Texte : Marcos Eliades
Photos : Thomas M.

The German word Heimat is one of those words that loses it's real meaning once translated. Even in German it is difficult to put its meaning into words.
Heimat evokes the feeling of a homeland, a familiar place, a feeling of belonging or well-being in short comforting elements.

Why does one chose to wear a brand of clothing rather than another? I frequently ask myself that question. I think that one element of the answer would be to first consider the garment intrinsically, its functionality and its design.

Then comes the history of the brand in question. When I wrote about the feeling of Einfuhlung in my Valstar piece, it was clear that my quest for my sense of clothing was taking root.

The German brand Heimat manages to transpose this feeling into its sailor inspired knitwear. Hats, Scarfs but especially Sweaters, here is our take on their now legendary "U Boat" Turtleneck in Forest Green.

Let’s have a closer look.

A story about threads

Sometimes words are better than a well-drawn picture. This is why we interviewed Christian Hofmann, the founder of Heimat.

How and when did Heimat come to exist?

Heimat was started in 2016 after an 11-year career at Ralph Lauren where my last position held was Director of Merchandising Europe for Polo and RRL.

My whole life I wanted to start my own fashion brand. Do things the way I want them to be done and put my stamp on a creative project.

The Word Heimat is a German phrase with no translation. Heimat is a place where you feel the most comfortable, a place that evokes a sense of belonging or security. Sometimes Heimat can be just the feeling that's triggered by a smell or moment of calm you get whilst you do what you love doing. For example, the feeling a surfer has when he in the ocean or a mountaineer when he reaches the peak. The aim of our clothes is to trigger that same Heimat feeling. We want people to feel safe and secure in our garments and feel at home wherever they might be going.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Our clothes are universal but we are proud of the German heritage and craftmanship. Germany is known for high-level engineering and great quality all over the world and that’s what Heimat products are about.

I love things that are simple and made for a purpose and are stripped of any unnecessary design features. Hence why a lot of inspirations come from traditional workwear or military garments.

My main inspirations are the outdoors and lifestyle sports like surfing, hiking, or just riding your motorbike but in the end anything

What do you find in a knitwear garment you don't find elsewhere?

We use the best wool which pays back in the quality of our products. You can wear our sweaters or hats for years and the wool will not pill or rip, which is an advantage against other traditionally used materials.

The fit is tailored to the heavy knitting. It will fit tight to the body when you first put it on but after a couple of wear's it softens up and perfectly adjusts to your body shape, similar to a fresh pair of jeans.

Have a look at the perfect finishing details of our garments, the cuffs, hem, or the crown of our hats, which ensures it does not stick up on your head.

Due to our supply chain we are a very sustainable business. The little carbon footprint we create is off set with CO2 projects in Brazil and Africa. We are a small team and our suppliers and B2B clients are partners/friends not just customers, if they do well we do well. We want to have fun and feel positive about what we are doing.

What is the next step for Heimat ?

Just recently we added some beautiful new socks (Die Wandersocke) made of the same virgin wool as our Sweaters. We have some great new items in the pipeline and we’ve worked on some fantastic quality merino which really will complement our assortment. We don't want to keep adding categories unless we feel it is right for the brand and is in line with our ethos.

Thanks Christian!

A turtleneck to cope with cold weather and remain stylish

Every winter, I go in search of the perfect sweater. Every winter, I come to the same conclusion: there is a perfect sweater only for a given situation. I discovered Heimat a year ago, through an Instagram post by Beige Habilleur. I had never really seen or touched a turtleneck knitted this intricate way*, tight and rugged.

The turtleneck – or rollneck for our fellow English readers – is not for everyone. Or rather, there's a turtleneck for every neck. Take Heimat's: it is hand finished, rolls up and unrolls efficiently to the desired height. If it is too cold: unroll it. If it is warmer: roll it up. Same goes for the cuffs. I was conquered by this versatility right away.

The sweater is made in Germany. The sleeves and collar are attached by hand. Made of 100% virgin wool, the sweater is heavy. Nevertheless, it is advisable for you to choose your usual size, knowing the knitting will loosen a bit and make for a perfect fit along wears. A sweater that lives!

A turtleneck that makes me – fittingly – think of the submariners worn by American GIs. Heimat's strength is to offer a classic men's wardrobe while adapting the fit and offering different colors. This model is available in blue, yellow, ecru, black or orange.

This forest green beautifully illuminates an outfit. A sweater that I have been able to wear in the city as well as in the countryside, fitting perfectly in both habitats.

We recommend wearing this sweater with chromexcel chukka boots, fitted here – a Crown Northampton model, review coming soon – a selvedge pair of jeans from Superstitch and a reversible versatile overcoat like the one offered by L'Impermeabile and available at The Coolest Man You Know.

A great classic

Eventually, Heimat offers a wardrobe staple every man should own. One every man should own and care for. Robust and simple at the same time, the Heimat U-boat turtleneck will certainly last me a lifetime and make me feel at home every time I wear it.

*mostly with half cardigan stitch, in french we call it “côtes perlées”