What Reference Studios does

Reference Studios GmbH is a boutique B2B communications agency founded in Berlin in 2017 by Mumi Haiati. The firm provides integrated communications services spanning international public relations, brand and community building, retail and experiential marketing, global events, partnerships, social media strategy, and content creation, primarily serving luxury fashion houses (Gucci, Acne Studios, Chrome Hearts, Rimowa, Blumarine, Levi's, UGG), cultural institutions (Pinault Collection / Bourse de Commerce, Fondazione Sozzani, Schinkel Pavillon), and select sportswear and lifestyle brands (On Running, Carhartt WIP, Moose Knuckles). Operations span three offices in Berlin (HQ, Potsdamer Strasse 100), Paris (Rue de l'Université), and Milan (Via Cappuccini), positioning the firm within Europe's three core luxury and culture capitals.

The company's product surface has evolved beyond traditional agency services into a small ecosystem of branded platforms: Reference Realities, an interactive virtual activation space modeled on open-world video games for unlimited-audience digital experiences; Reference Space, a 24/7 virtual showroom mirroring the Berlin office and offering persistent client access to assets and live consultations; Reference Festival, a biannual interdisciplinary event spanning physical venues such as Julia Stoschek Collection and Schinkel Pavillon as well as virtual formats; and Reference Incubator, a talent development program operated in partnership with Slam Jam and publicly associated with figures such as Hans Ulrich Obrist and Honey Dijon. Mohammad Reza Haiati serves as Managing Director (Geschäftsführer) of the German GmbH entity.

The business operates on a professional services, project-based revenue model. No pricing is publicly disclosed, and the firm is privately held with no external funding rounds on record. Marketing reach is sustained through organic channels — Instagram and Facebook presence, an email newsletter, and the firm-owned Reference Festival and Reference Incubator programs — supported by earned media from the cultural credibility of its client work and partner roster.

Name

Reference Studios

Legal name

Reference Studios GmbH

Website

https://referencestudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Reference Studios is a boutique Berlin-based communications agency founded in 2017, serving luxury fashion houses, cultural institutions, and lifestyle brands across offices in Berlin, Paris, and Milan with integrated PR, brand, events, and social media services, augmented by virtual platforms and a biannual festival.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Communications and Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

Keywords

• Communications agency services
• Public relations services
• Brand consulting
• Luxury fashion marketing
• Experiential marketing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Communications Agency Services: Reference Studios generates revenue through integrated communications services including press relations, brand and community building, retail marketing, events, and social media management for luxury and fashion brands.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Reference Studios is a holistic communications agency that provides integrated services spanning international public relations, brand and community building, retail marketing, global events, social media strategy, and experiential marketing. The agency serves luxury fashion brands, cultural institutions, and artists, treating every product, campaign, or event as media and a tool for worldbuilding. Operations are anchored by offices in Berlin, Paris, and Milan, supplemented by proprietary virtual platforms (Reference Realities and Reference Space) and the biannual Reference Festival.

Product overview

Reference Studios is a communications agency offering integrated marketing and communications services across press, brand building, retail marketing, events, and social media. The agency operates as a unified platform supplemented by specialized sub-products: Reference Realities (virtual platform for immersive digital activations), Reference Space (virtual showroom with 24/7 asset access), Reference Festival (biannual interdisciplinary event platform combining physical and virtual experiences), and Reference Incubator (talent development programme in partnership with Slam Jam). The product portfolio centers on cultural insight-driven communications that bridge digital and physical realms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Reference Space: Virtual showroom remodelled after the physical space in West Berlin's cultural hub, providing 24/7 access to client assets, personal appointments with consultants, and curated content
• Reference Realities
• Reference Festival
• Reference Incubator

Products and services

• Reference Studios Communications Agency Full-service communications agency offering integrated services including international public relations, copywriting and content creation, social media strategy and management, community and ambassador strategy, product seeding, talent sourcing, strategic brand consulting, brand development, production, global events, partnerships, collaborations, sponsorships, experiential marketing and retail, and digital strategy. Serves luxury fashion brands, cultural institutions, and artists.
• Reference Realities Virtual platform and interactive space modeled after open world video games. Provides multi-sensory experiences that turn media into immersive activations for unlimited audiences, serving as a one-stop shop for digital activations.
• Reference Space Virtual showroom remodelled after the physical space in West Berlin's cultural hub, providing 24/7 access to client assets, personal appointments with dedicated consultants, and curated content, themes, and seasonal stories.
• Reference Festival Biannual interdisciplinary platform exploring creativity through physical and virtual reality experiences across fashion, art, and music disciplines. Communicates brand values and visions through cultural programming.
• Reference Incubator Talent development programme dedicated to new generation talent worldwide with focus on representation. Announced by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Honey Dijon during Reference Festival, in partnership with Slam Jam. Provides individual support to help winners become self-sustainable brands.

Named customers29 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Slam JamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Slam Jam is the strategic partner for Reference Incubator, the talent development program announced by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Honey Dijon during Reference Festival. The program is dedicated to new generation talent worldwide with a focus on representation. The partnership provides winners with individual support to become self-sustainable brands tailored to their specific needs. Participation is all-inclusive and does not require formal education.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BPCM: Global lifestyle, fashion, and consumer communications agency with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and London. Directly comparable in vertical focus and integrated PR/communications offering.
• Purple PR: London-headquartered luxury fashion, beauty, and lifestyle communications agency. Direct competitor in the same vertical and customer base, with comparable integrated communications offering.
• The Communications Store: London-based luxury and fashion communications agency serving brands across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Comparable boutique scale, vertical focus, and integrated services model.
• Bureau Betak: Paris-based fashion event production and show design firm serving luxury houses globally. Comparable in fashion-vertical specialization and experiential activations, complementing Reference Festival.
• Karla Otto: London/Milan-based luxury fashion communications and PR agency serving brands such as Bottega Veneta, Loewe, and Saint Laurent. Closely comparable in vertical specialization and global boutique positioning.
• Lucien Pagès Communication: Paris-based luxury, fashion, and culture communications agency. Closely comparable in geography, client overlap with French maisons, and integrated communications model.

Broad incumbents

• Publicis Luxe: Luxury and beauty practice within Publicis Groupe, the global advertising holding company. Operates broadly in the same fashion/luxury category but as part of a wider portfolio with significantly larger scale.
• Edelman: Global public relations firm with a dedicated luxury and lifestyle practice. Overlaps with Reference Studios in luxury and fashion PR but offers broader communications capabilities as part of a worldwide network.
• The Independents: Global collective of luxury and lifestyle communications agencies including Karla Otto, Bureau Betak, and others. Comparable as a broader umbrella of specialist luxury comms, offering wider capabilities than a single boutique.

Others

• Slam Jam: European fashion distribution and community brand; strategic partner of Reference Studios via the Reference Incubator program. Not a direct competitor but an adjacent ecosystem player in fashion talent and distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/referencestudiosgmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/referencestudios
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reference-studios-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Reference Studios