Luis is still alive!
It was fifteen years ago that Luis Trenker died in Bolzano, but he has not been forgotten. Many are eager to keep their idol alive – by hiking along the paths he took, for instance.
ALMOST A CENTURY is the name of the film portrait of the immortal Luis Trenker, with his suntanned complexion, gray hair, hat, bow tie, and the famous plus fours made from the material that bears his name – Trenker corduroy. The sport fashion collection devoted to him and his films is currently a huge success with the public.
Sales last year increased by sixty percent!
Wearing Trenker-style clothes means being extravagant, chic, and totally hip! The mountain climber has become the epitome of the alpine lifestyle. Trenker was one of the first freeriders and freeclimbers. In his films he delighted millions with his bold climbs and fast-paced ski races, and continues to do so to this day. So it's not surprising that the "retro-alpine" look he helped to promote is undergoing such a remarkable revival at the moment.
Everyone knows his endless stories and anecdotes. He was a brilliant narrator, and his countless radio and TV programmes usually began with the famous words Buam und Madeln, horcht’s amal her ("Listen here, boys and girls"). People still love them just as much today – and the good news is that DVDs and audiobooks containing his best stories will soon be on the market.
But that's not all! This year his hiking trail through the Alps is due to be officially opened. "My Way" – the skilful path he took through life, to the very top of the film industry and straight into the hearts of the Germans, Americans, Italians, Japanese and, ultimately, his own fellow countrymen in the South Tyrol. The path he took led skilfully between two fascist regimes, those of Hitler and Mussolini, and he always kept his Christian roots and always found an escape route – usually up a mountain!
His life. His path. The Trenker trail can be hiked during one-day excursions, on weekends or as part of vacation packages, depending on time available. It will be a lengthy trail beginning in Val Gardena (where he was born), passing through South Tyrol, branching off to Innsbruck in Austria and then into the nearby Engadin in Switzerland.
This project has received a highly enthusiastic response from the tourist industry, which is eager to implement it. We will be watching the outcome, and joining many thousands of Trenker fans as they walk the trail!