Patrick Reimann and Philip Krause based Prohibited in Berlin in 2021 as a “TikTok-first” streetwear model. It got here out of frustration with the event of the streetwear scene with its “faux flex and gangster poses”, in addition to hype about limited-edition drops. That wasn’t their type, which Reimann describes extra as “trendy Yuppie”, combining streetwear with sporty class.
To start with, that they had no concept in regards to the business, however began promoting primary T-shirts and hoodies on Amazon, despatched from their house in Berlin as they constructed up a neighborhood by way of TikTok. With a give attention to high quality and match, the venture grew rapidly.
At this time they make use of 20 individuals and are represented in over 200 shops, in addition to by means of on-line vogue companions akin to Zalando and About You in Germany and, extra not too long ago, ASOS within the UK.
The launch on ASOS for AW24 noticed Prohibited develop into the second most profitable model launch within the males’s sector for the net retailer after Carhartt. That’s some going. Patrick Reimann tells us their story to date.
When and the way did you begin Prohibited?
We based the corporate virtually 5 years in the past, so we’re nonetheless a younger firm. We solely began promoting our first Prohibited branded T-shirts and hoodies three years in the past, constructing it up by way of TikTok. We’ve skilled fast development in that point. As we’re nonetheless a small firm, we do every part ourselves, from sourcing and designing to operating our warehouse and controlling inventory.
What’s your tackle UK streetwear and the way do you slot in?
I observe the UK market fairly intently for inspiration. It’s necessary for membership tradition and music, and there are some glorious UK manufacturers. I noticed a possibility for us to attempt to conquer the UK as a result of I feel the type is kind of just like the German market. It’s additionally rather a lot simpler for us language-wise in comparison with say France and Italy.
I’ve all the time adopted the likes of Symbolize and Cole Buxton, which began on social media and have now received actually huge. I’ve seen that previously couple of years Symbolize has began to extend its costs, so my ideas are they could lose some clients who can’t afford a hoody for £150. That’s the place we see an attention-grabbing alternative as a result of our costs are very aggressive – retailing between £60 and £75. Good for somebody who desires that Symbolize or Cole Buxton look however can’t afford it. That’s why we’ve been trying on the UK from the beginning.
The place do you at the moment promote within the UK?
We met with ASOS in London in Could final 12 months and we offered with the net retailer for the primary time for AW24. The numbers had been good from the get-go. Its shopping for crew had been not too long ago over in Berlin ordering for AW25, they usually advised us we had been the second finest new menswear model ever after Carhartt. They’re very pleased with what we do and have elevated their finances with us each season since, so we’re trying ahead to extending our partnership. We’re additionally going to launch with ASOS within the US, which will likely be our first endeavour there.
How did you go from direct-to-consumer solely to promoting by means of retailers?
We had been initially very a lot coming from a direct-to-consumer perspective by way of TikTok and promoting on-line by means of our personal web site, however then on the finish of 2023 we received some ‘inbound’ requests from some small sneaker shops in Germany that had been primarily promoting ‘hype’ footwear. They’d come throughout our product and requested us if they might promote a few of our primary tees and hoodies of their shops. It seems they offered rather well. My accomplice, Philip Krause, then took over the wholesale enterprise and began going ‘outbound’. We began supplying ten shops in early 2024 and ended up with 215 shops general – the bulk in Germany, but in addition in Austria and a pair in Italy.
We don’t at the moment provide any bodily retail shops within the UK, however we will likely be promoting with one other main UK retailer from August 2025 as we had optimistic talks on the final Pitti Uomo present in Florence, and in addition at CIFF in Copenhagen – although that was primarily with potential Scandinavian accounts.
Was Pitti a superb present for you then?
Pitti was an enormous success, we didn’t actually anticipate something fairly like that. We really confirmed at Pitti for the primary time at brief discover in January 2024, however we didn’t actually know what this enterprise is all about! Nonetheless, this 12 months (the January 2025 present) we upgraded our sales space and had a a lot stronger autumn/winter assortment. We served free espresso and had one thing like 450 individuals coming to look. There was additionally an article about us in an Italian commerce publication, which was nice, as we received 50-plus shops in Italy concerned with stocking Prohibited. Over all, we ended up with over 150 potential new clients from totally different international locations, which we’ve been following up with since.
Is all of it tees and hoodies?
Numerous our enchantment has been round that entry stage worth level of primary tees and hoodies, nonetheless we do even have barely greater worth level vogue gadgets, together with knitted jerseys and jackets, that might doubtlessly be of curiosity to the likes of END, though we do sit beneath the premium stage of manufacturers like Symbolize and Cole Buxton. I feel what END does effectively is have worth factors throughout the board. We’ll should see in the event that they like our merchandise.
Because the designer, how would you finest describe the Prohibited look and magnificence?
As we began as a streetwear model with fundamentals akin to T-shirts and hoodies, we actually targeted on getting the match and cloth proper. Nonetheless, from the beginning we tried to make it appear and feel like a model, not like a Uniqlo-style fundamentals provider. We sit in sphere of streetwear manufacturers however quite a lot of them, significantly in Germany, place themselves as “gangster” – utilizing hoods and ski masks of their imagery. We all the time thought streetwear doesn’t should be about that. Our method is you may combine it up and possibly add a little bit of classic Ralph Lauren type into it. It makes it an entire totally different look with out dropping the streetwear component. We attempt to mix these two worlds, traditional streetwear with outsized hoodies with a contact of a extra preppy Polo Ralph Lauren-type look. We’re additionally making an attempt to point out younger streetwear clients, as they develop up, how they’ll gown a bit smarter with out dropping that streetwear contact. In a approach, we provide that type of Aimé Leon Dore aesthetic, however we’re making it accessible for everybody.
How else are you rising the enterprise?
We have a look at our Zalando numbers and our ASOS gross sales and see the place the purchasers come from, and we additionally see it from our personal web site. Since we launched with ASOS within the UK, we see much more individuals coming to our web site as effectively. That’s an actual signal that folks just like the product they usually need to discover out what the model is all about and see if there’s extra product that maybe ASOS doesn’t carry. The information we’re getting is basically attention-grabbing for us when it comes to the place we ought to be making an attempt to develop the enterprise, and which companions we ought to be concentrating on internationally.
Will you even be concentrating on smaller unbiased streetwear-focused shops within the UK?
We will likely be taking a look at that, however we don’t work with any businesses to date. With Brexit, it’s a bit sophisticated to get inventory over to the UK and never pay double duties and issues like that. ASOS is sufficiently big to ship its items straight from the producers to the UK, which helps. For smaller shops, it’s a bit extra difficult as a result of the numbers won’t add up. Nonetheless, a robust a part of our enterprise has been the by no means out of inventory (NOS) programme – inventory we stock in our warehouse that may be replenished rapidly. That’s one thing that we’d need to provide, particularly for small shops that don’t have the capability to order that a lot. As soon as we’ve two or three greater purchasers within the UK, it would make sense for us to consider having some inventory over within the UK prepared for all our purchasers there. The small shops are the spine of our enterprise in Germany, so it might be good to have the ability to provide smaller UK retailers a few of our merchandise too.
Are you seeking to take brokers on for various international locations?
Our technique in Germany is to deal with wholesale ourselves because it’s simpler for us and we all know all the principle retailers already, the identical with Austria and Switzerland which have the identical language. In Italy, they don’t have the shop chains, they solely have these smaller unbiased retailers. To handle all these small retailers and never converse Italian is kind of onerous! So, we’re taking a look at taking up an agent who is aware of all the suitable shops – and those who pay on time!
By taking a look at which manufacturers are common in particular international locations, I feel our product will work all through Europe, so I feel it’s a giant alternative to tackle brokers who know their very own markets.
Are you planning on opening a Prohibited retailer sooner or later?
I’m the designer and I deal with all the net enterprise, however I used to work in a clothes retailer for 3 years from the age of 16, so I’m nonetheless in love with personal retail. Nonetheless, it’s a entire totally different enterprise to do retail by yourself. As we’re a small firm and do every part ourselves, we don’t need to attempt to do an excessive amount of on the identical time. We need to be certain that the enterprise runs easily, and we are able to deal with the expansion. Having our personal retailer can be nice, and it’s been attention-grabbing to see on-line manufacturers beginning to go offline as effectively. We’ve a giant attain on social channels, however in case you have a bodily retailer you get an entire totally different expertise, so it’s one thing I’d like to do, significantly in Berlin. Going ahead, we may look to do a pop-up retailer in London.
