Carsten Blaschnig Interview

Carsten, tell us a bit about the idea behind Vicious and Divine. How did the brand come about and what’s the brand’s underlying philosophy?

Carsten Blaschnig: “There’s a great deal of very personal passion behind VAD. Thanks to my close personal relationship with the industry, we’ve gained a very good overview of the market. That said, there are two things I don’t like about the current situation: on the one hand, there’s the sole focus on hip and, to some extent, garishly trendy styles. To me, this development clearly excludes a large target group which is a great pity. On the other hand, you find a lot of extremely cheap products in the stores. This situation is also a shame as these sorts of products clearly reflect a poor appreciation of the great products from Apple, Samsung and all the other great manufacturers. We just wanted to do things differently, especially in terms of our approach towards customers and how we satisfy their needs. With us, pure elegance, timeless looks as well as cutting-edge components play a key role. Longevity and trust are the foundations we’ve devised for the brand. In specific terms, that means: each individual product boasts fantastic quality, the likes of which has never been seen before, coupled with functional benefits, thanks to a clever design and many sophisticated ideas. This delivers a true experience and makes using the smartphone noticeably more comfortable and convenient. We can proudly say that by observing market trends very closely, we have analysed our customers’ needs and wishes, and incorporated these into a great product. And yes, Vicious and Divine is not crazy, garish or loud. We’re exquisite, modern and thoroughly respectable – just like our customers.”

The plan to conquer the tablet and smartphone accessories market with a new brand is quite bold, isn’t it?

Carsten Blaschnig: “We are currently experiencing the thrill of launching a company. While an incredible amount of creativity is being released, we’re also wary of the business risk. However, we’re also prepared to take this risk as we firmly believe in what we’re doing. We know about the target group and the fact that yes there are fashion labels competing directly with us that have also recognised the market potential and which are active in various price segments. That said, this isn’t surprising either – after all, the smartphone is just as much a part of our daily lives as money, for which we need a wallet, or the clothes we need to wear each day. The market is open and definitely ready for Vicious and Divine. If you take a look at the fashion labels for instance, you’ll quickly see that they’re following many trends which are a departure from their core business but they’re also demanding high three-digit prices for their products. We’re only too pleased to benchmark our quality against theirs, yet we have our own USPs. It isn’t just the brand that matters here, it’s the function too. And you should never forget that we’re talking about each case being a hand-sewn original. There’s definitely a market for premium originals, especially for that something special and out of the ordinary.”

So, what makes VAD cases so unique?

Carsten Blaschnig: “That’s a question I actually don’t want to answer. What I would say to you though is that you should first feel our products. That will definitely answer your question. And once you’ve felt the product and started using it, you’ll notice that its ultra-soft material isn’t just beautifully finished, it also makes each product unique. You’ll experience the seemingly minute functional benefits and how these have a positive impact on use.”

What makes leather so special?

Carsten Blaschnig: “I’m glad you asked. We’re just bursting with enthusiasm about the material. After the initial prototypes and designs were completed, we thought about the products’ effect. There was no doubt that we’d definitely go for leather. The aim, however, was to set out a philosophy: should the leather be really hard, flexible or soft? We then decided to design general products with a hard-wearing texture to offer great protection. At the same time, we also wanted the texture to be soft and supple. A Turkish manufacturer produces our cases. Turkey has been known for decades for its outstanding tailoring and the quality of the manufacturers. We devoted a lot of time to research and travelled extensively to find our leather. What’s more, our leather is also from Turkey as we want to set a good example in terms of ecological sustainability. Even though we only use the best pieces of leather and produce a maximum of ten cases from one animal, we ensure no leather is wasted. Incidentally, the same also applies to the sapele wood we use. We definitely didn’t want to use any wood that featured on an endangered list; rather, we wanted to use one that was environmentally friendly. Ultimately, you should be able to enjoy using our products with a clear conscience. What’s more, in future we’ll also prepare and craft leather in Italy.

The leather we use is a special type of cowhide called vegetable leather. We have the leather made especially for us as off-the-shelf products did not meet our quality standards. Manufacturing the leather also lets us utilise old and traditional tanning processes which are undesirable in mass- production processes as it makes it very difficult to check the leather as every piece must look identical. By contrast, Vicious and Divine allows the leather’s natural character to give each product its own individual look. However, this also means that we’re unable to use every piece of the leather hide. We use the first cut – the best pieces of the leather – for our products. A great deal of attention is also necessary in the steps following tanning. The case makers, the people who cut out the pieces of leather for production, naturally have to ensure that any imperfections and markings, such as insect bites, are sorted out and discarded. By the way, these too are quality standards mass-production processes are unable to achieve. But to Vicious and Divine, it’s something we do as a matter of course in order to meet our own stated aim and allow our customers to enjoy this luxury.”

And what role do fashion and lifestyle factors play for VAD?

Carsten Blaschnig: “Naturally, we’re influenced by fashion and we follow it. That said, current fashion trends and seasonal tastes primarily influence our products’ colour details. Ultimately, a premium brand is always characterised by dependability. We give our customers this promise in terms of quality and feel as well as timeless looks. If a customer buys a premium case, they can also really enjoy using it for years without following a fashion trend. It is timelessly classic, fundamental design elements that never grow old which for decades now have served as the foundation of the premium fashion world. Smartphones and tablets in particular have now also become status symbols, which is precisely why fashion and lifestyle play a key role. By the way, that’s why we speak of cases and not holders. The various models also have names – something you’re more likely to be familiar with from the fashion and clothing industry. To assist us in creating our products, we also used handbags, briefcases and other accessories as examples and adapted them for smartphones and tablets.”

And what’s the deal with the name?

Carsten Blaschnig: “Vicious and Divine. The name fits beautifully as it describes the classic contrasts perfectly. And ultimately what do people make of it? It’s precisely this dichotomy which exists in each and every one of us – and one which can also be found in every culture and as a result also in a great many proverbs. Focusing on one direction will never lead to fulfilment. It’s precisely the interplay, the balance of these opposites, which allows us to achieve our aim: the symbiosis of product and case – to achieve perfection. These opposites have existed since the Big Bang – and we intend to ensure they live on for an eternity.”

What are your brand expectations in the months ahead?

Carsten Blaschnig: “We’re really pleased that the feedback we’ve received to date has been so positive. Honestly, we’d have expected somewhat more reserve at the start. But we’ve also done our homework meaning we’ve talked with the target groups, really clued ourselves up and know that it is precisely this product quality that many customers are waiting for and are delighted about. It’ll certainly take a while until all customers are aware of this brand. Looking at Germany alone, we’re expecting sales in the seven-digit range with all the products of the initial collection and the ones following that. We’re simply not a mass-market product.”

Can you give us a brief outlook of what we can still expect from VAD this year?

Carsten Blaschnig: “Now I’ve got to be careful that I don’t give too much away. Our aim was to offer our initial collection for the smartphone when we launched. Based on the launch of this collection, there will of course be tablet accessories to follow in the proven design. In addition, we’re also working on various ideas such as letting customers have their own names put on the cases. When ordered, the product will then be hand stitched and shipped directly to the customer. As you can see, we’ll never run out of ideas any time soon – rather, we have to put the brakes on if anything.”