21 July 2026

From Alpine Roots to British Tweed: Autumn Travel Meets Regional Style

Michi and Johanna Klemera beside a model wearing a British-inspired Alpine look from the Luis Trenker Autumn/Winter 2026/27 collection.

Quick Read

• As Europe's summer holiday season has only just begun, many people are already looking ahead to autumn.
• A journey through Austria and South Tyrol offers landscapes, culture and a look at one of the Alpine region's most distinctive fashion companies.
• Luis Trenker combines traditional Alpine clothing culture with contemporary international influences rather than reproducing historical costume.
• The Autumn/Winter 2026/27 collection draws inspiration from British country style while remaining connected to its South Tyrolean origins.

As Europe's summer holiday season has only just begun, many people are still deciding where to spend their vacation, while others are already looking ahead to autumn. Some travellers will head towards the Adriatic coast or the Aegean Sea, while many Austrians continue a long-standing tradition of spending at least part of their holidays at home. A route connecting the Austrian Luis Trenker stores—from Innsbruck and Kitzbühel to Salzburg, Schladming, Seefeld and Vienna—extends naturally across the Brenner Pass to Bolzano, Brunico, and Merano in South Tyrol. The itinerary links Alpine scenery with historic towns and regional culture, reflecting the geographical landscape from which the fashion label itself emerged.

From holiday route to cultural journey

Fashion tourism has become more than shopping. Increasingly, travellers seek places where products are closely connected to regional identity, craftsmanship and local history. South Tyrol is one of those regions where clothing traditions developed over centuries in response to climate, agriculture and mountain life. Rather than remaining museum pieces, many of these influences continue to evolve in contemporary design.

Until October, visitors to Val Gardena can even follow a guided Luis Trenker Outdoor Experience (details on Instagram), retracing locations associated with the life of the man whose name the company carries. The hike introduces participants to the landscapes that shaped Luis Trenker (1892–1990), who became internationally known as a mountaineer, architect, actor, film director, author and later a television personality. Long before outdoor culture became fashionable, his films presented Alpine life to audiences around the world, combining adventure with stories deeply rooted in the Dolomites. The experience illustrates how geography, landscape and cultural memory continue to influence the identity of the modern brand without turning heritage into nostalgia.

A family business built on Alpine identity

The company itself has a much shorter history than its famous namesake. Luis Trenker was founded in 1995 in Bolzano by entrepreneur Michi Klemera, who established the business in the same year his daughter Johanna Klemera was born. Today, she plays a leading role in developing the women's collections after studying fashion in Milan and gradually moving into collection development and product management within the company.

Rather than treating tradition as something fixed, father and daughter describe the creative process internally with the expression "Trenkerisieren." The term refers to giving each garment recognisable Alpine character through carefully considered details, even when silhouettes, fabrics or styling become more urban and contemporary.

That philosophy reflects a broader development in European fashion. Traditional regional clothing increasingly serves as inspiration rather than strict template. Instead of reproducing historical costume, designers reinterpret characteristic materials, tailoring techniques and decorative elements for modern wardrobes.

"Traditional—but not traditional costume"

Michi Klemera has often summarised the label's position with a simple formula: modern, but not driven by fashion trends; Alpine in character, but not traditional costume; sporty, but not sportswear.

This distinction explains why the collections resonate beyond South Tyrol. The garments borrow from regional clothing culture without requiring the wearer to belong to a specific place or community. Jackets, knitwear and tailoring retain references to Alpine craftsmanship while fitting naturally into urban life from Vienna to Munich or Milan.

The choice of the name Luis Trenker reinforces this balance. The historical Luis Trenker became internationally recognised through cinema while remaining closely connected to his South Tyrolean homeland. His career demonstrated that regional identity and cosmopolitan outlook are not opposites. Instead, local authenticity can become a foundation for engaging with a much wider world.

That same principle characterises the fashion collections, where influences from different European traditions meet without losing sight of their Alpine origins.

Images, from left: Luis Trenker founder Michi Klemera with his daughter Johanna Klemera, who today leads the development of the women's collections after studying fashion in Milan. Right: A model wears key looks from the Luis Trenker Autumn/Winter 2026/27 collection, inspired by British heritage style and interpreted through South Tyrolean Alpine craftsmanship.