Annette Roeckl has been at the helm of the traditional German family business Roeckl since 2003. She has gradually transformed the Munich-based glove brand into an accessories label. Roeckl recently became a member of the Fashion Council Germany. A conversation about the balancing act between tradition and modernity, women in leadership positions, and the current state of German fashion.

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FCG: Ms. Roeckl. It's said that you, of all people, refused to wear gloves as a teenager, as a matter of principle. Why?

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Annette Röckl: As is often the case with young people, it was very important for me to first distance myself from the family business and find my own point of view. In the meantime, I've developed my own approach: I see gloves as a wonderful handcrafted product with a fascinating tradition—and, moreover, they have a significant impact on both secular and religious history. Besides the eyes, the hand plays a special role in communication.

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FCG: Today you wouldn't even go out for an espresso at Roecklplatz, the square named after your family, without gloves.

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Annette Röckl: Never! Depending on my mood, I might wear red or pink lined gloves, or a light pair in the summer. And a scarf and a bag to go with them—we've built up a whole world of accessories.

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FCG: You have been leading the family business in its sixth generation since 2003. This year, Roeckl celebrates its 180th anniversary. How do you manage the balancing act between tradition and the future?

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Annette Röckl: That's precisely the challenge. Our credo is to carry the valuable, good, and authentic elements that are anchored at the core of the brand into the future. To do this, we must constantly ask ourselves: What is actually worth preserving? What is our guiding principle? For us, this clearly means maintaining high quality and customer satisfaction. This is also a clear commitment to our employees and partners. Roeckl was a purveyor to the Royal Bavarian Court in the past; even Empress Sissi wore our gloves. You can't achieve something like that without high standards.

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FCG: Speaking of Sissi: Who wears Roeckl products today?

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Annette Röckl: The same customers who also treat themselves to Roeckl handbags and scarves—those who value durability and want our staff to explain the products to them in detail so they can leave with a favorite piece. At Roeckl, the price-performance ratio is excellent. Our products still look like new after ten or even twenty years. They last for generations.

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FCG: How can this still be ensured?

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Annette Röckl: Preserving traditional craftsmanship is a task that many brands are currently addressing. In addition to our glove factory, we opened our own bag factory in 2010, and our production facilities in Romania employ excellent craftspeople.

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FCG: Transparent production is something that customers are now demanding.

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Annette Röckl: Customers today have a completely different awareness, especially regarding the regional origin of products. That's another reason why we now train our apprentices in Germany. Know-how is key. To further strengthen our product expertise, we are currently revising our entire workshop concept in Munich.

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FCG: A step towards modernization.

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Annette Röckl: Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the passing on of the embers—that was a key phrase for me when I took over management in 2003. It's crucial not to become rigid. The world operates very differently today, of course. Therefore, we are also focusing heavily on digitalization, both in communication and in our corporate structures.

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FCG: Did you initially have a harder time as a woman at the top of the company?

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Annette Röckl: Interestingly, I didn't encounter any problems from internal employees, but I did from external business partners. Why is there a woman there, and such a young one at that? There were many unspoken, clear questions, for example, from bankers or insurance agents. I tried to ignore it, but in the beginning, I was often uncertain myself. Unfortunately, we still live in a patriarchal society; the legacy is ingrained in all of us. That also has an impact on a woman's self-image.

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FCG: How did you overcome the uncertainty?

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Annette Röckl: Sovereignty comes with experience. It's important to believe in yourself. Eventually, gender ceases to matter. What counts is personality and the ability to take responsibility.

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FCG: Would you say that you have a different leadership style as a woman?

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Annette Röckl: I think so. I probably act in a more cooperative and collaborative way.

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FCG: Apart from yourself, what is the situation regarding women in leadership positions at Roeckl?

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Annette Röckl: We're way ahead in that respect; 80-90 percent of our management positions are held by women, both in our boutiques and in the management of our manufacturing facilities. Our headquarters has become more female in recent years. Women traditionally work in retail, as they do in the fashion industry in general, and they're simply very capable. We're happy to continue on this successful path. And I genuinely enjoy working with women in leadership positions. Generally speaking, I consider diverse teams of young and old, long-term and new employees, as well as women and men, to be ideal.

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FCG: In 2017, Roeckl experienced a severe crisis — fortunately, the self-filed insolvency was averted.

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Annette Röckl: We withdrew the application for insolvency under self-administration at that time because we very quickly developed a solution within the family. The cohesion in a family business is certainly stronger than in a large holding company.

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FCG: The warm winters were also to blame. Their sales figures used to be predictable based on the weather. And today?

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Annette Röckl: Although we position ourselves today as an accessories brand, our focus remains on our origins: gloves. A cold winter can be a decisive season for sales. That's one of the reasons why Russia is such an important market, where we invest heavily.

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FCG: Are you currently focusing more on international business in general?

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Annette Röckl: After having to close some branches during the crisis, we can and want to expand again in the DACH region. We are still the market leader here.

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FCG: As a traditional German company, how do you assess Germany as a fashion nation?

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Annette Röckl: Germany is primarily known for industry and technology, for precision and engineering—not for fashion. Let's not exaggerate. Nevertheless, there's a power in fashion design that hasn't been sufficiently recognized. We have outstanding creative talent pools and hidden champions in fashion as well.

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FCG: That sums it up quite well. The Fashion Council Germany has made it its mission to increase the visibility of fashion made in Germany and to promote young talent. Roeckl recently became a member of the fashion chamber.

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Annette Röckl: I believe it's an institution worthy of support, as it helps to give German fashion a stronger voice, a better platform, and increased visibility—which it certainly deserves. There are outstanding collections that no one sees. Networking is becoming more important than ever. If we can join forces, Germany's incredible fashion power will propel it even further forward. You can see this in countries like Italy and France, where fashion chambers have a long tradition. This momentum for German fashion is a fantastic opportunity. I'm really looking forward to it.