"Isn´t it wonderful to give women the good sense of expressing their personality through a glamorous style?" this is the mantra and daily motivation of Oliver Gerbitz, Senior Marketing Manager at luxury German fashion label ESCADA. In 2004 the Business Economics graduate launched his marketing career in Tourism.
"After heading the Marketing of a German travel agency network I immersed myself into the world of a musical production before exchanging beautiful travel destinations and monumental stage sets for glamorous fashion." Oliver explains, before adding :
"For ten years I am now working in all fields of global branding and marketing at Germany´s most prestigious women´s luxury fashion brand ESCADA." What better excuse to secure him as a GoSeeAwards judge? And introduce him on GoSee with a quick interview?
You have now been working for Escada for ten years and must have made quite a substantial mark on their direction? Yes – but there are of course a lot of people behind the brand’s visual image. However it is the conviction that ESCADA needs a modern, contemporary visual language celebrating the brand’s identity and tradition that is constantly developing further, that motivates me to make my contribution.
What is your role as Senior Marketing Manager at Escada? As the Senior Marketing Manager I am responsible for the development of all creative content, as well as worldwide media planning, the development of all concepts for retail marketing and supervising the licensing business.
Do you actually commission trend scouts to find out the customers’ needs and wants, study the market and contribute to new collections by collaborating with the designers? No, the brand management and design departments cover that. The ESCADA customer is very loyal, our design team knows her inside out.
What is it like to work with the Escada designers? Are the campaign ideas developed alongside the latest collections? Of course we work very closely with Daniel Wingate, our Fashion Director. The inspiration behind the collection often also doubles up as an idea for the campaign. But not always. After all it is about creating an identity and appealing to our customer’s wants and needs.
Do you select particular models for the campaigns or do you leave that up to the photographer and his or her team? Marketing, PR, distribution, Daniel Wingate and the ESCADA Brand Management Team – all have a say in what look becomes the ESCADA campaign look.
Malgosia Bela has been the campaign face of Escada for several seasons. Does she embody the ideal Escada woman? Malgosia is one of those rare faces, whose character stands out over the years and has the elegance, confidence and strength of the ESCADA woman.
ESCADA developed a capsule collection in collaboration with artist Thilo Westermann and Fashion Director Daniel Wingate using silk viscose weaving techniques. The "Escada meets Thilo Westermann” blurs the boundaries of fashion and art. Will there be more projects like this in the future? Most likely. As a brand ESCADA has a great relationship with art and all the beautiful things in life.
How did you end up working in fashion? Was it a chance or a happy coincidence? It certainly wasn’t planned.
If you want to find out for sure, then come meet Oliver Gerbitz in person at UPDATE14. We are delighted to have him there. Time is racing on, just two more weeks to go until our GoSee annual event. Order you free ticket here (if you haven’t already done so): www.up-date.ws
