At Emerson Renaldi, the signs are on expansion. With the opening of a new location in the Austrian Telfs, the Nuremberg luxury fashion retailer is breaking new ground – geographically and strategic.
In the interview, Olivia Pfeiff gives an insight into the motives behind the choice of location. In addition, the managing director of the family company talks about current trends and how brands during the changing consumer behavior speaks the trust of their customers: inside.
About Emerson Renaldi:
Emerson Renaldi was founded in 1979 by Birgit Pfeiff as a boutique for Italian women’s shoes. In the meantime, she is heading the family business with her daughter Olivia Pfeiff. Emerson Renaldi has been running a second location in Augsburg since the end of 2024, which will follow the first international store in Austria in autumn 2025. Over the years, the range of luxury fashion for women and men has been expanded. These include established fashion houses such as Burberry, Prada and Gucci, but also streetwear-oriented brands such as off-White and diesel as well as designers: Inner brands such as Nanushka, Dorothee Schumacher and Christopher Esber.
Ms. Pfeiff, Emerson Renaldi is on the expansion course. Why did you choose this Austrian location?
I found the idea incredibly exciting to present modern luxury fashion in a completely new context – beyond the classic urban environment, as you are used to. Telfs is located in the heart of the Alps and, with its extraordinary backdrop, offers a perfect stage for our Emerson Renaldi DNA: modern, high quality and consciously thought differently. The strategic location on the axis between Nuremberg, Augsburg and Innsbruck also makes the place an important traffic junction – especially for vacationers: inside and international guests. For us, Telfs was therefore a very logical development when talking about resort and leisure culture. And last but not least, the location itself has a long tradition, also in the area of high -quality fashion. High fashion is not a foreign language here – on the contrary, it has long since found a place here.
Are further new openings planned?
For the time being, no further new openings are planned. But of course that always depends on the respective situation. The location in Telfs was also not originally planned – it simply resulted from a special opportunity. In this respect: you should never say “never” in life. If there is something exciting and it suits us, we do not rule out anything.
With the Tyrolean location, they also expand the resort segment. What trends will determine the holiday season in the coming year?
On a winter vacation – especially for the ski season – the focus is on high -quality materials. Fur in all variations and lambskin, whether long or short, are absolute must-havees. These parts can be styled not only in alpine resorts, but also in an urban environment. There are also classic Norwegian knitting patterns and luxurious cashmere. For the festive season, it is welcome to be a bit “Bold” and glamorous-striking looks with a statement character are clearly trendy.
And in summer?
We see a lot of feminity and lightness for summer vacation: crochet details à la miu Miu, bast accessories and the lingerie look celebrate a strong comeback.
What will prevail for Spring/Summer 2026?
The boho style, as Chloé interprets it, remains an important topic. In terms of color, sorbet tones, tender light blue, soft pink-and butter yellow are definitely preserved.
The menswear shows are already behind us. What do you take away from it?
What was very 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 modernly interpreted without having to act old -fashioned. Overall, men’s fashion looks more elegant, more timeless and more conscious – a trend that fits very well with the current attitude.
Which products and styles are currently going well with you?
Our customers are currently relying on Cleans, minimalist looks – timeless pieces that are not bound to a certain season and can be carried over the years. High-quality investment sites, for example from The Row or Bottega Veneta, are particularly in demand. If you like it a little feminine, you like to use Prada or Miu Miu’s selected looks.
What is your personal ‘summer essential’?
At the moment I prefer to wear a caftan from Saint Laurent – he is casual and is styled incredibly versatile. One of my other favorites is a crochet dress, also by Saint Laurent. Otherwise, I currently love the colorful silk sets from Alemais.
Are there certain brands that are particularly popular with your customers: inside?
Miu Miu, Prada and Bottega Veneta are definitely one of the top three. Our customers also love: inside Celine, Alaia and The Row.
How is the mood for your clientele? 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 inspire customers again for fashion. This is only possible with a lot of commitment: personal, intensive care and special experiences – such as exclusive events that make shopping again something emotional and inspiring. It is about keeping the joy of discovering and trying out alive.
Which other topics are currently concerned with luxury fashion trading?
A central topic is definitely changed consumer behavior. Customers want to shop more consciously and informed today – they question more, compare more intensively and attach great importance to transparency.
The strong price increases in recent years have also meant that timeless, durable pieces are more in demand than short -lived trends. It is increasingly about quality instead of quantity – that is to invest in parts that you can wear over many years.
The attitude of the brands on the subject of sale also plays an important role: labels that consistently rely on ‘non-sale’ gain trust and are particularly positive by our customers. At the same time, it is expected that discounts are better regulated and clearly communicated – without permanent discounts that devalue the product.
What expectations do you have for the second half of the year?
We look positively on the second half of the year and hope that our customers take the offer strongly. The new autumn/winter trends-especially luxurious materials such as leather, fur and high-quality boots-have great potential. At the same time, we feel that the willingness is growing to invest in special pieces again – in quality that remains. If we manage to give the right impulses and inspire our customers, we will be confident about the coming season.
In the end: How will you probably cut out in 2025?
We carefully go to the second half of the year and hope to be able to build on the results of the previous year. Of course, the economic environment remains challenging, but with a clear focus and strong collections, we are confident that we will also successfully complete in 2025.
This interview was conducted in writing.