History of Hanro:

The development of the Hanro underwear brand shows that many of the trends that seemed revolutionary at the end of the 20th century already provided the basis for its more than one hundred years of success. The position of Hanro as a niche competitor in the top segment of the underwear market quite literally resulted in the globalisation of the business even before World War 1, both in terms of sales and purchasing. The simultaneous setting in of changing social values towards freeing the body and healthy clothing – today it would be called ‘wellness’ – in Europe at the turn of the 19th into the 20th century contributed to the success of underwear in skin friendly natural fibres and loose-fitting styles. Hanro has always shown an ability to pick up on current art movements through the epochs and incorporating their features in classic and sophisticated designs to maintain the brands modern image. By focusing uncompromisingly on the use of finest fabrics and satisfying its customer’s most stringent quality requirements, Hanro has been able to gain a unique position. The brand has been integrated in the Huber group for the past 10years and today represents the core of our luxury brand portfolio, which also includes worldwide licenses for ESCADA lingerie and JOOP! Women’s body wear. Hanro is and continues to be the group’s key strategic asset and therefore represents the basis for our successful transition into the 21st century.

The history of Hanro from the book ‘Hanro – The Story of Passion’

1890
At the height of the Belle Époque: fast-paced city life changed the face of major European cities. There the upper classes and aristocracy set the tone, conducted their business and amused themselves at world-famous venues, private clubs and fabulous residences decorated in modern style reflecting the sensual, curvaceous lines of art Nouveau. Paris and London indulge in rivalry as well as all aspects of life in the big city. Ambitious colonialism in conjunction with pioneering spirit and hard-nosed capitalism result in prosperity and the availability of a vast array of innovations. Two requirements dictate women’s fashion at the time: the need to please husbands and the wish to imitate the curves of current interior design. The ladies of the high society squeeze themselves into s-shaped corsets and arouse erotic desires through the froufrou produced by countless layers of petticoats. In France, where rigid attitudes to the body prevail, delicate fabrics and dainty lace are only acceptable in conjunction with the kind of immaculate and firm silhouette a corset produces. The approach of English ladies is much more enlightened and health-conscious by comparison. Here, in the country where the industrial revolution originated, its positive and negative effects – and this includes unhelpful attitudes to the body – are felt first. Anti-industrialists of the Arts and Crafts movement propose and propagate loose fitting clothing, which promotes health for both sexes. A small vanguard discovers the necessity for health and leisure to compensate for the tough demands of business. When the group gains support from an influential number of followers, this paves the way to success for Albert Handschin’s delicate, knitted underclothing. For centuries to come, the knitting mill founded in 1884 by the courageous businessman from Gelterkinden in the Baselbiet continues to sell most of its garments in England. During years of travel its founder had acquired a wealth of varied experience, which equipped him to deal in the world of business and banking. Having gained insight into this growing industry as a partner in the oldest mechanical knitting mill, Pauline Zimmerli in Aarburg, he finally rakes the plunge and sets up his own business. Assured of the support of Lina Morf, a talented and diligent knitting-expert, Handschin and his family move to Liestal. He starts manufacturing by installing six knitting machines operated by six female employees in his house in the Rheinstrasse.
The company’s success is based on the use of pure natural fibres to produce practical garments with delicate crochet lace or finished with satin edging using the typical silk ribbons produced by home-workers in the Baselbeit. In Carl Ronus, a young bank employee from Basel, Albert Handschin meets his ideal partner, in 1885. Together they are able to meet the continuously growing demand. In 1899 they decide to buy Benzbur, a factory with potential for further development. For the 100 years that follow, Benzbur remains as the company head quarters.

1900
Paris hosts another world exhibition. The Eiffel tower already rises above the city and is fast turning into a much-admired symbol of the budding age of technology. The construction of the 300m high tower resembles a railroad bridge support pillar and comes to be closely associated with the new transport systems, which encourage people to travel to the colonies, both distant and close. Trains and ships are used for long distance travel, while cars provide convenient transport over short distances. The function of the bicycle is to provide a healthy leisure activity. The name of Henry Ford is closely linked with the car craze. In 1890 he founded the world’s first car manufacturing plant, where the legendary ‘Model T’, nicknamed ‘Tin Lizzy’ goes into production in 1908. Women are keen to benefit from the new developments as well and, as a result, trousers – which were hitherto frowned upon – find their way into female wardrobe. As time goes by, practical separates, such as blouses and suits began to oust the many swishing gowns typical of the Fin de Siécle period.
Not everyone regards the changes positively. In Proust, for example, they arouse nostalgia for the superseded. The first affordable Kodak camera presents itself as a willing helper in the quest for lost times. The camera breaks the notion of the irretrievable moment and paves the way providing the basis for a training in aesthetics for first-generation industrial designers, who are committed to exploring the ordinary. The first modern fashion designer quite literally throws off the restraints that form part of the old heritage: in 1907, Paul Poiret invents a prototype of the brassiere. He describes it as a cradle for the breasts and, by dint of this, revokes the traditional justification of the corset. His soft flowing, high-waisted dresses, ideally worn over underclothing in soft knitted fabrics, set the trend for international fashion while bearing the need for comfort in mind.
Handschin and Ronus KG had always focused on providing healthy and comfortable underwear. Now its exquisite, naturally stretchy knitwear becomes associated with haute couture allowing the company to conquer the French market. 20 Dubied knitting machines are installed in order to do justice to the reputation spread by famous ladies from a huge variety of walks of life such as the actress Sarah Bernhardt, the dancer Isadora Duncan and the American author Gertrude Stein. Furthermore the number of English ladies and in particular Americans who appreciate the comfort of the exquisite Swiss export increases continually.

1910
TThe western world celebrates the magic of the Orient right up until the beginning of the First World War. The scenes and costumes of the Russian ballet’s ‘1001 nights’ inspire enthusiasm for the colourful and exotic. The mood is dramatic, anticipating the end of the imperial adventure, the assassination that leads to millions more deaths in the war. In these conditions, the dreamlike utopia of communism develops based on the theory Lenin reformulated under the protection of the Swiss neutrality. Both during the war and in the years immediately after it women had to take on male responsibilities. The need to acknowledge them as equal partners is an essential prerequisite for the Russian revolution. Its aim is to recreate a classless society under the banner of art assisted by a new professional group, the ‘artist-engineers’. The clothing styles put forward by Russian designers are both aesthetically sophisticated and practical, a trend, which finds its strongest echo in the creations of couturiérers, who are beginning to conquer the male dominated tailoring profession. As early as in 1913 the ambitious Coco Chanel, whose creations were inspired by men’s casual wear, used jersey fabrics to make suits. She regarded the impulses from the Russian avant-garde as confirmation for her approach.
Hanro viscose camisoles in a loose flat knit fabric were recommended to first buyers of the sporty elegant creations as the ideal garment to wear underneath.
Not only Lenin, the guiding force behind the idea of paradise on earth, and his revolutionaries, but also soldiers from other European countries benefit from the Swiss art of diplomacy. Without it Handschin and Ronus would not have been able to meet demand for the military underpants worn by soldiers in all camps. The names of the general and the officer involved in placing the order will remain forever unknown. Nevertheless, it is lasting proof of the border-crossing appeal of the Hanro brand, which, consisting of the first syllables of its founders names, establishing itself in 1913. Outside Europe, the Hanro brand is first available in Australia and India.

1920
The sequins of her knee-length chiffon dress reflect the fast rhythm of the Charleston and the shrill sound of jazz trumpets. She is a new 20th century woman, the garconne, With her boyish looks and independence she shakes the foundations of the existing roles of the sexes. Her short hair and cherry lips, practical, leg-revealing clothing give her a cool, serene appearance. Her life is her own. She selects and rejects partners to suit her and works to earn a living.
Her slim, cylindrical silhouette corresponds to the reserved geometry of art deco design. Exercise and dieting help her look slim and the corset is redundant. She enjoys the benefits of freethinking and social freedom and she alone decides what she wants to wear next to her skin. Lightweight, flattening brassieres worn with loose fitting panties, garter belts and undershirts or, alternatively, the new combinations take the place of the corsets worn by the preceding generation.
IIn Paris, female fashion designers promote their customers newfound freedom by creating loose fitting garments in comfortable fabrics. Coco Chanel adapts men’s wear for women and her little black dress and ‘Chanel No.5’ are adopted as the uniform for the garconne. The designer to define elegance uses purism. Hemlines at about knee height break with a century-old taboo and reveal the attractions of women’s legs. Shown off in skin-tight, colourful viscose or silk knits they become a new feature of sex appeal.
When the stocking-industry boom in the United States, Charles Albert Ronus, son of the company founder Carl Ronus, is fortunate enough to be one of its beneficiaries. In 1926, her returns to Liestal from Massachusetts with the aim of applying his technical know-how and the pastel colours used for fashionable stockings to produce lingerie.
The first trend collection in finest tricot conquers the international market in no time. Young women throughout the world enthusiastically opt for Hanro’s flattering seamless underwear knowing that this will enable them to compete with the athletic appearance of the gazelle-like Suzanne Lenglen, the first ever female tennis star, or the cat-like gracefulness of Josephine Baker.

1930
IIn 1929 Black Friday plunges the achievements of democracy into darkness and paves the way for reaction. ‘Back to order’, the motto of the 1930s, slows down development, disguises itself with a surreal romance harking back to the ancient world. Photographs and films on huge screens, in exclusive black and white, intensify the serious and dramatic mood until it reaches record levels. In the spotlight, movie stars such as Marlene Dietrich and her rivals are transformed into unapproachable, graceful goddesses, blond angels with curly hair. They appear, as guardians of women’s traditional virtues and make recent movements towards emancipation seem like a temporary experiment. They unleash their regained femininity and use Hanro garments to underline it. A fact born out by exclusive correspondence, which is mainly hand-written and, of confidential nature, Divided brassieres emphasize the key attributes of regained femininity. Bias cut dresses follow the lines of slim waists and slim hips. The ingenious technique was developed by Madeleine Vionnet, the leading couturier of her time, in imitation of the natural fall of fabrics draped close to the body. The fabric is cut on the bias for added elasticity. Designs become more figure hugging and it goes without saying that underwear worn with these tight fitting garments needed to be extremely delicate and discreet.
Madeline Handschin, the granddaughter of the company founder, creates a world innovation: ultra-light brassiere undershirts as an invisible item of underclothing, Sporty casual wear is incorporated into the Hanro collection with the advert of her beach and swimwear. Her brother Eric Handschin works with Dubied in Neuchatel to produce circular jacquard knitting machines for woollen yarns. The world patent on these machines, which, by the way, paved the way of manufacturing outerwear, remained valid right into the 1960s.

1940
For the second time Europe is plunged into darkness. With no end to war in sight the few things left for survival are stringently rationed. Fuelled by an urge to give deprivation the appearance of normality boundless imagination flourishes. Women hold their own with coffee substitute made from barley malt, stinging nettle salad, back combed hairstyles and by painting and high cork heels alone betray the yearning of all women to look feminine. Broad shoulders, emphasized by epaulettes and narrow hips with heavy belts on top provide a fashionable camouflage in the face of the omnipresent army.
Help from the west seems to be the only hope and finally D-Day, the day on which the United States, the world s most powerful nation, intervene in the war, arrives. Optimism and enthusiasm spread immediately and are channelled constructively by the Marshall plan, which guarantees economic recovery in Europe. Suddenly American progressiveness casts a bright light on everything. Everything is new including the look presented on the catwalk by the young Christian Dior at the opening of his fashion house in 1947. Ignoring any need for rationing, expensive fabrics are turned into creations that fit tightly around shoulders, chest and waist and continue down into big swinging skirts. The traditional female silhouette is back. In a quest to maintain the illusion of a perfect figure, society ladies, stars and starlets wear soft Hanro underwear to obscure discretely seams of shaping lingerie.
Thanks to Switzerland’s policy of neutrality, Hanro is able to continue its production. Exports to the United States, where soft viscose lingerie with tulle insets is in vogue, provide the necessary profits. Synthetic fibres are introduced under extremely stringent quality requirements. Loose-fitting styles, printed viscose jersey fabrics with tulle embroidery conjure up a liberated feel for the skin. The year of the ‘New Look’ sees the company management beginning to recruit knitters and seamstresses from Northern Italy to meet the high demand.

1950
The ‘New Look’ marks the beginning of a decade full of hope and a belief in progress, a message that is channelled into homes via radio and television and becomes the norm for a way of life everybody craves. ‘Advertising’ turns buyers into consumers and discovers movie stars as ideal message bearers. Hollywood comes to the living rooms of people whose fantasies are roused by the sex appeal of Marilyn Monroe, Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot. Those in favour of more modest charms are spoiled by Grave Kelly, the future fairytale princess, or Audrey Hepburn.
They represent the American way of life, of which the lavish airs and graces wrapped in sweet candy colours ooze the magic of childlike naively. A booming range of goods in soft, bulging shapes and tender pastel shades – from furnishings through to household appliances and fashions – surrounds young couples with the kind of romantic atmosphere that creates the mood for having babies. Baby-Dolls, petticoats, tiny bras and panty girdles, ballerinas and ponytails are the latest craze when Elvis suggestively rocks his pelvis and James Dean refuses to grow up.
He loves casual underwear and inspires the recently established Hanro VIP service in Hollywood to incorporate boxer shorts in its first men’s collection. Elvis preferred the trusty ‘unspeakables’ which he learned to love when he was a GI in Germany.
As teenagers have already started to flirt with the brand-awareness of their mothers Hanro decides to dye synthetic fibres in pastel shades for the first time and then knit them into a fine rib fabric, which is made into skimpy garments. Women’s underwear, embellished with luxurious woven lace in delicate nuances, is now supplemented by undergarments that discreetly hide the lingerie – an addition to the product range which is extremely well received by Italian women.

1960
Criticism of the establishment is beginning to stir in the minds of young people who blow the cover of secret seducers of consumption when they subscribe to pop culture. The assassination of America’s youngest president spells the end of a belief in that country omnipotence. The unconditional whisper ‘Je t’aime – moi, non plus’ anticipates the advert of sexual emancipation following the introduction of the contraceptive pill on to the market, which then, in turn, finds angry expression in the slogan ‘Make love, not war’ in the face of the Vietnam war. Rebellion is in the air sparked by the launch of Mary Quant’s mini-skirt in 1964 Swinging London. The new short length is worn over a new generation of perfectly fitting pantyhose containing elastane and the garter becomes redundant. Young women oppose the exclusive ladylike style of the preceding generation by wearing tight-fitting, sexy knitwear. Lingerie is skimpy and when young women demand the right to be in charge of their own bodies the ‘no-bra-bra’ by Rudi Gernreich presents the sole alternative to burning bras.
Tiny little panties worn under skin-tight jeans are the only undergarments accepted by hippies in their psychedelic frenzy. Flower-power with its enlightened Beatles songs, sexily hissed Rolling Stones offerings and ecstatic Jimi Hendrix chords primarily rejects commercial power but nonetheless heightens awareness for the benefits of natural, easy care fibres.
The idols of this decade are contradictory: on the one hand is Janis Joplin, who firmly rejects bras and Marie Callas the epitome of a ‘diva’ on the other. Both wear Hanro.
The raschel machines at Hanro are worked in two or even three shifts to dress mothers and daughters of the flower-power generation in creations covered in imaginative flower designs by day and night. With the new candy-coloured products in raschel jersey Hanro succeeds in joining the world leaders of the underwear industry.

1970
The exhausting period of public rebellion is followed by peace, tranquillity and a revival of old values. Focusing on the self in rustic, natural wood surroundings or embedded in brightly coloured interiors allows people to discover authenticity and nature. This perspective leads to an increases fascination with all things ethnic, a mood which is translated into fashion by borrowing design features from the Middle and Far East, South America and Africa. Punk, staged to perfection by the Sex Pistols in 1974, sees itself as the brutal and realistic counterpart of smug bourgeoisie and is a reminder of simmering potential of a contradiction not even nights at glamorous discos can gloss over. Unisex hair, clothing and behaviour and virtually equal rights break down the last taboos of free love.
‘Back to Nature’ is the general message promoted by health and fitness advisers, a new environmental consciousness and Laura-Ashley-Style floral prints.
Closeness to nature and physical fitness is the recipe for the prolonged youth everybody craves. Tellingly, one of the decades slogans is ‘don’t trust anybody over 30’.
Hanro includes sporty and imaginative underwear in loose knit rib jersey in its collection, which is designed to appeal to the company’s young and young-at-heart customers. First signs that underwear will make the transition to outerwear are already discernible and bra and pant sets and bodies for the first time ever resemble bikinis and swimsuits respectively. The new product group and the growing demand for raschel knitwear make the founding of a new production plant necessary. The subsidiary Hanro Nova SA, which is opened in Novazzano, located in the Southern-most top of the Ticino, becomes responsible for satisfying the ever-increasing demand worldwide.

1980
YYuppies, self-interested, ambitious individuals, seize the helm of the economy, consumption and life-style. ‘Styling’ is the key word to describe their inner and outer attribute to private and professional life. Post modernism demands a combination of past style statements and determines the tastes of trendsetters whose self-confidence is documented by an unwavering preference for expensive designer goods. The cult of the label for clothing – in particular accessories – and interiors takes hold. Ultra-broad shoulders contrasted by slim hips and long legs designed to take big steps overstate the athletic body and lend it a striking presence. Aerobics provide people with a break from the breathlessness of professional life and help them regain control. Diets, whole-grain foods and strength training are the key contributors to fitness and the perfect frame to dress for success, which in turn guarantees a winning position in the struggle for the survival of the fittest. The notion that a strong presence and firm muscle frequently hide a vulnerable core is born out by the playful and romantic lingerie of the first half of the decade. This is complemented by the new young ‘pi, pa & po’ Hanro brand, which, with its fun and sporty day and nightwear, provides an ideal alternative.
‘Back to Classics’ is the Hanro motto that sees the launch of the ‘cotton seamless’ shirt 1501 in 1985. The seductive classic reaches fame when it appears as a prominently placed prop by the avant-garde film director Stanley Kubrick. The ‘cotton seamless shirt 1501’ becomes the star of the collection and demand reaches record heights. Satin ribbons, which, in earlier collections, were threaded through the crochet trims to adjust the neck and arm, make a comeback in the guise of narrow straps and edging along the neckline – a brilliant way of transferring the traditional brand feature copied but never achieved definition of the feminine undershirt.

1990
Under the influence of Far Eastern philosophy and culture the neologism ‘luxese’ – from ‘Luxus (luxury)’ and ‘Askese (asceticism)’ – is coined to express a strong desire to view man and his environment as a harmonious entity and to create a trend-setting balance between the two.
Wellness as a way of finding inner peace and looking after the body, practical, comfortable and versatile clothing to suit every occasion, purposeful private and professional spheres that take the individual’s need the space into account while being flexible and low maintenance this ensuring a surplus of time for the things that really matter in life: these are the components that are experienced as true luxury by people who consciously reject affluence and live in harmony with their personality and nature. The internet with its broad applications enable communication, access to information and the completion of the computer transactions anytime anywhere in tune with individual rhythms of life. ‘Access’ is the key to successful e-commerce, which allows people to do business without having to rush around and cuts down on pollution. The new, timesaving medium leaves people with much more time for private, cultural, political and, above all, social activities.br> TThe decoding of the genetic makeup of all living organisms through biotechnology and genetic research is in its final stage. The findings will put ethics, the foundation of our civilisations to the test and question the validity of the way we see ourselves. Based on its long tradition and valuable experience, Hanro can rely on everything that has survived and proved itself through generations; ‘Back to the Roots’, to carefully developed women’s undergarments made from pure natural fibres and their blends is synonymous with sensitive and responsible handling of natural resources and the ability to satisfy the customers the customers wish for top-quality products. The increase in demand proves that people understand and share those ideals: after a century as a leader for luxurious lingerie Hanro has achieved cult status – and so have its advertising campaigns: lingerie staged an independent garments in top class surroundings, photographed in exclusive black and white, symbolize the independence with which modern women celebrate their natural beauty.
Back to Basics by no means equals an end to progress. It much more stands for Hanro’s own philosophy, which aims to offer customer’s worldwide maximum continuity as well as innovative quality. ‘Touch Feeling’, for example, was introduced on to the market in 1999. Completely seamless microfibre garments, which following a two-year development period, are in a class of their own. Extremely light with a rich, textured feel they fit the body perfectly, A real second skin.

Hanro Vision
‘Visions are dreams rooted firmly in reality.’ (Sir Winston Churchill)
Hanro-reality means the worldwide presence of a brand like that no other freed underwear from its purely functional aspect and given it the superior status of a fashion accessory. Guided by its rich history and experience every step of the way. With its careful choice and treatment of fabrics, which are processed to perfection using state-of-the-art procedures and technology, Hanro combines innovative design with awareness that close customer relations on equal terms are a key priority.
The world is in a constant state of change. The same is true for brands. In these fast-moving times it is easy to give in to the temptation of shortsighted showiness and compromises. Both are incompatible with our pragmatic and passionate vision.
We are conscious of the fast pace of our time and with our products make a concerted and relentless effort to keep it within limits. We know that our customers, both longstanding and new, recognize and appreciate gentle manufacturing procedures and perfect technical skill as well as innovation and a choice of traditional styles.
We produce goods that last because we realize that time is a true luxury. Maybe sometime in the future an entirely new world of Hanro products will become available. These might not be connected directly with underwear but will love up to our high standards in terms of wellness and cocooning because they will focus on the wellbeing of man and will be developed with the same love and care.

In order to maintain this promise for future: Hanro – the Story of a Passion!