White Label by RoFa: Why We Buy This Beautiful German Coat & Jacket Brand

Despite having a history stretching back to 1957 and a strong reputation in Europe White Label by RoFa remains a well guarded secret here in the UK.

At Artichoke, we’ve been buying their beautiful coats and jackets for well over a decade, in fact Sarah brings out a couple of her original purchases for an airing every summer & they still look like new.

So, who & what is this White Label – and why do we buy from them?

Who are White Label by RoFa?

The White Label brand is part of the German ROFA Fashion Group.

Based in Bavaria, the company was founded in the late 1950’s & originally produced children’s clothing. During the 1970s, the business expanded into womenswear and went on to develop a reputation within the fashion trade for its women’s jackets, blazers and coats & in particular the Austrian Loden style.

White Label by RoFa as we know it today developed from that heritage and has been sold under the White Label name since 2010. Although remaining true to their Bavarian roots, the collection today extends to dresses & shirts as well beautifully tailored jackets & coats in stunning fabrics.

What is White Label by RoFa known for?

One of the many things that we love about this brand is the decades of garment-making experience behind it. For nearly fifty years they have been know within the European fashion industry for the fit of their blazers, jackets and coats.

And fit matters enormously when you’re buying a coat.

A beautiful fabric or fabulous colour may be what initially attracts you, but if the shoulders don’t sit properly, the proportions aren’t right or you can’t comfortably wear anything underneath it, it simply isn’t going to earn its place in your wardrobe.

That understanding of shape and construction is one of the reasons White Label remains a firm favourite at Artichoke.

Why do we buy White Label by RoFa for Artichoke?

As you know we don’t buy a brand simply because it is fashionable & for us a good reason not to stock it, is because everyone else is!

We’re always looking for individual pieces and then we ask the same questions that we ask about everything else we buy:

Would we wear it? Will our customers wear it? What will it work with? And is it good enough to justify its place in your wardrobe?

Invariably the answer at White Label is Yes.

There is often something a little different about them – perhaps an interesting fabric, an unusual collar, a lovely texture or a particularly good shape – without them becoming so fashion-led that you’ll tire of them after one season.

They are an investment that we want to make your existing wardrobe feel more current, but we also want you to be happy pulling it out of the wardrobe again next autumn & the one after that.

It is one of the owner, Sarah’s favourite labels & a showroom that she looks forward to visiting every season, not just because of the beautiful pieces that she views but also because of the relative exclusivity in the UK. She knows that every White Label garment that you buy from Artichoke, is one of a limited number, sold in very few boutiques in this country.

If we had a bottomless budget we would keep to the numbers just as limited but bring in more styles!

Are White Label by RoFa coats good quality?

Quality isn’t simply about how heavy a fabric feels or how much something costs.

With outerwear, we look at the whole garment – the fabric, construction, finishing, lining where appropriate, fastenings, pockets and, importantly, how the coat actually hangs when it’s being worn.

RoFa has a long history of specialising in jackets and coats, and although production now takes place through specialist manufacturing partners in Europe and Asia, the company retains its sample department and technical expertise at its German headquarters.

That heritage and technical knowledge is one of the things we value about the brand.

But ultimately, our decision to buy a coat isn’t based on what a manufacturer tells us about it.

We buy it because we’ve seen it, handled it and tried it – and we think it’s good.

How do White Label by RoFa coats fit?

Fit will always vary slightly from one style to another, particularly with coats where some are deliberately neat and tailored while others are designed to be more relaxed.

That’s one reason we don’t like relying solely on a size label at Artichoke.

Where we stock a White Label coat or jacket, we’ll give you as much useful information as we can on the individual product page. And if you’re between sizes or simply aren’t sure which size to order, please ask us.

Where can I buy White Label by RoFa in the UK?

White Label by RoFa is still relatively difficult to find in the UK, and Artichoke is one of a small number of UK retailers stocking the brand.

Although we would love to buy every style from each collection, our budget dictates otherwise! So we select a few pieces that we think work particularly well for our customers and sit naturally alongside the rest of that season’s collection in our showroom.

Is White Label by RoFa worth discovering?

We think so – which, of course, is why we continue to buy it.

There are some brands whose names everybody recognises, and others that quietly build their reputation by making good clothes year after year.

White Label by RoFa falls into the latter camp.

With decades of experience behind its outerwear, a strong understanding of fit and a knack for producing coats and jackets that feel interesting without becoming unwearable, it’s a brand we’re very happy to have discovered.

And if you’ve never heard of White Label before, perhaps that’s part of the appeal.

At Artichoke, finding clothes that you won’t necessarily see everywhere else has always been part of the fun.

Shop our current White Label by RoFa collection

---