Hiltl

Hiltl's story began in 1955 in Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Bavaria, when master tailor Fritz Hiltl founded his own trouser business with no capital but plenty of skill, courage and passion. Working alongside his wife Hedwig, his brother Erhard and six apprentices, he set out to offer made-to-measure trousers, producing just 20 pairs a day. When he unveiled his first collection at Cologne's men's fashion week in 1958, the trade was won over by its outstanding quality, and Hiltl quickly became a byword for exceptional trousers.

Fritz Hiltl's guiding principle was simple: "We never wanted to sell the most trousers, but rather the best." That philosophy carried the company through decades of growth, and by its 60th anniversary in 2015, Hiltl was shipping more than half a million pairs a year to over 40 countries. The brand remains at home in Sulzbach-Rosenberg, where in 2022 it opened a new trouser factory on its original site, combining traditional tailoring machines with cutting-edge technology.

What truly sets Hiltl apart is its devotion to detail. Every pair features finishes usually reserved for made-to-measure tailoring, from a keyhole buttonhole to buttons fixed on a long thread shank, wound in the brand's signature red thread so securely that no spare is needed. Fine-toothed metal zips made especially for Hiltl and reinforced half-moon bar tacks on many of its pockets complete trousers built for exceptional style, fit and comfort, in pursuit of the brand's ambition to tailor the best men's trousers in the world.