There was surprisingly little evidence of the crisis, fear of the future and worries at the Modefabriek trade fair on Sunday in Amsterdam. The sunny disposition of the Dutch people apparently had an impact on the exhibiting brands from Germany and Switzerland and their representatives, because even when asked, there was hardly any talk about the overall economic situation and the challenging times.
“It’s still very early, but already it seems like there are twice as many people here as in the summer,” says Carlijn van Uum, founder of the agency Studio Hotstuff, which specializes in sustainable brands. Van Uum represents three brands at the fair, including Berlin-based label Givn, which is making its debut at Modefabriek. The brand representative admits that people have become more cautious, and yet she already has a few appointments with retailers on her calendar for the coming days. However, the order itself is not the main focus of the fair. Here, the exchange, the representation of the brands and the meeting with old and potential new acquaintances are in the foreground.
Dust and reposition
For some brands it is a return to Amsterdam, including the Rottendorf-based women’s fashion label Comma, which is back at the fair after several years. The business in the Netherlands was taken over by an agency for a while, but is now managed independently as the brand sees clear potential for growth in the BeNeLux countries. Marketing consultant Philipp Benkwitz is still largely silent about the plans for the upcoming fiftieth anniversary, but the aim of the brand presence at Modefabriek is to generate new customers and boost wholesale business. The main thing is to show that Comma isn’t as dusty as you might think, he says with a laugh.
Similar tones can also be heard a few meters away at the Joop! of the Holy Fashion Group in Kreuzlingen. In Amsterdam, the brand will be represented for the first time by Hetty Kemper, whose brand portfolio also includes Windsor. She is not quite so happy with her location in the rear part of the exhibition hall, but her goal is also clear: Joop should not only be a common name in the Netherlands in the future, but also inspire customers.
Gerry Weber lets actions speak for themselves and is bringing the interior of the new store concept, which was introduced in Munich in September, to the trade fair without further ado. Jochen Vonderlage, Director Wholesale DACH and BeNeLux, is particularly enthusiastic about the Modefabriek, where the brand wants to present the “new” Gerry Weber. According to Vonderlage, the positive mood is more pronounced in Amsterdam than anywhere else. “Fashion plays a more central role here than anywhere else and especially for me, who comes in here from the outside, so to speak, it’s a bit of a wow experience – the hall too.”
Hopes for a successful season
“In the summer the fair was already a success for us, but today it was even better,” says Jasper Rouffa, brand representative of the Bavarian jeans brand Mac, at the end of the first day of the fair. The halls are getting emptier and some stands are already toasting to a successful day on Sunday, because the fair seems to have exceeded many expectations. “I really didn’t expect that,” emphasizes Rouffa, but also adds that it is not yet clear whether the successful day at the trade fair can also be applied to the entire ordering season.