Slope Style Is The New Street Style: Why Après Ski Is Trending This Season

Last year, when the first House of Gucci cast photo — featuring Adam Driver and Lady Gaga in ‘80s-style winter outfits — emerged online, it forecasted a big fashion trend: après ski-inspired attire. And while we’ve seen snow-ready fashion — including snowsuits and ski goggles — trending before, this season, the look is taking to the streets, rather than just the slopes.

For evidence, see the recent holiday campaigns. While Louis Vuitton showcased the new collection on models skiing, Coach featured celebs like Jennifer Lopez, Michael B. Jordan, Paloma Elsesser, and Barbie Ferreira enjoying a snowy day in New York City. Meanwhile, Prada’s “A Midwinter’s Night Dream” took a cinematic trip through a snowy Los Angeles. Months before, on the fall 2021 runways, Chanel’s lineup included a series of fashion-forward snowsuits; meanwhile, Miu Miu's featured balaclavas, fur gloves, and padded boots, on models trekking through the snow.

While it's somewhat expected to find winter gear in time for the cold-weather season, the brands have been taking the trend a step further in the last year, styling utilitarian snowsuits with more city-approved heels (Chanel), chunky winter boots with slip dresses (Miu Miu), and holographic puffer vests with designer bags (Louis Vuitton) — looks perfect for a hot toddy, whether it’s preceded by a ski run or not. 

The slope-ready influence was also seen in recent mainstream fashion collaborations, including the Eddie Bauer x Baja East capsule — a gender-neutral collection, made up of snowsuits, puffer jackets, fanny packs, and pillow-like hats, that launched in October — and the Bogner x LoveShackFancy collection — that includes overalls-like snowsuits and ultra-feminine floral ski sets, available now. There's also the latest installment of Gucci x The North Face, which includes pine-printed puffer jackets, overalls, and winter accessories.

As the pandemic shows little signs of letting up for good, and we continue to dine outdoors in cold temperatures and escape cities for the sprawling outdoors, shoppers are buying into the trend. Pinterest has seen an increase of 85% in searches related to après ski, with a 145% jump in inquiries for “après ski outfits.” Meanwhile, fashion shopping platform Lyst deemed balaclavas the accessory of the season, following a rise in searches for versions by Paloma Wool, Miu Miu, New Balance, and Weekday. In the shoe department, Moon Boots — a favorite of celebs like Paris Hilton back in the early 2000s — have become one of the comeback trends of the year, in large part to the Y2K fashion revival. 

The Old Farmer’s Almanac has predicted a cold, long, and snowy winter for the United States this year, so we might as well bundle up in style, whether a skiing trip in the works or not.

Get your après ski on with these options, below.