STUF|F FINE GOODS: Düsseldorf, Germany
Stuf|f Fine Goods is the best mens retailer in Düsseldorf when it comes to quality menswear and goods. We sat down with co-owner Thomas and got the lowdown on how they curate their beautiful shop, a few highlights about the city of Düsseldorf, and more.
How did the idea for Stuf|f come about?
Stephan and I have known each other for 10 years now. We both were working as strategists in the same advertising network. There was one Monday when a short after work beer among colleagues ended dancing at a bar at 4 o'clock in the morning. I think that was the start of our friendship. Since then we have been also talking a lot of creating our own business. We wanted to do and to produce something real and tangible, rather than producing another concept that will probably end up in the drawer. We often talked about a store that we personally would love, with goods we love, where the atmosphere is right, where you can drink a coffee and where you can meet and chat with like-minded people about brands and their stories.
After four years of talks, I sat down - it was at a beach in Greece on summer holidays 2014 - and wrote a concrete concept paper, the first draft of "Stephan, Thomas und Freunde | Feine Sachen" (Stephan, Thomas & friends | fine goods).
How do you select the brands and items you carry in your shop?
Our selection is quite egocentric. We only sell what we personally love. We both have been constantly seeking new brands and brand stories, former for our personal interest & usage, now for the store and our customers. We love goods that are passion driven and well-crafted, that are both contemporary and timeless and that are locally manufactured in sustainable way.
Your shop has an amazing aesthetic to it - furniture, lighting, etc. What is the story behind these unique pieces?
For us our clothing and our interior design belong inseparably together. It’s an overall “lifestyle” about craftsmanship and great design. Fine goods that were built to last and that even become more beautiful over time. This is true for raw denim, for boots and also for a leather club chair.
Especially Stephan has a fine sense for furniture and interior ideas. He often goes to flea markets looking for real vintage treasures like Jielde lamps or Eames chairs. But besides goods with beautiful patina we also carry new but high quality furniture crafted by small German labels. Every piece is handpicked.
Who is your style icon?
Giorgio Armani. He taught us to strongly focus on the colors dark blue, black and white when being above a certain age.
Every man should own:
A perfect pair of raw denim, great boots, white sneakers, lots of classic tees (white, navy and black), a timeless leather jacket, a beautiful watch and a good sense of humour.
24 hours in Düsseldorf. What are the must-do's?
Breakfast at Café Muggel, discovering the city by a rental bicycle, climbing the TV tower, seeing the media harbour with the impressive Gehry buidlings, having a walk on the beautiful Rhine Promenade, walking down the exclusive shopping street Königsallee, doing some shopping in the trendy neighbourhoods in Bilk and Flingern, taking a coffee at Café Nikan (best Cold Brew in town), relaxing in one of the beautiful parks, enjoying the first Düsseldorf, Altbier (local dark beer and real Düsseldorf, speciality), visiting the current exhibition at the NRW-Forum (cultural centre for contemporary photography, art, design, architecture, media arts and creative), having dinner at the Bronx Bar, ending the day with some more Altbier at the "longest bar counter in the world," the old town of Düsseldorf.
Favorite German beer?
Stephan: Beck’s. Thomas: Beck’s, but at the moment I actually prefer the Italian beer Peroni. Jan (our friend and store manager): Fuechschen “Altbier."