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Pole position for AlphaTauri: International expansion and Formula 1 partnership

AlphaTauri wants to leave the pandemic behind and looks confidently into
the future. Thus, the Austrian label is stepping on the gas and taking
advantage of all its opportunities to take off internationally, even away
from its own Formula 1 team. At a store event at the end of March in
Vienna, AlphaTauri celebrated its expansion with some guests. FashionUnited
was there too and spoke with CEO Ahmet Mercan about the brand’s goals.

The flagship store in Vienna’s city centre, which has been open since
December, is located just a few metres from St. Stephen’s Cathedral, in the
lively “Graben” shopping street. Therefore, it was no wonder that the event
on a Thursday evening with its more than 100 cheerful guests and hip beats
of the DJs attracted some attention and caused passers-by to stop. The
drinks to match the party mood were of course provided by AlphaTauri’s
parent company Red Bull.

AlphaTauri store event in Vienna | Photo: Philipp Lipiarski /
AlphaTauri

AlphaTauri pushes ahead with international expansion, plans store in
London

In addition to Vienna, AlphaTauri has two other Austrian stores, in Graz
and Salzburg. Even beyond the border, the brand is currently planning its
first own store, which will soon open in London. But AlphaTauri is also
pushing ahead with its wholesale expansion. After launching the
international expansion in 2020 with about 20 retail partners in Germany
and Austria, the brand is now available at 130 points of sale in 14
countries such as Italy, Spain, France and also in the Benelux market. The
company plans to add six more countries next year.

AlphaTauri store in Vienna | Photo: AlphaTauri

But the brand also already has an e-commerce presence with its own
online store available in 86 countries. “Our goal is to map expertise
across channels as one signature approach – from our own e-commerce site to
our own stores to wholesale,” Mercan told FashionUnited.

An integral part of this AlphaTauri signature are the categories
knitwear and outerwear. The brand has now established itself in the
outerwear segment in particular, which has been part of the brand’s DNA
since the beginning. However, there are also ready-to-wear categories such
as pants, which the brand would like to expand further after positive
feedback from retailers and end consumers.

AlphaTauri store in Vienna | Photo: AlphaTauri

This orientation – with a focus on outerwear and knitwear – is also
highlighted in the store. In the entrance area of the two-story space is a
3D knitting machine that is part of the “Experience Area”. Upstairs are the
men’s and women’s collections. Additional screens, light installations and
an artificial landscape of stones and grass give the otherwise rather plain
store a modern touch. This fresh store concept also impressed the mixed
audience – hype kids, celebrities and fashion industry representatives
celebrated together and tested the items as well as technology in the
store.

AlphaTauri store event in Vienna | Photo: Philipp Lipiarski /
AlphaTauri

Top manager Bruno Sälzer was also present at the event. The former Hugo
Boss CEO has been active as an executive advisor at AlphaTauri since the
end of December and is in charge of driving the international expansion
forward, among other things. According to Mercan, Sälzer’s global
experience is an “insane asset” for the brand.

Mercan: Formula 1 team as expansion advantage

In addition to industry experts, AlphaTauri also relies on tools such as
its partnership with Formula 1 to establish a global presence. The brand
used the media reach of the racing world to enter new markets. “For the
expansion into Japan and also Turkey, it was an advantage to have a Formula
1 team, which helped us gain awareness in those markets,” said Mercan
during the interview.

It was important for him, however, to make it clear that AlphaTauri is
“not a spin-off of a Formula 1 brand”, but an independent brand where
fashion is the main focus. Nevertheless, the sporty styles – with their own
textile technology developments such as the Taurobran membrane – fit in
with the tech-savvy hobby and racing audience.

”For us, it’s about the beauty of the product and not necessarily always
bringing technology into it. Functionality and technology are always an
add-on,” said Mercan. “The biggest challenge is to find the right balance
between fashion and function.”

AlphaTauri store event in Vienna | Photo: Philipp Lipiarski /
AlphaTauri

With this strategy, the brand seems to have successfully taken off in
the last two years despite the pandemic. The fall/winter 2022 order round
gives the brand a positive outlook.

”Everything seems to be picking up again and we are also noticing
people’s desire to buy again. For two years we were in the home office and
now we can already notice a slight mood of optimism, coupled with a certain
caution. We are sportingly optimistic about the developments,” concludes
the AlphaTauri CEO.

AlphaTauri invited FashionUnited to its event in Vienna.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.de. Edited
and translated by Simone Preuss.

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