St. Moritz Inspired Wedding Weekend Fashion

My love for the alpine aesthetic

is well-documented (see here and here). Cozying up in a chalet, wearing winter fashions-- this, to me, is the epitome of luxury. And as someone who has perfected the art of après without at all mastering the sport of ski, I can attest firsthand that après ski culture and fashion is something to be enjoyed by all— black diamond experts, bunny hill honeys, and those for whom shopping is their cardio.

If you are lucky enough to be attending a wedding weekend in a ski resort, these après and event fashions are for you, selected with all the weekend’s festivities in mind. I picture these pieces most at home in (why not?) St. Moritz. (Although, it’s safe to say, these looks would work beautifully for any winter wedding weekend.) Imagine waking in a suite overlooking a scene of frosted wonder. You cocoon yourself in a hotel robe for a brisk breakfast on the balcony, drinking in both the once-in-a-lifetime views… and the sipping chocolate. After a day of powder and pistes, perhaps followed by a sauna and soak, you attend the rehearsal dinner. For the event, you’ve chosen a close-fitting turtleneck dress, a blank canvas that allows your Extreme Collection jacket—really, a wearable work of art—to be the dazzling focal point it is, without anything else competing for attention. You’re already dressed for an unforgettable night out in the Alps: perhaps a nighttime gondola ride, where you can look out, rapt, on the stars over the Alps, scattered like diamonds on a velvet case. Or maybe change into something un peu plus sportif: a classic Moncler down jacket. All the better for a private, moonlit ski session, arranged by your concierge. Wedding day presents the opportunity to wear something dreamlike: a pink crepe gown with a collection of crystal flowers and fluted and feathered sleeves. A pastel vision of pink against the frozen landscape.

The defining characteristics of this list include exquisite embroidery, Nordic details, and sumptuous fabrics, like merino wool and baby alpaca. So many of these are one- of- a kind pieces: coats with hand-cut tassels, hand-sewn trimmings, pieces of jacquard woven patiently on a loom. When I think of St. Moritz, Etro is one of the first labels that comes to mind. Etro’s pre-Fall collection, with its bohemian vision of winter, captures the essence of an enchanted snow scene. A charming thread connects the various pieces of the collection, expressed through lavish embroidery, intarsia knits, and Nordic details. Very boho ski bunny, you know? I’m especially drawn to the collection’s pastel and playful colors, which invite the viewer to approach winter differently-- with a bit of a gypsy flair. (Pastels are, in my humble opinion, most beautiful in autumn and winter, when they are least expected).

The list also features quite a bit of faux fur which, over the past several seasons, has become a luxury fabric. This is made evident in pieces like a faux fur coat in a ravishing teal shade, with a silky lining that feels glorious against the skin. But the list reaches its apex in a coat by the Extreme Collection, the aptly named St. Moritz. This piece, to me, is the essence of Swiss or even Scandinavian inspired dressing (which, for all its emphasis on minimalism, does maximalism so well—I so often see bright colors, crazy knitwear, and Marimekko-like patterns in modern Scandi collections). It is also, as it happens, one of the most beloved items in my own wardrobe. But even if it weren’t, I would appreciate it for its artistry. The St. Moritz is an ode to eclectic colors, embroidered details, and offbeat charm. There’s something delightfully zany about it, sort of outré. But far from detracting from the piece’s sophistication, this irreverent quality takes the piece to a dreamlike realm. It becomes a couture moment. The St. Moritz, like other pieces from the Extreme Collection, is a wearable work of art.

the collection has that certain x factor, a je ne sais quoi…”

The Extreme Collection, based in Spain, creates their line very much at home, with an emphasis responsible practices and Spanish fabrics. Indeed, the pieces invite touch: the blend of baby alpaca and merino sheep wool results in a fabric that is “structurally unique and soft to the touch, always sumptuous.” The faux fur is more than an embellishment—just something to add to collar or cuffs—but rather fundamentally shapes the silhouettes of each coat, creating a distinctive, rounded shape. It’s a quirky touch that makes each piece recognizable, but also demonstrates the brand’s innate sense of architecture. No two pieces are ever alike, as tassels are hand-cut and placed, pom-poms personalized, and trimmings hand-sewn. As individual pieces and as a whole, the collection has that certain je ne sais quoi that can’t be manufactured, forced, or replicated—it simply is. Of course, the masterpiece is brought to life only when you wear it, infusing the piece with your movement, form, personality, vivacity, and grace. The Extreme Collection adopts this approach and insists “our work only makes sense when someone wears it, not to hang it in the closet and admire it. And when this is achieved, it is a plus.”

Images courtesy of The Extreme Collection and Wolf & Badger

A distinctly Scandinavian thread

runs through the list, as seen in artistic pieces by Danish designer Stine Goya. Artists like Goya have steered Scandi chic from an era of strict minimalism to its playful present, where voluminous silhouettes and delectable colors characterize the quintessential Scandi woman’s wardrobe.

*Goya’s abstract prints and patterns translate into pieces that feel more portrait than clothing item—and it’s this artistic feeling that embodies Scandi chic, at least for me.*

Image courtesy of Stine Goya

Meanwhile, Lirika Matoshi’s pieces, while not Scandinavian in origin, capture a similarly effervescent feeling. Despite frozen temps, your heart will positively melt over the Back Home coat, with its hand-stitched scene of a thatched roof cottage—complete with a daffodil garden—or the mocha Teddy Bear, fastened with (of course) bear-shaped buttons. All these pieces are worn ironically, with a certain twinkle of the eye. They defy the stuffy mood one might associate with such splendid ski holidays and locations, and instead inject the scene with humor, artistry, and joie de vivre.

*Pieces like these remind us that one need not dress or be overtly sexy or needlessly pretentious to look unpredictably and undeniably glamorous.*

Image courtesy of Lirika Matoshi

Meanwhile, ski and après-ski fashions on this list capture the ambiance of ski resort glam.

Imagine zipping down the mountain in a playful pastel one-piece and knit pullover with sorbet trim, accessorized with Loewe mask sunglasses in icy lilac and a fur neck warmer in punchy coral. Pieces like the Jet Set vest, in frosted aqua, have the dreamlike quality of couture pieces. Of course, if subdued elegance is more your thing, then a one-piece Cordova or Gorsuch ski suit feels both appropriately low-key and high-class, while Goldbergh ski overalls have a youthful edge. Moncler, above all brands, communicates the luxury of a place like St. Moritz, with the brand’s classic silhouettes updated this season in the iridescent pastels—pearly pink, glowing apricot, all topped off with a high-gloss, holographic finish.

The art of ski dressing is in pairing these pieces with (sometimes outrageous) après ski accessories: take, for instance, the mohair Beverly boot by Moncler, Khaite’s oversized shearling Pia coat or Jonathan Simkhai’s beautifully crafted vegan leather outerwear. And every alpine look is perfected with a pair of movie star sunglasses, perhaps in an updated shape, like Bottega Veneta’s pink cat eye style.

All these looks culminate in the pièce de résistance moments of the list, the wedding guest and winter event dresses.

Andrew Gn’s pale pink crepe dress, with its fluted and feathered sleeves and crystal embellishment, is the very image of ethereal, enchanted winter. The gown’s crystallized floral motif reminds me of soldanelle plant of the Swiss Alps; a miracle of a flower which, despite extremes of sun-drenched days and frost-filled nights, bursts through ice and snow to bloom: a tiny, mauve miracle and sweet testament to God’s power and grace. Gn’s twill grey dress, also featured on this list, features ostrich feathers and a neckline with intricate crystal work and cutouts—resulting in something like the dress equivalent of a sparkling snowflake. Just imagine either gown paired with a crystal Clio Peppiatt handbag; confections so magical, with their ornate beadwork and iridescent pastels, they seem to belong to a dreamscape. The “Crystal” bag is a vision of beauty, hand embellished with rose, lilac, daffodil, and icy blue beads—a splendid little concoction that looks something like rock candy.

Images courtesy of Matches Fashion, Moda Operandi, and Mae Cassidy

Gowns by Etro, on the other hand, offer a Scandinavian take on bohemian winter dressing, with Nordic patterns and textures. This vibrant pattern work, with its tapestry of colors, looks devastatingly cool against the blank canvas that is a black maxi with voluminous sleeves and a pleated skirt. How cool it is to channel this laidback, bohemian sensibility for evening time, when it is least expected. The flowing dress and relaxed fit projects a certain comfort, especially when a cocktail dress or tight gown is most expected.

Style with wild tresses, a tiny braid or two, or a space buns, and minimal, dewy makeup. And of course, don’t forget an oversized fur piece—very Lauren Hutton in Halston with mink jacket at the 1975 Oscars.

Image courtesy of Moda Operandi

Whether skiing, dining, or shopping, these are pieces that will make you feel like a masterpiece.

As an experience, St. Moritz often feels like it’s just about luxury for luxury’s sake: what’s most expensive, impressive, brand name. I have an aversion to this cold approach to elegance—however objectively beautiful it may be. I’m instead drawn to quirky and idiosyncratic things. I love artistry and craft, pieces that are made with great care. It follows that I would rather wear something that looks like a painting or a tapestry—something totally unique-- rather than buy something because it belongs to an important fashion house or has a luxury monogram. When I invest in a piece, it’s because it has something magical, something hand-crafted or artistic, that can’t be replicated elsewhere. I like to think of passing down pieces to my future daughter, watching her play dress up in a fabulous old coat… and maybe even seeing her wear it out when the style is revived for a new generation.

Hopefully, these personality-filled pieces inspire you to take your own individual approach to dressing. While there are designer names on the list, there are also independent brands and expressive, offbeat pieces. Some are investment pieces, while others are more reasonable. There are admittedly items from notable fashion houses, but also independent artists and obscure brands.

It’s about dressing for your own storybook winter scene…

As ever, my hope is that these choices have life and heart and soul to them, a kind of joie de vivre. I know, firsthand from wearing a few of these them, that they have become infused with my own personality. They are less about their price tag or importance than they are about their artistry, individuality, and the way they’ve become synonymous with some of my most beloved memories. In essence, ‘St Moriz’ or ‘winter wedding’ doesn’t have to immediately translate to unattainable. It’s about dressing for your own storybook winter scene, with an expression, grace, a personal style that’s completely your own.