"We are feelers!" says Oliver Sklorz - and by that he means people who value the haptic aspect, who have to touch everything. In his shop "die form", which has been in the beautiful old town of Oldenburg for 52 years, a concept has grown around special fabrics, cuts and brands that is unique.
At first glance, "die form" is a classic men's store with carefully selected brands. A rectangular, open space and a range that leaves nothing to be desired welcomes customers who want to stand out from the crowd. From boxer shorts to socks, fragrances and shaving utensils, knives and spirits and of course the full range of clothing from Red Wing boots to jeans and three-piece suits, which are definitely office-appropriate but with which men clearly stand out in terms of style and fabric.
The selection is large and it does take a while to take everything in. And many unusual things catch your eye. First and foremost, there is a corner that is clearly reserved for "measuring". On the wall there are collar samples, denim fabric samples, buttons to choose from, etc., and around the counter in front of it there are rolls of tweed and wool fabrics. Visitors don't stay in the shop alone for long anyway, and so during the conversation it quickly becomes clear what was already suspected: yes, there are also suits here that can be tailored to your own measurements. But that's not all! This kind of customization is possible with many of the brands offered here.
So shoes – from Shoto – that can be put together according to your own wishes, from the sole to the shape to the color; jeans that are made to your own measurements and with the denim you want; hats in the material you want; tailor-made shirts from Emanuel Berg, Eton or Formens; waistcoats, jackets, coats or entire suits from Borélio, Formens, 1973 (Kastell) and Scabal – and even knitwear from the Borélio brand can be ordered made to measure. An offer that even exceeds most made-to-measure tailors, especially in terms of the type of clothing. "die form" is not just about the classic business or wedding suit, but - also with washed fabrics - about being perfectly dressed in your free time and at work, about an attitude to life, about favorite fashion and about individuality.
"Many people take up the offer - some made to measure and some as individualized one-offs in standard sizes," confirms Oliver Sklorz, who took over the shop from his mother when it opened in 1971. Even back then, the shop was unusual: with furniture from Le Corbusier to Mies van der Rohe combined with exceptional men's, women's and children's fashion, "die form" was a pioneer of today's concept stores. Even then, it had a claim to longevity as a precursor to sustainability. In the 1990s, Oliver and his wife Ulla took over the shop and the values that were lived here. They brought with them their own passion, enthusiasm and ideas, as well as the service of offering customers even more individuality.
“die form” has been offering this type of customization and individualization for 25 years. There isn’t a huge difference in price, but the difference in comfort can be enormous. And the prices are completely transparent: interested parties can get an idea of the costs in advance on the website and compare them with the goods in the online shop. The fact that such a variety of customization is even possible is due to the long and intensive collaboration with the relevant brands. The 58-year-old owner also has special items or small series made especially for his shop from time to time, as was recently the case for the company’s 50th birthday. That’s why there are so many rolls of fabric lying around in the shop: Oliver Sklorz is simply in love with fabric – he buys and collects what he personally likes.
"We men love to find a piece that we discovered years ago, something that women don't have." On the one hand, this refers to some fashion classics, and in other cases Oliver is happy to help. Nevertheless, women can also have blouses, vests, trousers or blazers made to their measurements, for example from the Matteo Dosso brand. Right next door is the women's store "die form", which is run by Ulla Sklorz. The premises have a completely different atmosphere to the men's store: tidy, warm, feminine and elegant.
Oliver and Ulla Sklorz are not the only ones who have dedicated themselves to fashion; their son Jan has also already joined the business and will take it over later. With his support, "die form" is placing a great deal of focus on digital. Oliver is convinced: "If you are not visible digitally, you will no longer be found in analogue." The effort goes far beyond Facebook and Instagram. "die form" is very active on Pinterest, even on Twitter - "actually everywhere except Tiktok".
The website has configurators for vests, hats, belts, knitwear and shoes, and there are info screens in the store that help with advice in that you can quickly check in the online shop whether the right size of an item of clothing is in stock or whether the requested accessory is available, without the consultant having to walk to the front of the cash register.
However, personal advice is and remains the most important thing, whether on the phone or in person. "We are storytellers. We know about quality and materials. We want to and can seduce, but we don't force anything on anyone." The "die form" team comprises a total of 16 employees: four in the women's shop, six in the men's shop, four online, one person in the office - and Klaus. Klaus is the model, takes care of social media and is the good-looking, bearded gentleman who is at many events for "die form".
"A company needs good vibes, otherwise it doesn't work," Oliver Sklorz is sure. So he and his employees try to do a lot - for the team and for the customers, so that everyone feels comfortable. Music is also an important part of the overall concept and the emotions. As with photography - he takes almost all of the photos from the photo shoots himself - Oliver is also heavily involved in the website and social media.
He also occasionally gives concerts in the shop with his band “21Sunstreet”. He also started the Oldenburg Tweedrun twelve years ago and co-founded the merger of the predominantly owner-operated shops “Oldenburgs gute Adressen” in 2010.
OIdenburg is a beautiful town and has a lot to offer besides kale. The pedestrian zone is one of the oldest in Germany with many unusual shops and cars must stay outside. A visit to Haarenstraße 32 and 33 is therefore well worth it for anyone who loves quality and wants something different.
Text • Stefanie Kobayashi | Photos • Oliver Sklorz