The Future – Who?
WHAT’S THE STORY
ALPHATAURI
DRIVEN BY INNOVATION
AlphaTauri, Red Bull’s clothing collection, has made a splendid start in multi-brand retailing. Now, under the leadership of Ahmet Mercan in his capacity as General Manager AlphaTauri & Global Head of Global Consumer Products, the agile company is eager to scale its success. It certainly does not lack horsepower, as even Red Bull’s own F1 team will race under the name AlphaTauri in the future.
Ahmet Mercan, General Manager AlphaTauri & Global Head of Global Consumer Products, confidently leads AlphaTauri into a rapidly changing future.
T
he fashion industry is changing, not a single stone is left unturned. In this era of change, AlphaTauri is a player with new ideas and values. Given that the first external retail partnerships have been struck, tell us what convinced retailers to collaborate with AlphaTauri. AlphaTauri is breaking new ground within the fashion industry and is constantly questioning the status quo. This results in innovative collections and solutions, such as the 3D-Knit Lab, the Virtual Dressing Room, or the mobile retail pop-up. That seems to be exactly what makes the brand so attractive, at least that is what we hear from our retail partners. Modern consumers place completely different demands on a brand. What do end consumers see in AlphaTauri that they do not see in conventional fashion brands? There is no specific recipe for success. True to AlphaTauri’s consumer-centred approach, we draw from the feedback of our customers and partners. What we have learned, above all, is that our blend of fashion, innovative functionality, and smart features is what surprised them positively. One example is our temperature-regulating, water-repellent, and dirt-repellent trench coat that looks stylish AND combines many features and functions. In addition, the end consumer has high expectations regarding availability. We are talking about a new level of speed and service in this area. In this context, innovative digital tools play a very important role. They connect online and offline, closing the gap between customer demand and availability. With your products and their interesting background stories, you trigger consumers on a completely different level. The material and craftsmanship provide the incentive to buy. The design is, of course, also im-
portant. Generally speaking, however, an AlphaTauri product is not subject to the same competition as a normal t-shirt or jacket. How essential are these addons and benefits for each piece of the collection? For us at AlphaTauri, everything begins and ends with the customers’ wishes. This is the foundation on which we design and market our styles. Storytelling is a matter of course, because every single style within the collection has a rich background story due to its smart features, technical materials, and clever functions. How do you convey these detailed background stories in stores you do not manage yourself? It is comparatively easy in your own channels, but how do you ensure that every retailer and salesperson has all the information needed to communicate the story? AlphaTauri also takes a collaborative, long-term approach to retail partners. That is why AlphaTauri is constantly working on innovative tools to support the respective partner, be it classic training courses, individually designed events including sales support, or digital tools such as ultra-thin canvas screens on which one can display corresponding content within minutes via an app. style in progress
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