Setting tongues wagging

Stephen Spellacy is a partner in Manchester-based agent Evil Tongues, which he co-founded in 2004. It represents young fashion brands Addict, Le Tigre, Superdry and Triple Five Soul. Spellacy's fashion career began in 1985 with a warehouse at JD Sports, and by 1992 he was clothing buyer at the company.

In 1996 he became clothing buyer for First Sport and Active Venture, then spent four years as fashion apparel buying director for John David Group's fashion division, which comprised Ath Leisure, footwear specialist Size? and fashion clothing venture Open.

- What lessons did you learn from your time launching Open?

Not to give staff too much control over a situation until they had proven their abilities. And also to trust my instincts.

- What has been the hardest part of setting up Evil Tongues?

Financially it has been a killer - no real salary for 12 months. But the main difficulty was convincing brands that we were a credible option. But once they see the set-up, we seem to get a positive response.

- What sort of brands are popular among retailers these days?

There was a clamour in the spring for every brand to do short order and hold a huge amount of stock. The retailer needs to understand that the brand has to take a certain amount of forward order so it can place numbers with the factories and back the bestsellers. It's difficult - when I was the buying director for Ath Leisure, Open and Size? I always wanted some budget hidden away for in-season.

- What do you think lies ahead for the young fashion market?

The market is as tough as ever and will only get harder for those who don't move with the climate. We saw it 15 years ago in the sports market and the cycle is repeating. Indies are feeling the squeeze and the internet is a major player now. The big difference is that the sports market had four real brands and fashion has hundreds. Why follow the high street lead and get battered by in-season reductions when you can find your own niche?

- What product areas are ripe for expansion?

This is our third poor winter in terms of weather. The fourth is generally the cold one and therefore the good jacket season, although no one will forward order enough because they may be stuck with good styles in January. I will be surprised if we don't have the same reaction in season that we had on shorts this summer.

- If you were to move back into retail, how would you do it?

It would have to be as a partner. I have been a small cog in a wheel that made its owners multi-millionaires, and that was fine when I was 17 years old, because the chances that JD gave me were fantastic. But now I would look to be driving a business on.

- How important is marketing to brand-building?

Marketing is important. There is no point in trying to sell something when nobody knows what it is. But there has to be substance behind it. We have all seen brands arrive from out of the blue that everybody wants, but they tend to crash and burn. Steady growth and visibility is more sustainable.

- What else is in the pipeline?

With Le Tigre, Addict, Triple Five Soul and Superdry we have enough on and are not seeking more brands. But if the right one needs our help and I can find a professional to take ownership of it, then of course we would have a conversation.

THIS FASHION LIFE

- What is your biggest fashion weakness?

Trainers. I buy them in spades, then don't wear them.

- What was your best fashion moment?

Creating the Open store in Liverpool from nothing within nine months.

- And your worst?

I owned a lime green and purple Adidas shell-suit when I was 18. I looked a complete pillock.

- Who is your industry icon?

David Makin, former owner of JD Sports and creator of Foot Asylum. He taught me most of what I know and is a true gentleman.

- What would you be doing if not fashion?

Living in a high-rise flat with six kids, four ex-wives and a dog called Tyson, wondering what happened to my life.

- Where do you shop?

For branded, Urban Outfitters and Life. For unbranded it's River Island.

- What are you reading?

I am halfway through the dozen or so books by Patricia Cornwell based around a chief medical officer called Dr Kay Scarpetta.

- Who is your style icon?

David Bowie.

- Who is your pop idol?

Lou Reed, but my favourite track is This Woman's Work by Kate Bush. It would make a psychopath cry

- Who is on your mobile's speed dial?

My mate Stewart Dalziel.