Escada

Affordable Haute Couture

When Margaretha and Wolfgang Ley founded their company 50 years ago, they revolutionized pricey Prêt-à-porter fashion. Their fashion creations were made of quality fabrics, innovative designs – yet came with an affordable price tag. But not just that stood out: As a former model and trained seamstress, Margaretha Ley possessed a fantastic sense for colors, designs and the desires of customers. Her innovative color combinations, patterns, embroidery and prints perfectly matched the fashion taste of the 1980s.

The first collection, “Escada & Sporty Elegance” laid the foundation for the globally renowned fashion label. Until today, emphasis is placed on glamorous fashion, that is suited for any situation from leisure to business. Even in the line of casual wear called “Escada Sport”, the modern woman exudes a touch of elegance and femininity.

The rapid ascent of a German brand

Fashion by Escada was soon highly acclaimed by experts and press alike. The company experienced rapid growth in the German and American market. This development put massive strains on the brand, also taking into consideration that Wolfgang Ley led the company all by himself after the death of his wife in 1992. The secondary lines had to be discontinued and several stores were closed. Even new creative directors and their collections could not tackle this crisis in the mid 1990s.

Realignment of the brand

In the early 2000s, Escada was further in decline: In Germany, the designs were considered as old-fashioned and barely sold in stores. Even selling off several subsidiaries could not prevent the label from filing for bankruptcy.

DIn 2010, a complete realignment of the brand took place. Prices for existing products were reduced, real fur was banned from collections, and stores were modernized. Creative director Daniel Windgate, who was previously at Hugo Boss and Marc O’Polo, reinterpreted the brand claim and designed colorful, strong designs that injected a new momentum to the brand. In early 2017, he left the company.

The Escada product range: Must-haves for business and leisure

Even though Escada announced the addition of menswear and cosmetics a few years ago, the product range is largely focused on the fashion and accessories needs of the modern woman: Everything a woman needs for a stylish everyday look is offered. Herein, the label skillfully masters the balancing act between elegant evening wear and casual designs like jumpsuits and sneakers.