When you live in Colorado, Presidents’ Day Weekend is a time to head to the mountains to play.
I remember when my sons were toddlers, teaching them to make a pizza pie with their skis so they could snowplow. And behind them, with ski poles around them in another V to keep them from going out of control. Now 21, and graduating from college this spring, they’ve been snowboarders longer than they were ever skiers. If only the lingering need to keep them safe now, was as easy as making a pizza pie.
We’re all scattered around the country this holiday weekend. I’ve been living in both my worlds the past couple of weeks, reminded of Colorado as I watch the 2018 Winter Olympics; and living mainly in New York, just finishing with fashion week.
There are more athletes from Colorado at the Winter Olympics than any other state. Silverthorne snowboarder Red Gerard, won the first gold medal in Pyeong Chang for the U.S. There’s icon Lindsey Vonn, and Gold Medalist Mikaela Shiffrin, both from Vail. And from Steamboat, badass snowboarder Arielle Gold took the bronze with a dislocated shoulder!
In Colorado, most of our holidays were spent in the ski areas. I still ski a little, but now I’m more likely to choose shopping in charming boutiques. If I’m in Vail, Beaver Creek or Keystone, I go to the Super-G of them all, Gorsuch.
Renie and David Gorsuch were members of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Ski Team, fell in love and married. They brought alpine fashion to the Colorado mountains, and were early leaders in establishing Vail as a world-class resort destination. Gorsuch is known for alpine luxury clothing and home goods—branding a dreamy mountain life in winter and summer. The look is Edelweiss-chalet-worthy cardigans, with popcorn stitch and dimensional flowers, and Fair Isle sweaters. Their old-world Austrian riding jackets, paired with lacy blouses, are to die for. In summer, lace and ruffled-linen let you see yourself dreamy in the Maroon Bells, in a field of wildflowers. Oh, yes, and they have ski clothing too.
Fuschl Sweater . Nora Velvet Jacket .
With each new collection, distinguished designers like Raf Simons at Calvin Klein, Vivenne Tam, and Prabal Gurung must breath crisp, fresh air into their legacy brands. For Fall 2018, an alpine point of view brought their lines to snow-capped peaks. Pick them apart and these mountain chic outfits can weather the transition into spring too. Take off the sweaters and coats to take it inside and in season.
At Sally Lapointe sparkled snow on a sunny morning is her high altitude. Nightlife, in Aspen, at the X Games is where you’ll find Colovos and R13.
When George Mallory answered the question, “Why do you want to climb Mt. Everest?” with, “Because it is there,” we’re prodded to do what we are passionate about. The thrill in watching the edges of human limitation passing into a different dimension, is in seeing the impossible. We cry, we gasp, we are in awe.
Calvin Klein
Sally Lapointe
Colovos
Vivienne Tam
R13
Prabal Gurung
The Sunday Self Style Series returns next week with perhaps the toughest look to know–Chic.
Cover Photo at Calvin Klein, Fall 2018 . ImaxTree