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With the titles Elle, Instyle and Harper's Bazaar as well as Bunte and Freundin, BurdaStyle reaches more than seven million readers every month, plus an online reach of over 20 million visits - and this is largely thanks to her: Manuela Kampp-Wirtz has been CEO of Germany's largest media company in the lifestyle, fashion, beauty and entertainment sectors since 2012. Despite her demanding job, the managing director finds time for voluntary work. Since December 2018, she has also been a member of the executive board of the Fashion Council Germany. A conversation about sustainability, funding programs and the further development of e-commerce.

FCG: You have been a member of the executive board of the Fashion Council Germany since December 2018. What prompted you to participate?

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: The fashion industry is one of the most important sectors in Germany that needs to be promoted. I think it is important to specifically support young designers from Germany and to improve the international visibility of German fashion and its designers. The Fashion Council Germany is committed to this and that is why I did not hesitate for long when I was asked if I would like to become a member of the executive board.

FCG: Why is BurdaStyle - as a media company - committed to young talent and sustainability?

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: Both are important and current topics. We have been promoting young talent for several years with the Bunte New Faces Award Style. And we are very happy to be partners of the German Sustain Concept, which promotes sustainable commitment among designers.

FCG: Green fashion has been around for a long time. Why is sustainability such a big topic in the industry right now?

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: The climate problem, CO2 emissions and the sensible use of resources affect us all. Numerous fashion labels now produce ecologically sustainable clothing. This commitment supports the German Sustain Concept.

FCG: What exactly does BurdaStyle's commitment to the German Sustain program look like?

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: As a partner of the German Sustain program, BurdaStyle supports four young designer labels—Phylyda, Lara Krude, Working Title and Oft—in production and sales. BurdaStyle also provides the designers and the Fashion Council Germany with advice and expertise in the commercial and creative areas.

FCG: Together with the German Sustain winners Lydia Maurer (Phylyda) and Lara Krude, exclusive capsule collections have been created that are available on instyle.de and elle.de. What's that all about?

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: We support young fashion labels by selling their collections via the shopping platforms of elle.de and instyle.de and announcing them editorially. Editorial support and sales via our platforms increase the designers' awareness and draw attention to the collections.

FCG: BurdaStyle is a media company. Why is it actually attractive for customers to shop via your online platforms?

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: The fashion editors of our brands curate the hottest trend items from a wealth of articles and thus offer perfect orientation in the online fashion jungle.

FCG: How important are such sales offers for BurdaStyle now? Will the Shop-It area be expanded in the future?

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: For example, Instyle's online shop, Instyle Shop-It, already has more than 100 partner shops integrated, and the number is increasing. We have also expanded the concept to Elle and Freundin, so you can also shop for selected trendy items on Elle Shop-It and Freundin Shop-It. E-commerce is an important part of our brand offering and will definitely be expanded further in the future.

FCG: Would that also be a response to the shrinking print market?

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Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: We rely on the strength of our brands and build entire worlds of experience around them. This also includes e-commerce. However, the basis is and remains print. Harper's Bazaar and Instyle recently gained subscribers. We launched Instyle Mini&Me in October and, due to the great interest from readers, we are increasing the frequency of line extensions from Elle, Elle Traveller and Elle Accessories. So you can't say that the print market is shrinking in general.

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FCG: Online retail is booming. Do you think that brick-and-mortar retail still has a future in the long term?

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Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: Online retail is certainly booming, but when I'm in town on a Saturday and see the queues at the checkouts, I'm convinced that brick-and-mortar retail definitely has a future. But the same applies here as with our brands: Shops have to be geared to the needs of consumers and run with passion.

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FCG: On elle.de you sell young German labels as well as established international luxury brands.

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: Elle.de is an international brand and therefore shows the entire spectrum of fashion, from unknown German designers to the big players in the industry. Consumers appreciate the curated selection of trends from the entire fashion world.

FCG: German customers are considered to be closed to unknown brands. Can BurdaStyle help to champion German fashion?

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: Readers trust the instinct and recommendations of our brands' fashion experts. Fashion spreads in Elle, Instyle and Harper's Bazaar help young fashion labels to become more well-known and, above all, more desirable. It can happen that an item of clothing is sold out immediately after being published in one of our magazines or online.

FCG: How do you feel about the German fashion landscape at the moment? Especially in view of the Berlin Fashion Week, which has been declared dead more often recently.

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Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: Berlin Fashion Week is an important platform for the German fashion industry. In Berlin, it's not about competing with Milan or Paris, but rather about offering local talents the opportunity to show their creations alongside big names and promote exchange in the industry. BurdaStyle is also regularly represented in Berlin with the InStyle Lounge and the We are Fashion Lunch, connecting established brands with young designers, influencers and editors.

FCG: Apart from funding programs: What else do you think needs to be done to establish (young) German labels on the market in the long term?

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Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: On the one hand, more emphasis needs to be placed on the importance of German fashion for the economy here, so that suitable investors can be found for young labels. On the other hand, we need to draw attention to German design and talent so that they can gain recognition and grow. These are two of the core points of the Fashion Council, which is why I think the work of the FCG is so essential for German fashion.

FCG: What do you personally think of German fashion?

Manuela Kampp-Wirtz: I think German fashion is great. There are many designers whose collections I love. Most recently, I wore a dress by Irene Luft at the Bambi.