Martin Koller is CEO and founder of Barney & Baxter AG, a Swiss-based company specialising in the product development, manufacturing and distribution of technically advanced sportswear, which launched a collection of equestrian apparel for Tommy Hilfiger in spring 2021. His company is the official Tommy Hilfiger Equestrian Licensing Partner and is responsible for the design, production, supply, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of TOMMY HILFIGER Equestrian products in Europe and the Middle East. In his spare time, he is a passionate rider himself.
Martin Koller is CEO and founder of Barney & Baxter AG, a Swiss-based company specialising in the product development, manufacturing and distribution of technically advanced sportswear, which launched a collection of equestrian apparel for Tommy Hilfiger in spring 2021. His company is the official Tommy Hilfiger Equestrian Licensing Partner and is responsible for the design, production, supply, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of TOMMY HILFIGER Equestrian products in Europe and the Middle East. In his spare time, he is a passionate rider himself.
Zurich Youth Masters: Why do you and TOMMY HILFIGER Equestrian support the Zurich Youth Masters?
Martin Koller: From my point of view, promoting young talent is a core element in all sports. Sport starts there with passion, dedication and commitment. You learn to win, but also to lose, so it’s a good school for life. I know from my own experience the broad-based work with young talent in show jumping in Switzerland and therefore I know how important the entire environment is, with the support of parents, trainers, horse owners, sponsors and patrons. Only this environment, but also specific support projects such as the Swiss Youth Jumping Academy SYJA, make successful and long-term promotion of young talent possible at all. Of course, this also requires the appropriate sporting events and tournaments where the youngsters can compete. We therefore find the courage and commitment of the organisers of the Zurich Youth Masters to organise an international youth tournament in Switzerland and thus to give Switzerland even more weight as a location very admirable and commendable. And as a young brand in equestrian sport we want to support this. Tommy Hilfiger is an international brand, but we at TOMMY HILFIGER Equestrian have our headquarters in Thalwil near Zurich and therefore want to make a contribution to Switzerland and Zurich, not least because of our local connection.
What are your goals with the partnership with the Zurich Youth Masters?
Riding is sport, leisure and passion, and the handling of horses requires a great deal of commitment and dedication. We believe that Tommy Hilfiger embodies this attitude to life very well and can contribute to carrying these positive characteristics beyond the equestrian sport. On the one hand, the strong presence and awareness of the brand so far outside of equestrian sport certainly helps. In addition, we perhaps have a slightly different perspective on equestrian sport and how and by whom consumers are influenced or what is important to them.
With our partnership with the Zurich Youth Masters, we therefore want to increase the awareness of the TOMMY HILFIGER brand in equestrian sport on the one hand, and on the other hand also show that we want to be a serious partner in equestrian sport that not only feels connected to this beautiful sport, but also offers products with excellent technology in addition to fashion.
What role do internationally successful young riders play in the context of an international equestrian brand?
The young riders in the sport, but also young riders in general, form our core target group and accordingly have a very big influence on the entire community. The networks of young riders and their environment are very large. Everyone knows everyone else. When participating in international competitions, exciting and mostly long-term connections are formed, among each other, but also in the whole environment. The riders in the sport are tangible and close, communicate a lot and actively on the most diverse channels, and are also an immediate role model for many young leisure riders, who can be reached and whom they therefore follow. For us as a fashion manufacturer in equestrian sports, this is a very exciting target group whose behaviour and attitudes we follow with a lot of interest.
We are also aware of the high sporting and weather-related demands expected from functional equestrian clothing and the corresponding combination of performance and wearing comfort. Our product development team comes from an equestrian background and has a lot of experience with functional sportswear. At TOMMY HILFIGER Equestrian, we strive for a balance between a fashionable appearance and state-of-the-art technology. Accordingly, we are also interested in ongoing feedback on our equestrian products and the exchange with the community of young riders, especially in the sport.
What is your personal relationship to show jumping?
I ride myself in my free time and have also taken part in show jumping competitions. Currently, I still jump from time to time in training and mainly enjoy beautiful rides in nature with my own horse.
