GUIDE
Fashion Square
ABOUT
All market players meet in the virtual environment of www.fashion-square.net: - Manufacturers and retailers in the B2B, Business to Business portal - Retailers and consumers in the B2C Business to Consumer portal
In fact this means that professionals are brought together in the international showrooms and consumers in the shops.
We network the market players and promote the communication between them.
Fashion Square enables every one interested in Top Fashion brands and that something special to find what they are looking for, their very own “needle in a haystack”, without detours and without losing time in the process.
History
For the majority of the Premium Brands the question of a presence at trade fairs did not arise. Exhibitors of high quality fashion, if they showed in Düsseldorf at all, were to be found in hotel suites or scattered in showrooms. This all changed in 1983 when the project developer and assets manager “Hans-J. Wiethoff & Co.“ developed a special property for showrooms (Kaiserswerther Strasse 140-44), with a floor space of 6,000 m², to provide individual showrooms for 30 companies. Success was immediate so that further showrooms were made available to international designers, manufacturers and their agents within walking distance of this ”original cell“.
.....and today
The average size of 100 - 150 m² is not enough for some companies. For this reason showrooms with floor space of up to 3,000 m2 are to be found in the “MedienHafen”, and an adequate group of exhibitors have moved into “Halle 29”, initiated by “Gerry Weber”. A few manufacturers take up residence in hotel suites at the height of the ordering seasons.
There are now some 70 individual buildings, from art nouveau villa to modern commercial building with a total floor space of some 70,000 m² offering around 1,000 permanent jobs. Over 1,000 collections are on display in the Düsseldorf showrooms: 240 by designers/manufacturers directly and around 600 more are represented by some 130 agents. 75% of the collections come from more than 20 countries, led by Italy (40%), France (10%), USA (9%) and England (6%).
Conclusion: the leading 850 designers/manufacturers of the world are present in the Düsseldorf showrooms with their collections. Both groups simultaneously maintain showrooms in Munich or take up residence in hotels at the height of the ordering seasons. This impressively underlines the significance of Düsseldorf and Munich, in fact of Germany, as an international ordering location for Top Fashion brands.
In addition to a variety of service offers for exhibitors in the showrooms and their customers, the retailers, such as arrangement of showrooms, agents, staff, interior designers etc., advisory services and the organisation of events are also offered. Special importance is placed on the development of an informative directory of exhibitors, which is known today as “Fashion Square - The Buyers Guide – German Showrooms“, and has been further developed to a “who is who“ for international Top Fashion brands. A current print issue “German Showrooms“, appears twice a year at the height of the ordering seasons. On 10.07.2007, Volume 26 (circulation 15,000) was mailed directly and free of charge to 5,000 German retailers and journalists and to some 2,000 international buyers who order in Düsseldorf/Munich. A print issue for France and Italy is in progress. This “Buyers Guide“ also appears 1:1 in the internet. Before the order days, the national and international buyers can find out at their leisure in print or online about who is exhibiting where and then prepare the visits to the individual showrooms and coordinate appointments.
The virtual network....
Early on we recognised the significance of the internet for manufacturers and retailers and an information and communication platform (B2B) was set up. A separate consumer platform (B2C) has now been added. Designers, manufacturers and also their agents present themselves to retailers on one platform. They present their enterprise with all significant facts, the philosophy and describe the collections. The showrooms – worldwide – in which retailers order are named and video clips and slide shows of the merchandise for order are presented in a special ”gallery“.
The other platform meets the long held wish of consumers for a ”list of stockists“, making it possible to be abreast of new collections and generally to obtain information. Manufacturers and retailers will now view consumers more as partners who must be informed and looked after, providing a direct visualisation of the articles currently available for sale. Video clips and slide shows are the medium of preference. “Educate your customer“ will be the motto.
Summary:
Fashion Square networks the “Professionals“ of the industry, nationally and internationally, and in the near future will be extending the concept of “The Buyers Guide” concept to other European countries as a reference for retailers.
As a result of the internet and increased mobility of buyers and consumers in their permanent search for new brands, it has become necessary to network the entire group. Retailers and consumers alike are now able to find the “in” collections quickly, efficiently and without detours. A ‘who is who’ of the Top Fashion brands.
The “Fashion Square“ platforms connect “people addicted to Top Fashion Brands“, enabling them to find their “needle in a haystack” directly and without being sidetracked by other offers.
This benefits the retail professionals and has advantages also for consumers. The collection of choice can be selected directly and the purchase prepared from the preferred retailer at the preferred location, in some cases even via internet.
This type of devotion to the consumer is new, but will attract attention: consumers are given not only a list of stockists but selective important information on top quality collections because both manufacturers and retailers will use this opportunity to educate and inform the consumer, explaining the merchandise using views and slides; consumers will be sensitised to certain aspects.
Special campaigns (competitions, arrangement of events, such as fashion shows), initiated by us and organised together with retailers, will provide additional impetus and be incorporated in a communication process. This will promote customer loyalty and satisfaction in a very special way.
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