Bronze. Silver. Gold. Some dream of at least one. Others dream of, at a push, two. But very few dream of all three – and all three gold, for that matter. But gold in what – more broadly about a standard of luxury, or in a traditional sense about Olympic medals? At Toni Sailer, they have both. A gold standard of ski clothing in honour of a three-time gold Olympic medallist.

Toni Sailer is a luxury ski clothing brand from Germany. It’s often recognisable by its use of Swarovski crystals, its chamois logo, and its elegant fit. It combines haute couture with high tech whilst lending to retroelements of its hero’s time.

Ski clothing brand Toni Sailer was founded by Hans Taubenberger in 2004. But it was half a century earlier that the name itself because famous. In the 1956 Olympic Winter Games, Austrian skier Toni Sailer did more than just flirt with a spot on the podium. He took all the crowns and glory of this first-ever televised Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo. He won three golds. And at the tender age of 21 too. It’s not a wonder that his legendary status was further legitimised in 1999 when he was awarded ‘Austria’s Sportsman of the Century’.

It was then a few years later that the hero’s name, Toni Sailer, was married with the extensive textile experience of Hans Taubenberger and born into a designer fashion brand. Initially, heads turned from head buyers of fashion houses in luxury resorts such as Courchevel, St. Moritz, Lech, and Aspen. Now, the ski apparel company spans over 30 countries with more than 250 clients. And with sometimes three collections in process at one time, Toni Sailer’s success is showing no sign of stopping.

Top Picks

Success through no stopping and absolute speed is exactly how Kitzbuhel-born skier Toni Sailer got his nickname ‘The Blitz from Kitz’. With this in mind, it’s crucial for the brand that their stylish pieces can withstand top speeds. Their latest ‘Streif Edition’ is in honour of exactly that.

The Streif, in Kitzbuhel, is one of the most difficult and dangerous ski runs in the world. It takes no prisoners. And with a slope that’s more like a bed of ice, it’s not just ski equipment that needs to be at its best. It’s ski clothing too. Their line includes the men’s Ruven jacket as well as the Nick light ski trousers.

More male’s most wanted include the Lynn Print ski jacket, the Elio Twotone layer and the Toni Sailer suspenders.

The women’s ‘Overalls’ line by Toni Sailer is also hard to resist. These one-piece suits have a sort of retro-chic look about them. With the booming urban trends of jumpsuits, boilersuits, and dungarees, why not take this all-in-one look to the slopes as well? The women’s Lotta ski suit makes a luxurious fashion statement.

Other female favourites include the Elin ski jacket, the Sestriere print pants, and the Lizzy mittens.

Function and Fashion

Each season, Toni Sailer impresses with an entirely new collection with a distinctive profile. As both a designer fashion brand and a ski clothing company, they recognise the importance of balancing high-end fashion with high-performance materials. And so, each piece is taken through an extensive process from its original idea to testing to developing and right through to final production. At Toni Sailer, they treat function and fashion with equal importance. Wear a timeless, figure-flattering suit, but wear it without fearing freezing temperatures.

Features

Toni Sailer prides itself on its highly technical, five-star materials. Synonymous to a sort of second skin, their pieces provide insulation without sacrificing style.

• • Wind and waterproof jet material
  • 3 bonded layers: 1) 4-way stretch fabric with water-repellent layering, preventing moisture from entering, 2) Toray Dermizax Ò mid-layer is equipped with a functional laminate featuring 20,000mm waterproofing and breathability, 3) inner warming layer
  • Stretch compositions with a high percentage of elastane that enable optimum mobility and maintenance of form
  • Fully sealed seams using waterproof taping (7-8 metres per jacket)
  • Fireballs lining for down look and insulation
  • PrimaLoft Ò technology
  • THERMOLITE Ò technology
  • Use of special pigments for powerful, active, or saturated colour tones

When it comes to branding, the ski apparel company achieves the perfect balance. It’s not too subtle that it’s unnoticeable. But it’s not garish either. And most of all, it’s not meaningless. The designer fashion brand’s logo is the chamois. This goat-antelope animal is found in the European mountains. A fitting nod to all things alpine. Recognisable through its short, hooked horns, this animal is a picture of elegance and agility – just like the skiers who wear Toni Sailer clothing. Its branding emanates, not just originality but, exclusivity.

• • Chamois symbol is surrounded by the traditional coat of arms
  • Manifests itself in a variety of forms according to style and material
  • 3D logo for sporty, technical styles
  • Patches of fabric or leather are refined with shimmering metal or Swarovski crystals
  • Found embroidered on the inside pocket
  • Found on the collar
  • Found on the trouser leg
  • Found as a monogram on the zipper pullers and buttons

Since 1895, Swarovski has been the go-to brand for the finest crystals. Toni Sailer’s use of Swarovski crystals gives their clothing the sparkle, style, and shimmer that’s sleek skiers should desire.

• • Unique variety of cuts, colours, effects, shapes, and sizes.
  • Combined with timeless pearls
  • Matched with fabrics based on tonal colours
  • Quadratic cuts for a modern look
  • Elegant and iridescent effect

Swarovski may cover all things shimmering and silver, but when it comes to gold, Toni Sailer has it all. It has gold star materials. It has a gold standard of style. And of course, it has Olympic gold medallist as inspiration for the eponymous ski clothing brand, Toni Sailer.