Michael Esselborn and Lutz Kraft create fashion
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Cloakroom from Erkrath conquers the scene
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The label stands for Erkrath’s zip code. Lutz Kraft (left) and Michael Esselborn design it on clothing, cups and accessories.
Photo: Köhlen, Stephan (teph)
Erkrath Why just advertise Mallorca, St. Tropez or Ibiza when you can also advertise with Erkrath. Lutz Kraft and Michael Esselborn implement the idea in the form of T-shirts and hoodies. Recently in my own shop.
The people of Erkrath like their city: When an event is announced, they are definitely there: like on the first Sunday in Advent at the “X-Mas-Walk” of the restaurateurs or online at the couch gigs during the first lockdown that takes place in spring for attracted a lot of attention.
So why shouldn’t it also be important to wear this bond with your city on your clothes and, as it were, to advertise it?
Michael Esselborn and Lutz Kraft did not ask themselves that for long, but rather worked on a meaningful logo and appropriate lettering for their favorite brand Erkrath after the “Bridge Festival” in summer 2019. The result is the registered trademark “Forty699” – 40699 is the city’s zip code, and after all, no one can protect a zip code as “intellectual property”.
“During my vacation, I saw T-shirts and other items of clothing or accessories in different places that advertise a city with special logos or lettering,” says the trained graphic artist Michael Esselborn. Without further ado, he printed a shirt with the famous place names Mallorca, Ibiza, St. Tropez, added Erkrath and put it on for the “Bridge Festival”.
The reaction of friends and acquaintances to his creation was so positive that he sat down with his partner Lutz Kraft from the event agency LuMi, developed the layout – and the clothing line was born.
Initially only available in the webshop, customers can now choose between sixty different colors and the same number of variants for the logo to be printed must be selected in order to put together T-shirts, hoodies and other items of clothing individually.
The first thing that followed was a cooperation with Erich Stockhausen, whereupon the convinced Erkrath designers were allowed to set up sales stands with their things in his stores, as Lutz Kraft continues to tell the story. The highlight: Recently, there has even been its own shop on Kalkumer Feld. “A fitting in the middle of the supermarket is difficult,” says Michael Esselborn with a smile.
The former shop, by the way as a former radio and television shop, may be remembered by one or two Erkrathers, was used as a warehouse earlier, now the front area has been converted into a shop.
The entire product range in all sizes can be tried on here. “In the past we couldn’t keep all sizes or all variants in stock,” but now we can, the creative entrepreneurs are happy.
“So you can choose the right size, decide on the color of the T-shirt, hoodie or zipper and order in the desired combination with logo or lettering”, explain the two creative minds.
Two fabric flags with the logo lettering in all of the available colors help with the decision, as does the fact that the shelves built by Lutz Kraft itself are ready to use in all possible combinations.