Fashionably separated

FF: Mr. Klemera, what was Michi like as a child?

Hansjörg: He was the wild one, the cheeky little guy. A real handful—constantly getting hurt. Once he drove a rusty nail through his hand, another time he knocked out all his front teeth.

Michi: I was just always in “full throttle” mode. School didn’t interest me much—I copied and cheated. What mattered to me was riding my motorbike to school and meeting friends.

FF: And what was Hansjörg like?

Michi: He was the studious one, the career guy. I, on the other hand, was the nice one, spoiled by the grandmas. Hansjörg looked after himself; I was always the social one, the one who took care of others.

FF: Together you built up the Luis Trenker brand. What still connects you today?

Hansjörg: Our roots, our childhood—it was fantastic. We grew up in Gries, part of a big gang, with church, youth group, skiing, football. Every weekend our parents took us to Reischach—even our cat Schnurri came along.

Michi: We were completely into sports—ski club, football, tennis. There was even talk at one point of moving to Reischach because we had talent as ski racers. But that was never an option—we loved Bolzano!

FF: Today, you live in completely different professional worlds.

Hansjörg: I’ve been running my agencies Fattore K and K Lab for over 20 years. We distribute 27 international menswear brands from the USA, Japan, and the UK—only brands I wear myself. Women’s fashion was never my thing.

Michi: And I’ve continued leading Luis Trenker, with 110 employees and 18 stores. The alpine lifestyle is at the core of it all for me. But it’s clear: he doesn’t want my product, and I don’t want his.

FF: That’s visible in your fashion styles too.

Hansjörg: I like wearing British ties, colorful socks, denim jackets—unconventional, you know.

Michi: I go for a coordinated look—tone-on-tone in Luis Trenker. Only my 30-year-old Adidas handball shoes break the style.

FF: You live separately today—but what does Bolzano mean to you?

Michi: I live with my wife Christine and daughter Nina in St. Andrä, but Bolzano is and always will be the place closest to my heart.

Hansjörg: I still live in Bolzano. My wife is from Padua, and our daughter goes to the German school here—that was important to me.

FF: You were extremely active in sports. Who’s fitter today?

Michi: We still push each other. I’m riding the Maratona in July, Hansjörg is doing the Tuscany Trail in May. And we’re still taking ski lessons to keep improving.

Hansjörg: I take a more relaxed approach to sport now—I prefer riding my road bike alone rather than in a 45 km/h peloton.

Michi: We even did a fun giant slalom race together recently.

FF: And back then—who was the better athlete?

Hansjörg: We were both on the Italian national handball team. I already had 75 international caps by the time I was 19—but I had to repeat my final school exams three times because of it.

Michi: Trieste wanted Hansjörg as a pro—with a car, university, internship included. But then he became a father at 19 and stepped away.

FF: You both ended up joining your father’s shoe wholesale business?

Michi: Yes, in 1979, after I failed school for the third time. Hansjörg joined six months later.

Hansjörg: Soon after, our father had a heart attack—and at just 18 and 20 years old, we were suddenly responsible for 14 employees.

FF: What happened next?

Hansjörg: We started importing Elefanten children's shoes—it was a huge success.

Michi: I was the salesman, Hansjörg the strategist. We also brought Mephisto shoes to Italy—250,000 pairs a year!

Hansjörg: But my dream was Alden—that got us into upscale boutiques and finally into the Principe store in Bolzano.

FF: How did you get into fashion?

Michi: We revolutionized boiled wool jackets with bold colors. It went great—but we neglected our core business. In 1989, we had to shut down the shoe wholesale.

Hansjörg: Our father stayed loyal, even though it must’ve hurt.

Michi: I should’ve fought harder—especially for our aunt, who was also a partner in the business.

FF: Were your parents as style-conscious as you?

Michi: Our father was always immaculately styled—tanned, short shorts. People even mistook him for Luis Trenker. Our mother was a poised Bolzano lady.

Hansjörg: They were older than most parents—that made our childhood especially sheltered.

FF: How did Luis Trenker come about?

Hansjörg: It started with a tip from Gerhard Brandstätter. We secured the license in 1995, watched Trenker films—but we had no idea what it could become in terms of fashion.

Michi: We brought in Meindl as the producer. At the same time, we were still busy with Mephisto and other fashion projects.

Hansjörg: I was often in the office until 10 p.m.—and I accused Michi of not working enough.

FF: Was that the reason for your split?

Hansjörg: No. But my focus shifted—I wanted to bring U.S. and Japanese brands to Europe. Michi stayed loyal to the alpine aesthetic.

Michi: When Meindl pulled out, Hansjörg took the opportunity. He left in 2003—I took over.

Hansjörg: It was the right moment. Michi did a fantastic job.

FF: There were also tough financial times?

Michi: Yes. From 2003 on, I bore full responsibility. In 2013, I also bought out his shares. Since then, we’ve just been brothers again.

Hansjörg: A relief for both of us. Today, we talk on the phone almost every day.

FF: Hansjörg, how did your fashion agency come into being?

Hansjörg: After Alden, several brands asked if I’d handle their imports to Europe. That’s how I founded Fattore K—later came K Lab, focusing on outdoor and sportswear. Today we represent 27 brands.

FF: Why only unconventional brands?

Hansjörg: My motto is “Out to be in.” The brands need character and quality—no mass-market stuff. Sales and discounts are a no-go for me.

FF: What do you think of Luis Trenker today?

Hansjörg: I’ve been telling Michi for years: go to the U.S.! But he has a clear vision. And without him, the brand wouldn’t work.

Michi: A store in Aspen costs millions. And on top of that: I barely speak English—Hansjörg worked hard for it, taking language courses.

FF: Let’s talk about succession?

Hansjörg: My daughter is still too young, and my son is a ski instructor. I tried to push him into the business.

Michi: My daughter Johanna has been working with me for eight years. I gave her shares for her 30th birthday. But honestly, I’d rather see her as a happy mother than just a successful businesswoman.

FF: How long do you plan to keep going?

Michi: As long as the team doesn’t see me as “the old guy.” We still have big plans.

FF: And what do you appreciate about each other?

Hansjörg: Michi knows how to command a stage—I prefer working behind the scenes. I’m a workaholic—60 emails an hour.

Michi: When he picks up the phone and just says “Dimmi” ("Talk to me")—it drives me nuts! But otherwise: I truly love him with all my heart.