One of the first sportswear brands to be considered fashion, and one of the most iconic silhouettes on the mountains, is Bogner. The company is relatively under the radar in the US market as it has remained focused on the slopes rather than getting into the urban jungle. The German company has regularly created skiwear for the national olympic teams. Although these moments tend to be less aesthetically sophisticated, they speak to the importance of the brand to the European ski community. It is true the company is lesser known in the US, but its influence can be
The company also enjoyed some other more refined moments in the spotlight. Think back to the suave James Bond gracefully making his way down the slopes in A View to Kill, his white Bogner ski suit camouflaging him in the snow. The signature 'B' zipper pulls dangle from the neckline and the silhouette is timeless as ever.
To read more about the company history, the website relays key moments in the company since it's founding in 1932 by skier Willy Bogner. In 1936, he was part of the German olympic team, which was also the first year that Bogner designed the olympians' gear. The site also has some gorgeous photos of the garments over the years. Like this one, showing the fitted look enabled by new stretch fabric technologies in the 1970s:
Photo from Bogner
Bogner represents the best of sportswear in that the standards of silhouette and execution were just as rigorous as any fashion item. The pride that a skier has in their appearance is a part of the pride of the sport. That swooshing silhouette descending the mountain, movement unobstructed and visually clean. Crisp. Effortless...
Ski racer Barbi Henneberger in Bogner, from a post on Alpine Style 56
© Bogner Moments 1932 - 2012, On the dot: polka-dot ski jackets with a tailored hood and stylish ski goggles are all the rage for lady skiers from Cortina d'Ampezzo to Colorado, published by teNeues, www.teneues.com. Photo © Willy Bogner GmbH & Co. KGaA