A Hold for Trousers – 40 Years of Hoffnung Berlin
Hoffnung Berlin is the only belt shop in the city – and perhaps the most beautiful in the world. In West Berlin in the 1980s, Iwan Schroda began working with leather and belts and taught himself the craft of belt making. He set up his own workshop and in 2010 was able to realise his vision of opening his own shop in the Hackesche Höfe. Here is his story.
Iwan Schroda is quite a character: striking face, blond hair combed back tightly and always impeccably dressed in his slightly nostalgic uniform – black apron over black waistcoat, white stand-up collar shirt and braces. The man who has dedicated himself to ensuring that trousers fit properly also attaches great importance to an impeccable appearance – which harmonises perfectly with the vintage look of his shop. ‘The salesperson is part of the interior design,’ says Schroda dryly. With his unmistakable style, he also found his way into the vintage men's fashion magazine The Heritage Post.
Experimenting Instead of Studying
Schroda, who came to Berlin in 1982 to study literature, among other things, came across the name of his company in the works of his favourite author, Jack London. At the beginning of the 20th century, white boxing fans in the USA considered any white boxer who could defeat the then black heavyweight world champion to be the ‘Great White Hope’. Later, the phrase was used for anything that promised success.
Schroda didn't get very far with his studies – he was more interested in practical work. In his one-room flat, he sewed costumes and armour out of leather, working with scraps and waste. To learn the craft, the self-taught Schroda picked up the industry telephone directory – the internet did not yet exist – and visited all the Berlin companies that processed leather.
In 1987, he and a friend opened a shop on Schlüterstraße in Charlottenburg selling extravagant outfits he had designed himself, inspired by punk and new wave styles. Schroda's speciality: leather shirts with metal appliqués. But also belts.
Passion becomes a business
Going out also played an important role. West Berlin's nightlife was already legendary in the 1980s. This is where the small creative scene of the city's western half gathered. ‘Going out was also work,’ says Schroda. He drew inspiration for his creations from the night owls in clubs and bars.
The first step into retail remained an episode at first. Schroda professionalised himself and concentrated on belts and braces. A friend of his, social worker Hans Mattei, joined him. From 1990 onwards, the two produced their goods in their own workshop in Schöneberg, later in a large hall on Monumentenstraße.
Initially, they only supplied wholesalers and were represented at trade fairs. A surprising large order from Hong Kong for 100,000 German marks remains unforgettable to this day. At the turn of the millennium, they discovered direct sales at arts and crafts and Christmas markets. Hoffnung participated in up to 40 markets a year with several teams. It was successful, but exhausting in the long run. Schroda dreamed of having his own shop in Berlin – he already had the furnishings.
Taking the Elevator into the Hackesche Höfe
The foundation was laid by two small leather-padded gymnastics apparatus that already adorned Schroda's flat. He was at a trade fair in Munich when an antique shop turned out to be a real treasure trove: a large, solid gymnastics table and two wall bars perfectly complemented his existing collection, along with old lamps and wooden cabinets from workshops and industrial companies. Within ten minutes, he had bought out the entire shop – and his business furnishings were complete. Now all he needed was a suitable space.
Through a friend's cleaning lady, Schroda learns of a shop space becoming available in Hof 4 of the Hackesche Höfe. The property management company sounds sceptical on the phone, but Schroda does not let himself be put off. He writes a handwritten letter describing his vision. In addition to his persistence and a convincing concept, luck also played a part: when he went to deliver the letter in person, the lift door to the management office was accidentally left open. The letter ended up on the right desk – and in the right hands. The son of the owner family happened to be there that day. Shortly afterwards, Schroda's phone rang: he got the shop.
2010 eröffnet er seinen Hoffnung-Store – genau so, wie er ihn sich vorgestellt hatte. Bis heute präsentiert sich der Laden nahezu unverändert. Sein Partner Mattei ist zu dieser Zeit noch dabei, steigt aber später aus gesundheitlichen Gründen aus. Schroda kann sich bis heute keinen besseren Ort für Hoffnung vorstellen. Auch das Verhältnis zur Hausverwaltung ist gut; während der Corona-Zeit zeigte sie sich, wie Schroda anerkennend bemerkt, „sehr kulant“.
Es gibt weltweit nicht viele Geschäfte, die ausschließlich Gürtel verkaufen. Schroda hat sie alle besucht – von Mailand über London bis New York. Und der schönste Gürtelladen von allen? „Natürlich meiner“, sagt er voller Stolz.
