Interview With Falke’s International PR Director, Kristina Falke

Over the years, Falke has become synonymous with exquisite quality. Its repertoire – socks, hosiery, and occasionally clothing is small, but focused; it oozes luxury. Falke takes care to excel at what it’s known for, instead of capitalising on lightning-fast microtrends. Sustainability has always been at the forefront of the German brand, as its pieces have been designed to last – which is a far cry from fast fashion buys that end up disintegrating after a few washes.

Upon visiting the Falke factory in Schmallenberg, it is instantly apparent the way in which intentionality is at Falke’s core, with its concentrated repertoire creating a base through which a variety of current trends can be explored. Its masterful designers are able to reinterpret and reimagine Falke’s products for its in-the-know customers, without losing its special edge. Building upon its base, a variety of textures, colours, and patterns are introduced to produce a current spin on Falke’s classics.

A family-run business, that sense of togetherness permeates the air from Falke head office to the factory floor, wherein unity is cultivated and maintained amongst employees. And, when a healthy work environment is fostered, it allows for workers to flourish and thrive, exemplified by the company’s meticulous quality control, through which nothing slips through the cracks – staff can be seen hand-finishing products to ensure their perfection. This detail-oriented production process results in truly unparalleled pieces for each and every one of its customers, who revel in private moments of luxury when wearing the brand.

We had the absolute pleasure of picking apart the brains of Falke International PR Director, Kristina Falke, to get some insight into precisely what makes this brand a staple within luxury goods.

Head below to read our chat with Kristina Falke, right now…

Congratulations on such an exciting time at the company! If you could sum up where Falke is as a brand just now, what would you say?
Thank you! Today, FALKE is an internationally operating premium company with modern clothes for modern people. We sell products for every occasion and age and see ourselves as a companion in our customers’ lives.

The manufacturing process is really intricate and detail-focused. Can you talk us through how that has evolved to be such a key characteristic in the way you work?
Our way of production is based on the beginnings of the company. Knitting techniques have evolved and machines have become more and more innovative but their basic origin has remained the same. Socks are still our best-known products. Quality and premium are the terms by which FALKE distinguishes itself. That is why we still place an extremely high value on perfection in our production processes and put a lot of manual work into our work. This is what sets us apart from other brands.

Sustainability is at the heart of the direction the company appears to be going – how are you implementing more environmentally conscious practices into your processes?
For us, it is firmly anchored in the FALKE DNA to handle our resources in an environmentally conscious way and to constantly adapt and improve all processes of the production process. Sustainability does not just mean using recycled yarns and organic materials but adapting the entire value creation process. Quality, social responsibility and environmental protection play decisive roles. Step by step, our goal is to develop standards for these three components of sustainability and implement them for our company.

The brand is also moving towards more gender-neutral designs, how does inclusivity fit in with the goals of Falke just now?
FALKE sees itself as a modern brand that moves with the spirit of the times. Genderfluid fashion is a topic we are also dealing with. That is why more and more styles in our collections are gender-neutral. We also have a unisex collection with sporty styles for sneakers.

Can you tell us about how being a family-run business impacts your way of working at Falke?
The advantage of a family business is that each generation was accompanied on its path by the previous one. Experiences can thus be passed on much better. They form the most important foundation of our company.

Falke combines staple codes with trends, retaining its identity but still offering something relevant to shoppers. How do you find towing that line at the company?
For us, the perfect combination is a broad-based collection of essentials that are available every season and whose products have become our FALKE heroes over the years. They are presented seasonally in trendy colours and thus get a little touch up. Then there are our seasonals, which set new trends, be it through innovative material compositions, special knitting techniques or exciting patterns.

You have over 3000 employees, what are the values that are important to your staff?
FALKE employees should feel part of the FALKE Family. They are an essential pillar of the company. It is thanks to all of them that FALKE has been on the market for 127 years. Therefore, we do everything in our power to create a working environment in which appreciation, creativity and further development have the highest priority.

If you could describe Falke in 3 words, what would they be?
Quality, craftsmanship and innovation.

Check out Falke’s incredible range of high quality pieces here…