Between headwinds and new beginnings: what Düsseldorf Fashion Days reveals about the state of the industry

During Düsseldorf Fashion Days, the Ferris wheel was turning at the Rheinkirmes funfair. A more fitting image for these order days could hardly be found. One moment you are soaring upwards, the next you are heading down. Those who embrace the ride might even enjoy it. However, those who try to control every movement will quickly feel queasy.

A similar ambivalence characterised the mood in Düsseldorf. Walking through the showrooms, agencies, or trade fair formats like Supreme or Two Days, one initially encountered an almost relaxed atmosphere. However, anyone who stayed a little longer and listened beyond the initial pleasantries quickly noticed something. The good mood was not a sign that the challenges had diminished. It was rather an expression of an industry that has learned to deal with them.

No one ignored declining footfall, more cautious orders, tighter budgets, or a consumer climate that has provided little stimulus for months. What was more striking was that conversations no longer revolved around whether the situation is difficult. There is long-standing agreement on that. Instead, the focus was surprisingly often on how companies are reacting. Between appointments and brief small talk, it became clear that many have simply grown tired of the constant crisis narrative. This does not make the crisis disappear. It just no longer dominates every conversation.

More creative drive than gallows humour

This change was noticeable in many conversations. The focus was consistently on the future. This was not out of defiance, but from the conviction that standing still is currently the riskier strategy.

Dieter Holzer, CEO of the Hamburg-based fashion brand Closed, also described this self-perception. He came to Düsseldorf with a positive feeling. This was not because the general conditions had suddenly improved, but because the company is confident in its collection. “We have, of course, worked on the collections and were looking forward to presenting them to the market. They were very good days for an intensive exchange with our partners. That also worked out very well. I think these are very valuable days for us here in Düsseldorf.”

Personal exchanges like this are gaining importance for Holzer. The Fashion Days have been more than just an ordering platform for some time now. They have become a place where retailers and brands can talk to each other, share experiences, and find direction.

Holzer also views the response positively. “I would say the footfall was good. I can't speak for Düsseldorf as a whole, but we are really very satisfied.” Something else is far more crucial anyway: “The mood is positive and confident. Everyone is working on the issues they have identified for themselves to get even more out of the existing footfall.”

A similar mindset was encountered elsewhere. The German womenswear brand Rich & Royal celebrated its 20th anniversary during the Fashion Days. The economic situation was, of course, discussed. It was just as natural, however, to talk about opportunities. Managing director Denis Stupp summed up this perspective with a sentence that could be symbolic of many conversations these days: “Where many see grey weather, I see quite a few rainbows.” This sentence resonates because it does not deny reality. It simply chooses a different perspective.

The German womenswear brand Riani also deliberately focused on encounters rather than grand productions this season. Instead of the well-known Cruise Ship, the brand invited guests to “Casa Riani” at the Düsseldorf Lido for the first time. A summery atmosphere, Italian swing music, and food and drinks created the setting for conversations that were not just about collections. Less spectacle, more exchange. This also fitted surprisingly well with these Fashion Days.

Retailers are looking for reasons to order again

Just as interesting as the mood was the question of which products are currently convincing retailers. The word “special” came up surprisingly often. Not extravagant. Not loud at all costs. Special enough to make a difference on the shop floor.

Natalie Franssen, head of sales at the premium line Daydream from denim specialist Mac, describes this exact balance. “People are looking for something special. That is a big task: to be special and different from everyone else, but not too special, because then it becomes unwearable or restricts the customer base too much. We have managed to strike this exact balance in recent seasons. That is why we have been so successful lately.”

It is remarkable that this observation ran through many conversations. Marc Freyberg, managing director of sales and marketing at the Herford-based brand Brax, also sees a clear shift in purchasing behaviour. While classic ranges have lost traction in many places, bolder collections have performed significantly better. “Classic merchandise has sold poorly recently. Everything that was a bit bolder, more modern, or newer has gone through the roof. It can definitely be a bit louder again.”

He is therefore not surprised that retailers are more willing to embrace new ideas today. Standard assortments have shown their limits in many places. Anyone wanting to generate attention on the shop floor must now give customers a real reason to enter a store.

Johannes Rellecke, co-CEO of the Rottendorf-based clothing provider S.Oliver Group, comes to similar conclusions. The strategic switch from S.Oliver Black Label to Lala Berlin initially sparked some discussion. In retrospect, however, this decision was exactly right. “We deliberately developed Lala Berlin towards commercial fashion. The name and the brand have given us a completely different emotional punch. When the right concept, a strong collection, the appropriate branding, and the courage for colour and expression come together, you can still inspire people today.”

The figures seem to prove him right. Lala Berlin is currently more than 40 percent ahead of schedule and has gained around 60 new customers.

Matthias Eckert, managing director of the S.Oliver Group, put it even more clearly. With a broad, satisfied smile, he said: “We have been greatly rewarded for our work.” A short sentence that carried almost more weight these days than any growth figure. It made it clear that success remains possible even in difficult market conditions. Not a given. Achievable.

Florian Wortmann, chief commercial officer of the Herford-based clothing provider Bugatti, puts it even more directly. “We are very happy. We are having really good conversations. The time for explaining and proving ourselves is over. We have delivered the performance. Now it's really just about growth and brand visibility.”

The brand is developing particularly dynamically in the womenswear sector. At the same time, it has also succeeded in convincing the traditionally more sceptical German specialist retail sector with consistent brand management and pop-up concepts.

This idea came up again and again in Düsseldorf. Retailers are ordering more selectively than they did a few years ago. At the same time, they are again looking for collections that offer real added value. New brands can be just as convincing as established labels if they tell a credible story and provide retailers with arguments for the shop floor.

The Wolfgang Reichert fashion agency also confirms this. Brands like The Shirt Project are met with great interest. Retailers are quite willing to take on new ideas, provided they offer tangible added value. At the same time, something is openly stated there that many only formulate between the lines: fear may be understandable. It rarely serves as a good business compass.

More than a question of footfall

How many visitors were actually in Düsseldorf? This is probably the first question asked after every trade fair. It is also the one that is most difficult to answer.

The picture was too varied. Some showrooms reported tightly packed schedules with hardly a free minute. Others would have liked more walk-in customers on certain days. At Supreme, too, peak times alternated with quieter phases, while at Two Days there was activity, but by no means all visitors automatically placed an order.

Footfall alone is no longer a reliable indicator. What matters is who comes, with what preparation, and with what purchasing intent. The era of spontaneous orders seems to be over in many places. Instead, conversations are becoming more specific, decisions more deliberate, and assortments more selectively curated.

It was also noticeable that success is now almost spoken of in hushed tones. Statements like “We really can't complain” or “We are very satisfied” seemed almost cautiously phrased. This was not out of false modesty, but because economic ease is no longer a given in the industry.

Industry has no insight problem

This led to another thought that resonated throughout the Fashion Days: everyone is now familiar with the challenges. Consumer restraint, rising costs, geopolitical uncertainties, and changing consumer behaviour no longer surprise anyone. What was new, however, was a different observation. It was increasingly discussed that the real challenge is no longer understanding the market, but drawing consequences from this knowledge. The industry, therefore, no longer has an insight problem. It has an implementation problem.

This sentiment was not expressed verbatim in every conversation, but it described the mood with surprising accuracy. Many know exactly what has changed. At the same time, it is difficult to let go of routines that have worked for years. This applies to assortments as much as it does to brand management, sales, or communication.

The fact that change often begins with a shift in perspective was evident not only in the showrooms. At the Fashion Net Party during Düsseldorf Fashion Days, hosts Andrea Greuner, managing director of the Königsallee interest group and the Fashion Net Düsseldorf industry network, and Ulrike Kähler, managing director of Two Days organiser Igedo Exhibitions, also focused on this very idea. Their appeal was to not see networks as closed circles, but to consciously expand them. Do not always have the same conversations with the same people. Instead, stay curious, allow for different perspectives, and discover commonalities where differences initially seem most apparent.

Those who move exclusively within their familiar business bubble often only get confirmation of what they already know. Those who consciously widen their circle, on the other hand, discover not only new business partners but often new ways of thinking. Especially in an industry that must constantly reinvent itself, this change in perspective can be more valuable than the hundredth confirmation of one's own opinion.

Agency instead of hope

Marc Freyberg of Brax articulated a thought that extends far beyond his own company: “Since Covid-19, hardly anything can shock me anymore. There are people who talk about multi-crises, stacking crises, or permanent crises. Perhaps crisis is now the normal state of affairs. That's why we don't really need to use the word anymore. It is what it is. We have to face the challenges and simply all tighten our belts a bit.”

The Fashion Days did not stage a perfect world. That would have been unbelievable. They did, however, show that there is a surprising amount of space between crisis rhetoric and forced optimism. Space for good products. For new ideas. For honest conversations. For companies that have understood that while uncertainty can rarely be controlled, one's own reaction to it certainly can.

The most important currency in this industry today therefore seems to be neither confidence nor courage. It is the ability to act.