xray 4.11 EN by UCM Verlag

Issue 04/2011 . 16th Year . 造 6.90

Special: Shoe Styles In Transition Forecast: Trends - Brands - Heads VelosophY Cycle Chic in Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Vancouver The Dynamic Of Capsule Collections Revenue Generators or Killers? Sustainability In Retail Ideas for an Ecofriendly Interior Coverdesign by Mike Kershnar

www.pepejeans.com

Editorial

The Show Is Just The Beginning It‘s nice to know that Germany once again has such an attractive fashion capital. So much was happening in Berlin that visitors would have needed a clone to see everything. These ideas now have to be put into practice.

olours, cuts, materials: The basic ingredients of any good collection are more diverse than ever before. Bright colours are one of the heavyweights this season. To offer you a clearer overview, we have summarised the trade shows‘ most important trends on page 48. This diversity doesn‘t just apply to fashion, though – it is also prominent in the matching footwear, which has seen a great deal of activity in recent seasons. Reason enough, then, to address the topic in a special. Find out how shoe styles have changed on page 20. A mindset change has occurred in design and production: Find out why Julia Schumacher from Berlin is producing sneakers by hand on page 34. We‘ve also noticed a few curiosities in the industry: Fashion brands are teaming up with water companies, for example, to produce and launch a collection. How their image will benefit will, most likely, remain their secret. Find out more on page 28. Mobile phones and bikes have now replaced cars as the must-have objects in cities. But we‘re still waiting for a functional collection that will make us look really good on a bike. Until then, we comfort ourselves with the most interesting bike stories from around the world, which our correspondents in Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Vancouver have compiled for you (page 66). We hope you enjoy this issue.

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on the Cover

Live your Fantasy

Mike Kershnar is an artist and professional skateboarder. He rides for Element Skateboards, designs rock posters for the Beastie Boys and T-shirts for Shepard Fairey. His idol is skate legend Ed Templeton. x-ray is honored to get a cover from him for its current edition. We were particularly intrigued by his sacred painting style which always includes motifs from nature. This guy is a genuine nature lover, and he is so damn cool. To discover why he is so fond of drawing hummingbirds and what a Kershnar fashion line would look like, go to page 36. Thank you, Mike, for the great cover!

content

08 14 WHAT’S THE STORY 20 25 26 28 32 34 the talk 36 39 40 fashion 42 48 60 gotta go to 66 in store 78 80 84 86 87 88

Editorial Right Now Jetzt Dressed Right Special: Evolving shoe styles Why Did You Choose That Name? Names and their histories Step up! Shoe label special One to Rock, One to Stock? Is fashion lost in limitation? What’s Yours is Mine New trend: Alternative shopping events Sneaker Art Handcrafted sneakers by Snique from Berlin Live Your Fantasy Coverinterview with Mike Kershnar Hip and 100 Per Cent Biodegradable Interview: Oat Shoes “A Cleared Market is Always Good” Interview with Willy Umland from Converse Want it! Trends Spring/Summer 2012 Cars for Sole Fashion Report Velosophy Bike culture in Vancouver, Amsterdam and Copenhagen Retailnews Gallery Sustainable store design Fancy Footwear Monsieur Dubois, Zurich Luxury in a Landscape of Wood Mr Mudd and Mr Gold, Stockholm The Good Mood Kick Strawberry, Berlin Red Light Skateshop Tom’s Skateshop, Amsterdam

90 One Last Thing. Imprint

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THE RIGHT TO GET DOWN

Right Now Text Isabel Faiss, Claudia Janka, Ina Köhler, Nicolette Scharpenberg Photos Brands

02 Bench New photo tool

In honour of two of the biggest events in the fields of fashion and music — the fashion trade show Bread&Butter in Berlin and the cult-status music festival Melt! near Dessau — the English streetwear label Bench developed an innovative photo tool, the Scene Converter. Via Green Box, visitors were able to morph themselves into scenery with a theme that matches the event. At Bread&Butter, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, the focus was placed on the historic streetart technique Burning which involves burning graffiti into the asphalt. In the Green Box, you were able to morph yourself in the scene with a special bike. The photo was immediately presented as a printout and was also accessible by entering a special code on the Facebook page Bench/Germany. www.bench.co.uk

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Tommy Hilfiger/G. H. Bass & Co OLD-SCHOOL AMERICAN COLLABORATION

The Tommy Hilfiger Group is presenting a limited shoe collection together with the traditional American shoe brand G.H., Bass & Co. The main product are the “Weejuns” penny loafers, which are probably America‘s most well-known preppy shoes. Two of America‘s most important brands (both are part of the Philips-Van Heusen Corporation) are teaming up for this special shoe edition which offers a classic selection of men‘s and women‘s shoes with subtle, yet surprising Tommy Hilfiger styles. The collection‘s highlights include pinstripe details, contrasting seams and the use of fabrics such as pony leather. The limited collection will be available in Tommy Hilfiger flagship stores and at the Hilfiger online store. www.tommy.com, www.bassshoes.harborghb.com

03 Meltin’Pot pop up store

04 Tribeca New York Welcome to the Team

After the successful store opening in May in Riccione, Italy, there are plans to open a next shop in Berlin. The Meltin‘Pot Pop Up Store is opening in time for Bread&Butter 2011. For two months, from 6 July to 6 September 2011, visitors will be able to check out fashion here, but also to enjoy music, impressive installations and snacks during their shopping. The idea: Customers are supposed to inhale Meltin‘Pot air and be inspired. The store has an area of 110 square metres and is located in the trendy quarter of Mitte on Weinmeisterstrasse 2. It is open from Monday to Saturday. During Bread&Butter from 11 am to 10 pm and then from 11 am to 8 pm. www.meltinpot.com

The premium denim label Tribeca New York has welcomed an experienced new employee. Philip Bennecke, 42, has taken over the contractual territory Süd (South) as the new Tribeca Area Manager. He is now responsible for the entire South German territory and Austria. Thomas Schmoeger previously had been responsible for this territory. Bennecke has worked for labels such as Jaggy, Post & Co and North Sails. Further news: An additional Tribeca showroom has been opened as part of larger restructures. It is located on the Lodenfrey premises in Munich and is viewed as the new South location. www.tribeca-jeans.com

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05 Sixty sessions Fashion goes music

The Italian fashion label‘s Sixty Group is going on air with its own music and radio format “Sixty Sessions”. The music ranges from deep to tech house, and the content covers everything from music, lifestyle, to nightlife, events and clubs. Famous DJ Steffen Baumann presents the trend-oriented program, which he developed in collaboration with Nico Hoffmeister, Head of Marketing & PR GmbH of Sixty Germany. The program is broadcast every Sunday from 7-8 pm on Radio “Sunshine Live” and every Friday from 11pm – 12 am “Ibiza Global Radio”. The Sixty-Sound is available live, as a CD compilation series, and, since June 2011, as a free i-phone app at i-Tunes. www.sixtysession.com

06 Scotch & Soda Store Opening during Fashion Week

On 5 July, the brand Scotch & Soda from Amsterdam celebrated the opening of its new store on Münzstrasse 14-16 in Berlin, which coincided with the start of the city‘s Fashion Week. The new location close to the Hacke‘s Market was chosen not least because of the attractiveness of the area, which boasts such famous image stores as 14 oz., Adidas Originals, the SOTO Store and many more Denim- and Sportswear-Stores. Scotch & Soda currently operates more than 30 of its own stores worldwide. www.scotch-soda.com 07 O’Neill New Ceo

On 1 September, Willem Haitink will join the O‘Neill Group in Warmond as its new CEO. The Dutchman, who worked at Nike for 16 years, joins O‘Neill from Converse, where he was the General Manager for the EMEA region. The 48-year-old will replace Jan Valdmaa, who has spearheaded the company for the past two years. “Ï am thrilled to be working for a brand with such a rich history,” said Haiting, whose objective is to develop the global growth of the surf and lifestyle brand. www.oneill.com

08 Guess See you, Maurice

09 Miosato New Online Showroom

On 20 June 2011, Maurice Marciano, co-founder and Chairman of the Board at Guess, announced that he will be retiring as CEO at the end of the economic year, on 28 January 2012. Marciano will, however, continue to be a member of the Board of Directors. He will also act as a consultant to the company. The Guess label was founded in 1981 by Maurice Marciano and his brothers. Marciano sumarises his time at Guess as follows: “Today, Guess is a lifestyle brand that is present in 90 countries. I‘m proud of the work that we‘ve done and of our strong management team.” www.guess.com

On 1 June, a new online presentation platform was launched for young talent and fashion design newcomers. The collections by labels such as Antonia Goy from Berlin, Shadowconnected from New York and Lemuria from Bologna are being presented at Miosato.com and sold directly via the site‘s online shop. The initiators Max Laemmle and Marc-Alexander Christ personally select young talent, sign them up and then present their entire collections in the online fashion gallery. The intention is to give sunknown labels the opportunity to be both promoted and purchased alongside established brands. www.miosato.com

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Planet Sports Time for a change

The Munich-based sports specialist Planet Sports has expanded its team in the areas of management and marketing. 34-year-old Henner Schwarz, who previously worked at the Puccini Group, has been appointed as the company‘s third Managing Director. In his new role, he will be responsible for the areas of IT, logistics and HR. Planet Sports‘ new Head of Marketing is Sebastian Knebelkamp, who joins the company from Adidas, where he worked as Senior Account Marketing Manager. “Due to our rapid growth, the extra help will definitely come in handy,” states Managing Director Sven Horstmann. The company‘s headquarters have been relocated to the Munich district of Sendling. The logistics division has been outsourced to the service provider Docdata. www.planet-sports.de

Hilfiger Denim Posing in a pool Now that‘s what we call fun work: The Hilfiger Denim models were able to lounge in the pool while others were sweating in the heat. G-Star is focusing on 3D denim A colourful denim display. G-Star‘s fashion show at Bread & Butter was all about 3D denim. Diesel Female Power Summer of Girls - Diesel presented a new women‘s collection at Bread & Butter: Tough, yet playful, mature, and very sexy. Levi’s Handmade The Levi‘s print workshop in the Alte Münze was buzzing with activity. The brand‘s Go Forth campaign focuses on the creativity of the young generation. Mavi Cooking with denim Brushing, printing, dyeing - anything was possible at the Mavi Denim Kitchen. Artists Anton Unai, Superblast, and Linda Ehrl were there as well.

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12 Lee New Country Manager

In order to serve its different segments more intensively in future, the global lifestyle brand Converse is strengthening its team. The new addition is Mike Schöne, who steps into the shoes of René Harnischmacher as Key Account Manager. Harnischmacher has assumed a new role within the company: He is the cult brand‘s Product & Line Manager and will act as a link between brand and retail. “In order to support the continued healthy growth in all product and sales channels in an optimal and coordinated way, there was an urgent need to create the new position of Product & Line Manager,” explains Willy Umland, Managing Partner of All Star D.A.C.H. GmbH. www.converse.com

Retrospectively as of 1 May 2011, the VF company appointed Alexander Haß as Country Manager Germany for the jeans brand Lee. Haß is taking over from Stefan Sommer who had been the brand‘s Sales and Marketing Director for five years. 39-year-old Haß has been working as the Lee Sales Field Manager for VF Germany since 2006. Haß previously held various positions in the sales and product management of companies such as Dockers (Levi Strauss Germany), Quiksilver Europe, and former sportswear label US Forty. Haß reports back to Simon Fisher, Sales Director Lee EMEA. He will be supposrted by Bertram Laufer Key, Account Manager for the Germanspeaking countries and Judith Jahnke, Marketing and PR Manager. www.lee.com

Bread & Butter Impressions

01 02 03 04 05

11 Converse Team Growth

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16 Levi Strauss New Captain at the Helm of Levi Strauss

Chic Young Blood Platform for the Young Ones

The successfully established Beijing fashion and accessories trade show Chic is getting a young offshoot. The new product is called Chic Young Blood; it will take place for the first time from 27-29 September 2011 in Beijing. The second event is scheduled for spring 2012, from 26-29 March. The organizers want to cater to the increasingly dynamic Chinese market in China by offering an appropriate framework specifically for the young target group in the denim, streetwear and sportswear market. The National Agricultural Centre was choosen as the venue: it will initially offer an area of approximately 10,000 square feet. About 100 international sports and lifestyle brands and 20,000 visitors are expected to attend. The trade show is divided into the segments Denim Force, Sport & Street, Tasty Must-Haves and Urban Soul. Side events are intended to bring together business and entertainment. The mother trade show Chic is celebrating its 20th anniversary next year; about 1000 exhibitors and 110,000 visitors participated in the last event. German exhibitors include MarcCain, Gerry Weber or Sportalm. Chen Dapeng, the organizer of Chic, is planning further restructuring in order to meet the increased demand. “Our priorities are the ongoing development and enhancement of high-quality foreign fashion brands that are popular in China.” www.chic-online.com.cn, www.chicyoungblood.com

15 Diesel jogg-jeans

Yes, you read correctly. Diesel‘s latest invention is called Jogg-Jeans; it is a mixture of denim and sweat. The fabric has the look of a denim and offers maximum flexibility. The product is light and soft and has undergone an indigo treatment, causing the trousers to look like denim from the outside and feek like a sweat pant from the inside. JoggJeans are available in three styles for women and four styles for men; they will be available from 1 August in all Diesel stores worldwide. www.diesel.com

After 32 years, there is going to be a change at the top of the Levi Strauss Group in San Francisco after CEO John Anderson retires on 1 September 2011. His role will be filled by Charles Bergh. This 53-year old comes from Procter & Gamble (P&G), where his most recent role was Group President of Global Male Grooming. Bergh worked for P&G for 28 years in various capacities including a number of management positions. “Bergh is a strategic manager with the ability to build strong brands, successfully establish new products in the mass market and to develop innovative marketing campaigns,” says Richard Kauffman, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Levi Strauss. The Group‘s brands include Levi‘s, Dockers, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co and Denizen. These brands are sold in 110 countries around the world, and the Group also operates around 480 of its own stores. In 2010, the company achieved sales of 4.4 billion dollars. www.levistrauss.com

14 Adidas Strategic Partnership with KISKA

Adidas is collaborating with Kiska. The brand consultancy and design company, was hired with its partner Ktm Technologies to provide support the sportswear brand in the area of technology and product design. Adidas wanted to maintain its up-beat tempo in innovation and is now gaining experience in other industry sectors with its new partnership. “We decided to work with Kiska and Ktm Technologies because it leads to an unique combination of technological and design expertise. Kiska really knows how to harmonise inspirational technology with the uniqueness of our brand and to make this visible in the product,” says Gerd Manz, Senior Innovation Director at adidas. Kiska and Ktm Technologies work so well together because they combine technology and design. And it is this collaboration that opened the door to adidas for the two companies. Many well-known companies such as Atomic, Audi, Gasteiner, Hilti, Stiegl and Ktm have already received design and strategic brand consultancy services from Kiska. Ktm Group‘s latest spin-off is involved in compounds, structural features of cars, and small automotive production runs. The development partnership was set up with Kiska at the beginning of 2009. www.kiska.com, www.adidas.com

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17 Timberland/VF Takeover

18 K1X DCAC Patrick Mohr Delivery in August

A marriage of giants: The clothing group VF Corporation from Greensboro has acquired the outdoor clothing producer The Timberland Company for 43 US dollars per share, in a deal which is worth more than two billion dollars to VF. Timberland is expected to generate sales of 1.6 billion dollars in 2011. The brand will be integrated into the company‘s successful Outdoor & Action Sports Coalition, which includes brands such as Eastpak, The North Face, Kipling, Jansport and Napapijri. Eric Wiseman, Chairman of the Board, emphasised the importance of this segment back in April. It is expected to grow even stronger in the future. The merger will boost VF‘s outdoor and action sports business to around 50 per cent of total revenue. “The brand is synonymous with outdoor footwear and apparel,” says Wiseman. “The unique rugged outdoor positioning of the Timberland brand will perfectly complement the premium, technical positioning of The North Face,” he adds. He also believes that VF will benefit from the international penetration of the brand and its leadership position in terms of sustainability. Timberland is expected to grow by around ten per cent annually. Its focus is on the European, Latin American and Asian markets, as well as on the segments of womenswear, e-business and its own stores www.vfc.com, www.timberland.com

The second edition of the successful collaboration between the eccentric high-end fashion designer Patrick Mohr from Munich and the Basketball brand K1X, also based in Munich, will be released in August this year. The sneakers will be sold via a selection of exclusive shops such as Solebox in Berlin. Patrick Mohr stayed true to his brand symbol, the triangle. The models, made of pure nubuck leather, will be available in three different colours: sand, white, and red. www.k1x.com, www.patrick-mohr.com

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True Religion New store in the capital

Berlin has had its own True Religion store in the centre of town since July. The store’s design concept was specifically developed for the cityon 120 square metres: it includes exposed concrete walls, rough natural wood and a denim bar. “After Cologne and Hamburg, it was only a matter of time before we opened another single-brand store in Germany,” says Reinhard Haase, CEO of True Religion Brand Jeans Germany, which has its headquarters in Düsseldorf. “In addition to the international reputation of the city, Berlin has become a major fashion platform in recent years, particularly due to its trade shows and its Fashion Week.” The store will also offer the label’s shoes, accessories and fragrances. A sportswear collection is set to be launched in autumn 2011. Europe only has three of True Religion’s own stores, in London, Cologne and Hamburg, but two more stores are planned in the short term for 2011. www.truereligionbrandjeans.com

Ben Sherman Welcome to the team

On 1 April 2011, the British menswear label Ben Sherman welcomed Marco di Rado as its new Country Manager for Germany. He has filled the position vacated by Christian Schütt. Before joining Ben Sherman, Marco di Rado worked at Hugo Boss for several years, as its Sales Manager for Eastern Europe. After a spell at Acne Studios, he then went on to serve as Head of Brand Management for Boss Orange Denim. According to a press release by the company, Marco di Rado‘s objective will be to support the global penetration and expansion of the label. www.bensherman.com

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21 Wrangler Award For the Third Year Running

For the third year running, the Wrangler campaigns received an award at the Cannes Lions Festival. Wrangler received three awards at the Côte d’Azur. The company received a silver award for its “STUNT” campaign and the current version of the “We Are Animals” range in the Outdoor and Print categories. “STUNT” was shot by photographer Cass Bird at the legendary Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. The film focused on professional stuntmen falling through windows, jumping through explosions or catching fire. Adam Kakembo, Marketing Director Wrangler EMEA: “We think it‘s great that our innovative work is being recognised and acknowledged by the creative community. It‘s extremely rare that you receive an award at Cannes Lions three years in a row.” www.wrangler.com

22 ITS#10 expanding its program

23 Frontline Music and Fashion Close Companions

On 15 and 16 July the International Talent Support, ITS # 10, took place for the tenth time in Trieste, The event is sponsored and co-organised each year by Diesel as the main sponsor and fixed partner of the organizer EVE and YKK. As has been the case in the last years, Renzo Rosso personally presented the Diesel Award, which is endowed with 25,000 euros and a six-month internship with the creative team of Diesel. A new addition this year was the Skunkfunk Sustainability Award, which gives the winner the opportunity to design a private collection with Skunk Funk while also receiving 5,000 euros. In addition to numerous other awards in the categories ITS#Jewelery, Fashion#ITS, ITS#Accessories and ITS#Photo, the finalists can also to nominate themselves for the MMM Award by Maison Martin Margiela, which also includes 5,000 euros and a six-month internship. www.itsweb.org, www.diesel.com

25 years of Frontline: Frontline GmbH was founded by Torsten Lange in 1986, under the name of Funhouse Records. The small company initially traded vinyl records in Germany and abroad. It wasn‘t until 1994, when the record industry plunged into crisis, that the company gradually diversified into streetwear. The first men‘s catalogue for textiles appeared in 1995. And in 1996, an online shop was launched for streetwear and fashion. Carhartt, DC, X-Large and Stüssy were among the first labels to be distributed by Frontline. In addition to streetwear, the range now includes more progressive labels, including Ben Sherman, as well as Scandinavian fashion. Frontline GmbH has been headquartered in Hamburg since 2009. The company‘s future strategy will focus in particular on the international market, own brands and social commerce. Happy birthday! www.frontlineshop.com

24 Munich Fabric Start/Blue Zone Two Seasons, One Date

The Blue Zone of Munich Fabric Start sticks to its’ “TisT” concept which was implemented in February 2011. “Tomorrow is Today” means that Blue Zone shows two collections on one date. At the next trade show (6 – 8 September 2011) in Hall 5 of Munich’s MOC, Blue Zone is going to focus its presentation on the season Autumn/Winter 2012/13, and on a significant preview of the season Spring/Summer 2013. “‘TisT’ is Munich Fabric Start’s reaction to the radical changes and different needs of the global denim- and sports market. A growing number of jeans-, and sportswear brands are starting their research earlier, due to pressure from their customers, and for logistical reasons,” explains Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH Managing Director Sebastian Klinder. “It is crucial to note that no one wants to burn up-to-date collection ideas or to enforce a ‘the earlier, the better’ thinking. However, the market forces us to radically re-think and to find new forms of collaboration between the market participants, beyond traditional paths and rhythms.” www.munichfabricstart.com, 6 – 8 September 2011

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the change of shoe styles –– what’s the story

Adidas

Converse

Palladium

Dressed Right Sneakers are no longer kings of the market. More and more classic sports shoe brands are getting into more grown up styles that are not too far away from the traditional man’s shoe or boots.

Kangaroos

Red Wing Shoes

Text Karolina Landowski Photos Brands, istockphoto.com

he boot-boom we encountered during the last winter season has inspired one or the other sneaker designer. Massive grip soles, outdoor elements borrowed from hiking boots, and super-tough leathers rule the worlds of adidas, Nike or Converse. If you take a look at the current state of the young consumer’s choice of footwear, you can see sporty interpretations of traditional makings. More and more sports shoe suppliers show models that are reminiscient of classics. Lace-up shoes, desert boots, and moccasins or boating shoes represent a new, smarter casual look. Authentic styles and brands with values and history are sought after. The current fashion is giving sneakers a hard time – cotton chinos and three-striped high-tops just don’t mix. Is the classic sneaker obsolete for now?

Changing Market Specialized stores like Solebox (Berlin) or The Good Will Out (Cologne) still successfully sell sneakers, trade shows like Sneakerness and magazines like Sneakerfreaker reflect the ongoing and huge interest in sneakers, but retailers are feeling a decrease in demand nonetheless. “The big sneaker hype of the past years has slowed down quite a bit. After the 1,000th limited edition – many of which were not limited after all – and countless re-issues, the market has changed”, says Mario Pitschnig, and he should know. Pitschnig built brands like Dunlop and Onitsuka Tiger with his partner Maxim Scheck in Germany; he also runs a shop called Sneakerama in Stuttgart. “Sneakers fall off 30 to 40 per cent, the consumers grow older, they need a business shoe, and they fancy a canvas or

boat shoe in their spare time as well”, confirms Jan Dicks, Sales Manager at Sebago. The classic Docksider brand is one of the winners of this new trend, as the boom mainly focuses on traditional, specialized brands with a heritage. Verena Schwingeler is responsible for the Marketing department at Wolverine, and she also sees some growth in this segment: “Sebago currently very popular among trendsneaker distributions, especially with its boating shoes and classic silhouettes. The collections for Spring/Summer 2012 have been extended accordingly”. When it comes to trends, open-minded consumers all react the same way. So, do we have a Sebago summer following the Red Wing winter? The US brand’s portfolio is larger than just boat shoes. “Our Metro collection, which can be worn with a suit, chinos or jeans, is clearly

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growing in the distribution channels shoe retail, fashion retail, and online”, notes Jan Dicks. Other labels trust in the high-quality trend as well, establishing new and urban oriented lines. Lacoste, for example, is going to launch a new collection called LED – Lacoste Essential Design – for Spring/Summer 2012. “People are more interested in high-quality materials and processing these days because that means better quality and comfort. A topquality, ‘understated style’ is the future!” explains Regional Vice President of Lacoste, Robert Stöckl, the development of the market.

Tired of Sneakers, What Now?

How do the classic sneaker brands react to the decreasing demand for their bestsellers? “Because we are deeply rooted in different lifestyles, our brand is not affected by the ‘sneaker fatigue’ of consumers”, states Willy Umland, CEO of All Star D.A.CH. GmbH which is responsible for Converse. This trend gives Converse the opportunity to revive older models like the Outsider boot or the Lady All Star from the brand’s archives. Sports shoe giant adidas predicted this trend years ago and was among the first to interpret this lifestyle. “Within Adidas Originals, we have a complete collection by now, which ranges from classic lace-ups to wedges”, says Brand PR Manager Christine Knebelkamp.

A Security Style 04

01 “A shoe needs to be durable and comfortable, the trend is back for a higher-quality shoe.” Jan Dicks, Sebago

02 “Sneakers don’t always have to be in the traditional colour, and material combination.” Willy Umland, Converse

03 “Our consumer is ready for a bigger range of fashion-inspired footwear, giving us more leeway when it comes to further development of the hybrid segment.” Hanjo Argendorf, Bench Footwear

04 “The sneaker will never die. It’s practical, flexibly combinable, versatile, youthful and a good deal.” Michael Schiller, CAT Footwear

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“The sneaker will never die. It’s practical, flexibly combinable, versatile, youthful and a good deal”, explains Michael Schiller, Cat Footwear’s Sales Manager. The sneaker basically still serves as a safe style for certain target groups. You can’t go wrong with a Converse All Star or a classic Nike or Vans model. However, sneakers are increasingly being replaced by relaxed brown shoes or loafers in everyday life. Classic sport shoe suppliers are not getting upset about this trend, though. Christine Knebelkamp: “Sneakers are more versatile than ever”. Willy Umland sees the changes mainly in design: “Sneakers do not have to come in their traditional colour- and material combinations. Plain-coloured models made from classy nubuck leather with a slight vintage finish are very popular as well.” Trendy styles convince consumers through simplicity in colours and their classy feel.

New Hybrids “It depends on the definition of a sneaker: Where does the sneaker stop, where does the new thing start”, says Marco Lachner. Lachner is the Head of Design and Brandbuilding at Kangaroo; he is also responsible for the relaunch of the brand. Sneakers have gone through a development in the past years; hybrids – combinations of different shoe types – are paving the way into the future. Classic uppers on sporty soles make for an exciting contrast and create new silhouettes. “We have done boat style shoes with one of our original retro runner soles, or a retro basketball upper with an espadrilles sole, or EVA with light mountaineer optic”, says Lachner. The popularity of the sporty shoe is confirmed by Lacoste’s Robert Stöckl: “Our top-sellers aren’t really normal sneakers anymore.” Mixtures of sailing shoes and desert boots are a perfect match for most men’s outfits – especially rolled-up chinos. Another fashion supplier that is pretty successful with alternative shoe models is Bench. “Our design team discovered that the trend is not only about military boots, but about classic footwear as well – style, the quality of the design, shape and material matter quite a lot”, says Hanjo Argendorf, General Manager of Americana GmbH. “Our consumer is ready for a bigger range of fashion-inspired footwear, giving us more leeway when it comes to further development of the hybrid segment.” G-Star places a lot of importance on fashionable mixes as well: “They were always important to us, and they sold well”, says Marketing Director Matthew Griffith. “We present a mix of materials and play with Brogue detailing. Our boots are common styles, but have unusual details.”

The Casual Thought Clean, simple, brown-shoe-inspired models with a sporty sneaker sole – Mario Pitschnig calls these creations between sporty and dressed-up New Casuals. Brands like Boxfresh have been ruling this trend since it began. Following on their path, brands like Hub Footwear and Pointer are proving to be strong in retail. “The combination opportunities with the brown shoe are so much more diverse”, explains Verena Schwingeler the enormous success of these models.

the change of shoe styles –– what’s the story

Camper

For Sneakerama’s Pitschnig, the change towards dressing shoes already began in 2009. He sees the reason for this development in the extreme “democratization” of fashion. With adults sporting more and more Chucks or skater shoes, the youth turned the tables – with provokingly good styles, and a preppy and classic appearance. “The preppy style, which is rooted in sports like tennis, sailing, and golf, made the colours and materials simpler and more dignified,” explains Willy Umland. The counter trend – opposing the fast-paced, high-tech world through traditional, sloweddown, valuable fashion – did the rest in snatching shares off the sneaker market. Accelerated by the proliferation of new media, which spread street looks from Tokyo, Copenhagen or Los Angeles around the globe in no time, the triumph of the dressing shoe was unstoppable. “Role models and opinion leaders, fed by classic and new media, play a key role in this,” says CAT Footwear’s Michael Schiller. His prognosis for the future is an even stronger linkage between shoes and fashion suppliers, but also a commitment to core brands with a story and real heritage.

Searching for Alternatives The trend is not only for men: “Young female customers are done running around in Chucks or Plimsoles as well. Shoes have become a statement in this young segment, they are a crucial part of a good outfit”, as Katrin Hummel, General Director of shoe label Flip Flop, explains. Dutch shoe designer Floris van Bommel, whose collections have always bridged the gap between sporty and unconventional on the one side and classic on the other, sees innovation as the customer’s main motivation. “Young customers expect the same things from their shoes as they do from other products. The products have to be surprising, seductive, entertaining; they have to impress their wearers’ friends. The days of the shoe as a simple, functional thing are definitely over. “To the customer, the combination possibilities of a shoe are even more important than the quality. The willingness to pay a bit more for a good pair of shoes is there, but the shoes need to be wearable with different styles

Gaastra

and on different occasions, and they need to have the proper quality”, Verena Schwingeler states. Brands are used for orientation when it comes to quality features. Robert Stöckl of Lacoste sees a clear sales pitch: It has to be the right brand, price performance ratio has to be good, the design has to be upto-date, and the brand’s handwriting needs to be unique.”

Everyday Shoe Mario Pitschnig explains: “The customer wants a clean, sporty-elegant, every day leather silhouette. More often than not, calculations for these are better for retailers than typical sneaker brands. “On the one hand, the customer wants ‘more dressed’ sneakers, but on the other hand, he needs sneakers that he can make a statement with”, Christine Knebelkamp believes. Marco Lachner confirms: “There is a demand for universal shoes, they need to fit for a visit to the parents-in-law, but they also need to be fresh and cool in the club and everyday life. Young shoes should emphasize the foot, but still have a casual look with sporty features”. Lachner clearly sees a trend from loud street-wear to the casual Friday look.

Sporty, yet Subtle “Shoe fashion is still sporty, but it has become more subtle. It is less action-packed”, states Camper’s Klaus Baumann. With Chinos and their slim cuts in particular, the shoes become more simple and classic. “Right now, shoes need to appear decent, not bulky and loud”, says Marco Lachner. “The slight ank-

05 “Our top-sellers aren’t really normal sneakers anymore.” Robert Stöckl, Lacoste Footwear

06 “The days of the shoe as a simple, functional thing are definitely over.” Floris van Bommel

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what’s the story –– the change of shoe styles

04 Keds

Vagabond 05

01 “Shoe fashion is still sporty, but it has become more subtle. It is less action-packed.” Klaus Baumann, Camper

02 “Young female customers are done running around in Chucks or Plimsoles as well.” Katrin Hummel, Flip Flop

03 “Right now, shoes need to appear decent, not bulky and loud.”

le-high casual shoe, which works well with rolled-up trousers, will be even stronger”, is Robert Stöckl’s prediction. The focus is on a clear silhouette; colours orient themselves on fashion and tend towards muted colours from grey to brown. “Colours have become more quiet”, says Stöckl, “loud colours only appear as pop-up colours in details, at the utmost.”

Marco Lachner, Kangaroos

A Question of Price?

04 “The big sneaker hype of the past years has slowed down quite a bit.”

“Young shoes have to be fashionable, trendy, comfy, and durable. The price is not necessarily important”, says Sebago’s Jan Dicks. Customers were confronted with high price tags in winter due to the boots trend, and they willingly accepted them. However, Cat Footwear’s Michael Schiller warns: “A good shoe can definitely cost more than 100 euros. When it comes to brands, the customers know that quality has a price. But over 200 euros, it gets really tight, even for boots.”

Mario Pitschnig, Sneakerama

05 “The combination opportunities with the brown shoe are so much more diverse.” Verena Schwingeler, Pointer & HUB Footwear

06 “There are more experiments with nonsporty looks – especially in the new segment of traditional uppers with sports inspired soles.” Matthew Griffiths, G-Star Footwear

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“Young consumers experiment more when it comes to trend styles. They also have a lower income and are therefore more sensitive about prices. Every good shoe brand needs a price structure in order to attract a wide base of customers”, Matthew Griffith explains. With prices for raw materials exploding, this is quite a challenge for the industry. “As a brand, you need to find the middle ground, so you don’t end up outside of the prevalent price range of your target group!” says Marco Lachner. And Jan Dicks adds: “Prices will climb one or two points, due to the world-wide demand for leather and increased costs in the Far East. Companies that keep their prices stable are doing so at the cost of their shoes’ quality.” The industry is increasingly using leather “surrogates” to compensate for increasing costs.

Materials and Making Marco Lachner: “Production techniques are not as important as a shoe’s quality and detailing.” The Kangaroos designers focus on materials like suede, nappa or nubuck leather. “Smooth or rough leather is currently dominating the look”, Mario Pitschnig confirms. Yet, canvas still plays a big role according to the shoe expert. Mesh, thin leather and uncomplicated boat shoe optics are also important in Spring/Summer 2012. Robert Stöckl summarizes the new fashion style: “Premium sportswear with a tendency towards a casual cultivated look, that’s what we are talking about!” x

what‘s your name –– what’s the story

And Why Did You Choose That Name?

Iceman

Text Alana Wallace, Nicolette Scharpenberg

The Iceman brand was founded in 1992 by Gert Sörensen and Lars Nielsen, but back then it was called “Jones”. It was also around that time that the label ”Jack and Jones” (founded 1989), part of the Bestseller group, went through the roof. Bestseller became a bit anxious and Sörensen did not want to play power games with the top dog, so they decided to find a new name. A cool name. At some point Sörensen and Nielsen happened to watch Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer’s classic blockbuster “Top Gun”, and everything went pretty fast from there. Both thought that the Kilmer character was pretty cool – well, Iceman, after all. And so they had a new brand name. As simple as that! www.icemanfashion.com

Photos Brands

When choosing a cool name for your label, you have to provide than just empty phrases.

Cheap Monday

“In November 2000, I opened a small second-hand shop with three friends in a Stockholm suburb. The shop was called Weekend and was only open on Saturdays. It was such a success that we decided to expand it into a full-time concept. Weekend evolved into Weekday, with high fashion, second-hand items and exclusive denim brands in its range. But we needed a good value, fashionable denim alternative. So the first narrow jeans with the skull logo appeared in March 2004. At the beginning, Cheap Monday was an in-store brand for the Weekday stores, which included the initials of the weekdays (MTWTFSS) in its logo. It took its name from the ‚cheapest‘ day of the week because everyone is usually broke on Mondays, having spent all their money over the weekend.” Örjan Andersson, Head Designer at Cheap Monday. www.cheapmonday.com

Pleasant Beef

“Even though the name might sound like it, Pleasant Beef has nothing to do with cattle halves, beef shanks and captive-bolt pistols. It is rather the name for a ‘Keep Streetwear Real’ initiative, which was founded in 2007 and aims to charmingly provoke through ironic designs and ambiguous messages. So we had to pick a name for the label, which fits the philosophy while not being too obvious at the same time. The term ‘beef’ comes from HipHop culture and describes a quarrel or conflict, something that is not necessarily pleasant. We chose a programmatic wordplay that ironically reflects our attitude. After all, Pleasant Beef was brought to life to rub sugar in wounds, and to cast pearls into fire. Because misery and prudery don’t mock themselves.” René Mayer, Pleasant Beef. www.pleasantbeef.com

Johnny Cupcakes

“After I dropped out of college, I began working at a silk screening shop making T-shirts for the metal/hardcore band I used to be in. I thought it would be funny to make a couple of random shirts that said ‚Johnny Cupcakes‘ on them. Wearing my Johnny Cupcakes T-shirt to work caused quite a commotion. Not only did everyone I work with want a T-shirt, but most of the customers wanted one as well! I‘d be organising records when a random person would slide up next to me whispering, “Hey…you that cupcake kid?” and I‘d reply, “Yeah…what do ya need?”. A couple of times a day I‘d have to pretend to go to the bathroom to sneak out and sell T-shirts out of the rusty, dented trunk of my beat up ‚89 Toyota Camry.” www.johnnycupcakes.com

Naked and Famous

“The goal of our brand is to make fun of all the bullshit in the industry. When we started the brand in 2008, Hollywood and ‘Glamour’ brands were running rampant, charging $400 for jeans only because some silly celebrities wore and/or endorsed the product. We think that’s a stupid reason for someone to buy a pair of jeans. Early pop-artists in the ‘50s (like Andy Warhol or Roy Lichtenstein) made art like our logo in order to satirise the mainstream and ‘ideal-blond’ obsessed culture. They mass produced their art and sold it right back to the culture they were making fun of, and to a certain extent, we intend to do the same! Instead of selling ‘glamour’ or ‘celebrity’ or bedazzled fabric, we’ve decided to just sell raw jeans.” www.nakedandfamousdenim.com

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Step up! A fine selection of hot newcomer in the shoe segment. Watch out! Text Karolina Landowski Photos Brands

02 Hester Vlamings Shoe Experiments

Shoe The Bear Sneakerama

The sneakers that Thomas Frederiksen and Jakob Fulgsang wanted to offer within their shoe label, Shoe The Bear, founded in 2007, were supposted to be hip, different and, above all, affordable. In addition to stylish unisex sneakers, the label collaborates with young artists every year to produce a shoe that is entirely based on the designer‘s own ideas. The successful Danish canvas sneaker collection, which is sold in 15 countries around the world, was expanded by high-quality leather shoes two seasons ago. These shoes are manufactured in Portugal. The outdoor-inspired boots, Chelseas and lace-ups emphasise the trend towards dressier footwear. The collection‘s wholesale prices are between 25 and 50 euros. Shoe The Bear is distributed by Friedrich Reckfort and his Hamburg agency We Distribution. ContaCt: Shoe The Bear, 800 Aarhus/Denmark, Tel 0045.252.10823, youhadme@shoethebear.com, www.shoethebear.com

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Dutch shoe designer Hester Vlamings has no shortage of ideas when it comes to her work. Sometimes she adapts a traditional clog into a high heeled shoe, designs a pair of stilettos with cartoon eyes, or creates a threecoloured ankle boot as a hommage to Piet Mondrian. Vlamings ignores trends and commercialism; she prefers to experiment with colours and materials, developing shoes that are sexy and unusual - simply because of their unconventional heels. The elaborate models are manufactured in Italy from fine leather, and the designer personally oversees production. “The women who wear my shoes are independent, open minded, self aware and enjoy defining their own style,” says Vlamings who is currently looking for German distribution facilities and is exhibiting at GDS in Düsseldorf. ContaCt: Hester Vlamings 1017 Amsterdam/Netherlands T 0031.6.54281414 hester@vlamings.com www.hestervlamings.com

the change of shoe styles –– what’s the story

Mos Copenhagen It‘s Nice and Colourful Here

Scandinavian labels do not always have to be characterised by a clear stark style, as is evident in the brand-new shoe label Mos Copenhagen with its eye-catching snowboots in neon colours and bright sneakers on high wedges. Jazzy colours and technical materials define the sporty look. For the Spring/Summer 2012 collection, the Danish label is presenting sophisticated strappy sandals made from quilted canvas and mesh with striking profiled soles or colour blocked wedges. And the special thing about them is that almost all models are available with flat soles, platforms or high wedges. Wholesale prices range between 25 and 32 euros. In Germany, the first boutiques and shoe shops have already ordered their models. A search is currently underway for a distribution agent for the German-speaking countries. ContaCt: MOS Copenhagen, Rikke Bro, 2700 Bronshoj/Denmark , T 0045.6130.3963 rikke@moscopenhagen.com, www.moscopenhagen.com

06 Kamaeleon Berlin Vibes

The young Kamaeleon label was established in Berlin by Italian shoe designer Giorgia Iacobellis, who previously worked for Bally and Moschino. Inspired by the sub-culture of her adopted homeland she designs unconventional styles that are very quirky and reminiscient of rock n‘ roll - including cool stiletto boots, half boots and lace-ups. The models are named after famous rock stars. Among Kamaeleon‘s most successful products are brightly coloured unisex espadrilles with large studs. The label is showing its fourth collection, which is produced in Italy in its entirety, for Spring/Summer 2012. Soft calfskin and canvas dominate the collection. The models are currently distributed from the company‘s headquarters. ContaCt: Kamaeleon, 12045 Berlin/Germany, giorgia.iacobellis@kamaeleon.info, www.kamaeleon.info 04

Jeffrey Campbell LA Superstar

05 Bed Stü Tough as Nails Boots

Jeffrey Campbell developed the first models as part of a family company he set up in a garage in the heart of Los Angeles in 2000. Today it‘s not only Hollywood celebrities who wear the feminine models designed by this hip American shoe label. The high heels and boots are now crossing the Pond and will be distributed in Germany, Austria and Switzerland by Munich agency Freemark Enterprise. The collection is characterised by current trends on the catwalk mixed with vintage influences. A touch of Boho, a sprinkle of rock star chic, extreme platforms, and high wedges are among the key looks. The focus for materials is on leopard and millefleur prints and smooth leather. The wholesale prices range from 60 to 160 euros.

Heavy worker boots are part of the dress code in the New York district of Bedford-Stuyvesant. The area is characterised by tough and toned guys and by gangs. The two founders of the Bed Stü shoe label grew up here, and their background has clearly influenced the rough and tough style of their eponymous boots. Cobbler, the main line of this American label, is manufactured in Mexico. All models are edge stitched and have a robust leather sole. The natural brown of the shoes comes from tanning the organic leather with vegetable dyes. The upper leather has a complex finish in a vintage look which is achieved with a top secret recipe. The models sell for 92 to 154 euros; the distributor for Europe is EFSN Ltd, based in Düsseldorf.

ContaCt: FRP Agencies 0320 Elche/Spain T 0034.96.5457596 francisco@frp-agencies.com www.jeffreycampbellshoes.com

ContaCt: EFSN LTD, Michael Maier 40474 Düsseldorf/Germany T 0049.211.5445145 michael.efsn@googlemail.com www.bedstu.com

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Capsule Collections –– what’s the story

One to Rock, One to Stock? Once upon a time, limited editions were all the rage. They made consumers go nuts and equally enhanced the image of both brands and retailers. These days, it‘s no longer as easy to pump up the crowds. Has the fashion market become saturated with limited editions? Text Nicolette Scharpenberg Photos Brands Illustration Patrick Fuchs aka S-Fly

01 What does a product need today not get lost in the flood of limited editions? 02 Adidas has been successfully collaborating with the American fashion designer Jeremy Scott Since 2009. A connection with the right chemistry.

am in New York. Two hours till kick-off: Two hours until the Supreme Store at Layfayette Street 274 opens. Shoppers have been waiting for 24 hours in front of the shop. They want to get their hands on clothes from the new limited collection by Supreme in collaboration with The North Face. This type of scenario is quite uncommon nowadays. The industry has undergone a dramatic development. Once upon a time, shoppers were prepared to camp outside shops in order to obtain the object of their desire, but today it seems as if you only have to wait five minutes for the next post on style and hype blogs on the latest cooperation of brand xy with artist xy. Alternatively, they may report on star designer xy collaborating with brand xy or with shop and brand xy. The combinations are endless, and therefore no longer exciting. Genuinely interesting projects, such as the Adidas Superstar or Converse‘s first collaboration with designer John Richmond, have long since been forgotten. Today, the sheer multitude of capsule collections and limited editions has become a veritable jungle. And one wonders: What do you need to draw attention to your brand and in what form do these

collections really make sense? Do they really bring in the money or do they simply devour budgets without enhancing a label‘s image?

Win-Win Lee Jeans has been working with the Vivienne Westwood company for three years. The denim company is responsible for producing the London designer‘s denim range within its Anglomania collection. The collection includes just under 40 pieces, with jeans priced between 200 and 500 euros. The designer‘s loyal customers view 250 euros as a real bargain for designer jeans, which opens the brand to an entirely new target group. Vivienne Westwood uses the expertise of the denim specialist responsible for producing her range. The distribution is carried out by Vivienne Westwood because these collections require their own distribution and special marketing. According to VF Group, Lee does not develop anything purely for image reasons. It‘s primarily about increasing sales volume. The collaboration enhances Lee‘s image and is also extremely good for business, as is demonstrated by the fact that it has now been going on for three years and – according to Lee – is set to

continue for several more seasons.

In the Pipeline The Closed brand creates limited editions in cooperation with the London menswear brand Garbstore, the Africa photographer Michael Poliza and, most recently, the shoe brand NDC. These collections are supposed to complete their main collections, fill delivery windows or feature themes that were successful or typical for their brand in the past. These ranges are only presented in showrooms in Milan, Paris or Düsseldorf, with the intention of reaching primarily top customers. And it‘s been a success, as the label has been able to win over customers from the premium segment with these highend collections. These customers only became aware of the label through these sales channels. The number of items in the ranges have been calculated realistically. After all, it‘s always very expensive to produce small collections. Closed mainly uses the collections as a PR and marketing tool. “Of course, the media is happy to feature collaborations and we are

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“Stüssy is a welcome partner and even enhances the image of other brands.“ Dennis Albrecht, Säck & Nolde Distribution, Bochum

“It has to be a strong brand! Adidas is now so well established that cooperations come about naturally.“ Christine Knebelkamp, Style PR Manager at Adidas

“Capsule collections are mainly a PR and marketing tool for us.“ Til Nadler, Closed Managing Director

“Limited editions have lots of parallels to modern art: They need the same ingredients to become successful and well-known.“ Arnaud Jeangirard, Category Manager at Vans Footwear

30 ––

as well, particularly if both brands want to improve their standing in this way,“ explains Closed Managing Director Til Nadler. “Our flash collections have all been a success, and sometimes you realise that you could have included a theme in the main collection,“ he says. The company wants to take on new markets through its collaboration with NDC. Nadler: “We‘re not a shoe company, but we might be able to use this cooperation to further conquer this segment. Our retail has become a great platform for pilot projects, which means that we can constantly try out new things.“

With the Right Chemistry ... St. Pellegrino with Missoni; Evian with Paul Smith? What brand needed it the most? When the collaboration seems illogical, it is often to the detriment of its authenticity. It‘s a different matter for Adidas. Since 2009, the brand has been successfully collaborating

with the American fashion designer Jeremy Scott, whose creations are worn by numerous stars such as Agyness Deyn, Katy Perry or Kylie Minogue. In his “Adidas Originals by Jeremy Scott“ range, he manages to give sportswear a fashionable twist. An American football shirt is studded with Swarovski crystals, for example. “Jeremy already was a big Adidas fan in his teens and liked wearing the brand“, says Christine Knebelkamp, Style PR Manager at Adidas. “That‘s why the collaboration was literally a perfect fit. The chemistry between star designer and the brand has to be just right,“ explains Knebelkamp. Adidas has a long tradition of capsule collections. This was already the case back when the company worked with Run DMC. Adidas celebrated the superstar and even composed a song to emphasise this. Another example is Missy Elliott, an absolute sneaker freak who wanted to create her own range with Adidas. The figures show that these collections pay off, at

Capsule Collections –– what’s the story

01 Lee Jeans has been working with Vivienne Westwood since 2008. A partnership that opens both brands an entirely new target group. 02 The Closed brand creates limited editions in cooperation with the London menswear brand Garbstore. Successfully, as the label has been able to win over customers from the premium segment with these high-end collections. 03 It was these special collections that made the Californian skater brand Vans world-famous. Marc Jacobs x Vans was one of the was one of the most decisive. 04 For the American streetwear brand Stüssy is important that the potential partner‘s DNA is a good match for Stüssy‘s own history. See here: Stüssy and Fred Perry.

least for Adidas. “Our entire style sector has really grown and is extremely successful. It‘s booming, which is undoubtedly due to the fact that we‘re always fresh and constantly launch new products that reflect current trends.“ It‘s only dangerous when you try to buy coolness. Knebelkamp: “We have the advantage that our brand has become very strong. Our trefoil logo has acquired a global cult status in many different areas, be it art, music or sports. As a result, we don‘t have to curry favour. The brands or artists rather come to us because they want to work with us. And so we remain authentic.“

Brand DNA One brand that got it right from the very beginning is the American streetwear brand Stüssy. It is picky when it comes to collaboration partners: what‘s important is that the potential partner‘s DNA is a good match for Stüssy‘s own history. “Stüssy has always had a glam factor that the brand has maintained over 30 years. The brand always remained true to itself – irrespective of sales volume and trends,“ says Dennis Albrecht from Säck & Nolde Distribution, Stüssy‘s German distributor. “This was the only way it could establish collaborations with partners such as Marvel, Neighborhood, Bathing Ape or, most recently, Fred Perry.“ But these collections can‘t be sold in any old store; the products are exclusively available in the brand‘s own flagship stores and online shops. The collections cannot be shipped to Europe. “Many customers try to get the items destined for the Japanese or US market by going online, but that‘s simply not possible,“ explains Albrecht. “To acquire these items, customers have to personally contact the store. There‘s no other way to get hold of the items, and this goes for both Stüssy‘s own flagship stores, as well as its online stores. This preserves the shop culture.“

Utilising Capsule collections to Become a Key Player The Californian skater brand Vans is a pioneer in this area. Custom clothes and capsule collections have been part of the brand‘s DNA and history since the brand‘s establishment in 1966. “Back then, the customers were able to bring their own fabrics into our stores, and we then made them their very own pair of shoes,“ explains Arnaud Jeangirard, Category Manager at Vans Footwear.

According to Jeangirard, it was these special collections that made the brand worldfamous; particularly the collaboration with New York fashion designer Marc caused quite an impact: “Working with Marc was a great opportunity for us and really pushed our recognition and public image. It catapulted Vans to global key player status in the shoe industry and paved the way for us to enter high-end streetwear stores such as Colette, Fred Segal and Dover Street Market.“ Vans uses two strategies: “Depending on the type of collaboration, we either use an aggressive (expansion of our reach) or defensive (protection of our business) marketing strategy. But these collections are generally intended to increase our customer numbers. What‘s always important is that both parties as committed as we are and have the same values and interest in the products,“ explains Jeangirard. “We‘re all about surprising the customer, for example by collaborating with an unexpected partner. For us it‘s not so much the design or material that makes the product extraordinary. It‘s more about the story behind it, limited numbers and selective distribution. Limited editions have lots of parallels to modern art: they need the same ingredients to become successful and wellknown.“

both parties. It becomes difficult when money is used to buy a partner to improve the own image. Do these collections really bring in the money or are they simply an expensive way to devour budgets in the hopes of coming out on top? Arnaud Jeangirard: “It depends on the collaboration. In general, we see them as profitable. We‘re more concerned with enhancing our image and profiting from the fashion competence of partners such as Marc Jacobs or A.P.C. than we are with sheer sales volume. Some collaborations give Vans the chance to reach a new or broader group of consumers. In the long-term, this has a positive impact on sales. Vans will continue to feature capsule collections.“ x 04

Sales Versus Image – Who‘s the Winner? The concept seems good if both partners are equals in terms of image and create a product that benefits from the strengths of

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What‘s Yours is Mine! Alternative shopping events such as swap parties are becoming increasingly popular in Germany. These non-commercial events are a great opportunity for young designers, and a true Mecca for vintage fans. Text Anna Rabbow Photos Organiser Illustration Sarah Egbert Eiersholt

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wap parties originally come from the USA. They have long since been successful there and in Great Britain, and now they‘re becoming fashionable in Germany as well. “To swap” means to exchange, and that‘s precisely what it‘s about: swapping clothes. Based on the motto: “What‘s yours is mine”, swap party guests can exchange clothes they no longer wear and that are in a good condition for tokens that can be cashed in for old clothes that

are as good as new. So swap parties give participants the chance to pimp their wardrobe without spending any cash, while having a lot of fun at the same time. The mainly female guests at a swap party can search for new treasures in strangers‘ wardrobes. Garments that do not find a new home can either be picked up again or donated to charity. The end of the event is toasted with a glass of champagne. After all, it is a party. x

Alternative Shopping events –– what’s the story

“Even if you take on the large financial burden of a conventional trade show, it‘s nonetheless difficult for young labels and designers to even be admitted to the conventional trade show.” Marina Neuman, Trendmafia Berlin 02

01 Hamburg Girls‘ Flea Market

02 Berlin The Designer Market

03 Berlin Holy Shit Shopping

Klara Kadlec and Kristin Rosche came up with the idea in 2008 of creating a flea market especially for girls. They wanted to create a place where fashionistas could buy and sell fashion and vintage garments in a relaxed atmosphere. The Mädelsflohmarkt (Girls‘ Flea Market) is now held two to three times a year in the Schanze district of Hamburg. “Nothing similar had existed until then in Hamburg, and we knew that we would make a lot of girls very happy,” says Kristin Rosche when asked about the idea. The series of events has become a regular fashion event in Hamburg and is now so popular that there are plans for a small Mädelsflohmarkt tour of Germany. With lively chatter, a piece of cake in one hand and new clothes in the other, listening to the music of the DJ - that‘s what we call a great day. By the way: While previous events were held in April and October, there are now plans for an outdoor event in summer. www.facebook.com/pages/maedelsflohmarkt

In 2007 and 2008, Volker Buhrmeister established the TrendMafia designer market in 2008. On the first weekend of every month (with the exception of the two summer months July and August), a former supermarket building in the Berlin district of Wedding provides space for around 60 national and international startups giving them the chance to present their work in fashion, design, jewellery and much more to a clientele who are interested in design. TrendMafia exhibitor Marina Neumann knows from her own experience that the products of creative talents do not fit in with the items usually sold at flea markets. After all, these products are new and quite often one-of-a-kind. People begin to haggle, which is common at flea markets, but very inappropriate for the unique creations of young designers. That‘s why customers at TrendMafia can enjoy coffee and cake whilst talking about their impressions, celebrating their purchases or simply taking a break. www.trendmafia.de

Holy Shit Shopping is not your typical Christmas market. Hand-picked exhibitors offer their arts and crafts here. Visitors support creative newcomers, while purchasing Christmas gifts that are slightly more unique. The idea of the creative trade show, which has been around since 2004, is to bring larger labels and up-and-coming designers together in order to make young and not yet established art accessible to a wider audience. This concept is now so successful that the event tours the German cities of Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin and Stuttgart in the run-up to Christmas. Against a backdrop of mulled wine and DJ music, around 150 designers, creative talents and artists present their artwork. Since 2009, the summer counterpart to Holy Shit Shopping has also been held in the two cities of Berlin and Cologne under the name Summer Pop Shopping. Mulled wine is replaced by cocktails, but the wild mix of fashion, jewellery and product design, art, photography, graphic design and literature remains. www.holyshitshopping.de

04 Munich Happy Swapping

Swap parties are no longer just a trend from America. They offer friends the chance to clean out their closets and cabinets and meet to swap their unwanted stuff with one another. The first ever “Swap Dich glücklich” (Swap yourself happy) event was held at Munich‘s Glockenbachwerkstatt in February 2011. Interest had already been eager before the actual event. Around 1,000 garments, shoes and accessories were handed in and exchanged for swap tokens. “We‘re in Munich‘s Glockenbachviertel district, which is becoming increasingly gentrified. There is a pretty big focus on consumerism here. To balance this, we happily adopted the idea of a flea market visitor by founding the clothing swap market “Swap Dich glücklich,” says Babett Bamberg, initiator of “Swap Dich glücklich”. Dresses, shoes and accessories can be swapped, as long as they are in a good condition. What‘s left over can either be taken home or donated to charity. All in all, an ecologically and financially sensible event that is a lot of fun. www.glockenbachwerkstatt.de

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Sneaker art Shoe fashion is currently ruled by handicraft. However, when it comes to sneakers, pure handicraft was fairly uncommon, until Julia Schumacher came onto the scene and started to manufacture sneakers that are as individual as the folks who wear them. The name of the label: Snique. Text Karolina Landowski Photos Brand

S 01

“I want to provide the customer with the thrill that is lacking so often these days – the thrill to have a product come into existence that hasn’t been there before.” Julia Schumacher, Snique

94 –– 34

nique’s home is in the centre of BerlinNeukölln, in a dusty backyard. Julia Schumacher manufactures custom-built sneakers here in her own studio. Tons of colours, an overwhelming mix of materials and extraordinary applications – provided with the proper funding, a sneaker fan can let his imagination run wild and get a pair of oneof-a-kind kicks. In times of globalisation and democratization of fashion, more and more are willing to pay for this sort of luxury. Extraordinary sneakers have been Schumacher’s passion for a long time. Today the 29-year-old almost exclusively wears her own designs: Six different models from her own production grace her personal shoe cabinet. Sewed and glued after work because Schumacher comes from the classic shoemaking trade –

she learned the traditional production of Brogues, Derbys and Oxfords from scratch. The urge for handicraft work, for the creation of things that last for years or even a lifetime – like good, hand-made shoes – made the former student swap the auditorium for a studio seven years ago.

Made in Berlin Her inspiration comes from her home of choice, Berlin. “It is exciting to see what people put on their feet”, Schumacher says. She loves to walk through the city, and to scan sneaker stores for new colour combinations, rare limited editions, and extraordinary cuts. Yet, the typical Snique last is more elegant than the ideals set by Nike, adidas and co. Schumacher is not a fan of industrially manufactured sneakers. Low-grade leather peeling off quickly, dissolving seams, and thin air pads inside the soles, which wear out in a heartbeat – no quality in sight. “When it comes to comfort, industrially made shoes cannot keep up with tailor-made shoes”. The individual fit is the huge advantage of her handcrafted shoes: “The foot doesn’t have to work its way into the shoe”, Schumacher says.

No Assembly Line Her designs can be seen in a 40sqm store in Berlin-Mitte’s Torstrasse, called 10-20-Berlin. She shares the store with the local bag label Bagjack. A collaboration with this label is currently being planned for the near future. Eleven different sample pairs sized 38 to 47 give the customer an idea of what is possible. The samples are coined by individuality and phantasy, but they are not for sale; they are supposed to inspire the customer for his own styles. “I want to provide the customer

snique –– what’s the story

WWW –––––––––– www.snique.biz

with the thrill that is lacking so often these days – the thrill to have a product come into existence that hasn’t been there before”, Schumacher explains. Snique’s sneakers are exclusively designed based on the customer’s wishes, and therefore each pair is a valuable, unique copy. A tailor-made shoe takes Schumacher approximately 40 working hours, and this quality has a price. Tailor-made shoes in the size of the available lasts are between 850 and 950 euros. For a tailor-made shoe, which is fitted exactly to the customer’s foot, sneaker fans have to cough up around 1,400 euros. But they get a unique model, which lasts a lifetime, if it’s treated well.

Hand-picked Materials Right now, Snique offers one unisex last, which can be turned into a low- or high-top model, but Schumacher is currently working on a last for women. She points out that the quality of her materials is one of the main differences to industrial sneakers – which offer design opportunities from colours to materials and the colours of the laces as well. “I only use the best leather, promising my customers that their shoes will last for years.” She has encountered a high demand for chrome-free tanned leather, but she refuses to use this material because it is not sweat-resistant and tends to become brittle

01 Hand-made with love: Julia Schumacher discovered her love of shoes years ago. 02 Precious design: It takes at least 40 hours to produce one pair of Snique shoes. 03 Customer service: The shoemaker readily explains every individual step in the production process. 04 Source of inspiration: Potential clients can see shoe samples at the showroom in Berlin. 05 Collector’s item: Every pair of Snique shoes is one of a kind.

and hard quickly. Her customers can choose from more than 80 different sorts of leather and colours, including exotic skins like crocodile, saurian, or ray. Her upper material of choice is mostly tough or smooth leather from a German tanning company. The customer can also choose how flexible the soles should be. For avid cyclists, for example, she recommends a harder sole than for notorious pedestrians. Schumacher’s favourite designs include flashy models with contrasting piping, wild applications and multi-coloured soles, but she reckons that customers have become less daring: “Colourful sneakers were a topic a year ago, now people prefer brown and grey variations.” But the interest in handcrafted work has remained strong, just as the general interest in sneakers: “Sneakers are established, fashion doesn’t overly focus on them anymore.”

Individual Branding Schumacher’s customers do not focus on fashion too much either. Most individual designs are based on personal interest, such as the rich banker who always wanted Michael J. Fox’s shoes from “Back to the Future”. The head of a Berlin-based agency wears shoes with a coffee mug application because he cannot live without the black liquid. Tattoos are a popular thing as well. An anchor tattoo on sandals, a ‘Hamburg’ tattoo on the Velcro strip, or the golden wings on the ankle a customer never dared to get on his skin – Snique makes these dreams come true. “There is a story to each and every one of my shoes – and a special person behind it”, Schuhmacher explains. She herself has a secret passion as well because there is a sneaker brand she dearly loves: “I love adidas sneakers. I could never get rid of my ‘70s retro pair.” x

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mike kershnar –– the talk

Live Your Fantasy Artist and professional Mike Kershnar was responsible for the design of the cover for this edition of x-ray. He believes in life and has a close relationship with nature and its creator. Sound old school? Yeah, possibly, but it’s pretty cool how and where he expresses his values. Text Nicolette Scharpenberg Photos Nick Ruiz, Javier Sanchez

ey Mike, thank you for designing the x-ray cover! What were your thoughts for this motif? MK: I was originally thinking of taking a fat cap and a can of red Montana and making gnarly blood drips on my foot, then drawing a silver and black nail coming out of it and putting my “crucified” feet on a painting I did about spiritual and emotional resurrection. But my homies suggested I tone it down a bit. So I drew a little hummingbird on my friend

Holly’s foot. There was a lot of nice chemistry there as Holly is the photographer and Nick Ruiz’s girlfriend. That created a nice vibe and a lot of mutual appreciation from and for all of us – model, photographer, and artist. How would you describe your style of art? MK: My art practice comes from the way I have always enjoyed drawing. My process includes breaking things down into shapes, colors, patterns, and textures. It is a very organic, peaceful, and meditative way to paint and draw. It has been described as Primitive Expressionism and Neo Folk in the past. I just think of it as my style. It has cultural influences from around the world from all different eras and traditions. Most of your paintings show different kind of animals and nature. Why? MK: I love animals aesthetically and as teachers. The animals I paint at a given time all relate to what I am experiencing emotionally at that moment. For example when I paint a Vulture I want to process something in my heart that has died and needs to be further recycled into something else, just like a vulture feeds itself of carrion. When I paint a hummingbird, I am usually experiencing some kind of joy, a coyote I’m in touch

with my authentic self, eagle is elevated self, owl is shadow self, etc. So my paintings are essentially a diary of my life told through these medicine animals. You love to skate, you love to draw. How do you connect these two fields? MK: Skateboarding and art are the same to me because they both are expressive modes of freedom. A blank wall is just like an empty pool. Infinite possibilities. Also my art process is in my mind is like skateboarding. The initial sketch is the ride up, color fields are pop, line work is catch, and final outlines and touch ups are riding away clean. If you could design a fashion collection, what would it look like? What kind of materials would you use and how would you produce it? MK: If I were do a high fashion dream line with complete freedom in terms of costs

01 02

In addition to skateboarding and doing art, Mike also supports the youth organization Elemental Awareness and designs rock posters, for example for the Beastie Boys. As a child, Mike loved artwork by Powell Peralta and Santa Cruz. They formed the basis for his current design aesthetic on skateboard decks.

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The talk -- mike kershnAr

ded when joking about the prevalence of wolf fashion tees that season. I told him I was a huge fan of Sheppard’s and sent him some photos of some of the streetart I was doing at that time, which was inspired by him and included taking down street signs, painting animals on them, and then putting them back up. I guess Sheppard got a kick out of what I was doing, and we chilled at his opening for the collab he did with Tony Alva and Glen E. Friedman and from there it was on. I got to draw and watercolor some of my favourite totems Coyote, Snake, Eagle, and Owl for an Obey collection. I was so stoked on the magic of the entire encounter. It was one of those “Wish it, Dream it, See it, Manifest it” kind of things.

Making of Cover: Mike originally wanted to cover his foot with blood stains and then paint a black and silver nail over it. But his team told him to tone it down a bit.

and materials, I would create something with a lot of indigenous textiles, hides, and jewelry from around the world flipped into a modern edgy cut. For example for a jacket I might hire the right people to process a bunch of golden braintan buckskin hides, and then adorn them with a colorful chopped and screwed pattern of bead and quillwork. The cut of the jacket could be traditional European motorcycle but with a hood. The influences for this collection would be traditional Native American Clothing, Tibetan Jewelry, Russian Folk Textiles, African Beadwork, American Outlaw culture, and my art. All the animal products would be ethically collected in a sustainable manner from small scale traditional shepherds, hunters, tanners, etc. I’ve always wanted to do my own line and call it Wild Life. If you had three wishes in regards to the development of the fashion industry, what would they be? MK: To be the head of a big fashion house with a top notch team of designers, tailors, graphic designers, models, event planners, all of whom would be my best friends. That would be a kick to be up there with Chanel, Gucci, Prada, and… Kershnar. Ha ha. The second would be for all high-level fashion brands to reduce their prices so that the average person could afford to dress as sharp as they wanted. For the third I would wish for all destructive practices of the industry to

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“Wish it, Dream it, See it, Manifest it.” Mike Kershnar

change into something new and more useful from all perspectives. It’s like the hummingbird model: Pollinating flowers while feeding itself. You created a limited T-shirt line with Sheppard Fairey. How did this collaboration happen? MK: I ran into Sheppard’s main tee designer for Obey, Brent Larson, at The Sandpiper aka Dirty Bird in Laguna Beach. We kind of bon-

You work for the non-profit organization Elemental Awareness (EA). What was your part in this project? MK: When my best friend Todd Larson and I graduated from college we really wanted to something that made a difference in the world, and we conceptualized a non-profit that gives back to the skateboarding community through the avenues of skateboarding, wilderness skills, and art. Through the guidance of Johnny Schillereff and Marc Falkenstein from Element, EA became Element’s major charitable organization. EA is 10 years old now, and the wilderness survival program at Skate Camp is closest to my heart. That is where the kids learn to build a fire from bow drill, coal burning spoons, to do basic animal tracking, wild edible plants, archery, and just experience a real closeness and connection to the earth. Todd runs the program full time, and they include me a lot as a guest artist or instructor. It feels great to leave behind some sort of legacy and at the same time travel and give back alongside my best friends. x

oat shoes –– the talk

WWW –––––––––– www.oatshoes.com

Hip and 100 Per cent Biodegradable Did you know that the garden is the new bin for your old shoes? Sneakers by Dutch company OAT Shoes are made out of 100 per cent compostable, biodegradable material. Text Miranda Hoogervorst Photos Oat Shoes

y burying them in your garden, they become part of the organic circle. The shoes contain flower seeds as a gimmick; so within a few months, a pair of smelly sneakrs will cause a flower explosion. Founder Christiaan Maats and his business partner Dirk-Jan Oudshoorn worked on this innovative sneaker for more than two years. It was an intense process. In the Amsterdam OAT Shoes office, Maats speaks about their ‚quest‘: “We wanted to create a shoe that would be 100 per cent compostable and biodegradable after burying it in the ground, without leaving any toxic materials. The biggest problem was finding good materials. It‘s a jungle of certificates out there, but most certified producers could not specify the components of their certified material. In addition, we needed a producer who was willing to help us because our shoes slow

down a conventional production process. For instance, standard stitching machines are made for synthetic yarns, but we use the more fragile cotton yarn. We use canvas and cotton for the upper and canvas is normally glued to make the stitching easier. But we could not use chemical glue. We finally found a Bulgarian producer who strongly believes in our ideas and sustainable production methods.” The first line is the ‚Virgin Collection‘: four sneaker models made of hemp, bio-cotton, certified biodegradable plastics, cork, chlorine-free bleach and other non-toxic materials. They have white and beige uppers and coloured soles that refer to the four elements. A big contrast to the wildly coloured and black sneakers from popular brands. Christiaan: “First of all, it is difficult to dye canvas in radiant colours without chemical fixation. Secondly, we wanted the first line to be a blank

canvas. We will further develop the shoes from this neutral basis. We are exploring new materials, biodegradable dyes, leathers and prints, and so on for the new collections.” Currently, OAT Shoes are part of an exhibition (until January 2012) in the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Celebrities would love to make an eco statement by putting OAT on their feet. NBC people, Hollywood stylists and personal assistants have already asked for product placement. Christiaan: “It‘s all very tempting, but it wouldn‘t be smart to do that right now. We wouldn‘t be able to handle the requests that may come from the media exposure.” With a big smile he adds: “We did send a pair to the vice-president of Google, however. But we need to focus on the collection and the production line first. Children‘s shoes are high on our list. Wouldn‘t it be great to give your kid a shoe, bury it with them and then watch an oak tree growing from it?” x

01 /03 02

The first Oat shoes collection is called Virgin, made from hemp and organic cotton. An intensive process: Owner Christiaan Maats has worked on these innovative sneakers for more than two years.

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WWW ––––––––––

www.converse.com

“Not everyone wearing a leather or bike jacket is a rocker.” Willy Umland

“A CLEARED MARKET IS ALWAYS GOOD” Converse is one of those lifestyle brands that appeal to a wide target group without losing credibility. x-ray talked to Willy Umland, who has been responsible for the brand since 2001. Text Ina Köhler Photos Converse

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he shoe sector is experiencing quite some movement at the moment: The trend is going from canvas to brown shoes. Are you worried about that? Willy Umland: No, not at all. For various reasons; first of all, it is always good when the market is cleared out. We did not have any losses, but that does not mean we are not preparing for that scenario. It also does not mean that we’ll overthrow our entire product range, but we have already documented a high flexibility in the past. Until 2005, we were a half-year supplier. In 2005 we became a full-year supplier due to our winterproof footwear. Leather is not a loanword for us anymore. We made our homework quite some time ago. But it is hardly manageable from one season to another.

willy umland –– The talk

What challenges do you see in the market? WU: Well, our products are divided into three distributive trade groups. Shoe retail, sports retail, and trend/fashion retail. The next logical step focuses on the distinctive consumer groups – it’s the most important step. What does Converse stand for, and what do I offer to whom and how? This is absolutely essential. Segmentation is one thing, but we diversified by consumer groups. To do this, we took a closer look at our retailers and asked ourselves: Within these three groups, what retailer attracts what main target group? If you walk through the city, you see a multitude of different Converse images. We must not be “anything for everybody” because then we would be just another common good. This worked out even. Converse is closely connected to the Chuck Taylor, but the product range has grown immensely since the introduction of this shoe… True – the Allstar styles made up 90 per cent of our turnover until three years ago, today it is 50 per cent with an overall increased turnover. There is a whole range of other products, including the Jack Purcell, Star Chevron or One Star, which attract completely different target groups. Doesn’t that confuse the consumer? No, all these collections are united by the fact that we are authentic, an original, but we still look ahead. You can learn from the past, but you have to adapt products to today. That includes new materials like leather and styles that rather belong to the brown shoe segment. Even the Chuck Taylor line, which offers a wide choice, from the classics down to slip-ons and very fashionable variations, is made for different consumers. Are you adopting the USA collection? We buy four times a year and choose from 1,000 different models, depending on the season. Seasonal themes, like sandals or slipons for the summer, are added to that as well. Converse now has a store in Berlin-Mitte as well... That is an independent retailer in an exposed location. The retailer was given the interior in a trade-off between Converse and ourselves and decided to offer Converse products only. The store is not an Allstar or Converse store. Are monolabel stores interesting? Not at the moment. I always believed that we

should leave this to the retailers. This project developed through the co-operation. But you work closely with retailers… Yes, of course, it’s part of our success. I call it ‘Creating theme worlds’. Shop-in-shops, in my opinion, often feel like bought areas with shiny elements. That’s not us, we want the retailers’ individual handwriting to be recognizable. We encourage it. That’s why we have 30 merchandisers on the road. Three times a year, they take care of 850 to 1,200 customers, directly at the PoS. How is the clothing line developing in the market? What’s the turnover? Without naming numbers, it is steadily growing. By now, we are moving at around 12 to 15 per cent of overall turnover with clothing and accessories only. This is very important for the overall image of the brand, and we will continue focusing on this. Of course, this goes hand in hand with our shoe collec-

Converse

Willy Umland is CEO, Managing Partner, and part owner of the All Star D.A.CH GmbH based in Neuss. The company belongs to the Weert-based Dutch Bos group. It is the licence holder for the American brand in the German speaking markets, Benelux countries and Italy. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the company works with approximately 1,900 retailers.

01-04 05

Authentic and close to its target group - that‘s what Converse stood and stands for. Willy Umland is one of the more successful characters in the shoe industry. Converse has been a constant in the market for years.

tion. We have expanded our design department and work closely with our partners in Holland. We feed off each other very well. Is the textile distribution separated from the shoe distribution? No, this goes hand in hand as well. We have decided on this course of action in order to have it all in one piece. Wherever we have shoes and clothing together, we try to perfectly present Converse. That’s just part of a professional brand appearance. But we certainly also have customers in the textile or accessories segment that do not sell shoes. How do you keep desirability for a widely positioned product like Converse at a high level? It has been rather difficult to get there, but now it’s pretty easy. As long as opinion leaders such as top athletes, actors, or musicians wear our stuff proudly and freely, the mass-market will respond to that. We are in the lucky position of not having to sponsor too much – most people approach us. I went to a Scorpions concert, and Rudolph Schenker proudly showed me his pimped Chucks – he had them plastered with rivets in Los Angeles. Not everyone wearing a leather or bike jacket is a rocker, but everyone likes to be a bit of a rebel. As long as we can achieve this, I am not worried about the brand. x

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Want it! Text Nicoletta Schaper, Isabel Faiss, Nicolette Scharpenberg, Claudia Janka Fotos Marken

The Style Is Yeah Believe it or not

Some see a cute bow, but designer Sani Gulic interpreted it as an improvement to the sign for infinity. Since the beginning of 2011, she has commercially been translating this notion into a collection of bow-shaped bags. The Bowhipbags, as she calls them, are supposed to be a cool, yet functional eye catcher. The line is entirely hand-made. The collection currently exists in the sizes small, medium and large, but Gulic plans a seasonal oriented textile collection for the near future. Every customer can choose his or her own materials and designs, which is why there are no base prices to report. At the moment, production runs on-demand, but a distribution network is underway. ContaCt: The Style Is Yeah, Sani Gulic, T 0049.163.5674657, welcome@thestyleisyeah.com www.thestyleisyeah.com

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I Love Shirts So much love...

Only a very small number of T-shirt motifs has made it into the holy hallways of international fame. Among them the world’s most famous declaration of love: I Love NY. The idea is simple, yet pure genius. For the 2010 Football World Cup, the Munich-based design office FPMD picked up the idea for a co-production with Footlocker, producing fan tees featuring I-Love-My-Team motifs. The huge demand prompted the FPMD team to continue the concept in collaboration with the online platform Shirtinator. The I-Loveshirts have been on sale since the beginning of May, and they already feature over 100 different motifs – with a clear upward trend. The motifs can also be personalized in the online shop. Sale runs exclusively through the Shirtinator webshop, but co-operations and special editions for stores and events are still an option as well. ContaCt: FPMD Design & Production GmbH, Christian Boszczyk 80797 Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.12739215 chris@fpmd-design.com, www.i-love-shirt-shop.com

want it! –– fashion

03 mutewatch Sustainable Time Management

Swedish girl Mai-Li Hammargren was tired of waking up her husband who had to work until late into the night. A new time-management tool was needed to do the job. In 2008 she and her husband Gustav Hammargren and product designer Ritzén Praglowski developed the Mutewatch – a minimalistically designed watch that includes a vibrating alarm, an alarm clock and a hidden screen. Today the Swedish company consists of an international network of people from film, design, fashion, and the music industry. It is growing steadily. “The Mutewatch works for everyone who has to do work and to achieve a goal - with only 24 hours in a day. It works as a silent alarm for its owner - and only for him or her – and reminds them of everything important”, says Hammargren. The watches are available in three colors – Pure White, Poppy Red and Charcoal Grey with a retail price of 199 euros. Stores like Colette in Paris, New Museum New York, Voo Berlin or Milk in Shoreditch are already customers. ContaCt: Mute Watch, 11348 Stockholm/Sweden, T 0046.737.130500, mai-li@mutewatch.com, www.mutewatch.com

04 Djo No Revolution!

No one here is trying to revolutionize fashion. The Munich-based fashion brand Djo offers a refreshing, down-to-earth take to the topic. Wearable is not interpreted as a swear word, but simply means well-cut sweatpants with a low-cut stride, simplistic lines on smooth falling dresses and overalls. The complete collection by designer Joanna Danov, which is divided into a design line and a freestyle collection, is supposed to offer the right thing for every situation. Highlights are dresses and pullovers made of velour, and basics that are decorated with prints, pompons and bright gaudy colours. The freestyle collection is sold in Danov’s own, 60sqm shop in the Hohenzollernstraße, but it is also aimed at other stationary retailers. As a consequence, the extension of the distribution structures is on the top of the designer’s list of things to do. Base prices are between 16.90 and 45 euros, retail prices range from 49.90 to 129 euros. ContaCt: Djo, Joanna Danov 80801 Munich/Germany T 0049.89.33039123 jo@djo-style.com www.djo-style.com

05 olow Subversive Game With Reality

“It‘s an art project based on the change of reality,” says Valentin Porcher when he describes his label Olow, founded in 2006. It is a fusion of graphic, textile, video and DIY style, which plays with the idea of antagonism in its overall picture. The motifs depict surreal situations and are supposed to cultivate subversive thoughts, according to Porcher. Not as abstract: The textile canvas for these philosophical products is the finest organic cotton. The range currently consists mainly of T-shirts for men, but there are some shirts and jackets as well. Women are have been catered to since Spring 2011 with select T-shirt styles. T-shirts wholesale for 15 euros, jackets for around 80 euros. Olow is already being sold in 50 stores in France; in Germany about 35 shops are supposed to be supplied until February 2012. ContaCt: Olow, Valentin Porcher 93150 Le Blanc-Mesnil/France T 0033.662.966977 valentin@olow.fr www.olowshop.com

06 Barts Accessories for Everyone!

Colourful and highly recognisable accessories. This is the motto of the label Barts from Amsterdam. Founder Bart Koen recently expanded the annual collection to include wool hats, scarves, gloves and innovatively designed knitwear for men and women. Barts also has its own range for children and teenagers. The material blend of denim and canvas with knitwear or fake fur is typical for Barts accessories. Highlights of the current collection include moon boots, earmuffs and bags with striking fur or knitted details. Sporty, fashionable or glamorous – Barts accessories can be mixed and matched. Prices range from 6.50 to 49.95 euros. ContaCt: Barts HQ, Timo Hermeler, 1013 Amsterdam/Netherlands, T 0043.699.13639615 timo@barts.eu, www.barts.eu

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08 Maloja Soul in the Woods

Maloja, the alder woods in Switzerland‘s Engadin, really did it for Peter Räuber, who formed a label with the same name in 2004 with Klaus Haas. The corporate strategy of this Swiss sports brand is to design stylish and functional clothing with moods, faces and feelings. Maloja offers functional clothing for biking, running and climbing, and for all types of winter sports, including ski touring, cross-country skiing, skating and winter biking. The clothing is supposed to be functional and stylish at the same time. “Many functional products are designed to serve a variety of functions, making them suitable not just for various types of sport but also as leisurewear. Synergy effects in the different sports are very important for us,” explains Räuber. Prices lie in the medium to upper price segment for sportswear. Maloja is already available at well-known sports retailers and fashion shops in Germany and Switzerland. ContaCt: Maloja Clothing GmbH & Co. KG, 83253 Rimsting/Germany, T 0049.8051.963570 info@maloja.de, www.maloja.de

07 Hudini Sportswear In Style on the Mountain or in Wild Water

Performance, sustainability and style. These are the three magic ingredients of Swedish outdoor label Hudini Sportswear Founded in 1993 by mountaineer Lotta Giornofelice, the brand first became known for its base layer and first layer range. Today, the “Core Comfort” layering system offers everything that makes nature lovers‘ hearts beat faster: Underwear, second layers, soft and hard shells. More than 80 per cent of the products are made of recyclable raw materials using ecologically sustainable methods. All products are made in Europe. Underwear wholesales at 15 euros; a third layer hardshell jacket is in the medium to high price range at 100 to 190 euros. The collection will be available in German sports shops in August. ContaCt: Houdini, Ola Oredsson 13173 Nacka/Sweden T 0046.84.626440 ola.oredsson@hudinisportswear.com www.hudinisportswear.com

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premium shoes Moving up

“We only start the distribution of our shoes once they‘ve sold successfully on the floor,” says Amir Parandian, Managing Director of Premium Shoes. His family has been selling shoes and managing two stores in Bad Homburg for decades. The own label Premium Shoes by Hanna White has been around since 2005; it has been available to other retailers, including Goldmarie Berlin and Zalando, for two years. And its success is growing; new clients are added to the existing pool of 180 every week. The company has its own production site in Italy. Wholesale prices range from 28.50 to 47.50 euros with a markup of 2.5 to 3.0. A bag collection is already in the works, and a fragrance will be launched as well. ContaCt: Premium Shoes Amir Parandian 61348 Bad Homburg/Germany T 0049.151.17212341 info@premium-shoes.com www.premium-shoes.com

want it! –– fashion

10 phenum Street Serotonin

With the ingredients design, skateboarding, music and photography, Ific de Orestis, owner of the streetwear label Phenüm, founded in Brest in 2009, is making the heart‘s of street scene lovers beat faster. The logo shows a “P” inside a prism, which according to de Orestis is supposed to highlight the various components of the brand‘s DNA. The world of Phenüm has no boundaries: “We all have a common motivation: «Freedüm Quest» – the pursuit of freedom – determines our every step and influences our designs,” explains de Orestis. This is demonstrated by limited T-shirt series, some with enigmatic and shocking prints, others with surreal motifs. Products wholesale at 14.93 euros, with a markup of 2.5. Two new designs are released each month, strictly limited to 100 T-shirts. The collection is now being expanded to include caps, hoodies and other apparel. At present, the brand is represented in a concept store in Montpelier and at the Enigma board shop in Bordeaux. ContaCt: Phenüm, Ific de Orestis, 29200 Brest/France, T 0033.621.564464 contact@phenum.com, www.phenum.com

11 Monstore All Eyes On Originality

12 Elhaus Craftmanship: 16 OZ Denim

The tension-filled work by the young Berlin label Monstore catches the eye. The creative minds behind the label, founded in 2009, have big plans: Monstore products should be more than a portable consumer item, they are supposed to inform and excite T-shirt fans about the diverse world of fashion and art. Yudha Nicholas, Michael Chrisyanto, and Agatha Carolina - the team behind the label - also want to give young and promising artists the chance to transform their work into wearable art. Monstore stands for the harmonic expansion of fashion and art into a new form of originality that gets everyone‘s attention. There are already plans for the future: The product range will be extended by a few specials, such as the collectible series “Monstore Matters”. Wholesale prices range from 16.50 to 22.50 euros.

Denim through and through. Elhaus stands for 16 OZ Japan denim, craftsmanship, selvage edges, deep blue, clean, simple and honest. So that’s everything an indigo could wish for. Elhaus is already considered the newest denim must-have in its native Indonesia. The label’s logo consists of two feathers which are supposed to symbolize the idea that stands behind the clothes. “We do not want to enrich people with our products, we want you to enrich our products,” say Rav and Ed, the creative directors at Elhaus. Elhaus focuses on classic, timeless men‘s fashion for street gentlemen. In addition to denim, the collection also includes a small assortment of shirts and T-shirts. The label, previously available only in Indonesia, has now been sold in Europe since mid 2011. Men’s selvage denim wholesales for 100 euros, shirts for 60 to 70 euros.

ContaCt: Len & Luv Lifestyle Distribution, Lei Yong, 10999 Berlin/Germany, info@lenandluv.com www.lenandluv.com, www.heymonstore.com

ContaCt: Len & Luv Lifestyle Distribution, Lei Yong, 10999 Berlin/Germany, info@lenandluv.com www.lenandluv.com, www.elha.us

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13 hobo Shoes for All Situations

Cobbler, stick to thy last. Cobbler Hobo Boots ‚n‘ Shoes is happy to stick to this rule. Be it riding boots or hiking boots, for work or as a fashionable accessory; the label founded by Ferdinand Haeseler in Münster in 1982 offers high-quality and functional shoewear with convincing designs. The current spring collection “Geada” is characterised by cheerful colour combinations, accented material blends and a nice and flexible sole. Hobo Boots ‚n‘ Shoes are distributed by the company Malefiz Großhandels GmbH, which is based in Münster, Germany. They currently deliver products to 12 countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Benelux countries and Sweden. The shoes wholesale between 229 and 279 euros. Shops can be found on the website: www.hoboshoes.com. ContaCt: Malefiz Großhandels GmbH, 48366 Laer/Germany, T 0049.2554921321 info@hoboshoes.com, www.hoboshoes.com

14 Vulk EyeKulv

15 Schaaf Down to the Essentials

Sunglasses that look like they‘re made of high quality wood, with inlaid and colourful stripes and intricate details - that‘s the forte of Argentine optics label Vulk, founded in 2009. The brain behind the label is Carlos Ignacio Centeno, a professional optics technician, skateboarding and music enthusiast, and General Manager and Head Designer of Vulk. The designs stand for rebellion and orient themselves on the spirit of the ’60s and ’70s in New York‘s Lower East Village. The hotly courted woodlook Series 2012 is called “Amplify Your Life”. The total range of sunglasses and optical frames covers approximately 40 to 50 models in various colors at wholesale prices of 54 to 90 euros. Vulk is currently represented mostly in streetwear stores in South America, but Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Denmark and Russia are being targeted for distribution this season.

Born in Munich, Miriam Schaaf started her career as in fashion design with two awards: the Best Textile Innovation Award 2006 (AMD/Munich Fabric Start), and the Best Menswear Award 2008 (AMD). Originally planned as menswear, her collection has been enlarged to include a few select unisex pieces in the meantime. Production mainly takes place in Germany. Characteristic of all Schaaf designs are clear structures, strict geometrical shapes, a vanguard cut, and a lack of details that could distract from the essentials. Since last summer, Schaaf’s collection – which comes out only once a year – has been presented in her own showroom (including sales area), located in the Landsbergerstraße 51 label. The collection is also available at Harvest and Parke 6 in Munich, and through select online stores.

ContaCt: Boardwalk Berlin, Fred Schulz, 10969, Berlin/Germany, T 0049.30.25928096 fredschulz@boardwalk-berlin.com, www.Boardwalk-Berlin.com, www.vulkeyewear.com

ContaCt: Schaaf, Showroom Munich, 80339 Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.37942054 contact@miriamschaaf.com, www.miriamschaaf.com, www.store.miriamschaaf.com

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want it! –– fashion

Th Gallery Eclectic Creative Mix

Art + Music + Fashion = TH Gallery. Antoine Delomez wants to create a creative combination of history and avantgarde with his Parisian brand, founded in 2007. The limited edition T-shirts are therefore always shipped in a record sleeve that is adorned with the T-shirt’s print on its cover. ”Burger People” has been one of the most popular series of the label: it ironically combines celebrities with fast food chains, such as Karl Lagerfeld with KFC, Marilyn with McDonalds, or Burger King with the ”King”, Elvis. All T-shirts are made with organic cotton and eco-friendly colour. The T-shirts wholesale for 16 euros, with a margin of 2.5. The collection is currently sold at Opening Ceremony in Tokyo, Harvey Nichols in London, Dubai and Honk Kong, Citadium in Paris and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. ContaCt: Teach Heart Sarl, Antoine Delomez, 75001 Paris/France T 0033.610.240698, antoinedelomez@thgallery.fr, www.thgallery.fr

16 DTA Don’t Trust Anyone!

Johan Esbensen, aka “Yo”, founded the label Rogue Status in 2005 in Venice, California. Pro skater Rob Dyrdek and Travis Baker, owner of Killer Distribution / Famous Stars and Straps, noticed Rogue Status two years later and became partners. This merger was soon increasingly well known for example among the local Posse Do not Trust Anyone (DTA), which had already made a name for itself on the streets with its Gunshot print T-shirts. All signs pointed towards a “team up”! In 2008 DTA was ready to be a separate brand and partner of Rogue Status. Its universe consists of Skate Team, London‘s grime music scene and the Scion Racing drift team. Rogue Status and DTA are collaborating for another collection in 2012. T-shirts, caps, trousers, and a women’s collection of tops and beachwear are already available at Zoomies, Titus, Alleyoop, and Doubleight Karmaloop. They retail between 13.50 19.90 euros. ContaCt: West Coast Distribution T 0044.150.9262320 sales@westcoastdistribution.co.uk, www.dtaposse.com

19 SoÖruz By Riders, for Riders

Sugarfree Shoes Sweetener or What?

Every shoe tells a story, says the philosophy of Sugarfree Shoes, and if you take a look at the young label’s collection, you might get the idea that these stories may be pretty interesting. Vertiginous high heels, eccentric patterns and gaudy colours rule the collection of women’s shoes, which first came to the German market in the beginning of 2011. Their rhythm is slightly different as well: Eight to twelve new styles are released bi-monthly, and depending on the season they range from pumps to boots – always playing out the latest trends. If sales go as planned, this rhythm might be increased to a monthly update. Retailers can take advantage of a special service, as the lookbook is available online and offers orders by email or fax. Sugarfree Shoes is currently expanding its European distribution network (from Sweden) and is also looking for sales teams in Asia and New Zealand. With base prices ranging from 14 to 28 euros and a margin of 2.8, the label is targeted towards specialised shoe retailers and online retailers like nelly.com and mirapodo.com. ContaCt: Sugarfree Shoes, MnO International AB, Lisette Czubinska, 120 30 Stockholm/Sweden T 0046.8587.91600, lisette.czubinska@mno.se, www.sugarfreeshoes.com

The label Soöruz unites the common features of kitesurfing, wakeboarding and surfing and draws its inspiration from these sports. The French brand from La Rochelle, founded by Matthieu Barrat and Yann Dalibot, has been offering suitable apparel for watersports fans and lovers of land-based boardsports since 1999. The label‘s requirement is that all products are processed to the very highest technical and qualitative standards. Its portfolio ranges from technical hardware, to boardshorts and wetsuits, through to pullovers, sweatshirts, T-shirts, jackets, dresses, underwear and polo shirts – in short: Everything that fun-sports fanatics could possibly wish for. In terms of price, the collection ranges from 28 to 31 euros for boardshorts, and 40 to 63 euros for jackets. It is available at Planet Sports in Munich, Waterkant in Hamburg and Surf Shop on the isle of Sylt. ContaCt: Soöruz France, Cecile Lafon 17180 Perigny/France T 0033.546.346754 export@sooruz.com www.sooruz.com

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04 07 05

into the wild

Hippie? Don’t worry. Inspired by nature and its inhabitants, this is a credible street look. Small floral patterns, leather trims, boots, and animal prints characterise this look, as do destroyed denim and suspenders in all colours and shapes. Backpacks, canvas bags, lace tops, coarse linen shirts, patchwork and hiking elements.

14 18

01 –– Denim Demon, 02 –– Closed, 03 –– Carhartt, 04 –– Eastpak, 05 –– Dolfie, 06 –– RVCA, 07 –– Energie, 08 –– Edwin, 09 –– Freesoul, 10 –– Pepe Jeans, 11 –– Firetrap, 12 –– Ben Sherman, 13 –– WEMOTO, 14 –– Mavi, 15 –– Hilfiger Denim, 16 –– Replay, 17 –– Levi‘s, 18 –– Dunderdon

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Trends –– Fashion

Trends

The Berlin trade fail jungle has been accomplished. Eclectic is probably the right word, which outlines the trends in their diversity: whether floral prints, cool mix of materials, a smart 1970s holiday look or the old school college style. Whatever, Summer 2012, let‘s go!

19 21 20

Text Ina Köhler, Nicolette Scharpenberg Photos Veit Ritterbecks, Ina Köhler, manufacturers 22

19 –– Lacoste, 20 –– Adidas, 21 –– Drykorn, 22 –– Edwin, 23 –– G-Star, 24 –– Red Collar Project, 25 –– Edwin, 26 –– Gram, 27 –– Mavi, 28 –– Diesel, 29 –– Tigerhill, 30 –– Killah, 31 –– Maloja, 32 –– Levi‘s, 33 –– Titi Madam

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04 03

06 07 09

College Boys & Cheerleaders Girls just wanna have fun, and boys just wanna have style. This look, with its cropped baseball jackets for girls in bright colours and the associated mini-skirt, is sporty and sexy. The horn glasses complete the look. He comes with a casual baseball cap, matching jacket and sweater with a number on the chest. Sometimes he also likes to wear casual chinos, a tight jacket, plaid shirt and sporty men‘s handbag in colourful leather and canvas sneakers.

10 14

15 13 11 16

01 –– Carhartt, 02 –– LEE, 03 –– Energie, 04 –– Converse, 05 –– Red Collar Project, 06 –– Sperry Topsider, 07 –– Converse, 08 –– Original Eskimo, 09 –– Drykorn, 10 –– Mavi, 11 –– VITO, 12 –– Adidas Originals, 13 –– Fruit of the Loom, 14 –– Ben Sherman, 15 –– TOMS Shoes, 16 –– Lacoste, 17 –– Pepe Jeans

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Trends –– Fashion

05 06

sole-Land Boat shoes and boots are fixed elements in the footwear market. Add espadrilles in dizzying heights, for example as platforms or wedge heels. Light white soles are used for sneakers and more elegant women‘s shoes alike. Colorful uppers and soles in bright colors complement an outfit.

15 16

01 –– Pepe Jeans, 02 –– MOS Copenhagen, 03 –– D.co Copenhagen, 04 –– Pepe Jeans, 05 –– Bench, 06 –– Bench, 07 –– Dolfie, 08 –– Adidas Originals x Jeremy Scott, 09 –– Killah, 10 –– Firetrap, 11 –– Floris van Bommel, 12 –– Adidas, 13 –– Replay, 14 –– Lacoste, 15 –– Pepe Jeans, 16 –– Gram, 17 –– Ben Sherman

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Printed

Be it A-Team legend Mr. T, Lady Gaga as a Dunkin’ Donuts icon, a homage to Albert Einstein or the Brooklyn Bridge as kaleidoscope. x-ray is showing a selection of the best prints for 2012.

09 06

01 –– Converse, 02 –– TPDG, 03 –– OLOW, 04 –– Hilfiger Denim, 05 –– WEMOTO, 06 –– Drykorn, 07 –– GSUS, 08 –– RVCA, 09 –– Blondes make better T-Shirts, 10 –– Sixpack France, 11 –– TH Gallery, 12 –– TH Gallery

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Trends –– Fashion

08 07

06 09

10 12 11

Bright Colours You are spoiled for choice when all the rainbow colours come together: From pastels to rich bright colours – almost anything is possible. Coloured chinos and shoes are important eyecatchers. Contender for the front row is green - as a frog, jade, mint or olive green. Another main colour is bright red, which celebrated its premier as nail polish this summer. 13

18 16

01 –– Freesoul, 02 –– Mavi, 03 –– LEE, 04 –– G-Star, 05 –– Adidas, 06 –– Ben Sherman, 07 –– Carhartt, 08 –– Miss Sixty, 09 –– Floris van Bommel, 10 –– MOS Copenhagen, 11 –– VITO, 12 –– Eastpak, 13 –– Energie, 14 –– Diesel, 15 –– Drykorn, 16 –– Palladium, 17 –– Supremebeing, 18 –– Pepe Jeans

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06 03 05 04

02 07

on holiday Hey Baby, let‘s go to Nice! He wears chinos, striped shirts, Wayfarer sunglasses in black-brown horn, striped shirts in a used look, and shorts. She loves high-waisted skirts, flared jeans, long dresses with large floral patterns, tank tops with all-over prints, headscarves, Bast hats, flat sandals or colourful platform Espandrilles. Obligatory for genuine holiday feeling: Ice cream!

09 10 08

01 –– WEMOTO, 02 –– Sperry Topsider, 03 –– Supremebeing, 04 –– LEE, 05 –– Rules by mary, 06 –– Drykorn, 07 –– Vulk, 08 –– G-Star, 09 –– Mavi, 10 –– Pepe Jeans, 11 –– Keds

54 ––

Trends –– Fashion

18 14

20 21

24 25

23 26

12 –– Miss Sixty, 13 –– Pepe Jeans, 14 –– Ben Sherman, 15 –– R.T.CO, 16 –– Killah, 17 –– Keds, 18 –– Pepe Jeans, 19 –– Killah, 20 –– Tigerhill, 21 –– Lacoste, 22 –– Wrangler, 23 –– Floris van Bommel, 24 –– Diesel, 25 –– Rules by Mary, 26 –– Pepe Jeans

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03 05

06 08

10 09

Mini & Maxi Nice legs in the front row: Next summer will be all about showing your legs. The fashion scores with hot pants, casual Bermuda shorts or rolled up shorts in all types of fabric. If that seems too risky, go for the opposite: superlong skirts or dresses. This development is not new; it happened at the end of the ‘60s - the two lengths are now peacefully coexisting next to each other yet again.

12 14

01 –– Edwin, 02 –– GSUS, 03 –– Made & Crafted, 04 –– RVCA, 05 –– Hilfiger Denim, 06 –– Eleven Paris, 07 –– Freddy, 08 –– Hilfiger Denim, 09 –– Miss Sixty, 10 –– Pepe Jeans, 11 –– Pepe Jeans, 12 –– Miss Sixty, 13 –– We are Replay, 14 –– Diesel, 15 –– Diesel

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Trends –– Fashion

04 05

02 01 03

After Skate It only seems like yesterday, when boys came home in shabby, dirty jacks that were way too baggy and too broken. What do they wear today? Jersey or sweat dress jackets, slim-fit shirts and chinos. Plain, white shirts and raw denim - not too big, not too slim, sometimes even skinny. Lace-ups are legit next to sneakers. Hey mom, what do you think now?

17 14 13

10 11

09 08

01 –– TPDG, 02 –– RVCA, 03 –– Made & Crafted, 04 –– DTA, 05 –– Converse, 06 –– Majola, 07 –– Original Penguin, 08 –– Supremebeing, 09 –– Ben Sherman, 10 –– Cleptomanicx, 11 –– Poyz & Pirlz, 12 –– WEMOTO, 13 –– The Street wears St. Pauli, 14 –– Adidas Originals, 15 –– Hilfiger Denim, 16 –– TH Gallery

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Bleached & Dyed Washed pigment dyeing, over-dyeing, light-washed pastels or dirty wash. You can’t go without washing this season, either in parts or allover. Bleachings are a good companion for warm summer days. Soft grip handles and light qualities dominate the picture. Even sturdy linen is processed until the feel is just right. No one would ever say no to so much comfort.

09 08

11 10

01 –– We are Replay, 02 –– Energie, 03 –– ADenim, 04 –– Bench, 05 –– Replay, 06 –– Edwin, 07 –– RVCA, 08 –– G-Star, 09 –– Killah, 10 –– Energie, 11 –– Miss Sixty, 12 –– Firetrap, 13 –– Drykorn, 14 –– Diesel, 15 –– Mustang, 16 –– ADenim, 17 –– GSUS

58 ––

Trends –– Fashion

03 04

06 09

Denim all over If you do not yet own a denim shirt, make sure to get one. In the upcoming season, denim will be available from head to toe, as trousers, shirt, jacket, dress, skirt or shoe. It’s great to combine the different washes and shades of blue in order to spice it up a bit.

16 17

01 –– Mavi, 02 –– Drykorn, 03 –– Denham, 04 –– Hilfiger Denim, 05 –– Killah, 06 –– Levi‘s, 07 –– Freesoul, 08 –– Energie, 09 –– Ben Sherman, 10 –– M.O.D., 11 –– Hilfiger Denim, 12 –– Bench, 13 –– Replay, 14 –– Wrangler, 15 –– Pepe Jeans, 16 –– G-Star, 17 –– Pepe Jeans, 18 –– Adidas Originals x Jeremy Scott

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Cars for sole

Photos Clemens Kois/www.clekois.com Photo Assistant Martin Malm Styling Roswitha Wieser/roswitha.wieser@salzburg.co.at production Nicolette Scharpenberg Thanks to: Car Loft, www.carloft.at; Die Brille, www.die-brille.at; Collins Hüte, www.collins-hats.at, Antiquitäten Aiglhof, zwicky@networld.at

04 05

01 –– Fly London 02 –– Pointer 03 –– Bench 04/05 –– Pointer & Comme des Garçons

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cars for sole –– MODE

02 01

04 03

08 06

01 –– K1X & Patrick Mohr 02 –– Converse 03 –– JoJo 04 –– Generic Surplus & Obey 05 –– Puma 06 –– Hub 07 –– Kawasaki 08 –– Converse & Jack Parcell 09 –– Onitsuka Tiger

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03 02 09

01 –– Killah 02 –– Toms Shoes 03 –– Vans Vault 04 –– Adidas 05 –– Toms Shoes 06 –– Toms Shoes 07 –– Keds 08 –– Lacoste 09 –– Generic Surplus 10 –– Gola

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cars for sole –– MODE

01 02

03 04

01 –– Vans 02 –– Lacoste 03 –– Sperry Topsider 04 –– Gaastra 05 –– Timberland 06 –– Native Shoes

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03 05

01 –– Scholl 02 –– Palladium 03 –– Fly London 04 –– Mustang 05 –– Diesel

64 ––

cars for sole –– MODE

03 02

01 –– Neosense 02 –– Carlos Santos 03 –– Killah 04 –– Camper 05 –– Mustang 06 –– Preventi 07 –– St. Vacant

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Velosophy The bike is on a roll...literally and figuratively. Cities around the world have their own bike scene, bike stores, collectors, builders, or illegal bike races. x-ray travelled to Vancouver, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen to see what these cities offer for bike lovers.

66 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

Cycle chic_vancouver –– gotta go to

Vancouver The Competitors Vancouver, British Columbia (BC) is a city of skyscrapers and mountains, sailboats and all-you-can-stomach sushi. Not only is the coastal city home to the juiciest organic apple, in my opinion, The Economist considers Vancouver the most livable city in the world. What makes it so liveable? Practically the entire city is bikeable.

Text Jules Moore Photos Yorick Carroux

bought my first Vancouver bike after meeting Talking Heads front man David Byrne in New York City; he rolled up to a film premiere on his foldable Montague. When he heard where I lived, he grabbed his heart and exclaimed “Oh, Vancouver. Great city! Great biking!” That coolest of all New Yorkers drooling over my city compelled me to pick up Byrne’s new book “Bicycle Diaries”, where I found the following:

01 Young hearts in bright hoodies run wild in the streets. 02 Step Brothers: Vancouver’s bike couriers unite at dawn. 03 The one-of-a-kind wonders of avenues and alleyways.

“Riding a bike through all this is like navigating the collective neural pathways of some vast global mind. It really is a trip inside the collective psyche of a compacted group of people. A Fantastic Voyage, but without cheesy special effects.” When I went home to Vancouver, I went to see Don Selby at Ride On Again Bikes on Broadway. Selby, known around town as Ride On Don, recalls a time when cycling was a turn-off, a dating don’t. “Girls would ask what I drove and when they heard the word bike their jaws would drop in disgust. Now they say ‘Oh wow, cool!’” I asked him what had changed. “People used to see bikes as a sort of consolation prize to the car. To be a cyclist was to declare that you couldn’t afford a car. The times are changing towards a healthier, less auto-centric lifestyle. Nowadays a car doesn’t necessarily define you, nor does it contribute to declaring yourself a complete adult.”

BEAUTIFUL BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver is unbearably wet and grey, yet remarkably easy to travel by bike, and cyclists in Vancouver are among the toughest, most daring and discerning. One of their most popular destinations is the Sea Wall, a 22km

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„People used to see bikes as a sort of consolation prize to the car. To be a cyclist was to declare that you couldn’t afford a car. The times are changing towards a healthier, less auto-centric lifestyle“, Don Selby aka Ride On Don

Cyclist’s Symphony: A Playlist

Queen Nazareth Bob Seger Bob Dylan Herbie Hancock Roger Miller The Phantoms Fu Manchu ACDC Roger Daltry Roy Orbison Willie Nelson

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Bicycle Race My White Bicycle Roll Me Away This Wheel’s on Fire Tour De France King of the Road Get on your bike and Ride The Mongoose Rides On Ride On Quicksilver Lightning Ride Away On the Road Again

beaded necklace that wraps Vancouver’s waterfront, from Coal Harbour, around English Bay and False Creek, past Granville Island all the way to Kitsilano Beach. Pedestrians and cyclists share the paths, which cross through a total of 16 parks. Inside the Sea Wall at English Bay is Stanley Park, hailed as one of the greatest parks in the world. Practically part of the downtown core, the park is a pristine palace of nature, Vancouverites’ first love and a main attraction for tourists. Full of plants and animals, Stanley Park’s features are a perfect fit for wistful cyclists.

ride fast, you can zip through the lush mudpaths of Stanley Park and the open-air drug scene of the Downtown East Side in the same hour. While some say that it’s the city’s seedy zones that gave it the common pseudonym ‘Vansterdam’, most know the real reason. Vancouver is a bicycle wonderland comparable to none, except Amsterdam. According to Ride On Don, Vancouver’s culture around bikes was very different when he opened his first Main Street bicycle shop in 1996. “Bikes weren’t cool then. It’s only in the last eight or nine years that bicycles have taken a position of hipness.”

VANSTERDAM

THE COMPETITORS

Some of Vancouver’s bike routes are flat, others steep and roly-poly. No matter the terrain, the slower you go, the more details you catch—the feel of the cement paths, the mountain vistas, the sounds of the harbour, the smell of China Town. But if you want to

Hipness is far from the only reason to get down with cycling in Vancouver. There is endless fun to be had in the city’s extracurricular bike activities, clubs and organized events. Two of Vancouver’s biggest movers and shakers in the athletic ass-kicking cyc-

Cycle chic_vancouver –– gotta go to

department are Gena Perala and Lisa Moffatt. They are both active members of East Van Bike Polo, or EVBP, a self-governed organization founded on the splendour of disorganization. With rain being their only deterrent, members of EVBP now play two or three times a week there. No rules.

THE COURIERS 05

01 Gorgeous under the grey skies - Vancouver’s breathtaking bridge commute. 02 The drifter’s escape to downtown - Bodegas, Bookstores, and Barbershops. 03 Effortlessly cool - Old friendships and new loves ride on! 04 “Engagement,” Dennis Oppenheim’s waterfront sculpture located in Sunset Beach Park. 05 Shelter from the Stolen - bike racks are everywhere.

In Vancouver, the true bike professionals are the Bicycle Couriers. These cyclists gather daily, like soldiers after battle, for breaks on the lawn of the Vancouver Art Gallery and various meeting points in the Downtown East Side. Theirs is a camaraderie that comes from long, hard hours of zigzagging through traffic and dodging tickets. Lucky for them, Vancouver has designated bike lanes that separate cars and bikes, keeping equal rights between cyclists and motorists and likely saving lives. Still, the Bike Couriers are out there longer than anyone, and as every cyclist knows, the longer you’re out, the more risk you rack up.

BIKE THE BLOSSOMS To Vancouverites, the bike is truly a human extension that practically ensures a better quality of life. Nowhere is this mindset better reflected than in the city’s Bike the Blossoms event, an annual tour of the spring cherry

blossoms organized in part by Slow Food Vancouver. An ode to the anti-fast lifestyle, the event boasts an estimated 2000 cyclists rolling from the East to West side, conversing and connecting with local cyclists, farmers, and foodies stationed along the way. It is self-guided and fun for the whole family, a chance to get out and engage with a diversity of neighbourhoods, sample slow food, and recharge along the way. Bike the Blossoms is just one of several staple bike events in Vancouver, including Bike to Work Week and the Commuter Challenge, not to mention the entire month of June, which is Bike Month in Vancouver.

RIDE ON So whether it’s foldable, fixed gear, mountain or tricycle, your bike is a key to the city within the City of Vancouver. To quote the last page of Bicycle Diaries: “It’s the liberating feeling—the physical and psychological sensation—that is more persuasive than any practical argument. Seeing things from a point of view that is close enough to pedestrians, vendors, and storefronts combined with getting around in a way that doesn’t feel completely divorced from the life that occurs on the street is pure pleasure.” To quote a phrase from Donny, who says this every time someone leaves the store, “Ride On.” x

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gotta go to –– Copenhagen_Cycle chic 01

Copenhagen Everything but Padded Pants Welcome to the city that has more bicycles than citizens, and where a flat tire is almost a legit excuse to stay home from work.

Photos Sune Gamst

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Be lazy with a Christiana Bike: These transportation bikes are very popular in Copenhagen, particularly among families with small kids. It’s all about your individual design preferences at the Track Bike Shop. The shop is frequented by bike couriers and regular John Does alike.

rent

Baisikeli Bike rental that uses its profits to send bikes to Africa Turesensgade 10, Copenhagen centre www.Baisikeli.dk

Text Pernille Formsgaard

openhagen is indeed a city of bicycles, with 55 per cent of the population riding their two wheeled friend every single day. As opposed to many other countries where riding a bike is still considered an extreme urban sport for the daring few, biking is not at all a conscious act for Copenhageners, but a part of life that is as deep-rooted as eating and sleeping. Copenhagen-kids typically get their start on a bike when they can sit straight in the backseat on their parents’ bikes. They then slowly start wheeling on their own at the age of three. The fact that Copenhageners almost seem to be born with a bike between their legs has caught the attention

01 02

of city planners from New York to Dubai, sending cycle-experts from Copenhagen around the globe. “It feels so strange travelling the world to tell people about Copenhagen and bicycles. Bicycles!? For Copenhageners it’s the same as a vacuum cleaner. You use it every day, but you don’t think about it. You don’t put on a special outfit using it, and you don’t have a wide selection to match your mood,” says urban mobility expert and CEO for Copenhagenize Consulting, Mikael Colville-Andersen.

Red lights? No Thanks The prevalence of bikes is, in fact, far from a

watch

UCI Road World Championship 2011 If you want to see some of the world’s best cyclists in action www.copenhagen2011.dk Dronning Louises Bro Be ready at 8.30 AM to experience the ultimate bike rush hour www.copenhagencyclechic.com The blog that made Copenhagen cyclists famous around the world. www.copenhagenize.com Blog that reports on bike culture

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new phenomenon, as Copenhagen has been biking for the past 150 years. The city did experience a decrease in the late ‘50s when cars started taking over the planet. But while the rest of the world lost track of the two wheelers, the small countries of Denmark and Holland viewed the big oil crisis and recession in the 70s as a giant wake up call and turned the spotlight back towards the bicycle. So today the Danish capitol boasts about 350 kilometres of bike tracks – green bike paths were you cruise along trees, flowers and bushes despite being in the middle of the city – and green waves, sequences of favourable traffic signals that allow cyclists to ride straight through some of the busiest streets without ever meeting a red traffic light. If they keep a pace of 20 kilometres an hour, that is. Initiatives like these surely make even more people jump on a bike, but it’s also worth mentioning that the

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Cycle chic_Copenhagen –– Gotta go to

“Our bikes are cooler than those in Amsterdam. This is probably because of the Danish Design tradition.“ Mikael Colville-Andersen, Copenhagencyclechic

01 More and more coffee shops are expanding their business to bikes. We recommend Cortado. 02 The classic cargo bike is being reinvented at the moment. Here is a slimmer, more feisty, and undoubtedly more kid-appealing version. 03 One of the main reasons why the bike blog www.copenhagencylechic.com is so successful: Copenhagen girls with their cool bikes. 04 Copenhagen is now building pedestrian and bike bridges over the harbour – a great reason to choose a bike instead of a car. 05 The bike culture is one of the major reasons Copenhagen has been named one of the most liveable cities in the world. 06 A classic city bike and a cool pair of shades - a match made in Copenhagen.

landscape of Copenhagen is flat as a pancake, so you don’t need to be well trained or specifically dressed to get the pedals rolling. As a result, events that require a business suit or festive high heels don’t discourage Copenhageners from using their bike, which means that you can spot tons of stylish people touring town on two wheels.

No Padded Pants Mikael Colville-Andersen started his bikeadventure in 2006, snapping pictures of Copenhageners looking cool on bikes. The photos were posted on copenhagencyclechic.com, a blog that resonated around the world and earned him the name of “The Sartorialist on two wheels”, as expressed by The Guardian. People were amazed to see cyclists wearing anything but padded pants and helmets. ”We have cooler bikes here than

in Amsterdam for example, and we have a much greater variation in design. I think it’s because of the Danish design tradition. Just look at an average kitchen in Copenhagen: even there you will find lots of objects that very well could be exhibited at MOMA in New York. Great design is a part of our culture,” says Colville-Andersen. If you crave designer bikes, you must pay a visit to Cykelmageren in St. Kongensgade, where owner Rasmus Gjesing has been handbuilding his streamlined bikes for the past 16 years. Hubs are made from acrylic here and handles from mahogany, and it can easily take a month to come up with just the right mounting for the bike lights. Not because it’s complicated - rather because the solutions has to be as simple and stripped as possible. “Designers tend to overdo their products because they are afraid of being boring. For me simplicity is king,” says Gjesing. Well, not everybody can afford a bike with a price tag of 1,700 euros or more, which is why mainstream brands like Raleigh and Kronan, which ooze the ever so attractive retro style, are cruising around town on a much larger scale. Danish girls in particular like to flash their granny inspired bikes, while the lads of Copenhagen are into track bikes that have neither brakes nor gears. These bikes are normally reserved for professionals, but they tempt “commoners” because they are light and fast to ride. Shops dedicated to the new trend are popping up all over town, and a must visit is Track Bike Shop in Rantzausgade, which is run by three bike messengers. There is simply no end to your selection here, and you can get a bike that compliments the city’s football team or the rainbow if you like. “In the past you could choose between a blue or red standard bike, but here you can pick just the bike that you want. If everyone got the chance to try a really great bike, we could seriously save 10,000 polar bears because no one would ever want to take the bus or car again. It’s magic to drive a bike that you designed yourself”, says Tau Kallehave, one of the owners. In September Copenhagen will host the

UCI Road World Championships, where the world’s best cyclists will take over the city, and the busiest street in Copenhagen will be closed for cars for 5 days. If visitors are tempted to try their own biking in Copenhagen, the journey must come with a warning: Copenhageners leave all manners at home when they jump their bikes. They cut corners, use the sidewalk if faster and don’t mind swearing and yelling if you’re in the way. Everyone is for himself or herself on the urban paths. “Women are actually the worst. Men just do daring tricks to overtake you, but a hot-headed mother on the road in the morning? Oh my God - don’t cross her way!” says Colville-Andersen. x

shops

Cykelmageren The most famous designer bikes of Copenhagen St. Kongensgade 57, Copenhagen centre www.cykelmageren.dk Track Bike Shop Inevitable for track bike-shopping Rantzausgade 2, KBH Nørrebro www.fixie-king.dk/wordpress Urania A wide selection of classic city bikes Gammel Kongevej 1, KBH Vesterbro www.urania.dk Larry vs Harry New and slim cargo bikes Frederiksborggade 41, Copenhagen centre www.larryvsharry.com The Bike Porter The coolest bike accessory of the moment www.copenhagenparts.com Nutcase helmets Skate helmets hitting it big among Copenhagen bikers www.nutcasehelmets.com Yakkay Bicycle helmets Looks like a hat, but still protects your head www.yakkay.com

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Cycle chic_Amsterdam –– gotta go to

Amsterdam bike history: the work place of RIH Sport; craftsman Mr Wim van der Kaaij; RIH‘s wall of fame

When the weather‘s fine, the best place to watch fixed gear in slamming action is the Cruyff Court, next to the Amsterdam Olympic Stadion.

Amsterdam Skidding Along the Canals The Amsterdam fixed gear scene is booming today, although it had a slow start in comparison to other European cities. Since 2009, the popularity of fixed bikes is accelerating as fast as Eddy Merckx did at the One Hour race back in 1972. Text & Photos Miranda Hoogervorst

iding a bike through Amsterdam can be pretty challenging. Disoriented, stoned, suddenly street-crossing tourists are everywhere and bring out the worst in well-raised locals. But some thrill seekers love the game of avoiding these tourists while riding brakeless fixed gear bikes.

Pristine (= from original purity) 2010 was a great year for the Amsterdam fixed gear scene. A two month exhibition, a film festival and an international bike polo event gained a lot of media attention. Ten years earlier, fixed gear bikes had entered the Amsterdam hipster scene. In 2000, concept store 90 Square Meters (now: 290 Square Meters) organized a fixed gear event. The store was also the first to sell fixed gear bikes in a fashionable context in 2005. After that, the demand for ‚fixies‘ gradually increased, and after a few years the market was ready for a specialized fixed gear store. Sammy Dirksz

and Gijs van Amelsvoort took over this niche. Sammy: “We had already been riding fixed gear bikes for a while, but it was hard to get bike parts. You had to buy everything abroad and through the internet. We thought it was weird that a bike loving country like Holland did not have a fixed gear shop. There were two online shops at that time, but to speed things up, you need something to push it too. We started a forum first, and then we opened up our store in December 2009.” The store is located five minutes from the city centre and sells everything, from frames to the final screw. Some of their brands: Campagnolo, Dura Ace, Leader, Charge, Brother Cycles, Volume, Subrosa, Wit Industries, BLB and Focale44. On the first floor there‘s a vegetarian/vegan lunchroom with veggie burgers, sandwiches and hotdogs. In a short period of time, Pristine has become very popular with bike lovers of all ages. “We see a lot of bike messengers and creative people, like

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Bike life: Mike Giant‘s ‚eternal‘ biker; getting ready for the alley cat; spokes card; Bicycle Coffee from Oakland, CA.

websites

www.pristinefixedgear.com www.fasterthanyoucrew.com www.mediamatic.nl www.rihsportamsterdam.nl www.bicyclefilmfestival.com

graphic designers, coming in for our bikes and events”, explains Sammy. “But aa lot of older bike lovers come and visit our events as well, riding their fixed bikes. They used to be enthusiastic racers in their younger days and love to see what‘s going on now.”

Bike History in the ‚Jordaan‘ Anyone who wants to know more about the history of racing bikes should visit RIH Sport in the Jordaan area. This bike store has been making steel frames and customised bikes since 1921. Here you‘ll see beautiful, nostalgic pictures of world champions, legendary bike models like the ‚stayer‘, renovated old bikes and brand new fixies. The store has been owned by Mr Wim van der Kaaij (75) since 1972; he started working at RIH in 1948 as an apprentice. When he has the time, he‘ll tell you all about legendary champions on RIH bikes, like Eddy ‘The Cannibal’ Merckx, the Dutch Leontien van Moorsel and many more.

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Cycle chic_Amsterdam –– gotta go to

Events The über hip and culturally aware Amsterdam media platform Mediamatic knows all about the historic treasures at RIH. RIH bikes were well represented at the successful fixed gear event Sur Place (the standing position on a track bike), held from May to August 2010. Sur Place was the first big exhibition on urban bike culture in Holland. It includ a host of fun, interesting and challenging bike events, such as indoor track races, expositions (a tasty photo collection of wounded bikers) and workshops (print your own bike legging).

Bicycle Film Festival 2011 As a part of the Sur Place event, Pristine hosted the first Amsterdam edition of the Bicycle Film Festival, originally founded by Brendt Barbur. In August 2011, Pristine is organising a second Amsterdam edition. Their love for bike movies continues in winter, when they host weekly movie nights in their café.

Bike Polo When the weather‘s good, the best place to watch fixed gear in slamming action is the (Johan) Cruyff Court, next to the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium. Every Wednesday, mixed teams play bike polo games here until the sun sets. If you fancy some action, you can borrow a bike and a ‚mallet‘ (hand made bike polo stick) to sweep some balls yourself. Last year, this court was the location for the international polo tournament Polomania, held to celebrate the Amsterdam opening of the Giro d‘Italia.

Alleycats From March to August of this year, Amsterdam based Faster Than You Crew is organising a fun race tournament, which includes old fashioned alleycats (informal bike races) and team based races. There‘s one race every month, with the final race on 13 August. These races are fun, fast and very frustrating for Amsterdam traffic and cops. Sometimes a racer gets fined for disregarding the red lights, but a spontaneous call for donations amongst bikers leads to 50 euros being collected for the fine in no time. An alleycat with a serious background is the yearly memorial alleycat on 4 May, in remembrance of the 21-year old World War II nurse and resistance courier Annick van Hardeveld. She was shot on 4 May 1945, one day before the Dutch liberation. The race finishes at the memorial statue on the Hekelveld (five minutes from the Central Station).

Pristine co-owner Gijs (left) and Keng from the ‚Faster Than You Crew‘, on their fixed gear bikes (image: Nathalie Hennis)

More There are a lot of places in Amsterdam where fixed gear riders meet up, practice techniques and show their latest tricks. The Waterlooplein is a popular hangout on Sunday (when there‘s no market). The skate rink on the Olympiaplein or the Museumplein are also good places to practice a Keo spin, skid tricks, wheelies and jumps. So after a few sleepy years, Amsterdam is now

becoming a serious fixed gear city. Riding the streets without brakes is not (yet) prohibited as it is in other countries, even though Amsterdam police sent out a press release in 2010 in which it expressed its concern about biking without brakes. Shortly thereafter the police communicated that no severe accidents had (yet) happened with fixed gear bikes. Tourists on rented bikes are a whole different matter... x

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Open Text Nicolette Scharpenberg, Claudia Janka Photos Brands, Camper: Sánchez y Montoro

01 Meltin’Pot Flagship in Riccione

On 1 June 2011, Meltin‘Pot opened its first denim flagship store in the Palariccione shopping district in Riccione, Italy. Spread over two floors on a total space of 170 square metres, the brand displays its complete denim range for men and women. Unfinished and industrial materials such as wood and steel dominate the store and are intended to submerge customers in a world of denim. One particularly striking element is the large video wall in the middle of the store, which regularly shows lifestyle films of the brand. Augusto Romano, CEO of Meltin‘Pot explains: “This store opening mirrors the label‘s international development and new retail strategy. We are planning to take on the markets in the Middle East, China, Japan and South America.” Meltin‘Pot is currently working on consolidating its brand position in stores in New York, Miami and L.A. and at over 800 locations in Italy and a further 300 sites mainly in France and Germany. The aim is to retain our existing relationship with our customers and to open more monobrand stores in co-operation with existing trading partners.” ContaCt: Meltin’Pot Store, Palariccione Viale Virgilo 17 Riccone/Italy www.meltinpot.com 02

Cheap Monday Shop in Shop at Selfridges

Cheap Monday, the Swedish jeans and fashion brand, opens its first shop-in-shop store on 15 August at Selfridges in London. The brand, founded in 2004, is presenting its men‘s collection, unisex line, jeans and accessories over 70 square metres on the first floor of the famous shop. The store design was created by the Swedish architectural company uglycute. Materials such as wire-mesh fencing and broken chipboard create the typical Cheap Monday world. “After various successful store launches throughout the world, it is now time for our first own concession store. Having this debut at Selfridges is just fantastic. The store will be a major platform for the collection and the brand,” says Håkan Ström from Cheap Monday. The brand already has its own store in Copenhagen, and its clothes are also available in over 1,800 stores across 38 countries. ContaCt: Selfrides, 400 Oxford Street London, W1A 1AB/UK www.selfridges.com www.cheapmonday.com

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retailnews –– in store

St. Pauli New Fanshop

The Fanshop family of the FC St. Pauli is looking forward to a bit of growth, as the new official store is opening in the middle of Hamburg‘s infamous Reeperbahn on 4 August 2011. The 300sqm sales area is going to offer the complete merchandising collection. The design of the shop comes from Hamburg-based Rock‘n‘Roll Architecture, whose team had already been responsible for designinged the first store located at Millerntor Stadium. ContaCt: FC St. Pauli Fanshop, Reeperbahn 63-65, 20359 Hamburg/Germany www.fcstpauli-shop.com

04 Pointer Premiere in Berlin

05 Trap Flagship store Cross-Border

The London shoe label Pointer, established in 2004, opened its first flagship store in the centre of Berlin on 6 July 2011. In addition to its own main collection, the 102-square-metre store presents a selection of other brands, including Barbour, Garbstore, Heritage Research, Karen Walker, Larke, Bleu de Paname and Anderson, as Pointer launched collaboration products with some of them. To mark the opening, an exclusive shoe collaboration with the French brand Bleu de Paname is being released; the models are limited to 100 pairs.

On 21 June 2011, Richie Löffler, owner of the Mantis Lifestore in Hamburg, opened a new shop for his skateboard brand Trap Skateboards, founded in 1992. The store is located in Alsancak, right in the heart of the Turkish metropolis of Izmir . The men‘s collection and the entire hardware range are presented on 80 square metres. “The Turks‘ receptiveness and enthusiasm for skateboarding is simply fascinating and was the motivation for us to take this step. Besides, it is about time that Trap started to operate on a more global level.”

ContaCt: Pointer Store Münzstraße 7 10178 Berlin-Mitte/Germany www.pointerfootwear.com

ContaCt: Trap Store Cumhuriyet Blv. No. 245/a, Izmir/Turkey www.trap-skateboards.de

06 Camper Let Nature Speak

In April, Camper opened its first Together store in Vienna, on the Graben, right in the heart of the city. The Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka was responsible for the store‘s stunning design. Inspired by plants and petals, the interior designer implemented a concept in the store, which is derived from an installation that he presented in New York in 2007. In this installation he used 30,000 sheets of tissue to create the impression of a snow-covered room. Fabric petals – in all conceivable shades of red – decorate the 20 sqm store in Vienna. “The varying colours of the flower petals evoke a feeling of constant change, which exhibits the beauty and grandeur of the principle of nature,” explains Yoshioka. What characterises the designer more than anything is his creative use of everyday objects such as crumpled paper or squares of fabric, which he transforms into a sea of “petals”. ContaCt: Camper Store Vienna Graben 29 1010 Vienna/Austria T 0043.1.5320637 www.camper.com

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Green Retail If there‘s one big trend in shopfitting, it has to be sustainable concepts: Untreated wood is a highly versatile, frequently used material. There are also a plethora of other ideas, from resource-saving energy concepts to recycling materials. Text Ina Köhler photos Someday, atelier 522, Barthelmess Group, Vizona, Schweitzer, Sportskitchen

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Gallery –– In store

Barthelmess A Uniform Design Principle

01-02 Barthelmess Be it driftwood, old palettes or paper: Natural materials are huge in store design at the moment. 03 Atelier 522 Rough and untreated: Atelier 522 covered the changing rooms of the Bredl company in raw wood. 03

For a long time, this shopfitter has been focusing on sustainability: In 2009, the ECO range was launched in the market and became a green guide for visual merchandising projects. “When it comes to sustainability in visual merchandising, it doesn‘t really mater what material I use,” says Ralf Grübener, Art Director of the Barthelmess Group. “What matters is how I treat the material. What‘s important is a holistic view of the project, as is a very good project management team that is familiar with all factors that influence the real ecological process. And then you have to consistently optimise these factors in regards to to the environmental compatibility of a project.” Grübener distinguishes between sustainability that was offensively featured in the shop window and inside the shop and thus creates a visual trend, for instance with rough driftwood. But it can also work the other way round,” says Ralf Grübener. “What‘s ecological doesn‘t have to look like ecology and make you think of it.”

“If I use a very ecological material, but it is processed in a way that it cannot be authentically classed as such, there‘s not really any point.” Ralf Grübener, Art Director Barthelmess Group

Atelier 522 Rough and Recycled Rough board partitions and sun loungers made of untreated wood are reminiscent of balmy summer evenings on the shores of Lake Constance. The South German design agency Atelier 522 worked with Badhaus Women to purposely create a contrast of old and new for the Ravensburg-based company. The roughly connected wooden boards were recycled and come from an old factory. They appear warm and cosy and are soothingly different from clean-cut interiors.

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Sportskitchen Munich: Active and Comfortable

“We looked for a natural product that flattered the collection. And wood seems the obvious choice.” Sebastian Berg, owner of Sportskitchen

“Recycling is good as long as people don‘t think that they are helping the environment by buying a Toyota Prius.” Mini, Managing Director of Someday

In spring 2011, the active shop Sportskitchen in Munich underwent a renovation. Owner Sebastian Berg focused on natural materials when designing his 100 square metre store. The defining material for the merchandise fittings, back walls and shelves is roughly cut spruce, which provides a warm and friendly atmosphere. “You can easily dismantle the material and reuse it,” says Berg. Sportskitchen uses neither energy-wasting lighting nor plastic bags. At the request of his customers, Berg got rid of them after the shop conversion.

“Our aim was to combine clever ideas with existing elements in a historic atmosphere to create a sustainable and harmonious concept.”

Someday Melbourne: Raw and Friendly

Lena Kemper-Leitz, Marketing Manager for Atelier 522

The design idea can be described in one

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word: wood! Since the store opened in 2002, its Managing Directors Perks and Mini have focused on using recycled materials for Someday‘s interior, whose brands include Supreme, Original Fake, Neighborhood, Headporter, Ally Capellino, Bernhard Wilhelm, Norse Projects and Wood Wood. Even when the store was renovated in spring 2011, wood as recyclable material was the main component: “We have three display areas made of wood from old factories in Melbourne. These are coarse, untreated surfaces which are not only environmentally friendly but also give our shop an extraordinary look,” explains Perks. In the cashier area, they use energysaving LED lamps. The shopping bags are biodegradable, as are all cleaning supplies that give the store its fresh sparkle.

Gallery –– In store

shopfitting company Schweitzer from Southern Austria. The company is a member of the Green Building Council. The photovoltaic plant on the roof of the headquarter building supplies energy for the entire company. The building has no air-conditioning systems, but is cooled by its own sources. The leftover wood from the wood production is used for heating. This makes the third generation-run company completely CO2 neutral. x

01-02 03 04 05

Vizona The wood is returned to the sawmill after it was used. Vizona recycled its booth after the trade show. Someday Recycled, raw wood is the main component in the Melbourne store Someday. Sportskitchen Activewear and spruce wood are perfectly combined at Sportskitchen. Schweitzer Ecologically sound - in every way possible: Schweitzer even uses recycling materials in trade show construction.

Vizona Complete Recycling Recycling because they really care. The facade of shopfitter Vizona‘s 380 sqm booth at the Europshop was made of rough natural wood boards. Split open “wood windows” led into the booth‘s interior. It interior featured an exquisite wall structure of metal, acrylic and wood. The spruce boards neither had to be drilled nor mechanically processed. The material was returned to the sawmill after its use, ensuring the perfect life cycle.

Schweitzer Project Zero Energy Most companies are so involved in sustain-able shopfitting that they forget whether they are setting a good example. It‘s different with the

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Fancy Footwear Hans-Peter Endras and Roland Brümmer are skater buddies. For 20 years now, the unconventional ideas of the dynamic duo have rocked Zurich‘s fashion scene and set quite a few trends. Text Dörte Welti Photos Monsieur Dubois

“It‘s important never to loose your gut instincts. Because you can‘t go wrong when using them.” Hans-Peter Endras, Monsieur Dubois

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or example with Monsieur Dubois. Two years ago, the Zurich scene uttered: “What? Another shoe store in the Niederdorf part of town?! And to top it off, in the direct vicinity of the uncrowned shoe queen Stefi Talmann?” But Endras and Brümmer knew what they were doing: “We‘re inspired by the competition. And we were certain that our idea is unique.” And it really is. Monsieur Dubois is a madeup name; the store opened in 2009 following an extensive four-month conversion phase. The interior design of the 60 sqm store located in a “witch‘s cottage” caused quite a stir. Walls and displays feature white tiles painted by hand or printed with specially manufac-

tured stamps. The different shades of white of the tiles are no accident, but rather intentional in order to create the impression of patina. As a result, many customers suspect that the location must have been the home of a butcher or something similar. “And that‘s precisely what we were hoping to achieve,” says Hans-Peter Endras who did the entire conversion with his colleague: “A romantic atmosphere that tells a story.”

GETTING TRENDS GOING And their gut instincts have never been wrong. It all started 20 years ago with their sensational and revolutionary skater shop “No

Monsieur Dubois, Zurich –– in store

Monsieur Dubois

Oberdorfstrasse 15 8001 Zurich/Swotzerland www.monsieurdubois.ch Owners: Hans-Peter Endras, Roland Brümmer Opening: March 2009 Retail space: 60 sqm Staff: 3 Women‘s brands: 80/20, Ambre Babzoe, Antik Batik, BDK, Buttero, BY Malene Birger, Castaner, Fratelli Rossetti, Friis, Frye, Ganni, Gardenia, H by Hudson, Holy Moly, Ilse Jacobsen, Jeffrey Campbell, Koah, Minimarket, Noë, Opening Ceremony, O.X.S., Pajar, Pertini, Pretty Ballerina, Primabase, Sanita, Scholl Studio, Sessun, Shoebiz, Shoo, Sperry, Surface To Air Accessories: Black Lily, Epice, Melograno 03

way” , which so wonderfully brought American spirit the ’80s to Switzerland. This was soon to be followed by a branch in Biel: The “No Way” shop turned into an import and wholesale company, which established two flourishing womenswear stores called “Dings” in Zurich and Chur in no particular order. Last, but surely not least, the two opened “On y va” , a Zurich-based menswear store with that certain je ne sais quoi. “But we always dreamed of a shoe shop,” admits Roland Brümmer. “And when we found the right location, we listened to our intuition and decided to go for it.” And so Monsieur Dubois, an unparalleled mix of labels, set up shop in Zurich‘s old

town. But none of the brands are a permanent fixture. When Endras and Brümmer visit trade shows, they generally look for new models that fit into their niche. They have, however, been stocking some labels for quite a long time now, including Dr. Scholl Studio, for example. Pricewise, their shoes range from just under 100 to 350 Swiss francs for the most expensive pair. They also like to feature rather unusual models, including Gypsyz by Gypsy 05 from Hollywood: Shoes in the style of a slipper sock that can be worn with knee-length socks. A range that is lovingly compiled by Hans-Peter Endras and Rolland Brümmer. x

01-02 03 04

It’s all about the details: The 13x13cm tiles are hand-printed with custom-made stamps. The place to visit: Monsieur Dubois is a perfect match for Zurich’s Niederdorf. The cellar has a tiny storage room. Romantic: The Monsieur Dubois business card, printed on a trivet.

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in store –– Mr Mudd and Mr Gold, Stockholm 01

” A lot of the interior is inspired by the Italian designer Enzo Mari and his ‚autoprogettazione‘ project, a book from the ‘70s with drawings for a democratic design. Tables, closets, cashier, fitting room, lamps, dress racks and benches. The wood is from ordinary building suppliers” , says Almqvist. Sometimes the customers note the timber scent. ” I don‘t smell it anymore. But I have a Japanese saw and sticks in the back office if I want to produce new scent”, he says.

THE POWER OF THE WWW

Luxury in a Landscape of Wood A scent of pine meets the shoppers when entering ” Mr Mudd and Mr Gold” in Stockholm. The store purchases classic brands from Japan, England and Italy. And sometimes they are sold back to their country of origin. Text & Photos Philip Wallin

mixture of sauna and lodge. A bright panel of standard pine wood dominates Mikko Engström and Adam Almqvist‘s store ” Mr Mudd and Mr Gold” , located in Södermalm in the south of Stockholm. A simple and plain interior planned in collaboration with Swedish architect Daniel Franzén.

Mr Mudd and Mr Gold

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Åsögatan 174 116 32 Stockholm/Schweden www.mrmuddandmrgold.com Owners: Adam Almqvist, Mikko Engström Opening: 2010 Space: 96 sqm Staff: 2 Brands: Anglo American Optical, Birdwell, Brady Bags, Buco, Buzz Ricksons, Dehner, De Martini, Eastman Leather, Ebbets Field, Effector, Erik Schedin, Field Notes, GB Kent and sons, Grundens, HTC, Huberds, Joe McCoy, Lavenham, Leather Man, Lewis Leathers, Light my fire, Littlefeather & Co, Maruyoshi, MASH Japan, Medico x Erik Brunetti, Mister Freedom, Naef Spiele, Nomad, North Sea Clothing, Optimus, Pendleton, Peroni Firenze, Peter Mountain Works, Quoddy Moccasin, Rhodia, US Shelby Co, Stevenson Overall Co, The Real McCoy‘s, Warehouse, Wesco, White‘s Boots, Wigwam.

Customers from Indonesia to Canada have been ordering via the web store since the beginning in 2010. An exclusive range, locally produced with tradition, is the owners’ policy. Japanese brands like Buzz Rickson and Mister Freedom attract the discerning customer. Some of the collections are only available in Japan and at this store. Almqvist points out a black motorcycle leather jacket from Lewis Leather. It costs around 850 euros and is hand made in England. ” We sell those jackets back to England. We only purchase stuff that we like ourselves, and some of it is a bit limited.

TWO TO 950 EUROS The average customer is an affluent, 40 something man in the creative business, and some of them stay in the store several hours just to talk. But the owners also want to attract a younger target group. The store offers cheaper, sometimes a bit odd, accessories, including penknives from the English navy (Sheffield knives), leather coin cases from Italy (Peroni Firenze), baseball replica cups from the ‘30s and ‘40s (Ebbets field) or a King Kong patch for the M65 Field Jacket like Robert De Niro wore in ” Taxidriver” (MASH). It’s a mix of industry, military and city style. ” There is a nice word for it – eclectic. High and low. The cheapest thing costs two euros and the most expensive 950 euros, a knitted indigo coloured sweater. Bizarrely expensive. I was asked on Swedish radio whether it was justifiable to purchase such an expensive sweater” , says Almqvist. x 01 02-03

The wood at Mr Mudd and Mr Gold comes from ordinary building suppliers. A mix of industry, military and city style. The owners call their selection eclectic.

Strawberry, berlin –– in store 01

The Good Mood Kick Juliane Behnfeldt and her store Strawberry are well known in the board sports scene. All the more so as the Berlin native was one of the first to take on this male-dominated topic for women. Text Nicoletta Schaper PHotos Bernhard Musil

01 Small, full, cosy: Strawberry has anything and everything for the board. And a lot of fashion for female board sports fans. 02 Juliane Behnfeld has turned h er passion for action sports into a career.

store for girls interested in board sports — that‘s what was missing in Berlin. And so in 1995 Juliane Behnfeldt opened her girls‘ surfand beachwear store Strawberry on a side street of Kurfürstendamm, right next to the surf shop California Boarding. The beginning was difficult. For one, many labels — including Quiksilver, Yaga from California and Hot Tuna from Australia — were not yet available in Germany at the time, which meant that the costs involved in procuring them were high. And then there was the issue with the clientele. “The girls often only came along with their friends and didn‘t have a lot to say once they were in the store,” Behnfeldt

Strawberry Handels GmbH

Emser Straße 45 10719 Berlin/Germany T 0049.30.8813096 www.strawberry-berlin.de Opening: 21 April 1995 Owner: Juliane Behnfeldt Staff: 1 full-time and 3 part-time employees Sales area: 55 sqm. Womenswear: Billabong, Björn Borg, Burton, Cleptomanicx, Element, Evaw Wave, Hurley, Irie Daily, Light Board Cooperation, Merry go Round, Obey, Paul Frank, Pussy DeLuxe, Reef, Sitka, TSG, Volcom, Vulk, We SC, Worn By, Zimtstern and others Shoes and accessories: Reef, Billabong, Mint Hardware: Burton, Light, Dregs

reports. “Today they‘re much more confident and know exactly what they want.”

Focus on Women Behnfeldt has turned her love of surfing and snowboarding into a career. Prior to opening Strawberry, she had rented a surf shop in Prerow on the Darss peninsula on the Baltic Sea for three years. “Weekends would bring bus-loads of people from Berlin. At times we had three coffee machines going at the same time,” Behnfeldt laughs. When the lease agreement expired in 1994, it was time to do her own thing. The small Strawberry store (55sqm) exudes a friendly and inviting atmosphere, which is aided by tons of fashion, for example from Evaw Wave from Germany, Cleptomanicx and Element. There is also a great deal of swimwear, flip flops and ballerina flats by Reef and Paul Frank. 25 brands alone on this space guarantee that the look of the store changes almost daily, as Behnfeldt and her team rearrange the floor daily and use what little space they have to their advantage. It‘s good for regular customers, who sometimes even come by twice a week to get their good mood kick at Strawberry. Behnfeldt often organise a number of customer events, such as an American barbecue in May or snowboarding trips for women. This makes her a pioneer in this field. “Women are just too neglected when it comes to board sports,” she says. “I wanted to change that.” x

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in store –– Tom‘s Skateshop, Amsterdam

Red Light Skateshop Tom‘s Skateshop, the 20 year old skate specialist store in Amsterdam, moved to a new location in January 2010. Tom‘s adopted a clean, minimalistic interior style at the new location. However, this new, ‚serious‘ interior was not meant to hide Tom‘s original character. Text Miranda Hoogervorst Photos Tom‘s Skateshop

too. We had a guy who was out of his head. He needed new shoes because he had lost his. When he left he forgot his bag.”

Hot Babes

Tom‘s skateboards are legendary, especially the ones embellished with Canadian porn star Ariel Rebel.

he new look was mainly chosen to attract a broader clientele. The strategy is working; the customer base now varies from hard core skaters to fashionistas and everything in between. Shop manager Hans Dijl, a fanatic skater himself, has been with Tom‘s from the start. He watched the scene change: “When we started, skating was pretty underground, but now even HEMA (Dutch household stores) sells skateboards. It‘s good for business of course.” At Tom‘s, all clients are welcome, even those who have no clue about skate history. Hans laughs: “We recently had some fashion guys in the store, clearly not skaters, and they said to each other: Oh sure, duhh, now they also sell Vans here!”

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Tom‘s is an active skateshop. It sponsors skaters and organizes several skate events – a great addition to the well selected collection of skate gear and fashion from mainstream and underground labels. There are also caps, T-shirts and backpacks from Tom‘s private label, and recently the shop presented its collaboration with Sabre sunglasses. Tom‘s skateboards are a huge success, especially the ones embellished with Canadian porn star Ariel Rebel. The weblog shows a lot of nude girls as well. Hans explains with a big smile: “You need to be different from the other skateshops in town and since we are near the red light district, we thought of this as a nice edgy touch. Besides, a lot of the skater boys are adolescents, they love it. Some of the dads like it too, by the way.” It‘s good to see that the stylish makeover didn‘t kill Tom‘s rebellious attitude. x

Vibrant Neighbourhood

Tom‘s Skateshop

The Damstraat is a prime location for streetwear brands. “I don‘t want to sound arrogant” , says Hans, “but we can get everything we want in our store. It is such a great location here, and we have built up a pretty good name throughout the years.” Being in this vibrant street that borders the Dam, Nieuwmarkt and the Red Light district, Tom‘s is used to fun and crazy visitors. “The mix of people is very nice. There‘s a lot of social control here, we know all the people in the neighbourhood. Sometimes the cops run in, chasing a shop lifting junkie. They do their thing, apologize and then leave. There‘s a lot of drunken tourists

Damstraat 32 1012 JM Amsterdam / The Netherlands www.tomsskateshop.nl (blog) www.tomsskateshop.com (webstore) Manager: Hans Dijs Opening: January 2010 Retail space: 80 sqm Staff: 5 Shoes, clothes: Adidas, Altamont, DVS, Dekline, Etnies, Nike, OAT, Obey, OnTour, Stüssy, Vans a.o. Skate gear: Spitfire, Hubba, Tom‘s, Alien Workshop, Chocolate, Skate Mental a.o. Accessories: Sabre, Casio G-shock, WESC a.o.

NoNe of us are gettiNg aNy youNger, but at least we’re all improviNg with age! some of us aNyway ... :-)

forza bread & butter!

UCM-Verlag, Salzweg 17, 5081 Salzburg-Anif, Austria T 0043.6246.897999, office@ucm-verlag.at, www.ucm-verlag.at –– 128

One last thing

Refrigerators for Eskimos Text Stephan Huber, Publisher style in progress and x-ray

n one of the great early editions of “Uncle Scrooge”, under the editorial leadership of the great Erika Fox, Uncle Scroogecharges his nephews Donald (The Hero!) and Gustav (the applepolisher) with the task of selling refrigerators to eskimos. Yes, I know, you say Inuit today ... but this was in the ‘70s! Whatever the case, the metaphor of “selling refrigerators to Eskimos” has stuck with me since then. Not as a synonym for hopelessness, but as a synonym for the art of (active) selling.This little story often came to my mind in the last couple of months because it largely summarises the fashion and clothing business. We – and with that I mean the entire industry – sell refrigerators to Eskimos. Anyone who has half a dozen jeans, just as many sneakers, shirts, sweaters, dresses etc (that is an entire wardrobe) does not need anything. He or she has no practical needs. So, in order to sell a fridge to an eskimo, or a new ( the seventh) pair of shoes or jeans to a customer, who already has too little space, you have to appeal to the emotional needs. This is nothing new, of course. But due to changed conditions in the information and media society, and increasingly fragmented consumers groups, the challenge is much greater. A good story on the product, a generated image, may be sufficient in an analogous world. But with today’s blogs, Wikipedia halfwit education, and digital word of mouth, this story has to be true as well. This requirement is most evident when it comes to sustainability, a topic which has been covered both seriously and superficially by the fashion industry. Sustainability again? Yes ... sorry! But it is one of the main topics for the top target groups. And we finally have to realise that it is not an issue of moral superiority (“We eat organic food while the bad Chinese pollute their rivers!”), but of economic sustainability. No, I don’t think that a majority of consumers will make their purchasing decision based on a carbon footprint anytime soon. It‘s also not about printing an organic seal on a hang tag. But this aspect (which ultimately explains the value of a product that you will only buy if you like it) will become increasingly important. And you should prepare for this evolution TODAY. Because that’s what it is: An evolution, not a trend. And the entire textile chain will be affected and changed by this evolution. Today we can tell this story in a believable way. We can use it to convince, to build trust, and to educate. I admit this sounds a little pathetic. But we need really good stories, particularly in Western Europe, to sell (premium) products to people who do not need anything – like refrigerators to eskimos. x

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Styling Sabine Berlipp, Roswitha Wieser 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 editor Laura d‘Elsa English translations Word Connection, Business Translation Service, David Luther, Petra Engelke Printing Laber Druck, Oberndorf Printing coordinator Manfred Reitenbach Account info Volksbank Salzburg 105 627, BLZ 45010

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