Of Mindfulness. Frauenschuh is carefully preparing for

FRAUENSCHUH

OF MINDFULNESS

The Frauenschuh brand was already committed to sustainability long before the term became a buzzword. For Kaspar Frauenschuh, quality is both a matter of course and a lifelong mission. The family business is currently completing its next growth step: creating structures, preparing the handover, and consolidating the brand’s core values – all at the same time.

Interview: Stephan Huber. Text: Veronika Zangl. Photos: Frauenschuh

The Frauenschuh family business is located in the heart of the famous tourist town of Kitzbühel. Its affinity to high-quality materials still bears witness to the small tannery founded by Hans and Anna Frauenschuh in 1950. Their son, Kaspar Frauenschuh, led the company into the new millennium as a fashion retailer, together with his wife Andrea and sister Resi. The third generation is expected to take over at some point.

MATERIAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

“Material reliability is our top priority,” says Kaspar Frauenschuh, explaining the basic values of his brand. The business has been committed to sustainability since it was founded, even before the term became a buzzword. “Frauenschuh products are long-lasting, precisely because we pay attention to quality. This is an ongoing process.” Cutbacks are not tolerated. “We strive to meet the highest standards.”

Sustainability has been a matter of course for the Frauen- schuh brand since it was founded.

Modern structures, sharpening the brand image, and exploit- ing new potential – Kaspar Frauenschuhs (left) family business has expanded its management team with Robin Wöll (above) and is prepar- ing for the future.

FAREWELL TO SEASONALITY

Fashion as a fast consumer good? Frauenschuh counteracts this misconception with careful use of resources and longevity. One of the aspects is that Frauenschuh has completely abandoned seasons. Both summer and winter fashion is in stock 365 days a year. Furthermore, the business tries to avoid reductions altogether. In 2019, Frauenschuh strengthened its management, quite deliberately with a representative of the “young generation”. Robin Wöll, Managing Director Sales, E-Commerce and Marketing at Frauenschuh, says: “Particularly in e-commerce, we are learning that you can keep your product stable in value. In all other channels, too, we are story-driven and not price-driven, thus preparing the ground for Frauenschuh’s retail partners. We are of the opinion: ‘Anyone who really has something to say – and we do – does not need to enter into a price war.” Kaspar Frauenschuh adds: “We retailers all have to. Customers no longer chase after the latest hype.”

THE ENLIGHTENED CONSUMER

According to Kaspar Frauenschuh, the consumer is often ahead of the trade. “The system that demands everything earlier, more frequently, and in ever greater volume was artificially created by retailers. We have to create desirability again – and we can only do that if our products are not available everywhere.” A strategy that also applies to the online business. “I find that many online shops are too broad and pay too little attention to individual products. We are generating growth online, but primarily with our exclusive products such as lambskin pieces, launched in selected stores with selected partners.”

(MICRO-)PLASTIC FREE ZONE

Kaspar Frauenschuh perceives his company as a pioneer. “As of the 31st of December 2020, we will be completely plastic free – from the hanger to the packaging,” the businessman explains. His recent travels have proven that respect for the environment will be a mandatory requirement in the future. “I spent three months travelling in Japan, Singapore, Portugal, Italy, and France and experienced so much. In Japan, for example, I noticed that there are no rubbish cans. Why? Because the garbage is taken home and disposed of correctly. If not, one is fined. I like this kind of mindfulness. We should try to translate this mentality for fashion. We have to reduce the constant excess and educate people towards a sustainable buying behaviour.” Kaspar Frauenschuh moves fast. It does not take long for such inspirations to be implemented. Thus, the company has decided to take on its icon. The fleece jacket, a bestseller for many years, is to become sustainable. For autumn/winter 2020/21, it will be available for the first time as a 100% wadded wool jacket – with a body-hugging, feminine cut, and made exclusively of Blue Sign certified material. The direction is clear: “We reflect a lot on the Cradle to Cradle approach,” says Kaspar Frauenschuh. This brings completely new challenges in design and product management. “Blended fabrics are difficult to recycle, which is why we want to distance ourselves more and more from them. The goal is to bring in as few new resources as possible, because even if cotton is GOTS-certified – as is the case with us – it still has an impact on the environment, of course. So we are intensively testing recycled and recyclable fibres.” All this is done together with established suppliers and production partners in Europe and Austria. “Keeping the supply chain as short as possible has been important to us right from the start,” says Kaspar Frauenschuh.

GENERATION CHANGE

Sustainability is not the only issue Frauenschuh is brave enough to address. In his capacity as managing director, Robin Wöll has taken on important tasks both within the brand and in the store in Kitzbühel’s “Hahnenkammstrasse”. “We want to create structures. We want to modernise the whole presentation, but at the same time not lose our sentiment for quality and philosophy.” While the children of the Frauenschuh dynasty are still gaining international experience, the detachment from daily business in Kitzbühel is already taking shape. Robin Wöll is under no illusions: “You don’t bid farewell to your life’s work overnight.” For Kaspar Frauenschuh, however, one thing is clear: a new life phase is dawning for him and his wife Andrea, as well as for his sister Resi, who runs the store. “This, too, is a form of sustainability - thinking about how to hand over a healthy company and position a brand in such a way that it benefits from the new opportunities and dimensions that the future offers us.”