Danish vision, with Italian craftsmanship and your four legged friend at heart: Aalphas is the new brand bringing luxury to you and your dog
“To me, it has always been crucial Aalphas is considered a full-scale lifestyle brand, taking responsibility for the planet, instead of adding another dog accessory brand to the fast-moving consumer goods market.” These are the words of Emma Cronwall Tramphedach, founder and designer of Aalphas, the new luxury brand focusing on all things dog. With the ambition of achieving heritage brand status – to match the likes of Tods or Loewe – Aalphas is a label keeping the artistry and craftsmanship of old glamour relevant. “It’s not only signalling good taste and quality, but also a heritage,” says Cronwall Tramphedach. “I’d like to honour with Aalphas: a throwback to old eras, a renaissance if you will.”
Photo: Courtesy of Aalphas
At its heart, this label is about bringing dog and owner closer together, “providing every excuse to match styles”. “We want to provide long-lasting products that will become natural add-ons to the lifestyle of a conscious, stylish and fashionable dog owner,” says Cronwall Tramphedach. Having recently launched its first collection, 'Sprezzatura' (meaning effortless and graceful), the brand bring forth an air of quiet luxury. “To us, this isn’t a commercial jargon or meaningless argument,” she says. “We adhere to, and celebrate, a slower pace, a ‘dolce far niente’, where quality, not quantity, speaks volumes.”
We want Aalphas to lead the way, and to become bigger than the product it carries. We want an aura.
Emma Cronwall Tramphedach
The focus on quality is evident in all of Aalphas products, which currently consist of a collar, lead and lead bag, all available in 3 colours: nero, maronne, and avorio . “We currently have two leather ‘pellatterias’, one tannery, one hardware supplier and one textile supplier (although this one is not in use quite yet,” says Cronwall Trampedach. She notes how all of the hardware is allergy-tested brass, which is sent directly to the manufacturers who only use responsibly sourced leather from suppliers who adhere to ethical and sustainable practices. In total, each batch of 'Sprezzatura' takes about 4 weeks in production and is made entirely in Italy. “There is just something about the ‘Made in Italy’ stamp. To me, it signals not only good taste but quality,” she says. The product is then returned to Cronwall Trampedach, who, from her home in Denmark, packs and ships all orders. “With growth, I’ll have to look to outsource these steps, but I will keep it close for now,” she says.
Photo: Courtesy of Aalphas
Photo: Courtesy of Aalphas
Photo: Courtesy of Aalphas
All designs for the brand come from Cronwall Tramedach, whose creative vision is at the heart of Aalphas. “I’ve always had a big interest in design and architecture, appreciating what is the typical ‘less is more’ Scandinavian approach,” she says, on the inspirations behind the products. “The Scandinavian design culture has inspired me a lot with the use of natural materials, an honesty to craftsmanship and a simple, yet innovative design. Hellerup, where Aalpahs’ headquarters are located, is big on dog culture, and that has inspired me to carve the vision of the brand. We want Aalphas to lead the way, and to become bigger than the product it carries. We want an aura.”
Photo: Courtesy of Aalphas
Cronwall Trampedach's favourite piece in the debut collection? “I believe the ‘Sprezzatura’ collar, paired with our ‘Il Nome’ name tag,” she says. “However, the ‘Toschino’ dog bag has definitely become my personal favourite as it goes with everything and simply looks, and feels, like true stand-out luxury, just attached to a leash. Sara [the brand architect] expressed that this item would be the perfect charm to any shoulder, or crossbody bag, truly proving its relevance across both the dog and human styling world.” There are are two pooches she dreams of dressing: Grace and Coco, the border collie mum and daughter belonging to Queen Mary of Denmark. "It would be the biggest dream come true, being a ‘Kongeling Hofleverandør [Royal Court Supplier]’,” she says.
Shop Aalphas' hero product here:
