Bugatti wants to expand its presence in digital retail, but also remain true to its target group. Julius Brinkmann explains how the brand of the Herford-based clothing group Bugatti Holding Brinkmann intends to achieve this goal. During the interview in the Düsseldorf showroom, the Bugatti Managing Director also provides insights into the brand’s business, which pieces are doing well and how he started the new order season.
How did you feel when you started the order season?
We are really positive, optimistic and filled with confidence.
Where have you already presented the collections this season?
We started at the Pitti in Florence, which has no alternative for HAKA. There we had a stand with the Bugatti brand. The fair was very popular. From the Pitti we went to Berlin, where we are currently not represented. But we also looked at Berlin because we are a strong advocate of the German trade fair platforms and because it is our strongest market alongside the Italian export market. In Berlin everything was unfortunately very sobering. Now we are in Dusseldorf. I am very confident that we will be back in positive numbers for autumn/winter 23 and have good sales growth.
Where does the confidence come from?
This is because the sales figures for autumn/winter 22 were quite decent and we are meeting the zeitgeist of the customers with the new themes in the collections.
In which markets is Bugatti strong besides Germany and Italy?
The most important export market for Bugatti is Italy. Then come BeNeLux and Scandinavia, but the Eastern European markets are also doing well.
How is business in your own stores?
We have 16 stores in Germany and 36 abroad. With these we have exceeded the sales of 2019. We have also freshly renovated some stores. In this way, we can see directly on our own pulse how the goods work.
Are you planning to further expand your branch network?
That cannot be ruled out. We proceed according to the motto ‘controlled offensive’. If the right partner is available, we are ready to talk. However, there is no market in which we plan to expand.
How is the online business?
We have our own online shop with the brand and are active on various social media channels. This sales channel accounts for a small share of sales of around 10 percent – we are growing there ‘step by step’.
What is the next ‘step’?
We have big plans. For this we have networked with a new digital agency and started a new partnership. We will start this year with a performance marketing style and ‘onboard’ the first influencers. We have a three-year plan and will use it to make the brand more visible in digital retail.
Should this also appeal to a younger target group?
That is not our main creed. We have a good clientele and a good target group that we appreciate and want to continue to nurture. Nevertheless, it is also about further modernizing the brand. But you shouldn’t overdo it either. Then we would have to target younger customers with significantly more capsules and a new focus. In this area it is about being aware of your target group, serving them loyally and acting to the extent that we continue to gain relevance.
Bugatti’s target group:
- The main target group starts from the age between 40 and 50 years. With pieces like shoes, however, a younger clientele should also be reached.
What pieces are you doing well at the moment?
Trousers are a sales driver at Bugatti, and items such as shirts and knitwear are also doing well. In addition, outerwear is growing again. After the winter of 22 was quite mild, it is now getting really fresh.
This trend is certainly playing a role for many brands in outerwear right now…
The markets and product areas are certainly all well represented. We have had many competitors and a lot of goods on the market. But now we feel that partnerships are growing closer together and retail companies are concentrating on really strong brands. We’re part of that and that’s why I see more approaches and potential there to further develop the brand in close cooperation with our customers across product groups.
Did you have to adjust prices in certain product groups for this season?
We did this selectively because the costs had risen exorbitantly across all areas. For the most part, however, we also handled the topics because it is still important to us that the brand is at home in the middle to upper genre.
We are in the range of average consumption and have strengthened the price-performance ratio even more. Individual customers also give us feedback that you can feel a new value for the brand.