Scotch & Soda has had a turbulent time, but everything points to a strong comeback for the iconic Amsterdam brand. In the article about Scotch & Soda’s new design direction, recently published on FashionUnited, it was clear that creativity led by Chief Product & Merchandising Officer Eran Kaïm is leading the way in design. A clear focus and a return to the brand’s DNA are also crucial for the new commercial direction.
FashionUnited visited the impressive headquarters in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands and spoke to the Chief Sales Officer of Scotch & Soda and United Legwear (ULAC), Sander Born, about the brand’s new strategic goals, which focus on the product and sales approach. “We may be crazy, but we are also very realistic,” sums up Born.
Scotch & Soda focuses on product and partners
With the acquisition by Blue Star Alliance and the accompanying licensing agreement with ULAC (Men/Kids) and Mamiye (Women’s) in 2023, Scotch & Soda has taken a new direction in terms of retail and distribution strategy.
United Legwear & Apparel Co. is a privately held, global company that designs and responsibly distributes conscious clothing and accessories for some of the world’s most recognized brands, including Puma, Skechers, Ted Baker and Hurley. Recently it was Sven Kuchta appointed ULAC Sales Director EMEA.
Mamiye Brothers is a women’s specialist and distributor of renowned clothing brands. With a focus on excellence, innovation and integrity, he delivers high-quality products that meet the highest quality and social standards. Through an extensive distribution network with 13,000 stores and online channels worldwide, the company offers customers a wide range of clothing categories.
With this change, the brand’s focus shifts from owned stores (B2C) to wholesale (B2B) and strategic collaboration with key retail partners. “Our strength will be to enable a product for our entrepreneurs,” says Born, who has been working at the company for twelve years. “We don’t just want to deliver Scotch & Soda products, we really want to contribute to the success of our partners.”
The first steps of this transition were not easy. Orders from the bankruptcy still had to be delivered while the suppliers regained confidence in the new structure and at the same time the stores had to be re-equipped. “We went through a difficult phase,” says Born. “But the ship is back on course and we are now building a stronger foundation. We notice that people are really giving Scotch & Soda space again and believing in us.”
Innovation in structure and collaboration
Restructuring within Scotch & Soda has resulted in a more specialized approach. “We have formed special teams that focus entirely on the different facets of our industry. From weekly performance meetings with our customers to long-term strategic meetings internally – everything is geared towards long-term collaboration and success. We want to hear what works and anticipate it. Sell out before sell in. Today it’s no longer about selling a lot in the showroom, but about what sells on the dance floor with our partners. We are there to support them as best we can with the right products and services.”
In addition to focusing on partners, work is also being done to strengthen and develop additional specific product categories, with the Barfly perfume being launched as the brand’s iconic signature. Besides, product extensions such as boxer shorts, socks, hats, scarves, technical outerwear and tailoring will be introduced as additional extensions to further boost trade.
NOS, timelessness, quality and DNA are in the foreground
Another important component of the new strategy is a targeted approach to product development and sales. In line with the new strategy, Scotch & Soda has reintroduced a Never Out of Stock (NOS) program, “which allows our retailers to continually reorder items,” explains Born. This program not only provides stability on store shelves, confidence in sizes and inventory, but also flexibility for business owners to quickly respond to demand.
In addition, the core values of the brand are brought back into focus. Scotch & Soda reflects on its DNA with collections that stand out for their colors, details and craftsmanship. “We want our items to not only be relevant today, but also to be valued years from now,” says Born. “It’s about hidden details and a quality that always surprises customers. That surprise isn’t just the reason for the sale, we’re also about the feeling you get when you get home and find that the sweater you’ve had for a year has a hidden tag that says ‘You Rock!’ contains. Go out and start dancing in the rain – With Love from Scotch & Soda. I mean that feeling, that’s what you talk about, that does something to people; That’s who we are!”
Focus on Scotch & Soda product, data and digitalization
Born reiterates the balance between commercial success and creativity: “We want to help our entrepreneurs be successful without compromising who we are as a brand. This means that we want to continue to go our own way, with products that are unique and tell a story.” In parallel, the entire organization was strengthened through the technical implementation of various systems, including a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. program, the start of FashionCloud and a revised B2B portal. “We did all of this to get things up and running as quickly and as smoothly as possible. The B2B portal is also about making the service for customers simpler, clearer, clearer and faster. And of course also to create consistency within the organization and the different brands we carry.”
Acquisition of the E-Com website
Scotch & Soda’s former webshop was operated by a franchise partner, but bankruptcy represented an opportunity for the company to take this important pillar back under its wing. “By taking management into our own hands, we can seamlessly align the quality, appearance, education of our fans and functionality of our online presence with the values of Scotch & Soda worldwide. We believe that a strong, well-run webshop is crucial to strengthening our brand identity.”
Look positively into the future
During the conversation with FashionUnited, one point became very clear: Scotch & Soda’s new strategy puts entrepreneurs at the center. Every step taken internally – becoming more data-centric, product focused and sales follow-up – will fully involve them so they can sell the best. The creativity of the design and focus on B2B wholesale shows that Scotch & Soda is not afraid to acknowledge its past and move on to new and improved things. “If you have a good, strong product, the rest will follow.”
With the international launch of the new AW25 collection on December 9th, Scotch & Soda is taking a step into a promising future. Born summarizes: “We are a brand that dares to swim against the tide. By staying true to our DNA while refining our strategy, we are building a Scotch & Soda that is ready for the challenges of tomorrow.”