From Catwalk to Ski Slope: Dress to Impress on Your Winter Break

Avid skiers and snow bunnies alike are joyously celebrating the opening of the 2017 ski season! After booking your flight, selecting the best catered chalet, then purchasing your ski pass, the next big decision should be what to wear.

This winter’s most stylish ski-wear is an eclectic mix of form, functionality and fun. Fashion designers who have accepted the challenge of keeping us fashionable and warm on the slopes this year have not disappointed those who have eagerly awaited their latest designs.

Fashion Meets Science

Most designers who tackle the conundrum of making ‘staying warm’ look fashionable have thoroughly embraced the assistance of the best scientific minds in the field of high-performance materials. Consequently, waddling out of your hotel or catered chalet dressed as the Michelin Man is no longer standard procedure for winter sports enthusiasts.

Great efforts are taken to produce outfits featuring sleek, form-fitting, down-filled jackets, bold graphic prints and statement style footwear. Style is both available and celebrated on and off the slopes this season with a nod to fashions of the past and the progressive future.

Three Names to Wear

Out of all the options available this year, quite a few labels stand out amongst the crowd. Our top three designers include Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Paula Fox and Stella McCartney.

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac is a well-loved, seasoned designer from France who has spent the last decade producing imaginative ski-wear fashion lines for Rossignol. After a total of 40 years in the industry, Castelbajac is well-known for his artistic approach, creating a trademark whimsical style full of bold colours and striking patterns. His pieces, such as his full-body Lycra suits and puffy down miniskirts, certainly stand out on the snowy catwalk of the Alps.

Paula Fox is a newer name to be found this season who has gained widespread critical acclaim for her innovative, safety-focused line of ski attire. The designer, from Scotland, experienced a serious ski accident back in 2012 which inspired her to design with function and safety in mind. Fox has embraced new material technology and has created a colour-coded jacket system that is illuminated even in low-visibility conditions. In the event of an accident snowboarders and skiers can more easily be located by rescue workers as a result.

Stella McCartney, although not a name typically associated with ski-wear, has launched a line of pieces that are being hailed for their functionality as well as their smart and stylish look. McCartney, offering a more affordable line of designer wear for skiers, incorporates earthy tones and photographic prints alongside technologically-advanced RECCO reflectors. These reflectors utilise a type of geo-location technology aimed at assisting rescue workers on the slopes.

Dress to be Seen

After addressing the somewhat mundane logistics of a winter break such as flights, transportation and booking a hotel or a catered chalet, the real fun begins in the preparation of what to wear. Along with exciting ski-wear options, this season’s designers have not forgotten the après-ski scene. There, perhaps, is the ultimate opportunity to see and be seen! So be sure to grab up the latest 80s-style patterned trousers and knits, paired with the perfect moon boots, and hit the slopes and the social scene, in the latest styles!