“We Have a Finger on the Pulse”

Sportalm exhibits fashion sense and expertise in every product.

“The new mindset in our company and in all processes is paying dividends.” Ulli Ehrlich, owner of Sportalm

SPORTALM

“WE HAVE A FINGER ON THE PULSE”

How does the brand from Kitzbühel manage to move forward stronger despite challenging times? Because it relies on its own assets, both in terms of fashion and its production facility in Bulgaria, owner Ulli Ehrlich explains in our interview.

Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Sportalm

Trachten and ski fashion are core brand elements. Both segments are particularly affected by the pandemic. Yet Sportalm remains successful.

Yes, we have been experiencing ups and downs lately. Fortunately, Sportalm Fashion was in the black in each of the past seasons affected by the pandemic. Now we are emerging from the 2022 pre-collection order phase with 20 percent growth, which means we have surpassed the sales of 2019 and 2020 by a significant margin.

How did you pull that off?

Our very athletic fashion statement is on point. We seem to have a finger on the pulse of the market. The fact that we stand for cultivated yet comfortable clothing is a clear advantage. Another factor is that we are capable of delivering reliably, thanks to our own production in the EU country Bulgaria. Our factory, which was built 13 years ago, is still the most modern in Bulgaria, also in terms of social working conditions. We represent a European-made collection with short delivery routes and pay great attention to retaining our expertise in-house. Our studio in Kitzbühel, where we employ 18 seamstresses, is also where we train future employees to ensure a transfer of knowledge to the next generation. And as far as I know, we are the only ski fashion brand that manufactures in Europe. Maintaining this level of performance in Europe pays dividends, especially as the boundaries between ski fashion and outerwear are becoming increasingly blurred.

How is the product evolving?

We transformed our product development some time ago, which benefits us now. We design product groups independently, mainly because we have learned that the market demands expertise beyond our core competence. That cannot be achieved when everyone is involved in everything. We are therefore all the more systematic in our collection, which has been reduced by a third. Now every item has absolute justification.

You are also more focused in your sales activities.

We made digital ordering possible four years ago and continue to consolidate our strengths, for example by timing the showrooms’ order cycles so that we have to duplicate fewer collections. Sportalm Fashion now serves 329 customers in the GAS market, while the Ulli Ehrlich collection, which is more fashion-oriented, serves 188. We are now working on separate areas for both collections – for example at Kastner & Öhler, Breuninger, and P&C. This approach is showing promise already. Collaborating with retailers is particularly enjoyable at the moment!