CEO Oliver Frielingsdorf: ‘Gaastra is ready to accelerate’

As the sun shines through the large glass façade, Oliver Frielingsdorf, Gaastra’s brand new General Director, gives us a tour of the nautical head office in the Amsterdam Houthavens. The brand could not have wished for a better location: the view of the large-scale activities in the surrounding harbours is nothing short of fantastic. “All that is missing is a sailing boat at the dock,” he laughs. Dressed casually in a blazer on top of a sporty polo shirt with his suntanned face and beard, Frielingsdorf himself is a walking advertisement for the brand. He has a great affinity with the world of sailing. After working for the likes of Triumph International, Tommy Hilfiger and the VF Group, to name but a few, he was appointed to further strengthen the brand’s international expansion.

Connection with water

“Gaastra’s focus has been on effectively positioning the brand in the Benelux and Germany in recent years. There is plenty of potential for growth”, he says. “We’re currently in a phase whereby we are also entering other markets: France, Italy, Spain and, as of recently, Scandinavia. We have just opened a store in Malmö and will follow this up with a store in Stockholm in October. We already have a shop-in-shop in the Illum department store in Copenhagen.” A launch in the UK is also on the cards, where the brand will be available with the introduction of the 2016 spring collection. The connection with water is important within the expansion strategy. A brand this interwoven with sailing is naturally easier to sell in true water–based countries or cities. “Of course we already have a whole community of people who are familiar with Gaastra as a result of the international sporting events we sponsor. This includes Sneekweek, Ronde om Texel, Regatta de Saint Barth and Copa del Rey in Palma Mallorca. Another great example is the clothing sponsorship for Team Brunel during the Volvo Ocean Race, which included a stopover in Scheveningen during the last leg.” Gaastra was invited to spend the day introducing retailers, partners and consumers to the world of sailing. The special event collections launched will eventually also end up in the stores and are real collectors’ items.

From harbour to yacht club

The purchasing season for spring/summer 2016 is currently in full swing and this collection is being presented to retailers from the European showrooms. The men’s and women’s collections will be divided into three different lines for the first time this season: Sport, Yacht Club and Sailmaker (formerly Sport and Breton). “We have opted for this route, as it will allow us to respond to the brand’s DNA and the so-called user moments more effectively,” Frielingsdorf explains. “The Sport line has been developed based on functionality, combined with the right dose of fashion with the use of fresh, attractive colours. The rough and ready Sailmaker makes the most of those moments when there is less sailing going on and people are perhaps working on their boats and giving them a new coat of paint in the harbour. The colours are softer, a little like denim. Yacht Club has a cleaner look, more sophisticated and preppy.”

The right people on board

Gaastra has presented the new collection at various different trade fairs in order to increase the brand’s visibility. From the Amsterdam Modefabriek and Kleine Fabriek (where the girls’ clothing line was launched) to Moda in Birmingham. Large sails were used to translate the nautical lifestyle into an inspiring environment. Step by step, Gaastra is realising major growth and there are still new sales markets to be explored. “We have just opened a small store in Newport (home to the famous America’s Cup Race) to allow us to explore the American market. There are others countries on the wish list, such as Portugal, Turkey, Poland, Austria and Switzerland. Yes, we have a long to-do list,” admits Frielingsdorf. “But this is the perfect time for the brand: we have all the ingredients in place to move forward and accelerate, not just where the products we offer are concerned, but also in relation to our infrastructure, logistics and the back-office. And perhaps most importantly, we have the right group of people on board to enable that acceleration.”

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