Swiss fashion brand Joop! expects to grow during the buying season for its autumn/winter 2025 collection. In an interview, brand director Thorsten Stiebing discusses his expectations for the wholesale business, the industry sentiment, and which regions are performing well.

The brand, founded by German designer Wolfgang Joop and now part of the Swiss fashion group Holy Fashion Group, has continuously expanded internationally in recent years. Recently, it has established a presence in the United Arab Emirates and opened new stores in Poland last year. Joop! generates 40 percent of its revenue internationally and 60 percent in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

How do you perceive the current situation and sentiment in the industry?

Following conversations at the Düsseldorf trade fair and with industry players, it's clear that retail is currently facing several challenges. Inventory levels and the further development of business models are key themes. In addition, some companies are also looking closely at their commerciality. Despite these challenges, there are also optimistic voices in the industry.

What kind of commerciality are we talking about?

How are key performance indicators, margins, profit distribution, sell-through rates, and inventory levels developing? These are the central questions.

Joop! adds a touch of glamour to its styles for autumn/winter 2025. Credits: Joop!

You also mentioned a certain degree of optimism.

Export markets continue to develop steadily, particularly in Poland, where market sentiment is optimistic. Overall, export countries are showing a positive development. In Germany, the focus is on conversations with business owners and buyers. While economic indicators are initially discussed, the collection subsequently takes centre stage and is generally viewed positively. While commercial key figures are discussed first, the focus then shifts to the collection, which received a predominantly positive response. The focus on the product itself often leads to a more relaxed mood in conversations.

Five years ago, we spoke about doubling revenue and expansion. How has Joop! fared since then?

Revenue development has exceeded expectations. Wholesale revenue has more than doubled, the online business has seen strong growth, and licensing sales have also developed positively. Since 2020, the company has grown significantly, we emerged well from the Covid period, and have successfully capitalised on the post-pandemic phase.

And how has Joop! performed over the past two years?

In 2023, we continued to see double-digit growth in wholesale and strong growth online. Our annual online growth averaged between 15 and 18 percent. Final figures for 2024 are not yet available, but a high single-digit growth is expected.

Utilitarianism with a coolness factor: Denim in FW25 at Joop! Credits: Joop!

How do you assess the current AW25 buying season?

The buying phase is currently underway, and we expect a single-digit growth from orders.

And what about reorders?

We expect more growth with reorders. The collection should be viewed as a whole, and I am optimistic about its performance.

What is the ratio between orders and reorders at Joop!?

The share of reorders is regularly between 20 and 23 percent, depending on the product category. Reorders play an important role and are showing good results, particularly for jeans, suits, and certain jersey styles.

In the fashion world, trends seem to be blurring. The streetwear trend is fading, and the quiet luxury theme has been around for several seasons now. What is currently important for a brand like Joop! in terms of fashion?

In menswear, the share of casual wear continues to grow, while suits remain in stable demand, particularly in the wedding segment. High-quality materials and maintaining quality standards are crucial.

What's selling well at Joop!?

Sportswear and jackets are seeing strong demand, as are coats and knitwear, particularly in the knitwear segment, where there is significant growth. Shirts are currently more challenging, but they are seeing a positive development in the more fashionable segment. The focus is currently mainly on jersey and knitwear, which are performing particularly well. A shift in silhouettes is noticeable in pants and customers are embracing this. Wide-leg pants are top sellers, especially for women, and the same trend is emerging for men, leading to very good sales growth.

Menswear at Joop! for Fall/Winter 2025 is both dressed up and casual. Credits: Joop!

Are you focusing on colours or keeping it more subdued?

The combination of light grey and beige, often complemented by highlight colours, is currently selling particularly well.

Many have complained about the weather in the past year. How do you deal with inconsistent weather conditions?

The start of the season was positive, as we already had cool temperatures in September, which benefited us. Unfortunately, it didn't get cold enough afterward to generate another boost. Nevertheless, sell-through rates for jackets were good. Therefore, this does not pose a problem for us, neither in the current year nor during buying season.

How can we imagine the collaboration in terms of sharing data between Joop! and retailers, currently?

We have dedicated teams that analyze and evaluate data for us. The process has become more technical, but it remains important to incorporate creativity and fun into the collection. A purely analytical approach would otherwise lead to a very basic-heavy product range, such as t-shirts, polo shirts, and crew necks. The appeal of the brand remains crucial.

To what extent is it possible to reorder if a particular item is selling really well and is not part of the never-out-of-stock program?

Our bestsellers are planned so that they don't sell out completely. For example, a customer might buy 80 percent of a jacket, while 20 percent remains in stock. This remaining 20 percent is usually also sold. Sales are often also made through Never-out-of-stock products as well.

Joop! Dynamic in Fall/Winter 2025 Credits: Joop!

What does the wholesale buying process look like at Joop! now? Where does a brand need to be digitally and physically today?

Pitti remains a relevant industry meeting place for exchanging ideas and observing developments. In addition, many activities also take place in the showrooms. We recently opened a large flagship showroom in Düsseldorf. A significant portion of orders are now placed digitally, especially by export customers, as this is cost-effective. Digital orders are estimated to account for about 20 percent.

In the past, you considered opening flagship stores – also in Germany. Are you still pursuing this idea?

We opened three stores in Poland last year and are planning a new store in Frankfurt on the Fressgasse next year. We intend to continue opening stores and shop-in-shops. Stores are important for a brand because they consolidate activities.

Do you have any further expansion plans – such as for new countries or regions?

We are now present in the United Arab Emirates. We work with good distributors and are represented in the relevant shops. The United Arab Emirates will play an important role for us in the future, as the market there has developed considerably.