How independent the Tissa Fontaneda fashion brand has survived and thrived

The premium and luxury fashion sectors are increasingly dominated by multinational conglomerates with big marketing budgets such as Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) and Gucci owner Kering Group, still mired in controversy over Balenciaga’s ill-judged messaging. However, many discerning consumers are shifting their allegiance to independent fashion labels that stand out from the crowd.

With roots in high fashion and a strong identity in the form of the leather “bubble bag”, Tissa Fontaneda has found a USP to exploit that has attracted some big and somewhat sophisticated names. They include queens such as the queens of Spain and Jordan, Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano and Rania al Abdullah, respectively, plus Australian actress Cate Blanchett.

The bag and accessories brand was founded by Munich-born Tissa Fontaneda in 2010, after honing her skills at Daniel Swarovski in Paris as a design assistant to Rosemarie Le Gallais and Hervé Leger, followed by a long stint at the brand Spanish luxury house Loewe (wholly owned by LVMH since 1996) in the mid-nineties. In Madrid, she developed Thierry Mugler’s bag collections (through Loewe’s production) and later became head of product for the brand.

“These were the creative times before the big conglomerates took over the fashion industry and transformed luxury into big business,” Fontaneda told Forbes.com.

Despite working with some big names in fashion, the designer decided to go it alone more than a decade ago. Opening her flagship store in the heart of London’s trendy Marylebone just before Covid-19 hit was another step into the dark – but it looks to have paid off in 2022.

I recently caught up with Fontaneda across the cobbled lane from her London boutique to find out how the brand has survived the tough pressures of the fashion business, not to mention the Covid fallout, and maintained its position in shop.

The business of fashion has changed since your days in Paris and Madrid in the nineties… how has it?

In luxury, the bag business was so different. The designers had their own personalities… it wasn’t the same. Whether it was Saint Laurent or Lacroix, they all had their own individual approaches. We also had artisans in Spain with skills you could not imagine. It was not focused on business and making money as it is today.

So do you think creativity has taken a knock?

Yes. It has become centralized without paying attention to the core values ​​of the labels. Today, there is a uniformity of appearance; this is because the personality of brands is disappearing. This is a sad development for me as a designer. Normally when you produce a collection of bags, you start with an idea, followed by prototyping and then production. Now the process is adapted to what production can do.

However, production efficiency is bringing huge profits to these companies; Bernard Arnault (CEO of LVMH) is just done again the richest man in the world. Isn’t it just a sign of the times?

Indeed, the production setup today means you can make thousands of luxury bags by a much larger margin than in the past. It’s great that they can make so much money, but that’s a business model, not a creative model. And it’s not what I want to do.

What is your vision for luxury bags?

Let me give you an example. An American woman walked into the store the other day and said it was frustrating for her when she travels around Europe that all the luxury stores look the same. She was delighted to discover mine because it was so different. We find this a lot; people want something that stands out and lasts ABOUT something.

But being independent is always financially risky in fashion. Is it worth it?

I started this whole business with €50,000 and our growth has been entirely organic, with some investment from friends and family. We can’t spend a lot on advertising, which these days can even drive editorials, so it hasn’t been easy to get our name out there.

However, we have become quite spread out and expect to end the year with 25% growth. Our largest distribution markets are Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland and Austria; with several sales locations in North America; and we are now looking at expanding into South America. I would like to create a new company that owns our distribution where I don’t necessarily have a majority stake so I can focus on store development.

A string of shops is the way forward, then?

A brand like mine needs its own stores, it’s vital. We are a label that needs to be presented and explained. We are not a commodity brand because, although our price point is high, we do not fit in with designer labels, whereas niche fashion brands tend to position themselves at a different level. We do well in multi-brand fashion retailers, for example in high-end ski resorts and luxury hotel boutiques where there are many tourists. This is something we are focused on.

Do you have specific locations in mind for new boutiques?

There are a few places on my wish list, of course. An example is Madrid, where we have a showroom, and which is becoming a hot city, especially since the pandemic, thanks to the way the municipality treated small businesses during that time. Many investors have been attracted to the capital which is seen as dynamic, and several luxury hotels have opened, for example, Rosewood and Four Seasons where we now have a presence. The city is a hub for South Americans who are avid shoppers.

Why did you choose London for your first flagship store?

First I love London; it’s a melting pot of so many things—the whole world meets here. But London is also free of the constraints you might find in Paris or Milan, where they have strong fashion traditions. I think London is much more open to niche brands, plus we already had some wholesale distribution here. As I was about to take the plunge, Brexit came along and it felt like a big risk, so in the end, I opened up through a retail partner in Marylebone, unfortunately just as the pandemic hit. However, we are still standing and the store is a success.

And can just the bags keep the income going in this trendy part of town?

This year we added ready-to-wear to develop a lifestyle look, but we’re not a clothing label so we’re finding our way. In the meantime, we’ve brought in other independent brands that we love that match Tissa SPRING look. We are creating our mini-concept store at a time when multi-brand fashion boutiques are disappearing.

Being independent gives you that freedom, but with so many concept stores in decline, is this the right strategy?

Today at Zara you can dress wonderfully, but it’s the accessories like the handbags that make the difference. Not everyone wants to look like a football player’s wife. For those who notice, it’s not about the logo, it’s about the beauty of the line. I am determined. The Tissa brand has power… it works, as the Marylebone store shows. Collaborations with other designers would also be mutually beneficial as long as we are on the same wavelength. We sell to women who are independent thinkers and not slaves to typical luxury brands.