Tell us about Reijs Agenturer!
Reijs Agenturer AB was started 11 years ago, in a direct collaboration with German Tamaris (Wortmann Group). In 2010, I went to the head office in Detmold and applied for the agency to continue the collaboration with Tamaris, which has been held within my family since the late 70’s. At Tamaris, it is very unusual for an agency to move on within the family. As one of Europe’s leading shoe fashion companies, they obviously want a qualified agent, and the application process is complicated and thorough.
A lot has happened within the company since 2010. Two years ago, I hired Jeanette, who previously worked as a store manager within the Nilson Group. We complement each other very well and it was good to bring in new thoughts and ideas as you easily get stuck in old routines.”
It has been a different year during the pandemic. What changes have you made, for example, have you tried to sell digitally?
“Digitization developed very quickly when the pandemic broke out and Tamaris has created good tools for us to work digitally. Of course, there have been difficulties in working with the sale of shoes digitally. When showing the customer new collections and materials, they want to be able to feel and squeeze and therefore the physical meetings are preferable. We present about 90% new models every season and it has been a challenge to show these in a picture or over a Teams meeting. But it still worked, Tamaris is an established brand with many loyal customers who trust us and our judgment. A trust that is the result of long and good customer relationships.”
What shoe trends will we see in your spring collection?
“There will continue to be a lot of focus on sneakers. The beige tone continues to trend, especially when it comes to sneakers but also on other types of shoes.
The sale of heels has not been good since a year and a half ago. Tamaris is usually a very strong player in this segment, but during the pandemic we have lost a significant sale of heels. Now we see an increase for next year and slowly but surely, we go back to the previously very diversified range of different shoe models.
This autumn we see a lot of loafers, preferably with thick soles and chains and I think it is a trend that will continue into the spring. If we look at open shoes, there is a lot of slip in, preferably with braided tops that we have seen this summer as well.
New for Tamaris are outdoor shoes with Gore-Tex, which has been very successful and a positive surprise.”
What is your opinion about the development of the shoe industry, what questions are relevant to you and your customers today?
“We, like many others, work with sustainable production. If you are not part of that development, you will lose. In the future, the entire range must be sustainably developed, not just part of the collection. Tamaris is increasingly moving to so-called gold-certified tanneries.
When it comes to digitization, we have come a long way in terms of easy accessibility and visual structure. Customers get easy access to materials in various digital resolutions. Here, Tamaris is at the forefront, and we have received a very positive response from our customers.
To move forward, you will need longer planning time to produce collections, at least until the end of the pandemic. Especially for us and many others whose production takes place over a longer distance. We will also work more with our pre-collections that will grow for us.
This season has been positive, and we are on our way back after the loss caused by the pandemic. Our customers are positive about the future. It has been a really good start to the autumn in the stores and we hope that it will continue.”
Welcome to visit Tamaris’s digital showroom!
https://www.stockholmfashiondistrict.se/tamaris/