Alpine regions throughout Austria, South Tyrol and Italy cradle countless hidden gems, small family-run businesses with historic production methods that underpin Rier’s collections. This season Rier has expanded its network to collaborate with the incredible French savoire-faire to provide state of the art shirting, and with German craftsmen to produce its hefty knitted wool socks.
The Rier production network is a constellation of collaborations, with 50% of its items produced in Austria – Loden coats, jackets, Walker items, fleeces and trousers, 30% produced in Italy – denim, jersey and knitwear, as well as accessories and small leather goods, and now France for shirting, representing 15% of its products, and 5% in Germany.
Rier went on a mission to seek ethical, local supply chains, finding incredible resources in alpine regions where small family-run businesses operate with highly skilled labour, developed over multiple generations. Artisans at heart, these local family businesses guarantee the safeguarding of production methods and philosophy over time, upholding their heritage and DNA with their passion and craftsmanship. However many have suffered from globalisation, seeing less demand for their work also due to their limited ability to develop a network in the industry and to acquire outside interests.
In the current state of dominant fast fashion, short product life cycles and fierce competition from low labour-cost countries, traditional business models struggle to stay afloat. RIER values these businesses, their people and has already created some strong links with local suppliers, seeing this as an opportunity worth exploring to strengthen and differentiate the brand. Sharing the same purpose and common objective of safeguarding small craftsmanship and to preserve their historical production methods, RIER found valuable partners and created a small network to support small factories and family run businesses in local communities throughout the alpine area, realistically supporting their integration into the contemporary fashion system.
Putting quality above profit, Rier strives to generate value for local communities whilst ensuring continuity in a sustainable supply chain.
The alpine regions throughout Austria, South Tyrol and Italy offer countless hidden gems, small family-run businesses with historic production methods that underpin Rier’s collections. Sharing the same purpose of safeguarding small scale craftsmanship and to preserve their historical production methods, Rier found valuable local partners and created an exclusive network to support small factories and family run businesses in local communities throughout the alpine area.
Historic artisanal know-how infuses authenticity and quality into the collections.
Embroidered flower patterns were traditionally reserved to alpine costumes worn by men only. Each village has its own representative flower. Today for the first time, Rier applies its authentic heritage flower embroidered on a unisex garment.
Rier denim is produced in the region of Venice - Italy, a highly skilled area well known for state of the art denim manufacturing.
The best of the Alps at the Super Mountain Market: tradition, culture, and craftsmanship come together in a curated selection of Alpine products.
The third edition of the Super Mountain Market is open daily from August 4th to September 5th 2021, 11:00-19:00h at Forum Paracelsus in St. Moritz.
www.kollektivvolume.com
@supermountainmarket
The flower embroidery was used on traditional male vests, part of the alpine costumes and historically worn by men only. The chest in black velvet and back in a heavy red cotton toile with geometric imprints. Each village has its own representative flower, Rier uses the authentic motif of Steiner's native village, Castelrotto.
Rier finally repurposed this iconic symbol on contemporary surfaces and items, making it accessible and relevant today. In Rier’s collections the flower counterbalances a harder military style and attitude, mixing up the perception of old and new.
Our kind of „marroni-boots“, these heavy duty shoes made of wood, leather and studded with sharp blades. Each shoe weighs about 2kg. They were an ingenious tool used to peel chestnuts, covered in spikes when they fall from the tree.
Known as "Soles" in French, this pair comes from the region of Ardèche and dates back to the late 19th Century. Total height 22 cm, lenght 30 cm, width 12 cm discovered at @paulbertserpette.
Synthetic fibres like polyester and nylon are forms of microplastic that get washed everyday into the ecosystem.
Rier therefore only uses 100% natural materials.
Biodegradable materials as plastic usage has inevitably penetrated into our everyday life with consequences for the environment and human health, Rier is focused on limiting its use throughout its business processes. Working against a polyester-fuelled industry and minimising the impact of microfibre pollution, Rier is working exclusively with substitute fabrics and natural materials that can either biodegrade or be recycled.
Sustainable supply chain
using only 100% natural materials such as wool and cotton together with a sustainable supply chain and manufacturing process allows to present a collection that focuses on high quality, authenticity and longevity.
Conventional fleece-pile garments typically are made out of 100% synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon. Even if “recycled” these are forms of micro-plastic that get washed into the ecosystem.
Natural wool fleece-pile
Rier therefore uses a 100% natural wool fleece-pile that requires less washing in the and only releases biodegradable microfibres.
The "Schnappviecher" (snapping cattles) come clad in wooden masks, linen overcoats and horsehair tails, loud bawling, shouting and stomping in the spirit of ancient tyrolean rites.
Rier presents its new forever pieces.
More than ever, the Rier 2021 collection is an ode to the hypothetical perfection of heritage pieces from the essentialist wardrobes of the Italian Alpine region of South Tyrol. The 2021 collection goes one step further in solidifying the brand’s vocabulary, upholding Rier’s signature refinement paired knowingly with inherent practicality: Rier balances the love for outdoor activities, nature, crafts, and healthy lifestyle with refinement, sophistication and humble luxury to soften the demanding, fast paced reality of city life.
Most importantly, Rier has chosen to strengthen the brand’s focus on material, cut and volume – by pushing them to their maximum expression this year. For 2021, each garment has been perfected and elevated to be a sign, complete in and of itself, of the Rier language. The result is a unisex collection that embodies the search for the unexpected: all-round, pure luxury design.
The collection reads as three interwoven narratives: wool classics, sport fleeces and athletic evening. With wool classics, the brand reedits its Austrian manufactured icons: the Loden coat available multiple colours and the felted Walker coat, jacket and vest.
The sport fleeces are this year’s highlight development, offering an understated luxury take on a timeless, 100% wool piece in 11 colours. The fleece is the somewhat romantic epitome of the Rier look: borrowed from the realm of athletics, this functional zip-up is made of natural and sustainable wool of the utmost quality from Austria. The third chapter of Rier 2021, athletic evening, brings both of the aforementioned together, allowing a black moiré silk waterproof tracksuit to be worn with a fine wool raglan twin-set, topped with an oversize embroidered Walker coat. The collection is completed by a set of accessories: boots, hand-made in Italy with a mountain rubber sole, suede nylon patchwork sneakers, home-wear felted wool slippers, thick wool socks and a felt bucket hat.
Challenging timeless understated perfection.
All garments are tailored on a made-to-order basis and can therefore be provided with individual sizing and material selection. Contact us for more informations or schedule a studio visit.
Delivery within 4 - 6 weeks byUPS carbon neutral worldwide shipping. Taxes and custom duties included within the EU.
Studio visits by appointment only
75 rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris FR
+33 6 37 33 07 94
rier@rierofficial.com
"Our first meeting with the Tyrolean fashion designer Andreas Steiner is in his showroom-cum-apartment in the heart of the Marais in Paris. Here, in a beautiful hôtel particulier with high ceilings and superb azureblue sofas, he unwraps cableknit sweaters that have been handmade by his mother and her friends; belts embellished with peacock feathers, finely stitched by a craftswoman in Val Sarentino; and gorgeous Loden coats. It doesn't take him long to convince us to accompany him on a short getaway to South Tyrol..."
Writer | Daphné Hézard
Photographer | Bea De Giacomo