Last year Philipp Zwahlen became the third-generation managing director of Zwahlen-Hüni, a family business established 76 years ago. Philipp spoke to GstaadLife about heritage, retail and service.

Your family must have seen a lot of changes in retail over the years?
Yes, certainly! My grandparents started the boutique in Saanen in 1948 and opened a second shop in Gstaad in 1962. We still have a boutique in Gstaad which is combined with our cigars and tobacco shop on the Promenade.

Retail is becoming increasingly competitive, but we know who we are and don’t try to copy everyone else. While we do offer some brands like Barbour and Longchamp, we focus on offering products that our clients can’t find elsewhere.

We specialise in alpine chic, meaning Bavarian and Austrian jackets for men, women and children. We have a supplier in Austria who makes them for us so we can be sure of the quality. We stock different sizes, of course, but also offer tailoring services so the fit is exact. Our clients can also decide on different buttons or linings and so on to achieve a particular look. These jackets have become very contemporary. These days you can also wear them in the city. They’re not just for yodelling!

We are also clear on what we don’t sell: items that are covered with brand names. Our clients don’t want to act as walking advertisements and I find the quality of these products is often bad. You’re just paying for the brand name and that’s not what we offer.

Your family has been serving clients for 76 years; that’s an amazing achievement. What is the secret to this success?
I like to think we have a friendly way of selling, something that’s been handed down by my grandparents and parents. We know our clients well and value them by providing really good service.

While many of our clients are visitors to the region, others live here all year round. It’s for that reason we also stay open in low season and connect with and value local people.

How do you decide what to stock?
The fantastic thing about a family business is that we have so much history. Of course I buy a little differently to my parents, but it’s still so helpful to be able to run the shops based on experience.

When it comes to our product range, we do research on social media, but also visit a big annual trade fair in Salzburg and several agencies in Zürich and Milan to buy new lines.

What do you think of online shopping?
We considered opening a web shop, but I prefer to give my attention to our boutiques. Shopping online for things like tennis shoes is easy, but it’s a different matter with a dress for a special occasion or an Austrian jacket. We also offer things you can’t get online. You can have a little chat with our salesperson. They’ll help you find the right fit and can arrange any alterations such as sleeve length. We’re also happy to deliver clients’ purchases to their hotels or homes and can even give our clients recommendations for local restaurants. You can’t get that from a web shop!

With such a long heritage in the Saanenland, how do you see the future?
It’s our pleasure to have served so many clients through the generations. I’m always happy to serve younger clients because they are the future, but we don’t do this at the expense of our older clients. That’s what some shops do – they change their whole way of selling and forget about their existing clients. I don’t think that’s a good idea. We want to continue selling to the different generations for many years to come.

Finally, how do you like to spend your spare time?
In the summer, I like to ride my motorbike, play tennis and spend time with my wife (especially on a hike or on a terrace with an aperitif!) In winter, it’s simple: if time permits, I go skiing.

ANNA CHARLES

Follow Zwalen Hüni on Instagram