Chapter One

Where It All Began — A Chance Meeting in Berlin

My love affair with Henry Christ began around 2010 at a fashion exhibition in Berlin, where I first met Heinrich and Christian, the wonderfully charismatic duo behind the label.

They had only recently started their business, but I was immediately captivated by their collection. The knitwear and scarves were made from the softest, most luxurious cashmere, and there was something refreshingly different about their designs.

What particularly caught my eye was their extraordinary sense of colour. Beautiful, often unexpected colour combinations gave the collection a distinctive character, while the variety of styles meant there was something to flatter so many different shapes and figures.

The pieces were wonderfully wearable, effortlessly stylish and just that little bit different from the cashmere I had seen elsewhere.

But it wasn’t only the clothes that won me over. Heinrich and Christian were such a charismatic pair, full of personality and enthusiasm, and we hit it off immediately.

I was so taken with the collection that I placed my first order there and then. As is customary in the fashion industry, we were buying a season ahead, so that first order would have been for Autumn/Winter 2010, arriving at Courtyard around August of that year.

Little did I know that this would be the beginning of such a long and happy relationship. We have continued to stock Henry Christ every season since, for both Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter, and some sixteen years later it remains Courtyard’s bestselling brand.

Chapter Two

Two School Friends, One Shared Passion

Behind the Henry Christ label is a rather wonderful story of friendship, ambition and a shared love of beautiful knitwear.

Heinrich and Christian first met as schoolboys in Hamburg. Although their lives initially took them in different directions — one becoming a business engineer and the other an industrial engineer — they never lost their mutual passion for fashion and knitwear.

In 2009, they decided to turn that passion into a business, founding Henry Christ in Hamburg. What makes their story particularly special is that they design every collection themselves.

Their shared creative vision is reflected in the beautiful colours, distinctive shapes and effortless wearability of their designs.

Having known them since the early days of their business, I can honestly say that their enthusiasm and charisma are every bit as memorable as the clothes they create.

It is rather lovely to think that a friendship which began in a Hamburg classroom would eventually lead to a cashmere collection loved by so many of our customers at Courtyard.

With Heinrich and Christian, January 2025 — a friendship and working relationship that began years earlier in Berlin.

Chapter Three

From the Mongolian Plateau — The Story Behind the Cashmere

One of the things that makes Henry Christ so special is the extraordinary quality of the cashmere.

The story begins thousands of miles away, on the vast Mongolian Plateau, where cashmere goats are traditionally cared for by nomadic shepherds.

Life here is governed by an extraordinary climate, with winter temperatures falling as low as minus 45°C and summer temperatures reaching 35°C.

To survive the extreme winter temperatures of the Mongolian Plateau, the goats develop an extraordinarily fine, soft layer of insulating cashmere close to their skin. Each spring, as the weather warms, this precious winter fleece is carefully combed out by the shepherds and collected for processing.

The finest fibres are then painstakingly separated and refined. In the production process described to me, the cashmere passes through sixteen brushing stages to select the very best fibres. The yield is remarkably small — approximately 100 grams of fine cashmere from each goat.

When you understand the care, patience and skill involved in producing this beautiful natural fibre, you begin to appreciate why truly exceptional cashmere is such a luxury.

Chapter Four

From Mongolia to Germany — A Journey of Craftsmanship

Once the precious fibres have been carefully collected and selected, the cashmere is spun into yarn and dyed in Inner and Outer Mongolia.

It is here that the beautiful colours begin to emerge — one of the things I have always particularly admired about the Henry Christ collections.

The yarn then makes its way to Germany, where the garments are knitted, bringing together the exceptional softness of Mongolian cashmere with German craftsmanship and Heinrich and Christian’s distinctive sense of style.

The result is knitwear that feels wonderfully luxurious but is also designed to be worn and enjoyed in everyday life.

Chapter Five

Why Our Customers Love Henry Christ

Over the years, one of the greatest pleasures of stocking Henry Christ has been seeing how loyal our customers have become to the brand.

Cashmere of this quality is undoubtedly an investment, but once someone has bought their first Henry Christ piece, they so often return for another the following season. And I completely understand why.

It’s not simply the extraordinary softness of the cashmere, although that is certainly part of its appeal. It’s the wonderful combinations of colour, the individuality of the designs and, perhaps most importantly, the beautifully considered shapes that flatter so many different figures.

These are clothes that are a pleasure to wear, but they are also made to be enjoyed for years rather than just a season.

Something I have particularly noticed is how beautifully the cashmere wears. With careful washing, the pieces seem to become softer and softer, with less pilling over time.

For me, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing a customer return to Courtyard wearing a much-loved Henry Christ jumper bought years earlier, still looking beautiful, and excited to discover what Heinrich and Christian have created for the new season.

Chapter Six

A Friendship That Has Lasted

Looking back to that first meeting in Berlin, I could never have imagined that a chance encounter with two enthusiastic young designers would develop into such an enduring friendship and successful working relationship.

Over the years, I have watched Henry Christ grow while retaining the individuality and quality that first attracted me to the collection.

And I still get that same feeling of excitement when I see what Heinrich and Christian have designed for a new season.

For me, Henry Christ is so much more than a label we stock at Courtyard. It is a story of friendship, creativity, exceptional craftsmanship and beautiful clothes that stand the test of time.