Company: Gertrud Belle
Founder: Klaudia Hauser
Founding date: January 21, 2024
Industry and company: Fashion

What drives you? What is your motto?
A sailing ship can be built perfectly in the harbor and constantly improved. But ultimately it has to go out to sea to prove that it is fit for purpose.

What is your company about and what is special about it?
Hiking clothing made from natural fabrics that is not only functional, but also beautiful and feminine. We develop our collection in Wiesbaden and it is also produced in Wiesbaden. This enables personal contact with my customers and individual advice when selling. I want to offer an alternative to the usual hiking clothing.

What are your first successes?
When the first collection was finished and I actually held the blouses, pants and skirts I had designed and developed in my hands for the first time; the positive reactions from customers and media reports.

What is your professional background?
I trained as a social pedagogue and worked as a social worker in a school for almost 20 years - and then took the plunge into self-employment.

What was the trigger for you to set up your own business?
When I reached the summit of a mountain tour, was simply happy, wanted to take a nice photo at the summit cross - and then realized that it just wouldn't work in functional clothing. Or to put it another way: My love of mountain hiking and the futile search for hiking clothing that is functional and beautiful, made from natural, skin-friendly fabrics and not polyester. Hiking fashion that shows off a woman's natural beauty.

Who advised you, who are your helpers and mentors?
Berufswege für Frauen has provided me with two important mentors: A fashion designer who shared her knowledge and experience with me. This enabled me to get to know this craft and understand how complex it is and how much work is involved. And a mentor from the fashion industry, who kept me focused on the processes, production, calculations and, above all, realistic implementation.

How did you experience the first few days as a founder?
The first few days I thought: "... Let's see how far I get."

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
Being self-employed is more complex than I thought. But I've gradually opened up everything to myself - by asking questions, trying things out and sticking with it. Take design, for example: first with watercolors and foils - later with the help of a fabric designer. It grows with every step.

How do you draw attention to your company? What is your best marketing idea?
Primarily through direct contact: at trade fairs, events and exhibitions. I tell people about the idea and the clothes. Then there's Instagram, the website, the press, flyers and collaborations. I like collaborations best. Creating a small event for customers together with other small businesses, such as stores, salons and studios. And lots of word of mouth.

How did you finance your start-up?
Own funds!

What dream would you still like to realize?
GERTRUD BELLE on tour - with a mobile showroom that travels through Germany. Pop-up events in small stores, salons and studios. It's not about mass, but about proximity. And in the long term: founding a cooperative in which women work together - with the same respect with which I make clothes.

Please complete the following sentence: If I had more time, I would ...
... go hiking more, spend time outdoors.

What is your special tip: What would you recommend to founders?
I find it difficult to give tips and advice. An important realization for me was that I can't pick up every woman. We humans are just so diverse.