Photography courtesy of BOSS
How a trip to Austria to try the BOSS x Perfect Moment capsule ski collection reignited the excitement of the slopes for our creative and fashion director.
By George Antonopoulos
Date January 23, 2023
My ski dreams were crushed in high school.
I used to love skiing: the wind in your hair, the thrill of the chill, the feeling of flying when speeding down a mountain or in my case, just a hill. I wasn’t an Olympian by any means, but I could comfortably hold my own and enjoy myself in the process. That all changed when I was 17. I slipped on an ice patch and hit a wooden post at full speed during a regular run. I clearly came out alive, but any hopes of ever getting back on the slopes and perfecting my technique were gone with the fear that it might happen again. I’ve avoided the winter sport ever since. That is — until this week when BOSS invited me to Kitzbühel, Austria, to experience their new collaboration with Perfect Moment.
Photography courtesy of George Antonopoulos
Designed by Marco Falcioni, Senior Vice President of Creative Direction for HUGO BOSS, the capsule combines the performance expertise of luxury ski wear brand Perfect Moment with BOSS’s signature elevated athleisure aesthetic. Standout apparel from the 23-piece collection includes colour-blocked knit sweaters, tailored jackets, unisex star puffers, women’s flair-legged onesies and this ’80s-inspired ski suit that I lived in all weekend.
And I needed it, too! Austria is a country I’ve always wanted to check off my bucket list, but the weather there is no joke. It was like stepping into a cold postcard when I arrived at the ski lodge. The chalet and surrounding landscape were submerged in blankets of snow and had it not been for my new winter wear, which features high-performance, waterproof and breathable fabrics, I wouldn’t have survived long in the -10ºC frost.
Photography courtesy of George Antonopoulos
Luckily, we could watch the Hahnenkamm Race — the world’s second oldest alpine skiing competition — from the Kitz Race Club and BOSS Chalet that later turned into a disco. With social stars like Jordan Barrett, Naomi Wattanabe and Akamz in attendance, and a cover band that performed nostalgic ABBA songs and other retro hits, the après-ski disco vibes were immaculate.
Of course, aprés-ski fashion isn’t anything new. Without fail, every winter, some variation inevitably makes its way from the slopes to the stores. But lately, it feels like luxury fashion houses have been going extra hard in style, and BOSS x Perfect Moment is no exception. This collab checks all the fashionable boxes and is a mashup of the greatest hits of both brands. And, like me, you don’t have to be a dedicated skier to enjoy the many offerings the collection has.
Did I actually go skiing on this trip? No, I didn’t. But it inspired me to try again. I’ve also gained a new appreciation for the technique and ability of the sport by watching Austrian skier Vincent Kriechmayr win gold. So I’ve signed up for ski lessons next week as a late New Year’s resolution of sorts. Who knows how well the skiing will go, but you can bet I will look great while doing it.