Should you find yourself in the picturesque town of Kitzbühel this month, when the prestigious Hahnenkamm race is taking place, expect to jostle through swaths of fur and designer snow boots to see any of the action. With such events attracting enthusiasts from around the world, the style levels on the ski circuit are just as exacting and directional among the onlookers as the daredevil participants.
Little wonder, then, that catwalk collections increasingly include snow-friendly clothing that can walk off the runway and on to the slopes, or at least into the chalets and nightclubs that are as much part of the scene. DSquared’s £16,000 Navajo-come-Eskimo super coats (no other description will do), Baja East’s longhair Toscana fur bombers, Gucci’s Fair Isle knits, Iceberg’s sporty polo-necks and — the champion buy — Louis Vuitton’s snow-white fluffy sheepskin coat, which opened the label’s AW15 show, are all likely to be spotted near the slopes this winter.
Having weathered unforgiving British and New York winters, Rag & Bone’s managing partner Marcus Wainwright insists his catwalk looks are functional. “The cold-weather parka and our hybrid quilted liner vest are filled with real goose-down,” he says. “And a lot of pieces, like the Sullivan coat and Token peacoat, have removable quilted liners. Other utilitarian details are the multifunctional double-zipper centre front closures and expandable sleeves, which allow for layering.”