The Mountains are Calling, Issue Six
Happy ski season, everyone! This issue is all about how to make the most of mountain life, both on the slopes and après. We thought a lot about how joyful skiing was when we were kids and how elegant technical clothing was in our mother’s era. We chatted about how to make ski house weekends extra fun, our all-time favorite ski spots and even more importantly, our all-time favorite ski lunches. (More on that for our paid subscribers later this month!) As always, we included a few things that will help you enjoy some peaceful moments in between all that motion. Ideas on how to take care of yourself, to discover a new artist, to walk a little taller in brand new boots. We hope you love this issue as much as we do, whether you’re heading for higher altitudes or staying blissfully put. Thank you for being with us!
The sun is shining, the snow is glistening and that thrilling mountain wind is in your hair. Skiing can be a religious experience—and so can having the right ski pant. Bogner’s ELAINE STIRRUP SKI PANT instantly became a cult item when Maria Bogner first wore a pair on a trip to Sun Valley in 1955 with her husband Willy, with whom she co-founded the German skiwear brand. Since then, everyone from Marilyn Monroe and Liz Taylor to literally All. Three. Of. Our. Mothers. have sworn by these swishy hip-huggers. That’s because they sculpt, slim and are built to last in a way most things aren’t anymore. And if you’re not a stirrup girl, we also highly recommend these bib pants, which have plenty of that old school Bogner magic we all love.
The tunes are cranking, the white Russians are flowing and your après ski party is in full swing. Someone needs a light…and thankfully you have one that will blow them away. Edie Parker’s JELLY TABLETOP LIGHTER is so delicious-looking it doesn’t need to be functional—the fact that it’s a working lighter is just a bonus! Impress all your naughty smoky friends and give this giant resin beauty prime real estate at your next barn burner. For 10% off, use our exclusive discount code THEPERFECT-EP-10 at checkout!
You’ve just saddled up to an outdoor table in direct sun. An ice cold pilsner and jägerschnitzel are on the way. There is nothing better after a morning of skiing than peeling off a layer and settling in for an hours-long lunch on the mountain. Devold’s NORDSJØ SWEATER is the coolest under-layer you could possibly reveal. Made from 100% pure Norwegian wool, this crewneck was originally designed in the 1800s to keep nordic fisherman warm and dry and is said to be the inspiration for the iconic L.L. Bean version we all grew up with. The sweater is unisex, so order your size accordingly and enjoy it for life.
The house is packed to the gills with friends for a long wintery weekend. How to make multiple evenings at home feel festive and different? One night, try laying your table with punchy linens and these POP STAR PAPER MASKS at each place setting, which will instantly make the vibe funny and fun (they’re also a fab house gift). We first discovered these on the website of the talented artist Caroline Kent of Scribble & Daub, where they are now sold out, but thankfully her hand-drawn place cards with bows and stars are in stock and will add more artistry to your tablescape.
When you pull them on, they give you a special kind of swagger. Tecova’s JAMIE COWBOY BOOTS are the coolest way to wear a heel that ever was, especially when you mix them with a long knit skirt and sweater set. They also look city slicker cool with a black turtleneck and slim pants slid inside. There are a lot of beautiful interpretations of this western shape from fashion houses right now, and we love those too, but this Austin, Texas-based brand actually makes cowboy boots for a living (and sells them for a fraction of the price). If you’re anywhere they have a store, stop in, try on a pair and enjoy a little something from their fully stocked bar!
The day is finally done and it’s time to bury your face in a hot linen washcloth. Next comes a soothing salve before bed: infused with aromatic regenerative flower extracts helichrysum, white lily and lotus, Tammy Fender’s INTENSIVE REPAIR BALM is the ultimate winter face cream. One of the early organic skincare gurus, Fender started off as an aesthetician (with clients like GP) and created this unicorn line of skincare products made from nothing but wild-crafted and organic ingredients that are free from parabens, sls, phthalates, petrochemicals, artificial colors and fragrances…but also actually work. Simply put: it makes your face GLOW. And if you’re anywhere near Palm Beach or Delray, we highly recommend visiting her spa for a facial.
They swing from your ears and catch the light, reflecting an ancient dignified kind of beauty. Dubini’s ROMAN IMPERIAL BRONZE COIN EARRINGS are that rare combination of unusual and eternally classic. Handmade by artisans in Rome for Italian designer Benedetta Dubini from 18 karat gold and authentic coins minted circa 330-337 AD, these drops are the ultimate everyday earring…as great with a simple black dress and shawl as they are with a power suit or cozy velvet jeans and a cardi.
Its mere presence sets a mood: solitude, sport and style. Artist Marco Walker’s ‘SUGAR BOWL’ COLLAGE SKI POSTER is part of a small ski series derived from a group of black and white negatives shot by an Austrian skier and film director from the 1950s on to which Walker adds his signature graphic touch. (We love everything he does.) The LA-based artist, who is half Austrian, is a seasoned and well-traveled skier who grew up racing down mountains in the Arlberg region, from St. Anton and Zurs to Lech. He also loves La Grave in France for its old fashioned simplicity and ski touring in Engadin and the Dolomites.
In any room they inhabit, they cast a Bergé-Peregalli-style spell. Lindell & Co.’s CHAIN STITCH CUSHIONS are a well-kept secret, available in very few places except the designer’s intimate atelier in Paris. Owner Gabrielle Soyer is uncompromising on quality: each of her wool pillows are stitched by hand in Kashmir in a tightly-woven technique that dates back to the 14th-Century, resulting in intricate patterns that add depth and texture to an interior. We have collected these pillows for many years, and they are still as stunning as the day we carried them excitedly home. Soyer’s hand embroidered animal-shaped tapestries, which take up to two months to create, are also extra-special strewn at the bottom of a bed or over the back of a loveseat.
