BERLIN — Retro label Fred Perry has stepped up its international presence with the opening of its first freestanding premium store here.
The 1,500-square-foot space is located on Neue Schönhauser Strasse in the hip district of Mitte, which also houses Hugo Boss, Diesel and Hilfiger Denim stores.
The Berlin store is the British company’s fourth high-end, or “Laurel,” unit, and the first to be located outside the U.K. The Laurel stores, named after the brand’s logo, offer limited-distribution collections, including vintage designs such as bespoke polo shirts and pieces made in collaboration with Comme des Garçons.
The decor includes Fred Perry wallpaper containing images of the brand over the last century — from Thirties photos of the company’s founder, Wimbledon tennis champion Fred Perry. to pictures of Brits in the Seventies in “Fred” shirts. This store has some local design touches such as unfinished plasterwork and a poured concrete floor, and the store furniture is locally sourced vintage pieces, such as wooden display cases from an old gentleman’s outfitters.
“There may be more money in Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg, but Berlin is eclectic, dynamic and there is always something different happening, whether it be in music or fashion,” said Fred Perry’s managing director, John Flynn.
He said the brand’s iconic status in Germany, where the label is distributed in 300 doors, was an important factor in the choice to open the first non-British premium store here.
“The German relationship to Fred Perry has always been strong and affectionate,” Flynn said. “Germans get Fred Perry. A lot of that has to do with the brand’s links to British music popular in Germany, from The Beatles, who played their first foreign gig in Hamburg, through Nineties Brit Pop to Robbie Williams.”
Harrington collar jackets, made in cooperation with Comme des Garçons and retailing at 150 euros, or $182, have been a top seller, and a three-button wool flannel blazer, retailing at 400 euros, or $486, has also been a standout. But it’s the classic Fred Perry polo shirt, accounting for about 20 percent of sales, which is the store’s core business.
The company has total sales of between $150 million and $200 million; its biggest markets are the U.K. followed by Japan and Italy. Fred Perry wants to increase its international presence by opening another Laurel store in Copenhagen in March, and in Manhattan next year.
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Flynn said the firm is interested in pumping up its business in America. It now sells in a select number of department stores, and in about 125 to 150 independent retailers in the U.S.
The brand prefers to keep its distribution focused, Flynn said.
“We are worn by people who are deeply into fashion, and extremely knowledgeable about the brand, its roots and its heritage,” he noted. “We see that in the stores when people come in looking for a particular shirt in a particular color.”
To that end, the company has been collaborating with Comme des Garçons for the past five seasons. Pieces such as the diamond print V-neck shirt combine classic Fred Perry shapes with a color or material instantly recognizable as CdG. Fred Perry is now looking for a similar collaborator for women’s wear and is in discussions with various labels.
But, Flynn said, developing these collaborations won’t get in the way of its traditions and authenticity. The label’s spring collection references this heritage through the Thirties Wimbledon influences of Fred Perry’s tennis-playing heyday, such as the drop-waist cheesecloth tennis dress or the knee-length, box-pleated tennis skirt.
“Heritage is so important nowadays, since many people are coming back to the brands they know and love,” Flynn added. “You need to give today’s customer a very good reason for parting with 50 euros. It used to be color or style. Now that’s not enough. People are looking for something deeper, for an emotional experience.”