THE JOURNAL
Looking to channel a bit of old-school 20th century Alpine glamour when you next hit the slopes? BOGNER is the name you need to know. Founded in 1932 by the German-Nordic Olympic skier Mr Willy Bogner Sr, the brand has attained near-legendary status among the well-heeled crowd that congregates at Europe’s premier resorts every season, who hold it in high regard it for its effortless combination of high performance and sleek, après-ready style.
But it’s not just the superior quality of its skiwear that has carried the 90-year-old brand to the very pinnacle of the mountain. The tireless promotional activity of the founder’s son and current boss of the company, Mr Willy Bogner Jr, has played an important role, too. More than just a skiwear pioneer, Bogner Jr is also known as a filmmaker and stunt coordinator who directed a series of big-budget ski movies in the 1980s, most notably 1986’s Fire and Ice and its sequel, Fire, Ice and Dynamite. (BOGNER skiwear was prominent throughout, naturally.)
Perhaps his most widely recognised projects as a filmmaker are the ski action sequences from James Bond films of the 1970s and 1980s, including the iconic opening scene from The Spy Who Loved Me, in which James Bond leaps from a cliff towards certain death only to be saved moments later when he throws open a parachute emblazoned with the Union Jack. This scene, perhaps more than any other, crystallises the over-the-top tone of Sir Roger Moore-era Bond – and Bogner Jr was the man holding the camera. This long-standing partnership between BOGNER and Bond is celebrated this year with a full collection of 007-branded skiwear and accessories, which we’ll be examining in greater depth next week.
“It’s less bombastic than the 007 capsule, sure, but still packs a punch, with stylish design details that ensure you’ll stand out on the slopes”
But what of this season’s mainline BOGNER collection? It’s less bombastic than the 007 capsule, sure, but still packs a punch, with stylish design details that ensure you’ll stand out on the slopes. The Nelo padded jacket seen here is finished with lacquered ripstop for a wet-look finish on the back and arms that contrasts against the body, and features a BOGNER logo running vertically along the back of the hood.
Big-statement ski jackets aside, BOGNER also provides a full selection of salopettes, ski pants, base and mid layers, all of it designed with both performance and style in mind. It’s a fusion the brand refers to as “athluxury” – we’ll just stick with calling it really great skiwear that’ll take you from the chalet to the slopes in style.