For a functional midlayer on the slopes or a statement piece for après-ski, ski sweaters are as Aspen as it gets.
Ski sweaters have been a winter staple in Aspen ever since Norwegian ski superstar Stein Eriksen moved to town to direct the Highlands ski school and run a ski shop. He taught the rich and famous, passing down ski technique and, indirectly, Norwegian ski culture, which included patterned wool sweaters (his were knit by his mother). By the mid-1950s, celebrities like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Cary Grant were wearing classic ski sweaters when they visited the mountains. But no Aspen rules say you have to ski to après-ski. A 4PM hot toddy always feels better in knitwear. Plus, ski sweaters are always en vogue, making them a practical investment piece that you’ll wear in the city too. All the ski and après-ski sweaters in our roundup perform and look as good in Manhattan as they do at Th e Little Nell.
Delaine & Co is bringing back the classic ski sweater.
1. DELAINE & CO
A nod to the bold, classic ski sweaters from the golden age of skiing, the Delaine & Co (skidelaine.com) women’s merino wool full-zip ski sweater in Downhill Red fits perfectly under a ski jacket, but with its flattering silhouette (thanks to Lycra at the sweater bottom) and ivory accent stripes, you’ll want to show it off after last chair. Fine 21-micron wool fiber in 12-gauge rib stitch feels luxurious, and you can feel good knowing where the wool comes from—Delaine & Co sources it from a sustainable ranch in California, then sends its wool to knitting mills on the West Coast and in the Midwest.
Alicia Adams Alpaca’s Heidi sweater in yellow and light gray
2. ALICIA ADAMS ALPACA
Alicia Adams Alpaca (aliciaadamsalpaca.com) utilizes alpaca wool for its collection of sustainable high-end fashion and home decor that’s proudly fair-trade-made in Peru. Coveted for its warmth and water-resistance, alpaca wool is also hypoallergenic and soft as silk. The Snowbelle sweater is a brand-new brushed knit sweater by Alicia Adams Alpaca with puffed sleeves and a slim fit. The sweater’s vibe is as casual as après at the Highlands Alehouse. Visit the brand’s Aspen store in the North of Nell building at 555 E. Durant Ave. to see and feel more of the unique collection.
3. TOTEME
Leave it to the Scandinavians to work magic with knitwear. Based in Stockholm, Toteme (totemestudio.com) explores the appeal of a modern uniform through distinct design cues, meticulous craftsmanship and methodical repetition. The relaxed-fit Toteme cable knit turtleneck features a heavyweight wool blend designed in a cropped, boxy silhouette with ribbed edges, wide sleeves, dropped shoulders and twisted seams along the sides. Team it with high-waisted trousers for a chic après-ski look that will carry you from Ajax Tavern to dinner at Cache Cache.
4. NAKED CASHMERE
With a storefront at the base of Aspen Mountain, Naked Cashmere (nakedcashmere.com) embodies what so many Aspenites and Aspen visitors seek out: practical luxury. Founded in 2016 by third-generation knitwear experts Leslie and Bruce Gifford, Naked Cashmere combines sustainable practices, premium yarns and high-fashion designs with the effortless comfort of cashmere—all for a value that’s hard to find in Aspen. Timeless colors and flattering silhouettes define the brand, but the Naked Cashmere sweater that embodies après in Aspen has to be the Jolene. This classic alpine turtleneck with ribbed trim warms with 460 grams of pure cashmere in three-gauge knit.
Naked Cashmere
5. ICEBREAKER
Made with 100% merino wool, Icebreaker’s (icebreaker.com) Waypoint Crewe sweater is a breathable, comfortable and warm winter piece that performs perfectly as a midlayer or a stand-alone smart sweater for, say, Nordic skiing on a bluebird day to lunch at Pine Creek Cookhouse. Merino wool isn’t just lightweight, soft, nonitchy, nonclammy and temperature regulating, it’s naturally renewable, recyclable and biodegradable. Interestingly, Icebreaker offers 10-year supply contracts to its New Zealand-based growers, allowing them to take care of not only their sheep but their entire ecosystem by offering them the security to invest in their businesses, their land, their animals and their people.
Photography by: PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE BRANDS; PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BRANDS
