Last summer, at Berlin Fashion Week, I presented the new German sportswear label Open Era In Hamburg I met the founder Max Frey for an interview.
Gentlemen: How would you describe the Open Era brand?
Max Frey: Open Era is defined by the mix of old and new. The inspiration comes mostly from the tennis styles of the 60s, 70s and 80s. I was particularly inspired by the Wimbledon style from that time. The sporty, but also the "poshe". By combining it with modern elements, we create timeless designs. We don't want to chase any trend. A trend always ends and in my opinion that contradicts the consistency that we stand for. For us, it's more about unique fabrics, quality and sustainability. Customers identify with the extraordinary, but it should be subtle. I sometimes call our look "stylish extravagance". The focus is not on exclusivity or standing out at any price, but on the customer, who identifies with these special items of clothing and feels comfortable.
Fine Sir: For example, I really like the tennis sweater. It looks classic at first glance, but at second glance you can see the asymmetrical knitting pattern.
That's typical of us. We offer a mix of classic and progressive. Not just in terms of our designs. We like to be conservative when it comes to quality, commitment and the "made in Europe" standard. But we also want sustainable and ethically correct production. We like to create style breaks with our communication. We are not perfect and we stand by that. So we don't stand for a particular style, but rather for an approach to life. It's not just about winning, it's about playing fairly and with integrity. Like in the old days at Wimbledon. That's why Open Era is an antagonist of the fast fashion industry.
Fine Sir: How did you come up with the idea for the brand?
Over a glass of wine with a friend, the idea of bringing white tennis balls back into play came about. We want to produce these high-quality balls as regionally and sustainably as possible and sell them in authentic packaging. In order to capture the spirit of the times for brand building, we looked for photos from this period. When we saw the fashion of the 1960s up to the peak of the Björn Borg and McEnroe era, we were excited. We thought it couldn't be that difficult to complement the balls with retro socks and polos. Which was of course a bit naive and perhaps a bit typical of two business students. Since we already had very high standards for our products, it took some time until our capsule collection was ready.
Fine Sir: How did you get into fashion?
About the tennis balls. Otherwise we had nothing to do with it. But we were very lucky. Our agent for production and procurement, who is himself a consultant in the field of sustainability, took us by the hand and introduced us to all the processes step by step. Many people believed in us and were willing to invest. Thanks to several lucky coincidences, we were able to get a foothold in the Canadian market relatively quickly and, after initial success, we finally focused completely on fashion.
Fine Sir: How would you describe your personal style?
I wear a lot of black and set accents with a more unusual top, often sporty and casual. In my own four walls I also like lounge or streetwear. I like style breaks, for example I like to combine a classic coat or jacket with sport, lounge or streetwear. This is again the combination of traditional and modern.
Fine Sir: What are your three favorite pieces from your collection and why?
First, the set of velvet corduroy jacket and trousers. I like the velvety feel and the wide ribs of the fabric. I can combine it in a variety of ways. The ecru really conveys the "poshe" Wimbledon idea, while in black the same piece has a greater overlap with the streetwear style. My second favorite piece is the sweater. It represents a certain non-conformism and creativity that I can identify with. It also exudes a certain elegance. My third favorite is the waffle piqué polo. The honeycomb structure of the material means that very little fabric lies on the skin, making it very comfortable to wear in summer or when doing sports. The colors are inspired by the floor coverings of a tennis court. When I wear it, I always think of the beginnings of our brand. It always brings up a bit of nostalgia.
Dear Mr. Frey, thank you very much for the interview.
For the original interview: https://feineherr.de/open-era-interview-mit-gruender-max-frey/
