Switzerland’s Best White Shirt

Artigiano. Switzer land ’s Best White Shirt

The shirt specialists from Neerach probably wouldn’t phrase it quite so arrogantly, but the slogan says it all: “The No. 1 for white shirts”. Hans Aeberhard, the company founder, has been pursuing this goal right from the start. Text: Dörte Welti. Photos: Artigiano

They do still exist - the companies that fly below the radar, do a damn good job, and grow continuously while everything around them is going haywire. Hans Aeberhard doesn’t really have a specific recipe for success; in 1972, he simply decided that he wanted to manufacture the best white shirt. In order to achieve this, the Swiss businessman sought and found an Italian weaving mill willing to process finest Egyptian cotton according to his ideas. He then opened a production facility in Ticino and got cracking. Hans Aeberhard called his brand Artigiano, which was launched by Asoni Group, a company founded especially for this purpose. Initially, the brand specialised in white and blue shirts for men. Artigiano is an Italian term and, loosely translated, means “handicraft”, which is also the basic principle of the label.

Handicraft as Core Competence Today, 43 years later, most items are still handcrafted; the white and blue shirts remain the foundation of the business. Artigiano has also developed into a veritable specialist for men’s shirts and women’s blouses. The brand now has its own production plant in Portugal and, since 2014, a branch in Ticino again. In Germany, the customer list includes household names such as Apropos - The Concept Store, the KaDeWe Group, and Lodenfrey (which, for instance, ordered a special edition to celebrate “Oktoberfest”). In Austria, the brand is stocked by the likes of Sagmeister, Grüner, and Steffl, while the Swiss customers include Jelmoli, PKZ, Grieder, and Bernie’s. Artigiano is also open for co-operations. For example, the label teamed up with Tommy Hilfiger to create a capsule col

Artigiano recently restructured its distribution. With immediate effect, Elvis Giglione Fashion Agency is responsible for the German and Austrian markets. Switzerland and the international markets are covered by Aline Aeberhard and Kai Müller. They fit - Artigiano’s white shirts have been a well-established name for 43 years. lection named “Tommy Hilfiger Tailored by Artigiano”, which is distributed via Tommy Hilfiger’s European mono-brand stores. Retailers can benefit from the NOS policy of Artigiano. On Monday, one communicates which shirts are missing from the NOS line. On Friday, the desired items are delivered to the POS. Seasonal and pre-collections in a myriad of designs, fashionable prints, and exceptional qualities such as denim look cashmere are delivered six times per year. The brand also offers a tailored shirt programme.

Internationalisation This year, Artigiano presented its product range at the Pitti trade fair in Florence for the third time. Aline Aeberhard, the founder’s daughter who joined the business in 2013 and studied at the London College of Fashion, and Kai Müller, the product manager who studied at the Nagold Textile Academy, have brought a breath of fresh air into the old, wonderfully developed half-timbered building in tranquil Neerach. The peaceful headquarters is where the designs are created by eight absolute enthusiasts. Their aim is not to be trendsetters, but to maintain the reputation as a permanent fixture at Europe’s best outfitters. The brand has set its sights on London and Paris; Artigiano wants to internationalise. Swiss quality is a strong statement and still valued in European and more distant countries. There’s always room for Switzerland’s best shirts.

Asoni SA , Neerach/Switzerland, asoni@asoni.ch, www.asoni.ch