'Gerry Weber has clearly grown ahead of industry averages' – CEO

14 Mar '09

6 min read

Having defied the challenging economic environment which prevailed during the 2007/2008 financial year, Gerry Weber International AG has reported sales and profits at new record levels for the period. Group sales are up by 12.4 percent and an EBIT margin of 11.0 percent, which means that the company achieved its targets even in the face of a stagnating economy and a worsening crisis in the retail trade.

While remaining a strong partner to retailers, the Gerry Weber Group continues to position itself as a vertically integrated system supplier managing the entire value chain from product development to sales in its own stores. Its flexible distribution concept has allowed them to capitalise on all opportunities presenting themselves in the market, as a result of which Gerry Weber has grown clearly ahead of the industry average for several years.”

To know more about this wonderful apparel and fashion company and how it was able to beat the recessionary trends when many among its contemporaries across the world are struggling, even just to survive, Fibre2fashion spoke to the Chief Executive Officer of Gerry Weber Intl AG, Mr Gerhard Weber to understand the dynamics, strategies applied, current fashion trends, plans for the future and how he foresees the fashion market in the next few months.

We started off by asking him to throw some light on their branding strategies, to which Mr Gerhard replied by saying, “The main brand offers top-quality combination collections for the 'modern woman' in her 30's and above and which suits the fashion needs of the customer and grows with her. Trendy cuts and fabrics, quality manufacturing, love for detailing and a harmonic colour palette define the individual collection signature of our label”.

He continued, “But that is not the only reason that the brand stood first in a study conducted by the trade publication “Textilwirtschaft”. Retailers gave top ratings in various categories, such as “competency in manufacture of blazers, pants and skirts”, “excellent fit”, and “correct, complete and punctual delivery”. Each year Gerry Weber presents seven collections, each with three to five themes and supplies retailers with new merchandise every two weeks”.

He added by saying, “The brand also includes two sub labels: 'Gerry Weber Edition' and G.W. The 'Gerry Weber Edition' is a single item collection, consisting of knits, shirts, blouses, pants, skirts and outdoor jackets. So that the customer can enhance her wardrobe with trendy single items or basics in whichever way it pleases her and these are all available in 'Gerry Weber Edition' single brand stores in Germany and elsewhere”.

“The less-expensive G.W. label offers top trendy fashion items in a quick delivery rhythm. The sub-labels made significant contribution to the success of the core brand. Gerry Weber Edition, the single-item collection, increased its sales by 32.2 percent to EUR 119.5 million and accounted for 32.1 percent share of the core brand's sales. The G.W. label grew by 12.1 percent to EUR 18.5 million, generating 5.0 percent of total Gerry Weber sales”, he concluded by saying.

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