Ok — let’s start with the name. How did you come up with it and what is the meaning behind it?
My Partner is German and I am English and we couldn’t find and agree on a name in either language that chimed with what we were putting together that hadn’t been taken (looking at you Fred Royle…!)
She speaks a little Japanese and came up with a couple of options and Deru just stood out.
- It is the verb for “go out”
- It also worked as the general concept of showcasing outdoor product in a non-traditional environment was something that we had already seen a lot on travels to Tokyo and Osaka over the years.
- It’s also super easy to say if you are not a Japanese native speaker.
Our friend Adam @pixel_fiddler did an amazing job on creating the graphic language to go with it.
Tell me a bit about your personal journey towards founding Deru and whether it’s your main gig now or whether you still have other projects?
We’ve both worked in apparel for all of our careers – my partner in design and myself in sourcing and brand management since the early 90s, so we have always been deeply rooted in the industry.
Whilst doing some brand work back in 2013 we did a lot of research into this exciting new area of cross pollination of technical outdoor and functional streetwear (even though in Manchester Gore-Tex jackets were always part of the scene.)
This is where the seed for Deru was planted.
Once we moved to Munich and Brexit happened and a baby came we decided to put down more permanent roots here and the idea to actually open a store was put in place. Interesting stuff was starting in the UK and US and we felt that there was a gap here, in such an outdoor focused city, for something a little different to the norm.
Deru is my main focus, my partner also runs a yoga studio, Hairu, and we still do a bit of consultancy work alongside.
There have been huge changes in the retail landscape — with so many great stores disappearing over the years. Yet now, fortunately, the world seems to be swinging back in favor of experiences like the one you’re creating. How did you guys weather the storm? And do you share my optimism?
It’s a hard one. There have always been great indies out there, but they always seem to either run out of steam or grow and change beyond recognition. The retail landscape is always changing as people are always wanting the new and interesting but fortunately there are enough that like the personal touch and genuine truthful curation that only an indie can bring.
However, once the big boys get involved it’s easy to get drowned out.
The most optimistic thing at the moment is that people are definitely liking the fact that there are real stores out there, with real people involved (not just a faceless online presence) and it’s creating genuine connections. Instagram and the internet then just allow you to build those relationships despite physical distances.
It’s super hard but you need to stay true to your beliefs and remain authentic.
In a way that fact that we had only just started when the pandemic kicked in was a good thing as we were able to grow organically anyway. We also had great support from the industry as people were super excited about what we were trying to do.
What attracted you to Munich, what do you love about the city?
I was told that that’s where we were moving. Fortunately, it’s a really good place to live.
The city itself is pretty low-key and laid back, almost villagey, but with everything you need.
One of my favourite things is the river – it’s so nice to have usable water so close. Summer swims and just being able to hang out on a hot summer day is so good.
The other is proximity to the mountains. My favourite place to be at any time of the year.
What’s the best thing about being an entrepreneur?
Doing VAT returns at midnight on a Sunday / creating something new with love.
What caught your attention about Early Majority?
I was super interested in your take on the future of brand / consumer relationships. I’ve been in the industry for over 30 years so it’s always great when I see something genuinely new that I get interested.
Building something that’s not just about consuming whilst still running a commercial business is the big conundrum at the moment.
