Austrian Luxury Brands: Learning German in the Heart of Vienna
On Wednesday, 30 September, participants of the Safavi Impact Institute joined their trainer Martin Höffinger for a cultural walk through Vienna’s city centre. The walk explored Austrian heritage and luxury brands and looked at how companies with long histories continue to thrive today.
Under the title “Austrian Luxury Brands – from Lobmeyr to Swarovski”, the group visited selected stores of some of Vienna’s most established companies. Many of these names are closely connected with the city’s history and the Habsburg era.
J. & L. Lobmeyr was founded in Vienna in 1823 and began supplying the Imperial Court as early as 1835. A Hofburg glass service created for official receptions was designed to serve up to 400 guests and was later used by the Republic of Austria for state receptions. To this day, Lobmeyr glassware is mouth-blown, cut, engraved and polished by hand.
The history of the jewellery house A. E. Köchert is equally closely linked to the Imperial Court in Vienna. In 1832, the company was awarded the title of Imperial and Royal Court Jeweller, and Jakob Heinrich Köchert later became personal jeweller to Emperor Franz Joseph. Among the house’s most famous creations are the diamond stars worn by Empress Elisabeth. These pieces remain closely associated with the iconic image of the Austrian empress.
Demel traces its history back to 1786, when Ludwig Dehne opened a confectionery on Michaelerplatz. The company later became a supplier to the Imperial Court and also provided sweets and frozen desserts to the former Hofburg Theatre. Anna Demel played an important role in the company’s history. In 1952, she became the first woman in Austria to receive the honorary professional title of Kommerzialrat.
Swarovski represents a different chapter in the story of Austrian luxury: the transformation of a local company into an internationally recognised brand. Daniel Swarovski founded the company in Wattens, Tyrol, in 1895 after developing a machine that enabled exceptionally precise crystal cutting. Swarovski crystals entered the world of international fashion during the first half of the 20th century. In 1957, the company collaborated with Christian Dior to create the “Aurora Borealis” effect, a shimmering crystal finish inspired by the Northern Lights.
The cultural walk formed part of the Business German course. At each stop, participants discussed products, target audiences and brand presentation. Using the companies they visited as real-world examples, they explored how heritage and provenance can shape modern brand communication and how language is used to convey quality and exclusivity.
The examples also showed that a long history alone does not make a successful brand. What matters is how a company translates its heritage into a contemporary identity that remains relevant to today’s customers. The walk gave participants the opportunity to discuss these questions in German and apply the language of business, marketing and corporate communication in a real-world setting.
