Modern Fairies on an Expansion Course

Sandra Thaler and Annette Prechtl have been designing understated and romantic women’s fashion for 15 years under the label Elfenkleid. The designers opened their first shop in Vienna, near the Naschmarkt, in 2003. Eight employees now work at this location. In 2013, they took a big step by expanding into Munich. They described what Elfenkleid is all about and shared tips for those just starting out.

What is so special about fashion by “Elfenkleid”?
We focus on simple, clean design that is comfortable to wear and not trendy. We design soft, flowing dresses that combine modern with romantic. We want our customers to be comfortable and not feeling like they are wearing a costume. And we only work with the highest quality materials, which are very comfortable to wear.

One of your main strengths is wedding gowns. How did you get the idea for that?
It’s more like the idea found us. More and more women came to us requesting simple, romantic wedding gowns. We decided to design our first wedding gown collection. It was so well received that we now offer it as an addition to our “Ready to Wear” collection.

What is important to know if you want to start a business in the world of fashion?
It’s really important to stay grounded in reality and not buy into the illusion of a glittering fashion world. You also have to follow your vision consistently and with determination, because that is what the uniqueness of your label will be based on. You cannot overlook the business end - which means have a good business plan and expertise. This combination will steer you in the right direction.

Elfenkleid also has a store in Munich which opened in 2013. What are your expectations from the expansion?
It was very important to us that the essence of Elfenkleid is not lost. We were able to completely achieve that in our new shop located at the beautiful Gärtnerplatz. Our hope is that our customers in Munich – just as those in Vienna before them – like our concept and recognize how special it is. And of course, future brides from Tirol and Salzburg now have a store located closer to them.

What are your goals for the future?
Of course we envision the expansion of our label in Europe. That is probably our greatest desire. And always with our motto: live * laugh * love. If you love what you do, you do it well.

Services of the Vienna Business Agency:

• Sponsored in the programm creative_focus

Company:

Elfenkleid Thaler & Prechtl OG
Margaretenstrasse 39
1040 Wien
www.elfenkleid.com

As of October 2016