“Moscow is only three hours by plane from Switzerland. In the Zurich mentality that’s not much further than Geneva.” Andi Stutz, 58 years old, is known for his creations on silk. His ties and scarves are instantly recognizable. His brand, Fabric Frontline, sports unusual designs, such as beetles, jonquils, butterflies, squirrels and hedgehogs – motifs repeated endlessly and in all colours.
At once, his funny and eccentric temperament also largely contributed to his fame.
Trained as a psychiatric nurse, Stutz began teaching himself fashion from the day he created his company, Fabric Frontline, with his two sisters, Elsa and Maya, in 1980. Today, the brand counts among the great success stories in Swiss fashion. Haute-couture appreciates his uniform, demure and shimmering silk designs. Among those faithful to the name are Christian Lacroix, Vivienne Westwood and Chanel. And his upholstery and curtains are considered an absolute must for those who can afford them.
Over the last few years, Stutz has discovered himself a Slavic soul. “I spend several days a month in Moscow,” he says, “and I have bought a place to stay there. I have always liked Russia and the Russians a lot. I get along with them well. They’re fantastic clients. Their work is full of talent”. He answered Business Mir’s questions:
What was your first contact with Russia? It was eight years ago. Some Russian customers, great tailors, came to buy some of our work at the Première Vision show in Paris, the world’s premier show in garment textiles. And we developed a bond with them. They now represent our largest client base in Russia. We took our first steps in Moscow thanks to them. We don’t yet have a shop there, but our products are sold in numerous luxury boutiques.
You don’t give figures on your performance. But what can you tell us about your success in Russia? Our sales are going up each year. As of three, four years ago, they’ve accounted for truly important earnings. Today, Russia generates 20 per cent of our turnover. Orders for decorative textiles, especially curtains, are growing apace. But the potential remains impressive because it’s such a big country and such an interesting market.
Your website is also available in English and Russian. Do you have a lot of contact with Russian customers thanks to the Internet? It is crucial for us to have a Russian translation of our site. Russians travel a lot. They are discovering our work and our world on-line. That’s what incites them to come and see us. And they do, when they’re in Zurich or at other sales locations.
How do you perceive the Russian soul? You can’t explain it in a couple of lines. You need many years to really understand the Russians. In the west, we know about them through their literature, through Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy…They’re highly sensitive people, wholesome, and passionate. They’re also very friendly.
Do you like vodka? No, I don’t. So much the better for me! Besides, there’s lots of other stuff to drink. People say Russians drink like fish, but that’s not true, especially of young people.
They devote their time and energy to making money, and they don’t have time for drinking.
Is it difficult to do business in Russia? We’ve never had any trouble. You need good a connection with the right person. We created bonds of friendship with our partners. Russians love to spend their money, as opposed to the Swiss. They love beautiful things, things of quality, accessories that you can’t find anywhere else. What’s more, with the economy’s rapid growth, many people have become fabulously wealthy…this is sunshine on our business.
In Zurich you count yourself among the jet-set… Is there such a thing in Moscow? Yes, of course. But the jet-set crowd is not the one to buy our products. Our customers are more downto- earth, and more faithful.
