WSNBlog Interview n°3 - A fashion store: Belleville in Berlin

WSNBlog Interview n°3 - A fashion store: Belleville in Berlin // Place // 2008/07/30 at 14:00

Exploring all the universe of the fashion, the Who's Next Blog has interviewed the owner of a fashion cool store in Berlin: Fredericke Winkler from Belleville.

Belleville offers one of the greatest selection of fine mix of T-shirts and designer pieces in Berlin, the fashion is far removed from anyrhing mass-produced.

"There you can find Bo van Melsken's avant-garde collection, sweaters and shirts by the ethnic label Misericordia, young Swedish labels like annhagen, Marios, and best behaviour or fair trade sneakers by Veja." (Zitty Modebuch 2008/2009)

Who's Next Blog: tell us about your evolution and career before creating your shop.
Fredericke Winkler: I studied fashion in Paris and in Berlin. After that I did a short trip to be assistant fashion editor and beauty editor. But then I found out, that I lost my heart to the retail business, as I already worked in clothes shops since I´ve been a teenager. So I was glad, when I´ve been asked to manage a concept store (350 square meters). Opening my own shop was sort of coincidence.

WSN Blog: Is it difficult to open your own shop?
Fredericke Winkler: to open a shop is really easy, but to keep it ... all above to keep the quality is hard.

WSN Blog: How do you select the items? According to which standards?
Fredericke Winkler: fresh and intelligent design, reasonable prices, unique style and a certain conciousness of society, nature and the future.

WSN Blog: what is the structure of your shop? (Items for men/women, streetwear vs. more feminine brands, etc.) How is the space divided?
Fredericke Winkler: I´m stocking fresh, independent brands for women and men.
I try to combine streetwear and avantgarde design and also sell accessories, shoes, books and magazines. this portfolio I put into a frame of exhibitions, concerts and small parties.
The name Belleville is chosen to underline the city-complexity of my offers.

WSN Blog: how would you define the offer available in your shop?
Fredericke Winkler: interdisciplinary and synthetical.

WSN Blog: do you sell items by young designers who are not distributed elsewhere? If so, do you have a special approach to support young designers?
Fredericke Winkler: yeah some. I think young designers do not automatically need help. But besides belleville I work for the agency fashion patrons. We offer a special coaching program for designers who want to make their own brand...

WSN Blog: how do you ensure the promotion of your shop?
Fredericke Winkler: be authentical and keep contact with press.

WSN Blog: how would you describe your customers?
Fredericke Winkler: from young to old but endlessly dynamic. Stylistically confident and bloody well informed.

WSN Blog: according to you, what are the main differences between French customers and those from other countries that you know?
Fredericke Winkler: if you asked me about Japanese customers I would know some differences, but the French ones are quite ... hmm ... normal... they often come in groups.

WSN Blog: Berlin and the fashion?
Fredericke Winkler: Berlin is unfashion that has become fashion. It´s very refreshing, that one can wear whatever he wants. Nobody cares at all. Unfortunately that can be really awful, but sometimes also awesome.

WSN Blog: fashion: what for?
Fredericke Winkler: for being a communicating part of society.

WSN Blog: your news?
Fredericke Winkler: my longtime assistant Mareike is now the manager of Belleville store, because I´m more working in this already mentioned fashion agency.

WSN Blog: the one question you'd like to be asked?
Fredericke Winkler: what´s this all for???

WSN Blog: favorite drink?
Fredericke Winkler: in the morning espresso macchiato, during the day rhubarb juice and in the evening averna with a piece of lemon.

WSN Blog: describe a successful evening/night
Fredericke Winkler: being with people i like... wow this sounds so boring.

WSN Blog: your last concert? Your last exhibition?
Fredericke Winkler: I missed a Norman Palm concert last week. and there was a band called Esmeralda in our shop. exhibitionwise there has been the DMY festival in Berlin end of may.... oh my god!!! i´ve not been to an exhibtion for a long time. I have to change that!

WSN Blog: a motto?
Fredericke Winkler: don´t forget to go home.

WSN Blog: the last killer thing you heard, read or did?
Fredericke Winkler: sorry, gossip is not my ressort...

WSN Blog: one last word?
Fredericke Winkler: we all should dare being more critical with things, persons and fashion.