A menswear brand that keeps Berlin culture, A.D.Deertz

Backstory

The work on A.D.Deertz brand started in the year 2000. "At that time it was almost embarrassing to be capitalistic. We didn't care about money at all. Just did what we wanted." - says Deertz.

Deertz started making menswear with classic aesthetics. The business ought to be free of fashion cycles, the mass-production industry’s stigmas, and… fun. She has been proving that everything can be done in a small team and in little quantities. The work was built in such a way that the clothes could be reproduced in 2-weeks intervals, so there would be no need to keep a large stock.

Community

On a previous location Deertz used to organize music events in her shop. Although she didn't think of them as of a promotional tool.

Once she invited some friends from Anti-Pop-Consortium to play a gig. A that time they hadn't had any concert for a long time. And it blew-up. The street was completely blocked - even tram couldn't pass.

Strategic location

Deertz placed her store in Mitte-Berlin. The street was previously very bad for business. Stores opened and closed all the time. But somehow in time, the street became more like a shopping street. Now there are many trendy shops and bars around, as well as Soda bookshops. the place to get independent magazines in Berlin.

Now Deertz doesn’t complain about the rent. She gets traffic and still pays low rent.

Be a fishing spot

Deertz doesn’t actively search for new customers. She thinks of her shop as of a fishing spot in a sense that people want to find a spot themselves. Being in menswear business she understood that men don’t generally like to go shopping and if they find what they want once, they will always come back.

“And we don't even have a window, so people see our collection only when they come in. It's a coincidence, by the way, I wasn't looking for a place with no windows, but you always have to think of how to use your limitations to the better.” – Wibke Deertz.

No flex

Deertz didn't ever pay for publications or publicity, and when some celebrity wears her clothes she doesn't show that online: "I think it's kind of embarrassing to brag about that someone wears your clothes." Deertz is always open to speaking with journalists and bloggers but doesn't reach out to them. The same approach as with clients: people want to find you and your work is not to ruin that sense.