Ella Soccorsi has a busy schedule these days. In mid-March she will be traveling to the opening of the second Berlin branch of the Scandinavian label Arket in the Hackesche Höfe. But now she's sitting in an office in Stockholm and talking about her first ten months at Arket in a video call. Soccorsi is an industry professional; as creative director, she was responsible for the designer collections at H&M before moving to the sister company in May 2023. Here she now holds the title of “Head of Design and Creative”, a position that was created specifically for her, and takes care of all of the company’s design matters, from collections to communication.
Most fans of the Scandinavian brand will probably have known for a long time that Arket belongs to Hennes & Mauritz. There are currently 27 physical stores and the number is rising. One can only imagine how successful the label, which is known for its reduced designs (and is therefore often referred to as “The Row” for average earners), really is – as a listed company, the exact annual sales and growth figures cannot be published. says H&M. However, the “Hennes & Mauritz” group grew by six percent from December 2022 to November 2023, less than its competitor Inditex, but new stores are being planned for Arket alone this year in Warsaw, Milan and Barcelona, among others.
Ms. Soccorsi, you have been at Arket as “Head of Design and Creative” since May 2023. How were the first ten months?
The time flew by! For me, initially it was mainly about understanding Arket's vision and DNA. I delved into the brand and observed how the different teams work and what is needed. The more I understood, even the more involved I was, the more I fell in love with the concept of Arket, with the sensitivity and calm of the brand. And in the fact that we create products for everyone who wants to make their everyday lives easier, better and more beautiful.
What do you think makes the brand so successful?
First of all, we provide our customers with a simpler and better choice in terms of quality. I'm a big advocate of longevity, meaning creating products that last a long time and can be worn every day. This could be the perfect white T-shirt, for example. We have men's, women's and children's clothing, even jackets for dogs, our own cafes and home accessories section.
Arket was founded in 2017, so it is a relatively young brand. How did you manage to build trust so quickly?
Arket has a clear vision and identity. It was clear from the start what it stood for. The everyday essentials, the simplicity, but also our archive concept, which makes it easy for our customers to find products. We also offer quality and inspiration.
How do you manage to inspire with reduction? How do you keep the story moving?
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