by NN.07 hopes to take the American market by storm and it’s up to a famous male executive to help it gain a bigger foothold.
The Copenhagen-based men’s brand has named Justin Berkowitz, former men’s fashion director of Bloomingdale’s, to become its strategic partner in the United States and oversee the opening of its first flagship project in the American market. The store will be located at 276 Lafayette Street and is scheduled to open in late summer. The space was once Onisuka Tiger’s store and is next to John Elliott’s unit.
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Berkowitz was senior fashion market editor at Data magazine before joining Bloomingdale’s eight years ago. He quietly left the shop in mid-April. “It was a bittersweet event,” he said. “But I was ready for a change and something new.” Bloomingdale’s confirmed he was leaving and said he would be replaced.
NN.07 credits Berkowitz with being the first in the United States to introduce the brand to the retail arena in 2016. “I first discovered the brand at Data when I was on the trade show circuit,” a Berkowitz said. “I really liked what they were doing – classics with raised fabrics, very Scandinavian. When I got to Bloomingdale’s, I thought it would be good to add to the mix.”
Since then, other retailers have added to the brand including Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and several specialty stores. “Business is really strong,” Berkowitz said.
He cited the brand’s “value proposition” as one of its selling points, and believes now is the time to make a bigger statement by expanding its retail footprint. NN.07 operates stores in Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands and also has a number of shops-in-shops in retailers in major European cities.
“We live in a moment where the luxury market is becoming increasingly undefinable to many, and fast fashion feels increasingly irresponsible,” Berkowitz said. “NN.07 is the antidote: it offers the customer high-quality garments based on interesting design concepts that will last for day-to-day use.
“I am thrilled to partner with NN.07 to open its first store in the United States,” he continued. “Since they first appeared on my radar, I’ve admired how they continue to improve products and it’s been so amazing to watch the brand evolve season after season. Now is the perfect time for NN.07 to plant its flag in New York, and I’m excited to join the journey.”
Anders Rahr, chief executive officer of NN.07, said: “We have now consolidated our presence across the Scandinavian home markets and selected international growth markets. Our ambitions in the United States are high, and Justin Berkowitz is on board in his solid foundation for success. New York is just the beginning of us opening branded and flagship spaces in cultural hotspots across the US and Europe. The growing interest in our brand has created an opportunity for us to carefully select locations and partners that align with our vision and values.”
Rahr added that NN.07 is exploring locations in major cities but will take a “selective approach to both partners and locations – quality over quantity. We have a global vision [NN stands for No Nationality] but a local approach — we love working with local heroes who know their city and their community.”
Berkowitz said NN.07’s goal is to open a handful of stores in key U.S. markets, working with local retailers to operate them, and he’s eager to use his experience at Bloomingdale’s to promote the opening of the units and run. “For me, it’s a great opportunity to learn about warehouse management.”
It also hopes to replicate what NN.07 has done with its Copenhagen store, where it offers third-party brands for products it does not produce such as footwear, jewelry, candles and other products. “It helps you get a better feel for the brand,” he said.
NN.07 was founded in 2007 with a simple pair of chinos, the Simon 1000, intended to be worn everyday like a good pair of jeans. From there, the collection grew into a full lifestyle popular with celebrities including Jeremy Allen White who wore the brand’s Gael jacket in the TV series “The Bear”. The brand has also collaborated with heritage American brands such as Timex and Sebago.
In 2016, a majority stake in the brand was sold to Fidelio Capital, a Swedish investment firm, and three years later, Fidelio subsequently sold a stake in the company to Swedish private equity fund Litorina.
All told, NN.07 is carried in more than 600 retailers worldwide including End Clothing, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Liberty, Peggs, Fred Segal, Cueva, American Rag, Illum, NK, Uptown, Baskets , Calico Club, Care of Carl, Braun, Breuninger, Printemps, La Samaritaine, Le Bon Marché and many more.
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