Headwear Retail: Local Presence as a Global Strategy
Interview with Jérôme Louis, Managing Director of ANTHEC GmbH & Co. KG
In an increasingly digital retail landscape, visibility, trust and local relevance have become decisive competitive factors. ANTHEC GmbH & Co. KG has positioned itself early on at this intersection – combining a strong e-commerce foundation with a clear localization strategy, physical retail presence and the targeted use of artificial intelligence. Managing Director Jérôme Louis explains how the company has grown internationally, why multi-shop visibility and proximity to customers matter, and how people, technology and expertise shape ANTHEC’s long-term vision.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Louis, how has the company evolved since its foundation?
Jérôme Louis: Founded in 2001, Anthec began as a pure e-commerce company, which was uncommon in our sector at the time. For many years, our activities focused on Germany and the German-speaking markets of Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands. When I joined the company in 2012, we set a clear strategic course towards internationalization. From the outset, our ambition was not simply to ship products abroad, but to design our business model in a way that could be replicated locally in every market. Elements such as local return structures, payment systems and logistics partners were initially operational considerations, but they soon became reminders that international growth must be built on local relevance.
Wirtschaftsforum: How important is local presence to your international success?
Jérôme Louis: In practice, this approach has proven to be a decisive success factor. In international e-commerce, reducing complexity and uncertainty is critical for conversion and long-term customer relationships. By offering local customer service, native-language communication and familiar commercial frameworks, we actively lower barriers to purchase. This allows us to scale our model efficiently across borders and has been a key driver of our growth throughout Europe and, more recently, in overseas markets such as the United States.
Wirtschaftsforum: Today, ANTHEC combines e-commerce with physical retail. How is the company positioned at present?
Jérôme Louis: We currently employ around 140 people. In Germany, we operate nine brick-and-mortar stores, complemented by a store in Paris and a presence in New York. The combination of online and offline business gives us stability. During the pandemic, strong e-commerce growth compensated for temporary store closures. Today, physical stores act as local brand anchors, strengthening online performance by increasing visibility, trust and regional presence.
Wirtschaftsforum: Digitalization and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly important. How are you using AI within the company?
Jérôme Louis: We believe AI will not replace people, but people who do not work with AI will be replaced. AI already supports our teams in customer communication, text creation and image processing. A key innovation is our AI-based virtual try-on, currently being tested in Austria, developed in-house as a high-quality solution that allows customers to see how a hat looks on them via photo or webcam. Beyond classic search, we are also seeing increasing traffic from AI-based search environments, which further increases the importance of digital visibility.
Wirtschaftsforum: Marketing and visibility are crucial in e-commerce. What role does your multi-shop strategy play in this context?
Jérôme Louis: Visibility is a key factor in digital retail. We deliberately operate several online shops per market, including general and brand-specific platforms. This strengthens our visibility in search engines, both organically and via Google Ads, and allows us to address different target groups with tailored assortments and budgets. In some cases, this means occupying multiple top search positions simultaneously. Alongside classic search, we are also seeing increasing traffic from AI-based search environments. In addition, we sell via marketplaces such as Amazon, Zalando and Otto, while maintaining our positioning as a specialist.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is your vision for Anthec’s future, and what motivates you personally?
Jérôme Louis: Our vision is to become synonymous with high-quality headwear, not only in Germany but internationally. We want to be seen not simply as a retailer, but as true hat experts combining product quality, service and advice – and we do not sell ‘at any price’ if something is not right for the customer. Strategically, we aim to stabilize our European markets while selectively expanding into further overseas regions. At the same time, trends such as rising demand for UV protection – driven by climate change and health awareness – are becoming increasingly important. People remain central to our success: that is why HR reports directly to me and why we reversed our recruitment process, actively presenting ourselves to applicants so they can make a conscious choice. Personally, I stay close to daily operations, spending time in stores and with teams on site, because strategy must work in practice. In the long term, we also want to build a community of headwear enthusiasts who identify with our brand. I am motivated by shaping something meaningful and lasting together with our employees.