prices for fashion have remained stable over recent years. “The new segmentation is still too new to draw real conclusions.

But it is quite possible that the

average remains unchanged, mainly because it’s coming to a head in both the low and high price segments”, says Petra Dillemuth, a fashion & lifestyle manager at GfK. “What we can say with certainty is that the type ‘proper elderly lady’ - as in the post-war woman with a proper hairstyle and dress code - is dying out or will, at least, dwindle to very small numbers.”

This development is also reflected in the media. The style for women between 30 and 50 years of age is not dictated by TV shows such as “Lindenstrasse” and “Dream Boat”, but by “Sex and the City” and young-at-heart celebrities. A 50-year-old woman of today thinks - and buys - differently than a 50-year-old woman did a decade ago. One doesn’t need to be a psychology expert to understand that. While the discount clothing segment is experiencing growth, the upscale segment seems to be heading towards a completely different development. In supermarkets, for instance, the shelves for organic food products are getting longer.

The newspaper kiosks, which were normally dominated by the likes of “Brigitte”, are now bursting at the seams with glossy magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and L’Officiel. Book stores display stacks of guides to conscious eating, Yoga, and Pilates. Our TV screens show women such as Sandra Bullock and Cindy Crawford, who are still exemplarily slim at the age of 50 and are confident enough to wear figure-hugging clothes.

This means that women of today pay much more attention to themselves and their lifestyle than before. An item of clothing is no longer primarily a product, but a part of a holistic approach to life. “Today’s 50-year-olds no longer look the same as the 50-year-olds from ten or twenty years ago. Among these age groups, we now find styles that style in progress 316

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are more fashionable. It is no longer enough to wrap yourself in colourless clothes. These customers want to adapt current trends within the range of their individual needs”, Dillemuth explains.

Companies that have failed to adjust to the new consumer generations are not merely missing out on the future; they are not even keeping up with the present. This applies to both retailers and manufacturers, by the way.

Lifestyle, Not Merely Product

One of the reasons that renowned brands such as Gerry Weber are in trouble may be that they are considered old-fashioned. Even a 70-year-old doesn’t want to be considered old-fashioned these days. The same applies to department store formats. A fashion customer in her “golden years” no longer identifies with the uninviting atmosphere of department stores in which products seem strung together at best. Instead, customers turn to vertically integrated retailers with an attractive price-performance ratio or to individual boutiques and concept stores with a carefully curated product range. Even the e-commerce segment benefits from the Best Agers. One can no longer speak of Silver Surfers, because they now navigate through the web very confidently.

By contrast, classic retailers need to find other ways to distinguish themselves. Nicole Hogerzeil reduced her product range when she merged two stores in 2015. Now, she presents her customers - mostly professional women in the bloom of their Petra Dillemuth, Fashion & Lifestyle Manager GfK: “The type ‘proper elderly lady’ as in the post-war woman with a proper hairstyle and dress code - is dying out.”

Nicole Hogerzeil, Schwarhogerzeil Berlin: “The demands of my customers are a lot higher due to the flood of information on social media.”

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life - a smaller, better selection of fashionable French and German brands. “The demands of my customers are a lot higher due to the flood of information on social media. For me as a retailer, this is a challenge that, however, also makes my work more interesting. The customers are so well-informed, which means I have to be just as well-informed. I always have to remain up-to-date to know what exactly they want and need. This is a positive development, albeit a very time-consuming one.

Despite the strong competitors in the e-commerce segment, one can still inspire these customers with a targeted product selection and individually tailored advice.

The reward is success, especially as personal contact remains the most important aspect”, Hogerzeil says.

Create Balance Between Identity and Modernity

Andreas Baumgärtner, the chief operating officer at Marc O’Polo, believes that the challenge of our time is to preserve your own identity while allowing enough innovation to reach the next generation too: “The question that regularly arises in the context of the undeniable consumer behaviour shift is how much change and diversity I can allow without losing my own identity.

Where is the balance between tradition and modernity? How can I avoid irritating regulars and retailers? Is the collection still understandable?” The German company with Swedish roots will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. Since its inception, it has successfully transformed itself from a men’s shirt specialist into a premium modern casual label. Today, it is successful on an international level with fashionable colours and modern designed mono-brand stores.

The Netherlands-based label Turnover benefits from the increased fashion consciousness among more mature consumer groups too, mainly because it refused to design grey costumes and focused on fashionable designs right from the start.

The label’s fashion is suitable for both leisure and work. “We see our collections from the perspective of a well-informed,

Andreas Baumgärtner, Chief Operating Officer Marc O’Polo: “The question is how much change and diversity I can allow without losing my own identity.”

Arna Cornelissen, Design Turnover: “Age was never an issue for us, but body shapes always have been.”

Emin Cezairli, CEO Mavi: “The rise of social media, in particular, has turned the target group shift into a major issue.”

inspiring woman. Age was never an issue for us, but body shapes always have been. We have always tried to manufacture garments that flatter both younger and older women instead of feeling too tight. We shy away from cuts that are too revealing. Nowadays, the age groups have moved much closer together, because women are so much more aware of their body, which, in turn, makes our lives so much easier. When we started, the fashion range wasn’t as broad as it is now and that is the difference to today. Therefore, we focus on smaller, individual collections that have their own design language, are produced sustainably, and remain fashionable a year later”, says designer Arna Cornelissen.

Segmentation to Attract New Customer Generations

Mavi, a Turkish denim producer, segmented its collections to appeal to different age groups from the beginning. “The rise of social media, in particular, has turned the target group shift into a major issue”, says Emin Cezairli, the managing director of Mavi. “We have always communicated two product lines; they target different age groups both in terms of design and price. The Uptown collection, which is intended for consumers from 30 years of age, is defined by more comfortable cuts and a little more expensive than the normal fashion line, which is targeted at younger consumers.”

In order to attract the younger consumer groups, especially the Generations Y and Z, to the brand and, in the process, creating the next generation of consumers, Mavi attaches great importance to communication.

The social media channels with which the younger customers grew up are at the core of Mavi’s strategy, as they are for most of the more innovative brands.

Mavi recently secured the services of Lucky Blue Smith, an international Instagram celebrity, for its #Denimgeneration campaign.

The Otto Group is one of the few German retailers that skilfully utilises this kind of segmentation. Instead of restructuring its core business, the mail order giant launched Collins, a completely new e-commerce system, to attract younger generations. The existing customers can still enjoy a more traditional Otto as a mail order company with an e-commerce division that offers a functional product range including fashion, furniture, and even electronics. Since 2014, the fashionable customers can enjoy Collins, a project that was aptly launched by Benjamin Otto, a representative of the Otto family’s next generation.

The start-up itself also pursues a segmentation strategy: About You as a trading platform for user-generated content, Edited for selected upscale products, and Sister Surprise for lingerie and swimwear. The concept seems to be right on the money seeing that the group generated tens of millions in revenue in its first year. Benjamin Otto himself has already moved on as a “formative partner” and member of the shareholder board, possibly to push further changes that keep the group up-to-date.

For producers and classic retailers in particular, the customer, who is becoming more complex in terms of demands and specialisation, is just as vital for success as the awareness of the external pressure from fast fashion companies and e-commerce.

088 WHAT'S THE STORY TRANSFORMATION

Changes Need to be Lived At Airfield, you experienced a phase during which everything was a “sure-fire success”. Today, the entire fashion market, especially the womenswear segment, is in the midst of a major transformation process. What is your brand’s biggest challenge in terms of international competition?

We need to create desire and, in this respect, less is sometimes more. We need to generate turnover on the sales floor and ensure that our goods are where we can actually sell them.

Ultimately, our clients don’t need clothes. Their wardrobes are full - no, even too full. We need to approach our customers differently today. In an era dominated by the Internet, colourful outlet worlds that resemble entertainment parks, and traditional wholesale, the business has changed so fundamentally that one can even say we live in evolutionary times. Only the best concepts and solutions will prove to be successful in the long term. If you don’t wake up and smell the coffee now, reality will shoot you down brutally.

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Walter Moser, the managing director of Airfield, on Helena Christensen as brand ambassador, power and powerlessness of social media, and the importance of emotions.

Text: Stephan Huber.

Photos: Airfield

change and to subsequently live that change. We have been doing exactly that for quite a while now. The path is difficult, but I believe it’s worth it. Despite all the crises I have experienced, I still take great pleasure from what I do for a living.

And for our industry in general…?

Our industry needs to regroup and reinvent itself. Old concepts disappear and are not replaced, so now we need to see how we

can differentiate ourselves. I attended the TW Forum in Heidelberg last week and there I was told: “Let the young ones do it; they are fresh.” I have a great, young, and especially dynamic team, which is a prerequisite for creating change. At the end of the day, it is so important to identify with what you do, to love your product, and thus to give your brand a distinct DNA. I have been paying close attention to what’s happening within the industry for many years. I myself started modernising my business almost five years ago.

These things take time to work sustainably. Many have been watching from the sidelines for too long, have been stuck in a rut, and have not moved an inch. I have always been on the move, modernised, and made the odd mistake, but I always learned a lot from the experience and achieved a lot. Today, this sets us apart from other brands.

A new generation of women is moving into focus as a vital target group… It is the first generation that grew up with vertically integrated suppliers. How can you win over this particular target group?

Nevertheless, every woman grows up at some point. She grows into a woman with different standards in terms of luxury and reward. We never really talk about making the collection younger, we adapt to the zeitgeist and strive to - more than ever before - manufacture products that allow women to express their individual perception of luxury, quality, and individuality. We have an opportunity to be individual and of high-quality at the same time, which is something vertically integrated players simply cannot be. We need to focus on our own strengths. When you’re close to your customers and have a proper understanding of service, you can achieve a lot. Our vertically integrated competitors will never be able to do that.

Is Helena Christensen a message to exactly this target group?

She represents what we strive to stand for. A woman wants to project sex appeal in her individual environment. Are Zara and H&M sexy? No, they’re not. They also have no history.

The basic needs of a human being don’t change just because

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Walter Moser, the founder of Airfield, believes that a young team is the basic requirement for a brand’s promising future.

of Facebook, Pinterest, etc.

Humans want to be courted and heard. There has never been an era during which this wasn’t important for humans. The youth may soak up these new media channels, but they will come of age at some point. My daughter is a social native; she grew up with Instagram, Facebook, and constant WhatsApp messages.

Only recently, she told me that it is getting on her nerves and that she will not allow these channels to dictate her life. One of her friends even switched to an ancient Nokia phone. It has a nostalgic character and she avoids being bombarded by every social media platform. In general, we focus on very individual types of women such as Sharon Stone, who was the face of our brand for several seasons.

For the winter 2016/17 season, we are currently co-operating with the fashion icon Carmen Dell Orefice for a campaign titled “Superwoman”. We are, of

course, really looking forward to working with Helena. She was one of THE supermodels of the 1990s, but she has a certain edge - just like Airfield.

In the current environment, how do you assess the subject of own stores and sales floors? Airfield pursued such a strategy quite aggressively for a long time. Are these “closed worlds” still relevant? Or do they still create identity?

We have stepped up our efforts in respect to own stores and retail partners. We only recently opened a store in our new style in Graz. It was furnished with great attention to detail. The current generation isn’t really interested in working in the textile industry, which means that retailers have a problem in terms of succession. We try to take over stores that have failed to find a successor. One thing’s certain, the worlds of today need to be exciting and offer more

Helena Christensen - Airfield’s women are strong personalities.

than goods. A good shop needs to be a place of relaxation and tell a story - that’s what really persuades a customer to buy a product. This is exactly what our new concepts are aimed at.

The walls of our new stores are adorned with illustrations by star illustrator David Downton, our “Leoprint” trademark can be seen on especially designed fridges, and the concept as a whole is feminine, modern, and really different.

The “partnership” between the industry and retailers may be a dictum, but it is, in reality, often not particularly effective. How can it work in an era of global digitalisation and resistant comparability?

At the end of the day, the partnership with the retailers has become a fairly one-sided affair.

In which industry can customers choose what they want and then just palm off everything on the industry? This is what is so sad about our business. It’s no

longer about emotion, which is what used to make our industry so sexy and exciting. Today, it’s all about yields. However, we are not in the business of selling yields, but in the business of selling a highly emotional product. Only if we do that well, will we see appropriate yields. Sadly, many have forgotten this.

Please dare to give us a glimpse of the future. Which mechanisms and transformations will have the biggest impact on our industry over the next few years and why?

The digitalisation of all areas of life will continue. However, we need to utilise the digitalised world intelligently without becoming completely dependent on it.

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Power Base A shrinking market with rising costs - it’s not surprising that agents are working hard on developing new business models. Those who are prepared for the future, are already a lot more than mere middlemen.

Text: Martina Müllner-Seybold.

Illustration: Claudia Meitert @Caroline Seidler

This even makes the task of buying fun: a sophisticated design concept that is tailor made for the brands on display in the showroom of Munich-based Heritage Agents. Two years ago, Michael Brockmann and Malte Kötteritz were brave enough to launch a fashion agency with a sharp profile. “If anyone asks me today whether I regret anything about the inception of this agency, then I answer that I regret that I waited until I turned 48 years of age before I no longer heeded the belittlers and doubters. We should have taken this step ten years ago. And yes, I would do it all again”, Michael Brockmann laughs. One can literally feel his passion for his vocation. However, the rapid success of Heritage Agents - the standing that the agency enjoys among retailers - is not only based on passion. “From the outset, we defined the segment we intend to operate in very clearly. We define the customers we want to co-operate with and

every brand is selected accordingly. Is it a match for the 200 customers we want to co-operate with?” Heritage Agents promises a curated and focused selection of upscale menswear brands.

That’s why the agency’s showroom door isn’t emblazoned with 40 brands, but only a selected few. “It hurts every time we have to reject a good brand, but it is impossible to manage an agency with 20 seasonal aids at our level and with our self-understanding. Let’s be honest, even players like Masculin Einkaufskreis have become fed up with dealing with an unprepared temp in many appointments. The talks we hold today cannot be conducted by people who have no market knowledge and - most importantly - lack authority.” In this context, it’s not always just about numbers either: “Short-term income is the one side of the medal - the goods, the feeling, and inspiration is the other. That’s what we have to offer: inspiring talks at

eye-level during which we can inform the retailers about our trip to a furniture trade show, about trends in major cities, and about inspiration and looks. We need to whet their appetite and create a mood that induces a will to buy.”

Buzzing

Alongside the relationship with the retail trade, the bond with producers is the second important pillar that supports the success of an agency. “I am under the impression that the scope of duties is increasing; it seems as if more and more subtasks are passed on to us”, says Florian Ranft, the co-owner of Komet und Helden. “In many large fashion houses, we are responsible for ensuring that the right goods are available at the right time, that the sales floors are managed properly, how the goods and the shop windows are presented, and that the staff is adequately trained. This is a style in progress 316

092 WHAT'S THE STORY TRANSFORMATION

“In fact, I do find it a lot more difficult to present something new every season than before.”

- Florian Ranft, Komet und Helden “Short-term income is the one side of the medal the goods, the feeling, and inspiration is the other.”

- Michael Brockmann, Heritage Agents

completely different job description compared to what it used to be. In our capacity as a fashion agency, we have much more responsibility and the retail customers demand that from us.

Compilation and evaluation of sales ratios, analysis of best and worst sellers, and organisation of goods exchanges - we pursue all those tasks actively.” All this information and market knowledge makes agencies indispensable for the brands they represent.

“The companies have passed many duties on to us in what can be described as a gradual process - be it customer service, returns, administration. All this is handled by agencies now.

However, this also requires longterm relationships. One cannot simply replace such a service partner.” This rings especially true when this service partner is willing to push self-defined boundaries: “The fact that we used to run Superdry stores and still run Woolrich stores certainly strengthens our position.

It gives our voice extra weight with the producer, because we are not just middlemen, but also important retail partners.” Komet und Helden also utilises its own retail operations to allow its sales agents to experience direct feedback from consumers. “All our sales representatives work in the stores on a regular basis; that ensures a very different demeanour during order appointments.”

Today’s fashion agencies are expected to finance a quite 316 style in progress

remarkable apparatus. And this apparatus can, at times, make it difficult to meet a very different customer need, namely the need of the retailers who visit the showroom with the same question on their mind season for season: What new items can you offer? “In fact, I do find it a lot more difficult to present something new every season than before. It’s easy enough to find new items, but it’s difficult to weed out the good and bad elements. Many companies attach too much importance to their respective collections and treat everything else as secondary. In our case, it’s almost the other way around. We need to know what kind of service the manufacturer is able to supply and what the performance levels are. And it goes without saying that every metre of clothes rack in our showrooms needs to generate revenue.”

Agreed

“Focusing on strong brands is essential for us”, says Ben Botas, the owner of the fashion agency Ben And. “Experiments are very difficult. A brand needs to provide both the retail trade and us with convincing arguments.

We need to ensure that we build a strong, long-term business, step-by-step. Good support from the manufacturer, pronto offers, NOS, goods exchange - the business can’t work without all that anymore. Everything we

do is based on longevity and, in Germany at least, we have the claim to handle all aspects for a brand.” Being a distributor, operating as a retailer and e-commerce partner, and even managing a brand license in its entirety has become commonplace.

Some fashion agencies even launch their own brands. With Ben Sherman, whose license Ben Botas has just secured for the German-speaking market, and its own label Cervolante the brand is completely vertically integrated. “When we believe in a brand, then we are fully invested in this business right from the start. In the case of Dstrezzed, we started with four brand managers, with the result that we secured 180 customers within a very short time. We can only accept brands that have potential in terms of marketability. Generally speaking, we are not brand collectors. I find it difficult to provide good service with 45 brands in my portfolio, let alone fully realise the growth potential of said brands.” Ben Botas believes that the main aspect of an agent’s job is to communicate the feedback of the important German market to the producers and to adjust the collections accordingly. “Today, developing brands is one of the most important aspects of our job. After all, we know what the market really needs.

Studying the peculiarities of the German market intensively is a vital contributor to the suc-

cess of a brand.” While agents were previously rare guests at the POS, on-site supervision has become an integral service element. “We have, for example, two employees who travel to visit existing and potential new clients.” It’s normally more than a simple visit. “We usually do as much as we can on-location; that includes, among other services, visual merchandising via sales promotions and shop window design. That’s the right approach, because we focus exclusively on the product itself.

Presenting products and managing sales floors particularly well makes commercial sense for us.

We grasp every opportunity to promote sales, because it is, of course, in our own interest to ensure that a brand performs.”

Humming

“Representing a brand is so much more than merely sticking its logo on the door sign”, says Marc Kofler, co-owner of Adventure Fashion GmbH alongside Bernhard Aschauer. “We are constantly thinking about how an agency will work in the future. In my eyes, an important aspect is to figure out how we can address the customers in a more modern way, meaning digitally. A brand that doesn’t photograph its collections from every angle and that can’t supply the information that, for instance, e-retailers need for their product descriptions

Vertrieb über BEN AND GmbH // Georg-Muche-Str. 5 // 80807 München Kontakt: Ricardo Meyer // r.meyer@ben-and.com // Mobil 0173 585 99 50

094 WHAT'S THE STORY TRANSFORMATION

“Focusing on strong brands is essential for us.”

- Ben Botas, Ben And

“Our costs are high. We can only generate income if we are highly organised.”

- Renzo Braglia, Brama

“Representing a brand is so much more than merely sticking its logo on the door sign.” - Marc Kofler, Adventure Fashion GmbH

is difficult to establish in my opinion. If a brand lacks these prerequisites, it becomes our duty as an agency to step up to the plate. It becomes our duty to create suitable images and background stories, to portray them correctly, and to supply them to the customers.” Kofler believes that online ordering and B2B platforms are “already standard, because it happens quite often that a customer misses a showroom appointment. That’s when I need to showcase the product range digitally, especially for the younger generation of buyers.

For them, working with these tools comes completely naturally.”

If the agency shoulders the investment in such a B2B channel, the next step is not far off. “In our case - mainly because we have always had a strong logistics concept - it made perfect sense to launch web shops for individual brands. I don’t see this as competition per se. On the contrary, we can all benefit from what the online business teaches us. Thanks to e-commerce, I know that consumers still buy light, unlined shoes - not even at a reduced price. It is incredibly helpful to be able to pass on such insights to the retailers.”

As a combination of agency, importer, and licensee one has the duty to evaluate and test the characteristics of the market online. “I can imagine that we will, at some point, test the B2C distribution online before we 316 style in progress

launch the wholesale business of a brand. That would allow us to fine-tune potential problems – the sizing for instance – before the launch in the classic retail industry.”

Works

To keep things simple, Renzo Braglia, the owner of Brama, calls his comprehensive approach to modern distribution “the Brama formula”. This formula includes sales, distribution, and service for all portfolio brands - throughout Europe. “I believe that the agency business will soon be divided into two categories. There will be international agencies that cover larger markets and have permanent showrooms in cities like Paris or Milan. This is the perfect setup for brands with a pointed positioning. The local agencies, on the other hand, have to re-think their respective business models.

I don’t believe that an agency operating in a small market with many brands is particularly sustainable. Today, it is more important than ever to offer a brand the best service possible.

That cannot be achieved if you operate like a hawker’s tray. We cover the whole of Europe for the few brands we have decided to focus on. Nevertheless, we take every single market incredibly seriously. In Germany, for instance, we have showrooms in Düsseldorf and Munich.”

Renzo Braglia believes that the

approach of some brands to try and increasingly circumvent the wholesale business is wrong.

“Some brands can certainly handle sales in-house, but every service needs to be incredibly professional today. If one can only draw experience from one brand, I believe that isn’t enough. We are constantly - on a weekly basis - in contact with our retail partners to discuss re-orders, returns, exchanges, and all the other services we offer. That cannot be achieved alone.” Coolly calculated one can say: “Our costs are high.

We can only generate income if we are highly organised. Every single market we serve requires a large investment. This even applies to the UK, which has completely different service demands due to the so-called department store agencies. In the UK, we don’t have a showroom, but merely an office. Our employees in the UK work first and foremost on the sales floors.

We stock them, merchandise them, and train the employees.

We are on-location at the major stores every week, which is a completely different procedure than we have in the rest of Europe.” Is every country a new adventure? “Generally speaking, I believe that we need to be very dynamic. In the past, we have already seen a significant selection process. Just look at Italy, where the number of 10 to 12 showrooms per brand across the country has dwindled to one

or two. The market experiences such changes on a regular basis, especially as the global sales are not increasing, but remain static. That is why one has to re-evaluate one’s approach constantly, remain agile, and adjust to the needs of the market perfectly. All agencies that are good at that now, will find their place in the market of the future - I’m sure of that.”

04651 / ANDREA ZORI COATS JAN MAYEN LARDINI MEY STORY PT01 PT05 XACUS Lodenfrey Park | Osterwaldstraße 10, 80805 München | +49 89 32668063 | info@heritage-agents.com

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Goodbye Sale?

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Gucci announced this spring that it will no longer entertain clearance sales. Instead, the luxury brand strives to launch collections that build on each other from season to season, with the aim of ensuring that the previous collection isn’t devalued. To what extent would this approach make sense for the entire premium segment?

Could this be a way to break the vicious circle that demands everything must be new every season?

Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

Illustration: Claudia Meitert@Caroline Seidler. Photos: Interviewees

Oliver Hüsken is curious.

In mid-April, at a time when the weather proved to be a spoilsport once again and many retailers launched their mid-season sales, he decided against a sale and sent his customers a newsletter showcasing the newest key pieces of the season instead. “In mid-April, the customer frequency decreases significantly across the entire retail industry. The customers have been taught not to visit the stores”, Oliver Hüsken explains.

“We are attempting to break free from this pressure and have decided to focus on desirability quite deliberately.”

Too Much of Everything

Desirability is exactly what the fashion industry lacks today.

The market has lost its equilibrium. On the one hand, there is a surplus of goods available and customers find too much of the same everywhere. On the other hand, we have consumers who are fed up with the permanent oversupply. “When I look back at the last 18 years, I have to admit that our industry is at fault for the problems it currently faces. Back then, the trend of four delivery cycles per season started”, says Stephan Lanzer, the managing director of Knilli.

“The idea to deliver goods early was initially intended to extend the time we can sell products at a regular price. However, the opposite has happened. The product pressure has increased and the aforementioned sale period has been shortened.”

One also has to take the minimum order limits into account.

“This is how the brands pass on their internal pressure to their respective retail partners, with the result that the retailers buckle under said pressure”, Oliver Hüsken explains. “The inevitable result is that the products have to be sold at a discount.”

Does the fashion industry lack the innovative spirit to create excitement? The high fashion catwalks showcase many fantastic and opulent items with exuberant patterns and vibrant colours. It’s all there. These pieces are perfect for media-effective presentation, both offline and online. Let’s be honest, muted colours don’t come across that great online anyway. It almost seems as if trends are defined by their potential online impact.

Some market participants are stumped by so much splendour.

It’s too aloof and too hard to combine with other items.

Ultimately, it could be that our system no longer works because fashion simply is - in many cases - not in line with the consumers’ needs anymore.

Core Products

It comes as no surprise that a counter-trend has developed.

The hyped Vêtement label is an exaggerated commitment to what we call “norm-core”. Seemingly banal things reveal their new elements at second glance - in details and in cut patterns.

Back to basics is the maxim of many who have a desire to invest in classics that stand the test of time in terms of value.

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098 WHAT'S THE STORY TRANSFORMATION

Stephan Lanzer, managing director of Knilli: “Both the industry and the retailers are tasked to make sustainability perceptible. When underpinned with content, the sustainability topic becomes tangible for customers.”

Woolrich has declared its Arctic Parka as a classic and managed to persuade the market not to sell it at a discount. The retailers comply. Moncler is also working on preserving its value and has decided to focus on limited quantities.

Stone Island keeps its brand value high by utilising a deliberately selective distribution strategy and starting the production process after orders have been received. The result: no outlets and no overhangs. Sure, all the aforementioned are large brands with great charisma. That this approach can also work on a smaller scale is proven by Daniele Fiesoli from Italy and its capsule collection made from 14 gauge merino wool. “The fine-knit sweaters and jackets can be worn all year round from January to December”, says Stefan Wittmann, the German distributor of Daniele Fiesole.

“Consequently, we tell retailers that these items don’t need to be reduced in price. This works perfectly. Despite losing major customers and turning down online retailers, we managed to increase our revenue by between 20 and 70 percent from season to season, mainly because our stringent branding won over many new customers.” What works in the premium men’s knitwear niche, cannot, however, be applied to the competitive womenswear market. “The competition is much fiercer in this segment”, Stefan Wittmann explains. Nevertheless, the market often failed - and still fails 316 style in progress

- to take advantage of the opportunity to exempt product groups that hardly change from season to season from price reductions.

At least that’s the opinion of Helmut Hütthaler, the owner of the eponymous fashion agency.

“Over the last seven years, the slim jeans silhouette has, for instance, hardly changed at all. Therefore, one could have exempted a large part of that particular product segment from clearance sales”, Helmut Hütthaler argues. “However, the manufacturers quickly draw the conclusion that carry-overs don’t suit fashion brands. I, for one, don’t share this view at all.”

More Fashion!

Alexander Gedat, the CEO of Marc O’Polo, believes that the trend is not towards more nonstock items. “We are currently experiencing the exact opposite.

The fashion quota is on the rise and innovations are in more demand than ever.”

“The customers want to see fashion”, confirms Stephan Lanzer, the managing director of Knilli. “Carry-overs are often very basic and can therefore only be presented in relatively small quantities.” Long-standing rules of the menswear segment have also lost their validity. “The times when NOS items easily survived five to seven years without major changes are well and truly over”, says Thomas Steinhart, the managing director of Carl Gross. “Even the basics of our proven modular system are subject to fashion, be it in terms of details such as lapel width, side slits, or seam width. The fashion competition forces us brands to react to fashionable aspects more quickly, before anyone else reacts.” As a result, a long-term NOS programme swiftly transforms into a shortterm programme. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to plan exactly. As a consequence, there

Thomas Steinhart, managing director of Création Gross: “Can a single player really create appreciation via product withdrawal, especially without the next company following suit? At the end of the day, everyone is trying to generate a profit.

Our products are extremely fixed cost-oriented. The more I sell, the higher my profit, partly because it is much more economical to produce in large quantities.”

will be more overhangs, because all textile companies want to generate revenues”, Steinhart adds. “Disappointing customers by not being able to deliver - or the whole myth surrounding artificial scarcity - is arrogance from which only very few brands can benefit in the long term.”

Concentration Please!

What is beneficial is a return to focusing on the product itself.

“Many collections consist of more than 700 items, but only very few models are actually sold”, Helmut Hütthaler claims.

“Why not concentrate on fewer products? Cut problems aren’t addressed and - in many cases - products aren’t improved between seasons. As a result, a large number of items get stuck at the retailers, mainly because they are manufactured inadequately. Instead of building on good products, we strive to exchange collections, because they are too tricky to market.

We actually want exchange systems, but we refuse to tackle the real issue.”

Marc O’Polo has been working hard on its collection content for approximately two years.

“Despite the overstimulation

Helmut Hütthaler, mana­ging director of Agentur Hütthaler: “The solution cannot be found in the tedious repetition of collections, but in concentration and in developing the good pieces within a collection. If you turn this little screw, you can effect significant change.”

in the market, we are trying to stand out and make ourselves attractive enough to ensure that the customers are willing to buy at full price as often as possible”, Alexander Gedat explains. “With regard to our fashion DNA, we need to be more courageous in terms of design and communicate this message via visual merchandising and customer relations. We are willing to invest significantly in this approach, mainly because the interplay of all aforementioned aspects is what creates desirability.” To this end, the brand from Stephanskirchen introduced another rather significant change. “We are now much more ready-to-wear”, Gedat explains. “Supplying the right product at the right time is a real customer need that we can now address much more efficiently than before.”

Delivery dates are currently a hot topic. “We, as an industry, still can’t manage to bundle deliveries. One example would be to deliver matching tops and bottoms on the same date”, Helmut Hütthaler says. “That’s why many deliveries have no underlying statement and the retail industry can’t work with that.”

Even early deliveries don’t make sense for everyone. “Much of what I get delivered in December ends up in our warehouse for quite a while. Here in Graz, nobody wants those products at that time”, Stephan Lanzer reveals. “We need more deliveries

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Alexander Gedat, CEO of Marc O’Polo: “We and our partners have commercial standards, which makes focusing on ready-to-wear fashion even more challenging. The items need to be to the point to ensure that the merchandise density doesn’t rise even more.”

at a time that suits the respective location. What makes sense for a retailer in Spain doesn’t necessarily make sense for a retailer in Austria. The whole industry is still operating in a way that doesn’t take the needs of both retailers and consumers into account.”

Create Your Own Rhythm

Oliver Hüsken has turned quite a few screws of late. In spring, he had a lot of knitwear products in his product range and the weather proved him right.

For the autumn, he plans to focus on light wool rather than sheepskin and thick down. “We have created our own rhythm”, Hüsken claims. “In addition, we reserved some of our budget for short-term purchases and invested more in accessories.”

However, innovation remains compulsory. Oliver Hüsken believes that fashion needs to remain fashion, including new, wearable “must-haves”. Extravagance is acceptable in smaller quantities to avoid too much pressure. “Such items don’t sell if you stock three to four of every size”, Oliver Hüsken argues. “That’s one of the reasons why we decided against stocking Prada and - most recently - Gucci. As a business in a location like East-Westphalia, we simply cannot comply with the high minimum order limits. Other brands, such as Valentino, MSGM, and Chloé, are a little ‘fresher’ in this respect and don’t 316 style in progress

Stefan Wittmann, managing director of Agentur Wittmann: “How can I inspire? It’s not about the price, but all about emotion. Wherever fashion is offered without emotion, it doesn’t have high life expectancy.”

put us under the same pressure.

Generally speaking, brands that tolerate small budgets and operate on a slightly more individual level perform better.”

Escape Comparability

Peter Eberle, the managing partner of Konen, speaks out in favour of exciting product ranges. “We strive to surprise our customers and invest in product presentation and excellent advice by well-trained staff. Our strength as a retailer is to present our clientele with the best respective selection from a wide range of products.”

Konen also attempts to avoid comparability by stocking individual brands such as Armed Angels and Distorted People of Munich. “By listing brands that aren’t stocked by everyone else, we escape the competitive pressure that would force us to reduce prices early”, Eberle explains. “Ultimately, that alone creates more desirability.” Generally speaking, Eberle believes that the fashion quota needs to increase even more. “Consumers that require clothing in sizes larger than 36 or 48 also want to dress fashionably”, Eberle adds.

“There is still a lot of untapped potential in that area.” Stefan Wittmann, on the other hand, sees enormous potential in sustainability. “The food industry has undergone a significant

Peter Eberle, managing partner of Konen: “Every retailer has a significant number of customers who don’t spend a lot of money on clothing and only visit the store during sale phases. If we stopped having sales, we’d lose these customers to discount stores and outlets.

As a consequence, we’d lack customer frequency.

Without that customer frequency, the situation of the retail industry looks bleak at best.”

educational process over the last two years. However, the fashion industry has - at most - raised awareness in terms of corporate or production-related issues.

There is real consumer interest in this topic! What is truly sustainable? What is fast fashion?

The prices offered by the likes of Primark cannot be justified with fair working conditions.”

Daily’s is a GOTS certified label in Wittmann’s brand portfolio.

“The consumers appreciate a sustainable product that doesn’t lecture them, but offers fashionable fits and colours”, Wittmann says. “We have experienced a noticeable uptick in demand for such products, which is proven by the fact that we managed to double the revenues of Daily’s in the German-speaking markets from season to season.” Stephan Lanzer is equally convinced that sustainability will prove to be a decisive fashion criterion.

“When we tell customers a label’s background story, they can literally feel the product with certain vivacity! An individually manufactured item with attention to detail and a rich background story - those are the things that customers will appreciate more in the future.”

Oliver Hüsken, owner of Hüsken Bielefeld: “Fashion stands for innovation. When a brand tries to avoid innovation with carry-overs, it lacks innovation and, thus, what defines fashion.”

Are Retailers Lone Warriors?

We still have a long way to go before we can wave goodbye to sales. “We would need strict rules, such as the old discount law that no longer exists”, Stefan Wittmann argues. “It’s fairly easy to nod in approval when one agrees to not reduce prices before a certain date while seated around the order table, but, in the end, the retailers start their sales earlier than agreed anyway.”

Oliver Hüsken still strives to delay the discount phases in his three stores step-by-step, by one or two weeks every year. The declared aim is to launch the summer sale as late as the beginning of June. He will, however, by no means abandon innovation. This was once again proven by the success of his April newsletter.

“Fashion is - and always will be - the engine of our business”, he stresses. “If innovation falls by the wayside, others can catch up and overtake you.”

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Don’t Chuck it in the Bin

Fashion is making itself redundant - at least if you look at the fast fashion trends that turn items of clothing into disposable products. The devaluation of fashion is counteracted by an increasing number of developments in the field of sustainable fashion, which range from upgrading products to re-introducing items into the ecological cycle.

Text: Quynh Tran. Illustration: Claudia Meitert @Caroline Seidler.

A little more than a year ago, Lidewij Edelkoort, who is considered to be the most influential trend researcher worldwide, predicted the death of fashion. Looking at recent developments, it seems as if her statement was an actual prophecy. Due to fast fashion and ever-faster seasonal rhythms, it has become very difficult to define what the term fashion actually means.

However, the situation isn’t as bleak as it may sound, especially as Edelkoort added: “Maybe that’s not even a problem.

Maybe it’s the right time to reconsider everything.” This new approach was first adopted by the field of sustainable fashion, which has long shaken off the stigma of looking “too eco”. With a fashion-oriented character and initiatives for transparency and ecological economics, this segment of our industry has finally broken free from what was once ridiculed as the “organic corner”. The fact that customers and retailers are becoming more receptive for sustainability, makes sustainable fashion seem like an alternative to the devaluation of textiles.

“When we opened our first store in Nuremberg ten years ago, the style in progress 316

104 WHAT'S THE STORY TRANSFORMATION

fashion standards of sustainable labels was truly horrific. Back then, I had a list of 300 brands worldwide. When I abandoned the list three years ago, there were far more than 5,000 brands on it”, says Bernd Hausmann, the founder and managing director of Glore. His company plans to open its seventh stationary store this year and runs an online shop for sustainable fashion. “On the other hand, the awareness of consumers has changed completely. If you’d start a poll in the pedestrian zone today, most people would say that they wouldn’t want to buy items that were produced under unfair conditions. The challenge faced by the textile industry is to provide alternatives to the bad products. We don’t really have a choice in that respect. It’s similar to the automotive industry being constantly told that electric mobility cannot be realised. Along came Tesla and the field of electric mobility has experienced a veritable boom ever since. This is where the fashion industry currently stands. Everybody knows that things need to be done differently, but it depends on the alternatives.”

Arrival in the Classic-Conventional Retail Scene

Sustainable fashion still remains a niche market. “The mass market is still not interested”, says Claudia Lanius, the managing director of the sustainable brand Lanius. “But the situation is better than it ever was.” Since its foundation in 1999, the brand has grown steadily and now achieves a two-digit million profit. At first, Lanius was mainly a supplier of Hessnatur, but the share of customers from 316 style in progress

the field of classic-conventional retailers has been growing over the last few years.

This development has also been noticed at Daily’s Nothing’s Better. “I started my career in the conventional fashion business. We founded Daily’s three years ago, mainly because I believe now is the right time to survive on the market with a powerful, sustainable product.

The fast fashion trend devalues fashion. The opposite trend is slow fashion. The latter’s products have different standards in terms of identity and quality.

This approach is finally gaining a foothold in the classic-conventional retail industry. We have experienced a growing demand in that particular sector, especially last year. Today, three quarters of the 200 retailers we supply are from the classic-conventional retail segment”, says founder Markus Leicher.

Manufactum also decided to focus its clothing division, which accounts for approximately 20 percent of its product range, on sustainable fashion. “In our capacity as a retailer, this is, naturally, also an attempt to reach new, younger customers. In recent years, it has become apparent that an increasing number of young customers are interested in sustainable consumption.

Sustainability and quality are often considered to be related terms and quality was always an integral part of our DNA”, says Christine Fehrenbach, the head of brand development at Manufactum.

Product Remains in Focus

These trends - identified by retailers and manufacturers alike - are confirmed by the “Slow Fashion Monitor 2016”, which

was compiled by the market research institute Dr. Grieger & Cie. In a study involving 1,019 respondents, 30% claimed to have purchased a sustainable item of clothing in the last 12 months. 52% of the respondents stated that they attach importance to their clothing being manufactured fairly. Nevertheless, other aspects play an equally important role. According to the study, customers first focus on quality (important for 91.5% of the respondents) before considering the price (88%), fabrics, design, and uncomplicated maintenance. Fair and ecological production conditions rank behind all the aforementioned factors.

“If the product itself isn’t excellent, it is difficult to persuade the customers of its value. Just look at the denim segment.

Sustainable denim labels are not successful due to their sustainability per se, but because they offer an excellent product at a reasonable price”, says Dio Kurazawa, a denim director and expert for sustainable fashion at the trend researcher WSGN. “The denim market in particular suffers from the stigma of being very ‘dirty’, but currently there is a strong trend towards sustainability. In addition to the recycling trend, the industry has developed technological and chemical innovations that allow more resource-friendly dyeing and washing processes, as well as offering new ways to process fibres. In the future, sustainability won’t need to be communicated, it will be expected.”

Create Customer Awareness

FTC Cashmere also prioritises the product. “We are a fashion product that is manufactured

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sustainably”, says founder and CEO Andreas Knesovic, who has been producing sustainable cashmere fashion for 12 years and believes that this approach guarantees better quality in the long term. “Especially in recent years, the thirst for knowledge regarding sustainable fashion has increased significantly. And when you look at our changing eating habits, it is safe to say that this is only the beginning. We can help educate the customers. Apart from that, the operating path is vitally important. In the future, we will only work with customers willing to promote both our product and philosophy. In this respect the retail industry, which is lamenting its situation at the moment, has a real advantage in terms of knowledge transfer and storytelling. Retailers need to take advantage of this, especially as it can contribute to the education of customers against the devaluation trend.”

Maybe this is the reason why companies such as Stella McCartney, Filippa K, and Nudie Jeans didn’t place their sustainability efforts at the top of their communication agenda at first.

However, they are now benefitting from those efforts all the more. The pioneer in terms of communication - and thus also in terms of customer awareness - remains the industry giant H&M. What sounds like irony - especially as H&M co-invented fast fashion - is actually the giant’s future-oriented project.

In recent years, H&M increased the quota of sustainable fashion in its product range. The “Conscious Collection” label and recurring sustainability campaigns form the spearhead of its communication efforts.

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Circular Economy

“The Conscious Collection was a great way to reach out to our customers and make it easier for them to make more sustainable decisions”, says Cecilia Brannsten, a project manager in H&M’s sustainability team. The next major goal is to fully re-integrate the company into the circular economy. “Circularity and eco-efficiency have become a long-term vision for us. We strongly believe that this development is necessary. It includes the design, the manufacturing process, and the quality of our clothing. We are still limited in terms of mechanical recycling of cotton and wool, but we are working on new technologies to facilitate the process.” H&M started collecting used clothing in its stores in 2013 and co-operates with Kering and re:newcell, a Swedish textile recycling specialist, in order to develop new material recycling technologies.

“The issue is complicated, because there are very few fashion products that can really be re-introduced into the cycle. This is currently a much debated topic, because the fast fashion industry sees it as a way to increase consumption. If you re-introduce clothing into the cycle, it is less harmful, but also creates more space in the wardrobes”, says Magdalena Schaffrin, an expert for sustainable fashion and co-initiator of the Green Showroom and the Ethical Fashion Show.

Freitag is among the recycling pioneers. “We initially positioned our brand as a design product, not as an ecological product. However, we are a recycling-oriented brand at heart and decided to do everything

correctly right from the start if we want to diversify. How does a product need to be designed to be excellent right from the start?

That leads us to the so-called ‘Cradle-to-Cradle’ philosophy, which states that a product needs to be able to be completely separated at the end of its lifecycle and 100% compostable”, co-founder Daniel Freitag explains. The F-abric clothing line includes basics made of an in-house fibre blend. This blend is produced exclusively in Europe and ecologically degradable. “I believe that fashion is one of the next industries that will see the customer awareness that the food sector has already experienced. One can tell that sustainable fashion is slowly stepping out of its niche”, Freitag states.

Provide Access for Customers

Lisa Jaspers, the managing director of Folkdays, an online shop for sustainable fashion, rates the situation similarly: “The market is developing slowly and we can still transfer a lot of knowledge. There is still a considerable gap between awareness and action. The consumers are aware of the situation, but they don’t act accordingly yet.

There is great potential there.

As difficult as it is for us to reach the customers, it is equally difficult for the customers to find us. We need to provide our customers access to sustainable fashion by improving the infrastructure and offering an excellent product.”

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“Only a Culture of Respect Creates Value” In 2003, Andreas Knezovic launched FTC Cashmere, a label that perceives sustainable production conditions as the core of excellent quality. His foresighted move anticipated the solutions for the current cashmere market crisis. Interview: Quynh Tran. Photos: FTC Cashmere Which developments caused the cashmere crisis and what happens next?

There is actually not enough cashmere wool available, which leads to bad products and fakes.

According to estimates, two to four times as many cashmere items are being produced as there is wool. Most manufacturing plants are price-driven and must accept exploitative orders to survive. This causes a negative spiral, mainly because the factories undercut each other until they can’t go any lower. The price pressure is not only passed on to the employees, but also to the cashmere farmers, who ultimately receive less money for their wool. The farmers are, however, already struggling to survive. Their reaction is to kill their goats to sell meat, skin,

FTC Cashmere’s goat farm in China.

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and wool, because that is more lucrative in the short-term. This leads to a dramatic shortage of raw cashmere wool. In order to guarantee excellent quality in the long term, it is not only unavoidable to protect and maintain the landscape, farmers, and animals, but also to preserve and - if necessary - re-create a cultural perspective. This requires mutual respect and dignity.

You turned your attention to sustainability at a very early stage. How has the perception of this issue changed?

When we launched FTC Cashmere, hardly anyone in the cashmere industry showed any interest in this topic. Things are different today, mainly because retailers and consumers are changing due to the digitalisation process that makes many

aspects more transparent. Consumption remains unchecked, but the mode is changing. One can sense an extreme reversal both on the part of customers, who are looking for quality products, and retailers, who are attempting to differentiate themselves through quality.

How can one create sustainable - and also economically viable - production conditions that still leave room for growth?

Controlling the entire supply chain is an important foundation for sustainable and economic production. In the case of cashmere, the farmers are where this supply chain begins. If the farmer feels better, so do his goats. This is confirmed by good results; the raw wool is of better quality. If you achieve this, you secure long-term access to excellent raw material, which, in turn, ensures production levels and allows room for growth.

How can one explain sustainability to customers?

This is one of the biggest challenges, because the dissemination of information has to work

Andreas Knezovic, founder and CEO of FTC Cashmere.

on many levels. It can only be achieved with the assistance of strong retail partners with employees who know the product well. A competent salesperson is a real “happiness agent” for the customers, as long as he or she shows conviction when selling the product. That’s why we see it as our duty to provide information and maximum transparency to ensure that consumers can navigate through the thicket of goods more easily.

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The Retail Industry of Tomorrow Gallery, showroom, or trading centre? What will the retail industry become? How and where will we shop in the future? The retail industry is in a great upheaval and changing its structures at an accelerated pace.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Illustration: Claudia Meitert@Caroline Seidler. Photos: Gesprächspartner, Klaus Vyhnalek

The market is currently very dynamic - both offline and online. Change in the retail industry is an ever-ongoing process. However, this process has reached an unrivalled pace due to new technologies and digitalisation. “All predictions have been overtaken by reality.

Change is happening faster and more radically than we envisaged five years ago”, says Jürgen Müller, the managing director of Suits. Executive Search. “Pure online players, such as Amazon and Zalando, are clearly on the rise. Amazon currently already generates more than 100 billion US Dollars in revenue. It is only a question of time until Jeff Bezos surpasses Wal-Mart in that respect. The pure online players are experiencing such growth due to the fact that they are global companies right from the start, expand into every possible area, and are, at the same time, integrating themselves vertically with private brands.”

The online business is the undisputed growth impetus and also the field in which most innovations take place. “The utilisation of data is the future key to competitiveness”, says market analyst Carsten Bange, the managing director of the Barc Institute. “Especially in the field of dynamic pricing, data is already used for price optimisation. Amazon is the pioneer in this respect. At one point, the prices will be adjusted individually to the purchase behaviour of consumers. Thus a TV will cost 330 Euros for a customer who we know is price-sensitive. The same TV will cost 400 Euros for

a customer who we know is not looking elsewhere. The consumers could lose faith in actually being offered a good price.

The sensitivity is fairly high.

However, this approach will prevail at some point, because the necessary technology already exists.”

The technological possibilities are, however, not only being exploited online. “I perceive the trend towards stationary retailers trying to emulate e-commerce rivals to gain more data”, Bange explains. “To this end, they can use a chip in the loyalty card that allows them to track the customers’ movements through the store or utilise beacons (transceivers in the wall) to send tailored offers to the customers’ respective mobile phones. The more individual the customer data is, the more precisely such offers can be formulated.” Currently, there is a lot of experimenting in this area, but the stationary retailers would still need to invest a considerable amount of money. At the end of the day, only the solution that harvests the greatest benefits will prevail.

Emotional

“The greatest achievement of the stationary retail industry over the last decades was to light up the inner cities”, says marketing dramaturge Christian Mikunda. “The stores have become so-called ‘third places’, not unlike the restaurant trade and hotel lobbies. This is a status that needs to be gained anew constantly, especially due to e-commerce competition. Let’s style in progress 316

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Karl Reyer, managing director of Reyer Sport & Mode: “Stationary retailers and online retailers will continue to co-exist. Those who don’t go with the times will fall by the wayside. The pressure to re-invent and focus is on.”

Heiner Oberrauch, owner of Oberrauch-Zitt: “Generally speaking, the retail industry still isn’t investing enough in human capital, concepts, and unique selling propositions. This is an approach that needs to change significantly.”

face it, without the stores the inner cities would be as grey as they were in the 1960s.”

If you will, the new online competitors are forcing the stationary retailers to re-define themselves and become more attractive. The Internet is the driving force behind the efforts to improve the classic retail industry and to re-focus on its strengths. “The experience at the point of sale is an added value in terms of emotion”, Christian Mikunda adds. “The personal encounter with a capable salesperson is always a social interaction during which the customer begins to trust the individual in question like a friend. This is the perfect setting to impress with competent advice and service.” Mikunda also highlights the importance of store dramaturgy. “What was previously only a concern in upscale stores is today also increasingly important to the cheaper market segment, especially as the merchandise density is particularly noticeable in the latter. A good example is the H&M store in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas; it’s an extremely successful ‘Glory Joy’ orchestration.

Or the Top Shop stores I visited in London in October last year.

The mannequins circle in the air like aircrafts there. We call such measures ‘destabilisation’. The idea behind it is to change the consumers’ perspectives through deliberate irritation.” Storytelling is becoming increasingly important. “The best example of this approach is the Lairesse Pharmacy in Amsterdam. It boasts a simulated forest floor and a real tree that is connected to the counter”, Christian 316 style in progress

Carsten Bange, managing director of Barc Institute: “The future of the retail industry will be more data-driven. Those that have a better understanding of customers’ needs are the ones who will enjoy success. Utilising data more efficiently is the key in this respect.”

Mikunda points out. “It’s not about escaping into a fantasy world, but about natural staging that distracts the customers from their woes and relaxes their mood.”

Stationary stores and human interaction points are also becoming increasingly relevant for online players. “The majority of the fashion is on offer locally, so close to the customer”, says David Schneider, the founder and board member of Zalando.

“Our aim is to bring supply and customers back together on a local level. Why shouldn’t we have the product desired by a customer who seeks inspiration online delivered by a store nearby or suggest a pick-up? If we manage to transform the current isolation of retailers into a strong network, we create exciting new approaches for customers and retailers alike. These new approaches wouldn’t be possible in a pure online or offline concept.”

Zalando recently launched a pilot project with Bodycheck Berlin. The Bodycheck product range of this particular store is currently integrated into the Zalando online shop. “As with our affiliate programme, the customer is informed that the chosen pair of sneakers will be delivered directly by Bodycheck upon check-out”, David Schneider explains. In addition, the Bodycheck product range is also available for Berlin-based customers via the ZipCart fashion app. “This allows us to

test whether the customer would like to receive the ordered goods on the same day or at a different chosen date”, Schneider adds.

“The desired pair of sneakers is then delivered by our partner Liefery after work between 7pm and 9pm.” The stated aim of Zalando is to realise a platform strategy that connects all fashion players and acts as a kind of operating system for fashion.

“We want to establish a comprehensive network including every market participant, ranging from small boutiques to large brands and retailers, as well as their respective stores. The aim is to present our customers with an even larger and more flexible choice.”

Showrooms

So what do latest developments mean for the sales floors of retailers? “The sales area no longer has the value it once enjoyed”, says Heiner Oberrauch, the owner of Oberrauch-Zitt. “My vision in terms of the future of the retail industry is the showroom, in which fashion is available for trying on, but not to take home straight away. The retailer wouldn’t need to stock a huge quantity of items, but merely one item of each size to check the fit on the customer.

The retailer could also have different colours in various sizes at hand. When the customer returns home, a parcel with his or her order is already waiting in front of the door.”

Carsten Bange also believes that retail spaces with showroom character are the logical consequence of the dovetailing of the online and physical worlds. “I do, however, think that I, as a consumer, would want to touch the item of clothing I intend to buy; fashion is something personal and shopping can be an experience. But the retailer will no longer have to stock every variation of a specific item.”

So are the stores about to turn into showrooms for brands?

At least, the trend that beacon retailers charge high prices for making their sales floors and shop windows available for brand presentations is bound to prevail. A prominent example is Magnum Ice Cream’s pop-up experience at Selfridges London, which is a wonderfully staged sales floor utilisation during the classic summer slump that the fashion industry experiences.

It’s a win-win situation for both sides. In a global world, brands and belonging to communities are more important than ever, at least that’s what some sources predict. That means that it is no longer enough when a fashion brand merely delivers on time to charge its items emotionally.

Will the retail industry also be a meeting place of sorts in the future? “In recent years, the online world enjoyed a certain coolness factor. It was the playground of the young generation”, Heiner Oberrauch explains. “In the future, the Internet will be used

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David Schneider, founder and board member of Zalando: “E-commerce is changing the entire industry and we believe that we can help brands, customers, stylists, manufacturers, and other market participants with our expertise.”

by the older generation, mainly because the more mature customers are no longer as mobile as they used to be. In contrast, the youth wants to go out and meet people! For them, sitting in front of a computer screen while shopping is a contradiction.”

In addition to the vertically integrated players in both the discount and high-end segments, the large stalwarts of the stationary retail industry will prevail, according to Jürgen Müller.

“I believe in the local, family-owned companies that offer a broad range of high-quality products and a price spectrum from inexpensive to premium, even though business is getting tougher for everyone”, the former editor-in-chief of the TextilWirtschaft magazine argues.

“The basic problem is that there is an overcapacity in the market and that there are too many suppliers. I don’t believe that we’ll have 30 percent less sales area in ten years time. There will merely be a displacement process. The winners will be those who generate high profits, such as H&M and Zara. They can react to market trends quicker and have lean cost structures.” Müller argues it will be more difficult for the many mid-fashionable, mid-price stores. “The Internet has laid bare the weaknesses of many local players that are too interchangeable. In the past, customers came from within a radius of 30km to purchase items by s.Oliver or Esprit. Now those same customers have noticed that the online world offers a similar - even broader - product range at a cheaper price.”

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Jürgen Müller, managing director of Suits. Executive Search: “The Internet promotes the creation of monopolies, but also the specialisation with business models that simply wouldn’t work offline due to a lack of reach.”

Christian Mikunda, marketing dramaturge: “Sales areas with showroom character will increase in the retail industry, mainly because it is becoming increasingly vital to present an overwhelming product range in a curated and emotionally charged manner.”

by shifting more attention to accessories. “The more touristy the location, the more important accessories can be”, says Christian Mikunda. “In the past, customers would reward themselves with a book or a CD, but today this reward may be a handbag or a scarf as an uncomplicated convenience item.”

Multi-Channel

The customer frequency in stationary stores is decreasing.

How can customers be lured back into the stores? Online communication is a handy tool, especially as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram can also be utilised by companies that don’t have an online shop. Kastner & Oehler took advantage of these channels to push its jeans exchange promotion in October 2015. The customers were asked online to bring their old jeans to the store and offered a 20 percent discount on new jeans in exchange. In co-operation with a fashion college, Kastner & Oehler turned the old jeans into new designs and subsequently sold them in its own stores. This is cross-marketing at its best.

The promotion increased the customer frequency on the sales floors significantly and generated excellent revenue.

“The retail industry of today needs the courage to have new idea and the courage to actually implement them”, says Karl Reyer, the owner of Sport & Mode Reyer in Hallein. For his

store, he decided to back out of the price war in the sports segment and turn his attention to a newly designed sales area aptly named Laboratory.

This new area is dedicated to ever-changing topics that tell their own respective stories. The first topic, launched this April, was “Travelling de luxe”. In an upscale setting, the Laboratory showcased everything that a lady would need for a weekend trip, from luggage to negligees.

The store organised an art presentation in co-operation with the Leica Gallery to accompany the first event. “Using the sales floor in this manner is an experiment from which we strive to learn”, Karl Reyer says.

As a matter of fact, his store also benefits from the online world. “The consumer gathers information in our online shop, reserves an item, and then visits us”, Reyer reveals. “That makes it all the more important to ensure that the sales assistants in the store are capable of mastering the present technology, for instance when a customer comes in to exchange an item that was initially bought online. The job of our salespeople is becoming much more complex than it used to be.”

“Technology is merely a means to an end; the human is the content”, Heiner Oberrauch stresses. He bases the business of his Oberrauch-Zitt stores on exactly this philosophy. “Online and offline are no longer two

different worlds. This separation no longer exists; the two worlds will merge continuously.”

Today, customers need to be persuaded when and where they are willing to buy on the spot.

Multi-channel is no longer a term that describes independent channels, but a concept that ideally - bundles all contacts into one good service. It doesn’t matter whether the customer gathers information online and buys in the store or vice versa. Zalando and Amazon will continue to generate growth, mainly because of their superior convenience factor. “But there is always a counter-movement.

For example, there are studied entrepreneurs who quite deliberately take a step back and open a small store based on a fresh idea”, Christian Mikunda says. “That’s why I believe in the future of pluralism in the retail industry.” The retailers who have no focus will, however, fall by the wayside. “Every retailer has to address the question of what needs to be done to draw customers into the store”, Heiner Oberrauch says. “We have to offer customers a ‘reason why’. This can be the goods, the product presentation, or service in general. This ‘reason why’ is, however, very rarely the price.

Being a retailer means paying close attention to what the customer needs, that’s what my father taught me. This requires a certain level of humility. But therein also lies courage.”

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“We Need More Emotion!”

“Convenience Entertainment”.

The other day I bought two suits for my stage performances. In the two stores I visited, I found it difficult to find a well-lit mirror. Does a strong spotlight reflect on the shiny fabric? Or how does a dress look in cold light compared to candlelight during a dinner? “Convenience Entertainment” is all about removing unpleasant elements, not unlike one would remove sand from a gearbox. The more successful one is in doing that, the more convincing the overall performance is for the customer.

Christian Mikunda perceives himself as a marketing dramaturge; his zeal and professional passion are dedicated to the design and presentation of so-called third locations: public places such as airports and train stations, retail stores, and shopping centres. In this interview he shares his observations on the international retail trade.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photo: Robert Maybach

Mr Mikunda, you spend a lot of your time on the topic of staging public places. Which developments do you see for the inner cities and their respective shopping areas?

Shopping districts need a common flair and their own respective identities. These are areas that can be staged together, for instance with events and promotions on weekends. This allows the consumers’ shopping experiences to turn into emotional gifts. Such areas already exist in the US and Asia, as well as in England and - increasingly - in France. In German-speaking countries, however, the topic is still highly underrated. When strolling through the pedestrian zone of a medium-sized city, one still has the feeling that it really doesn’t matter whether one is in Bochum or Bielefeld. In these cases, local politicians should give the retailers more freedom in terms of staging public spaces together. To ensure that customers enjoy exploring, the stores need to exude desire, as was already the case in the Middle Ages. This is how passers-by are tempted by products, the environment, and the location as a whole. People register the emotionality of shopping streets very consciously.

Where can one find such emotionality?

Let me start with a negative example. Vienna has the socalled “Goldenes Quartier”. If you feel like being alone, then go there. You will not meet a single Viennese person! Many of the luxury mono-label stores in the “Goldenes Quartier” have decided to stock their own secondary lines. This means 316 style in progress

that they present themselves too boringly in their own shops.

So why should I go there if I can fly to London for no more than 80 Euros? In London, I can visit Bond Street and see the Chanel and Louis Vuitton stores - two of the best of their kind worldwide - just a few steps apart from each other? Those two stores are perfectly staged.

Moreover, they are located in a luxury shopping street which has - for good reason - retained its status over decades. Even the “Goldenes Quartier” in Vienna has since realised that it needs to dramatise common areas like well-managed shopping centres and has announced its intention to create a common urban design concept.

Keyword “malling”…

In Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, where it is hot and humid, one does not only enjoy the great outdoors during leisure time, but also visits shopping malls. “Malling” is a term that describes relaxed strolling and is something that the inner cities need to recapture from the shopping centres. It is therefore necessary to “re-learn” from the malls that we not only need to stage the stores, but also the areas in-between. Today, shopping is perceived as family entertainment and is therefore a leisure activity. Not only the malls in Asia generate their highest sales on Saturday and Sunday, even our young people enjoy spending their free time in shopping centres. Which brings us to the subject of opening times. It is vital to change the opening hours, mostly because we are virtually surrounded by opportunities for shopping on Sundays.

Large retail formats have more scope due to their financial power. Does this mean that only the large players will survive in the stationary retail industry?

Christian Mikunda is believed to be the founder of strategic dramaturgy.

What effect does the ascent of e-commerce have on stationary retailers?

The ongoing merger of online and stationary concepts will certainly continue. This is an obvious development, especially since both sides benefit. I have identified an increasing number of formats such as pick-up shops in central London. These stores are small and densely staged.

They kill two birds with one stone by serving the online business while also helping to ensure that the inner cities don’t become deserted. In the future, such “Click-and-Collect” stations will be increasingly staged within the existing PoS.

However, e-commerce is often also perceived as direct competition. What can the stationary retail industry learn from online retailers?

The so-called “Convenience Entertainment” is one example.

How does a particular shirt look with a blue or red tie? Such visual tools will improve in online shops. From a personal point of view, I’d be content if a competent salesperson hands me the right tie or the matching pocket square while I am in the changing room of a store. However, the stationary retail trade could do a lot more in terms of

I don’t think so, especially as every movement triggers a counter-movement. In Austria, the Sport Eybl stores were taken over by British sports equipment discounter Sports Direct. As a result, the formerly well-staged retail areas were then arranged in the style of a British discount store. The customers didn’t like that at all. In turn, this had the effect that many of the highly qualified salespeople successfully branched out into self-employment, be it for canoeing or climbing. No less than 50 new, small specialised sports stores opened last year in Vienna alone.

These new stores convinced sports enthusiasts with competence and emotion. This proves that individuality is becoming more important again. It also proves that a niche market can be just as profitable.

Book recommendation Christian Mikunda: “Marketing Spüren, Willkommen am Dritten Ort” (published by Redline Verlag)

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“Our Advice is Worth Something!”

Is paid advice the future of the stationary retail industry? Beat Zürcher believes it is.

When he introduced an advisory fee in his Intersport branch in the Swiss town of Frutigen, located in Canton Bern, he created quite a stir in the media. Text: Nicoletta Schaper.

the mounting of a trim that you actually mounted yourself.

Will others follow your example?

Such an advisory system wouldn’t make sense in highly-frequented prime locations or a busy tourist town. However, you need to be a little more enterprising when your store is not in a prime location. The advisory system is, in addition to events and promotions, one way to be more enterprising.

It seems that the topic is on the minds of many retailers; otherwise I cannot explain the many reactions from Germany and Austria. However, one must differentiate from country to country. In Switzerland, we have the additional challenges posed by shopping tourism and a strong Swiss Franc.

Photo: Beat Zürcher

What made you decide to introduce an advisory fee?

It was the customers themselves.

After a detailed consultation they still asked for a discount at the checkout desk. As if the goods are suddenly worth less!

In addition to advice, a physical store also needs to take other costs into account, such as rent, lighting, and decoration.

Because of that - and because of the price transparency in the online business - I wanted to create transparency in my store too. Advice from a trainee, for instance, costs 24 Swiss Francs per hour, while an assistant with ten years of professional experience costs 72 Swiss Francs per hour.

How do you perceive the future of the retail industry?

The most important thing in any store is the personality of the staff. The customers visit the shop because they know the people there, value friendly advice, and can take the product home straight away. Should the e-commerce industry ever manage to deliver products that were ordered Friday evening on Saturday at noon, then the future for the stationary retailers is bleak at best. I don’t believe that a superior shopping experience can be financed with shop fittings and products. All the more I attach great importance to ensuring that my work is worth something and that it is valued accordingly. You may find my answers arrogant.

I am actually not arrogant at all. I am married, the father of two daughters, and a perfectly normal Swiss citizen. However, I am also a retailer who strives to move things forward.

You introduced the fee in September 2015. How did the customers react?

We polarised at the start. Everybody knows this system from dealing with craftsmen, but it is a new approach in the retail industry. Therefore, we had a lot of explaining to do. Most customers understood us, some left.

Some who left even returned.

You offer a 20% discount for purchases without advice.

Isn’t the constant price reduction a factor that makes customers feel that fashion and individual advice are worth less?

In principle, it merely means that customers only need to pay for advice when they need it.

When dealing with a carpenter, you also don’t need to pay for

Beat Zürcher created quite a stir in the media when he introduced a consultancy fee. The sports equipment retailer attaches great importance to his work being valued.

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STYLE IN PROGRESS #4/2016

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Release date: 18 October 2016

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120 WHAT'S THE STORY TRANSFORMATION

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It’s Tech, Baby!

“Customer Journey” is the magic formula of online retailers. The term describes their desire to make customers feel that online shopping is just as genuine as shopping in a real boutique by offering more carefully selected and personalised content, as well as easier order processes. What does the flipside of the coin look like? What has the stationary retail industry learned from the digital world and how can these findings be applied?

Customers Have the Same Expectations - No Matter Which Channel

“Every company has to deal with the issue of digitalisation.

Today’s customers expect no noticeable difference in terms of shopping experience and service, no matter which channel they are utilising for shopping. When customers step through the door of a store, they expect what they are offered online: immediate availability, personalisation, and home delivery”, says Ulrich Spaan, a board member of the EHI Retail Institute in Cologne.

In co-operation with the

Technological innovation and digital transition do not spare the retail industry.

More and more technologies help stationary retailers to look as modern as their e-commerce rivals.

Text: Quynh Tran. Illustration: Claudia Meiter@Caroline Seidler.

international consulting firm KPMG, the digital association Bitkom e.V., and barcode specialist GS1 Germany GmbH, the institute published the so-called “Technologie-Atlas Einzelhandel” (Retail Technology Atlas), which identifies innovations that are relevant for the retail industry. According to the publication, a total of eight thematic blocks are relevant for the classic retail industry. These blocks can, depending on the size of the company in question, create varied levels of added value. It starts with IT infrastructure and basic technologies, which include databases and management systems. The pub-

lication goes on to name data carrier technologies and identification systems, such as RFID technologies, barcode systems, and Near Field Communication (NFC), as well as transaction systems such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), logistics technologies, authentication technologies (i.e. loyalty cards, fingerprint payment), and in-store technologies (i.e. selfcheck-out systems, mobile payment systems). It also highlights well-known marketing strategies and data analysis systems for optimal product and customer information management.

Identify the Correct Methods

According to the study, the major hurdle for most retailers is the financial investment in their respective technology structure.

“One has to evaluate which digital solution is the most sensible choice to create added value.

What can a small retailer do?

What should a large chain of stores consider? What solution is truly beneficial and not merely a gimmick? There are ways to, for example, offer the same service as e-commerce companies by investing in mobile devices on the sales floor. Innovations such as product range transparency and the so-called digital dressing room are also interesting developments. The potential for such developments is there, but

it’s all still in the making. One of the challenges is to not only implement the organisational change in terms of digitalisation, but to live it too. This not only includes the organisational aspect, but also the training of employees who need to interact with the new technology on the sales floors”, Spaan says. And because we are wading through an endless stream of developments and digital products, it is becoming increasingly difficult to pick the right solutions.

While basic technologies, digital marketing with Facebook and Instagram, and loyalty card systems are relatively common already and often even utilised by small stores, most of the other areas of innovation are still in an early phase.

Optimal Product Range Management through RFID and EDI

RFID systems, which were initially developed to identify aircrafts during World War II and have been used commercially as early as the 1980s, were only gradually implemented by a handful of brands, such as Zara, Marc O’Polo, and C&A, in the retail industry. This is but one example of the untapped potential offered by unused technologies that are theoretically available already. “The use of RFID allows us complete transparency in terms of supstyle in progress 316

122 WHAT'S THE STORY TRANSFORMATION

plies and their location within the branch. This improves the product availability for our customers quite considerably”, says Thorsten Rolfes, a spokesman for C&A, which was one of the first fashion players to introduce RFID to its business. C&A is discussing the use of further technological innovations, which almost certainly includes customer apps pertaining to a more direct dialogue between customers and retailers.

In combination with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems, which are already used by brands such as Floris van Bommel to facilitate inventory analysis and re-orders, these technologies can solve problems regarding product ranges and supply. Larger brands with own stores - such as Tommy Hilfiger and Sephora - already utilise tablets that are connected to the main warehouse and grant their respective customers access to the entire collection. This means that goods can, upon request, be delivered to the customers’ homes if they are not available in the store at the time.

In-Store Technologies

In addition to mobile devices, the field of in-store technologies offers an increasing number of - albeit costly - innovations that were, until now, only available to large store chains. Apparently Different, a German start-up, “Every company has to deal with the issue of digitalisation.” Ulrich Spaan, board member of the EHI Retail Institute Cologne 316 style in progress

“The use of RFID allows us complete transparency in terms of supplies and their location within the branch.” Thorsten Rolfes, spokesman at C&A

specialises in digital changing rooms that allow customers to ask for new items of clothing to be delivered to the changing room. In spring 2016, this technology was debuted in the first About You store in Hamburg. It remains to be seen how well this technology will be received by the customers.

Early 2016, Facemedia, a Slovakian advertising specialist, introduced a technology that measures the emotions of customers when they enter and leave a store via the data and algorithms of face detection software. This allows the application to broadcast personalised advertisements to in-store screens. Facemedia is not the only company eager to capitalise on the emotions of customers. These emotions can be addressed more directly in stores than on computer screens.

“Since the ascent of smartphones, the location of the user has been the focus of all considerations. However, it’s much more important to know how the customers feel”, says Vicki Loomes, a senior trend analyst at Trendwatching. Scientists in the research department of Spanish telecommunications group Telefonica have, for instance, developed an app that utilises various parameters to determine how users interact with their smart-phone, thus interpreting the degree of boredom at the

location in question. If a user reacts to more push notifications than usual, it indicates that he or she is bored. This method could be transferred to the point of sale quite easily. “In this context, it could be sensible to offer a discount code for the next shop. It’s all about the emotional state and the attention span.”

Beyond Your Own Four Walls

Technological innovations can also allow stationary retailers to escape from the confines of their own four walls. What Farfetch does for luxury stores, Zalando is currently testing for normal shops: “As part of our platform strategy, we are working on intelligent interfaces that would allow us to include stationary retailers. The first test with Bodycheck is going very well.

We are already in talks with a “It’s much more important to know how the customers feel.” Vicki Loomes, senior trend analyst at Trendwatching.

number of other potential partners”, says Christoph Lange, the vice president of brand solutions at Zalando. Not only online retailers co-operate with fashion retailers, other lifestyle brands have jumped on the bandwagon too. Last year, Hotel Banks in Antwerp teamed up with Pimkie to integrate a fashion mini-bar in its rooms. These mini-bars were administered via QR codes and basically offered the hotel guests an opportunity to purchase clothing that matched the

“As part of our platform strategy, we are working on intelligent interfaces that would allow us to include stationary retailers.”

Christoph Lange, vice president of brand solutions at Zalando

regional weather situation. In London, the Westfield shopping centre joined forces with the Sanderson Hotel to offer the hotel guests a so-called “Smart Mirror” as an in-room shopping platform. The test run in April 2016 allowed guests who stayed in the “Loft Terrace Suite” to access the product range of Westfield via an interactive digital mirror. All ordered goods were delivered within 90 minutes. Following said test run, the service will be expanded to other luxury hotels in London.

“Just think how often you forget something when travelling. Especially in terms of new technologies, one must always consider what consumers need. What needs do consumers have in very specific situations? How can one be there for them at exactly that time and which technologies does one need to use to achieve this? It is much better to be where one is needed at the right time than everywhere at once”, Vicki Loomes summarises.

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#Fashiontech – The Conference on the Future of Fashion With the conference format #Fashiontech, which takes place at the same time as the Premium and re:publica, Anita Tillmann, the founder and managing director of Premium, created a unique platform that represents an interface between fashion and technology.

Interview: Quynh Tran. Photo: Premium Exhibitions, Toni Passig

How did the idea for #Fashiontech come about?

How has it developed since its inception?

With #Fashiontech, Anita Tillmann has created a conference format for fashion and technology that is perfectly embedded as part of the Premium and re:publica.

We have always perceived ourselves as a business and community platform, as well as a content provider. In terms of fashion blogs, we, for instance, implemented a conference format as early as 2010, which was opened with a video message from Suzy Menkes. We brought in social influencers, such as the blogger Bryanboy and Business of Fashion founder Imram Amed, to talk about digital communication. This proved to be very popular among the participants and we subsequently offered blogger workshops for the industry for two seasons. I myself attend many conferences and most formats are too general. It is important to understand which services, contacts, and innovations are actually relevant for our customers. It is part of our core competence to present collections, trends, and products. During the #Fashiontech, we showcase innovations at the interface between technology and fashion. We also provide an insight into and access to the digital network. This format enjoyed great popularity from the outset and all the big players from every segment attended. We had Facebook, Ebay, KPMG, Google, Microsoft, Amazon Fashion, Zalando, Matchesfashion, Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram, as well as designers such as Phoebe Hess, Annouk Wipprecht, Pauline von Dongen, Lisa Lang of ElektroCouture, and Laura Wass of WXYZ Jewelry participating.

We also organised elevator pitches for start-ups, round table discussions, and the presentation of various innovations to cap it

all off. In June, we will utilise two floors of the “Kühlhaus” location for the first time ever.

While we will present business models and innovations on the entire 4th floor, the 5th floor will be dedicated to the all-day conference.

How did the co-operation with re:publica come about?

The re:publica is one of the most important platforms dedicated to the topic of digital society.

The conference grew in our “Station” premises. We Berliners are, of course, in constant contact with each other. Based on the idea of viewing the topic Fashiontech and society from a more intellectual viewpoint, we developed a format that works on two levels: the commercial part takes place during the Premium, while the intellectual and academic debate takes place during the re:publica.

What are your most important topics?

Our three thematic blocks are ECommerce & Future of Retail, Digital Marketing & Communications, and Wearable & Design. There will be a keynote speech for each block, a business solution lecture, a success story presentation, and a start-up pitch. Generally speaking all topics are equally important - it depends on the individual needs of the respective visitors. It’s all about ensuring that companies actually utilise technology to generate growth and take advantage of data to develop new potential and freedom in order to remain competitive. Technology not only makes things easier for suppliers, but also for users. The book titled “Exponential Organisations”, which I recommend to everyone, shows how you can develop your company and business by utilising technology.

How important are technological innovations and digital transformation for today’s fashion? What does it mean for retailers?

The developments in recent years have fundamentally changed the way we present, consume, and market fashion.

Change can mean anything. At least it forces retailers to focus on their respective core competences and strengths. It forces them to deal with the topic sincerely. What are their own KPI (Key Performance Indicators)?

In my eyes, dealing with this topic is extremely relevant. Not every classic retailer necessarily needs an online store or the advice of online influencers. Customer loyalty, competent advice, and service, as well as appealing merchandising, are, for example, not online phenomena. How you utilise technology to promote your strengths and expand potential depends on capacities and manner of management.

There’s a lot happening on both the product and design side. The LED dress presented by Zac Posen at the Met-Gala was a huge deal. Mykita, for example, produces personalised eyewear utilising facial scanners and 3D printers. There are LEDs woven into sweaters, sneakers with LED soles. It’s all very cool.

Then there are shirts with solar energy pads and charging functions. The scope is enormous and growing rapidly. Developments are in full swing, especially in the sportswear segment.

This will all become interesting for retailers in the future.

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124 WHAT'S THE STORY

Massimo Osti’s legacy is enormous. His son, Lorenzo, is brave enough to take it on.

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WHAT'S THE STORY 125

C.P. Company. BACK TO THE FUTURE A legend is brought back to life. After being taken over

by Tristate Holdings Ltd and receiving backing from the founding family, C.P. Company’s iconic outdoor jackets are back on track.

Text: Quynh Tran. Photos: CP Company

Success stories often start in unexpected places. In Massimo Osti’s case, for instance, his ascent to fame began in the graphic design industry. As early as the 1960s, he “misappropriated” paper printing techniques for t-shirts - a method that was considered visionary at the time, but is commonplace today. This was the origin of the Chester Perry brand, which was renamed C.P. Company later. With aesthetics that were aligned with the product design principle “Form Follows Function” and inspired by military attire and workwear, Osti not only revolutionised the sportswear segment, but also a whole menswear generation. Design and material innovations from other segments, such as graphic design, medical technology and aerospace, transformed C.P. Company’s outdoor jackets - and its secondary line Stone Island - into icons defined by quality and functionality.

After Massimo Osti withdrew from C.P. Company and Stone Island, he passed away unex-

pectedly in 2005. Subsequently, his legacy embarked on an odyssey of sorts. While Stone Island found a new owner in the equally visionary Carlo Rivetti, C.P. Company experienced many ups and downs.

The takeover by China-based Tristate Holdings Ltd in 2015 marks the latest chapter in C.P. Company’s turbulent history.

The deal was brokered by Lorenzo Osti, the founder’s son who is now involved in the business as marketing director and minority shareholder.

Large Footsteps

“I followed developments within the company from the outside for many years and I believe it has suffered greatly from the numerous changes of direction”, Lorenzo Osti explains. “C.P. Company is a brand that is difficult to promote. The reasons for this are that it is very demanding and that the former success was based on a different market environment and a different cultural scenario. Today, one can dress well on a very small budget, but one had to spend a lot of money to look sharp when my father founded the business.

Back then, customers were much more aware of the quality of a product.”

Osti focuses on a balance between product-orientation and

A sportswear icon back in family hands: C.P. Company.

lifestyle communication in order to re-inject authenticity into the brand. “The identity of C.P. Company is positioned in the tension field between heritage and lifestyle. These two aspects need to be united. The brand is for ‘Dandy’ consumers who understand the product, value authenticity, and express their individuality without adhering to seasonal trends. I don’t see C.P. Company products as mere fashion items. I believe they are design objects that - unlike fashion items - are product-oriented and also have a rich background story to tell. They are items one wants to possess for their intrinsic quality and stand the test of time”, Osti explains.

Chamber of Marvels

Part of the new strategy is to communicate the history of the company itself, for which he can draw from the Massimo Osti Archive. Today, the archive, which was initiated by his father, is a family-run private institution in Bologna. It houses more than 5,000 pieces of clothing and 50,000 fabric samples.

“The history of C.P. Company and its product innovations is an essential part of the brand.

The challenge is to develop this approach innovatively while adjusting the corporate philosophy to today’s customers and market conditions.” To this end, Osti peruses archive material and incorporates it into the brand’s online presence with the aim of explaining the corporate history and value of individual products via editorial content.

In addition to communication, C.P. Company also attaches great importance to infrastructure. In order to achieve growth, C.P. Company and Tristate Holdings Ltd have decided to focus on the in-house retail business, which increased its revenues over the last few seasons. Even though the brand has not yet returned to the strengths of its best years, it has achieved

Massimo Osti enjoyed experimenting with prototypes; here’s a piece from the vast archive.

success in its traditionally strong markets: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Benelux countries. The same applies to new markets such as Russia.

The brand plans to develop its business in China, Japan, and the US on the back of Tristate Holdings’ decades of experience and established infrastructures in those markets.

C.P. Company has also made changes in terms of product development. “Tristate Holdings is an industrial partner with extremely progressive technologies for dyeing and fabric development. These technologies afford us a platform for new experiments and product innovations”, Osti says. “Apart from that, we would also like to utilise the new possibilities to expand our post-sale services, such as warranty and repair services.”

One thing remains true to this day: C.P. Company strives to offer its customers long-term happiness, preferably a lifetime of happiness.

C.P. Company, Lugano/Switzerland, www.cpcompany.com

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126 WHAT'S THE STORY

Creation Gross FRIENDSHIPS BETWEEN MEN Hersbruck sounds interesting, but it doesn’t conjure up an image of a big international fashion stage. However, Création Gross from the Franconian town near Nuremberg finds everything it needs there to fill a gap in the men’s fashion market.

Text: Martina Müllner-Seybold.

Photos: Création Gross

There is a gap in the men’s fashion market? Is this even possible in times of cut-throat competition and overhangs? At first it’s hard to believe managing partner Thomas Steinhart when he starts explaining the pillars of his ambitious “Agenda 2020”. This is the title of the strategy paper in which the former s.Oliver CFO and COO and Ralph Böhm, the general manager, commit themselves to growth with the backing of the owner family. But let’s look at that gap in the market once more. It’s really there; and it isn’t a small gap either. It is clearly visible in the menswear segment study conducted by TW. Brands such as Boss left this gap when

they were too ambitious in terms of trading-up or global price harmonisation. “Where their ‘Best of Basic’ starts, Carl Gross’ best suit ends”, Thomas Steinhart says proudly. The star pupil of traditional department stores has a new offer for the premium segment up its sleeve.

The Black Line is a capsule collection aimed at creating a new entry price level into the premium segment: solid suits manufactured in Europe of fine, partly Italian fabrics. “Our brand has many fans, especially among retailers, but also among men who wear Carl Gross without even being consciously aware of it. Those men simply trust the recommendations of their retailers.” The retail industry trusts the ninety years of production experience the brand from Hersbruck brings to the table. It offers a comprehensive collection, 125,000 items in stock, services such as customer warehousing, excellent logistics in terms of follow-up orders, soon its own app to facilitate re-orders, and much more. In Hersbruck one knows how to do good business. The relation-

Expansion without losing the virtues of a family business: the “Agenda 2020” reflects the management philosophies of Ralph Böhm (general manager), Peter Gross (shareholder), and Thomas Steinhart (managing partner).

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ship management for retailers is saddle fast; the same, naturally, applies to the quality levels.

This officiousness has caused the brand to occasionally neglect a single core competence: brand development.

Want to Know

This is where the “Agenda 2020” comes into play. The plan is to increase revenue from 65 million to 100 million Euros within five years. The roadmap to achieve this aim is well-planned.

However, the strategy doesn’t merely define growth targets, but also the desire to be finally recognised as a brand in its own right, strictly separated from the second brainchild of Création Gross: CG Club of Gents. “We are not even considering the option of turning the ‘CG’ in CG Club of Gents into ‘Carl Gross’. That’s not on the agenda”, Ralph Böhm stresses. Böhm is the perfect sparring partner for Steinhart at Carl Gross, mainly because he is totally in line with the typical CG Club of Gents customer. Steinhart, on the other hand, is a perfectly credible representative of the typical Carl Gross customer.

Steinhart: “Let’s use trouser pockets as an example. When I empty mine, you will see a wallet, a car key, and many other bits and bobs. Ralph Böhm merely has a sleek card case in his pockets. I think you can see the point I am trying to make - these two male approaches to fashion differ fundamentally.” It therefore seems logical that both brand worlds have standalone advertising campaigns and that both labels are granted separate marketing budgets to underline their respective core competences. In the case of CG Club of Gents the topic is #maennerfreundschaft (loosely translated: friendships between men). The hash tag says it all. It is not only communicated via classical

advertising means, but also supported by an extensive social media and POS campaign. “We need to reach the fans on an emotional level. The friendship between men is something great”, Ralph Böhm says. CG Club of Gents translates the blind understanding that tends to define friendships between men into its fashion collection perfectly. Its contoured fits make the still dominant slim-fit more comfortable to wear. There is no market desire that the Hersbruck-based brand cannot find an answer to. “What fascinates me about this family business is that it works on every little detail. Just look at the logo patches on the sleeves. A few customers damaged their jacket when cutting off those patches. The company reacted by developing a patch that can be removed easily.” These things may seem trivial, but they really aren’t. At the end of the day, menswear brands need recurring customers - a friendship between men, so to speak. And CG Carl Gross certainly knows how to maintain such friendships. www.carlgross.com www.cg.fashion www.maennerfreundschaft.fashion

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Understood: CG Club of Gents strives to maintain relations with its customers as a brand; the expression of this desire is the #maennerfreundschaft campaign.

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128 WHAT'S THE STORY

Aviator look for men: PME Legend is on the road to success in Germany.

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PME Legend. READY FOR TAKE-OFF The Dutch brand PME Legend American Classics is a real force in its home market. Its complete fashion range has earned it a place among the top three men’s brands in the modern premium and jeans segment.

In the course of European expansion, it is now focusing on the German market.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka.

Photos: PME Legend

They certainly mean business. The brand PME Legend, which is part of the Dutch Just Brands Group, is playing catch up in Germany. The aim is to increase brand awareness and communicate the qualities that have already persuaded the retail industry to consumers. A largescale image campaign is one thing, but introducing emotions to the sales floor with partners is a completely different matter.

However, PME Legend has proven that it is capable of doing just that in Holland for the last 20 years.

The same applies to the brand Cast Iron and Vanguard, which are exclusively distributed in the Benelux countries. The headquarters of Just Brands are located in close vicinity to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.

The four-storey building houses the design, marketing, and sales departments, as well as three large showrooms and the logistics centre. Cargo pilots are the style template for the typical PME look, which consists of washed jeans, casual shirts, printed sweaters and shirts, robust boots, and authentic leather jackets. Basics, such as underwear for instance, complete the

collection. The collection itself is divided into eight themes per year with corresponding delivery dates. The brand offers a balanced price-performance ratio, as well as an extensive NOS programme for trousers, which is yet another service that complements the seasonal collections. The designs are targeted at men between 25 and 45 years of age. The fits are commercially aligned and the size range reaches up to XXXL. Adventures & Bush Pilots

PME Legend first entered the German, Swiss, and Austrian markets in 2012. In 2013, the brand established its own network of showrooms and opened its head offices for the German-speaking markets in Düsseldorf’s “Medienhafen” complex. The trade show booths, flagship stores, and shop-inshop concepts of PME Legend are dominated by aged wood and riveted steel. Decorative elements, such as old aircraft engines with large propellers, wing sections, and onboard instruments of old American planes, reflect the brand’s aviator look down to the smallest detail.

In addition to 1,500 points of sale in the Benelux countries, Just Brands also operates its own stores, which stock all three men’s brands under one roof.

Last year, the group opened the first 400 square metre PME Legend mono-brand store in the Belgian fashion metropolis Antwerp. A similar flagship store will also be opened in Germany in the future. Robert Theijssen, the international sales manager and managing director of Just Brands GmbH Düsseldorf,

explains: “In Germany, we strive to grow primarily via stationary retail partners. To this end, we refuse to sell to large online shops quite deliberately. We aspire to be a good and active partner by supporting the retailers and generating brand awareness.”

Promotion teams wearing aviator jumpsuits started to advertise in-store promotions in front of German retail partners as early as this spring. Visual merchandisers design the sales floors and train the sales staff. A converted trailer acts as both a mobile billboard and a showcase. The latter not only displays the latest trousers, but also the licensed fragrance in a flashy flacon and leather laptop bags.

PME Legend certainly knows how to draw attention to itself.

In co-operation with Breitling, the brand regularly gives away luxury watches by the Swiss manufacturer to a few lucky buyers of premium leather pilot jackets.

Sat.1, and Kabel Eins from mid-September onwards. “In addition, we will publish supplements showcasing the look-book of the current PME Legend collection in magazines such as Auto Bild, Sport Bild, and Computer Bild, as well as the lifestyle and fitness magazine Men’s Health and the news magazine Focus. At the point of sale, we will support the Skymaster campaign with shop window promotion packages and targeted in-store product displays in approximately 500 specialised retailers. Furthermore, we will utilise “City-Light” posters and launch an extensive social media campaign to ensure a holistic appearance on all communication channels”, Theijssen adds. It doesn’t get more comprehensive than that! www.pme-legend.com

TV Commercials in Germany

The menswear label has decided to launch a large-scale image campaign for its autumn/winter season and will, for the very first time, book TV commercials in Germany. “Our advertising campaign focuses on the launch of the new Skymaster jeans model and is aimed at increasing PME Legend’s brand awareness in German-speaking countries.

The centrepiece of the campaign is a 20 second spot, which will mark PME Legend’s debut on German television”, Robert Theijssen explains with a hint of pride. The TV spot will be shown regularly on ProSieben, style in progress 316

130 WHAT'S THE STORY

RRD. SURF ON

Surfing can teach you so much, even in terms of winter collections. The principle that the human body should never cool down too far is the same in both the snow and the water.

The best things in life are born out of passion. In the case of Roberto Ricci, it was his passion for water and wind which laid the foundation for RRD. His label has since expanded far beyond the surfer community.

Text: Quynh Tran.

Photos: Roberto Ricci Designs

The love of the sea inspired Roberto Ricci to take up windsurfing in 1981. The first encounter was, however, a veritable disappointment. The equipment was too heavy and inefficient; it actually hampered the sport itself. Because equipment was rare back then, Ricci decided to claim his father’s garage and planed his own surfboard.

When Ricci started his professional windsurfing career, he also shaped surfboards for an Italian manufacturer on the side. He moved his home base to Lake Garda, which was the centre of the European windsurfing community at the time. Ricci learned how to plane the perfect 316 style in progress

surfboards under the guidance of shaping gurus such as Jimmy Lewis, Ed Angulo, and Craig Maisonville.

In 1989 it became clear to Roberto Ricci that the windsurfing world is his vocation. He abandoned his studies, joined the Windsurfing World Cup Tour, and opened his own workshop - the precursor of Roberto Ricci Designs. Next to his father’s garage and his mother’s t-shirt production plant, Ricci manufactured his first boards.

These boards were a symbiosis of “Mestiere Artigiano” - the Italian craftsmanship claim - and Hawaiian shaping tradition.

Phoenix from the Ashes

When his workshop was destroyed by a fire in 1994, Roberto Ricci decided to start anew with a more professional setup. At the same time, he launched an active-wear line to complement his equipment. This line combined functionality with Italian design. Ricci once described this line as “Perf-Romance”, a mixture of “perfor-

mance” and “romance”. In 1995, he added a kite board segment to his business. As a manufacturer of the first hour, all his items were sold out almost instantly. In 2006, Ricci decided to expand into the yachting business, mainly because he initially wanted to build a boat for himself. In 2011, he added the first segment that has very little to do with water: a winter collection consisting of jackets utilising the so-called “Holystitch Technology” and fabrics from the world of water sports.

With the authenticity of an athlete and the sensitivity of an Italian craftsman, Ricci has managed to develop a brand that has become an icon for water sports. Even today, the surfboards remain the heart of his collections. However, the board shorts and the jackets are also real classics. “Fashion does not care what you think” Ricci once wrote in 1999 in one of his first catalogues. That motto remains the same today. The collections, which consist of 200 items in summer and 120 in winter, are

not created from scratch every season; they are evolutions of the previous models, optimised by experience.

Most of the collection is still manufactured in Tuscany.

“Made in Italy” remains in the brand’s DNA alongside the wellknown blend of innovation and design. In addition to the main markets in Europe (especially Spain and Germany), the brand plans to expand into Scandinavia and Asia over the next few years. www.robertoriccidesigns.com

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“You are the centre of your world, so do what you like and enjoy it” is another of Ricci’s mottos. It seems he plans to adhere with it in the future. Surf on, bro!

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132 WHAT'S THE STORY

Manuel Forster.

LATERAL ENTRANT Manuel Forster launched his eponymous lifestyle brand with headquarters in Switzerland in December.

In line with the claim “The Certain Something”, he wants to give his customers the feeling that they are buying something truly special.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka.

Photos: Manuel Forster

Manuel Forster lives in Switzerland, Germany, and Monaco. He soon recognised his passion for shapes and colours, as well as for functionality and beauty. “My design ideas and creativity are born from my eagerness to discover and experience the world. I want to go through life with eyes wide open - to feel everything consciously and to experience the flow of life every day”, he explains. He took a few detours before he entered the world of fashion. After working for companies such as BMW, Siemens, and Sixt, he

initially focused on interior design and renovations.

What prompted him to launch a label under his own name?

“I love leather jackets, but I always found it very difficult to find a truly beautiful one.

Whenever I examine - or even buy - a leather jacket, I almost always think that it could be better. Either they all have the same style and I don’t like them, or they are quite beautiful and too expensive for my personal budget. These aspects were the motivation to manufacture my own jacket designs.” Design and quality are therefore paramount for Forster.

Made in Italy

The collection consists of five jacket models in two colours each for women and men.

It is complemented by a bag line, which is aligned with the designs of the jackets, and a line of t-shirts with leather inserts.

Accessories such as belts and bracelets cap off the label’s product range. All jackets are limited and numbered. They are made of finest lamb leather - just like the bags and t-shirts - in a small manufactory in Italy. “I attach great importance to ethics and humanity in the production process. Authenticity, honesty, sustainability, fair production conditions, and highest quality standards are just as important as remaining true to myself and not simply adapting to market trends. I’ve always dreamed of running my own label. I have now fulfilled this dream by launching my debut collection.

Every single jacket was designed and drawn by me”, the 41-yearold designer explains.

The Certain Something

Manuel Forster’s motto: I do what I enjoy and remain true to myself.

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Manuel Forster staged the launch party for his label in Stierblut, a Munich-based concept store, in March. More than 350 guests attended the premiere of the collection. At the end of May, Forster debuted his range

Timeless design and carefully selected materials: Manuel Forster offers his customers “that certain something”.

in Monaco by organising a fashion show on a luxury yacht in the harbour of Monte Carlo during the Formula 1 Grand Prix. More events are to follow.

In terms of distribution, he is currently still on the lookout for suitable agency partners.

In addition to the label’s own online shop, the jackets, bags, and t-shirts are stocked by Stierblut in Munich, Loona Store in Monte Carlo, and Katia in Beuaulieu. The prices for the jackets range from 850 to 1,190 Euros with a calculation factor between 2.4 and 2.6.

Manual Forster donates three percent of his sale proceeds to

organisations such as Greenpeace, WWF, Pink Cross, or the Malilangwe Trust in Zimbabwe.

Forster explains: “I love giving back. It’s a major part of my life philosophy. That’s why I decided to donate money in order to secure our future by promoting education, environmental protection, and social projects. Let us work on our future - and the future of our wonderful world together!” www.manuelforster.com

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Manila Grace. TRADITION FOR NEW MARKETS Manila Grace has developed from a supplier to a successful manufacturer.

The brand strives to expand in the booming contemporary fashion segment on an international level by utilising the “Made in Italy” quality seal and an edgy design language.

Text: Quynh Tran.

Photos: Manila Grace

It all started with fast fashion. Maurizio Setti, Alessia Santi, and Sonia De Nisco founded Antress Industry Spa in the small Italian village of Carpi in 1989. The village is a renowned knitwear centre that is also the home of brands such as Twin-Set and Blumarine.

Designer Alessia Santi loves and lives the punk-hippie style mix.

Antress Industry Spa was initially a textile factory that acted as a supplier for other brands.

“We soon recognised the market demand for something new and decided to address this need. We wanted to plug the market gap we identified”, says managing director Maurizio Setti.

In 2005, the company launched Manila Grace under the creative direction of designer Alessia Santi. The brand is a womenswear specialist in the mid-upper price segment with aesthetics that can be described as colourful punk-hippie style. “I was looking for something that reflects my personal style, mirrors the style of an alternative woman, and embodies freedom and a certain zest for life”, Alessia Santi explains. The collection’s loose and comfortable cuts are a perfect fit for the zeitgeist of modern women on the move.

Nevertheless, its wild mix of fabrics, colours, prints, and own knit designs allows it to distance itself from mainstream fashion.

This strategy has proven to be successful.

This is reflected in the company’s development. It has expanded diligently ever since opening its first store in 2006.

Today, Manila Grace is available in more than 30 mono-brand stores and more than 800 multi-brand stores - most of them are located in Europe. Given the proposed expansion into the US, the UK, the Middle East, China, and Japan, one can expect further growth.

Keeping Promises

Managing director Maurizio Setti promotes the Italian brand’s international expansion.

The brand still manufactures most of its items in its hometown Carpi, where seamstresses and knitting professionals implement designs on-site.

After all, the identity of Manila Grace is defined by its “Made in Italy” promise and eclectic colourful aesthetics. The brand’s

Unmistakeable style is priceless in an era of interchangeability: Manila Grace.

ambitious expansion goes hand in hand with the extension of its product range. It currently manages four collections per year with a total of 1,200 items.

With regard to the brand’s internationalisation, it strives to offer products that suit every taste.

Manila Grace hopes to establish accessories as one of its core elements. The “foulard” scarves, which were introduced in 2008, are already signature pieces.

The bag collection, which was launched this year and is crafted from finest Italian leather, is expected to follow suit.

The market for high-end, contemporary fashion is on the up. This is why Manila Grace’s

collections, which are aimed at independent women with a penchant for the unusual, are right on the money. In order to complement its range, the brand has decided to provide for the next generation too. From 2016 onwards, Manila Grace’s new Girl Collection makes the lifestyle accessible for girls. Growth on all levels, so to speak…

Manila Grace Antress Industry Spa, Carpi/Milan/Italy www.manilagrace.com

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FASHION 135

Switch on the time machine and return to the glory days.

How about revisiting the 1990s, for instance? Back then, clothing didn’t simply fly off the shelves. One can sense that the fashion industry yearns for a return to those simpler days. However, a second child of the 1990s is experiencing a strong comeback: the infatuation with innovation in terms of technical materials. The comeback covers all segments - and that’s a good thing.

Text: Verena Roidl. Photos: Manufacturers

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Airfield

Escada

Dolores but you can call me Lolita

Ayasse

Sisters of Jersey

Luis Trenker

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1990s

While the last season saw the return of conspicuous seventies influences, we can now witness the return of an increasing number of elements from the 1990s.

This is clearly evident in the selection of materials: shimmering polyester and satin fabrics for bomber jackets and pleated skirts, voluminous jersey qualities, and perforated nylon. The style is completed by rock & roll stud and lace appliqués.

B. Belt

Daily’s Nothing’s Better

Espandrij l’originale

Closed

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Alberto Woman

Daniele Fiesoli

M Missoni

Liu Jo

Alberto

Tonno & Panna

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All-Over Prints In keeping with the season, there is an emergence of elaborate digital prints with a colourful and extrovert range of patterns. The scope of all-over prints includes snakeskin and reptile designs, camouflage patterns, and extensive floral landscapes on leather jackets, fine silk culottes, and soft cotton blouses.

Floris van Bommel

Lucky de Luca

Minimum

Stetson

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Marc O’Polo Pure

Turnover

Windsor

Essentiel Antwerp

FTC Cashmere

Cream

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Blazers

The blazer is set to make a successful comeback next season and is expected to become the key piece of modern layering. The implementation is secondary and everything is allowed: tapered silhouettes in single and double breasted versions, as well as collar-less short and slim-line blazers.

In addition, cool streetwear combinations with track pants and jeans will be just as popular as sporty tonein-tone business looks.

Blaumax

Airfield

Cinque

Liu Jo

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Alpha Studio

Carl Gross

Artigiano

Marc O‘Polo Mr.

Stetson

Windsor

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Summer Suits

The ready-to-wear fashion with its usual narrow silhouettes remains valid. Finest linen and half-linen qualities create a new definition of volume. Ultra light Superfine Gabadine styles take the shape of pleated pants and classic chinos made of summer-light twill - also in shortened versions. The colour palette ranges from pastel shades to rich petrol tones. They are the perfect fit for a relaxed summer business look with sneakers or slip-ons.

CG Club of Gents

Joop

Cinque

Strellson

Alberto

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Windsor

Save the Duck

Paltò

Superga

Strellson

Blauer USA

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Hybrids

Handstich

Cinque

Woolrich

Anthony Morato

One product with multiple possibilities - technical and functional outer fabrics made their way into the sportswear segment quite a while ago. In the upcoming season they have finally arrived in the field of formal outerwear. Synthetics such as stretch, high-twist yarns, poplin, bonded fabrics, nylons, and ultra light nylons, as well as PU coatings, lend the surfaces a sophisticated touch and add functionality. Implemented in ultra light quilted jackets, classic trench coats, and clean jackets, they are the perfect symbiosis of ready-to-wear fashion and functional outerwear.

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Delicate and straightforward: the interior design at April First.

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IN STORE 147

Marais in Berlin Mitte.

April First/Berlin. On her birthday, the 1st of April 2016, Carolin Dunkel opened her women’s concept boutique in “Auguststrasse” in Berlin’s Scheunen district. The store’s design resembles the small stores surrounding the “Place des Vosges” in Paris’ Marais district.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka. Photos: April First

French Flair in Berlin Mitte: Carolin Dunkel stands for stylish nonchalance.

wall decorations, delicate tables and shelves, and a massive brown counter made of marble.

Interior Meets Fashion

Between numerous furniture stores, galleries, cafes, and restaurants (on the corner of “Tucholskystrasse” between “Oranienburgerstrasse” and “Torstrasse”), Carolin Dunkel fulfilled her dream of opening an excellent boutique serving the premium and contemporary segments. Following her master’s degree, she gained experience in both the sales and buying departments at renowned brands such as Hugo Boss, Manon Jewellery, and C’est Tout. She spent no less than six months redesigning the store and documented the entire process in a photo album. The former tenant of the premises managed an ageing souvenir shop. Long before that, the space housed a Jewish bakery. Stucco ceilings, wood panelling, and noble oak flooring - everything in the store looks like it has been in place for ages and was merely touched up a little. It seems like the only new elements are the palm tree wallpaper, brass clothes racks, fossilised logs, large lamps and

At April First, selected international brands meet with casual styles by model and blogger icon Anine Bing, coarse oversize knitwear by I Love Mr Mittens, and trendy bohemian blouses

by Ulla Johnson, as well as opulent interior design labels from France, Italy, Australia, New York, and London. The highlights of the store’s product range are exclusive perfumes and homemade jewellery. The prices at April First range from 45 Euros for silver jewellery to 1,000 Euros for a leather jacket.

The core price range spans from 150 to 500 Euros. “Fashion, accessories, shelves, lamps, and decorative elements - almost everything on display in the store can be purchased”, Carolin Dunkel says while describing her business concept. Uniting interior design and fashion, as well as developing the entire store concept herself, was the main focus of the Berlin resident once she made the conscious decision to establish her own business. “April First stocks both unique and collector’s items with a special twist to create a complete look. It offers uncomplicated cuts, unobtrusive colours, and flowing fabrics and materials. ‘Quality over quantity’ is the motto that unites all these aspects. In terms of the

buying process, I subscribe to the ‘first come first serve’ principle and merely order each item in one size only.” Carolin Dunkel focuses on personal advice and enjoys sharing her knowledge about the special features of products such as perfumes

by Coqui Coqui, bags by Lost Property of London, sneakers

by Zespa Aix En France, and hats by Destree of Paris. As a conscious counterweight to the impersonal world of online shopping, she firmly believes in direct contact between fashion consultants and customers, and supports the theory that beautiful and valuable items need to be felt and experienced.

The sales figures in the first few weeks after the grand opening prove her right - beaucoup de succès!

April First Auguststrase 77 10117 Berlin/Germany www.aprilfirst.de Owner: Carolin Dunkel Employees: 1 temp Opening: 1st of April 2016 Sales area: 50 sqm Brands for women: Anine Bing, Fine Collection Paris, Hironae, I Love Mr Mittens, Mes Demoiselles, M.i.h., Mother Denim, Ulla Johnson Accessories brands: Coqui Coqui Parfums, Destree Paris, Lost Property of London, See by Chloe, Zespa Aix En France

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Looking for Something Special.

Ralf’s Fine Garments/ Munich. Ralf Fischer has realised his dream of owning his own fashion store in Munich’s Glockenbach district. In addition to a hand-picked selection of sportswear for men, Ralf’s Fine Garments offers an exciting blend of high-quality accessories and exquisite spirits.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka. Photos: Fred Bschaden, banditbloggers.de

The period facade from the 1950s is the perfect front for Ralf Fischer’s store concept.

His menswear store is located in “Fraunhoferstrasse”, not far from “Gärtnerplatz”. It’s the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. Fischer completed his commercial training at Escada many years ago. During his studies, the passionate biker worked at a Hein Gericke store in Munich, where he sold helmets and leather clothing. He soon discovered his passion for advising customers and selling in general. Nevertheless, his next career steps saw him spend a few decades behind a desk. First he headed the commercial production process for a large bicycle manufacturer; then he worked as a management consultant. Last September, he finally fulfilled the long cherished dream of opening his own store in Munich. “I have been looking for something special all my life. When I travel, I always keep my eyes open. I always try to spot the beautiful things that 316 style in progress

one cannot find on every street corner. Assembling a small range of the finest brands for my customers is pure enjoyment for me”, he explains.

Orient Express Flair

The remodelling of the store took 87 days. The result is an atmosphere that is reminiscent of the design language of the Orient Express or an airport lounge from the 1950s. Shiny brass, smooth oak wood, and surfaces covered in bright cloth - the overall appearance of the store is light, warm, and friendly, yet still minimalistic and clean-cut.

Most of all, the premises have a very casual feel, mainly because they don’t leave room for the usual steel and welded elements of factory buildings and also break with the usual “men’s club” clichés with dark British club chairs. Casual is also the right term to describe the selection of styles. One will not find army jackets that are overloaded with badges in the store, nor

Ralf Fischer is constantly on the hunt for special items.

heavy, Marlon Brando-style motorcycle jackets with emblems.

Instead, Ralf’s Fine Garments stocks fine merino sweaters, as well as plain trousers, jackets, and blousons manufactured in Italy or England. The style is reminiscent of icons of good taste, such as Carry Grant, Rock Hudson, and Paul Newman.

Before the store opened its doors to the public, Fischer had made a total of 17 trips to 34 exceptional factories and manufacturers, held 36 interviews with masters of their respective crafts, sampled 128 hand-picked materials, viewed 324 unique products, and lived through 1,000 new experiences. “During my expeditions, I always met the people behind the brands in person, which is why I have a very individual connection to all their products. I have a lot of exciting stories to tell”, says Ralf Fischer, who loves sitting down with customers to enjoy a good espresso and a stimulating chat. What does he talk about?

He talks about exceptional items such as umbrellas by Francesco Mafglia, watches from the Berlin-based manufactory Askania, iPhone cases manufactured in Munich by Hammerschall, or cordovan weekenders, belts, and wallets by Ledermanufaktur Kreis. “We will soon add beard grooming products by Avere la Barba and toothpaste

by Pasta del Capitano 1905 to our product range. Also, I’m still on the lookout for ‘that’ leather jacket, as well as one or

two good fragrances for men.

Actually, I could even decide to have fragrances developed exclusively for the store”, Fischer explains and adds: “In addition to all the aforementioned products, our customers can also browse through a range of finest spirits such as gin and whisky from Hausbrennerei Schraml in Erbendorf (Upper Palatinate), as well as upscale brandies from France and Anhalt Digestif’s pear spirit par excellence. In terms of spirits, I can rely on the advice of my old friend Alexander Pietsch.”

Ralf Fischer plans to expand his product range step by step. “We plan to add Officine Creative, Solovair, and Corby & Sons to our footwear segment. We will also introduce travel luggage by the English brand Croots and bags by Munich-based label Kurzzug. From summer onwards, we will stock denims and chinos by Munich-based label Saat, as well as ponchos, capes, and scarves by Angelo Galamini and jackets by Black Mountain Clothing.”

Ralf’s Fine Garments Fraunhoferstr. 29 Munich/Germany www.ralfsfinegarments.com Owner: Ralf Fischer Employees: 1 Opening: 12th of September 2015 Sales area: 88 sqm Brands: Bevilacqua, Bleu De Cocagne, Endrime, Grenfell London, GRP, Gota, JW Brine and Avio, Nigel Cabourn, Private White, Phil und Lui, W’lfg’ng Accessories brands: Askania Berlin, Bailey of Hollywood, BetonXCiré, Claudio Cutuli, EinsBerlin, Francesco Mafglia, Hammerschall, Le Cord, Ledermanufaktur Kreis, Malle London, Martin Joyeux, Neri Firenze, Rumisu, Sail Marschall, Trico, TR Handschuhe Wien

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Inspired by Agatha Christie’s Orient Express, the interior presents itself in the subtle style of the 1950s.

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150 IN STORE

A comfortable atmosphere and clean look in Scandinavian style.

New Paths. Fräulein Sonntag/Berlin. It doesn’t always have to be Berlin-Mitte. The German capital now boasts a new womenswear and accessories store with an excellent range of high-end and modern brands, personal and individual advice, and an interior design concept based on a timeless Scandinavian look.

What’s more, it’s located in the lively “Bergmannkiez” in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka. Photos: Fräulein Sonntag

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IN STORE 151

Melanie Deininger works exclusively with individuals and brands she likes.

Melanie Deininger made the big move from Stuttgart to Berlin for love. The move was not only a private matter, but also involved the store she opened in 2008. She relocated from Baden-Württemberg to the heart of the “Bergmannkiez”.

The store found its new home on “Bergmannstrasse”, the lifeline of Berlin’s old Kreuzberg 61 district, in an old building typical for the area. With a lot of effort, the former joiner’s workshop was merged with the adjacent flower shop to form one store. During a lengthy process, the premises were renovated and completely remodelled by Michael Grün of 123Fabrik and Manja Hampel of DasKartell. The large, threepiece shop window with a classic brass frame is illuminated by a professional lighting system. In the salesroom, dozens of neon light tubes are suspended from the ceiling on delicate cables.

A rough, grey concrete floor creates a contrast to original wooden floorboards. The brick walls and the impressive wooden shelves are both painted white.

Two pretty armchairs and a

small coffee table in the entrance area act as an inviting first colour statement upon entering the store.

It Runs in the Family

The very likeable store owner has an excellent sense for current looks and upcoming trends. She decided to branch out into the retail industry after becoming disillusioned with her desk job at a film production company.

“I wanted to do something that I enjoy and that fulfils me on a personal level. Without further ado, I decided to follow in my mother’s footsteps. She opened a womenswear store in Stuttgart many years ago. I already knew the business and I knew what to expect”, Melanie Deininger explains. In addition to Scandinavian brands such as Hope, Edith & Ella, and MbyM, Fräulein Sonntag stocks matching Fairtrade sneakers by Veja of France. A string of smaller items complement the product range perfectly: high-quality rings and bracelets by Berlin-based designer Kiki Dieterle, brooches, earrings, and chains by Kreuz-

berg-based Haute Kuki & Die Markise, wristwatches by Cluse of Australia, vegan nail polishes

by OZN, and natural grooming products by Pot Of Gold.

Fräulein Sonntag also caters for its customers’ creature comforts by offering a small selection of premium spirits from the gourmet scene: fruit brandies from Southern Germany, Wood n Wodka by Robert Köcke, and corn schnapps and rum by O’Donnell of Berlin. All spirits are in eye-catching jars with screw caps. “When compiling my brand portfolio, I am guided by what I like myself and by what I know will be appreciated by my target audience. I work exclusively with brands, companies, and agencies that are run by people I get along with”, the Berliner-by-choice explains.

How right she is too…

Fräulein Sonntag Fräulein Sonntag Nostitzstrasse 36 10961 Berlin/Germany www.fraeulein-sonntag.de Owner: Melanie Deininger Employees: 1 Opening: 12th of March 2016 Sales area: approx. 100 sqm Brands for women: Edith & Ella, Expresso, Hope, Libertine Libertine, MbyM, Rains, Summum, Wonhundred Accessories brands: Blingberlin, Cluse, Dieterle, Happy Sope, Haute Kuki & Die Markise, Monokel

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152 IN STORE

Playful approach: Thomas i Punkt’s menswear store sets the stage with a skilful blend of plants, “objets trouvés”, and fashion.

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IN STORE 153

DIY Preferred!

Thomas i Punkt/ Hamburg.

Thomas i Punkt has been a constant in Hamburg’s fashion scene for decades.

Today, the business consists of three stores in “Mönckebergstrasse” and on “Gänsemarkt”. Following a substantial refurbishment, the menswear store on “Gänsemarkt” looks brand new and boasts a significantly streamlined concept.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Felix Amsel (store), Gisi Rameken (portrait)

After stepping into the Thomas i Punkt menswear store on “Gänsemarkt”, one quickly realises that one has entered a very special location. While the space is dominated by plants, it also houses intriguing “objets trouvés” such as a samurai armour, a giant pair of scissors, and a chair in the shape of a boxing glove. The interior does not play a role that is subordinated to fashion itself; on the contrary, it contributes to the fashion concept of Thomas i Punkt by acting as a creative backdrop.

Scope for Development

The driving force behind Thomas i Punkt is - and always has been - Thomas Friese. Over the last few decades, his concept has undergone a number of transformations. What began as a men’s outfitter in the 1970s, transformed into an avant-garde concept with Japanese design

by Yamamoto and Comme des Garcons in the early 1980s. In

the 1990s, his four children joined the family business and found considerable scope for personal development in the additional streetwear stores. Three of the initially five stores remain in business: the main store in “Mönckebergstrasse” and the two adjacent menswear and womenswear shops on “Gänsemarkt”. The retail business is run by Alexander and Iris Friese together with their father.

The Friese clan has never really subscribed to trends. The family prefers to choose its own path forward. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that many store elements - ranging from hangers to the mannequins - were exclusively manufactured for Thomas i Punkt. This is also how Omen, the business’ private collection, was born. Back then, Thomas Friese was on the hunt for a functional - yet not “over-designed” - indoor and outdoor jacket. After his search proved unsuccessful, he decided to take matters into his own hands. To-

Carl Tillessen supports the Friese clan with his expertise. Here he is pictured with Alexandra Friese.

day, the Omen collection ranges from footwear to coats, all in timeless design and with high quality standards. The knitwear range, which is both robust and comfortable to wear, has gained cult status in Hamburg. The knitwear items are - as are all other Omen pieces - manufactured in production facilities located in Hamburg, Bremen, and Lüneck.

Escaping Comparability

In terms of the menswear store, the Friese clan can rely on the expertise of Carl Tillessen, who was formerly part of the Firma setup. His task is to optimise the Omen collection and re-evaluate the store’s entire brand portfolio.

The result is both stringent and coherent. In addition, it shows a desire to remain independent from fleeting trends and brand hypes that the customers prefer to buy online anyway. Consequently, the store stocks slow fashion by Hansen Copenhagen and East Harbour Surplus from Soul. The latter is a collection that combines Asian and European influences. The store also offers casual readyto-wear fashion by Engeneered Garments from New York and Lemaire from Paris. “We want the product range to flow in the same way the rooms do - for one specific target audience that

values individuality with high credibility,” Carl Tillessen says.

And let’s not neglect one of Thomas i Punkt’s greatest assets: its ability to retain customers with excellent service. Some regular customers come from as far afield as Switzerland. Sometimes whole families visit to renew their wardrobe at Thomas i Punkt. It seems the aim of “escaping comparability” has been achieved. What a result!

Thomas i Punkt, Gänsemarkt Gänsemarkt 24, 20254 Hamburg/Germany www.thomasipunkt.de Opening: July 1972 Re-opening: October 2014 Owner: Thomas Friese Managing director: Thomas Friese Employees: 10 Sales area: 360 sqm Brands for men: among others Dedicated, East Harbour Surplus, Engineered Garments, GRP, Hansen, Japan Blue Jeans, Kapital, Lemaire, M0851, Manifattura Ceccarelli, Oliver Spencer, Omen, Portuguese Flannel, Stefan Brandt, Stewart, Stutterheim, Tellason, Thomas i Punkt, Universal Works, Versuchskind Accessories brands: among others Archival, Behooked, Blundstone, Comme des Garçons Wallet, Cote&Ciel, Filson, Hestra, Kapital, Kunoichi, m0851, Omen, Paraboot, Qwstion, Red Wing Shoes, Sandqvist, The Hill Side, Werk­ statt:München, Ohw, Shoes

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154 IN STORE

Right Direction.

Maat/Leipzig. Sabine Weber and her business partners have been running a store in Jena for the last ten years. They have now opened a new store, named Maat, in downtown Leipzig. Nevertheless, Weber does not only manage two stores, but she is (and remains) a teacher too.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka. Photos: Maat

Gives things a direction: Sabine Weber.

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In 2006, Sabine Weber and two partners opened the store Del Corazon in Weber’s hometown Jena. “Upon the advice of friends and fashion agencies, I started to scout for suitable premises for a second store in Dresden, Halle, and finally also in Leipzig. I fell in love with this location the moment I laid eyes on it, even though the premises are too large for my liking. But I knew straight away that I would either take this store, or none at all”, Sabine Weber recalls. The 40-year-old businesswoman is a free spirit. She doesn’t tread predefined paths and is always full of passion for her cause. “What you do with heart and what you have a talent for normally turns out to be successful. You may fall flat on your face a few times, but then you just get right back up again and carry on. Life is full of ups and downs; that’s what I try to get across to my students too”, she says. Weber teaches at a vocational college in Weimar from Monday to

Wednesday. She teaches aspiring educators in the subjects psychology, sociology, general didactics, and methodology.

“It’s not just about knowledge transfer, but also about values and questions everyone should ask themselves at some point in life. What does happiness actually mean and what do I want to do with my life? I always tell my students to evaluate whether they have chosen the right profession. At the end of the day, we all spend eight hours per day at our respective jobs. That’s a huge chunk of our lives. That’s why it is so vital to enjoy what you’re doing”, she explains.

Fashion and Art

It is quite clear that Sabine Weber enjoys what she does. She and her team specialise in combining fashion, art, and events.

Maat, with its high ceilings and completely encompassed by shop windows, is predestined for this approach. Three swan sculptures by Hamburg-based artist Peer Oliver Nau, whose works can be purchased at Maat, are suspended in mid-air. Artists and photographers from the Leipzig area also showcase their work on a regular basis. In May, 150 guests witnessed a performance of the Leipzig Opera’s dance theatre series “Dance in the Houses” in the store. Twice a year the store is transformed into a catwalk in order to present the highlights of the newest collections. The store addresses its customers via Instagram, Facebook, newsletters, postcards, and personal invitations.

Maat’s communication portfolio needs to be this broad seeing that both fashion-oriented students and affluent individuals in their mid-forties are among the store’s clientele.

So who or what is Maat? She’s actually an ancient Egyptian goddess. “Maat stands for direction. Everything one does or takes in - be it good food or simply things that make people happy - needs to be reflected in one’s personality”, Sabine Weber explains. Things that make people happy are no longer merely suspended from hangers.

The store utilises design classics as eye-catchers. It also showcases furniture by Candy Company and Normann Copenhagen,

which is, of course, for sale.

The minimalist, white product displays present bags, candles, jewellery, scarves, sunglasses by Komono, and books published

by Taschen Verlag. In addition, Maat boasts a compact beauty segment including fragrances by Saskia Diez, Cloon Keen Atelier, and Escentric Molecules, creams and lotions by Dr. Jacksons, and tea by Teatox. “Only recently, we started co-operating with Oliver Viehweg, a Leipzig-based designer and tailor, and Luxaa, an organic label from Halle. It is important to us that Maat not only stocks designers from Scandinavia and Berlin, but also showcases labels from the region and highlight good alternatives to the mainstream”, Sabine Weber closes.

Maat Store Burgstrasse 9 04109 Leipzig/Germany www.maat-fashion.com Owner: Sabine Weber Store manager: Theresa Müller Employees: 2 full-time and 3 temps Opening: September 2014 Sales area: 300sqm Brands: Avelon, Baum & Pferdegarten, Carin Wester, Cheap Monday, Dr. Martens, Lala Berlin, Lika Mimika, Royal Republiq, Wood Wood Accessories brands: Escentric Molecules, Dr. Jacksons, Our Vodka Berlin, Pb0110, Sabrina Dehoff, Taschen Verlag, Vibe Harslof

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Unique: Maat Store is very different to the monotonous world of the parallel-running pedestrian zone.

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156 IN STORE

Open and bright: oiled oak is combined with cement plaster to create an urban contrast.

New Appearance.

Roy/Sylt.

Following a five week re-design, Simone and Roy Komorr celebrated the grand re-opening of their new look store on Germany’s (arguably) bestknown island in the North Sea at Easter. Their business is now based on a modular store concept.

Text: Kay Alexander Plonka. Photos: Roy

Simone and Roy Komorr are convinced that shopping needs to be an experience.

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IN STORE 157

The modular product carriers can be moved to transform Roy into a stage.

The fashion range of Roy on Sylt stands for unusual, individual looks from chic to casual.

The store, which is located right next to the beach, is a popular shopping destination for both island dwellers and tourists.

As early as last summer, the product ranges of the previous business concept “Roy” and “Royal Blue” were merged to a “Best Of Brand Mix” concept in Westerland’s “Strandstrasse”.

After ten months of planning and five weeks of construction, the re-design defined during the restructuring process - and implemented by Sylt-based architect Birte Willing-Volquardsen - was finally completed. “Utilising simple - yet effective - measures, we created a contemporary, urban ambience.

We avoided maritime elements quite deliberately, especially as the island provides those anyway. We want customers to focus on the collections and the personalities of our team members”, the business couple Roy and Simone Komorr explains.

Reduced colours and shapes, in combination with a wall-less storefront, form the basis of the new lighting and interior concept devised by the retail

specialists at Dfrost in Stuttgart.

Simple product carriers were moved to the spacious window platforms to make room for a more airy interior. The checkout counter with an adjoining espresso bar acts as Roy’s service and communication centre. A lounge corner in the look of the 1960s invites guests and friends to linger a little longer than they might have initially planned.

The back of the shop, which previously housed many smaller changing rooms, now houses a generous studio room that protects customers from prying eyes and can be used for extensive private shopping sessions with girlfriends.

Store as Stage

Roy and Simone Komorr not only share a passion for fashion, but also both have a great interest in art and enjoy music and live concerts. The central space of their store is dominated by large boxes, which are used for product presentation and act as a public storage area. These boxes can be moved with a few small steps, thereby transforming the sales area into a stage.

Smaller events, such as concerts by friendly musicians, turn the

store into an experience. In these cases, the new lighting system, which resembles concert spotlights with adjustable shutters, no longer illuminates the highlights of the collection, but creates a real rock & roll feeling when focused on the modular stage platform. “We believe that the future of retailing is entertainment. By offering an extraordinary product range, competent advice, and circumspect service, we strive to ensure that our customers enjoy the time they spend in our store and surprise them in a positive way. This can be achieved by creating an intimate bond with our customers over years, but also by organising special events such as live music and smaller art events. Initiating and organising such events is something we really enjoy doing”, Simone Komorr explains with a smile.

Roy Strandstrasse 25 25980 Sylt/Germany www.roy-sylt.de Owner: Roy Komorr Store managers: Simone and Roy Komorr Employees: 11, 2 to 3 temps Opening: 2009 Re-opening after re-design: February 2016 Sales area: 200 sqm Brands: 5Units, Bomboogie, Brasi & Brasi, Deus, Drykorn, Elvine, Fil Noir, G-Lab, Grace, Icebreaker, IQ Berlin, Japan Rags, Johnny Love, Le Temps des Cerises, Levis, Naketano, Norton, Nudie Jeans, Oakwood, Patagonia, Patrizia Pepe, Pepe Jeans, Q1, Replay, Save the Duck, Set, Tigha, Wool&Co Accessories brands: Barts, Corvari, Cowboysbelt, Crick it, Dolfie, Floris van Bommel, Happy Socks, Herschel, H by Hudson, Lua, Moma, Patrizia Pepe, Pepe Shoes, Puma, Replay Shoes, Warm-Me

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158 IN STORE

The Laboratory is a new concept at Reyer. It is an experimental area for self-contained topics and brands that don’t overlap with the existing product range. In the picture: Art by Leica Gallery.

Change as Opportunity.

Sport und Mode Reyer/ Hallein. Never stand still, always re-evaluate your profile, and sharpen said profile accordingly – this is the maxim of Karl and Alexandra Reyer. The same principle applies to the Laboratory, a newly created space within the store that always tells a story of its own with ever-changing product presentations.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Reyer

Hang on, where am I? This question may cross the minds of many customers when they are led through a picture gallery on the top floor of Sport und Mode Reyer. Customers are basically walking straight into an experiment of sorts. Welcome to the Laboratory, a newly designed area developed by Reyer to surprise and seduce customers. The Laboratory provides room for self-contained topics from the realms of fashion, art, culinary 316 style in progress

delights, or interior design. The new area is always changeable and, therefore, always fresh.

The first topic is “Travelling de Luxe”, which focuses on everything a lady might need for a weekend trip: luxurious luggage by the American brand Hartmann, personalised travelling bags by My Style Bags from Milan, dinner dresses

by Enföld from Japan, and negligees by Araks New York.

And then there’s the artwork. In

co-operation with Leica Gallery, Reyer showcases the topical works by international photographic artists. “In the spirit of a real laboratory, we conduct experiments that can work and fail alike”, Reyer explains. “It’s a learning process we strive to promote quite deliberately.”

Stolen Riches from Canada, the probably oldest manufacturer of lace-ups worldwide. The main thing is that the presentation tells an interesting story. After all, that’s what it’s all about. And this doesn’t only apply to the Laboratory experiment.

Rethink

To be fair, the Reyers have always had this mindset. Alexandra and Karl Reyer took up the reins of the 100-year-old business in 2000. Back then, the product range consisted of sport items and fashion in equal parts. In 2005, the business was restructured completely and the upgrading was made even more visible - a clear commitment to high standards. The store established a new area named “Urban for Newcomers”, back then with the brands Rag & Bone and Isabel Marant. The business took its next big step four years later by creating the Reyerlooks.com online shop. “It was the first of its kind in Austria at the time”, Karl Reyer says. The Laboratory is the next milestone. It replaces the sports theme at Reyer, mainly due to the price competition in the sport segment. “The initial feedback is very positive. It’s great fun to present a topic in such a comprehensive manner”, Reyer says proudly.

He already has many ideas for the future development of the Laboratory. “The White Shirt” showcases everything to do with the classic white shirt, which will be followed by a presentation of Grenson shoes and

“We want to continue to develop with this concept and remain alert.

We are very inquisitive people”, says Karl Reyer, who strives to lead the business into the future with his wife, Alexandra Reyer.

Sport und Mode Reyer www.reyer.cc Opening: 1922 Owner: Karl Reyer Managing director: Karl Reyer Employees: 40 Sales area: 1,500 sqm Brands for women: among others Anine Bing, Antonia Zander, Common Project, Isabel Marant, Lareida, Marni, Nanushka, No21, Odeeh, Self Portrait, Victoria Beckham Brands for men: among others Dondup, Gigi, Gabriele Pasini, Golden Goose, Giorgio Brato, Grenson, Officine Generale, Stone Island Accessories brands: among others David Marc, Filson, Jorge Morales, Odin, Rockins, Spektre, Wiener Blut

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Quite a Footprint. Jelmoli Shoe World/Zurich. 1,400 square metres are a statement of intent, even in a metropolis like Zurich. The Jelmoli department store re-designed an area of that size for its new shoe section.

That’s quite an investment!

Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: Jelmoli

One can see both joy and nervousness in the face of Franco Savastano, the CEO of Jelmoli, as he kick-starts the grand opening of his department store’s new Shoe World with the following classic words: “We are happy to welcome you in the new Shoe World of Jelmoli.” Four years ago, he left Grieder to join Switzerland’s largest department store and has devoted all his time to leading the business into the future

ever since. This year, the motto “Shoes First” is at the top of the agenda. Jelmoli hired the architects Paolo Lanzi and Alessandro Bartolini to implement the quadrupling of the sales area dedicated to shoes. In the past, the two Italians worked for household names such as Tod’s, Pucci, and Pinko, as well as Prada, Miu Miu, and Coccinelle. They transformed 1,000 square metres of sales floor in the women’s department - which

Buying shoes in a beautiful environment: Jelmoli throws down the gauntlet with its new 1,400 square metre sales area.

was formerly occupied by New Yorker - into a stylish shopping paradise including a café (Fauchon Paris). The underlying idea was to combine the individual, merging rooms, as well as the divided salons between them, to one unit that does, however, differ in terms of furnishing and design. When strolling through the area, it feels like one is passing from one boutique to the next. Even though the architects strived to create something completely new, well-travelled fashion enthusiasts will - and rightly so - say that they have seen similar setups before. It is, however, a gigantic project

by Swiss standards. The new footwear department showcases no less than 80 brands. Another 40 brands can be found one floor below in the 400sqm men’s department, which was also designed by Lanzi/Bartolini. Both departments offer a wide price range, from moderate to upscale luxury. There are lounges with comfortable upholstered suites to ensure that the customers don’t get sore feet and have an opportunity to sit down and take in the new environment. Jelmoli Shoe World is yet another attempt to lure the customers onto the sales floor and coax them away from the many online portals. That being said, one cannot survive without a little cross-media action these days. At the grand opening, the Italian blogger Mariano di Valdo (mdvstyle.com, 4.6 million followers on Instagram, his post from that evening was liked almost 70,000 times) triggered a few shrieks. By the way, his shoes are also available

Franco Savastano, the CEO of Jelmoli, has been in charge of the business for four years.

at Jelmoli Shoe World. The new department also stocks footwear designed by the - also Italian - blogger Chiara Ferragni (5.8 million followers). Naturally, Jelmoli Shoe World also offers Swiss classics by Bally, Navyboot, and Bruno Bencivenga, as well as hip designs by Pierre Hardy and exclusive footwear by Alain Tondowski. “Zurich turns upside down” was the motto of the announcement campaign.

That was true, at least on that first night.

Jelmoli The House of Brands Bahnhofstrasse 8001 Zurich/Switzerland www.jelmoli.ch Opening: 1833 Owner: Swiss Prime Site CEO Jelmoli: Franco Savastano Employees: 30 in women’s footwear department, 9 in men’s Brands for women: among others Alain Tondowski, Bally, Bruno Bencivenga, Burberry, Candice Cooper, Casadei, Chiara Ferragni, Etro, Icone, Ikkii, Jil Sander, Kurt Geiger, L’Autre Chose, Laurence Dacade, MOA Masters of Art, Navyboot, Pierre Hardy, Proenza Schouler, Rachel Zoe, SchoShoes, Sergio Rossi, Steffen Schraut, Superga, Vidoretta Brands for men: among others Antonio Maurizi, Belstaff, Church’s, Doucal’s, Etro, Green George, Grenson, J.M.Weston, Kenzo, Mariano Di Vaio, N°21

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160 EDITOR'S LETTER /// ABOUT US

Quality, Not Quantity

At the end of May, Wäis Kiani, a famous author and fashion critic, wrote a scathing piece on the luxury fashion industry and the development of luxury brands over the last few years for Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. She argues that the promise of exclusivity, style, independence, and - above all - quality that was once connected with certain brands is often no longer fulfilled. Let me quote parts of a central passage: “One can call it a collapse caused by greed. Over the last two years, the design houses have distanced themselves from normal human beings by launching an increasing number of collections per season and - in some cases - raising prices by up to 200 percent. They are now focused on a specific, aesthetic-distant clientele of super-rich buyers. (…) Fashion has therefore left its actual path - involving the art of concealment and the love of beauty and fresh ideas - a long time ago. Couturiers have turned into ruined slaves of the customers. It’s perfectly natural that this bubble of greed, lies, and mass production had to burst sooner rather than later.” [...]

These are amazingly tough and strong words that not least - prove that the central system fault of the fashion industry, namely unscrupulous massification and inevitable devaluation, has finally reached the luxury segment. “More and more often” is the motto of the exclusively quantitative growth concept aimed at increasing revenue and gaining market shares. The consequences of this erroneous path are numerous and devastating. › The environmental impact of textile waste (the term alone makes one shudder) has reached totally unacceptable proportions. The US alone apparently creates no less than 13 million tons of textile waste. In Germany, about 5 billion items of clothing are hanging in wardrobes, of which an estimated 40 percent are hardly ever worn.

Primark & Co are still earning billions by selling clothing as disposable items. Let’s not forget the over-production caused by the aforementioned erroneous path. It overwhelms all cleaning channels and - in some cases - heads straight for the shredder. When one considers the entire chain from resource consumption for the production process to the expense of disposal, this is a problem that hasn’t even been registered yet. The many unquestionably honourable up-cycling, recycling, and return initiatives launched by large players such as H&M are - at best - of cosmetic nature or mere symptom control.

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Publisher, editorial office, advertising department and owner UCM-Verlag B2B Media GmbH & Co KG Salzweg 17, 5081 Salzburg-Anif Austria T 0043.6246.89 79 99 F 0043.6246.89 79 89 office@ucm-verlag.at www.ucm-verlag.at Management Stephan Huber Nicolaus Zott

› The aforementioned environmental issue goes hand in hand with the unchanged disastrous working conditions in some textile production plants. This does not only apply to the Far East, which is way too close to continue turning a blind eye. This is not only an ethical question, but an industry-damaging image issue. As inconsistent as the handling of this subject among consumers may be, it is a heavy burden on the fashion business if it is pilloried in a largely undifferentiated manner. › In March this year, TK Maxx opened a megastore in a prime location in Munich. For me, this is an alarm signal. It will only lead to further confusion among consumers. The majority of consumers don’t really differentiate between current and - according to the industry logic non-current goods. They merely compare prices and feel confirmed in their suspicions that they are being ripped off constantly. Let’s not forget that TK Maxx only exists because of “consistent” over-production. › I have pointed out the impact of massification on the desirability of fashion many times in this magazine. However, I feel it needs to be said one more time.

This brief analysis is hardly a useful guide for the oncoming order season. At least in the large niche of the fashion industry that style in progress tries to capture, understand, and explain (hopefully successfully), the future of fashion cannot be mass production.

Yours, Stephan Huber stephan.huber@ucm-verlag.at

Editors-in-chief Stephan Huber stephan.huber@ucm-verlag.at Martina Müllner-Seybold martina.muellner@ucm-verlag.at Art direction/production Elisabeth Prock-Huber elisabeth@ucm-verlag.at Contributing writers Isabel Faiss Kay Alexander Plonka Verena Roidl Nicoletta Schaper Quynh Tran Dörte Welti Photographers Sofi Fahrmann Trever Hoehne Therese Ohrvall Illustrator Claudia Meitert Image editor Anouk Schönemann anouk.schoenemann@ucm-verlag.at Advertising director Stephan Huber stephan.huber@ucm-verlag.at Publisher’s assistant, distribution Sigrid Staber sigrid.staber@ucm-verlag.at Christina Hörbiger christina.hoerbiger@ucm-verlag.at English translations Manfred Thurner Printing sandlerprint&packaging 3671 Marbach, Austria Printing coordinator Manfred Reitenbach

Next issue 18 October 2016

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