Our Roots

Basel, Switzerland – our hometown – has long been a meeting ground of faiths, ideas, and cultures. In the 15th century it hosted a great Church Council (1431–1449) that drew Catholic dignitaries from across Europe bs.ch. There, amidst debate over church reforms and unity, Basel witnessed an extraordinary dialogue: Catholic leaders even negotiated with the followers of Jan Hus (the Hussites), seeking to heal a rift in the faith britannica.com britannica.com. This spirit of openness bore fruit in knowledge as well – one council delegate, Aeneas Piccolomini (later Pope Pius II), founded Basel’s first university in 1460, cementing the city’s dedication to learning bs.ch. From the outset, Basel stood at the crossroads of tradition and change, a place where dialogue and education went hand in hand.

Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam writing, painted in Basel by Hans Holbein the Younger (1523). Erasmus’s presence in Basel helped transform the city into a hub of humanist learning and reform-minded faith bs.ch.

As the Renaissance dawned, Basel blossomed into a center of humanism and printing. Great minds from across Europe made their way to the city. The Dutch scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam found a home here – he had his works printed by Basel’s famed publisher Johann Froben and engaged in lively exchanges with local thinkers bs.ch. Artists like Hans Holbein and even Albrecht Dürer walked Basel’s streets, drawn by its reputation for free thought and creativity bs.ch. In Basel’s printing workshops and university halls, new ideas of faith and human dignity were debated openly. The city gained renown as a place where faith could be enlightened by learning – where one could be devout yet inquisitive, rooted yet open to reform.

The culmination of that reforming spirit came in the Protestant Reformation. By 1529, Basel’s citizens – led by the preacher Johannes Oecolampadius – openly embraced a new vision of faith. After years of prayer, sermons, and public debate, the city council abolished the Catholic Mass and allowed Reformed worship. In a dramatic moment that year, crowds of Basel’s “Evangelicals” (Protestants) poured into the great Minster square and removed or destroyed the religious statues, altars, and images in the churches unibas.ch. This outburst of iconoclasm marked the triumph of the Reformation in Basel, and even the Catholic bishop was forced to flee unibas.ch. What could have been a time of division instead became Basel’s new identity: a free city of the Reformed faith, guided by conscience and Scripture. In the decades that followed, Basel emerged as a beacon of reform whose influence spread far beyond Switzerland bs.ch. (Indeed, in modern times Basel has been honored with the title “European City of the Reformation” for its pivotal role bs.ch.) This chapter of our city’s history taught a powerful lesson: true faith can be refined through change – sometimes boldly – while still holding onto love and hope.

Basel’s legacy of living faith did not end there. In the 19th century, a spirit of service and global fellowship blossomed in our city. In 1815, as the Napoleonic wars waned, Christians in Basel made a humble vow: if their city was spared from destruction, they would establish a mission to spread God’s word and human betterment abroad en.wikipedia.org. They kept that promise. That same year, Basel ministers and merchants – joined by Lutheran friends in Germany – founded the Basel Mission Society en.wikipedia.org. It was a pioneering Protestant missionary institute, built on faith and humanism working together. The Basel Mission trained young people as teachers, pastors, and craftsmen, then sent them to share knowledge and compassion in places like West Africa, India, China, and beyond en.wikipedia.org. This family-owned mission (which arose from both Swiss and German contributions) embodied Basel’s values of openness and dialogue in a new way: meeting other cultures with respect, learning languages, building schools and clinics, and living out the gospel through humble service. The story of the Basel Mission inspires us deeply – it shows that faith is not just a feeling, but a calling to engage with the wider world in love and humility en.wikipedia.org.

From the Council of Basel to the Basel Mission, our city’s story is one of faith in conversation – between denominations, between intellect and spirit, and between cultures. It’s a story of a community continually reforming itself: learning, listening, and reaching out. These are the roots of Good Servant. We come from generations shaped by Basel’s example – by the Catholic scholar and the Protestant reformer, by the humanist printer and the bold preacher, by the guild artisan and the overseas missionary. Basel taught us that faith and humanism can enrich each other, that education and empathy can walk together. In our family, history isn’t just in textbooks; it lives in values passed down like well-worn heirlooms. Our roots are in Basel’s soil, and from it we’ve drawn a love for wisdom, an openness to others, and an unshakable conviction that serving God means serving people.

 

Who We Are

A panoramic view of Basel along the Rhine – the city that inspires our family’s mission. In Basel, everyday life unfolds against a backdrop of centuries-old churches, bridges, and homes.

We are a small family from Basel, and everything we do at Good Servant is grounded in the heritage that surrounds us. The cobblestone streets where we grew up, the stories of Erasmus in his study or Oecolampadius in his pulpit, the quiet strength of the Rhine flowing past our city’s old cathedral – these have shaped our hearts and hopes. We founded Good Servant to honor the everyday faith we saw in our parents and community: a faith that isn’t reserved for Sundays, but woven into Monday-through-Saturday life. For us, clothing became a natural canvas for this idea. Just as a good servant in a biblical parable is faithful in small, daily duties, we believe simple things – even what we wear – can reflect who we are and what we stand for. Every shirt or jacket we design carries an intention: to remind the wearer of something true and uplifting, and to perhaps gently spark a conversation with someone else. In a world often divided, we want our apparel to invite connection – a friendly question, a shared value, a moment of recognition that we are all walking stories.

Being from Basel gives us a unique lens. Our city’s legacy of learning, openness, dialogue, and reform is the cornerstone of who we are as a brand. Basel taught us to value education – to seek meaning in everything and never stop learning from others’ perspectives. (It’s no surprise to us that a Basel Pope started a university here so long ago! bs.ch) We try to bring that thoughtfulness into our design process, infusing each piece with rich symbolism or a snippet of wisdom. Basel also showed us the power of open dialogue: from the Council where different voices gathered, to the printing presses that spread new ideas, to the lively debates in cafés and lecture halls. In that spirit, we hope Good Servant clothing encourages conversation. Whether it’s a quote discreetly printed inside a collar or a motif inspired by a parable, we want what you wear to be a conversation-starter – a gentle invitation to share your story and listen to someone else’s. Most of all, Basel ingrained in us the courage to reform and renew. We are inspired by the guilds and reformers who, in 1529, had the conviction to break with old ways when conscience demanded it bs.ch. That teaches us to continually refine our work – to ensure our supply chains are ethical, to improve the sustainability of our fabrics, and to design with purpose rather than chasing trends. We’re not afraid of change; we believe in change that brings us closer to the good, the true, and the beautiful.

At Good Servant, faith is not a label – it’s a living, breathing value that we strive to wear as honestly as our favorite old Basel-knit sweater. We exist to celebrate the divine in the ordinary. Our family-run label offers humble, thoughtfully crafted apparel as a reflection of the humble, thoughtful life we aim to lead. We draw inspiration from the everyday heroes of Basel’s past – the scholar who bridged divides with his pen, the reformer who stood by his convictions, the missionaries and humanists who reached across borders – and we seek to emulate their blend of conviction and compassion. In our store (whether you meet us online or in our little workshop by the old town), you’ll always be greeted as a friend. We believe business, at its heart, is about service. Just as Basel’s famous “Good Servant” clock figurine strikes the bell each hour in faithful duty, we hope to serve our customers and community consistently, honestly, and with love.

When you wear Good Servant clothing, you carry with you a piece of our story – and Basel’s story. You become part of a tradition rooted in faith and humanism, in quality and conscience. We’re not in this to preach or to profit at any cost; we’re in this because we love the idea that a jacket can uplift someone’s day, or that a simple embroidered message can remind you of your purpose when you catch it in the mirror. This is our calling: to create garments that are practical acts of faith – blending style, comfort, and meaning in one. We’re grateful for the heritage that has nurtured us, and we’re excited to share it with you, one honest piece of clothing at a time. In everything we do, we aim to live up to our name, Good Servant: serving God, serving others, and serving a vision of goodness passed down through the ages.

Thank you for being part of this journey – from Basel’s rich past to a hopeful future we are stitching together, thread by thread.

 

Good Servant Fashion - Love. Light. Unity.