Bringing the Catwalk to the Slopes, an Interview with Sportalm Creative Director Ulli Ehrlich
text Sandra Myhrberg
images courtesy of Sportalm
Nestled at the foot of the Kitzbühel Alps, Sportalm’s headquarters does not feel like a corporate hub; it feels like a living archive. Bolts of fabric, sketches from past decades, and the hum of a team that has worked together for generations tell a story that began long before contemporary sports luxury had a name. Visiting the brand on its home turf, it becomes clear that Sportalm is not merely a fashion company; it is a family legacy woven into the rhythm of the town itself.
At the centre of this legacy stands Ulli Ehrlich, Creative Director and member of the founding family, whose journey with Sportalm began long before she ever held a title. Growing up next door to the factory, the brand was not something she joined; it was something she lived. From sewing clothes for her dolls as a child to shaping Sportalm’s modern fashion identity and its global presence, her perspective is uniquely intertwined with the brand’s evolution.
Our conversation unfolds between the past and the future, the craft traditions upheld by a family-run business, the joyful and expressive codes that define Sportalm’s style, and the brand’s ambitions to inspire the next generation of skiers and fashion lovers.
Q: You studied fashion formally and were also trained in Paris. How did your education and early professional experiences shape the designer you are today, and how did it prepare you for your role at Sportalm?
U: Studying fashion gave me a solid foundation. I studied in Austria and then spent time in Paris, where I trained at Daniel Hechter, which was quite influential at the time. That was where I learned proper pattern making, and that technical knowledge has helped me so much throughout my career. When I returned to Sportalm, I started by working on the craft collection, then on the ski line, and eventually I developed our fashion line, which we launched around twenty-two years ago. My education, combined with growing up so close to the company, gave me both the creative understanding and the technical confidence to move the brand forward.
Q: Sportalm has evolved over more than 70 years with deep roots in Alpine and ski culture. As Creative Director, how do you describe the brand’s stylistic journey from its origins to today, and what creative or strategic challenges do you face in keeping such a specialised heritage both innovative and relevant?
U: Sportalm has evolved significantly in its product portfolio. Founded originally as a knitwear manufacturer, the brand later expanded into traditional Alpine attire, then into ski apparel, and since the 2000s into fashion and golf collections. Yet throughout this journey, the brand’s distinctive signature has remained intact. Sportalm is known for its vibrant, expressive collections, always with that certain special touch, a deep love for detail, and an uncompromising commitment to quality.
The great challenge is to stay true to our roots and remain unmistakably ourselves, while at the same time staying in tune with the spirit of the times.
Today, anything is possible — there is no longer just one single trend. As a brand, you have to
seek out what is authentic and credible, while still giving customers the feeling of being absolutely en vogue.
This also reflects the character of our hometown. Kitzbühel has constantly transformed itself, yet has remained an authentic place, even as glamour has become part of its identity. This blend of glamour and down-to-earthness is undoubtedly one of the secrets of our success.
Q: Sportalm describes their own work by being characterised by sustainability (cited from your website). How would you, as CEO and Creative Director, define the brand as being characterised by sustainability?
U: Family-run businesses have always operated sustainably, because we think in generations, not in quarterly reports. We feel a responsibility toward our values and toward people. Our commitment to maintaining our own production site within the EU is a clear expression of this value-driven mindset.
Sustainability is also reflected in our dedication to quality, creating products that last for generations.
The most beautiful moments are when we receive photos of styles that are 40 years old, or when young people write to tell us they are now skiing in the overalls of their grandparents. That is sustainability in its truest, most lived form.
Q: Tell us about your upcoming fashion show! Are you the sole designer of the collection, or did you have any special collaborators? Are there any specific pieces or details one should pay extra attention to?
U: We have an excellent in-house team, some of whom have been with us for over 20 years and have played a decisive role in shaping Sportalm’s development. Our creativity truly comes from within the company. The collection is so diverse that it’s difficult to highlight one specific detail.
What was especially important to us this year was the multifunctionality of the collection. Almost all pieces can be worn beyond the slopes — whether it’s the fashionable down jackets, the elegant mid-layers, or the beautiful knitwear. They can be worn for skiing, but they don’t have to be.
Q: My mom (in Sweden) had one of your iconic jackets in the 70s. How do you view the potential of re-engaging the Nordic audience?
U: In the past, Scandinavian style was often described as minimal and dark, but that is no longer the case. Today, Scandinavian brands are bold, colourful, and truly unique. Even on the slopes, people embrace a lot of colour. So perhaps this is the right moment to rethink our distribution in the region.
Q: Looking back across the decades, is there a particular era of Sportalm’s archives that you find yourself returning to most for inspiration today?
U: We’re keeping a strong eye on the fashion industry because what we do is ski fashion we are not like some of the really functional hardcore technical brands where you don’t see so much difference in the years, if there’s a trend like bordeaux colour we use it or if people prefer monochrome looks or now this big retro trend we adapted from the fashion and bring it to this key collection. We bring the catwalk to the slopes.
Q: Among the many diverse looks in the show, is there one silhouette or fabric innovation that you feel especially proud of this season?
U: We have reached a really good balance this season. For a long time, silhouettes shifted from the oversized shapes of the eighties and nineties to the ultra-tight fits of the last decade, driven by the rise of stretch materials and the desire to look slim. Now, people are playing again. Many still prefer a fitted pant, but they pair it with a jacket that has a bit more volume. And the more fashion-forward women are embracing both voluminous jackets with loose, baggy trousers. It feels like a confident mix of proportions, and I am proud of that evolution.
Q: Finally, if you were to minimise the soul of Sportalm into three words, what would they be, and why? And how are those qualities expressed or reinterpreted in your upcoming fashion show?
U:
- Joy for life is the overarching expression of our collection’s identity.
- Passion is the driving force behind everything we do.
- Family is the foundation and defining mark of quality within our company.
