At German retailer Emerson Renaldi the clock hits expansion. With the opening of a new location in Telfs, the Luxury fashion trader from Nürnberg is entering new roads – geographical and strategic.
In an interview, Olivia Pfeiff, director of the family business, provides insight into the motives behind the location choice. In addition, she speaks of current trends and how brands can gain the confidence of their customers during changing consumer behavior.
About Emerson Renaldi:
Emerson Renaldi was founded in 1979 by Birgit Pfeiff as a boutique for Italian women’s shoes. She now leads the family business together with her daughter Olivia Pfeiff. Since the end of 2024, Emerson Renaldi has a second branch in Augsburg, followed by the first international store in Austria in the fall of 2025. Over the years, the range has been expanded with luxury fashion for women and men. This includes established fashion houses such as Burberry, Prada and Gucci, but also streetwear-oriented brands such as Off-White and Diesel, as well as designer brands such as Nanushka, Dorothee Schumacher and Christopher Esber.
Mrs. Pfeiff, Emerson Renaldi is expanding. Why did you choose this Austrian location?
I found the idea incredibly exciting to present modern luxury fashion in a completely new context, outside the classic urban environment that we are used to from us. Telfs is located in the middle of the heart of the Alps and with its extraordinary environment offers a perfect stage for our Emerson Renaldi DNA: modern, high -quality and consciously conceived differently.
The strategic location on the axis between Nürnberg, Augsburg and Innsbruck also makes the place an important traffic junction, in particular for holidaymakers and international guests. For us, Telfs was therefore a very logical development when it comes to resort and leisure culture. And not least, the location itself has a long tradition, also in the field of high -quality fashion. High Fashion is not an unknown concept here, on the contrary, it has already found a place here.
Are more new openings planned?
No further openings are planned for the time being. But that of course always depends on the situation. The location in Telfs was also originally not planned. It just originated from a special occasion. So: you never have to say ‘never’ in life. If something exciting occurs and it suits us, we don’t exclude anything.
With the location in Tyrol you will also expand the resort segment. Which trends will determine the holiday season next year?
High -quality materials are central during the winter holidays, especially during the ski season. Fur in all variations and lamb sheet, long or short, are absolute must-haves. These items are not only perfect to style in Alpine Resorts, but also in an urban environment. In addition, classic Norwegian knitting patterns and luxury Kashmier are popular. During the holidays it is quite a bit more ‘more daring’ and more glamorous. Striking looks with a statement character are clearly in the trend.
And in the summer?
Before the summer holidays we see a lot of femininity and lightness: crochet details à la Miu Miu, accessories from Raffia and the lingerie look make a strong comeback.
What will the spring/summer 2026 determine?
The Boho style, such as Chloé that interprets, remains an important theme. In terms of color, sorbet shades, soft light blue, soft pink, and butter gauge is certainly retained.
The Menswear shows are already behind us. What do you take with you?
Which was very clearly noticeable: the man becomes calmer in his style. Less ‘fancy’, less striking logos, but with a clear focus on quality and high quality. Classic cuts and materials play a major role, but then modernly interpreted, without coming across old -fashioned. In general, the men’s fashion looks more elegant, more timeless and more consciously. A trend that fits very well with the current mentality.
Which products and styles are currently running well with you?
Our customers currently strongly opt for clean, minimalist looks: timeless items that are not bound by a certain season and can be worn for years. High -quality investment items, for example from The Row or Bottega Veneta, are particularly sought after. Those who want it more feminine like to choose selected looks from Prada or Miu Miu.
What is your personal ‘summer essential’?
At the moment I prefer to wear a Kaftan from Saint Laurent. It is casual and very versatile to style. One of my other favorites is a crochet dress, also from Saint Laurent. Furthermore, I love the colorful silk sets of Alemais.
Are there certain brands that are particularly popular with your customers?
Miu Miu, Prada and Bottega Veneta are certainly among the top three. In addition, our customers love Celine, Alaïa and The Row.
What is the mood for your customers? Is the persistent restraint in consumption still noticeable?
Yes, the reluctance is still noticeable, especially compared to previous years. It is all the more important to become active and to make customers enthusiastic about fashion. That only works with a lot of commitment: through personal, intensive guidance and special experiences, such as exclusive events, which make shopping something emotional and inspiring. The point is to keep the joy of discovering and trying alive.
Which other themes are the luxury fashion trade currently working?
A central theme is definitely the changed consumer behavior. Nowadays, customers want to shop more consciously and more informed. They ask more questions, compare more intensively and place great value on transparency.
The strong price increases in recent years have also led to timeless, sustainable items being required than short -term trends. It is increasingly about quality instead of quantity, so to invest in items that you can wear for years.
The attitude of the brands towards Sale also plays an important role: labels that consistently opt for ‘no sale’ win more and more trust and are experienced particularly positive by our customers. At the same time, discount promotions are expected to be better regulated and clearly communicated, without permanent price reductions that devalue the product.
What expectations do you have for the second half of the year?
We look positively at the second half of the year and hope that our customers will receive the offer well. The new fall/winter trends, in particular luxury materials such as leather, fur and high -quality boots, have a lot of potential.
At the same time, we feel that the willingness is increasing to invest again in special items, in quality that remains. If we manage to give the right impulses and inspire our customers, we will look forward to with confidence in the coming season.
Finally: how do you expect that 2025 will end?
We are carefully optimistically going into the second half of the year and hope to be able to match last year’s results. Of course, the economic environment remains challenging, but with a clear focus and strong collections we are convinced that we will also successfully close 2025.
This interview was conducted in writing.
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