Photo of Sanna Andero: Ferrexer Vision
Tell us about Hangtag Agency.
Hangtag is a distributor active in women’s fashion with headquarters, warehouse and packaging in Sweden. The agency has been in its current form since 2014 and today it represents three strong, well-designed, attractive brands with their very own unique DNA: Johnny Was (Los Angeles), Devotion Twins (Greece) and the latest addition Me369 (Tel Aviv). Today, we are well established in multi-brand stores throughout Scandinavia, with sub-agents in Norway and Denmark.
Hangtag’s basic philosophy is to provide the Scandinavian fashion market with beautiful, colorful and exciting garments that stand out, are visible and convey joy. A very important parameter in the selection of brands, is to always be able to stand one hundred percent behind them, even morally.
Each collection is created by extremely creative designers, the print is hand-drawn and trademarked, the production is environmentally friendly according to today’s criteria, natural materials are always in focus and humanitarian working conditions are a must. All links in the chain must be equally strong. We rarely bet on the latest fly, more on an irresistible love that you in five or ten years will still love and get compliments for. In this way, the garments can be classified as very durable. Copies are simply never found at Hangtag.
Photo: Product images Johnny Was
What is the absolute best thing about your job?
It is to be a part of such a creative environment and to meet so many impressive and driven people with visions and goals that they really believe in and fight for. To have the opportunity to travel a lot and that every day is never the same. To be involved in building and establishing brands in our small part of the world, to see them grow and take place and to genuinely rejoice together with both customers and suppliers in the event of success.
We are very impressed by your obvious passion for your customers and suppliers, what is your best tip for how to nurture the relationship with the customer?
To always see myself and my customers as a team. Neither of us can do without the other. Never make yourself impossible or be square, but always try to find creative solutions together with the customer.
I never make any buying demands on my customers and I never get irritated or upset if I get a no – that’s part of the job. I firmly believe in an honest dialogue and I am fully aware that different stores have different locations and different customer bases that must be taken into account when placing orders. Therefore, I rather pull the brake than push to get sales, it is so far much better to in the next meeting meet a positive customer who has had a good sales and who is happy to grow with the brand. Meeting the customer on the customer’s premises provides good conditions for a long and rewarding collaboration to look forward to.
Photo: Product images Devotion Twins
What do you think is your greatest strength in your work?
My total passion for the beautiful and unique. The genuine joy I feel about being able to present new, so fantastic collections every season that I myself completely and honestly love. I can really sell my brands every season with all my heart involved, something I think shines through and spreads.
If you were to look ahead with the agency, what do you want most from the future?
I absolutely want to continue to cherish the artistic and solid work that fashion can actually be. I wish most of all that I may continue to have my fine customers with me in that thought. That I, together with the stores, can continue to enrich the consumer’s range with wonderful standouts and experiences, in the form of being able to physically visit the small, personal and hand-picked store.
If you are curious to read more about Hangtag, you can do so in the press release (in Swedish) that went out in connection with the win, here.