Issue 03/2012 . 17th Volume . ¤ 6.90
Welcome mass approach to Fashion The lucrative business with leftovers nobody is too big to Fail. An interview with Karl-Heinz Müller my Friend the retailer Why customers love himcommunicate!Is the jeans industry running out of themes?
Cover design by sandrine pagnoux
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Caleb wears: Anchor Pea coat
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THEY ALL WANT PEPE.THEY ALL WANT PEPE.
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pepejeans.com
PEPE FW12 ADULTS_DPS 01_440x300_XRay_JUNE_AUS.indd 2 25-05-12 10:33
SHOP TOMMY.COM
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editorial
Let’s taLk about… The guests who aren't at the party are often the most interesting, they're the ones you talk about. But does the same thing also apply to a trade fair? An interesting question when you look at the line-up at this year's event in Berlin.
M aking yourself scarce is sometimes a good
strategy: The public is often bored by an
across-the-board approach - this rule applies as
much to celebrities as it does to brands. But is this
also valid for the industry's central meeting places?
Retailers travelling to Berlin this year will find huge
gaps in the exhibitors' portfolio. The fragmentation
that had already begun in the winter continues on its
merry way. But where could central meeting places
for intercommunication be in the future? And with
what kind of content? What topics would occupy the
industry in the future? Does it still have anything to
say? We've been searching for the answers to these
questions, not always an easy task - find out more
under "Communicate!" (Page 38) and in the interview
with Karl-Heinz Müller from the Bread & Butter from
Page 26. At the same time, fashion is attractive
for many suppliers – so exciting, so glamorous and
image-promoting that many would prefer to happily
jostle around in this market just to have a little of this
glamour rub off onto them. What rules determine the
mass fashion market, find out on page 28. However,
the individual retail market provides a contrast to this
by being personally available to the customer. Read
on Page 48 how this can work, under the heading:
"My Store, My Friend."
We hope you enjoy this issue. Your x-ray Team
EvErything happEns in thE EyEs
The Parisian photographer and artist likes illustrating lost souls best, people who are torn between opposites like beauty and tragedy and are in complete chaos. For the current cover of x-ray she puts real eyes at the centre of her illustration, in order to create a particularly deep bond with the viewer. To do this, she combined one of her photographs with an illustration. Her inspiration was a verse from the poem by Charles Baudelaire, "Le Serpent qui danse" ("The Dancing Snake"): "Your eyes, which neither hate nor love are ever found to hold, are two cold jewels which are made of iron mixed with gold." If the people in Pagnoux's pictures could speak, they might say something idiotic or emotional like ''Protect me,'' or ''Love me''. Why, the young Parisian explains in the interview starting on Page 60.www.sandrinepagnoux.com
On thE COvEr
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"Eyes are the window to the soul, they don't lie."
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contents
Contents
10 ––
08 Editorial 12 Right Now 24 Fairs
What's thE stOry 26 ''Nobody Is Too Big To Fail'' An interview with Karl-Heinz Müller 28 Welcome to the Mass Approach to Fashion How merchandise density is putting the trade under pressure 32 ''More Than Second Hand'' Ebay works on a change of image 34 World Wide Away Residual stock utilisation via the internet 36 Communicate! Is the jeans engine of innovation still running? 39 ''Not Just a Loud, Short Flash In The Pan'' Joachim Baumgartner speaks about denim trends 40 Foreign countries, Foreign customs The Russian market as El Dorado for European brands 44 Darling Denim? How the denim trade deals with the ups and downs of the market 48 My Store, My Friend How a retailer becomes a brand 52 The Third Eye The design agency Grand Studio guides brands to success 54 Back to Blue Garcia steps on the gas 55 Is Taking Part Everything? Salsa sets itself new goals
thE talk 56 Italy's New Generation The Antony Morato success story 58 Do You Have a Plan? How predictable is fashion in reality? 60 Eyes Don't Lie Cover artist Sandrine Pagnoux on the language of her pictures
FashiOn 64 Want It! 70 Boys Are Back in Town The revival of the new man 80 Heavy Patterns Exemplary
in stOrE 88 Retail News 90 Everything Must Go! Reason Outpost, New York 92 ''Without Graffiti We Would Have Nothing Today'' Le Fix, Copenhagen 94 The Graduate Graduate, Bordeaux 96 Like a Colourful Dog Loup Store, Saarbrücken 97 Fast Food Shopping KissKissBangBang, Vienna
98 One Last Thing . Imprint
28
12
52 9056
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Right nowtextIsabel Faiss, Ina Köhler
photosLabels
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02 COnvErsE BOught as usEd
Converse is introducing several new models with the Washed & Worn line in its spring/summer 2013 collection. The motto of the collection's theme is "Out of the Box" and is one that Converse is implementing with washed sneakers with as much individuality and character as possible. Classic Chuck Taylor served as the base model. Numerous street style images from all over the world were most probably used as inspiration because original worn Chucks can be found everywhere. The characteristic star is emblazoned on the "Stars & Stories" series as an all-over-print in loads of colours. The Pro Leather model from 1976 can be found as a suede and canvas show with a vulcanised sole in the new season.www.converse.com
01 adEniM a-nOt-Just-dEniM
The last set of reports from the trouser specialists ADenim had really set the bar high. Jeans had been fastened onto the roof of the German headquarters for months, shaped by wind and weather and then used as a style sheet in the laboratory. In the spring/summer collection for 2012, one of the Roof -Destroyed washings will be launched for the first time. In addition, the label's range will be expanding from the previous ten jeans models in 27 different washings with a five-pocket model with French front pockets. The non-denim share with linen and cotton Chinos in vintage look has also established itself. This mainly took place during the summer months along with the lightweight summer denim and so will be expanded further. "We make trousers as we would like to wear them ourselves. Pure, made from good fabric with handmade finishes. No frills, no obvious label or stitchings. Actually, we pretty much leave a lot out", Marco Lanowy, Managing Director of ADenim, clearly points out the direction they're going along.www.alberto-pants.com
03 Fuga OrdEr OnlinE
With its newly launched B2B online shop, the lifestyle brand Fuga has since May again been offering its customers the option of ordering current pieces of the collection from stock. In tandem with this, the range will be expanded with coloured Chinos, in particular. The long-term plan is to extend the range of all product groups in the storable collections.www.shop.fugadenim.de
04 drykOrn OnlinE FaCEliFt
After undergoing an extensive facelift, Drykorn showcased its new online store in July 2012. The store was launched in the autumn of 2011 so the measures mainly only focus on sales and marketing and hardly on the website. As from July, the complete collection will also be available via the webshop to customers from Austria and the Benelux countries. www.drykorn.com
freemantporter.com
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08 WranglEr BEauty COntEst
Fashionable Technology is a buzzword that has been following us around for years. But we have never been as close as this to innovative ideas turning into a reality and being affordable. The new women's jeans line by Wrangler has now set out to make the desires of its female target group true: A jeans line just for women, refined with extracts of jojoba or Aloe Vera using a special treatment during the wash process and which are to provide the skin with moisture when the trousers are worn, stimulating circulation and reducing cellulite. For this new Denim Spa Therapy line, three models were used Molly as Slim Fit and the two Skinny Jeans Courtney and Corynn. www.wrangler.com
06 FrOntlinE FrOM sEptEMBEr WithOut puriss
After twelve years with the company, Stefan Puriss, long-serving Managing Partner of Frontline GmbH, will be leaving at his own request in September 2012. The 42-year old will remain a shareholder and will help to find a successor. Puriss came to Frontline after taking a business studies degree in 2001 and since 2006 was a joint Managing Partner with Torsten Lange. Torsten Lange: "He has significantly shaped the development of the company and through this has also influenced the fashion-e-commerce industry. We are very grateful to him for this. We are delighted that he will continue to be part of the company as a shareholder. The Frontline GmbH was established in 1986 and is one of the most well-known and largest online suppliers in the young fashion market. www.frontlineshop.com
Expanding Zalando, the shoe and fashion supplier, started its internet sales and marketing with an export offensive in the spring. Following Sweden and Belgium, customers in Spain, Finland, Denmark and Poland will be catered for. With this, Zalando is also present in Holland, France, UK and Italy besides the German-speaking countries. Zalando launched its own collection in March. A designer cooperation with the Berlin Kaviar Gauche label is to follow in the autumn.
sOld The organic label Hess Natur has been sold to the Swiss holding company Capvis Equity Partners. Until now, the label belonged to the Primondo Specialty Group and has been looking for a buyer for a long time. Hess Natur had a turnover of around 73 million euros in the 2010/11 fiscal year.
05 ChiEMsEE thE spOrtiEst yEar OF yOur liFE
Kite surfing on Trinidad Tobago, windsurfing on Naxos or free-riding in Ischgl. Something that until now was only possible for cool dudes in snowboard and surfing videos, Chiemsee now wants to make possible for its fans too. The board sporting label is celebrating its 30th birthday this year. And the marketing department has come up with a pretty cool idea to mark the occasion: "The sportiest year of your life" is a campaign which will run from 28th January to 30th November 2012 and is calling on board sport fans to apply. First prize will be a six weeks board sporting holiday which is to include the hotspots mentioned above. In December, an expert jury will select 30 finalists who will then compete against one another in Ischgl for the first prize.www.chiemsee.com/deinjahr
07 tOMMy hilFigEr katiE hOlMEs as aMBassadOr
The Millennium Promise Foundation has set itself a goal of keeping a promise: By 2015, the number of people living below the poverty line in Africa is to be halved. To this end, Tommy Hilfiger has donated the Promise collection, 100 per cent of its proceeds will be donated to the Foundation. To do this, Tommy Hilfiger turned to American classics, designing them in African colours. It appointed the actress, Katie Holmes, as ambassador of the collection. She will wear these to appointments with the aid organisation and with the local media. "It is very impressive what Tommy Hilfiger is doing in support of Millennium Promise and its commitment towards improving the lives of people in Ruhiira/Uganda", says Katie Holmes. "Its support is greatly important towards making the unique work that Millennium Promise does in Africa public. I believe that together we can help to overcome the extreme poverty even in our own lifetime", the designer adds. www.tommy.com
BREAD & BUTTER 4th-6th JULY 2012AREA SPORT & STREETHANGAR 1BOOTH No. S2
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10 antOny MOratO shOpping ExpEriEnCE With sEarChandising
In May, the Italian Menswear label Antony Morato is launching its own online shop and will be following a new path into the presentation of goods and online shopping through numerous features. In addition to the classic shop, behind the Features button lie videos, the current Antony-Morato-Magazine and a blog covering a variety of themes. A blog with individual pieces for purchase can be reached by clicking on Style Feed. Innovation is written in a big way, products from the Antony-Morato-Magazine or the current advertising campaign can be conveniently placed into the shopping cart with just one click. Behind the Denim Fit Guide button, the user can find information on the different cuts of the trousers. But the heart and soul of the online store is Searchandising, a dynamic merchandising tool that personalises the shopping experience in real time by catering to the customer's desires and offering preferred product categories according to availability of colour and size. If any questions remain open, a stylist is on hand to offer advice in the livechat function or it's possible to publish shopping lists on Facebook and get tips yourself.www.morato.it
takE-OvErGreat Britain's largest sport retailers, Sports Direct International, has taken over the Firetrap label from the World Design & Trade company. The casual label Full-Circle had already gone from the insolvent WDT to SDI in the spring. Sports Direct International is also owner of the Dunlop and Karrimor or Hot Tuna trademarks. Firetrap is to be continued as a wholesale brand.
09 laCOstE shOEs lEd dEsign
Not glowing shoes! By Lacoste shoes, the abbreviation LED stands for Lacoste Essential Design. For the coming spring/summer 2013 season, this special division is introducing a collection which used sources of inspiration taken from design classics by Eames, Jacobsen, Charlotte Perriand and Le Corbusier. The three characteristic Lacoste sports of tennis, golf and sailing were also taken on. In the course of this, a collection was produced that revamped the high-quality classics placing a strong focus on detail finishing.www.lacoste.com
11 FrEEMan t. pOrtEr plans FOr BErlin
Hendrick Schimmel is new Country Manager for Freeman T. Porter in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He is an old hand in the sales, shop-in-shop and own stores areas. The Parisian EP6 company employed the experienced sales specialist exactly for this purpose, prior to this he was responsible for the department stores and sales area systems of G-Star in Germany and other markets. "The way the brand has evolved in France in the past puts me into a very positive frame of mind. That is a great challenge. I have made it my goal to create new and successful structures in Germany, Austria and Switzerland", says Hendrick Schimmel. At the top of his homework list now stands the launch of a store and a showroom in Berlin.www.freemantporter.com
12 dEluxE distriButiOn FOr happy pEOplE
The Berlin distribution agency Deluxe Distribution took over the distribution of the Norwegian brand Moods of Norway for the autumn/winter collection 2012 in Germany. As a result, the agency's brand portfolio is expanding. Alongside brands like Minimum or Customized For The Crowd, they now have another Scandinavian brand that offers an unconventional and progressive collection. The Moods of Norway's trademark is a pink tractor, which, as a stylistic device, dominates in all campaign images, and is a symbol of how the three founders of the brand do some things differently. The brand's headquarters and, to date, biggest showroom is still in the three founders' home town of Styrn, a little town with 6,750 residents in the middle of nowhere in Norway. They want to enter the markets in the Benelux countries, Switzerland, Spain, the US and Japan, and now the German market, using Deluxe Distribution.www.deluxe-distribution.de,www.moodsofnorway.com
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15 thE EBOOk pEOplE MEga stOnEd
''How does someone survive 50 years of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll?' This is the title of an article in the German newspaper Bild on the Rolling Stones' 50th anniversary this year. The young German company The eBook people, a spin-off of the publishing house The Interview People in Munich, are enthusiastically working towards their goal of compiling as yet unpublished archive material on the Stones in a 200 page ebook and publishing it in two volumes. In order to finance the mega project Matthias Würfl and Uli Karg have started a crowd funding campaign. Users from all over the world can participate in financing it on the website. Crowd funding is a proven method of funding, particularly for cultural projects. We'll have to wait and see if the Stones can find enough donors. www.indiegogo.com/50yearsRollingStones
14 diEsEl CinEMa FantastiquE
In this case, the term Darkroom Défilé, isn't concealing any dingy back room in a club with a very intimate atmosphere. 'Intimate Darkroom Défilé is a project by Diesel with the Viennese photographer Michael Dürr. That someone should actually present their new collection in a completely dark room, seems to be a paradox at first. However, then the big screen comes into play and the ingenuity of this idea becomes clear. Michael Dürrs Cinema Photographique shows fashion photography with background music in cinema format. The première of this exhibition concept took place in 2008 as part of the festival for Fashion & Photography in Vienna. In the meantime, it has been touring museums, galleries and festivals. www.diesel.com, www.michaelduerr.com
16 Mavi supErWOMan On BOard
The Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima is the face of the global image campaign of Mavi for the autumn/winter collection 2012/13. The jeans label from Istanbul has once more proved what a key role this advertising campaign plays in brand-name communication. Most likely, no costs were spared because, according to Forbes Magazine, Adriana Lima with 4.5 million euros a year is fourth on the list of best paid models in the world.www.mavi.com
13 g-star nEW lOCatiOn
G-Star is planning to move the German headquarters from Neuss to Düsseldorf-Flingern this coming September. The decision not to move the German headquarters to Berlin, but instead into the young creative area of Schwanenhöfe in the small and very cosy district of Flingern, was a total surprise. The 30-strong G-Star team will be moving into the 1,800 square metres of the large historical arched hall in the Erkrather Strasse 230. In addition, the in-house showroom will also host a shoe collection which has been licensed to Overland.www.g-star.com
04 – 06 July 2012 | Denim Base, Hall: Airfi eld, Booth: D 42
www.mustang-jeans.com
Welcome at Bread & Butter Berlin
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17 Mustang COOpEratiOn With thE BOsshOss
Mustang always had close ties with rock music. Earlier, there was the own record label, sponsoring of bands and festivals such as the Scorpions, Fury in the Slaughterhouse, Rock am Ring or the own Cologne music café JAM together with Viva. Now, the jeans label is cooperating with the Germany country rock group The BossHoss. The joint collection Mustang Black edition by The BossHoss has nine models: jeans, shirts, T-shirts and longsleeve. Rugged red selvage Japan denim by Kaihara is processed. The line will be released for sale from September 2012. The initial plan is to work with the musicians for three seasons. "We find The BossHoss really cool, they are authentic and don't give way", says Mustang CEO Dietmar Axt. As a bit of icing on the cake, The BossHoss will be appearing at Mustang's exhibition booth during the Bread & Butter. Let’s go! www.mustangjeans.com, www.thebosshoss.net
19 EnErgiE BrEak thE rulEs!
With its new Make Noise campaign, Energie is now loudly appealing to its target group. Whereas we in Germany find the term Wutbürger (enraged citizen) repulsive, this is exactly what the Italian men's label are wanting their followers to do: to protest. This project is expressed through their campaign and its motive emerged through the British rock band Rubber Kiss Goodbye amongst other things. The band's début album is expected this summer. The band itself was formed by the band leader Tara Ferry, son of Bryan Ferry. The black and white motive should reinforce the impact of the images with its Indie Rock charm. The Swedish photographer Alex Lindhal stood behind the camera.www.energie.it
20 lOis Birthday party
The former Spanish collection Lois celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In 1962, the brand was established. For the occasion, the Legends collection takes on some of the styles from the brand's history. The One is an homage to the first jeans ever made by Lois. The model Torera is a replica of the denim jacket Tejana – one of the classic jeans jackets from the '70s. The line is complemented by T-shirts in the typical Lois vintage look and classic cords – even an evergreen from the golden '70s, when the brand was also worn by Abba. Lois Legends will be available in stores for the first time in September. In addition, the regular Lois collection will be presented at Bread & Butter: Bleached, coloured denim and other denim styles play a principal role in this. www.loisdenim.com
18 JustFaB FashiOn as a MOnthly suBsCriptiOn
The makers of the American online fashion and styling service JustFab.de don't scrimp on superlatives when describing their business model. Behind it is a new trend from the US, which is also being modified for Germany now. After the user has completed a free fashion personality test, style experts identify his fashion style, then the accessories, shoes and bags that fit his profile are pieced together in a boutique. Only JustFab products are sold in the process. As a VIP customer, you pay 39.95 euros per month and are guaranteed to regularly have new styles in your wardrobe. All other customers can buy products for between 49.95 and 69.95 euros. It's advertised using celebrity customers and stylists to the stars. Carried out using a service with branded products, this model could become seriously relevant.www.justfab.de
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a-denim.com
VISIT US IN BERLIN04 – 06 JULY 2012BREAD & BUTTERDENIM BASE, STAND D3
three-2-one.co
m
24 rEplay in MOtiOn
In the spring, Replay presented its German customers with a very special treat: In the cities of Berlin, Neuss, Hamburg and Munich, customers and sellers were trained locally with food and music. Large, 400 square metre areas were constructed for the so-called Traveller Tour in all the cities and guests such as P&C or Leos were invited. Replay wanted to strengthen contacts with its partners by means of these trade events and increase focus on the products. "We are investing in communication and in close cooperation with the trade", says Germany Managing Director Thomas Wirth. "This includes a full range of measures, starting from optimised delivery to commercial marketing." The innovative theme of laser blast, a new water-saving technology, is important to the company and one that Replay has expanded with its own collection this season and is supporting communication with a roadshow. There is also news in geographic terms. The Düsseldorf label moved into a new representative showroom in the media harbour in the Plange Mühle in May 2012. The new Germany headquarters is also to move there from spring 2013. The spectacular architecture of the Düsseldorf architectural office Ingenhoven shapes the distinctive appearance of the former wood silo. A facelift is also in the pipeline for the store in Cologne. It is to be revamped in late summer based on the models in Milan, Paris or Barcelona, further stores in Germany are to follow in 2013. www.replay.it
22 M.O.d. sElvEdgE dEniMs
At the upcoming Bread & Butter, everything for the M.O.D. Premium, M.O.D.'s new line, is focussed on the high-quality Japan selvedge denim. After its initial successful attempt with Japan denim in the collection for January 2011, the demand for new models and washings has steadily increased, confirms M.O.D. Co-owner and Designer Elias Rumelis. "Our aim was to bring Japan denim onto the market for less than 100 euros", says Akin Erdogan, Managing Director and Owner of the jeans manufacturer. "We have also visibly raised this very high-quality and distinctive line from the current line by means of a differentiated branding." The sales team would also like to acquire a new circle of customers. "We are convinced that our trousers for just under 100 euros don't need to shy away from comparisons with premium label products. Quite the opposite.", says Akin Erdogan.www.mod-onlineshop.de
23 pEpE JEans slOW and stEady Wins thE raCE
The first True-Blue collection from Pepe Jeans London appeared in selected brand stores at the beginning of May. With True-Blue, the brand achieved its own goal of using 95% less water, and absolutely no chemicals in the denim manufacturing process. To achieve their goal, they cooperated closely with production plants that developed a sensible method of recycling wastewater produced by washing the denim. Instead of chemicals so-called Dry-Finish Technologies were used, whereby, for example, used effects are achieved by using ozone gas and 3D laser technologies. Pepe Jeans is using six of its main jeans styles to launch the line, including Kingston, Tooting, Cash and Jeanius for men, and Venus and New Brooke for women.www.pepejeans.com
21 vans x BarBOur traditiOn MEEts skatE shOE
Vans the skate manufacturer and Barbour the British tradition brand are launching a capsule collection in the autumn. Vans X Barbour link typical design elements of the two brands from the old and new world. The models, slip-on, boots and lace-up shoes, come from Vans-Kosmos. Barbour-lovers can rediscover the classic army colours, leather details, tartan lining and the waxed linen appearance. The three models will be appearing as a special element in the Vans California collection in October. www.barbour.com, www.vans.com
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CONTACT: [email protected]
HANNAH WHITELEYCHIEMSEE PRO KITESURFER
JANNI HÖNSCHEIDCHIEMSEE PRO SURFER
FaiRnews
textAlexandra Hawel, Ina Köhler
photosFairs
Munich Fabric StartFuLLY bOOKED
already, at this early stage, the international trade fair for
clothing fabrics and accessories, which takes place from 4 to
6 September in Munich, can report more than 800 exhibitors.
Even the adjoined blue Zone in the Zenith hall, which provides
an important platform for the denim market, has encountered
a consistently good response. the organisation team around
Sebastian and Wolfgang Klinder feels they were right about the
direction of the fair: ''a strong domestic market is crucial to the
success of a trade fair,'' says Sebastian Klinder, ''and Germany is
still the strongest and most important market in Europe.'' in the
next round, in which materials and the makings of the autumn/
winter 2013 season are presented, Munich Fabric Start also
presents the new concept pattern studios. this is to be a creative
platform for suppliers of fashion designs and printing. the
ready-Made-Solutions (r.M.S.dpt) segment, which celebrated its
premier in the blue Zone last season, will be selectively extended
to the entire fair. it will be presenting complete solutions and a
full-service under this banner.
4 to 6 September 2012, www.munichfabricstart.com
nationaL
01 BrEad & ButtEr
dates: 4 to 6 July 2012Organiser: Bread & Butter GmbH & Co. KGsegment: Denim, urbanwear, sportswear, street fashion, accessories, shoesWhat's new: ''Temple of Denim'' with innovations in the area of denim www.breadandbutter.com
02 Bright tradEshOW
dates: 4 to 6 July 2012Organiser: Bright GmbH & Co. KGsegment: Streetwear, skateboarding, sneakers, boardsports What's new: Bright has been moved forward one day. www.brighttradeshow.com, www.alltomorrows.de
03 grEEn shOWrOOM
dates: 4 to 6 July 2012Organiser: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbHsegment: Green fashion, women's outerwear, men's outerwear, children's outerwear, accessories, cosmetics, lifestyle products What's new: A pop-up store along with the Ethical Fashion Show at the ewerk www.green-showroom.net
04 CapsulE
dates: 5 to 6 July 2012 Organiser: bpmw Agency New Yorksegment: Men & women up and coming What's new: New location at Postbahnhofwww.capsuleshow.com
05 EthiCal FashiOn shOW
dates: 4 to 6 July 2012Organiser: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbHsegment: Casualwear, urbanwear, streetwear, prêt-à-porter, women's outerwear, men's outerwear, children's outerwear, accessories, cosmetics, lifestyle products What's new: Expansion to two halls with more than 50 exhibitors, Future Summit
''change your cotton', new pop-up store www.ethicalfashionshowberlin.com
06 thE gallEry düssEldOrF
dates: 28 to 31 July 2012Organiser: Igedo Company GmbH & Co. KGsegment: Designer, avantgarde and accessories collectionsWhat's new: Follow-up event by CPD signatures in Düsseldorf www.igedo.com,www.the-gallery-duesseldorf.de 07 prEMiuM ExhiBitiOns
dates: 4 to 6 July 2012Organiser: Premium Exhibitions GmbHsegment: international premium brands, designer, womenswear and menswear brands. Accessories, shoes What's new: Shoes and accessories were separated according to space, the focus on international exhibitors is even bigger, e.g. Korean designers, young designers from Istanbul, as well as Austrian fashion. www.premiumexhibitions.com
08 sEEk
dates: 4 to 6 July 2012Organiser: Premium Exhibitions GmbH
segment: International street fashion and menswear brandsWhat's new: Seek has expanded to three floors and about 60 exhibitors in total. There is also a new pop up store with product design by www.slowdownjoe.comwww.seekexhibitions.com
09 shOW & OrdEr
dates: 3 to 6 July 2012Organiser: Show & Order GmbHsegment: High-end fashionWhat's new: Many labels were never displayed in Germany before, more than 160 international labels are taking part in the summer.www.showandorder.de
10 gds/glOBal shOEs
dates: 5 to 7 September 2012Organiser: Messe Düsseldorf GmbHsegment: Shoes, accessories What's new: A trendy focus-point is sustainability, the Design Attack area is transformed into the port city Aqua Marina. www.gds-online.com,www.globalshoes-online.com
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chic YOunG bLOODchanGE OF ScEnErY
the fair chic Young blood in beijing is moving: the second event
is organised from 26 to 28 October in the cool, arty and hip quarter
Dashanzi, the so-called 798 art zone – 751 D.Park. at the same
time, just around the corner the second Mercedes benz china
Fashion Week will be taking place. about 100 lifestyle brands and
young designers from the casual, denim, streetwear, active and
sportswear segments are expected at the upcoming chic Young
blood. the new location is a former industrial area built in the
'50s, in a style inspired by bauhaus, which today houses galleries.
a special stand design appropriate to this look was developed for
the exhibitors, which takes on the look of the industrial building.
Side events will be held, such as a big opening party and the buyer
culture & trends Salon, which is reserved for buyers. Part of the
chic Young blood concept is opening the event up to consumers.
Chic Young Blood: 26 to 28 October 2012, Chic Beijing: 26 to 29 March 2013, www.chicyoungblood.com
inteRnationaL
01 gallEry COpEnhagEn
dates: 9 to 11 August 2012Organiser: Gallery Int. Fashion Fair Cphsegment: Contemporary womenswear, menswear, designers, accessories What's new: Increased number of exhibitors with about 330 brands, cooperation with The Shanghai Fashion Week and Fashion Shanghai www.gallery.dk
02 JaCkEt rEquirEd lOndOn
dates: 13 to 14 July 2012Organiser: Jacket Requiredsegment: Contemporary menswearWhat's new: Exhibitors such as Levi’s Made & Crafted, Levi’s Vintage Clothing, Our Legacy, Sawa and Esemplare have now joined us. www.jacket-required.com
03 stitCh MEnsWEar lOndOn
dates: 15 to 16 July 2012Organiser: Stitch Menswear, Brian Duffy, Business Design Centresegment: Menswear, urbanwear, streetwear, accessoriesWhat's new: Switch streetwear area www.stitchmenswear.com
04 Cph visiOn, tErMinal 2 COpEnhagEn
dates: 9 to 11 August 2012 Organiser: Exhibition Professionalssegment: International menswear and womenswear, accessories and shoes, denim, sportswear, streetwear, designers What's new: Amalgamation of CPH Vision and Terminal 2 into a vision on what was Terminal 2's spacewww.cphvision.dk
05 WhO’s nExt prêt à pOrtEr paris
dates: 30 June to 3 July 2012 Organiser: WSN Developpementsegment: Menswear and womenswear, avantgarde, accessories and shoes, urbanwear, designers What's new: After the merger in January, the organisers modified the concept of the fair again. 300 menswear brands, 800 womenswear brands and about 900 accessory labels are expected. www.whosnext.com
–– 25
SeekBread & Butter
Chic Young Blood
Who's next Prêt à Porter
d oes denim have a problem? Karl-Heinz Müller: Yes, regarding content.
it's no secret that innovations are missing.
there aren't many themes at the moment,
something i also notice in my shop. in my
opinion, there's a certain generation conflict
with classic denim labels. i've always been a
big denim fan but i'm also over 50. We grew
up in jeans and will probably die in them
too. but it's a totally different thing with the
young generation. there isn't an ideological
allegiance with the theme any more.
What kind of reason does today's young consumer have for buying a pair of jeans for 179 euros? that's a very complex issue. today, when
i look at a label like Diesel which has been
managed by the the same owner, renzo
rosso, for years, then i don't see any break in
the flow. the biggest challenge is reaching
the next generation.
the principal argument is always that there
are a lot of labels besides h&M and Zara, such
as cheap Monday, that make a really cool
product relatively cheaply, well under 100
euros. nowadays, nobody's bothered if you
wear a cheap pair of jeans, unlike in the past.
that's the new generation.
"nobody is too big to FaiL"For the first time in the history of the Bread & Butter Karl-Heinz Müller is on the defensive. Because the Denim Base, of all things, the core segment of the fair, has had to take some painful rejections. Levi’s, Bench, Replay, Diesel and Miss Sixty. Is this simply a reflection of the market or is Berlin no longer sexy enough?intervieWStephan Huber
textIsabel Faiss
photoBread & Butter
With just a few exceptions, jeans specialists
don't have a particularly strong collection.
the ones that are doing well today haven't
just built up their business purely on jeans,
they also offer complete collections. Pepe
Jeans for example, or G-Star and hilfiger
Denim. they are well placed even if denim
is in decline because of the chino trend. but
sales can be compensated.
is that going to be a problem for the denim Base and the Bread & Butter as a whole?no. Even if it's painful, of course, when long-
term partners don't take part. a trade fair is
always a reflection of the market, how could
it be any different. anyway, we have always
placed large strong brands such as adidas,
converse, Superdry or Scotch & Soda in the
Denim hall to complete the denim range.
Our buyers have always received this mix
very well because it is offered in the shops
like this too. We still have problems with
space in the Superior hall. the demand
for square metres there is always greater
than the space available. Which is why, for
example, we've placed Marc O'Polo in the
Denim hall directly next to the Superior
hall. Strellson is also in the Denim hall,
26 ––
WWW––––––––––
www.breadandbutter.com
bRead & butteR –– What's the story
perhaps we should call this hall the Main hall
in future. this new mix of halls is ultimately a
natural development.
the denim market has always been in flux.
When i started my first sales rep job at Levi
Strauss in 1982, it was damn hard selling
jeans. there was a strong italian high Fashion
wave at the time and fashionable slacks
made of linen and poplin were in vogue. the
great denim boom started in the mid '80s
up to the mid '90s, triggered by Levi's back
to the roots campaign. Labels like Diesel,
replay and blue System came on strong.
When i opened my 14 oz store in cologne in
1999, denim was experiencing a downturn. at
the same time, i'd taken up the denim cause.
it was only around 2002, 2003 that the great
boom with so-called L.a. brands came back.
Women discovered denim. now coloured
chinos have been the major themes for
three or four seasons and denim is naturally
suffering because of this.
do you see a conceptual challenge coming to the Bread & Butter?the bread & butter isn't a pure space renter. We
face content-related challenges all the time,
even today. a few years ago, we created L.O.c.K.
there, we provided a concentrated focus on
authentic labels with tradition and heritage, we
really got something going with this.
today, our response is called "berlin -
temple of Denim". i'm absolutely convinced
that we are standing on the verge of a new
denim wave. if only because consumers
have basically been abstaining from denim
for a number of seasons now. Our temple
of Denim is docked right next to the
Denim base and will show the innovative
power that really exists in denim. at the
same time, we also have the environment
theme: With the Laboratorio from trc
candiani in cooperation with tonello, we
are showing how water-saving washes work
today - through the use of ozone and laser
technologies. at his booth, the turkish
premium denim-weaver Orta anadolu will
be showing what opportunities exist for the
use of organic cotton today. Scott Morrison
will be building his 3x1 store, just like the ones
in Soho and new York, and will be making
customised denim in his sewing room.
besides this, several denim labels whose
strengths lie in the women's denim sector,
such as Seven for all Mankind, aG adriano
Goldschmied, Denham the Jeanmaker and
closed will be exhibiting there. Many small
innovative denim labels will also be showing
their latest collections.
are there discussions about prices? Or at least people are moaning about costs behind closed doors.an appropriate tradeshow presentation
naturally requires a corresponding budget.
When times are bad, this expenditure is
obviously questioned. the bread & butter is the
most cosmopolitan and major fair platform of
its kind in Europe, if not worldwide. activating
such a large number of professional visitors, as
we do every season, can't be done using any
other marketing measures. So, it is well worth
brands having the appropriate arena for their
relevance to the market.
Many people look at this arms race critically.Of course, you have to look at this very
differently. if a beautiful woman has a
double-D bosom, of course she needs a
double-D bra, she can't just squeeze herself
into an a cup. the bread & butter, as i have
already mentioned, isn't a national event, it's a
leading international trade fair. accordingly,
major labels represented on an international
scale such as G-Star, adidas, hilfiger Denim
and Scotch & Soda receive their visitors
(numbers lie between 6,000 and 10,000
people) in an suitable arena. that has nothing
to do with an arms race, just with necessity.
however, if the size of the booths don't match the market relevance, it's certainly a pure arms race which doesn't make any sense from the point of view of content and isn't advantageous.
there are, of course, also labels that we try
to recommend a smaller stand to, more in
fitting with their market relevance. but,
sometimes out of a false sense of pride
this isn't accepted. the leaders of the label
would prefer not to take part rather than
reduce the size of their booth.
What do you think of the Berlin location in the medium term?You certainly can't find fault with the town.
there are always those who ask: "What's next,
blondie?" though most people are happy
that the bread & butter is taking place in
berlin. they're asking about the next city
because fashion always needs a new thrill.
and? do you care?not particularly. but, there are some people
who have kept on whispering things into my
ear over the last few years making demands.
admittedly, berlin has lost a bit of sexiness
because everybody's jostling about here
now. Even the igedo is there now, even if it's
just a tiny event.
how intense is the competition in Berlin?We have always had something of a
"borderline" between the Premium and the
bread & butter. but we don't work against
one another though. We have a peaceful
co-existence. the Show & Order is just
expanding their area. they're doing that
well. in the end, competition is good for
everybody. in a nutshell, you must never be
arrogant. Every organiser has to keep making
an effort with exhibitors, accommodating
their wishes and cooperating effectively.
nobody is too big to fail. x
–– 27
"As a brand, you should be able to show the retailer that ultimately it's important for the whole market. From the retailer side, I only ever hear that it's been badly received when important labels are conspicuous by their absence. The retail market is finally happy to have a platform that is as complete as possible. A trade show means wanting to compete with competitors."
28 ––
mass appRoaCh to Fashion –– What's the story
E xceptional circumstances in roppenheim:
at the end of april, in the small town in
alsace, which currently has 928 residents,
everything was focused on the opening of a
new fashion outlet centre. a reflection on the
fashion market? because, there too, everything
seems to centre around professional utilisation
of residual stock– the customers love it, the
result is a place with constant bargains. Outlets
in the city and in the countryside, shopping
clubs, coupon portals and discount stores
– the selection of distribution channels for
discounted fashion has grown. then, mass
retailers like amazon and Ebay are also getting
on board the supposedly lucrative fashion
business. Does this mean that the multi-brand
store is falling by the wayside?
''i don't see amazon and Ebay as a particular
problem for retailers – for me, it's simply
used too often as an easy excuse,'' says Mark
Petereit of Snipes. ''Declining prices and a
lack of quality distribution are definitely bad
for products' quality-rating because the end
consumer's view is contorted by the price.
Which, in turn, has a negative effect on the
retailers. in which case they are chasing
their own tails, because most retailers use
Ebay and amazon as a platform and so are
contributing themselves to the fact that
their customers don't visit their store any
more.'' in his opinion, multi-brand retailers
have a special responsibility: ''Mass selling
is a natural form of competition both on
and offline, because of certain overlaps in
product ranges. however, it's our duty to
motivate our defined target customers to
buy from us using attractive offers.
the increase in goods on the market,
especially among mail-order companies,
is an issue for a lot of retailers. ''clearly,
more competition means more and more
merchandise density, which is, of course,
tangible in the market,''says Philipp Gramse
of frontlineshop. ''but that is a development
we have already been observing for some
years. What's important is that we actively
discuss this situation with suppliers: how can
we reduce merchandise density, and avoid
a situation where all retailers have the same
product. the result would otherwise be that,
at some stage, we could only sell things based
on their prices. and that is neither in our
interest, nor in the interest of the supplier.“
(Price) information that is available all the time
often puts individual retailers at a disadvantage,
those who miss out on bargain sales figures – and
so lose customers. ''a lot of my customers are no
longer as open to new products,'' says bardia
beigui from Supreme agency. ''customers don't
order because they are simply interested in
making savings. competitors like Dressforless,
brands4Friends, vente-privee.com, Groupon
or tK Maxx are eating away at sales figures. at
the moment, smaller customers are not really
reordering, ultimately, it's not happening.''
rEsidual stOCk utilisatiOn FOr all retailers must also think about how they
market their leftover goods, without
damaging their image. For example, Snipes
has its own physical outlets in Frechen and
bonn, or sells goods on its own website. ''You
can organise a clearance sale very discreetly
or make it very eye-catching,'' says Petereit.
''We no longer want to display prices that are
reduced by more than 50% in store, there,
the outlet is a good way of selling them off
cleanly.'' Zalando has created an inner-
city branch for itself with its outlet store in
weLCome to the mass appRoaCh to Fashion While medium-sized retailers fight for spaces in city centres, residual stock utilisers like shopping clubs, factory outlet centres or surplus dealers are achieving high growth rates. The mass approach to fashion on a large scale is putting retailers under pressure. textIna Köhler
photosRetailers
illustrationAndreas Klammt
berlin-Köpenick. this is definitely necessary
because the rate of returns is estimated by
industry experts to be up to 70 per cent.
in the high-end segment too, private outlets
are a way of keeping showcase stores free of
eye-catching reductions, for example in the
case of Jades in Düsseldorf. ''thanks to our
outlets, we have a good way of selling off stock
from the second season. this works very well
in Düsseldorf and berlin because we would
theoretically be doing ourselves a disservice
if we weren't careful,'' says tanja Lehnertz,
marketing manager at the agency unifa.
however, rather than turning to residual
stock utilisation, a lot of retailers focus first
on other priorities. For frontlineshop a major
priority is to avoid leftovers: ''in the past,
we invested a lot of time into management
of the product life cycle, in order to avoid
leftover stock and high reductions as much
as possible,'' says Phillip Gramse. ''We want
to achieve the highest possible sales ratio.''
For more than a year, Frontline has also
been working together with Ebay and, as
a strategic partner, has its own premium
outlet on the portal. ''if the product can and
should no longer be marketed on our site,
then it's a good option, simply because Ebay
has positioned itself as a fashion retailer.
We have had good experiences with this
arrangement,'' says Gramse.
Surplus dealers act as the last link in the chain
of those who sell-off leftover stock, whereby
they are seen as controversial. ''basically, you
have to have a real stock problem to sell to
surplus dealers,'' says Mark Petereit of Snipes.
''as a brand i understand it, but as a retailer it
can't be seen in the margins. here, you can
better pass on the advantages to your own
customers,'' he argues.
the best solution would probably be less
stock on the market, with retailers ordering
–– 29
Fashion sales as mass-produced articles: Over-supply puts pressure on prices and teaches consumers to become bargain hunters.
30 ––
less. however, the considerable pressure
coming from brands to order goes against
this. Mark Petereit sees a good share of the
problem as being on the side of the supplier:
how many products can the market swallow
up without there being too much supply?
basically, the brands have to do their job
and keep desirability high, even in the case
of a commercial product.'' For him, a good
example is the converse chuck taylor in
black – basically a mass product, because it
exists in lots of channels in high numbers.
''Still, 2012 was a record year in terms of
turnover for converse,'' says Petereit. there
are products for which it doesn't matter if
there are 500 or 500,000 on the market.''
FaCtOry OutlEts and shOpping CluBs arE grOWingthe expansion of lots of brands with their own
shops in the inner cities is creating further
merchandise density. this surplus stock goes,
when the season is over, to several factory
outlet centres. in the meantime, these act
as both ''clean'' and profitable channels and
are springing up in the countryside – from
successful roermond, to Wertheim and
ingolstadt, Metzingen and Maasmechelen,
berlin-Wustermark and Zweibrücken, or
roppenheim in alsace. the Spanish retailer,
neinver's, factory outlet centre offers 107
stores on almost 30,000 square metres,
from adidas, to Guess and Quiksilver. at the
same time, the Spaniards are also running
the Style Outlet in Zweibrücken, one of the
oldest factory outlet centres in Germany
– 3.3 million visitors in 2011 and massive
extensions to the retail space are indications
of a successful model.
Shopping clubs with permanently growing
sales figures are also a sign that there are
more than enough goods on the market. the
French online shopping club vente-privee.
com is one of the most successful, and made
more than a billion euros last year. in 2010,
amazon bought buyVip, Ebay bought the
berlin company brands4Friends. the Otto
Group operates its own shopping club,
Limango, and the list could go on indefinitely.
FEEling gOOd in thE rush FOr Bargains the unwanted side effect: customers become
completely conditioned to discounts and that's
in the truest sense of the word. the scientists
Willy Schneider and alexander hennig backed
up the theory that customers can't defend
themselves against their basic instincts. this
is what they describe in their book ''to the
checkout, bargain!'', discounts activate the
gratification centre of the brain. ''Only 30
per cent of our purchase decisions are well
thought out, 70 per cent are spontaneous,''
says hennig, who teaches as a business studies
professor at the cooperative State university
(DhbW) of Mannheim. the chain store tK
Maxx uses this effect to its advantage. it has
developed its inner-city network of branches
massively and is opening the 56th branch
in Saarbrücken in May. according to the
company, tK Maxx promotes ''spontaneous
buying'', and advertises in its branches using
big brands that are reduced by at least 60
per cent. the uS group behind tK Maxx,
tJX companies inc. is the biggest off-price
company in the world and, in 2011, it had an
annual turnover of 23.2 billion uS dollars.
So, fat chance that the mass approach to
fashion will disappear from billboards again
in the foreseeable future. x
TK Maxx is only one of many bargain markets, in which branded goods are sold at reduced prices. Image: TK Maxx
01 ''Buying behaviour has changed enormously. Yet, there are consumers who prefer individual concepts and brand portfolios and personal contact with the seller or unique design, to widely mass-produced concepts. The retailer's task is to fill these commercial niches, or create ones that are completely their own.'' Mark Petereit, Snipes
02 ''Clearly, more competition means more and more merchandise density, which is, of course, tangible on the market.“ Philipp Gramse, Frontlineshop
03 ''Thanks to our outlets, we have a good way of selling off stock from the second season. This works very well in Düsseldorf and Berlin.'' Tanja Lehnertz, Unifa Düsseldorf
03
02
01
What's the story –– mass appRoaCh to Fashion
W hat does ebay expect from involvement in the fashion market? is it about image or sales figures?
Leonie Bechtoldt: the category of fashion,
accessories and shoes is one of our strongest
categories by far. When it comes to our
public perception, we have undergone
huge change. First, we began with second
hand products, then, we became more
grown up and we positioned ourselves as
''retail-like''. at the beginning of 2011, the
Ebay fashion outlet featuring brand shops
was introduced. these sell surplus goods,
second season products and articles from
overproduction with discounts of up to 70%.
in order to make this more palatable for the
end consumer and the fashion media, we
have been creating Lookbooks since 2011.
today, these show a mix of new stock and
vintage products. We produced the current
Lookbook and the ''My Mix'' online campaign
in cooperation with international bloggers
like the italian Eleonora carisi and the new
Yorker, anda & Masha. We want to stir up
curiosity within our target group, inspire
them, and show that Ebay has more to offer
than second hand goods. the mix does it!
how high is the proportion of fashion on Ebay? and how high is the share of new stock in comparison to second hand stock? 64 per cent of stock turnover are items with
set prices. commercial retailers' product
ranges today make up 59 per cent of all items
sold on ebay.de. in the fashion category, we
have 7.67 million different users per month.
do you want to increase the share of new stock in the long-term? it's growing but we want to have a healthy
mix . We are a platform, on which buyers
and sellers meet. Vintage stock is therefore
still important and individualism is a uSP for
Ebay. Where else can you buy goods, new and
second hand, for a fixed price, or at auction,
and then dress yourself accordingly? the
Ebay fashion customer can style himself/
herself creatively
Ebay works with a lot of brand stores, such as Eastpak, runners point, Buffalo, görtz, Brands4Friends or Frontlineshop. how does cooperation with these retailers work? do they pay a fee to Ebay? Yes, but here it's important that we have
continued to develop in the meantime, and
move away from the classic outlet way of
thinking. at the moment, the sector is called
Fashion Shop because the brands can display
unreduced items and current products
beside outlet products. in the classic fashion
category, buyers also have the option of having
individual product ranges made up for them.
Ebay had a test run in london with a physical pop up shop, where you could scan items by qr code, buy them, and have them sent to your home. is a physical
store concept like this conceivable in this country too? We are still thinking it over. Mobile buying
is a huge issue, for both buying and selling.
We can imagine it happening in Germany,
however not only in the capital berlin, but
in several cities. We see mobile commerce
as an important trend. there are lots of
possibilities and it is an exciting type of
buying and selling with huge potential. Just
as an example: Every five minutes a pair of
women's shoes is bought on the German Ebay
market place by means of a mobile app. x
What's the story –– mass appRoaCh to Fashion
32 ––
''moRe than seCond hand'' Ebay appeared at the last Fashion Week in Berlin with a relax lounge, and brought out an online fashion campaign with famous international bloggers. What does ebay expect from involvement in the fashion market? The online supplier is working on a change of image.textIna Köhler
photosebay.com
FaCts
The trading platform Ebay has existed in Germany since 1999. In 2011, the listed company had a turnover of 11.7 billion dollars and so made a profit of 3.2 billion dollars. In the first quarter of 2012, they achieved an increase in turnover of 29 per cent to 3.28 billion US dollars. Alongside the payment service provider Paypal, the firm also owns various different suppliers like e.g. mobile.de, or the shopping club Brands4Friends.
''We are a platform, on which buyers and sellers meet.'' Leonie Bechtoldt, ebay
01 Style-conscious: Ebay is focusing on the co-existence of vintage and new stock.02 Leonie Bechtoldt works as Ebay's press officer for the fashion image of the platform.
02
01
THE ROCKBREAD & BUTTER
04 – 06 July 2012AIRPORT BERLIN-TEMPELHOF
www.breadandbutter.com
phot
o by
ingo
robi
n
BBB-THE ROCK_SiP_220x300.indd 1 21.05.12 15:19
g etting rid of residual stock online, by
means of closed shopping clubs, was
an ingenious coup. but then something
happened that no one had read in the
elaborate strategy descriptions of the
club operators: despite radical discount
campaigns, piles of goods remained unsold.
the shopping club giant, Limango, was one
of the first to solve this problem using the
classic offline residual stock sale. back to
the good old warehouse sale with a bargain
counter feel. and suddenly branded stock
had arrived back where no one wanted to
see it any more, in retail.
Ever more wholesalers are therefore starting
to take the issue into their own hands and
establish their own residual stock platforms
online. the most famous example is Otto,
the biggest mail-order company in Europe,
which sells surpluses, residual stock and
returns on its website, corso. Sales are made
exclusively to wholesalers. the b2b trading
platform, zitra.com, presents a similar
platform, in which tengelmann Ventures, a
subsidiary of the tengelmann Group, holds
a 45 per cent stake. according to its own
data, Zitra concluded the first round of
financing five months after its launch, with a
figure in the mid-seven digit euro range (as
of December 2011). therefore, the success
bears out the model. however, one sentence
in the General terms and conditions is
perplexing: ''Zitra, as a matter of principle,
does not check if the offers appointed, by
the sellers, and other content, such as data
provided by sellers are legitimate, truthful
and complete.'' Similar wording for all
retailers. Which poses the question whether
the model of the world wide clicking away
of surpluses could have other side effects,
apart from the boomerang risk, which are
not apparent on the screen.
Mr. Engel, residual stock utilisation on the internet holds a certain risk because you have little control over where goods land and how they are treated. are there any control mechanisms, or do you leave it to the market to regulate itself?
woRLd wide awayThe unpopular grey area, in which residual stock utilisation happily dodges clear strategies, is being outsourced more and more. Solving problems with a click of the mouse. Less work, but also less control. Who clicks on your products how, and which model is more profitable than others?textIsabel Faiss
illustrationFrieder Schneider
photoZitra
34 ––
Click and away. The internet provides plenty of ways to solve the headache issue of residual stock utilisation. ''we aRe
pRobLem-soLveRs''
In July 2011, Frank Engel founded the B2B platform, Zitra, together with Phillip Kraft. In just one year, it has become the biggest free, online market place which focuses on providing goods from fashion, lifestyle and electronics to online traders, stores and outlets. His company has been taken over by gold rush fever.
Frank Engel: that's right, marketing aimed
at wholesale buyers is attractive for fashion
brands, but it holds the risk of running into a
few black sheep. in addition, it's a laborious
business with difficult trading partners. Zitra
solves this problem because sellers don't just
get access to thousands of tested buyers but
they can also refuse to carry out a transaction
with a buyer. So, the seller has the last word.
controlling the resale of goods and end
customer prices on the basis of guidelines
is unfortunately possible neither for sellers,
nor for us. the only thing that helps here is
systematic selection of buyers.
But how do you argue against sellers' concrete risks and fears in practice?Often, there is no one who is given the
permanent responsibility of looking after
residual stock marketing and there is often
no process for its marketing either. this
means that it's often unpopular.
For this reason, we don't want to create more
work, rather a simple and effective solution
by means of standardised processes for
sellers, so that we take work off their hands.
how do you see yourselves in comparison to platforms like Brands4Friends?Our business is clearly different to that of
brands4Friends. We work purely in the b2b
field, and we aren't wholesale buyers, but
rather problem-solvers. What we do have
in common, is the marketing of goods that
is compatible with the brands in question.
this is definitely a unique feature in the b2b
sector. Where otherwise you only find lists
and prices, in the b2b field, we also present
residual stock in a brand-compatible way
and in a high-quality environment, because
after all the stock is not 'bad'.
What role does trust play in your business?a very big one because the residual stock
market would otherwise be labelled as a grey
market. there are many dubious business
partners at work here. So, we don't just
check our buyers, but also every seller who
joins the platform. We ensure e.g. a buyer
guarantee of over 10,000 euros. We couldn't
do this if we weren't sure of receiving original
stock with provable histories at guaranteed
delivery times.
how has the handling of excess stock and surpluses changed as a result of the internet?a lot, because an offer is now potentially
available all over the world and can be
immediately presented to several thousand
buyers at home and abroad by newsletter.
We go one step further and identify the
demand in the market in order to be able to
buy and sell according to our targets.
do you see big growth potential for your business model?Yes, the German market alone is gigantic. We
value the market here at an annual volume of
more than seven billion euros, in segments
relevant to us. For Europe as a whole, you
can multiply this figure many times over.
if you take ecommerce growth alone and
the development of returned goods as a
benchmark, this market will also increase
significantly in coming years.
We were awarded the ''red herring Europe
award'' for our ''Disruptive business Model''
and fast growth.
are there special services for fashion customers?Yes, we work with experts from the industry.
We have specialised staff for every category,
who know what they are talking about and
can speak with buyers and sellers from
fashion on their level. in addition, we also
offer credit control and can take over the
whole sales process.
Excess stock utilisation is an unpopular subject. how do you advertise your platform?Of course, it is of great concern to us that
we inform the heads of fashion companies
about this subject, which is unfortunately
often neglected. the subject usually only
becomes interesting if it becomes a burning
issue. in other words, if things aren't going
well, then they realise what dead capital is
lying in storage. however, if they managed
to create early processes for selling off
slow-movers and leftovers, then a well-run
company has an additional sales channel and
enough liquidity. x
''We value the market here at an annual volume of more than seven billion euros. For Europe as a whole you can multiply this figure many times over.'' Frank Engel, Zitra GmbH
–– 35
www––––––––––
www.zitra.com
Frank Engel is the founder of the online market platform Zitra.
mass appRoaCh to Fashion –– What's the story
36 ––
Mobility and modernity – with really innovative products, the industry could capture the hearts and minds of consumers. Photo: Commuter Jeans by Levi‘s.
CommuniCate –– What's the story
CommuniCate! For decades, jeans have been the epitome of youth culture and rebellion, inextricably liked with the music, film and entertainment industries, an innovative force. However, recently it's become incredibly quiet. Does the industry have nothing more to say? textIna Köhler
photosLabels
t he end of april 2012, in London:
Managing director Lee Kun-hee presents
the new Samsung Smartphone Galaxy S3. the
staging resembles a rock event – and makes it
onto the news at prime time. the procedure
is copied from apple head Steve Jobs, who
regularly presented his product innovations
like a new world religion. With success – their
fan base today neither buys the cheapest, nor
the most technologically advanced device,
rather the promise of a nicer and better life
with an iPod, iPhone or iPad. the purchase is
an emotional decision, nothing to do with
reason. as a fashion brand, we can learn a lot
from this. however, what staging of fashion
can still manage to capture the hearts and
minds of consumers? it ought to have been
easy to take on themes. this was not the case
– the era when tV advertisement spots were
dominated by jeans brands, music charts
and clearance sales is over.
thE Era OF Cult prOduCts- OvEr? clothes and accessories are the most
emotional products there are. by means
of what we wear directly on our bodies, we
non-verbally communicate our preferences,
values and attitude to life. but what the 501
was in the past, the smartphone or the bike
is now: powerful competitors for the sector.
as a result, the product has developed an
incredible amount: Jeans from 1992 and
2012 are worlds apart. new possibilities for
washes and adaptations, innovative materials
and new cut and colour techniques have
improved the product enormously and,
more than anything, have individualised it.
then there's eco-balance – beginning with
water consumption, all the way to toxin-free
colouring methods. however, hardly anyone
dares to come out of the woodwork and
speak about it definitively.
at the Munich Fabric Start in February 2012
alone, about 500 organic materials were
displayed. how much of this resonates
consciously with the consumer, not to
mention appearing on the news? the car
industry's three-litre car hung around in the
headlines for years, although there were only
a few models. three-litre jeans with an ozone
wash are made by numerous manufacturers –
but hardly any consumers know about them.
–– 37
03 ''We invest a huge amount in these Laser Wash events, to show not only the buyers, but particularly the sellers, how the product works. Because they, in turn, must pass this on to the customers.“ Thomas Wirth, Replay
04 ''The G-Star design philosophy is moving beyond jeans, that is, to denim art objects.'' Shubankar Ray, G-Star
05 ''Shoes pose a particular challenge in terms of product design. Yet, the industry continues to surprise us with its creativity.'' Kirstin Deutelmoser, GDS & Global Shoes
01 Protoypes that lead to new products: G-Star experiments with denim objects. 02 Unusual design stirs up emotions - even shoe designers take more risks than many clothing companies. Design: Julian Hakes
05
02
01
04
03
38 ––
WhO is Filling thE agEnda? however, if you look more closely, then you
discover a whole host of exciting themes. in
spring, relay presented its new laser blast
collection, first in Milan and then the rest
of Europe. the laser technology, originally
pushed by Francois Girbaud using the phrase
watt wash, is, in fact, not brand new but is
finding its way into product ranges in a big
way, like at replay: ''From our point of view,
the technical craftsmanship and its result,
which radiates passion, is amazing thanks to
this technology, which i like to characterise as
gentle, in that it is environmentally-friendly,''
says Matteo Singaglia, cEO of Fashion box.
in Germany, we presented the technology
to retailers in a road show. ''We invest a great
amount in these events, to show not only
the buyers, but particularly the sellers, how
the product works. because they, in turn,
must pass this on to the customers.“ says the
managing director in Germany, thomas
Wirth. in addition, there are events in retail
that present the laser technology to end
consumers using a machine on site.
Pepe is scoring with a similar topic: the tru-
blu collection doesn't use any chemicals
in the washing process and reduces water
consumption with its ozone wash. however,
uwe boser, managing director in Germany,
acknowledges after their initial experiences:
''First and foremost, the visual appearance of
the wash must be right, only then will people
be interested in how it's made.''
Sustainability is one core issue, mobility
another: Levi's have developed so-called
commuter jeans with functional features
for urban bikers, which still look like proper
jeans. ''the idea came from our designers
in San Francisco, where a lot of people use
bikes,'' says christian Meister of Levi's public
relations department. Since april, the
product has been in a handful of Levi's stores
and at the specialist retailer Stilrad, the
second collection will follow in July. it went
down well when it was publicised: ''right
away, we had an above average response
from the media. it reflects the general need
for mobility in society,'' says Meister. a small
idea with big results – perhaps because it is
coupled with one of the classic innovative
issues: Mobility.
is FashiOn a prOduCt WhiCh has BEEn ExhaustEd? Some brands are moving beyond the
fashion horizon, brands which offer
crossover products, such as G-Star with its
furniture collection Prouvé raw Furniture,
created in cooperation with the furniture
manufacturer Vitra. G-Star's Global brand
director Shubankar ray says: ''Within these
projects, our functional design aesthetic
meets product development. this leads
to unexpected associations and unique
products. these – like the G-Star collection
– are based on industry classics and modern
design, beyond trends and fast fashion.''
alongside furniture, G-Star also cooperates
with manufacturers like Land rover and
cannondale. Feedback to fashion is
desirable. ''the G-Star design philosophy
goes beyond jeans, into objects of denim
art. So, the Skeleton Dogs are part of a
01 Successful living in the truest sense of the word: Diesel now also stands for living environments. 02-03 Laser technology is inspiring a host of companies like Replay (below) or Pepe (above) to new collections – but it's important to also communicate this to the consumer.
01 02
03
series of denim objects, which convey our
search for new ergonomic shapes in denim
and design,'' says ray. Originating from
this experiment, we are now implementing
product lines like arc Jeans.
Diesel, too, has made a name for itself with
other products beyond fashion and, in its
home collection Successful Living from
Diesel, it displays lights, furniture and kitchens
that have been developed in cooperation
with manufacturers like Foscarini, Moroso
and Scavolini.
if you extend your search for new products
to footwear, you come up against new
obstacles: it's even more difficult to bring in
real innovations into footwear, because the
limited shape of the shoe leaves little room
for manoeuvre. ''Shoes present a particular
challenge,'' says Kirstin Deutelmoser, Director
of GDS & Global Shoes. ''all shoe models must
offer a minimum functionality to be at all
wearable. Despite this, the industry continues
to surprise us with its creativity. an example
of excellent design is, for example, the Mojito
by architect Julian hakes.
a quEstiOn OF COMMuniCatiOnJust like the jeans industry, the shoe industry
is fighting an image, which is not always the
cleanest, for which it needs new strategies:
''the company Snipe didn't just develop the
first traditionally manufactured shoe that is
up to one hundred per cent compostable, but
also went into distribution in new ways,'' says
Kirstin Deutelmoser. ''retailers could order the
shoe, but would get to see it only on delivery.
recycling, conserving resources, sustainability
– there would be a lot to say, because the
consumer is interested in this area. but what
big company can claim to communicate
transparently, where and under what conditions
it produces? recent years have brought with
them a host of certifications, which have not
made transparency any better. this causes a
fatigue effect among consumers – not only in
the denim industry. Maud von hoff, press officer
at ispo Munich also says: ''We have focused on
sustainability for a long time and we still do.
but , we have to keep communicating about
new themes, otherwise a theme wears out
at a certain stage. in the field of sports, there
are certain companies who have turned over
very good products. however, here too, we
have to be careful about communicating this.
consumers are very sensitive, and if someone
promises something that they can't fulfil, it
comes back at them like a boomerang.“ x
–– 39
W hy has fashion become less of a driver of innovation than, for example, the mobile
communications or car industry?Joachim Baumgartner: i don't exactly see it that
way. currently, there are lots of innovative
approaches in fashion, you just have to look at a
few examples from recent international shows.
For example, how brilliantly the balenciaga
designer nicolas Ghesquière linked retro and
the future, that is unique. Or how the Japanese
designer tsumori chisato brings folklore,
active sport and nature together, i don't know
of anything like this in the other industries. that
the media doesn't really perceive fashion as a
driver of innovation, can be linked to the fact
that fashion has become more of a consumer
product – also because today everyone can
afford fashion.
in the past, jeans were a symbol of rebellion and innovation. Why have they lost this image?because they are integrated everywhere, in
fashion, culturally, sociologically, stylistically.
as soon as something is everywhere, you can
no longer rebel with it. it also doesn't seem
like jeans will ever reach this status again.
they are too popular for that, even if there are
fluctuations.
What role does sustainability play in trends? is it still important?Of course it's still important. in my opinion,
it is a muted long-term trend and not a flash
in the pan. here, sustainability is, in the
meantime, more of a mind-set than a visual
trend. nowadays, no one wants the stamp
of the environment imposed on them.
Sustainability and fashion are no longer
mutually exclusive. this is portrayed
beautifully by the certified materials that
Munich Fabric Start presents every season.
''cost-effective materials can be integrated
into all collections in principle. they are no
longer inferior to other materials in terms
of colour or refinement. they are just a
little more expensive and obviously more
complicated to handle and price.
how is sustainability implemented in the industry? Can we see progress here?Progress has definitely been made. almost
every company is dealing intensively
with this subject. Just three examples of
innovations:
1. there are new natural viscose fibres made
from leaves.
2. Laser finishing has since been better
developed and is being used more and more.
it is replacing other finishing techniques
that are damaging to the environment.
3. certified printing techniques are now
opening the way for printing in this area.
how is the issue of sustainability discussed with the consumer?this is the crucial point. there has been too
little publicity, perhaps for fear of speaking
badly of jeans from traditional production.
but the end consumer is educated about
the issue and can, in the meantime, inform
himself well on the internet, for example on
the website biokleidung.org. x
''not a smaLL, shoRt FLash in the pan'' Joachim Baumgartner is a trend expert for the fabric trade fair in Munich, Fabric Start. x-ray spoke with him about sustainability, innovations and the role of jeans in the fashion industry. intervieWIna Köhler
photoMunich Fabric Start
CommuniCate –– What's the story
40 ––
„Volkov bojatjsja - v les ne hoditj.“ He who fears thorns,should keep clear of bushes. One of the most common tips you hear from sales managers, who know know the Russian market is always: Play fair. The predicted potential of this market is pretty much balanced out by the high demands and unexpected surprises for foreign companies.
FoReign CountRies, FoReign Customs –– What's the story
FoReign CountRies, FoReign CustomsThe Russian understanding of fashion has high entertainment value, at least the image that is portrayed to the outside world. But it‘s not these clichés that place the country at the centre of the expansion plans of international fashion brands. It‘s the huge potential for growth, the brand awareness of a new middle-class, and the appeal of entering a new market which is once again being praised like before. textIsabel Faiss
photosCPM, ADenim, Dockers, Camper
s uddenly, the image of a scampering hor-
seman appears, he‘s racing up a small hill.
When he reaches the top, he jumps off the
horse. With great conviction he rams the pole
into the ground. a sunset in the background,
fanfare off-stage. ‚‘russia is cowboy country.
First come, first serve. it‘s all about being the
first to plant your flag,‘‘ says Marco Lanowy,
managing director of aDenim, clearly one of
the biggest reasons why the russian market is
still an El Dorado for many European brands.
Miguel Fluxa, cEO and owner of camper
also has good advice for all who are playing
around with the idea of entering this market:
"the sooner, the better.‘‘
Everyone is raving about how the fashion
business there is still pure and original, where
real retailers design product ranges and who-
se highest goal is to offer their customers,
whom they know very well, a service that
meets their needs. With the ambition of sel-
ling their goods at a price. no own brands.
Despite double-digit growth rates in the mail-
order business business in physical stores has
still not been compromised. no marketing
restrictions. brands can and even should be
more than just present. While on the German
market you have to bargain for every square
centimetre of attention and presentation
space, in russia there is still a lot of poten-
tial,‘‘ says project manager at cPM, christian
Kasch. ‚‘the changes in the construction of
exhibition stands is a good symbol for how the
market has changed in recent years. in the
past, it was simply important for brands to be
seen in Moscow. today, things like image and
stand design are much more central. Made
in Germany, is still a mark of quality, despite
this, the brands want to position themselves
on the market in a much more target-group
orientated way then before. So, step by step,
more and more segments are appearing.‘‘
in March, the collection Première Moscow
made a record in their ninth year with 19,100
professional visitors. about 20 per cent of the
whole exhibition area was taken up by Ger-
man companies, a figure which is ever-increa-
sing. 23.4 per cent of the professional visitors
came from the jeans segment alone. after the
considerable slump in 2008 and 2009, russia
recovered faster than expected. and the jolt
also had positive effects, because the market
spread out more evenly into its price seg-
ments. the low and mid-price segment is gro-
wing faster than before the crisis. the market
has become professional. the initial start-up
euphoria of 2002 to 2007, where, according to
the European Fashion and the textile Export
council, market volumes quadrupled is over.
it has shifted down a gear. the initial short-
distance records have now been exchanged
for a long-distance route. it still holds about
143 million potential customers.
Out OF thE COuntrythe study by the Moscow market research
company Market Masters came out at the be-
ginning of 2012 and rearranged the current
image of russian fashion retail: the market
is growing more in the individual provinces
than it is in the two metropolises of Moscow
and St. Petersburg. 53 per cent of fashion
retail came from eleven big cities with only
about one million residents, only 18 per cent
–– 41
01 „You should never be arrogant in Russia, or go into this market overestimating yourself. Rather, you must listen carefully.‘‘ Marco Lanowy, ADenim
02 „Russia is a world of it‘s own, they dance to a different tune there. Lots of things that we can easily do here in Europe are sometimes problematic in Russia.‘‘ Christian Kasch, CPM
03 „The biggest challenge in our industry is to say no. Particularly in Russia, it‘s important to be patient and to wait for the right customers or partners.‘‘ Manilo Massa, Managing Director of Antony Morato
03
02
01
42 ––
came from Moscow and 13 from St. Peters-
burg. Despite this, in talks with marketing ex-
perts, figures of between 200 and 300 doors
are still mentioned, which, per segment, is
realistic for this gigantic country. although
russian retail is growing in the field of multi-
brand stores in particular. ‚‘Multi-brand stores
are much more present in the cities than
they used to be. Particularly thanks to a new
generation of buyers, who travel around a lot
and bring with them many influences from
abroad, the existing structures have changed
quite a bit,‘‘ says christian Kasch. big depart-
ment stores like Moscow‘s holding center or
MoDaMo are seeing more and more compe-
tition from chain stores like Marks & Spencer
or the inditex Group, but also from domestic
chain stores, whose market share is already
over 50 per cent (Esper Group, 2011). ‚‘there
are very cool and original shops on the rus-
sian market. it‘s a new trend to build up your
own store structures, which form your own
corporate identity. We are living in very ex-
citing times at the moment. the retailers are
open to anything that supports them. at the
moment, shop in shop concepts and close co-
operation at PoS are very popular,‘‘ says Marco
Lanowy. When aDenim entered the market
in russia, which happened almost at the same
time as the brand launch, it profited from
its parent group alberto‘s ten years of expe-
rience and the groundwork it had done as a
result of this. "this market is changing rapid-
ly and has also opened up a completely new
jeans market. For brands that are still young,
the jeans segment currently offers them huge
opportunities to establish themselves there.
to date, we have not been far off the goals we
set for ourselves." as a German company, we
have been receiving early praise, especially
when it comes to reliability. So, aDenim‘s
goals are: "We want to be a completely pre-
dictable partner for russian retailers. this
constitutes delivery dependability and the
service of delivering the right product, with
which sales can be made. Our task is to listen
to the market and to define its characteristics.
We are making a product from the market for
the market. therefore, it‘s especially impor-
tant to listen,‘‘ says Marco Lanowy.
status syMBOl Brandit‘s a paradox of sorts that russia is one of the
biggest textile producers in the world, but
at the same time the industry hasn‘t yet ma-
naged to establish domestic brands. Demand
for international brands is too high. ‚‘When
russia opened its borders, brand recognition
increased enormously and was mainly direc-
ted at European brands,‘‘ says tomas Schmidt,
vice president of commercial operations at
Dockers. "the retail structure is characte-
rised by the current generation, which is ac-
tive in purchasing and sales there. that then
translates into a significantly bigger vision
in subsequent generations. that is a situa-
tion in which Germany found itself years ago.
brands are still status symbols, once again
they represent prosperity. therefore, foreign
brands play a very important role,‘‘ he says.
Dockers‘ collection has developed in recent
04 „The number of Russians who have higher than average purchasing power is growing. The percentages of demand for foreign products are increasing accordingly.‘‘ Tomas Schmidt, Dockers
05 „The Russian consumer is greedy for inter-national quality products. They expect goods with the highest possible quality standards. “Miguel Fluxa, CEO Camper
05
04
01
years from trouser specialists into a com-
plete look, and depends more on its own stores
to present the look and feel of the brand.
Dockers also benefits from the fact that its big
brother Levi‘s is already established on the
russian market with 40 stores. ‚‘We are spoiled
by russia because it is a completely different
situation when it comes to competition. in
Germany, you no longer get applauded for
presenting innovative cuts.
in Germany, we also have huge competition
with own brands. in russia, customers speci-
fically seek out foreign brands. Even though
the customers know that they pay more for
them,‘‘ says Schmidt. "the general population
of russia maybe has lower purchasing power
than we are used to, but this top-end which is
spoken about a lot is very big and no longer
focuses on high fashion brands. it is a very im-
portant market for Dockers. all brands that
we see as competition, are either at the star-
ting blocks or are already there."
thE MarkEt dOEs nOt FOrgivE MistakEs“the russian market is a difficult market. in my
opinion, it is not possible to deal with it from
the outside. the most important thing of all
is a partner on site, who knows that you can‘t
make mistakes,‘‘ says christian Kach of cPM,
which helps with the acquisition of profes-
sional partners in the russian market through
its website (information on www.cpm-
moscow.com - trade show/service). Miguel
Fluxa from camper confirms that the huge
potential that is attributed to this market is
defined, more than anything, by how clever-
ly you choose your partners on the ground.
Since 2005, the Spanish shoe specialist has
been represented on the russian market
and mainly relies on its own stores for this.
“in contrast to the European market, we are
only represented in our own stores in russia
and we don‘t work much in cooperation with
retailers. Our initial expectations have barely
changed to date. So, there was no rude awake-
ning or the like. Our goal, as always, is to esta-
blish ourselves as a leading brand in the pre-
mium casual sector. Our brand recognition
has risen continuously and visibility in the
most important shopping streets is also deve-
loping positively.‘‘ at the same time, camper
also had to contend with local tricky issues,
which related particularly to the require-
ments with respect of the products:
What is possibly the most important diffe-
rence to the European market is the tough
winter in russia. this meant for us that we
needed to modify some of our models, so that
they could withstand the difficult conditions
on the ground.‘‘ Manilo Massa is managing di-
rector at the italian menswear label antony
Morato, which defined expansion to russia as
one of the big goals for the near future. “in our
industry, the biggest challenge is to say no.
and not to be tempted come, and to refuse
one day deals that can‘t last for long. Some-
times that means saying yes to a smaller firm
rather than a big reference customer. For us,
on the russian market, more than anything it‘s
about being patient and focusing on the right
customers. as a young firm, we have to set cer-
tain rules for our partners and be able to trust
that they act accordingly. For this, we need
the right partner, not only in russia.‘‘
BEWarE OF OvErEstiMating yOursElFthe question hangs in the room and demands
an answer: the number of russians who are
so wealthy that are they actually looking for a
European image boost in this market, is a
small elite. and this is traditionally devoted to
high fashion brands with eye-catching bran-
ding. So does this market actually have the
expected potential for products in the mid-
price segment? can products exist here that,
like shoes by camper, convey a good deal of
philosophy through muted design language?
"Of course there is the potential. Particularly
in Moscow and St. Petersburg a broad middle-
class with huge buying power has appeared,
in recent years in the course of economic de-
velopment,‘‘ says Miguel Fluxa.
“if price structures develop from very cheap
to very expensive, then all levels of the pop-
ulation for textiles are covered, like in our
market. this is exactly how this market will
develop. however, one challenge is that, in
russia, whole districts don‘t have any need for
regeneration. there, you can‘t go in overest-
imating yourself and thinking you can turn
the market upside down. You need the will to
grow with the country, to listen carefully and
then to define possibilities within this. Other-
wise you will be out as fast as you go in,‘‘ con-
firms Marco Lanowy. x
–– 43
02
01 No bling or showers of rhinestones. For the young generations, foreign brands are status symbols in themselves, so no additio-nal pageantry is needed.02 The trouser specialist Dockers is benefiting from the ground-work already done by its big brother Levi’s.
FoReign CountRies, FoReign Customs –– What's the story
daRLing denim? Denim – once everybody’s darling in the product line, has been suffering a minor crisis for the past few seasons – Chino and Co. were in competition, women especially were unfaithful to the labels. How did the denim trade deal with this? Did it benefit or did it go empty-handed? And when will the next big denim wave arrive? textIna Köhler
photosKaltenbach, Fast Forward, U1 by Wöhrl, Yeans Halle
44 ––
01
the CLassiC jeans shop –– What's the story
thE traditiOnalist norbert Kaltenbach, owner of Jeans
Kaltenbach in Munich, remodelled part of
his shop in spring in order to increase the
percentage of denim. a clear statement
in times when the blue classic isn't exactly
at the forefront. "What we want is to have
an even stronger denim line in the fashion
department in the basement", says the owner
norbert Kaltenbach. "We've increased the
ratio of denim to 65 per cent, from autumn
this will grow further to 70 per cent." he is
relying on greater demand from autumn.
"We've been in the business for many years
and in our experience, right at the point when
denim is generally weak in the market, experts
like us can profit", says norbert Kaltenbach.
that's when competition isn't very high and
customers look for denim products from
specialists. "We also think it's important to
have different lengths in stock - at least two
lengths for men and three different lengths
for women", says Kaltenbach.
"Most customers are looking for jeans with
us, not so much tops", says Kaltenbach. as
a result, losses in the hard winter of 2011/12
weren't so great. the price structure has now
zeroed in and changed slightly: "the 49 euros
price level has disappeared with the men,"
says Kaltenbach. "Men don't pay so much
attention to price when buying, they go up
to about 149 euros. Women are more likely to
look at the price. Price levels between 69 and
99 euros are usually very strong here. More
expensive models really only sell well when
they have something special to offer." With
men, the classic jeans wall plays a key role:
"Particularly in the classic range, which needs
a lot of advice, we still work with it a lot", says
Kaltenbach. by contrast, the walls are broken
up by presentations in the fashion area. the
customers want to serve themselves here
and don't need as much service even though
this is a high priority with the jeans specialist
"We invest a great deal in sales training, our
instructors train every week. On request,
customers can reorder their model and nOS
follows once or twice a week.
Jeans Kaltenbach in Munich was founded in 1953,
the shop's sales area in the Herzogspitalstrasse is
around 800 square metres. In January, the company's
Fashion Men department was extended - with even
more jeans and a greater variety of cuts, washings,
labels and lengths.
thE all-rOundEr the u1, the young progressive department
in the Wöhrl clothing chain has relied on
denim labels since time immemorial. two
years ago, andreas Zimanyi took over the
department as area Manager. "the denim
sector had already declined at that point.
then along came the chino and colour wave
and we adapted the range accordingly. We
took out some of the jeans labels when they
weren't as strong. that did hurt a little bit
but from an economic perspective, it was
certainly the right decision. nevertheless,
denim had an important part to play over the
last two years, it was just smaller." but, like
his colleagues, he also sees development
turning in the other direction again: "chino
–– 45
"When denim is weaker in the market then we as experts can profit from this." Norbert Kaltenbach, Jeans Kaltenbach
and coloured Five-Pockets will still continue
to perform but i think denim will have a lot
of things going for it in the autumn again. We
have greatly strengthened the denim range,
and as well as taking up with new suppliers,
we've also strengthened the classics. We
now have more width in the range as well
as more depth." as part of the decline in
denim, brand awareness has also changed -
it is generally much more pronounced: "it's
more important to boys to be wearing a label
than it is for girls - it's not quite a disinterest,
but their share is just smaller. if the label isn't
so important then other criteria play a role
such as quality, style and price. One of my
assignments was to create a pricing structure
with u1." this started at 49 euros with vertical
labels, the key players positioned at 100
01 Specialists for jeans since 1953: Jeans Kaltenbach keeping the denim faith. 02 Fashion is at the forefront at Fast Forward – Denim is an important part of this.03 U1 by Wöhrl has relied on denim from the start – even when quotas were cut back.
02 03
46 ––
euros up to Diesel with a price level up to
249 euros. in-between, labels such as Ltb or
Mavi find a niche.
There are 28 of the young U1 departments in a total
of three sizes: Nuremberg is the largest with 3,500
square metres. Then, the focus houses such as
Würzburg, Berlin, Augsburg and Ingolstadt. Wöhrl
has base houses in medium-sized cities which have a
more commercial set-up. Denim is an important area
with U1, listing such key players as G-Star or Pepe.
thE FashiOnaBlE For Fast Forward, the trading company based
in berlin, working with jeans labels has been
at the forefront for a long time, even when
the range's blue quota was only around 30
to 40 per cent. the rest revolves around
fashionable goods and shoes. "We fall over
ourselves to take the fashionable denim
label collections", says District Manager
isabelle Mosig. "in addition, we also work
with short-term programmes." She also
observed that labels were more important
to men last season than they were to women.
"Men are more brand-loyal, women buy
more according to style and are more open
to new trends because of this." nevertheless,
they haven't stopped believing in denim.
"Our customers know what to expect from us
and it's definitely our expertise in all things
denim." the interior decoration emphasises
this. From the summer, the branch in
berlin's alexa will be supplied with so-called
Denim cubes which will be placed in the
centre of the room and show the depth
of the range. the price range is also rather
moving upwards too - starting at around 100
euros for men and women. the company is
also additionally planning to open the Fast
Forward black concept in the alexa. "What
we've found is that our somewhat older
customers are looking for more high-quality
styles which we want to present in a bit more
of a boutique style", says 'isabelle Mosig. "this
will be a kind of creative playground with
special collections from our suppliers."
Schahied Herbawi founded his Fast Forward company
in 1997 and manages 13 branches in cities such as
Hamburg, Berlin, Potsdam, Leipzig and Dresden
which have an average size of about 300 square
metres. The range focuses on fashionable denim
labels and shoes including such labels as Pepe, Sixty,
G-Star, Diesel, Scotch & Soda and Adidas.
thE ExpErts in South Germany, particularly in baden-
Wurttemberg, the Yeans halle represents
concentrated jeans expertise with a denim
ratio of more than 50 per cent. "Our
credo is that every customer should find a
suitable pair of jeans with us", says thomas
Kuhnhäuser, responsible for purchasing.
but even the Yeans halle felt the heat of
change: "Last year, turnover moved more
in favour of flat woven fabrics, particularly
in womenswear". that also had an impact
on the price ranges as the end consumers
were more price-sensitive, particularly with
non-denim. "nevertheless, this season will
see an upswing in denim again, even with
higher prices. new shapes and washings are
in demand", says Kuhnhäuser. "it pays off that
people see us as specialists. What works in
our favour is when other people are breaking
down whole denim departments." in the
autumn, another 1,800 square metre large
branch focusing on jeans will be opening in
Darmstadt. "We can show just how wide our
expertise is there and this will also include our
great visual denim presence", says Kuhnhäuser.
Service such as alteration facilities or intensive
consultations are perfectly natural for him
here, too and something that underlines the
expertise as a specialist. "this is expensive, but
in the end, it pays off."
There are 14 branches and three outlets in South
Germany under the Yeans Halle name - sizes vary
from 500 to 4,000 square metres of retail space. The
company was founded by Horst Mühlberger and has
been selling jeans since 1977. It's core range include
labels such as Diesel, Replay, G-Star, Hilfiger Denim,
Levi’s or Mustang. x
What's the story –– the CLassiC jeans shop
01 "Denim had an important part to play over the last two years, it was just smaller." Andreas Zimanyi, U1/Wöhrl
02 "Men are more brand-loyal, women buy more according to style and are more open to new trends because of this." Isabelle Mosig, Fast Forward
03 "Our credo is that every customer should find a suitable pair of jeans with us." Thomas Kuhnhäuser, Yeans Halle
The Yeans Halle relies on visible competence and a broad selection of denim.
03
01
VISIT US AT BREAD & BUTTER
WWW.AGJEANS.COM
KOMET UND HELDEN SHOWROOMLODENFREY PARK
HAUS F, EINGANG 21OSTERWALDSTRASSE 10
80805 MÜNCHEN
DISTRIBUTED BY
48 ––
a RetaiLeR as a bRand –– What's the story
my stoRe, my FRiendHow does a retailer become a brand and its store an institution? How does it manage to becomethe number one place to be for a young public? Because it's not only the personality of the owner that counts, but also chemistry with customers.textNicoletta Schaper
photosRetailers
illustrationAndre Sanchez
B ielefeld, bahnhofstraße. a highly-
frequented shopping mile with the
usual, boring chain stores. not exactly the
right place for a hip store with an individual
product range deliberately sought out by its
fans. however, those who are in the know go
through a simple wooden door and turn their
backs on the mainstream. a long corridor
leads to the second Ozone store in bielefeld,
with a young skate product range opened by
andré Lösekann in 2009. ''its location on the
pedestrian mile was ultimately wrong for our
target customers,'' he says. but the wooden
door which gives it the effect of being
hidden away and which we thought up as a
temporary arrangement, hit the spot.''
andré Lösekann is well versed in the business
of young fashion. in 1989, he opened his first
store by the name of brooks, with brands
like Diesel, replay and chevignon and later
carhartt, G-Star and caterpillar. to add to
this, almost ten years later came Ozone with
a range of skater products on 40 square
metres. the shop got about and soon there
was not only an Ozone in bielefeld, but also,
under the management of partners, in five
other cities such as Essen, Dortmund and
rostock. up until 2004, the product range
in the Ozone in bielefeld was more or less
reserved for skaters. then, andré Lösekann
integrated the brooks concept into the
Ozone store and shifted the focus of the
product range onto upper streetwear at a
new location spanning 214 square metres.
not least, in order to open up the store to a
wider audience. this worked out very well
but the store was leaving the young target
group further and further behind. Lösekann
wanted to change this with the new Ozone
for younger shoppers.
thE suB-CulturE is dEad, thE sCEnE livEs On but today the scene is different. this is also
clear to tatjana bruss, who opened her chicas
boardshop in Munich with snowboarding,
surfing and skate brands for girls in 2004, at
a time when there were only skate shops for
boys and a product range like this was a real
rarity. the number of boardsports brands
for girls has increased hugely, at the same
time fashion in general has become less
sporty, and a lot more elegant. this means
stronger competition on the market. ''Most
skate shops are taking women's things out
of their product ranges completely because
it is difficult to keep up with h&M and Zara
nowadays,'' says tatjana bruss. ''Many young
girls buy there because the fashion is fast and
cheap and they maybe only wear the things
three or four times. this has already changed
fashion appreciation.''
yOuth WOrk it's not much easier when it comes to boys.
For high Five skate shop in hanover, their
–– 49
''In the past, the boardsports scene identified itself as a group through their clothing, but the kids don't feel part of the scene any more. I'd like to change that.'' Tatjana Bruss,Owner of Chicas & Chicos Boardshop
WWW––––––––––
www.highfive-skateshop.dewww.chicas-boardshop.de
www.ozone-sports.com
biggest competition is titus. Lots of kids
shop there, the product range is big and
the store, located near the main station, is
easy to get to. those who know what's what
go to hanover Linden to high Five. the
owners Dennis Laaß und Oliver albrecht
are skateboarders in their hearts and souls
and are actively involved in the hanover
skateboarding scene. this makes them role
models and makes their store all the more
authentic, their store which has a product
range including labels like cleptomanicx,
Chicas Boardshop by Tatjana Bruss, for everyone who feels an affinity with boardsports.
50 ––
trap, DVS, Zoo York and Globe. ''a lot of over
18 year-olds come from the surrounding
villages. they travel across half the city to
get here,'' says Dennis Laaß. ''customers
are very-well informed through Facebook
and know almost exactly what they want.
but when it comes to shoes and boards i go
for it, there i like to tell people something
about the background of the brands. i sell
in a way that i know. i want to come across
reasonably.'' For him, this also means being
honest. he prefers to explain to his customer
that he doesn't need ball bearing cream
for his board for a long time yet, instead of
simply selling it to him. ''behind the counter,
i am the one who can give the customer
something,'' says professional skater Laaß. ''i
don't want to sell him any old rubbish, i want
to do it right.'' the prices too are appropriate
to the young target group. trousers cost 80
euros maximum at high Five, there are also
t-shirts for less than 30 euros and shoes
should cost no more than 100 euros. the
atmosphere at high Five is laid-back. the tV
showing skate videos in the lounge is a must
for Dennis Laaß, even if some have said to
him that it's not very beneficial in terms of
sales figures. as well as this, high Five also
allows small skate sessions to take place in
the 85 square metre store. ''the store should
become a platform, a base where people
meet,'' explains the owner. high Five is only
in the early stages of this process, the store
will be three years old in October. but it's
already adding up. ''here, buyers are still
treated as customers, that contributes to our
personality,'' says Laaß. ''We hope that we can
maintain this in the future.''
institutiOnZigZag in Gütersloh has been in business
longer, a store which has not tied itself
down to any one target group. Phillip Pelster
opened in 2001 and ten years later moved
up a few houses on the same street. he is
expanding to 300 square metres with brands
like carhartt, nudie, irie Daily, cheap
Monday, reell, Eleven Paris and boombap.
two months after the move, the new location
is already paying dividends. On the one hand,
as a result of the big car park behind the
building, which makes shopping at ZigZag
easier. On the other hand, thanks to the bus
stop right in front of the door which means
that lots of kids who come from the nearby
school pass the time in ZigZag while waiting
for the bus. ''today, many already know
exactly what they want,'' says Peer blomberg,
who is responsible for buying. For example,
coloured Skinny Jeans and a simple t-shirt
for skaters as we all as for fashion enthusiasts.
''We regularly post new things on Facebook,
the frequency is extremely high. in the
afternoon, kids then come to try things on.''
For Gütersloh, ZigZag is an institution and
that's not only when it comes to brands,
but also the friendly environment which is
important to the operators. ''i don't act like
a salesperson, more like a mate,'' says Peer
blomberg. ''it's important, not to just think
about numbers, but to deal with the young
customers. Even if nothing suits someone,
Ozone in Bielefeld hits the spot for its target group.
i'd prefer to say to him: come back in in two
weeks, then we'll have something new. it gets
around that we're honest.'' the furniture also
remained simple after the move. ''there's
nothing off-the-shelf here, our signature
must remain recognisable,'' says Peer
blomberg. ''We do everything ourselves, if
we didn't, it would seem strange. the people
love us because we're real.'' Peer blomberg
and Phillip Pelster notice this with their loyal
regular customers, who still buy from them
in Gütersloh, even if they have moved to
berlin or hamburg to study. the stock may
also be there, but here they feel like they're
visiting a friend.
part OF thE sCEnEtatjana bruss of chicas boardshop also
focuses on personality. She posts her widely-
acclaimed favourite outfits on Facebook and
she also displays them on her online shop
chicas-boardshop.de. She displays the goods
by wearing them herself, or on staff and
customers, who have expressed an interest
in doing it. ''having a display window on the
internet is important, it does a lot for us,'' she
says. the online competition is big and the
fact that sought-after brands can be bought
on the big online shops makes it even more
difficult for physical core shops. ''You can
get the items everywhere, there is twice as
much stock on the market because suppliers
thought they could double their turnover,''
criticises tatjana bruss. ''but this didn't bring
about any more consumers.'' For her, this
means that she has to focus even more on
service. anyone who shops in her store likes
to forget the time, rummages through the
products and gets recommendations for
new outfits, like a feminine top by Element
with skinny jeans by nikita, which she hangs
together in the changing room. a little like
with a best friend – the customers like this.
On average, they are aged between 20 and
30. in addition, tatjana bruss is no longer just
focusing on one thing and has developed her
product range for boys online and in her shop.
anyone who wants to remain part of the
scene needs a lot of commitment and
talent for event organisation. this begins
with night-time ski tours and goes as far as
snowboarding film premières, for which a
club with a DJ was even hired out. bruss hosts
late night shopping and baltic events in the
store in cooperation with the Munich label
unitedskateboardartists to inspire the young
clientèle. ''in the past, the boardsports scene
was a group that identified itself through
its clothing, but the kids don't feel part of
the scene any more,'' says bruss. ''i'd like
to change that.'' tatjana bruss also neither
can nor wants to win the price war against
cheaper online retailers. She prefers to
donate ten per cent of her turnover to
projects for her regular customers, which
the customers themselves choose, perhaps
a post exam trip or a local youth sports club.
''i do something for my customers, that's the
message and it goes down really well,'' says
tatjana bruss. ''it's important that i develop a
relationship with them.'' Lösekann also finds
it important to be close to customers. ''We
also want to give something back,'' he says.
''however, we don't sponsor the good team
drivers, but those who put their hearts and
souls into it. and young musicians, whose
samples we sell in the store.''
shOp FurniturE is nOt What's iMpOrtantbut what really makes a store the place to
be? ''the least important thing is furniture,''
says andré Lösekann. You need the right
stock, that's where it starts. here, it's not
the trends that are important but that the
articles appropriate to the trend are there in
the right amounts. People who have nothing
can't sell anything.'' however, for Lösekann
this also means opening himself up. So, as
well as carhartt and cleptomanicx, there's
also Dr. Denim, cheap Monday and fashion
by Eleven Paris, Suit and Minimum. ''there
is no real sub-culture any more, but i think
that the diversity that has emerged from it is
great, so is the tolerance,'' says Lösekann. ''We
are definitely niche, yet open to everyone.''
that this hits home is made clear through
our success, because Ozone is popular
beyond the city borders of bielefeld. Maybe
it's also a a result of the fact that Lösekann
gives internships to every pupil who can
really feel like a member of the team at
Ozone. that has gotten round the schools.
''if you also have good staff on top of that,
who are determined and authentic, and who
can convey the stock well, then you become
even more successful,'' says Lösekann. ''Girls,
like boys, know exactly what they want.
the art is getting to talk to them, building
a foundation so that you can recommend
something. then, they come and ask too.
that's how it develops.''
however, for andré Lösekann, there is
another precondition for good sales figures:
Order. ''it's important for everyone, not
just parents,'' he says. as well as this, he has
checklists for his stores that his staff must
respect. it covers the volume of music to the
state of the floors and trouble-free lighting
and even vouchers, which must be left in the
right place. ''if everything is presented well,
you can increase your turnover by ten to
twenty per cent,'' says andré Lösekann.
it still remains a little unpredictable,
whether a store becomes an opinion leader
and a place to be or not. Finally, there's also
something intangible at play, atmosphere
and chemistry. before opening the second
Ozone store, andré Lösekann started a
survey of what his customers would like the
new store to be like. '' 'Everything's great,
stay the way you are!','' was the answer from
many'', he says. ''this didn't tell us anything
concrete, but it was a great validation.“ x
–– 51
01 ''16 year-olds need someone older, they wouldn't buy from someone their own age. The seller should be confident, then he can convey the stock in an authentic way.'' André Lösekann, manager of Ozone
02 Behind the counter, I am the one who can give the customer something. I don't want to sell any old rubbish, I want to do it right.'' Dennis Laaß, manager of High Five
03 ''We do everything ourselves, if wedidn't,then it would seem strange. People love us because we're real.'' Peer Blomberg, Purchasing ZigZag
03
02
01
a RetaiLeR as a bRand –– What's the story
52 ––
01 Grand Studio offers a complete package from design and product development to strategic and trend consulting.02-05 The team has become more grown-up and more professional. That is the reason why, in 2011, they changed their name from F.e.t.i.s.h. to Grand Studio.
01
02 03
04
gRand studio –– What's the story
p atrick Peritz is not a designer but a business
administrator. he studied economics in
university in Zürich. his link to fashion came
from his family. ''at the table at our place,
we always spoke about textile concepts. at
some stage, it just sticks,'' says the Zürich
native. in cases like this, there are always two
possibilities: Either you become a nurse or
you completely go for it. that's what he did.
today, he is the proprietor of the Zürich-
based concept store the Gloss, and founder
of the design agency Grand Studio Ltd.
stratEgy, innOvatiOn and dEsign
they are the three basic pillars of Grand
Studio Ltd. they grew up in the snowboard,
skating and surf business. Soon, they also
had fashion brands as customers, now sports
brands also avail of the service. today,
brands like Quiksilver, Oakley, Kjus, Eastpak,
Strellson and nike are among the customers.
''We help brands to achieve their goals by
advising them strategically and supporting
them with design and production. Our
approach comes from both the creative and
the economic side,'' says Peritz. the service
includes design, product development and
production as well as strategic consulting
and research into trends. Peritz made
his contacts with producers through an
internship in a production office in hong
Kong and through his previous job as a sports
textiles buyer for a Swiss department store.
One of their first and long-term clients was
the Swiss boardsport and clothing brand
Zimtstern. at the time, we started off with
very small quantities, which we produced
in asia. Later, we developed a complete
collection for them,'' he says. ''Zimtstern is
one of the best examples of what is now our
15-year career.'' in 2011, it was time for a new
name. ''For 14 years we were F.e.t.i.s.h. in the
meantime, we had become more grown up
and even more professional. therefore, it
was also time for a new name and we changed
it from F.e.t.i.s.h. to Grand Studio Ltd.''
trEnd supErvisiOn, COnCEpt, iMplEMEntatiOnat the beginning of 2012, Grand Studio
brought out a trend book for the autumn/
winter season 2013/14 in cooperation with
the trend information agency mode...
information. the third Eye covers twelve
the thiRd eyeFrom strategy and design to production - the Zürich-based design agency Grand Studio Ltd. guides brands towards success.textNicolette Scharpenberg
photosGrand Studio
''We help brands to achieve goals and to be successful in doing so.'' Patrick Peritz, Grand Studio
WWW––––––––––
www.grand-studio.com, www.thegloss.ch,
www.grandism.com
grand studiO
In 1997, Patrick Peritz founded the design agency F.e.t.i.s.h. (For Esthetes There Is Still Hope). In November 1999, he opened The Gloss in Zürich's fashionable district 5, which is now among the top addresses in conceptual retail. Then followed the high-quality Grand Boutique and ''Glossy'' in Shanghai. In 2011, F.e.t.i.s.h was renamed Grand Studio Ltd. In the same year, The Third Eye, a streetwear trend book was released in cooperation with Mode Information. In 2012, Grand Studio Ltd. opened an additional office in Shanghai.
Contact: Grand Studio Ltd., Hofackerstrasse 13, 8032 Zürich/Switzerland, T 0041.44.4407400
trends with the help of diagrams, illustrations
and sketches, with 300 product and print
designs on 163 pages. brands like adidas,
Puma and Decathlon have already bought
the trend book worth 1,300 euros.
according to Peritz, strategy consulting is
currently an area where there is pent up
demand among many brands. ''the demand
in this area is increasing steadily, therefore
we offer a complete package: From research
into trends and strategic advice to defining
the target groups and even complete
branding. it gets very positive reactions
because, along with design talent, we also
bring sound economic know how and a lot of
experience to the table,'' says Peritz. today,
they advise distinguished brands and chains,
grand studiO gOEs East at the beginning of 2012, we opened an
additional design office in Shanghai. ''in
china there is a lot of pent-up demand in this
area. it is slowly dawning on chinese brands
that they can't simply copy and produce,
that they need collection concepts and an
independent brand statement.'' here, Grand
Studio advises for the European market as
well as the chinese market.
the only question left is: What comes next?
Peritz laughs: „basically, the only thing that's
missing is a collection of our own!“ x
–– 53
05
What's the story –– gaRCia
54 ––
baCk to bLueSometimes it needs more than a face lift: The Dutch jeans label, Garcia, wants to strengthen its profile as a brand, in order to make it more visible to retailers and consumers. textIna Köhler
photoGarcia
a lot is very different this summer at Garcia:
With a new look, new logo and a newly
reworked retail plan, they are currently
working intensively on brand profiling. ''We
want to bring the brand and the product
further into the limelight,'' says robert
theijssen, managing director of the German
Garcia Gmbh. the showrooms and the
headquarters, spanning 800 square metres,
in neuss have already been redesigned. ''the
name is to become better known, we want
to show what potential the brand has,'' says
theijssen. to date, Garcia has stood for value
for money, a solid fashionable product, and
sophisticated logistics, which a good deal
of retailers valued. in Germany alone, they
supply about 900 retail partners – from
P&c to Wöhrl. What's popular is quality at
a reasonable price. Garcia has established
itself successfully in the mid-price segment.
Denim costs between 69 and 89 euros,
jackets between 79 and 149 euros, retail Fresh look, progressive image. Garcia wants to become more visible to retailers and the end customer.
garCia
Behind Garcia is the owner-run JOG Group with headquarters in Alblasserdam, The Netherlands. With a turnover of 120 million euros and 900 staff, it is not only responsible for Garcia, but also for its own retail stores. Garcia produces six collections per year, with twelve delivery deadlines and an NOS programme. In Germany, they supply about 900 customers, including Wöhrl, Breuninger, Dodenhof, Engelhorn and Peek & Cloppenburg. Garcia runs its own store in Neuss. It also has franchise partners in Dresden and Bautzen. The brand is present in 23 countries in Europe, Eastern Europe and Asia, they are also expecting to supply the Scandinavian market from 2013 onwards.
price. as well as jeans, there is a complete
collection that is focused on trousers. the
label feels particularly comfortable in the
company of classic jeans brands and vertical
suppliers like EDc or the bestseller Group.
in the meantime, Garcia has conquered a
market segment, in which it is valued as a
solid partner.
intErnatiOnal CustOMErs Garcia also has an international presence.
25 mono-label stores and more than 60 shop
in shops all over Europe show the brand's
international potential. they want to bring
their experience from their own retail into
the sharper profiling of the brand. in april,
a store was opened in Eindhoven, which
shows the new brand concept: a moderate
industry, vintage look with lots of wood,
metal and rough dry-stone walls, which set
the scene for the products. ''Products with
character'' is the claim in the display window.
the collection for adults and progressive
kids will incorporate fewer styles, to better
portray a 'blue' brand profile – no over-styled
looks, and not too casual. the logo and the
campaign were also reworked – the Swedish
star photographer björn tagemose was
responsible for the images. this is all backed
up by a social media campaign. they want
to use trade events to move closer to retail.
they have set themselves ambitious goals
for the future: Growth should come about
through retail and partnerships, as well
as through their own stores: the number
of franchise partners is also expected to
increase to 100 by 2016. there are already
two of them in Germany and more are
conceivable. ''We have wide appeal and offer
our retail partners a predictable return,'' says
robert theijssen. x
WWW––––––––––
www.garciajeans.com
saLsa –– What's the story
–– 55
be theRe oR be squaRe?The Olympic Ideal - it‘s taking part that counts - doesn‘t do it for Joao Nuno Martins. As Global Sales Director of Salsa he has a clearly defined goal for the international expansion of the label and it is aimed right at the speciality store.textIsabel Faiss
photoSalsa
after being part of the bread & butter trade
Fair for six years, Salsa won‘t be joining
them this July. according to Joao nuno Martins,
the main reason for not going is down to the
principles that Salsa have laid down for them-
selves: to be there just because others are
there too, doesn‘t cut it any more. Measuring
actual success in terms of appearances at the
fairs, it was time for a break to think things over.
it was time to gather the troops, to question
established mechanisms, to find new answers
and to push own goals forward in a focused
manner. One of the most important ones is the
expansion in the German market.
Joao Nuno Martins: Our main goal is to build
and expand Salsa in key European markets. up
to press, 75 per cent of our turnover has been
made in Portugal and Spain. We still need to
catch up with this in Europe and we can see
lots of potential. Germany is an enormously im-
portant, but also very difficult, market for us.
The Portugese jeans specialist Salsa wants to boost its collection‘s position among specialist retailers.
salsa
Salsa was established in Portugal in 1994. Owner and CEO is Filipe Vila Nova. Salsa‘s first exhibition was the Bread & Butter in Barcelona in 2006. Now the label is represented by 2,000 point of sales in more than 35 countries.
What challenges await salsa?not only is Germany a huge market in terms
of numbers, it is also one with the highest
turnover. there is a lot of potential there. So
far, our products have always been well ac-
cepted, but it doesn‘t do to underestimate
the high standards that apply in this market.
Our business model strongly focuses on our
own stores and franchises where provide our
customers with the added value of a growing
jeansweard brand, while at the same time,
allowing them to profit from our well-struc-
tured and experienced retail know-how. after
all, we do 80 per cent with our own stores
and franchises and 20 per cent of our busi-
ness with speciality stores. We want to deliv-
er solutions. Which is why, beside our main
collection which has 800 pieces per season
and five delivery dates, we provide a broad
noS programme which can be reordered
any time online using our new b2b platform
Salsa Pro. customers can see the products in
360-degree view, buy them and have them in
the store five days later.
the first attempt at entering the german market took place in 2008. Where do you stand at the moment?We started collaborating with Otto a good
two years ago. that went very successfully
and showed us that our product is accep-
ted by the market. at the moment we are
building specific teams to acquire targeted
customers from speciality stores. then, the
spring/summer collection 2013 will take off.
retail is our main priority because we want
to get to know the market this way first and
want to strengthen the visibility of the labels.
the second step may well be our own stores.
We are talking about a rather crowded market, particularly in the jeans segment...Our collection displays many aspects that set
us apart from our competitors. Most impor-
tantly, we‘ll relate to women more strongly
than say Levi‘s, replay, G-Star or Diesel, for
example. almost 80 per cent of those collec-
tions are designed for men, we are different.
Salsa is recognized for its innovation drive
and for the quality of its products, particular-
ly the more technical and innovative jeans,
such as Push-up (highlights the buttocks),
Push-in (jeans with a triple-effect jeans: tum-
my tuck, push-in, and light push-up effect),
Sculpture (shapes the female silhouette),
hope – Maternity (“evolutionary” jeans that
can be used before, during and post-preg-
nancy), Shape-up (boosts the silhouette and
naturally enhances the feminine curves),
and recently, Er-GO the new model for men.
besides the innovation products, Salsa offers
more than 20 different fits for men and wo-
men. Our best sales argument is the fit, where
we have the perfect fit for every woman and
man‘s body shape. that is the key to our suc-
cess. and that our products are priced 20
per cent below those of other labels. in pro-
curement, our jeans start at 30 euros. that is
a really good argument, indeed. x
WWW––––––––––
www.salsa.pt
a t the last bread & butter tradeshow in
berlin, the antony Morato team celebrated
its first trade fair appearance. Located in the
Denim base, its booth received 4,700 exclusive
visitors. at times, the booth was so full that the
entrance had to be sealed off. a symbol of the
development of the young brand from naples,
which attaches importance to a high level of
fashion and has successfully positioned itself in
the new menswear sector.
raffaele, giovanni and tania Caldarelli, the three people behind antony Morato, are young, italian and siblings. to which of these three facts can the success of the collection be most notably attributed?Manilo Massa, Managing Director of antony
Morato laughs. he hadn't expected this
question. he's the man who looks after
business, the experienced professional in
the team, not the marketing specialist who
always has flowery descriptions at the tip of
his tongue. and he is completely honest.
'it's hard to say. For me, it's the fact that
the roles are clearly distributed. Giovanni
doesn't get involved with the product or
marketing, Lello is 100 per cent dedicated
to the collection and the products and the
image. the three swap around a lot and make
big decisions together. however, when it
comes to the management of the company,
everyone is responsible for their clearly
defined area. that is the characteristic of
an italian family business. Especially in
Southern italy, families stick together. they
argue a lot but, in the end, blood is thicker
than water. Work is of prime importance
because it takes up twelve hours a day.
instead of buying a penthouse apartment,
they invest in the company. For such young
people, it is pretty unusual that they should
remain so grounded despite their success. i
am very proud to see that we still have young
people with this ambition in italy. '
if he were a person, what would antony Morato be like?a young man, who likes to dress fashionably,
without being a fashion victim, or a billboard
for certain brands. he wants to make his own
decisions, and is very price sensitive because
he doesn't want to pay ridiculous amounts
for clothes.
does the price count more than the brand?the right price makes the brand even more
attractive. that is today's reality. Young
people in Europe are no longer interested
in showing off with expensive brands. the
56 ––
itaLy's newgeneRation While the Italian fashion scene is flagging, there are success stories on the newcomers' front, of all places, like that of Antony Morato. Four million items sold in the past year, 80 million euros turnover, 23 brand stores across Europe - and this five years after setting up the company.These are all intriguing facts.
textIsabel Faiss
photosAntony Morato
01
WWW––––––––––
www.morato.it
antony moRato –– the talk
–– 57
02
''Aged 60, I am the oldest in this company.'' Manlio Massa
question is no longer: Do you know how
much this cost? it's: Guess how little i paid
for this. how informed i am about fashion,
and how intelligently i shop, determines the
degree of quality and value, it determines
value for money.
Was it part of the plan to set prices in such a way that customers don't have to decide between individual pieces, but can buy a look?Yes. We enable customers with normal incomes
to buy complete outfits. in doing so, we are
communicating a coherent overall image at
the same time. Zara and h&M work just like
this too, except they, unlike us, target the mass
market and the collections no longer have a
profile. the most important characteristic of a
brand is its recognition value. it doesn't matter
whether you like the brand or not, you always
recognise it as antony Morato. We want to
continue to push this even more in the future.
how did you come on board?Firstly, i have to tell you that i am 60, and so
i'm the oldest person in the whole company. i
got to know Lello more than a year ago. at the
time, he was at a critical turning point and had
to make important decisions about his young
company. i was still with the Moncler Group
at the time. Lello came over to me and told
me that antony Morato was on the verge of
a critical step forward, and that they needed
help with the further development of their
brand. he was only 30 years old, that simply
bowled me over. his brother looks after all
the administration and the key accounts and
his sister is responsible for marketing and
sales and the children's collection.
What lies ahead in the near future?We want to develop up to 280 new points of
sale in the next five years, which include shop-
in-shop concepts and our own brand stores too.
in which markets do you see the most potential?china and Korea are well on their way but,
in the near future, the German market.
Germany is the only country in the world,
where we have set up our own subsidiary,
in Munich, in order to be able to work more
directly on the market. naturally, our goal
is to develop partnerships with department
stores like Peek & cloppenburg. but first we
have to show everyone that we are not classic
newcomers, not simply a flash in the pan. Our
greatest strength is value for money. We have
a fashionable product that can keep pace
with individual items in the D&G collection
but can cost only a quarter of the price.
is antony Morato not intended for the young fashion sector?no, it is. We just had a market research study
done in Spain and italy, which showed that
the biggest share of those who buy our
products are between 16 and 24 years old.
the next biggest block are the 24-35 year-
olds, from there the percentages fall in
line with rising age. but 33 percent of our
customers are between 16 and 24. What
continues to baffle us is the high percentage
of women, 21 percent, who buy the brand.
are you planning a women's line? the target group may be there.We have found our niche in new menswear.
We have only just introduced a boys' collection
and a children's line, which have started off
well. that is our next challenge. x
FaCts and FigurEs
The Italian menswear label was established by Raffaele, Giovanni and Tania Caldarelli in 2007. The collection appears four times a year and includes shoes and accessories as well as clothes. Antony Morato is represented in over 2,800 stores in 47 countries worldwide and runs 35 flagship stores itself. Antony Morato Deutschland GmbH has its headquarters in Munich.
01-02 Antony Morato is the fastest growing menswear brand in Italy for over 20 years and in 2010 alone, it sold four million pieces worldwide. In Germany, Antony Morato supplies over 80 customers.
58 ––
Last autumn was too warm, all jackets went unworn. Spring came far too soon, the stock wasn't in yet. Just like the random weather, the division of fashion into two seasons is also no longer reliable. St. Peter isn't the only one providing uncertain planning factors, smaller hysterics on the stock markets, silly season statements on pension cuts by image-obsessed politicians and the eternal shadow of the euro crisis are also effecting business. For us, this poses, once again, the question of how predictable fashion actually is and what simply can no longer fit in with our whole fashion cycle and its early supply deadlines?textIsabel Faiss
photosDialogue partner, Gerrit Sievert
OlivEr FEskE, p4 MarkEtingWhat time period are we speaking about?
the weather was never predictable. here,
buyers are in demand. Just because there
was a great winter for jackets, doesn't mean
that i immediately double my jackets order.
i believe fashion lives on trends. it's difficult
to predict and plan this, but it's definitely not
impossible and it actually always depends on
the planning period. approximately how
long did the chino need to really become
marketable? an eternity. can you plan that
Madonna and timberlake will go around
with Ed hardy caps on and that there will
be hype about it? Of course not. but you
can definitely arrange your product ranges
so that they're flexible. and that's what we
do that brought about success for verticals.
that is, rapidly producing and turning over
new stock, virtually on a monthly basis. We
consciously work together with companies
who have top stock availability and work
with four to eight collections per year.
that's how we are flexible. We are constantly
working on the right planning, we are
planning the brand portfolio. always with
the precondition that you have good stock
and the most punctual collections possible.
We were right at least when it came to rVLt
and Eleven Paris. however, that is work that
will be done over several seasons and so it's
not possible to plan it in the short-term.
rikE döpp, agEntur vthe internet created the illusion of constant
availability for consumers, which the industry
The devil is often in the detail: The weather is no excuse for haphazard orders.
do you have a pLan?
Fashion disCouRse –– the talk
–– 59
now has to tackle. now, the consumer
expects the collections almost directly
from the catwalk. here in new York, Moda
Operandi is en vogue, an online trunk show,
straight after which you can order collection
pieces and then receive them long before
the delivery date. in Germany, couture
society is going in the same direction.
Smaller labels are reacting with capsule
collections, high-street retailers are newly
decorating their shops on a weekly basis,
brands such as Diane van Fürstenberg are
showing current collections at the new York
Fashion Week, which is available in the store
and can be bought immediately. We have to
deal with the consumers' expectations that
retailers should have everything within days
– always adapt to the newest trend, weather
variability or the newly hip price class. For
this, there are basically two options: Either
find short-term delivery routes and work
with warehouses. Or give the consumer an
alternative to twirling trend spirals and the
assurance that good style doesn't require a
new wardrobe within a few weeks. as a retailer,
i would abandon the trends of high street
retailers, who can throw trend products onto
the market within two weeks, and concentrate
on a balanced, reasonable wardrobe for
clientèle that remains loyal to my concept.
rOBErt dOstErt, COuntry salEs ManagEr gaps FOr kEds, prO-kEds and spErry tOp spidEr.it actually can't be predicted because, in
contrast to ten years ago, we have a lot more
offers on the market and we always want to
deliver earlier. the weather has not changed
extremely, rather consumer behaviour. We
are used to getting everything at any time.
thanks to the verticals, there is a new trend
in the store every month. in the past, a trend
lasted longer. however, in the case of shoes,
for example, there are no proper trends.
at the moment, you get every type of every
brand for every age group. then, there is
also the fact that everyone wants to already
have stock in January, February, and then
they whinge that it only gets warm in april.
We have to become more flexible, more
nOS, more risk in the industry. We simply
have to have a rethink. Maybe the industry
has to take on more risk and promote nOS
articles, in order to react flexibly to demand.
admittedly, we must also get rid of surpluses
by means of other channels.
Markus Cadruvi, dEECEE stylE in ZüriChFashion is only predictable, when a store
has an appropriate profile. Only with this
do you have the opportunity to react to
the economic situation etc., regardless of
the current changes in the weather. have
a little more patience! Our experience has
shown us that down jackets can also be sold
at regular prices in January, if the warehouse
chains have sold off their stock at rock
bottom prices two months too soon, during
much too warm weather, thus destroying
the market themselves. Wholesalers should
better support specialist retailers and
prevent their products from losing their
speciality. the weather is how it is and we
can't change anything. Early deliveries
from collections show time and again that
stock also flows in inappropriate weather,
when it is special. it helps specialist retailers
when healthy distribution is carried out.
Professional buying determined by articles
is becoming ever more important. Product
ranges should be coordinated exactly
so that overlays can be avoided and still
remain special. therefore, it would also be
reasonable to give warehouses a little more
responsibility and risk, so that they can make
basic stock available at the desired time.
niCOla CinElli, Crust and [C]studiOthe problem actually begins with
purchasing. in buying, customers, of course,
take their cue from pre-sale sales figures.
if they have sold well regularly, they will
almost definitely buy the product again.
here, profit margin plays a big role: the
higher the profit margin, the lower the loss
in a sale. therefore, we always try to fulfil the
price wishes of retailers without forgetting
quality expectations. in the current market
situation, it's very difficult to plan collections
in detail. Most retailers do not only pay a lot
of attention to price, but also quality. the
quality requirements and the proposed
prices of retailers are important to us and so
we must start production earlier and earlier.
in contrast, retailers push buying further and
further. this is where the planning problem
begins. For us, it means the early manufacture
of products, which have still not been
ordered once. at the end of every season,
we analyse sell-out output figures and hold
several feedback discussions with retailers.
this is what we use as the basis for our strategy
for the coming season. the success of the
last sales campaign for the autumn/winter
collection 2012/13 confirms our intuitions of
June 2011 — i would say that we were spot on
with our strategy for the last campaign. x
04
01 ''Economic crises are mostly predictable and you can react a little with buying.'' Markus Cadruvi, Deecee Style Zürich
02 ''In the current market situation it is very difficult to plan collections in detail.'' Nicola Cinelli, Crust and (C)Studio
03 ''It's impossible to predict crises. Nobody can predict if towers will fall somewhere, or if India and Pakistan will keep their cool.'' Oliver Feske, P4 Marketing
04 ''As a retailer, I would offer my customers a product range for a wardrobe that is able to keep up with our changeable European weather.'' Rike Döpp, Agentur V
05 ''Every time you think, now you've done everything right, and it still turns out differently.'' Robert Dostert, Keds
02
01
03
60 ––
sandRine pagnoux –– the talk
y our pictures are very emotional. if the faces in your pictures could speak, what would they say?
Sandrine Pagnoux: they are always very wild
people, but not particularly communicative.
they have no meaningful, intellectual
message for the viewer, they are simply
full of emotion. they are both strong
and vulnerable, torn between hope and
desperation. Sometimes they are also in
love. Like all lovers, they are so inspired
by happiness that they think anything is
possible. So, if they could speak, they might
say something stupid like: ''i am king of the
world!'' but mostly i illustrate lost souls,
people, who are torn between strong poles
like beauty and tragedy and buzz in the
complete chaos of this crazy world. they live
in a world full of magic and love, but also full
of sadness and vulnerability. Perhaps they
would address brief prayers to us, as if we
were their guardian angels, like ''i'm scared,''
''Protect me,'' or ''Love me,'' ''rescue me.''
that sounds quite sad. Which facial expression fascinates you the most?Deep eyes. For me, they are the window
to the soul. Eyes don't lie. You can see the
character of a person in their eyes, whether
it is real or not, it fascinates me. at the same
–– 61
eyes don't LieIn her pictures, the Parisian photographer and illustrator Sandrine Pagnoux mostly illustrates people who live in an intermediate world of sorts, torn between strong emotions and contrasts. She designed the current cover of x-ray.
textIsabel Faiss
illustrationsSandrine Pagnoux
time, it scares me sometimes too. Everything
happens in the eyes, emotions and feelings.
When did you begin painting?i actually draw more. i would like to paint
more at some stage, but, at the moment,
paintings are more of a raw material for
me, which i combine with photographs,
hand drawings, typography and some other
materials. i often use painted canvases as
a background, or for special details. in the
beginning, i concentrated completely on
the alienation of photographs, but since
then i have settled on pure drawing.
you were originally a fashion photographer. What made you decide to swap your camera for a pencil?i have been always interested in photographing
people, ever since i was a child. When i moved
to Paris, i met a fashion photographer. When
she saw my pictures, she asked me if i would
like to work for her. We did this for two years,
an exciting time, but i wasn't really happy
with it. i am impatient in my work and so i
prefer to work alone. as a photographer,
you have to manage a whole team. it's a very
stressful job. i don't like it. You have to do
everything immediately. at the same time,
you have a customer, for whom you must
02
03''Your eyes where nothing is revealed, of bitter or sweet, are two cold jewels where are mingled iron and gold.'' Charles Baudelaire
01 In this illustration, Sandrine Pagnoux edited her own photo.02 The illustrator likes working on photographs by the Parisian photographer Sophie Etchart best, like this expressive portrait.03 The artist's newest style is drawings inspired by fashion.
WWW––––––––––
www.sandrinepagnoux.com
62 ––
especially the works of Schiele, Munch,
Soutine and Kokoschka. and the die
Brücke movement. art nouveau Posters and
typography from the late 19th and early 20th
centuries by artists like toulouse Lautrec,
alfons Mucha or Koloman Moser also greatly
influence my work. i would have loved to live
in that era. at the same time, movements like
the punk movement in the '70s and the whole
rock 'n roll atmosphere around David bowie,
iggy Pop, Joy Division, the Doors, Marianne
Faithfull and Patti Smith fascinate me. My
childhood and youth were highly influenced
by the images and video clips of the late '80s
and early '90s, with productions by herb ritts
or Jean baptiste Mondino.
you live in the fashion metropolis paris. What significance does fashion have in your life?a very high one. i live in an area with
innumerable designer boutiques and spend
a lot of time reading fashion magazines.
Documentation about different designers
interests me a lot, how they prepare for
their shows and collections, how they work
with the models. it is such an unbelievable
amount of work, i am overwhelmed every
time. Fashion surrounds me everywhere. it
influences me a lot in my work, because it
is a reflection of our society. it even speaks
to our subconscious. What effects these
service. i prefer to live and work in my own
bubble. Furthermore, i quickly noticed that
i expected poses from the models that were
impossible to do. it didn't work. it bored
me that their expression in my pictures was
always the same. Maybe i just wasn't talented.
My head is full of ideas, i can't convey them
with photography alone. that frustrated me
a lot. So, i decided at the time, to hang up my
camera and to go to a Photoshop course to
teach myself illustration and painting. now i
can do what i like.
your illustrations often fall back on photographs by sophie Etchart. What is this cooperation about?i love to illustrate her photographs, because
it's unbelievably exciting to work with real
people in a picture, with real eyes. combining
the fake and the real provides the thrill. So,
i have mostly worked with Sophie Etchart
(www.sophieetchart.com) because i am a big
fan of her work and she has also found real
pleasure in what my illustrations do with her
photos. here, i use a mix of hand drawings,
hand written letters, cut-outs and photos. i
combine and manipulate these elements in
my own way with the help of Photoshop.
Which era inspires you the most?
More than anything else, the early
expressionists from about 1900 inspire me,
influences actually have on my pictures, i
can't say. i only know that fashion definitely
influences me.
you have already had a few commissions from fashion companies?My contact with the industry is usually in relation
to photo productions. For example, i recently
illustrated a comprehensive production by
Sophie Etchart for the italian Max. i was involved
in the production for two weeks and also met
the stylists on the set and assisted with the shoot.
it was great to simply observe it and to work on
the images afterwards. i was fascinated by how
the whole system works, how stylists, make-up
artists, hairstylists, photographer and models all
work together. it is all very intense.
i illustrated the background of the Diesel
perfume website. as well as this, i am always in
contact with companies like nikita or undiz,
who use my illustrations in their collections.
My goal is to continue to work with new
brands who use my visuals for their clothing
or for their campaigns. that would be great! x
04 05
04 Sandrine Pagnoux's illustrations decorated the Diesel Fragrance Factory 2011.05 This work from 2008 adorned the cover of the exclusive magazine.
''My career allows me to live in my own little bubble.“ Sandrine Pagnoux
the talk –– sandRine pagnoux
out now!www.ucm-verlag.at/app
iPad_Sip_XR_212.indd 1 20.06.2012 09:46
want it!textIsabel Faiss, Nicolette Scharpenberg, Petrina Engelke
photosLabels
64 ––
01 ativ By vita hEChO a ManO
Tania Muñoz Garcia and Mirko Gardella got to know each other while studying fashion in New York. Their passion for naturally beautiful things not only made them a team in their private lives. In 2009, they decided to set up their own accessories and bag brand, Ativ by Vita, with a tree as its logo, claims to make high-quality products from natural materials without chemical dyes. All handmade in Spain. The collection contains bags for men and women, scarves, purses and ties. The bags are all made from 100 per cent organic cotton, some of the materials are one of a kind. Fasteners, laces and handles are made from high-quality leather and are individually adjustable. At the moment, the collection contains eight different models in four different colours and materials. The bags cost between 80 and 150, purchase price, and are already available at 150 retailers in Europe.
COntaCt:Gardella & Garcia S.L. (Ativ by Vita), 08033 Barcelona/Spain, T 0034.93.1881875, www.ativbyvita.com
03 nativE uniOn talk On thE phOnE likE yOu usEd tO
Do you miss the good old ''holding the phone under your chin manoeuvre''? Pop Phones by the US label Native Union owned by David Turpin, Michael Young and Fabien Nauroy brings you the ''Back in the days'' feeling. The bright plastic earpiece can simply be stuck onto an iPhone and calls can be answered with the click of a button, or not. The first series consisted exclusively of bright phones in candy colours. New versions include camouflage and the golden plastic version, which also conjures up a little James Bond style at your ear. Maximum attention guarantee. The Pop Phones cost between eight and 18 euros, purchase price. The utility brand is already represented at Urban Outfitters, Amazon and Snipes.
COntaCt:Supreme Agency, Bardia Beigui, 50858 Cologne/Germany, T 0049.2234.2779501, www.supremeagency.de, www.nativeunion.com
02 a quEstiOn OF WEar sOMEthing gOOd
In 2007, the Copenhagen trio Thomas Dam, Kasper Andersen and Mads Ulrik Greenfort launched the label A Question Of . The aim of the creative collective is to offer organic and fairly-produced fashion. It all began with printed T-shirts for NGOs, until in 2010 a collection in itself, with attractive graphics on T-shirts and sweatshirts, had developed. Since then, A Question of has come to be represented in image stores like Harvey Nichols, Bloomingdales and Asos.com. Clients such as Wood Wood, Colette or Soto are still on the wish list. There are four collections per year, each of which has 50 pieces. The collection's retail prices range from 40 to 80 euros. A Question Of works with sales partners in England, Italy, Japan and Singapore and is currently seeking partners in Germany and the Netherlands.
COntaCt:A Question Of, Mads Ulrik Greenfort, 2100 Copenhagen/Denmark, T 0045.31322322, www.aquestionof.net
want it! –– Fashion
–– 65
06 hEx nErdy BusinEss
Technological apparel and merchandising products are the ultimate nerdy business. Despite this, the Californian brand HEX has set itself the goal of adding in style confidence. HEX is a private label from August Accessories that produces accessories for skate brands like KR3W, Spitfire, Antihero or Real among others. The founder of the brand, Carl Steindler, who already has 20 years experience in the fashion industry, set up HEX in 2010. “HEX represents high-quality transport of technological devices of all types with street credibility,“ says Steinler. The collection contains backpacks, messenger bags, iPhone and iPad sleeves and watches for iPod nanos. Bags cost 24 euros, purchase price, iPod sleeves are nine euros and the iPod nano watchbands cost 7.60 euros, purchase price. HEX is available at Zebraclub in Berlin, Oneoff in Stockholm and online at Karmaloop.
COntaCt: HEX, 92672 San Clemente/USA, T 001.949.3061626, www.shophex.com
05 Bag ’n’ nOun Japan supErlativE
The Japanese bag label Bag ’n’ Noun was founded by Takeshi Ozawa in 2009. All bags are produced with care in a small tailor shop in Osaka. Only smooth and robust Japanese canvas is used. To ensure the quality of the material, the weavers produce a maximum of about 50 metres per day. The collection includes shopping bags, rucksacks, canvas bags, toilet bags and spindle bags. The rucksacks cost between 46 and 100 euros, purchase price, the bags between 52 and 75 euros. The items are already available at The Gloss in Zürich, Wunderschön in Lausanne und Purple Pink in Hamburg.
COntaCt:Japan Proxy, 8004 Zürich/Switzerland, T 0041.432.433363, www.japanproxy.ch, www.bagnnoun.com
04 triWa Just prOvOkE!
The four people behind the Swedish accessories label set up in 2007 seem to have taken up the cause of provocation as a major goal. The young brand's watches and sunglasses are completely unpretentious and bring a certain kick-ass attitude to the table. Here, colour is always a top priority Cool earthy tones can sometimes even clash with a loud pink. The completely attractive, radical attitude continues on a material level: Steel watch casings meet straps made from acetate, soft leather or NATO nylon straps. For the cream of the crop, they have special editions by street artists like SupaKitch or Koralie. The watches and glasses cost between 40 and 86 euros, purchasing price, with a margin of 2.5. The brand is represented in over 25 countries, including in stores such as Selfridges London, Sten och Ströms in Oslo or Illum in Copenhagen.
COntaCt:Looft Modevertrieb GmbH, 20457 Hamburg/Germany, T 0049.40.481020, www.triwa.com
66 ––
08 rEasOn ClOthing FOr COllECtOrs' hEarts
Phil Bassis and Jonathan Totaro collect hundreds of reference pieces before they start a new collection. When designing pieces for their men's fashion line Reason, they let themselves be inspired by a seam here, a collar there – and make the best possible thing from them. The label was founded in New York in 2004 and its products are real collector's items: From hoodies to premium denim, from caps to hip flasks, everything appears in limited editions, some are limited to 50 pieces, each numbered by hand and with a hand-painted label. Reissues? Wrong. Because Reason is always back searching for the next perfect piece.
COntaCt:Reason, 10023 New York/USA, www.reasonclothing.com
10 r.t.CO quality’s nExt
Tobias Bergmann began skateboarding in the '80s, launched his own brand of T-shirts in 2006, and has been producing his own premium sunglasses since 2010. Under the name R.T.C.O., he produces high-quality frames made from cellulose acetate. The frames are made by small manufacturers in Austria and Italy, the lenses are quality lenses by Essilor from France. ''Supreme quality & design,'' is the self-declared maxim of the skateboarder and graphic designer from Berlin'. Glasses cost about 60 euros, purchase price. The brand is already available at Voo in Berlin, in Yeahboy Department in Hamburg and Pop Cph in Copenhagen.
COntaCt:R.T.CO, 12047 Berlin/Germany, www.r-t-co.com
09 tantuM lOs angElEs guErila strEEtWEar
In the case of the US brand Tantum Los Angeles, business is systematically operated through others. If you click on their website's logo, which was still ''under construction'' up until now, you will be redirected immediately to the Union Store in Los Angeles. When it comes to describing brands, a very popular subject is one of their favourite customers by the name of T_Z. He is the person behind the brand TantumLos Angeles whose pocket T-shirts and hats have been spread around using the street wide web since April 2011 and has, in many cases, been used as a template for other brands. The corporate identity of the brand is the colour-contrast breast pockets with camouflage, Navajo, tiger, leopard, Hawaiian flowers, paisley, chambray or stars. T-shirts are between 15 and 19 euros, hats for 30 euros and sweatshirts for 35 euros, purchase price. As well as Union L.A., the brand is also available, among others, at Graduate in Bordeaux, Hanon from Aberdeen and online at Open Lifestyle To date, it's only possible to make direct contact over their Tumblr blog. Try it!
COntaCt:Tantum L.A., 90036 Los Angeles/USA, www.tantumla.com, www.tantumla.tumblr.com, www.tantumlosangeles.blogspot.com07 drink BEEr savE WatEr
drinks On us
The name Drink Beer Save Water sounds like the name of a silly or funny DIY brand, whose purveyors you would expect to drunkenly come across at underground fairs. The brand from Seoul's story does actually begin with beer drinking, but then it gets better: The launch took place with the 2011 summer collection, last January the men's T-shirt collection was displayed for the first time at Bread & Butter. The graphic tees that are purely in black and white are characterised by original prints. The shirts cost between 55 and 150 euros, with a markup of 2.5. Drink Beer Save Water is already on the market in Europe, the US and Japan and in Germany, it's represented in Kult in Düsseldorf as well as other stores.
COntaCt:Drink Beer Save Water, 299-38 Seoul/Korea, T 0082.2.5150614, www.drinkbeersavewater.com, www.youneedbeer.com
want it! –– Fashion
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12 Manastash Earth, FirE, WatEr, air
Manatash, the brand from Seattle founded in 1994, is an absolute pioneer in the specialist area of ''looking good in eco-friendly products'' and is currently being raved about by all hype blogs. The US brand's main products are jackets, vests, T-Shirts and accessories for skiing, trekking, mountain biking, rafting or kayaking. Also, when it comes to production, nature serves as a guide for colours and materials. The outer shell of the jackets is made of breathable Pertex and hemp, the lining of PrimaLoft, with breathable insulation for higher performance and comfort. A highlight is the Manatash Mammoth jacket, developed in 2010. The outdoor styles cost between 84 euros for vests and 107 euros for jackets, purchase price. The brand is already available at Hickoree’s in New York.
01 Manastash Earth, FirE, WatEr, air
COntaCt:Blender Agency, 0273 Oslo/Norway, T 0047.22.606950, www.blendeagency.com, www.manastash.com
11 vanishing ElEphant stylish ClashEs OF stylE
In 2008, Felix Chan, Huw Bennett and Arran Russell emerged into the market with their menswear label Vanishing Elephant. Their performance curve has grown steeply since then. Now the brand is already sold in the US, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Canada and the UK and in 2010, it was selected as the menswear brand of the year by the Australian GQ. The Australian brand's aspiration is the combination of quality, originality and expedience and a new interpretation of the classic aesthetic of men's and boy's outerwear. The first collection was created in 2009, a small collection of jackets, shirts, T-shirts, jeans, Bermudas, knitted jumpers and classic men's shoes. The hallmark of their look is clashing styles. So, you'll find small pieces of embroidery like roses on classic chinos or jackets, Navajo patterns on linen shirts or paisley patterns on Bermuda shorts. The styles cost between 30 euros for shirts, 39 euros for chinos, 84 euros for jackets and 66 euros for shoes, purchase price. In Germany, the brand is already represented in Yeahboy Department in Hamburg.
COntaCt:Vanishing Elephant, Huw Bennett, 2010 Sydney NZ/Australia, T 00612.9698.1688, www.vanishingelephant.com
13 luv aJ Bad ass Bling
To pimp the whole world with her jewellery – that's Amanda Thomas' goal. The 23 year old designer from Los Angeles set up her own jewellery and accessory label Luv Aj in 2005. She learned from the greats like Corey Madley of Madley Knitwear and Jewellery, designer Rachel Pally, or celebrity-stylist Cristina Ehrlich, or the ladies from the online magazine Who What Wear. Her fans today already include such celebrities as Kim Kardashian, Vanessa Hudgens, Whitney Port and Nicole Richie. Her collection contains headbands with spikes, chunky necklaces, knuckledusters, bracelets and earrings. Necklaces cost between 50 and 60 euros, purchase price, rings between 20 and 34 euros, bracelets between 50 and 116 euros. The brand is, to date, only available in the US, or online at Karmaloop, Asos, Urban Outfitters or Revolve Clothing.
COntaCt:Hoopla PR-London, Jamie Hutchinson, W1D 7AZ London/UK, T 0044.207.2877066, www.luvaj.com
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14 tO thE BlaCk WhErE light is...
...there's also shadow. This is more or less the motto of the brand To The Black from Cardiff, Wales, which was founded in 2009. Behind the brand, is a duo of graphic designers, who, as service providers for graphics, decided at some stage to enter the business themselves and to bring a collection onto the market that consisted of T-shirts, sweatshirts, leather jackets and accessories for women and men. Successfully, because only three years later the collection, which is limited to the basic colours black, white and grey, and only provides colour through prints, is being sold in smaller boutiques all over Europe. As well as this, talks are on-going with a big chain in England. Retail prices are between 20 and 50 euros, where there are also individual pieces that cost more. At the moment the US, Canadian, Australian and Japanese markets are on their to-do list.
COntaCt:To The Black, Naeem Khan, Amjad Iqbal, CF23 OGG Cardiff/UK, T 0044.29.20195013, www.totheblack.co.uk
16 BlEu dE panaME sailOr rOManCE
The French streetwear and menswear label Bleu de Paname, founded by Thomas Giorgetti and Christophe Lepine in 2008, already has a considerable client list to show for itself. The menswear label has already cast a spell over retailers like Colette in Paris, Hunting & Collecting in Brussels, Dover Street Market in London or the Civilist store in Berlin. Sailor romance is communicated through a mix of dark denim, big pockets, exterior stitching and vintage buttons. The look: Work and uniform with a street-twist. The collection contains jackets, chinos, shirts and jeans. They have already cooperated with the shoe brands PF Flyers and Pointer and with the high-fashion Japanese brand Comme des Garçons. The jackets cost 60 to 117 euros, shirts between 37 and 45 euros, chinos 45 euros and denims 52 euros, purchase price.
COntaCt:Bleu de Paname, Christophe Lepine, 75011 Paris/France, T 0033.175513392, www.bleudepaname.com
15 EntEr arrivEd!
Founded on a love for vintage clothing, the Swedish bag and accessories label Enter was set up in 2011. The Swedes get their inspiration from music of the golden ages, from fashion and sport. Divided into three collections: Lifestyle, heritage and staples including iPhone and iPad cases, laptop and travel bags, rucksacks, duffle bags, briefcases and purses made of fine leather or high-quality wool with herringbone pattern, check or leopard print. All parts are manufactured in an old factory in Sweden. The accessories cost between 13 and 117 euros purchase price, with a margin of 2.3. In August 2001, the brand was displayed for the first time at the Boutique Fräsh in Stockholm and is already represented at Sivletto, Skank and Sportamore in Stockholm and at Supermarket Sarah in London.
COntaCt:Supreme Agency, Bardia Beigui, 50858 Cologne/Germany, T 0049.2234.2779501, www.supremeagency.de, www.enteraccessories.com
17 unit pOrtaBlEs WEar sOMEthing niCE
People without a laptop, iPhone, Mp3 player and Co.? A rare species. Thanks to the multitude of different gadgets, the possibilities for protecting them have also grown. Sometimes they are elegant, but sometimes they're not. And this is exactly where the Swedish label Unit Portables, founded in 2011, comes in. Their bags, cases and covers not only safely transport the gadgets from A to B, they also provide style with their minimalist design. The collection contains computer bags, iPhone and iPad cases, shoulder bags and messenger bags made of polyester. The bags cost between twelve and 32 euros, purchase price. The brand is already available at Human Empire in Hamburg, theflashgib in Stuttgart and STAB in Berlin.
COntaCt:Haptiques trading co., Felix Engelmann, T 0049.171.5656559, www.haptiques.com, en.unitportables.com
want it! –– Fashion
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19 stanCE anklE artistry
The Californian sock brand, set up in 2010, has its roots in boardsport. Those of you who are thinking of the standard black and white, stripy socks are very far off the mark. Stance uses the sock as a canvas and works regularly with skateboarders and artists like e.g. Kid Creature, Don Pendelton, Jason Jesse or Chris Cole for limited editions. A highlight for the skateboard gang was the screaming hand design by Santa Cruz or the Lakai Manchester shoe design. There are now over 140 models and six collections. Casual for every day use, performance for more durability, reserve, elegant above – functional underneath, the artistic art series, a children's collection and recently a snowboard collection too. Most models are available in three different lengths, they cost between three and four euros, purchase price. Stance is already represented in Germany at Mantis in Hamburg, Planet Sports and Snipes.
COntaCt:Trade.Art Distribution, 70199 Stuttgart/Germany, T 0049.711.51872888, www.stance.com
18 OslOh BiCyClE JEans unCOMpriMising – stOp
What makes a pair of trousers both suitable for use in the office and for cycling? 1. Five pocket cut. 2. Unwashed indigo denim with two per cent stretch. 3. Antibacterial and odour-resistant layer. 4. Three layers at the crotch. 5. A low-cut at the front of the waistband, high at the back. 6. Quick snap adjustable waistband at the back. 7. Double button fastener with extended straps on the front waistband. 8. Slanted belt loops at the front. 9. U lock bike-lock holder above the back left pocket and a tapered pocket on the top right for a mobile phone or Mp3 player. 10. Reinforcement/stitching on the inner-right bottom of the trouser leg and the right trouser leg can also be narrowed using straps with buttons. Osloh Bicycle Jeans was set up by Shawn Drayton from New York in 2008. Prices: 40 to 64 euros, purchase price. From 2013, also available for women and children. Stop.
COntaCt:Trendwizzard, 81827 Munich/Germany, T 0049.89.43707300, www.trendwizzard.de, www.osloh.com
21 rOBEru uniquE COWhidE
The Japanese leather brand Roberu was set up in 2008. Its boots and iPhone cases are manufactured in a small factory in Yokohama and they are exclusively made of high-quality cowhide. The items, which can have scratches or bumps, get their unique structure, from a special tanning process using natural dyes that stick irregularly to the coarse leather. However, this is exactly what makes the accessories, boots and camera holders so desirable for stores like Colette in Paris, Union in Los Angeles or Graduate in Bordeaux. The iPhone cases cost 22 euros, purchase price, the boots 145 euros, and the camera bags 49 euros.
COntaCt:Japan Proxy, 8004 Zürich/Switzerland, T 020.1.059.1134, www.japanproxy.ch, www.roberu.com
20 phOnZ says BlaCk italian BlaZEr MaFia
Their passion is vintage motorbikes and rock 'n roll music. Their logo is a black panther in a triangle. The aggressive elegance of this noble predator is utilised by Daniele Bianucci and Fontani Alessandro, founders of the Italian label Phonz says Black. Their aim: Style dominance by means of outrageous jackets. Since 2010, their focus has been on blazers with sharp cuts for men and women. These are revolutionised by prints all over or on the back: Motifs such as mountainous landscapes, desert or steppes like in Marlboro country, guitars, ivory tusks and nails as accessories, comics, snakes or leopard prints. The blazers cost between 100 and 110 euros, purchase price. The brand is already represented by Peek & Cloppenburg Fashionation in Berlin, Stuttgart and Vienna.
COntaCt: JAT, 20142 Milan/Italy, T 0039.02.89124020, www.phonzsaysblack.com
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boys aRe baCk in townThe city, the summer, a long balmy evening. Two boys and their motorbike. What's going on?
photosJulian Robinet
assistanceMarkus Sende
postproduction/picture editingMartin Wickenhäuser
hair & make-upTina Schmoll, www.ninaklein.com
modelsSebastian and Carlo, www.sowow.de
productionAgi Habryka, Friederike von Bock, www.sowow.deSpecial Thanks: Carlotta von Bock and Martin Uecker
shirt –– SalsaBow-tie –– American Appareldenim jacket –– Levi'sdenim shorts –– Adidas via Frontlineshopsocks –– Happy Socks via Frontlineshopshoes –– Lacoste via Frontlineshop
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boys aRe baCk in town –– Fashion
72 ––
Cap –– New Era, henley –– J.C. Rags, Braces –– American Apparel, Jacket –– Red Seal by Replay, Jeans –– Mavi, shoes –– Converse Allstar via Frontlineshop
(Left): Beanie –– März, shirt –– A Fish Named Fred, Jeans –– K.O.I.(Right): Beanie –– Cleptomanicx, denim shirt –– We Are Replay, Jeans –– Antony Morato, shoes –– Santos
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boys aRe baCk in town –– Fashion
74 ––
(Left): shirt –– Drykorn, Bow-tie –– American Apparel, Waistcoat –– März, Jeans –– Fuga, socks –– American Apparel, shoes –– Diesel(Right): hat –– G-Star Raw, henley –– American Apparel, Jacket –– Diesel, Chino –– Mustang, shoes –– Angel
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boys aRe baCk in town –– Fashion
76 ––
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Left-hand side:(Left): denim shirt –– Lee, tie –– G-Star, trousers –– ADenim, socks –– Happy Socks via Frontlineshop, shoes –– Fly(Right): Cap –– Brixton, shirt –– We Are Replay, Braces –– Diesel, Jeans –– Silver Jeans, socks –– Falke, shoes –– Frank Wright
Right-hand side:(Top): glasses –– Vintageshirt –– Märztie –– American ApparelJacket –– Ben Sherman via FrontlineshopJeans –– Freeman T. Portersocks –– Falkeshoes –– Keds via Frontlineshop(Below): hat –– New Erat-shirt –– Ben Shermanleather jacket –– Garciatrouser –– Energieshoes –– Tommy Hilfiger
boys aRe baCk in town –– Fashion
helmet –– Diesel, shirt –– Diesel, shirt –– Tommy Hilfiger, Waistcoat –– Drykorn, Jeans –– Diesel, shoes –– G-Star Raw
78 ––
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boys aRe baCk in town –– Fashion
80 ––
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heavy patteRns –– Fashion
heavy patteRnsPatterns are the leitmotif for this coming season. As mimicry, postcard kitsch or completely geometric - preferably all-over and in colour.
photosAndy Kassier, www.andykassier.com
modelsTanoe and Sonja, www.sowow.de
productionAgi Habryka, Friederike von Bock, www.sowow.de
Left-hand side: trousers –– Nikita, Boots –– Energie Right-hand side: heels –– Jeffrey Campbell
82 ––
Left-hand side:trousers –– DrykornBelt –– Drykornshirt –– Lacostetrench coat –– Dieseltie –– Vitoshoes –– Diesel
Right-hand side:shirt –– Tommy HilfigerJacket –– Rochambeautie –– Tommy Hilfiger
Top: shorts, hoody –– Chiemsee Below: Boxer shorts –– Cleptomanicx
Right-hand side: Outfit –– Gsus, heels –– Sandro
Coat –– Patrick Mohr, Booties –– Samsøe o SamsøeI
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heavy patteRns –– Fashion
84 ––
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heavy patteRns –– Fashion
scarf –– Patrick Mohr
Top: Blouse –– Drykorn, tights –– Falke, heels –– DieselLeft-hand side: Outfit –– Baum und Pferdgarten, Booties –– Samsøe o SamsøeI
86 ––
Top: shirt –– Cleptomanicx, tights –– Falke, heels –– Diesel Right-hand side: skirt–– Garcia
Top: Outfit –– Diesel, heels –– Franko SartoBelow: top–– Fuga
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heavy patteRns –– Fashion
88 ––
03 antOny MOratO it’s a Man’s WOrld
At the beginning of May, the Italian menswear label Antony Morato opened its 33rd brand store in a concept store design at one of Milan's most prestigious addresses, the Corso Buenos Aires. The store has a clean black and white look and is crammed with beautiful things specifically designed to meet the needs of the label's young male target group. As well as fashion, there are international magazines, such as Hype-Blatt Monocle, pocket photography books, or cameras and technological gadgets. "The store underlines our vision of fashion and our claim as a young label is always to create new trends", explains Raffaele Caldarelli, Company Founder and President. The opening in Milan kicked off store openings in Madrid, London and Paris which are planned for June and July. They want to keep up this pace, a total of 280 additional points of sale are in the pipeline for the next five years.
COntaCt:Antony Morato,Corso Buenos Aires 16, 20124 Milan/Italy, www.morato.it
01 Fast FOrWard ExpansiOn
Schahied Herbawi, the Berlin retail business, is planning further expansion for this year: A total of three branches are to be added, two of these in Leipzig where a further Adidas Originals Store is in the pipeline. Plans are also underway for remodelling of the store in the Alexa-Center in Berlin. From August, the Fast Forward Black concept store is also planned for the Alexa-Center - a more upmarket store which will display somewhat more adult fashion by labels such as G-Star, Closed, Diesel or Parajumpers. They will be offered a suitable platform with specialities and special jeans over 220 square metres and which can also happily show a superior price bracket. The Fast Forward company founded by Schahied Herbawi in 1997 has branches in cities such as Hamburg, Berlin, Potsdam, Leipzig and Dresden with different-sized floor space. The range focuses on fashionable denim labels and shoes including such labels as Pepe, Energie, G-Star, Diesel, Replay, Scotch & Soda and Adidas.
COntaCt:Herbawi GmbH, Gottlieb-Dunkel-Strasse 20/21, 12099 Berlin/Germany, www.fast-forward-berlin.de
02 supErdry a grand EntranCE
It's a clear message: Five floors, 2,500 square metres surface area in total, and all of it at the prestigious London address, Regent Street. With its biggest flagship store in the world housed on Regent Street, a shopping street steeped in history, Superdry has received quite a legacy because 100 years earlier the Austin Reed department store was housed on these premises. The four lower floors are to serve as a retail space, the fifth floor will house a showroom, a VIP area and a press lounge. The brand's whole range, which includes the women's and men's collections, footwear, accessories and beauty, is displayed separately on the individual floors. In addition, there are to be exclusive collections only available in this store. They are also going all-out for the new brand-empire presentation. Original British navy fleet spotlights from the Suez Canal illuminate the XXL Superdry logo in the entrance hall, a monstrous grand staircase leads from here to the upper floors.
COntaCt:Superdry International, 103/113 Regent Street, London W1B 4HL/UK, www.superdry.com
open:textIsabel Faiss, Ina Köhler
photosLabels
RetaiL news –– in store
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04 lEvi’s Oh ChaMps-ÉlysÉEs
Looking at the entrance area to Levi's new flagship store in Paris, located in the historic rooms of building number 76 at the corner of the gallery arcade, you would think that the magnificent Champs-Élysées had grown inside the premises. Unsuspecting visitors will be surprised to find there are no products on the ground floor. The three-storey store with 650 square metres of floor space and a striking design done in the vintage and industrial style was specially designed like this by the French architectural office REV Architecture. The purpose is so that customers enter the store through an inviting, wide and open space and then a majestic large staircase leads them down to the basement. A massive pillar in the centre of the store adds to the impressive height of the room. Here, the label's best-known key products are displayed along with the Made & Crafted line and footwear while Levi's Vintage Clothing collection and a Tailor Shop are to be found on the upper floor. This Tailor Shop is only one of four worldwide. The other three are located in the flagship stores in New York's Meatpacking District, at Union Square in San Francisco and on London's Regent Street.
COntaCt:Levi’s Store Paris, 76 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris/France, www.levi.com
05 gsus industriEs OnE plus tWO MakEs thrEE
The success of both of Gsus Industries' first concept stores in the Hague and Utrecht led to the opening of a third store in Amsterdam last April. And further stores are planned for The Netherlands, Germany also looks as though it will feature in medium-term plans in this regard. After things for Gsus Industries became suspiciously quiet on the German market, this new start involving own stores was critically observed by retailers. The brand followed their motto ''made by instinct'' when designing the stores. Raw materials such as natural wood, metal and cement characterise the interior. One highlight is a copper pipe spiralling through the store, breaking through all the furnishings and including the façade.
COntaCt:Gsus Industries, Koningsplein 8, 1017 BB Amsterdam/Holland, www.g-sus.com
06 Flip-FlOp taking COlOgnE By stOrM
The Flip-Flop shoe label opened up stores in Amsterdam and Berlin and in May followed this with a further branch on Cologne's Ehrenstrasse. The label has a complete shoe line covering the 100 square metre retail space as well as a suitable clothing collection. Each of the Flip-Flop stores will be individually designed by Managing Director Anne-Katrin Hummel so that each location will show small differences. "For me, creating a comfortable shopping atmosphere is most important." White walls and white ceramic tiles with Flip-Flop flowered patterns as well as a specially designed shelf system that shows the colourful collection off to its best advantage provide a suitable framework for the shoe label headquartered in Pirmasens.
COntaCt:Flip-Flop, Ehrenstrasse 46, 50672 Cologne/Germany,www.flip-flop.de
07 huMMEl BErlin OFFshOOt
Hummel, the Danish label, opened up its own store in May 2012 in Berlin-Mitte at the Montbijouplatz right next to the Hackeschen Höfen. Besides active team sport clothing, lifestyle and shoe collections for men, women and kids can be found over nearly 100 square metres. The Hummel sport and lifestyle label was originally founded in Hamburg in 1923. After a turbulent history, a Danish owner took over the company during the '80s. The retro-lifestyle collection made a name for the label in the '90s and featured the long history of the label.
COntaCt:Hummel, Montbijouplatz 4, 10178 Berlin/Germany, www.hummel-store-berlin.de
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01
03
02
04
Reason outpost, new yoRk –– in store
eveRything must go!The owners of Reason Outpost have remained children at heart, they say. However, it's not seven-year-olds but fashion nerds who press their noses against the shop window and gaze at the oblique collections.textPetrina Engelke
photosReason Outpost
d esigners gather inspiration. they then
later say that the new collections
owe something to the elegance in this
French film, the collars from that historical
traditional costume or the scales of a giant
goanna. Phil bassis and Jonathon totaro too,
gather inspiration for their label reason.
however, it doesn't roam basement archives,
rather their store– and goes from there into
the hands of their customers.
''When we decide on a certain style, we
then spend a month collecting reference
pieces,'' says bassis. they have found the
rarest examples of their kind, for series of
chambray shirts and college jackets. and
they sell all of these rare vintage pieces in
their store reason Outpost – for up to a year
before the collection they inspired is ready.
''it gives our customers a preview,'' says bassis.
both of them hang about at flea markets,
you can see them at auctions and household
clearances. in the store, piling up beside
vintage clothing, you will find records,
antique collector's items, bizarre household
goods, stuffed animals. ''You should see
what our homes look like!'' laughs bassis. a
crocodile's head, a poster of the anatomy and
a '20s shotgun are simply decorative. You can
buy everything at reason Outpost, even if it is
nailed down: the owners will even part with
the rugs, clothes rails or the reason sign they
made themselves, if a customer asks for it.
dJ CulturE MEEts a lOvE FOr vintagEat the same time, they have their finger on
the pulse– literally. co-founder Jonathan
totaro is better known as DJ Price. he travels
around the world, plays at hip parties and
makes mix tapes, which are available in the
store or on the website. ''Lots of customers
discover reason through the DJ Price mix
tapes and his own music.'' both new Yorkers
have been living the nomadic lifestyle of
a DJ with their shop for a long while. there
have already been about a dozen reason pop
up shops, all over the uS. ''it was always our
dream to set up a permanent store,'' says bassis.
this was already being worked upon when
some of the old pop up shops still existed.
now reason Outpost offers its customers
something that they get nowhere else:
individually-made varsity jackets (college
jackets). ''the production plant with which
we are working can do great embroidery and
patches,'' says bassis. customers can choose
the type, size and colour of the font, decide
where it's placed and, of course, what it says.
all individual pieces. in other respects too,
bassis and totaro set strict limits: their lines
and other selected pieces are available online
exclusively through their own website. they
don't want to rely on other online stores – they
could be less than perfect. x
rEasOn OutpOst
436 East 9th Street10009 New York/USA,www.reasonclothing.comOpening: November 2011Owners: Phil Bassis, Jon Totarostaff: 10 retail space: 56 sqm labels: Reason, GG$ Guns Germs $teal, Vane x Sebago Boots, George Guest Backpacks (and a lot of vintage)
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''When we decide on a certain style, we then spend months collecting hundreds of reference pieces.'' Phil Bassis
01 When Joel and Ethan Coen „Llewyn Davis“ turned onto the street, all of the shops were elaborately styled in an old-fashioned way. Only Reason wasn't.02-04 Interior included: Everything you see in this shop, you can buy.
92 ––
l e Fix in copenhagen actually began as
a type of get-together. Valdemar Kludt,
benny bee, thomas urth and Michael
andersen have known each other for over
twelve years. their passion for graffiti brought
them together and laid the cornerstone for
their business today. Le Fix in copenhagen
is thE place for street issues. if you ask them
what Le Fix actually is, they counter with
''Something between art and fashion.''
BaCk in thE days it all began with classic screen prints on
t-shirts. their logo was the national symbol,
the small mermaid, which was also originally
their crew logo for graffiti. after a very short
period, they had already won beams news,
one of the first concept stores from Japan,
as clients. ''the Japanese were crazy about
our wooden cases, which we supplied as
packaging,'' says benny bee, designer of the
brand. back then there was no collection,
let alone a professional production – only
t-Shirts. they opened their first store in
1999 in nørrebro, what was still quite an
underground part of the city. at the time
they had no plans to set up a fashion store.
''We simply wanted to do creative things
together, we were offered the shop space
and suddenly it became a store,'' says
rasmus, Le Fix's graphic designer.
strEEt univErsELe Fix developed quickly into a universe of
fashion, toys, books, and aerosols, with its
own tattoo studio and wood workshop. their
product range is just as rich in contrasts as
their concept: Stone island jackets next to
„We don't have anything of designed significance. We are delighted by every customer and treat them all as friends of the company.'' Valdemar Kludt, Le Fix
''without gRaFFiti, we wouLd have nothing today''Tracksuits, sneakers, graffiti and rap – this is what they grew up with. Four homies, who followed their passion, and who today are opinion leaders in the Copenhagen street biz.textNicolette Scharpenberg
photos Jasper Carlberg
01 The four men of action at Le Fix describe their concept as ''Something between art and fashion.'' Head designer Benni Bee has been there from the beginning.
01
Le Fix, Copenhagen –– in store
–– 93
Montana cans, Filson hats beside designer
toys, or barbour styles beside street art books.
''the brands need to fit in with our spirit.
however, our highest priority is always quality,
regardless of whether for a jacket or a can,'' says
Kludt. they manufacturer most of the interior
decoration in their workshop. ''Jesper is our
wood nerd, he builds cases for the shirts, logos
and lettering or jewellery from wood and also
gives wood workshops,'' says Kludt.
a second branch in the city centre soon
followed. together with their neighbour,
the skateshop Streetmachine, they give
the otherwise mainstream shopping area a
somewhat underground feeling. ''Of course
in the city centre we get a lot of tourists who
just happen to call in, and we are happy to
give them tips about the copenhagen day and
night scene,'' says Kludt. ''because we don't
have anything of designed significance, as is
unfortunately often the case in the sector. We
are delighted by every customer and treat
them all as friends of the company.“
For Fashion Week, along with their neighbours,
they covered the whole street in grass and
transformed it into a street park. For anyone
who missed the show, they have their
infamous yard parties every month in the
courtyard in front of their store. buddies,
beats and beer - yes please. x
lE Fix shOps
Kronprinsensgade 9B,1114 Copenhagen/Denmark,Guldbergsgade 16,2200 Copenhagen/Denmark,www.le-fix.comOpening: April 1999Owners: Valdemar Kludt, Benny Bee, Thomas Urth and Michael Andersenstaff: 4retail space: 65 sqmMenswear: AiAiAi, Asics, Baracuta, Barbour, Ben Sherman, Clarks Originals, Ellesse, Fila, Filson, Fred Perry, Helly Hansen, Henri Lloyd, Lacoste, Le Fix, Montana Colors, ONETrueSaxon, Patagonia, Pointer, Reebok, S.N.S., Saconey, Stone Island, Timberland, Universal Works, Vans, Wood Wood
02, 03, 05 Their passion brings them together. It began with their own line of T-shirts. Today, Le Fix is a street universe of art, fashion, tattoos and wood art.04 Andreas Fog is a shop assistant. You can see him in both branches, it seems, at the same time.
02 04
05
03
94 ––
''Nowadays, you can't just sell clothes. The customer simply expects more.'' Bruno Boguszewski, Graduate
01 Graduate gave Rue du Pas Saint Georges in Bordeaux a fashionable upgrade.02-04 A clear division of product ranges between two levels: On the first floor you will find the finest menswear, the basement reveals itself to be a streetwear paradise.
01
02
03
gRaduate, boRdeaux –– in store
–– 95
s ome also call it ''the Dandy Shop''. in the
past, you would only see this sort of store
concept in metropolises like Paris, London,
tokyo or new York. Graduate, the concept
store from bordeaux, which was opened in
October 2010 can now compete with the big
guns. the declared goal of the three owners,
Johan Kinder, clément hervouet and bruno
boguszewski, is to use their store to upgrade
the shopping scene, which still has room
for improvement, with a completely new
category of fashion. ''We always travelled
around a lot and only noticed then how
much bordeaux could do with a good store.
We wanted to give bordeaux a new standing
in the fashion sector,'' says Kinder. Graduate
mixes streetwear and menswear to make a
style cocktail. the friends know each other
from their studies, three truffle pigs who
always had a feel for the right brands. after
university, they made a career of their
hobby. it was a milestone in their lives, they
grew up, but still harboured the same passion
for brands with street style souls. ''the name
is inspired by the famous benjamin braddock
a.k.a. Dustin hoffman in 'the Graduate'. it
wasn't just that we loved this film, it was simply
relevant to our situation in life at the time. the
end of our studies, a milestone,'' says hervouet.
strEEt dnathe store, which spans 90 square metres is
split into two levels and is on rue du Pas Saint
Georges beside the carhartt boutique and
Le rayon Frais. On the ground floor, you will
find the finest brands in urban menswear,
such as commune des Paris, aPc, amour
Lux, tantum Los angeles or Gitman Vintage.
the basement presents big players from
streetwear, such as Stüssy, undefeated, Vault
by Vans, Wemoto, huF or alife. the interior,
furnished with vintage pieces, elegantly
complements the store's two levels.
''Quality, and the story behind the brand, are
particularly important to us when selecting
brands,'' says boguszewski. ''they are all
brands with street Dna. We were big fans of
many of them back in our youth and we know
their stories by heart.'' Of course, they also
pass this knowledge on to their customers.
''nowadays, you can't just sell clothes. the
customer simply expects more, is greedy for
information and also open to new things. We
offer them a universe of fashion, accessories
and utility gadgets always paired with the
story of the product.'' as well as a fixed store,
Graduate also has an online store. there
too, customers can get information about
brands, products and events through the
blog. Graduation exams passed. x
the gRaduateA certain peace reigns in Bordeaux. The winters are mild, the summers are long and warm, the nearby Atlantic attracts the surfers. However, regarding fashion it left a lot to be desired. Graduate wants to give the city in the south-west of France a new standing in the streetwear and menswear sector.textNicolette Scharpenberg
photosGraduate
graduatE.
63 Rue du Pas Saint Georges,33000 Bordeaux/Frankreich,www.graduatestore.frOpening: 30 October 2010Owners: Johan Kinder, Clément Hervouet, Bruno Boguszewskiretail space: 90 sqmMenswear: Abington, Alife, AMI, APC, Armor Lux, Common Projects, Commune de Paris, DS Dundee, Dunderdon, Folk, Gitman Vintage, Homecore, HUF, Knowledge Cotton Apparel, La Panopile, Oliver Spencer, Pendleton, Red Wing Shoes, Sanders, Saturdays, Sperry Top Sider, Stüssy, Suit, Tantum Los Angeles, The Generic Man, Undefeated, Vault by Vans, Velour, Wemoto, YMC.accessories: Areaware, Bleu de Chauffe, Euskal8, Gestalten, Han Kjobenhavn, La Compagnie du Kraft, Penhaligon’s, Rizzoli, Roberu, Sandqvist, Uniform Wares
04
in store –– Loup design shop, saaRbRüCken
96 ––
Like a muLti-CoLouRed dogSaarbrücken, the capital of the small Saarland, even has French neighbours, but can be pretty bland. Munir Gassim wanted to change this and opened the Loup Design Shop in October 2011. A colourful mix of streetwear, design books and vinyl toys.textNicolette Scharpenberg
photosLoup Design
lOup stOrE
Kaltenbachstraße 15,66111 Saarbrücken/Germany, www.loup-store.deOwners: Munir Gassimretail space: 65 sqmBrands: 667, Addict, Dekline, Derbe Hamburg, Dizzizit, Dr. Martens, Drunknmunky, Frisur Clothing, Hummel, Imaginary Foundation, Kangaroos, Lacoste L!VE, Makia, Neff, Schwerelosigkite, Supremebeing, Turbokolor, Yackfouaccessories: Books, Toys
" W e ourselves, could simply no longer
find anything exciting in the city,''
says Munir Gassim, owner of the Loup Design
Shop in Saarbrücken. So, he decided there
and then to bring a bit more colour to the
store scene. the concept store in the heart
of Saarbrücken at St. Johanner Mark brings
together streetwear, sneakers, design books,
vinyl toys, accessories and jewellery on 65
square metres. ''Le Loup means the wolf,
and we translate it as 'a multi-coloured dog',''
says Gassim, referring to the German idiom,
''to be as well-known as a multi-coloured
dog''. therefore, the logo is also colourful:
the outline of a howling wolf, split into
gaudy squares gives a small foretaste of the
concept. ''With our product range, we are
directly targeting fans of the street sector
and we now have a big fan base,'' according
to Gassim. When making selections, he has
a preference for German brands, ''because
every collection comes up with new ideas
– regarding both design as well as cut,''
explains the Saarbrücken native.
BEautiFul isn't EnOugh FOr usin general, Gassim follows the motto:
''beautiful isn't enough for us, the products
must be wonderful and unique.'' this applies
to streetwear as well as to sneakers, design
books and vinyl toys, for which Gassim
has a particular weakness. ''i was always a
fanatic toy collector. in the store, we offer
a small, but fine selection of designer
toys from Japan, ranging from mini to life-
size,'' he says. he pursues his passion for
toys through events too. recently a design
contest was announced, in which 200 white
Medicom mice were distributed to selected
Saarland artists, designers, photographers,
advertising agencies, art courses, shops and
clubs to encourage creative design. the toys
were also displayed in the shop window.
as well as design contests, regular art
exhibitions by newcomers and rookies from
the surrounding area take place in the store.
''recently, we had a series of photographs
by carsten Pech from Saarbrücken. the
pictures showed toy cars that were subjected
to an endurance test involving big stones,
firecrackers and other objects. right up our
street!'' Gassim describes his store's concept
as playful yet grown up. ''You should never
forget the child in you. We take everything
with ease and humour and that's what our
customers love about us. now people don't
only come to shop, they like to visit us for an
evening beer with a currywurst and packet of
chips.'' laughs Gassim. cheers! x
„Beautiful isn't enough for us, our products must be wonderful and unique.“ Munir Gassim, Loup Design Shop
01-03 More colour for Saarbrücken: The Loup Design Shop provides the city centre with more colour with its streetwear, books and designer toys. Owner Munir Gassim directly targets German brands in his brand selection, brands like Yackfou or Frisur Clothing.
03
01 02
t he store's Facebook page summarises
the concept in a short and succint way:
''We change our product range every four
to six weeks, which means we can cater
more quickly to our customers' needs and
to trends that develop at an ever-increasing
pace. We guarantee top quality at the best
prices. Furthermore, we can order all
unavailable sizes for you within just two
days, so you always get everything you need
at our store. We look forward to your visit.
More information to come. Stay tuned
be kisskissed. a series of events entitled
KissKissbangbang is also planned, a mix of
fashion events and top acts at the hottest
locations in the city. Starting in spring, the
first cool pieces in the Kkbb collection will
be revealed. Kisskiss. ''the small boutique
has been in the seventh district in Vienna
since last summer. nestled among the many
individual fashion stores on neubaugasse,
the owners Sasa ridel, Dorothea Goraus and
Karl tatscher like so many others, benefit
from the fact that the area around Mariahilfer
Strasse continues to develop into a trendy
neighbourhood, which, most notably, sets
the tone for fashion in Vienna.
gO, gO
the team behind KissKissbangbang is made
up of pretty interesting people. Sasa ridel,
for example, has had a long career in the
fashion business, including as a fashion
editor at OrF, a manager at helmut Lang
Vienna and a columnist for the magazine
Penthouse. Fast-moving trends were always
his business, he says being up to date is his
main objective: ''We don't order months
in advance. We cater spontaneously to the
newest trends and customers' wishes, as we
have just a three week turnaround underway
in Milan, amsterdam and Paris, we can buy
in small quantities.'' as an experienced
marketing and e-commerce specialist,
who worked for Krone and telekom austra,
among others, in the past, Karl tatscher,
deals with the issues that matter. Dorothea
Goraus is responsible for buying, which has
expanded, with the opening of a second
boutique for accessories, to brands like
tom Ford, Dsquared, airstep or imperial.
as well as having a service which provides
lots of new things for the fairest possible
prices, KissKissbangbang also wants to shine
in its direct customer contact, and so offers
shopping by appointment, whereby customers
with appointments can be personally advised
and can shop in peace. a privilege, which the
store's trio deliberately forgoes. x
kisskissbangbang, vienna –– in store
–– 97
Fast Food shoppingThe store project KissKissBangBang from Vienna helped itself to a very good film title for its name and set itself an almost overly ambitious goal: The team presents new stock every four to six weeks, and, in doing so, wants to challenge fashion chains like H&M in terms of being up to date. textIsabel Faiss
photoKissKissBangBang
kisskissBangBang
Lerchenfelder Straße 441080 Vienna/AustriaFashion and shoes for men and womenNeubaugasse 551070 Vienna/AustriaAccessories for men and womenwww.kkbb.atOpening: September 2011Owners: Sasa Ridel, Dorothea Goraus, Karl Tatscherretail space: two brancheslabels: Airstep, Alchimia, California Vintage, Cowboysbag, DSQUARED2, Giogio, Hüftgold, Hunter, Imperial, Justor, LEA-GU, Mangano, Marshall, Monsieur Steve, Ovyé, Plomo O Plata, Tom Ford, Urbanears
Along with a second shop in the seventh district especially for shoes, bags and accessories, KissKiss BangBang -the alternative to fashion chains - now also offers private shopping.
iMprint
Owner, publisher,Editing & advertisementUCM-PublishingB2B Media GmbH & Co KGSalzweg 17, 5081 Salzburg-AnifAustriaT 0043.6246.89 79 99F 0043.6246.89 79 [email protected]
CEOStephan Huber, Nicolaus Zott
EditorStephan Huber [email protected]
Editor in ChiefIna Kö[email protected] Faiss [email protected]
duty EditorAlexandra [email protected]
art direction/assistantStephanie [email protected] [email protected]
authorsPetrina Engelke, Nicoletta Schaper, Nicolette Scharpenberg
photographs & illustrationsAndreas Klammt, Sandrine Pagnoux, Julian Robinet, Andy Kassier, Andre Sanchez, Frieder Schneider
stylingAgi Habryka, Friederike von Bock
picture EditingAnouk Schö[email protected]
advertising ManagementStephan [email protected]
publishing assistantSigrid Staber [email protected] Hö[email protected]
proofreadingJohannes Seymann
translationtransmit-Deutschland
printingLaber Druck, Oberndorf
printing CoordinationManfred Reitenbach
Bank detailsVolksbank Salzburg 105 627, Sort Code: 45010
one last thing
98 ––
" a trade fair is always a reflection of the market,'' declares Karl-
heinz Müller in an interview with x-ray. here, he's correct in
general, but with regard to bread & butter he's wrong about one
significant detail.
For years, bread & butter has managed to be more of a pacemaker,
rather than a reflection, in that it motivates and inspires the
market, sometimes to be ''better' than the market as it were. it was
a great achievement but, through no fault of its own, it's also a little
dangerous. because it distracts from problems and weaknesses and
has tempted some companies into fair appearances that are not
appropriate for the market, or the status of the brand.
the visible and tangible reorganisation of the Denim base this
season, not the centrepiece of bread & butter for no reason, which
historically always also saw itself not least as a platform for the denim
industry and not least its big players. now, after a certain time lag, this
reorganisation reflects a revolution within the denim industry, and
within the fashion industry as a whole, which is still a long way from
completion and can definitely be described as drastic.
i would like to mention three significant factors of this revolution, for
the most part unweighted:
1. thE vErtiCalisatiOn OF spECialist Brandshere, i'm not referring to classic verticals like h&M or Zara, rather
the fact that, at the moment, the big players in the denim business
are opening one brand store after another. and not only in markets,
that can apparently, or actually, only be tapped that way, but also in
(central) Europe. it's clear that the number of denim multi-brand
stores is falling at the same time and so too are the number of
potential specialist customers and trade fair visitors.
2. thE JEans and digital rEvOlutiOna very clever and successful man, one of the last who managed to
really turn a denim brand into a global brand, declared in my first
interview with him in the early '90s that the jeans business is mostly
about logistics. i wasn't at all happy to hear that because it seemed
so clinical. but he was right. in 2012, this means that jeans, which
are seen by most customers as an almost integral part of life and
therefore as a basic in the true sense of the word, are just right for
the online trade. it also has a particularly great effect on mass trading.
3. dEniM in an idEntity CrisisOver decades, jeans were a socio-political statement. they were
a symbol of youth and counter culture, they were rock 'n roll, anti-
establishment, when i was young you could even provoke teachers
and parents by wearing them. that is over. actually, it has been for a
long time. and the denim industry has still neither found a new story
nor image. Other industries would flood the world with press releases
if they achieved equal success in the area of resource conservation.
but, it's just difficult to communicate. Sultry and/or sexy young
people gazing at or past the camera, that's much easier. O.K. – but
that was one assessment.
Of course, all of that has a huge influence on bread & butter. however,
this ultimately just means that they reproduce this reorganisation.
also when it comes to their exhibitors structure. Panta rhei! and i
don't doubt for a second that bread & butter will manage to use this
flow cleverly. x
Yours, Stephan huber
miRRoR, miRRoR...textStephan Huber, Editor of style in progress and x-ray
13.08.12––––––––––
Date of PublicationNext Issue
DRYKORN.COM
www.diesel.com
20535_XRAYAustria_ManSP_22x30.indd 1 12/06/12 16.38
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