Jacoby to sell Bogner

Having added German lifestyle brand Bogner to its stable, the Jacoby Partnership will be entering the menswear market for the first time. Prior to this, the brand was distributed in the UK by Parkers.

According to Drapers, Jacoby will start selling Bogner's women's wear, men's wear and premium skiwear in for autumn 2006.
The firm's director Curtis Jacoby aims to have 50 accounts with high-end department stores and independent stores in the UK. Currently that number is less than 10.

Jacoby will also distribute Bogner's diffusion line Fire & Ice, which consists of casual wear for men and women, and board wear. The prices are lower than the main line, with £20 for a polo shirt and £69 for a jacket. While the main line is currently available at Harrods, Fire & Ice will be sold at department stores like John Lewis.

The Jacoby Partnership distributes the brands Pleasure State, Jobis, Riani, Via Appia, Seidensticker and Jets.

www.zbh48.dial.pipex.com
21 December 2005

German retailers feel import pinch

The association of German retailers is warning that it might demand compensation from the EU if blocked Chinese garments are not released. Rolf Pangels, head of the Bag federation, which represents large and medium sized retailers, said “If the problem is not resolved by the end of next week and if the merchandise has not left the warehouses, we will act. If we let things continue the way they are much longer we will reach a point where German consumers are mad to freeze this winter because sweaters are rotting in the warehouses”

28 August 2005

Back to Berlin

Berlin was confirmed as a thriving fashion centre last week with successful second editions for both Bread & Butter and Premium. UK buyers faced the sweltering heat on the lookout for new brands and innovation. The jeanswear, streetwear and sportwear offer at B&B, and the more selective directional fashion gathering at its rival Premium, form a three-day double which has given northern Europe a contemporary replacement for Inter-jeans in Cologne.

Many buyers are using the Berlin shows as a complement to the earlier Pitti Uomo in Florence, and as a precursor to London events such as TBC and the buying season proper. It was noticeable, however, that often the most innovative labels in Berlin, especially at the more commercially driven B&B, were from the UK.

29 July 2003
www.breadandbutter.com

German shoe sole company loses US-account

Politics has intruded into the world of shoe sole sales, with the first publicly documented case of a US company scrapping a German business deal because of the country's opposition to an attack on Iraq. Enefco, a Maine-based buyer of leatherboard - used in shoes and belts - has cancelled a EUR 25,000-a-month contract with Lederett, a small German company, citing "the lack of support for the US by the Federal Republic of Germany".

Enefco - whose internet home-page features an animated US flag and the legend "God Bless America" - confirmed on Friday it had withdrawn from the contract but said Norman Farrar, its owner, would not comment further. German business organisations have long warned that Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's opposition to US foreign policy is damaging trade relations. But they have not cited specific cases of US companies turning down business with German companies.

The collapse of the Lederett deal came to light after Grit Kuhnt, the company's chief executive, wrote a letter to Mr Schröder calling on him to change his position. The German chancellor has yet to reply, but Ronald Gräf, Lederett's company secretary, said he had received more than 100 emails from Germans and Americans, most of them supportive, since news of the cancelled contract emerged this week in local Saxony newspapers and on the Associated Press wire service.

He said: "The reactions were quite differentiated, though. I would say 5 per cent were pretty mediocre, calling us warmongers and other names." Lederett sold Enefco one container a month of leatherboard products, and the contract accounted for up to 8 per cent of its annual sales. In a letter to the company, Enefco's Mr Farrar made clear that the US company was happy with the price, service and quality provided by Lederett, and that the diplomatic spat was "the prime reason" why it was withdrawing from the deal.
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March 11, 2003