We recently visited the men’s outfitter Micks Hannover. Read our interview with founder and owner Mick Möller now.
Feine Herr: What can people expect when they visit your store?
Mick Möller: I sell menswear, shoes and accessories with the classics as a starting point, but reinterpreted in a contemporary way.
I want to create a place for my customers where they can escape from everyday life for a moment and where it’s all about pure aesthetics.
The mix of tradition and modernity is the special feature here. The tried and tested, but rethought.
Can you outline your path to becoming a fashion entrepreneur and retailer?
I was naturally influenced by my parents. But my parents never pushed my brother and me to get into the business – on the contrary: “Go out into the world,” they often said. Music, especially rock n roll, sixties and blues, always inspired me, but you can’t study to be a rock star.
I developed a passion for clothing during my school days. I waited tables in the store at weekends and at events and came into contact with the customers and products.
Once, when I spontaneously stepped in as a sales assistant because there was so much going on, the time had come: a new customer just wanted to find out more about Alden shoes. As I liked the shoes so much myself, I knew a lot about them and explained everything to him calmly. In the end, he actually bought the shoes straight away and that’s when the penny dropped for me.
Straight after school, I worked for my father for almost a year – my best apprenticeship!
For my training as a textile business economist at the LDT-Nagold, I completed two internships beforehand. At Paul Smith in London and at Ludwig Reiter in Vienna. Two very different worlds, but they helped me enormously in my self-employment.
After graduating from LDT, I went to Lodenfrey in Munich for a year, where I got a great offer towards the end and almost extended my contract. But as fate would have it, my father actually called a week before and told me that a wonderful store in Luisenstraße was becoming available. I had already been toying with the idea of opening my own store to gain a new audience and validate myself as an entrepreneur before continuing to run my parents’ business.
That decision was made six years ago and I would do it again. Especially as I still make music on the side and play in a band with my father.
Germany hardly has any real men’s outfitters left. Is that because of the men or the outfitters?
Both, as well as. In my opinion, this regression is the result of a reciprocal effect. On the one hand, there are few to no real dress codes and wardrobe awareness, especially in Germany. Correct appearance in particular is not desirable – a suit quickly becomes a political issue.
In England, both the punk and the banker wear a suit. In completely different ways, of course, but they both “dress up”. In Germany, many people see the wardrobe as a necessary evil, not as a gesture of respect for the other person, the moment or, above all, themselves. Yet everyone expresses themselves with their clothes – whether they want to or not. On the other hand, it’s probably also down to what’s on offer and the type of outfitter. If I really just fall back on the same recipe over and over again and don’t evolve, it really gets “dusty” and boredom sets in. As Armani once said: “The hardest thing is to design a new dark blue suit every season.”. You have to reinvent yourself again and again, tighten small screws, I think. Add to that a good pinch of service and expertise and, above all, the most important thing – hospitality!
As an entrepreneur, you also have to get creative yourself. Offering only ready-made goods does not set you apart from the crowd and especially not from the Internet! Only true individuality, uniqueness and quality work – otherwise you have no chance.
How and where do you find suppliers and brands?
That is very different. Sometimes banal in magazines, on Instagram, or traditionally at trade fairs. However, there has long been a tendency for the real experts to operate in secret and not want to show their cards.
This means that they do not exhibit on the site itself, but in apartments and other locations. It is often conversations that open up new things on these trips.
However, the most important thing is not to constantly collect new brands, but to create something new with the producers you can work with independently.
Where do you find inspiration outside the fashion world?
MM: When we are traveling, I like to walk the streets, look at the people and the stores. We were in London just last week. When you look at people’s minds and style there, you’re already full of ideas and new impressions. Often from music, photo books and films. I especially love the sixties – in many areas probably the most eventful and innovative decade for the world. Extremely interesting in terms of fashion – but the other decades, from the twenties to the eighties, also have a new appeal for us very young people. These two decades in particular are currently experiencing a comeback among the informed.
What constitutes good style for you?
Authenticity and respect for one another. You shouldn’t just show the minimum to those around you. To stay on the subject of clothing: Maybe go to dinner or the opera in a suit instead of a sweater. The waiters and musicians might also find it easier in a T-shirt, but they dive into the mode with their “armor”.
It is the special nature of the moment that should encourage us to celebrate such things consciously, including with our outward appearance. This has nothing to do with money or status.
What are your favorite looks?
I love suits. In summer sometimes just with a T-shirt and bare feet in loafers, in winter preferably with a turtle neck. There is no garment that is more versatile and dresses a man more advantageously – many women also see it that way.
For a casual start: smart fabric trousers as an alternative to jeans are a smart look even when combined with a sweatshirt and trainers.
In winter, flannel pants with a chunky knit and casual long coat are a casual alternative.
At home in a housecoat with a Fred Perry tracksuit – so again: “ANZUG”.
Mr. Möller, thank you very much for the interview!
