From Germany to the world: Getting to know all about Uebervart Frankfurt
Established in 2008, Uebervart has become the store when it comes to all things menswear and street style in Frankfurt. Daniel Steindorf, the store’s owner, and founder talked to us about the business. The continuum of hype, travel, and his unique love for Frankfurt were just some of the topics.
Read below and dive in to get to know more about Uebervart.
Your strategy seems to involve cutting away extra offerings at your store and instead focusing in on the premium niches. Can you talk about if and how this has worked so well for you?
Well, we decided to create our own world. We have a “plan” on how we see men should be dressed and we like this one way of styling. So, yes premium niche gives you more creative space when it comes to buying, sale strategy, order minimums and real brand-retail-strategy as well as activate brands.
This year has been yet another in the fusing of athletic wear and high fashion. Do you see “athleisure” as something long-term or an extended blip?
No, I think athleisure is a trend which is driven by the 90ies fashion which is the trend now but will leave soon. Of course, using tech materials like Gore-Tex or Dri Fit or something for style items is sometimes smart but I think fashion is fashion and sport is a sport and so it will be like this in the future.
In your experience, what’s something that prospective managers/ owners get wrong about running their own menswear or sneaker store?
Following hypes and want to make the fast money. It is not working. Create your own style, fill the environment with what you like and define your client. Without this, you’ll get lost. In these days it is even more important to define your niche and follow it.
Then, sometimes hype products come to you automatically and you can participate. But – as the major topic – define your target group and your concept and live it.
What role has travel played in influencing your outlook on fashion? Did you ever pick up on any particular trends that you think will affect fashion as a whole?
Traveling is the most important thing in working as creative. There are so many things going on in different cities. Food, cafés, places, art, etc. All this defines trends and makes you think about what will be right for the upcoming seasons.
Finding the best things from all these places and create something for my store is so much fun.
What do you know now that you wish you knew back when you were first starting out?
1.) Every brand is replaceable. 2.) Working as a team in the store. 3.) Starting online business earlier.
Daniel Steindorf, Uebervart’s owner
Your store looks to meet a middle ground between “hype kids and banker.” Can you talk a little more about what that balance looks like?
This just means, that every person can find something in our UEBERVART world. Because we created this world and everyone can join. No matter if it is a hype-kid, a banker, a granddad or someone who just need a new short.
What are some of the specific challenge when it comes to trying to sell menswear?
Well, the man itself. Most of the guys buying things when they need it, they do not care so much about trends, etc. But this changed within the last seasons and so it is getting easier…
Do you see Uebervart’s future as continuing to hone in on a more local consumer base?
We are always want to serve our local consumer first because we are from Frankfurt and love our city. So this will never change.
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