It was 95 degrees erstwhile the archetypal prototype of a Norwegian Wool overgarment arrived astatine Michael Berkowitz's flat successful The Bronx, New York, successful August 2014.
Needing to trial the waterproof knee-length wool overgarment without getting vigor stroke, the laminitis and CEO of the then-fledgling apparel marque took it to a supermarket successful West Harlem. "[I] paced backmost and distant for 30 minutes successful a walk-in freezer" to measure its lining for warmth, recalls Berkowitz, 38. "It's New York, truthful nary 1 stops you, nary 1 asks you. My look was acold by the end, but my assemblage was wholly warm. I retrieve thinking, 'OK, we're connected to something.'"
At the time, Berkowitz was a commodities trader hoping to motorboat his ain business. Today, Norwegian Wool's coats adorn the shoulders of billionaires, actors, politicians and financiers — astatine run events, during the annual World Economic Forum successful Davos, Switzerland, and successful a Season 3 occurrence of HBO's "Succession." The apparel marque was profitable successful 2024, and has been for 7 retired of the past 8 years, Berkowitz says.
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Berkowitz declined to stock different financials, citing competitory unit — but says his company's products are present sold successful much than 100 stores worldwide, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and his appointment-only New York showroom.
The entreaty of Norwegian Wool coats is portion form, portion function. Financiers are expected to formal a definite way, but the classical wool Italian coats astir of them deterioration aren't designed for sub-40-degree weather, says Berkowitz.
"If you amusement up wearing a [puffer coat] that looks similar you're going to the Arctic, but it's lone 40 degrees, you bash not look similar the idiosyncratic that's going to beryllium capable to interruption done walls and get a woody done," helium says.
Norwegian Wool's bestselling mid-length Euro Coats presently scope from $1,545 to $2,945 each, depending connected the benignant of wool used. The marque sells different lengths and styles, including blazers, athletics coats, rainfall and skis jackets, and a assortment of wintertime overgarment options and accessories for men and women. Roughly 40 billionaires person purchased Norwegian Wool coats, Berkowitz estimates.
A luxury startup with humble roots
Berkowitz had the thought for Norwegian Wool portion shivering connected a subway level with a person successful 2013, helium says. "I told him, 'I request a overgarment that looks good, that I could deterioration to work, that volition really support maine warm,'" Berkowitz remembers. "He enactment his limb connected my shoulders, like, 'Dude, erstwhile you find it, get maine one, too.'"
After doing immoderate research, Berkowitz identified a elemental culprit, helium says: Many fashionable coats are designed successful parts of Italy wherever the aerial seldom freezes. The mean January somesthesia in Florence, for example, is astir 40 degrees Fahrenheit — compared to 30 degrees in New York and 25 degrees in Chicago.
Companies based successful Canada and Scandinavia marque warmer coats for harsher winters, but arsenic 1 decorator told him, the 2 industries "don't speech to each other," helium says.
Norwegian Wool's showroom, located successful New York's Midtown neighborhood
Norwegian Wool
Berkowitz spent months flying to Italy and backmost to conscionable and woo mill owners, who'd vessel prototypes to his apartment. He yet spent $250,000 — $50,000 of his ain wealth and a $200,000 concern from the erstwhile CFO of his company, who'd heard astir Berkowitz's efforts from a workfellow — to illustration the prototypes and bid an archetypal tally of 200 coats, helium says.
On nights, weekends and abrogation days, Berkowitz carted those coats — 1 connected his assemblage and 2 successful a tiny suitcase — to family-owned luxury stores crossed the U.S., helium says. He often pitched straight to income associates, who knew their clients' shared dilemma of wanting to consciousness lukewarm portion looking bully successful a luxury coat, helium says.
He sold each 200 coats successful 3 months and resigned from his time occupation successful aboriginal 2015, helium says.
"I didn't slumber overmuch that year," says Berkowitz, adding that by day, helium tried to fell his efforts to debar jeopardizing his job. According to his erstwhile brag Alan Kestenbaum, present the CEO of New York-based holding institution Bedrock Industries, helium lone ever came crossed arsenic a "street smart" and anxious worker who was "the archetypal to get and the past to leave."
Like 'dipping your manus into lukewarm butter'
In 2017, Berkowitz landed his archetypal concern to merchantability coats astatine a large section store. The pursuing year, Norwegian Wool participated successful 2 fundraising rounds, some seven-figure deals with backstage investors, Berkowitz says. He remains the company's bulk owner, helium notes.
Norwegian Wool coats are mostly much costly than Canada Goose parkas, and little pricey than cashmere coats from established Italian luxury brands similar Loro Piana. But the prime of its materials is high, says "Succession" costume manager Jon Schwartz: Norwegian Wool's cashmere feels similar "dipping your manus into lukewarm butter."
Berkowitz's imagination for Norwegian Wool is simply a estimation akin to Range Rover cars — known worldwide for a blend of benignant and functionality, helium says. He plans to adhd much merchandise lines, put successful selling and big pop-up retail events to amended the brand's visibility, helium adds. Already, he's overheard Norwegian Wool travel up successful integrated conversations, adjacent erstwhile cipher realizes the brand's laminitis is successful earshot, helium says.
If you amusement up wearing a [puffer coat] that looks similar you're going to the Arctic, but it's lone 40 degrees, you bash not look similar the idiosyncratic that's going to beryllium capable to interruption done walls and get a woody done.
Michael Berkowitz
Founder and CEO, Norwegian Wool
And arsenic idiosyncratic squarely wrong Norwegian Wool's people demographic — businesspeople who privation to marque an content with their quality during acold winters, helium says — helium inactive tests galore of the company's prototypes himself.
Berkowitz outfitted himself and his friends with not-yet-released parkas for a February skis travel successful the Alps. He brought a illustration of a precocious released bamboo blazer to Paris successful September, tossing it connected apical of his rolling suitcase and into the plane's overhead bin to trial it for wrinkling and pilling, helium says.
"I trial things retired going to my bureau successful Midtown oregon successful abrogation to the Alps," says Berkowitz. "It doesn't substance wherever it is, arsenic overmuch arsenic however I'm wearing it. It has to beryllium typical of however our customers would deterioration it."
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