Julianna Mühlbauer
In 1903 Julianna Mühlbauer laid the foundation stone of the now over 100 year old family business. She opened a small millinery with shop attached in the Viennese suburb of Floridsdorf with her husband Robert.
Julianna's husband Robert Mühlbauer (center)
Julianna's husband Robert Mühlbauer with colleagues in the workshop where he learned the art of hatmaking.
Margarethe und Robert Mühlbauer
In the mid-1920s Julianna’s son Robert took over the business. With the support of his wife Margarethe he expanded Mühlbauer to a chain store with over ten hat shops in Vienna. Thus Mühlbauer became a brand name for headwear of the highest quality.
Brigitte und Heinz Mühlbauer
In 1960 son Heinz also entered the family business. From the 1970s, with his wife Brigitte, he expanded the formerly headwear specialised assortment in the Viennese shops to include ladieswear. As well as the shop "Leben mit Tradition" (living with tradition) selling exclusive traditional costume, they founded the label "Salto".
Klaus Mühlbauer
In 2001 the venerable Viennese hatmaker transferred to Klaus Mühlbauer from his parents. Now in the fourth generation, Klaus Mühlbauer is leading the brand back to its roots – hand finished headwear of highest quality – and in doing so, conquered the international market. Together with the designers Nora Berger and Barbara Gölles he designs a hat collection bi-annually for men and women, supported by a distinguished hatmaker and millinery team in their own Viennese workshops. Over half the hats that leave the Viennese workshop today head for international destinations. Now Mühlbauer hats can be found on the best stores in Austria and abroad. This includes Le Bon Marché (Paris), 10 Corso Como (Milan), Lodenfrey (Munich), KdW (Berlin), Harrods (London), Fred Segal (Los Angeles), Isetan and HP France (Tokyo). It is therefore hardly surprising that stars such as Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Madonna or Yoko Ono belong to the long list of Mühlbauer clients. In order to generate respect for the long established brand in Austria, the first flagship store was opened in Vienna’s city centre in 2005. In 2009 this store concept was continued with another hat shop in Salzburg.