The idea for Barons of Copenhagen was conceived on a high-speed train in Shanghai. The ingredients were two Directors from Deloitte, a universe of businessmen in wrinkled shirts, and an entrepreneurial dream with a towering ambition to create something of their own. In a split second, the idea of creating a new Danish challenger to the Swedish shirt giants was born.

Article from Politiken, 31.12.2016

The founders of Barons were themselves accustomed to wearing the shirt as a necessary part of the uniform on the polished floors. As former Directors in Deloitte Corporate Finance, they have worked with buying and selling companies all over the globe. They have seen and experienced how high-end quality shirts endured the day's challenges in the boardroom, while others were visibly wrinkled early in the day's negotiations. The business model became crystal clear the moment the idea was born. Joachim and Kristian were to develop, produce, and sell the perfect business shirt, where quality and fit would be state-of-the-art and the price significantly lower than other quality shirts on the market.

- Our company was founded on an autumn day in 2014. We were in the process of divesting a company, and as we stood on the train, we began joking about the quality of each of our shirts. My shirt had survived the day, while Kristian's had failed miserably. It became clear to us that everyone claims quality, but very few actually live up to it. The idea was born. We were to develop and sell quality shirts at a sharper price than what is common in the market, says entrepreneur and shirt adventurer Joachim Latocha, who is 31 years old and holds a master's degree from CBS.

TOUGH INDUSTRY

Today, Joachim and Kristian have developed a top-quality shirt under a brand with an edge. The Barons shirt has quickly positioned itself in the spectrum of high-end products, distinguished by being sewn from the finest fabric, woven from some of the world's best cotton. The cotton is from Egypt and the southern states of the USA. The fabric is woven in Germany and Italy, the finishing takes place in Switzerland, while the actual sewing is done in Eastern Europe. All production processes occur at renowned factories where environmental, working, and wage conditions are top-notch, and there is a guarantee that no child labor is used, nor are there any chemical residues in the fabric.

- We have developed the shirt from scratch, and from the start aimed to develop a quality shirt that is easy to iron and stays neat all day. We know how important it is for the shirt to still look good late in the afternoon. It has not been our mission to create a fashion brand, and therefore the shirt is only available in the businessman's preferred colors, namely white and light blue. In the development process, we have focused heavily on cutting out all unnecessary and costly steps. We have visited trade shows, been in dialogue with sewing factories, designers, and fabric suppliers. We have attended countless coffee meetings and have had to knock on many doors ourselves. But the effort has paid off, and today we have a unique shirt that fits well in any business context. It is a tough industry we have entered, but we have succeeded and receive very good feedback from our customers, explains shirt adventurer and entrepreneur number two, Kristian.

THE FIRST CHOICE IN THE WARDROBE

The Barons shirt is born for online sales and is available today in three different designs, named after some of the characters Kristian and Joachim have met in their careers. The CEO is the white, eye-catching shirt in a slightly heavier fabric. The Banker, with its extreme cutaway collar, is a bit more daring, while the classic and reliable shirt, The Consultant, meets every busy businessman's needs. Soon, The Lawyer, The Founder, and The Art Director will also join the Barons family. The mission of the boys is for the Barons shirt to be the first choice in the wardrobe for the busy businessman in the Western world. Initially, the focus will be centered around the Danish and Nordic markets, followed by the rest of Europe and North America.

 - We aim to be a global brand, for the shirt deserves it for the top quality and luxury it represents. But as entrepreneurs, we also know the premise and understand that hard work is required in marketing. It takes innovation to break into a conservative market, as it's about reaching customers in a different way. We men are creatures of habit, and we don't believe a webshop does it all. We have therefore established an ambassador model, where our customers invite us to their workplace so colleagues can also experience the Barons shirts, and anyone can essentially become a Barons ambassador, concludes Joachim.

A BARON IS A FREE MAN

The brand name Barons of Copenhagen was chosen because a baron is a free man. Free in thought and action, but also a man who historically could bring prestige to the king's court. The online universe revolves around this and invites all owners of the Barons shirt to bring out the best version of themselves and step into the Barons family.