Sportalm Blog

The moment I notice Jennifer sitting in the Weinzelt with a huge plate of roast in front of her, I immediately want to talk to this beautiful young woman. The 26 year old American has been a design assistant for the Sportalm Fashion collection since march 2011, hailing from Boston, Vermont originally. Jennifer is a delicate, tall blonde with bright blue eyes and well blown-out bob. After she graduated in fashion design, having studied in New York and Milan, she learned about the Sportalm brand from her Austrian boyfriend. She knew right away that she wanted to move here to work for no one else but Sportalm. She applied for a job at the company twice - and was rejected both times because her German wasn't good enough. A lot of people probably would have started looking for an easier option, but Jennifer was so determined to work for Sportalm, that she managed to speak the language fluently after one year of hard practice. With success - she is fully integrated in the Sportalm design team by now.

Sportalm: Jennifer, why did you still want to work at Sportalm, despite being rejected twice?
Jennifer: Sportalm has a very distinctive style I had never seen before, neither in the US nor in Italy can you find something alike. That totally fascinated me! I don't think these special clothes could be created anywhere else but here, and I think that's because of the tirolian landscape and mentality.
Sportalm: What do you mean by that?
Jennifer: Firstly, the Tirolians, actually Austrians in general, are deeply rooted in their region and traditions. They don't seem to care so much about what others think, which applies for clothes, too. Trachten represent this really well, being very individual and rich in detail. They are all about highly decorated surfaces, precious fabrics, appliqués and cut. You can see this style in our Dirndln, but it also rubs off on the Sportalm Fashion collection. The same attention to detail and quality of fabrics is quite obvious there. A masterly crafted bodice is as crucial to a Dirndl as a perfectly cut blazer is to our Fashion main line. I love sharp tailoring, which is a big part of the Sportalm dna!
Sportalm: But Sportalm is a very international brand, despite this regional mentality, right?
Jennifer: Defintely! Even though the origins and production of the clothes are so particular, their look visual presence appeal to individualistic, energetic and vibrant women. Women who love fashion but dont' care about trends so much, no matter where they live!
Sportalm: How would you describe working in the Fashion design team?
Jennifer: It's probably going to sound like they paid me to say that (laughs) - but it's just great! Ulli has an excellent intuition and very distinct ideas about the theme and style of a collection. But when it comes to the actual designing, she gives us a lot of freedom and room for our own interpretations. Since all stages of design, pattern- and sample-making are done inhouse, so that we can make an impact by communicating directly with everyone involved in the work process. Which makes for a highly flexible work flow! And we get to design even the tiniest bits ourselves, from the seams to the logo prints and the inside labels, that look a little different each time.
Sportalm: What do you do in your free time when you want to relax?
Jennifer: I enjoy hiking a lot, and I'm interested in art and architecture! Yves Klein, Matisse and also Frank Ghery have a huge influence on my work. Skiing is another favourite. I love the Mountains! And the ocean, which is something I really miss about Vermont. And I have to admit it took me quite a while to understand all the fuss about Kasknödeln, but I'm most certainly a fan now!

Thank you Jennifer for the conversation!