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.
These small leather goods are inspired by ancient hand decorated suspenders from South Tyrol,
crafted by local artisans with vegetable tanned leather. Four different geometric shapes, as key-holders, are held by adjustable leather straps.
Farmers in Val Badia. With the rise of tourism in South Tyrol, cooking habits changed, but some dishes remain: Die Knödel, bred dumplings, are lunch table staples of South Tyrolean family meals at least once a week - and our favourites.
From the book: Ladinische Einblicke 2005. Photo by Pescoller Hans
Designated as UNESCO immaterial world heritage, “Blaudruck” is an indigo hand-dye technique practiced to this day in 20 year aged water baths in Austria. Rier’s pyjamas, aprons, tunics and denim are hand-dyed according to this technique, introducing this vibrant new hue to the 2022 collection.
Rier was founded by Andreas Steiner in Paris in 2019 to offer flawlessly decontextualised heritage
luxury garments, in the spirit of Steiner’s native region of South Tyrol. With each collection, Rier
reinvents the time-proof mountain garments that cradled his childhood in the Italian Alps.
The brand is deeply committed to building a transparent supply chain, with responsibly sourced,
natural materials in collaboration with local craftsmen. Promoting a wholesome, human-scale
economy, Rier creates practical, essential, and reduced designs to fit the stakes of our modern lifestyle.
Steiner began his career working for Prada, Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton and was shortlisted for the 2021
LVMHprize®.
Since launching the brand, Rier has presented 5 collections.
These seamless fine rib silk and wool underwear items are crafted in Vienna with a fully automated, extremely precise machine traditionally used to make technical sportswear. The Wholegarment® machine was recalibrated by Rier to mix and combine three yarns together haphazardly, to create one-of-a-kind color combinations and patterns inspired by 9 different gemstones.
The collection’s cornerstone is a new heritage-infused, minimal coat, inspired by the folkloric costume
worn by men in South Tyrol, with a wide, soft falling shoulder. The 2022 silhouette is boxy, layered and
modular.
Rier’s iconic Austrian wool outerwear, the Loden coat, Walker jackets and Fleeces are mixed with new
open-back tunics, wrap skirts, aprons as well as hand printed popeline pyjamas and fine rib underwear. Each item of the collection is made to be layered and combined with the others, freely.
The 2022 color palette ranges from raw, undyed ivory to dark brown and black, matched with heritage
flower embroideries. A single pop of indigo is introduced to the collection this year, chosen to be the
only colour among the brand’s otherwise softer tones.
Almabtrieb is a celebration of Summer: dairy cows are decorated with ornate wreaths, healthy calves are crowned with fresh flowers and bells and are welcomed to the valley with brass bands, farmers' markets, folk festivals and applause as they happily pass through the villages to move from their warmer winter quarters.
From the book: Land der Begegnung - Lebensraum von drei Kulturen, 1988 / The encounter - habitat of three Cultures, 1988
Embroidered flowers were historically used to adorn alpine costumes, and were worn by men only. Each village has its own representative flower. Rier offers flower embroidered garments made to suit everyone, freely. For the first time this year, the flower embroideries are applied to brown wool and crisped popeline items.
Inspired by the chains used on mountain farms, Rier created a necklace and earrings that take the shape of double-twisted chainlinks to resemble braid-like ornaments. Each item is electro-formed, 3D molded in 100% sterling silver made in Italy.