All about the Apres
I have never been skiing, cold weather is my kryptonite, I can handle a standard winter but when the temperature creeps below zero and I can’t function, I think there is a malfunction somewhere in my bodies ability to keep my extremities warm and since watching Everest I have an irrational fear of losing toes and possibly my nose to frost bite, not dying, just spending the rest of my life without them, so you can see why skiing has never been top of my list, and we haven’t even mentioned the potential for injury, all that said I watch the videos of mountain top raves with great interest, it looks like a lot of fun being up there with blue skies wearing cool ski gear, I have questions such as do you have to ski down afterwards, and if so is there alcohol involved as that seems risky, but I will save queries for when I meet someone who has attended a ski rave, right now its time to talk about how Ski wear has become a fashion item.
At the end of 2024 Zara released their latest ski collection, I have always thought it was a niche offer, what percentage of their customers go skiing? Surely those who do ski don’t buy new kit every time? But I was missing the point, Zara simply found a clever way to cash in on the seemingly evergreen trend that is outdoor. Brands such as North Face, Moncler & Salomon have become street wear brands as opposed to something you wear to scale a mountain, and rather than create a collection inspired by outdoor wear, Zara went in for the full hit, waterproof windproof breathable technical fabrics that also have RECCO technology to make it easier for rescue professionals to find you in the event of an accident. Of course Zara did what they do best, they made their version of Ski wear aspirational, chic & stylish, so much so that the result was according to TikTok, Zara ski jackets became the must have coat for teenager girls for Christmas 2024.
At the foot of the mountain there is a civilised activity that suits me far better than having giant ice lolly sticks attached to my feet, Après Ski, where people gather post exertion to enjoy a hot chocolate, my experience of this is limited to what I have seen on Emily in Paris but it looks fabulous, chunky jumpers worn over stirrup leg leggings, Next have a pair onsite in Ponte which is a brilliant thick fabric that used to be reserved for premium brands and of course furry boots, ear muffs optional but absolutely encouraged as is a faux fur / borg hat of your choice, this is post slope style, minus the slopes.
