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Fashion like in Milan

Uno, due, tre, quattro, CINQUE - for around thirty years now a company in the Lower Rhine region has been introducing Italian fashion trends to Germany and numerous neighbouring countries. The company's origins and inspiration lie in a strip of coastline in the Italian region of Liguria called Cinque Terre. The Italian influence is so strong and authentic that many people in the Lower Rhine area assume the company must be based on the other side of the Alps. This fashion is certainly authentic enough to allow men and women in Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II or on Rome's Via Condotti to flaunt their "bella figura".

And yet, the heart of CINQUE is located in Mönchengladbach on a modest little road called Dohrweg. For the last twelve years, the textiles company has belonged to the Schleicher family. "We are a brand built on emotions and exploit our Italian influence to the full", emphasises Tristan Bolwin, Brand Manager. "Our products reflect this very clearly." When it comes to slim-fit clothing for business, CINQUE is a pacesetter in Germany. The brand has an undisputed cult status among its male clientele. "We have always been known for our gentlemen's suits and they are still a mainstay of our business", stresses Bolwin, who originally came from the Münsterland region and now lives in Kaarst. But, that does not mean they neglect the other areas – there is a wide range of product groups. "Another key area is our trousers, coats and sportswear." T-shirts, sweatshirts and pullovers serve to complete the wardrobe. "We can cater for a complete outfit", says Tristan Bolwin. "From casual to formal." That includes such accessories as bags, shoes and glasses.

The creative centre is Mönchengladbach. Every year, the in-house design team develops two main collections and two complementary ranges for men and women. In addition, there is the "9 to 5" range, which is a modular pick-and-match system for business women and business men. Production takes place to a large extent in southern and eastern European countries, including Portugal and Turkey. The collections are displayed to buyers in showrooms at a number of locations from Munich to Toronto. In a few months' time, the brand will be opening a CINQUE store outlet as part of the spectacular new building that will house the van Laack fashion label in the Nordpark business complex in Mönchengladbach. End customers can find the products in a number of partner stores, outlets and in the online shop, as well as in the company's own flagship stores in Düsseldorf, Oberhausen, Brixen and Berlin. Inhabitants of the Lower Rhine region are most likely to know the large shop in Düsseldorf, the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia. That shop is ideally situated on Benrather Strasse, between the famous Königsallee and Carlsplatz. Tristan Bolwin has close ties to Düsseldorf. Two of his favourite places are the two suburbs Oberkassel and Niederkassel. And he adds, "That is where you'll find me during the carnival season."

CINQUE's largest growth area at the moment is their online business. But their numerous store-within-a-store locations are also of considerable importance: CINQUE has such arrangements with nearly all the large, important fashion retailers in the country. In Germany, the company from Mönchengladbach supplies around 800 clients in quality fashion shops and there are a further approximately 300 foreign sales locations. Their products are in demand as close to home as the Benelux countries and as far afield as Russia. Exports account for around 20% of production. Around 180 employees work for CINQUE and, of these, about half are located at the headquarters in the Lower Rhine area.

One of Tristan Bolwin's visions for the future is to expand the company's international footprint. "A strong worldwide reputation can boost the brand in its country of origin", he enthuses. A further objective is to establish the CINQUE brand in the extremely competitive women's clothing sector to the same extent as it is in the men's sector. The preconditions already exist: "We have a young, lively image and offer fashion that is quite simply very wearable", says Bolwin. "We are always abreast of the times without appearing flashy." If he had to describe the CINQUE brand in three words, they would be "Passionate. Casual. Emotional".

CINQUE MODA GmbH
Dohrweg 48
41066 Mönchengladbach

Phone: +49 2841 2161 9653

As of 2016