Give the Past a Future – How Chirimoya is translating cultural heritage into modern luxury

Consumer behavior in the luxury segment is visibly changing. According to a recent article in the Financial Times, many consumers today are seeking more than mere brand presence or oversized logos. They want products defined by quality, authenticity and long-term value. Pieces that justify their investment and create a genuine relationship between themselves and the brand. Buyers are placing increasing emphasis on craftsmanship, transparency and integrity. All factors that extend beyond prestige effects.¹

It is precisely within this context that the story of Chirimoya began. For Helmut Schuster, it started with a very personal observation: As a passionate swimmer from Baden, in Austria  he collected poorly produced T-shirts at competitions. Distorted fabrics, inadequate quality, pieces without durability. Half ironic, half ambitious, he once told his teammates that one day he would design “the perfect T-shirt” himself. Decades later, that vision became the foundation of a brand for elevated luxury basics: Chirimoya - a company that places material durability and a deeply rooted dedication to quality at its core.

Founded by Helmut Schuster and creatively shaped by Creative Director Frederick “Freddie” Jenkyn, Chirimoya today represents a clearly structured value system. What happens when a corporate strategist with a passion for structure and supply chains meets a designer who grew up on wool farms in rural Australia and experienced the beginning of a production chain from early childhood?

Quite a lot, as it turns out. This became especially evident during our conversation over coffee at one of the FashionTouri partner hotels, Jaz in the City in Vienna, where we discussed the various mechanisms of the fashion industry. Helmut Schuster and Frederick Jenkyn spoke with Ronja Scherzinger, CEO of FashionTouri, about their shared understanding of quality. One that goes far beyond materiality and expresses longevity, substance and emotional value. They explained the limited quantities of their collections as a logical result of complex dyeing processes, carefully selected materials and deliberately structured supply chains.

From their perspective, authentic luxury emerges where history is carried forward: in the awareness of the origin of materials, of the hands that shaped them, and of the cultural traditions that continue to live within each individual piece.

How did Chirimoya evolve from an initial impulse into a company?

Helmut Schuster:

At its core, it goes back to my youth in Baden. I participated in swimming competitions, and as prizes we would receive flip-flops, swim trunks or these terribly produced T-shirts. I used to joke that one day I would design the perfect T-shirt myself. (laughs)

Years later, during my corporate career in London, my former swim team asked me again: “When will we finally be able to hold this T-shirt in our hands?”

That’s when I decided to take it seriously. Through my career I had saved some money and thought: why not? From the beginning, I was certain that the focus would be on high-quality, exclusive basics. Precisely cut, timeless pieces from exceptional material quality. I was drawn to the idea of creating garments that convince customers through their craftsmanship and will endure for years. Full transparency along the supply chain was equally central to me. From the origin of the fiber to the selection of producers and the finished garment itself.

We started in Colombia in 2018 and initially experimented with T-shirt production and the most exclusive cotton on the market - Pima cotton from Peru. What began as a simple product idea quickly developed into a much broader vision of how fashion should be produced.

What meaning lies behind the name Chirimoya?

Helmut Schuster:

The chirimoya fruit is considered one of the most nutrient-rich fruits in the world. We were drawn to that symbolism. We want to be nourishing. We want to be unique. And we want to stand for substance.

All of this is anchored in our slogan “Give the past a future.” It clearly expresses what we stand for. We aim to translate traditional techniques into something that is relevant and desirable in today’s world.

How did your first encounter develop into a shared vision?

Helmut Schuster:

We originally met at The Groucho Club in London. We started talking casually, and at some point Freddie mentioned that he was a fashion designer. I realized how much I had been looking for someone with his expertise. It was one of those encounters where you later realize that timing can be more relevant than planning in certain situations. I had the idea, the ambition, the strategic vision, and suddenly I was sitting across from someone who would be able to bring exactly that missing creative know-how.

Frederick Jenkyn:

And I remember telling him that I was actually seriously considering leaving the fashion industry altogether.

Why were you considering leaving the fashion industry?

Frederick Jenkyn:

I grew up on a wool farm in rural Australia - inland between Melbourne and Sydney. From the age of three, I was taken into the shearing sheds. Later I was involved in “wool classing”. Sorting and grading fibers, deciding which quality would go where. That was my childhood. I literally grew up at the beginning of a production chain.

Later I studied at a university in Australia, where I was selected for Australian Fashion Week, completed internships with Christopher Esber and Dion Lee, and moved to London. But once I started working for commercial brands, I began to feel uncomfortable.

It wasn’t necessarily the working conditions. It was the sheer speed and scale of consumption. A single T-shirt produced ten thousand times over and over again. Endless repetition and endless consumption.

I was born in the Riverina region of New South Wales and lived there until about the age of ten. It is an agricultural region strongly shaped by sheep farming and wool production. Later I moved to the New England region and then to Sydney at 18. My childhood was closely connected to the origin of fibers. Shaped by an understanding of where materials come from and how they are processed. That strongly formed my sense of quality and responsibility in that context.

In that region, farmers lived well. They knew exactly where their wool fibers were going. It felt wrong to be part of something so short-lived. How can it be that I style a boy in one of these shirts while, on the other side of the world, another child is involved in producing that same shirt?

When Helmut explained his vision, I immediately felt that it represented a fundamentally different approach to fashion which was defined by quality and responsibility.

When did it become clear that your values aligned?

Frederick Jenkyn:

Helmut invited me to Colombia to see Chirimoya’s production site myself. That was an essential part of my decision-making process.

Helmut Schuster:

To be honest, he played a little hard to get at the time. (laughs)

Frederick Jenkyn:

Well… (laughs) I think certain things should be challenged. We clarified our values early on. Our thoughts about philosophy, sustainability and luxury. If you can’t meet your employer on equal footing, why stay?

Today it’s a workplace where we feel comfortable challenging each other. That’s essential, especially when things become difficult.

What are the biggest challenges in building a fashion brand currently?

Helmut Schuster:

That would be a long list. (laughs)

Firstly: people. Every company stands and falls with the right people. Building a team that aligns not only professionally but also in terms of mindset is probably the greatest challenge.

Secondly: Many believe a well-made product alone guarantees success. That’s not true. A great product is simply a prerequisite. After that comes business models, go-to-market strategy and visibility.

I once showed Freddie a shirt by Loro Piana that I loved and said, “Please make something similar - only better.” When Loro Piana was acquired by large conglomerates, prices rose while quality declined. You could see and feel that corporate influence. I wanted to prevent that from happening at Chirimoya from the very beginning.

I firmly believe we can deliver equal or even superior quality. But the real question is: how do customers find you in a digital world increasingly shaped by AI and digitalization? That is probably the key challenge.

Ronja Scherzinger:

This is exactly where our work at FashionTouri comes in. High-quality brands need more than reach. They need the right context and strategic positioning aligned with their identity and target audience. It’s about building visibility both online and offline, creating trust and communicating a brand’s story in a way that it is understood and appreciated by their customers.

At FashionTouri, we support this by creating a curated platform, relevant networks and physical spaces for encounters that connect supply and demand on a meaningful level.

What role does physical experience still play in luxury fashion?

Helmut Schuster:

In the high-end segment especially, people don’t want to make their first purchase online. They need to feel the material. That tactile experience is essential. Luxury reveals itself in the fineness of a fiber, in the density of a fabric and in the weight of a shirt which conveys its value. The precision of the craftsmanship and the way a fabric falls on the skin can only be fully understood through direct contact. A screen allows you to view a product, but not to fully experience it.

What power does storytelling hold in a fashion industry defined by overproduction and consumption?

Frederick Jenkyn:

I don’t believe in telling people they are bad because they shop at fast fashion brands. That rarely leads to real, lasting change.

Instead, we must offer an alternative. Guide people from consumption toward appreciation.

When someone is emotionally invested - in craftsmanship, in the story behind a piece- they are more willing to pay more and buy less.

When I was in Colombia and later in Peru, I saw incredible craft traditions. Indigenous women wore beautiful jewelry made from the simplest materials. If those materials were replaced with higher-quality ones, their skill would not be lost. Their cultural heritage and craftsmanship would simply be elevated to a new level. They continue doing what they have done for generations.

That is where “Give the past a future” becomes tangible: tradition gains contemporary relevance and renewed appreciation. This connection between origin, craftsmanship and today's relevance forms the core of our storytelling.

What does sustainability personally mean to you?

Helmut Schuster:

Longevity. Of course production methods matter. But true sustainability means creating something that lasts a lifetime. Something you are reluctant to replace.

To be honest, I don’t want to become as large as Loro Piana. I would rather be a significant niche brand that meets a growing demand for real quality.

And real scarcity - not artificial limitation like certain luxury bags from large, well-known brands - is the ultimate luxury. Some of our pieces simply cannot be mass-produced due to the complexity of the dyeing processes and the sophistication of the supply chain. I have no intention of industrializing that in the future.

Looking ten years ahead with Chirimoya, what would success mean to you?

Helmut Schuster:

If in ten years someone sees photographs of people wearing Chirimoya and recognizes a shift toward quality and awareness, I would be very happy.For me, architecture and fashion are the most visible expressions of Zeitgeist. If we could contribute to shaping a better one, I would be more than delighted.

Frederick Jenkyn:

Over the next ten years, my focus as Creative Director is on fostering love and appreciation for craft traditions that, in my view, we are losing worldwide. Our attention is currently on the Andean region, particularly Colombia and Peru, where textile techniques were perfected over thousands of years. Artisans there once dressed emperors, rulers, elites and ordinary people alike. As Europeans, we value our own craft heritage, yet sometimes overlook traditions that predate our own.

With Chirimoya, I want to reposition artisans who are often reduced to producing trinkets for tourists as true luxury producers.

At the same time, we want to become synonymous with Pima Cotton, especially the one from Peru. This luxurious, long strain cotton was where Chirimoya began and the goal is that it will remain central to our identity.

I describe myself as an “ethical hedonist.” I want to enjoy life in its quality, without that pleasure coming at the expense of someone else. That mindset shapes our work. We are not a charity. We offer dignified work and enable our partners to practice their craft without exploitation. I want Chirimoya to be seen as a model for other companies. It is a true luxury to know that your clothes are made that way. 

What should someone feel when wearing Chirimoya designs?

Frederick Jenkyn:

Comfort should come first. You should almost forget you’re wearing the piece. But when you look down on yourself, you might realize: this garment was dyed with a fruit from the Amazon rainforest, harvested by a community that has practiced this craft for centuries. You should feel that you are wearing not only a garment, but rather a real story.

Helmut Schuster:

Yes, I love that. You are wearing, shaping and living history. (smiles)

What began as a desire for true quality and durability has evolved into a brand of remarkable depth. Driven by substance, conscious reduction and uncompromising material choices. Chirimoya stands for transparency throughout the entire supply chain and for carrying traditional techniques into a contemporary context. Sustainability is understood as longevity. The commitment to creating pieces that endure for years, even a lifetime.

At its core center are exceptional garments made from precious Pima cotton, whose extraordinary fiber quality provides tangible comfort and remarkable durability. Timeless essentials gain meaning through their origin and the story of their creation. Chirimoya deliberately works with ethically sourced fibers and responsibly managed, high-level production. The result is clothing that convinces buyers from the first wear and proves its quality over time.

¹ Financial Times (2026): Luxury consumers want more than just branding. January 12, 2026. https://www.ft.com/content/42a48d1c-fda2-4175-9ece-8091f5323880

Interview: Ronja Scherzinger

Text: Jana Etelbrunner