Numéro had the honor of speaking with Tiffany Hsu, Vice President of Womenswear & Kidswear Fashion Buying, and Chris Kyvetos, Menswear Fashion Buying Director, from Mytheresa. Together they gave us an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse at the world of fashion buying at Mytheresa. We talk about their understanding of the fashion world and explore themes such as the current zeitgeist and how the fashion industry has changed.

Do you have any early fashion memories that always stayed with you?

Tiffany:
I originally always wanted to be a designer; at 16 I saw a picture of John Galliano’s collection and that was the turning point in my love for fashion. I studied fashion in London because of him and taught myself to think outside of the box, just as Galliano always did. 

Chris:
I entered high fashion at a young age, I was 17, traveling to Paris for fashion week during my school exams. Almost from day one, I felt my “role” was to explore the intersection I could see between fashion and sportswear. When I picked up the first Yohji Yamamoto Adidas shoe in the late 90’s I thought this is it. It was years before Y3 and a moment that never left me.  

How did your career lead up to working at Mytheresa?

Tiffany:
I left boarding school when I was 17, took my portfolio, and went to London to apply at Central Saint Martins. I told my parents that I moved to the city after I was accepted – it was scary at first but my starting point for everything that happened in my career. I never had any traditional buying or business training but built my career on self-learning and experiences. I worked at the boutique Feathers, first as a sales assistant and then as a store manager, and after finishing my studies they asked me to stay and assist with buying for them. From there, I moved to Hong Kong to work with Lane Crawford in the buying team, before returning to London to work with Selfridges in the same department. From there, I found my way to Mytheresa as the Buying Director.

Chris:
I grew up in Melbourne, by the age of 17 I was a buyer for a multi-brand store which brought Comme des Garcons, Yohi Yamamoto and Prada to Australia. By the early 2000’s I had co-founded a new store with the owners, which brought Dior Homme by Hedi Slimane to Australia. I went on to be the founder of Sneakerboy, a chain of sneaker stores which further explored that intersection between fashion and sportswear, this time with a digital focus. I decided to move to Europe in 2016, I wanted to travel less and work more, something I could not do from Australia. In 2018 Richard Johnson the CCO and Michael Kliger the CEO of Mytheresa approached me and said they had ambitions to introduce menswear to Mytheresa. The timing worked for me, as it was a moment in fashion when an organic intersection (sportwear and fashion) had become disoriented. Menswear needed a luxury north star and with our incredible team we created that.

How has your understanding of fashion evolved over time? 

Tiffany:
As a young fashion student, anything that was different and obscure caught my eye and I only appreciated fashion if it was loud and creative. Once I started working as a buyer in different markets, I understood the needs of different clients more, and how cultures and lifestyles influence consumer behaviors and tastes. Today, fashion to me is still very much about expressing your emotions. I think the industry evolved in a way that fashion will always express status but is no longer seen as a privilege, instead is more diverse and inclusive compared to a few years ago.

Chris:
I entered the industry at a young age as well, always following the product. Over the years, my understanding of the production process has grown and evolved. I find myself nowadays spending more time talking with factories than with showrooms. Truly understanding the production process has offered me a deeper understanding of fashion. It’s an industry where a lot exists beneath the surface level.

What is the art of understanding what to buy that is distinctively Mytheresa’s? Is it different for womenswear than for menswear?

Tiffany:
When buying for womenswear, one needs to be passionate, focused, and able to make decisions quickly. But also, have gut-feelings for what the customer will love and curate a beautiful edit. It is essential to pick-up on collections when timing is best for our clients. It’s the art of balancing sales but also ensuring excitement for the season‘s most important trends. We have an incredible team at Mytheresa who look at the data behind purchase patterns to identify shopping habits, and reactions to exclusive capsules and new brands. Through this, we are continually updating the buy to cater to our customer’s needs and offer the best curated edit out there.  

Chris:
Men’s fashion is ubiquitous, when a “trend” takes hold, every fragment of the industry seems to hop on the wagon. Mytheresa Men was launched to re-establish codes. In 2020 we launched with “no streetwear” – not literally but characteristically. We decided on 100 brands, our mantra was luxury. That doesn‘t mean expensive or exclusive, it means fashion that observes the time-honored codes of luxury as opposed to the codes of streetwear. We continue today to operate with that mantra.

Have you noticed any changes in the fashion industry, and if so, how? 

Tiffany:
I think in the past fashion was running on an unsustainable cycle. Too many collections showing too often, designers don’t have time to create, consumers don’t have time to digest. We were always chasing the next thing. The pandemic allowed everyone to slow down and navigate the industry. 

Chris:
If you ask me to summarize then and now in terms of changes I would say one word which changed fashion, “influence”. What “influences” fashion, designers, retailers, and consumers is what has changed the most.

Can you tell us what you think the current zeitgeist is about? And has it changed after Covid?

Tiffany:
Since the pandemic, customers want to buy things that stay in trend for a little longer – investment pieces are always smart, even more so during uncertain times. Quality and timelessness have been key these past years; however, we are also seeing an impulse of revenge shopping coming our way as restrictions lifted and people wanted to have fun colorful clothes that scream positivity. Brands which are able to adapt to these changes but still stay true to themselves is really what today‘s zeitgeist is about. Jacquemus, Prada or Saint Laurent reflect the current zeitgeist well as they created an aesthetic, which is true to their heritage and creative direction, but still manage to move with time without losing their integrity.

Chris:
Covid certainly changed things in commerce, however changes were already initiated, Covid just sped their outcomes up. I think the current zeitgeist is still confused. Designers and brands are influenced by a lot of noise – socially, politically, commercially, it’s hard to cook in that kitchen. Some designers are able to work in the environment and thrive, for example, Alessando Michele. His message is consistent, clear and able to re-purpose most things going on around him.

Are there any exciting projects or brand collaborations you can let us in on?

Tiffany:
In April, Mytheresa is launching an exciting Resort capsule with Nensi Dojaka. The exclusive collection comprises a full summer wardrobe, celebrating everything Nensi Dojaka is known for: party dresses, 90’s cut-outs and lingerie details. It is the first time she dives into beachwear and includes colorful styles in orange, turquoise, pink and yellow to break up her usual black palette.

Chris:
For Mytheresa Men I am working with a very special designer and a very special maison on a project, which honors the industrial heart of our industry. The process of product as I mentioned earlier is very important to me, perhaps today more than ever with the awareness around wastage and footprint.

Do you suggest any future designers we should keep an eye on?

Tiffany:
Chet Lo from Fashion East, Harris Reed and Miss Sohee have really caught my eye during the recent fashion weeks in London and Milan. 

Chris:
Arnar Mar Jonsson is doing very nice things.

If you have to choose one item to invest in, what would it be? 

Tiffany:
A Saint Laurent catsuit. We are seeing a big catsuit trend at the moment. It is sexy yet sophisticated with minimal fabric and maximum impact.

Chris:
One item I would always invest in is a Rimowa suitcase. 

What are your dreams for the future?

Tiffany:
My dream for the future is to continue growing and building a 360 luxury space where customers can shop everything that is related to their lifestyle and have a synergy between physical and digital experience.  

Chris:
To continue doing what we are doing with Mytheresa and continue to work more and more with brands on their product process. I have an idea to train buyers to become true product curators by involving them in the process of creating products. That knowledge will empower them to make important distinctions, which are critical to the sustainability of our industry and our business.

The topic of our new issue is balance, what does balance mean to you?

Tiffany:
I think balance in fashion is about portraying both emotion and functionality, after all clothing should be wearable art. The experience and the sensation of wearing an item and the empowerment of what you get from this is the key in fashion.

Chris:
I’ve spoken a lot about “noise” and “influence”. I think it’s very important to filter the noise, how you do that is personal. Having the ability to critique the influence something or someone may have creates a balance which is key to longevity in this industry. I’ve seen a lot of things come and go in 20 years.

CREDITS:

Tiffany Hsu, Vice President of Womenswear & Kidswear Fashion Buying, Mytheresa 
Photo; Masha Mel

Chris Kyvetos, Menswear Fashion Buying Director, Mytheresa 
Photo;  Mytheresa

Interview by Aïcha Pilmeyer