La Loupe Lech Zürs Sommer No 12

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L.L. Ms Vogler, you came up with your idea for REFISHED
during a trip through Cambodia. What exactly is your company
about?
S.V. The basic principle of the REFISHED label is my conviction:
ethics and style don’t have to clash!
I had been wanting to build a brand for products where the
entire creative process from how they’re made all the way to
how they reach the customer doesn’t harm anyone – neither
man, nor animal, nor environment. High-quality design,
however, still is of central importance, it’s supposed to be the
obvious teaser for a conscious decision to buy REFISHED. The
fairness is a natural goodie on top. It’s great to see how much
more enlightened consumers are in this respect – but I am also
looking forward to a time when you don’t have to actually
point out that something can be bought without ethical
concerns.
Shopping &
Lifestyle
“Ethics and style
don’t have to clash!”
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engl. / ‘What I want to do with REFISHED is
share my love and passion for design, people
and the environment’ is Sissi Vogler’s very clear
opening statement. The passionate traveller
founded the Fair Fashion Label REFISHED that
makes beautiful unique pieces from used items.
The product range goes from wallets, clutches,
bags of different sizes, key chains to frames –
made from cement or fish food bags in a collective
workshop in Cambodia. What’s so special:
there is no fixed REFISHED shop, the unique
designs are only available at pop-up stores and
design markets. Sissi Vogler spoke to La Loupe,
about the challenges with pop-ups, her love for
Lech Zürs and the must-have for the Arlberg.
L.L. You like the idea of pop-up stores. The idea behind them:
opening temporary shops in temporarily vacant rooms. What
advantages do you see compared to a normal shop and what
are the challenges with pop-ups?
S.V. Pop-ups are a smart and contemporary trend to creatively
make use of unused space. I am convinced that they have a
small but positive influence on the Austrian economy. They are
particularly helpful for small start-ups, they help them gain
popularity and gain a foothold faster.
Pop-ups are a cheap way for a small business owner who
wants to avoid huge fixed costs right at the beginning, the rental
agreement is only for a limited period which makes it easy
to plan. Many pop-ups share the space with other, matching
labels, that makes the range of products more interesting and
facilitates communication – synergies can be used and networks
are formed. The customers always like to see ‘something
new’, too. So, when you’re only present for a short period the
chances of being bought are actually higher.
Of course, it is quite the challenge to find these spaces. There
is no marketplace for space that can be used temporarily;
it’s often down to chance. And what’s more you also have to
consider the location, the costs of running it – in many cases
“Pop-ups are a
smart and contemporary
trend where
vacant space is used
creatively.”
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