St. Moritz Magazine Nr. 3 by Engadin St. Moritz

VIEWS FROM THE TOP ISSUE 3OFFICIAL ST. MORITZ PUBLICATION 25.00CHF 20.00USD 20.00EUR 15.00GBP 9019199772624 03 PAINT NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Naturally, one of the art world’s top dealers grants us an audience to talk artists, family and those international must-sees RAD ARMY We get wild and wipeout with the freestyle ski fraternity and embrace St. Moritz’s eccentric side - because sometimes the snowpark isn’t steep enough for hitting those off-piste highs

Of course, a letting-off of steam is vital, too. Hence our lead fashion story and cover possessing a certain amount of cheek. From the team and town, a very warm welcome to St. Moritz

St. Moritz magazine, like a seasoned polo pony cantering comfortably across the town’s famous frozen winter lake, has certainly hit its stride. We’re proud to present our third issue, which explores more of the unusual, unique and exceptional qualities that really put St. Moritz on high (1,856 metres above sea level to be precise – and we do like to be precise).

On terra firma, and without the need for the higher end of health insurance, this issue takes great pleasure in exploring the spotless service culture of St. Moritz. So you may follow a world-class sommelier as he tops up his cellar in Tuscany and spend an evening eavesdropping on a gaggle of concierges as they spill the beans on a still-secretive profession.

St. Moritz’s deep cultural connections are explored as we talk to both Beatrice Trussardi and Vito Schnabel, scions of the art world with a passion for St. Moritz and its artistic opportunities.

Among many highlights, this issue explores the rebellious and quirky streak that’s set St. Moritz apart for well over a century: the tall stories that attend the weird and wonderful trophies won on the sheer ice of the Cresta Run. That spirit of adventure is also alive, kicking and occasionally wipingout, in the form of the freeriders that call St. Moritz home.

Robert Bound

Editor WELCOME TO TOWN NickelAdamIllustration: 5 ST. MORITZ The delights of yesterday shape the pleasures of tomorrow desede.ch|@de_sede_official

Trophies on the mantelpiece are wonderful, but the tales and feats of derring-do behind them are even better

Greetings from those who makes this town so unique - from the doorman to the barman to the patissierafter all, service is near the summit of what sets St Moritz apart Super12–15 Mountain Market St Moritz is a creative haven and the the region rich in talent - we meet the makers making the difference (and all under one roof)

THE ASCENT

How124–125tohost Party planning with the pros Après-chic126–127 Sartorial clobber to help you achieve peak panache

Silverware94–99 surfers

Tracks42–43 in the snow Every trail on the piste tells a story. We uncover them all with this illustrated guide

A rundown of snowy thrills and the finest cameras with which to catch all the action

Resources135 The links to the shops, restaurants and brands featured in our stories, and even a little extra, too…

44–53 One for the road Oenophiles rejoice at this firsthand account from the Kulm Hotel’s sommelier as we join him on his quest to source the best wines for a very discerning, and thirsty, clientele

6 7 ST. MORITZST. MORITZ

Fine16–19dining on high Heading into the clouds often means poor rations - not here. Gastronomy meets the slopes and it ends happily ever after Contents

Freaky74–75 fondue

12–15 Super (Duper) Mountain Market

A pop-up connecting the dots between art, fashion and craftsmanship. Plus moreish cinnamon rolls

At24–29the drive-in Only in St. Moritz would you find some savvy repurposing of a melted ice-rink replete with vintage cars, aperitifs and a Hitchcock classic

One44–53for the road Tuscan countryside and rare vintages mean top quality journalism

Packing122–123 it in Views to a thrill

WARM UP “Grüezi10–11 e buongiorno”

Hound128–129& about Dogs getting frisky in the mountain hair How130–131to Rösti like a pro The new face of Swiss cuisine, chef Ralph Schelling, gives his fail-safe tips on how to cook this most satisfying of dishes Gallery132–134 whirl Our guide to the finest locations in the Engandin where you can gaze upon a panoply of artistic wonders

Rad30–41Army St Moritz’s freestyle reputation has been going strong for a century and runs through all the seasons - we get winter-wild with the freestyle ski fraternity and sample the summer highs with climbers and kitesurfers, too. This place does devilmay-care all year round.

OFF-PISTE Holy66–73motors

Finders54–63 keepers

Beauty76–81 and motion Joining the most coveted vintage Italian cars and their passionate owners for a drive on the most exhilarating Alpine mountain passes, and a serious party afterwards Turn82–93the other cheek Showing that we’re not just obsessed with everything from the waist up, here’s our pick of the pants, shorts and accoutrements that are simply booty-full THE SOURCE

128–129 Hound & about Meeting the proudest, glossiest and downright happiest dogs in town

Lauf108–113tracks

Foraging in the Alpine woods brings a typically valuable bounty. Well, this is St. Moritz, after all… No20–21place like roam A contemporary art show meets the great outdoors

Switzerland: a country renowned for clocks, chocolate, cheese and, erm, army knives. But what about the personality of its inhabitants? We sit down with two creatives to discuss the most enigmatic of European cultures

Paint100–107no mountain high enough We chat with the inimitable Vito Schnabel: art collector and gallerist with a penchant for pizzoccheri

16–19 Fine dining on high Epicureans, adventurers and sightseers will delight in these restaurants that team superb dishes with breathtaking views

A celebration of the mighty machines that power the mountain’s lifts

66–73 Holy motors An appreciation of the priapic structures, finer details, feats of engineering and behind-the-scenes machines that make the slopes enjoyable for everyone in all weathers

32–41 Rad Army Discover the adrenaline-fuelled antics of the town’s coolest crowd, as we head out on the slopes to witness this most laidback coterie of skiers and boarders getting wild and grabbing air

Delving into this most misunderstood of winter activities with opinions such as “the most elegant of sports” to “running on skis” Tête114–120àtête Concierges loosen their ties, just a little, to spill the secrets of looking after those grand hotels (and grander guests)

114–120 Tête à tête Top concierges from the finest hotels in St. Moritz share in-the-knowtheir

Sandra Navarro, AKA Lalalimola, is a Spanish illustrator who started sketching for children’s books but now works for high-profile editorial and advertising clients, such as The New Yorker and Warby Parker. Sandra illustrated “Tracks in the snow” across p.42–43. When travelling to the Alps, she always packs hand warmers and sunglasses. Anything else? “A swimsuit,” she says. “For the spa.”

32–41) 9 ST. MORITZ

PUBLISHER: Engadin St. Moritz Tourismus AG PROJECT LEAD & BRAND MANAGER: Marijana Jakic HEAD OF COMMUNICATION: Fabrizio D’Aloisio PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER: Paul Dutschmann EDITOR: Robert Bound FEATURES WRITER: Alfred Tong SUB EDITORS: Alistair MacQueen, Jayne Nelson CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Maurus Fraser CREATIVE PRODUCER: Emily McBean ART DIRECTORS: Georg Brüx, Peter Leung, Lena Wallacher DESIGNERS: Oliver Bothwell, Andrin Rohner ARTWORKER: Neal Mistry AGENCY: Winkreative AG ACCOUNT MANAGER: Carlo Silberschmidt COLOUR REPRODUCTION: Williams Lea Tag DISTRIBUTION: IPS Pressevertrieb GmbH ADVERTISING SALES: Engadin St. Moritz Tourismus AG ISSUE 3 MASTHEAD St. Moritz (ISSN 2624-9014) is published once a year by Engadin St. Moritz Tourismus AG, Via Maistra 1, 7500 St. Moritz, Switzerland. Company no. CHE-113.613.968 Switzerland. Printed by Rotolito, Via Sondrio 3, 20096 Pioltello (MI) Italy. Colour reproduction by Tag, c/o Williams Lea, 1–5 Poland Street, London, W1F 8PR, UK. All rights reserved, reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All prices correct at the time of going to press but subject to change. St. Moritz subscriptions: stmoritz.com or email magazine@stmoritz.com. Distributed by IPS Pressevertrieb GmbH, Carl-Zeiss-Str. 5, 53340 Meckenheim, Germany. All paper used in the production of this magazine comes from well-managed sources.

Saul Taylor is a contributing editor to Monocle and the founder of Sablos, a Barcelona-based project where inspiring people share the places they love in the cities they live in. His stories saw him tasting wine and hosting a round-table discussion. “My best summer Alpine style advice is to come prepared for any eventuality,” he says.

Sports, Arts Community Activities Swiss Matura IB Diploma Programme FriendshipsforLife www.lyceum-alpinum.ch/school

freeriders

Personal and academic growth.

A learning environment like no other. Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, one of the most renowned international boarding schools in the world, is nestled in a scenic village in the vicinity of St. Moritz. With its innovative approach to tea ching and learning, its excellent aca demic standards, and its unrivalled variety of sports and extra-curricular activities the school encourages every student to develop his or her individual strengths and talents within a diverse, multi-cultural and uniquely expansive campus. A vibrant and young community. The school’s 200 boarders and 100 day students (aged between 12 and 19) live and shape the “Spirit of Zuoz” through openness, respect, commitment and social engagement. Choosing to study either in German or English, the stu dents follow one of two programmes re cognised by universities worldwide. A highly qualified team of committed tea ching staff and tutors is joined by an ex pert College Counsellor to accompany and support the students on the path towards their future. Strong links for life. Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz is well-connected to the world be yond the campus. School partnerships, co-operations with universities, research institutes, cultural institutions and organisations both home and abroad enable students to connect and explore throughout their school time. Upon gra duation, students are reunited through the Zuoz Club, the school’s worldwide alumni network, celebrating school me mories and life-long friendships as well as maintaining lasting connections, per sonal as well as business relationships.

CONTRIBUTORS Fetiche,LabypantsKnitted/TamotoKyokoassistant:Styling/HézardDaphnéStyling:/CogginAlexanderPhotography:IMAGE:COVER JewelleryFineGuccibyringsandbraceletsScott,bypolesskiPiguet,AudemarsbywatchOakRoyalGucci,bybagbeltmini

James Mollison shoots for WSJ, Le Monde and New York magazine, and for commercial clients such as Benetton. We sent the Venice-based photographer to capture the Cresta Club trophies, and to shoot our wine road trip to Italy (poor guy). His Alpine style tip? “Hiking clothing usually has a dubious style and is very synthetic,” he says.

Daphné Hézard is a French journalist wearing many hats. She’s the fashion director of Monocle, a contributing editor of Konfekt and the founder of Regain , a magazine about a new generation of farmers. For this issue, she styled our “Turn the other cheek” fashion shoot. “I’m at home in the mountains,” she says. “But not the ones of Switzerland. Mine are in the French Alps, in a tiny village called La Croix, in the heart of the La Vanoise natural park.” Touché.

Annick Weber is a Luxembourg-born, Paris-based journalist and editor, whose writing regularly appears in Monocle Konfekt and Kinfolk . For this issue, she spoke to St. Moritz’s most prestigious hotels about the town’s stellar reputation in hosting. If you spot someone trotting around the mountains with a bright-green water bottle, that might well be her. “I never go anywhere without my Sigg water bottle,” she says. “It’s quite battered, but every dent tells a different travel story.”

“But I like Amundsen’s field slacks for their natural materials and retro cut.”

BEHIND THE SCENES: RAD ARMY Our editor Robert Bound runs out of snowpark and into a drift while trying to hang with the (pages

Marie-Sophie Schwarzer regularly writes for the likes of Monocle Konfekt and Frieze. We asked her to join with St. Moritz’s cinemagoers at the open-air film event, and to stop by at the Kulm’s Sunny Bar to marvel at the Cresta Club’s 100-odd trophies. What’s her St. Moritz must-have? “A classic pair of sunglasses because the sun is so brilliant in the mountains,” she says. “And a cashmere shawl to wrap up in.” This time around, we asked our wunderbar contributors to share their top St. Moritz style tip – whether up the mountain or for a night on the town. Speaking of the latter, there is no bar named “Wunderbar” in St. Moritz yet, but we’re working on it.

“Snow flurries in August are a very real threat to the uninitiated T-shirt and shorts brigade.”

10 11 ST. MORITZST. MORITZ

WELCOME BACKWELCOME BACK Claudia and Annina Blumengalerierunflorists

“Grüezi buongiorno!”e

Wow: itʼs good to be back! Back into the swing of all the seasons in St. Moritz, where we start with a guide to what’s new, whatʼs now and whatʼs always welcome to return, here in town. Welcome back to St. Moritz! James Mollison

PHOTOGRAPHY:

headAndrea,barman at Badrutt’s RenaissancePalacebar

“Nothing says ‘welcome back’ like the perfect dry martini: as strong as a mountain, as clear as the lake and as classic as St. Moritz itself. We’ve been making them for decades, so have had a little practice!”

This way to keep in tune with all that’s going on in town this year

“All four seasons are very important for us. We welcome our busy winter with various cut flowers, berries and leaves. Summer always loves colour: seasonal and local colour.”

“The inspiration for this summer’s SMM is the miraculous correlation between moon and water. Apart from a selection of homemade lemonades, partially created with the healing mineral water, the cosmic theme is reflected in a range of products and artwork,” says Mario Weichselmann

The historic site – where you can still sample Mauritius spring water –inspired Basel art gallery Von Bartha’s show “104.45°” (named after the bond angle in water molecules – thank us for the explanation), featuring waterthemed artworks by the likes of Barbara Stauffacher Solomon and Olafur Eliasson, which are displayed among fashion, beauty and design objects. At the heart of the market is the coffee counter, manned by Weichselmann and his team, where visitors can indulge in homemade cinnamon rolls and get a hit of freshly brewed Bivio espresso. supermountainmarket.com

inspiration… 1 12 13 ST. MORITZST. MORITZ SHOPPINGSHOPPING

Words: Marie-Sophie Schwarzer Photography: Yves Bachmann

Super MarketMountain(Duper)

At Lokomotive, witdesigninSchuler-Voith'sOliviaworktheatricalcostumebringsacertaintoeverydaypieces

Olivia Schuler-Voith (pictured left) founded her fashion label Lokomotive in 2020, after moving to St. Moritz from London. She worked in costume design for film and theatre but always had the desire to launch her own brand. “For me it’s important how and where clothing is manufactured,” says the young designer. “My collection is produced from recycled materials here in Graubünden by seamstresses I know.” Her influences are varied. “I’ve always been intrigued by Switzerland’s souvenir culture and let that inspire my collection,” she says. Every item of clothing is made to order as one of a kind, such as the raw silk dress with vintage cow-shaped buttons or the traditional Swiss costume with a 1970s twist, made from organic cotton.

“I’ve always been intrigued by andsouvenirSwitzerland’scultureletthatinspiremycollection” some more Engadin

The Super Mountain Market is back in town and its founder Mario Weichselmann has more projects and pop-ups planned for the coming winter season

LOKOMOTIVEfashion

“A year ago, I dreamed of jumping into the dark St. Moritz lake head first and came up with the idea for the Super Mountain Market,” says its founder Mario Weichselmann, also known as the manager of the famous (infamous) Dracula Club, founded by Gunter Sachs and now in the hands of his son, Rolf. The image from his dream became the emblem of the third edition of the market and was printed on t-shirts and postcards. The market is a seasonal pop-up that brings together Alpine art, design, craftsmanship, food and drinks with the mission to support creativity, sustainability and interconnectedness. It was launched at Forum Paracelsus, which was built in 1866 as a pump room on the site of the Paracelsus and Mauritius healing mineral springs, the latter of which dates back to 1411BC. “Rolf Sachs gave me the idea to make something of this space,” says Weichselmann of the forum, sensitively restored by local architect Hans-Jörg Ruch. “We want to showcase products we like here with a focus on the Alps.”

“Train travel fascinates me and Swiss trains have a particular aesthetic that has influenced my work,” explains Schuler-Voith, who has taken trains all her life (she has no driver’s licence). “The pieces in my collection represent the different stops on a train journey.”

For today’s occasion she is dressed in her signature piece: the Kisawa suit with buttons featuring the St. Moritz sun emblem and psychedelic patterns inspired by the region’s wooden window shutters. “As you can see, everything has a nostalgic character and a strong focus on Switzerland.” lokomotive.co

Meet

The Super Mountain Market team has big plans for upcoming events this winter and beyond. And, of course, Angelo De Luca will be part of it

2 3 14 15 ST. MORITZST. MORITZ SHOPPINGSHOPPING

Othmar Prenner and Barbara Berger at the launch of “Fragments of Time” at the Super Mountain Market, which featured sculptural objects of use made from single pieces of wood Bowl, chopsticks and plate by Othmar Prennerart &

jewelleryANGELO DE LUCA Angelo de Luca lives in St. Moritz and launched his eponymous jewellery brand in the summer of 2020. He previously worked for brands including Bulgari and Fabio Salini and co-founded the Super Mountain Market with his partner Weichselmann. “We created this space to bring people together and selected pieces from all around the Alps. This place is the key to expressing my creativity. When you start your own brand, you go on a journey within yourself,” says De Luca. His bespoke rings and necklaces are handmade in Rome from the finest pearls and gems, including emeralds, rubies and pink sapphires. The packaging is made to match the jewellery within the box. “I love to share this passion,” he says, picking up a ring from the St. Moritz Collection whose diamond band glistens in varying pastel shades. “I want to show how different stones can live together.” This idea also reflects the underlying philosophy of the Super Mountain Market, which was established to unite brands and people. “I can go out without my underwear, but I cannot go out without my rings,” he adds, presenting his bejewelled hands. @angeloxdexluca

“I’ve valued beautiful objects since I was a child,” says Barbara Berger, founder of Hand Form Werk, which collaborates with artists Othmar Prenner, Kiho Kang, Friedemann Bühler and Andreas Rier to produce limited edition art collections of 33 pieces that have a use in daily life.

RAMON ZANGGER – STOOLS Ramon Zangger designs and crafts handmade wooden furniture, including stools, tables, cabinets and chairs, following the centuryold family tradition. ramonzangger.ch

Angelo de Luca's designs are all handmade in Italy, for inspiration he often draws on the colours and textures of the natural world

“This place is the key to expressing my creativity. When you start your own brand, you go on a journey within yourself”

THREE MORE DISCOVERIES

YALI – GLASSWARE Designer Marie-Rose Kahane creates delicate tableware handblown in Murano, such as her colourful A Filo collection of glassware, gelato spoons and cocktail stirrers. yaliglass.com

GOOD LIFE CERAMICS –TABLEWARE Zürich-based ceramicist Ursula Vogel crafts handmade table and kitchenware including ceramic plates and bowls, with an emphasis on upcycling and experimenting with new materials. goodlifeceramics.ch

“I work with a small number of artists to create unique, handmade pieces that are both poetic and functional.” Kang’s hand-turned porcelain bowls, plates, carafes and vases are made of marble from South Tyrol, while Prenner’s sculptural pieces are crafted of burnt wood. “I have a background as a sculptor and have found that each type of wood reacts differently during the charring process,” says Prenner of his eyecatching pieces, which range from stools to knives titled “Fragments of Time”. The wood Prenner uses for his work is sourced from South Tyrol and is dried for a year before it can be burned and sculpted. “He works in total isolation,” remarks Berger. The pieces of the four artists establish a striking art installation at the centre of the Super Mountain Market and showcase Weichselmann’s goal to combine art, craftsmanship and design, inspired by and made in the Alpine region. handformwerk.ch

HANDdesignFORM WERK

THE1 ONE AT THE END OF THE RESTAURANTPISTE: SALASTRAINS From the Chantarella funicular station it’s only a short way to Hotel Restaurant Salastrains, which lies on the slopes of Corviglia and once housed Switzerland’s first ski school. You can ski right up to the wooden terrace, from where you have yet another photogenic view of the mountains. Samedan-born chef Fabian Kleger took over the restaurant seven years ago. His passion for hunting is reflected in the menu, which is heavy on hearty specialities such as pappardelle with venison ragout, beef tenderloin and Schnitzel. “I’m on the hunt throughout September, I’ve been going for as long as I can remember,” says Kleger, for whom it’s important to know where his food comes from, that it’s regional and seasonal.

“This is the table for our regulars – it’s where the ski instructors used to meet in the past,” says Kleger as he steps into the dining room with its hand-carved wooden tables. In the high season, the room is filled with music, dancing and Grillo making his rounds, greeting guests and topping up glasses. salastrains.ch/restaurant

WINE: I Grilli, Cantina Rapatà Le Cicale Rosso, Cantina Rapatà Rapatà Rosso, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Barrique

1 2 4 3 SALASTRAINS Lake of St. Moritz ALPINA HÜTTE KRONE TRUTZ CHAMANNA CHASELLAS ON THE DISHES:MENU Bündner barley soup Veal WienerschnitzelpaillardPolentawithGorgonzola DRINKS: Trutz coffee with pear brandy and cream Apple cider All hail Kaiserstheof Kaiserschmarrnthe Still peckish? Turn the page

SchwarzerMarie-SophieWords:Schmuck.BenjaminPhotography:

On the way to the top, don’t forget to stop at Chamanna for some hearty fare – or Chasellas for a finer take on Alpine eating

THE2 BERGRESTAURANTSUN-TRAP: TRUTZ

17 ST. MORITZST. MORITZ EATINGEATING

“My philosophy for the restaurant is simple: the most important thing is the ambience,” says Stefano Rivolta, host of the Suvretta Hotel’s Trutz Mountain Restaurant. The traditional stone and timber chalet is located at 2,211 metres above sea level with a terrace that’s stacked like seats in a theatre, offering the most magnificent views over the Upper Engadin and the turquoise Lake Silvaplana with its kitesurfers. The only way to get here is on foot, skis or via the Chasellas lift, which drops you right in front of the restaurant. The interior is traditional yet simple so as not to distract from the view –perhaps only the dishes prepared by chef Christian Ott have the power to do so, washed down with a pint or two of Engadin beer.

Fine diningon high The array of restaurants that you can ski (or hike) to in St. Moritz is as dizzying as the view from Piz Nair – you’re never far from a confident kitchen and a sommelier with his or her nose in a glass. Here’s our guide to eating at altitude and one spot down in town worth removing your boots for 16

“Our guests love our Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake) with warm plums, our beef tartar made with local meat and our Bollito misto (a classic Italian meat stew). This winter season we’re thinking about introducing a Fisherrösti (potato pancakes with fish),” says Rivolta. Trutz seats 140 and has its fair share of regulars, including the local ski school. As one of the Suvretta Hotel’s two off-site restaurants, it’s the perfect spot for lunch and can be booked for evening events. trutz.ch

Chef de Service Grillo has worked at the restaurant for 38 years and is well-known in St. Moritz. He produces his own wine at the family-run Rapatà winery in Emilia-Romagna, which pairs wonderfully with Kleger’s rustic recipes. The chalet-style restaurant seats 600 guests and is furnished like you’d expect a cosy Alpine inn to be.

ON THE DISHES:MENU Homemade pizokels with Gorgonzola sauce Pappardelle with venison mushroomsbutter,escalopesBregagliaragoutvenisonwithherbsautéedwildandherbpizokels

THE DISHES:MENU

Oxtail “vaccinara” ravioli, sirloinalmondEngadinVenisonsaucelemongrassandapplechop,chardandpotatopureétrout,bakedandseasonalvegetablesSuisseblackAnguswithaubergine,onionandmint PLÄTTLI

If you’ve spent the day on the slopes, make damn sure to reward yourself afterwards and sympathetically built around to accommodate growing numbers of skiers, walkers and – why not? – fans of Engadin gastronomy (the food here is wonderful). That old structure was the club house and shelter for St. Moritz’s Ski Club Alpina, formed when the town hosted its first Winter Olympics in 1928. It’s worth wandering into this inner sanctum to look at the photographs on the walls and breathe in a little history before heading out to the sun and that view.

Both back onto the original hut, still standing firm and handsome,

WINE: Daniel & Monika Merugg Fläscher“Bovel”Chardonnay Elena Walch Merlot “vigna Kastelaz” Riserva Castello2015della Sala Marchesi Antinori Cervaro della sala ON THE MENU ALPINA

FRISCHE FRÜCHTWÄCHE Fruitcake of the day (not an award for poor skiing)

Had an espresso? Now meet the locals...

BoundRobertWords:Odell.FelixPhotography:SchwarzerMarie-SophieWords:Bachmann.YvesPhotography: 18 19 ST. MORITZST. MORITZ

TAKE3 YOUR BOOTS OFF FOR: RESTAURANT KRONE

The Krone restaurant, marked by two deer heads above the entrance, was founded by the Badrutt family in the 1950s. Over the decades, it established itself as a meeting place for St. Moritz. This summer, Fabio Rovisi (of the former Campo Base pop-up bar) reopened the chalet-style restaurant with a young team. “A part of the restaurant belongs to St. Moritz, so we want to maintain the tradition and remain a place for the locals while adding a modern touch,” says Rovisi. Kitchen chef Samuel Carugati, who previously worked at the fivestar Hotel Giardino Mountain in Champfèr, is in charge of creating simple, seasonal dishes topped with herbs grown on the restaurant terrace. “We just want to cook good food,” says Rovisi, noting that the fondue is a mainstay on the menu that’s best enjoyed in the wooden hut on the terrace with its own fireplace. Other highlights include the oxtail “vaccinara” ravioli with lemongrass sauce and apple, the Engadin trout and the Suisse black Angus sirloin, paired with wine from the restaurant’s extensive drinks menu, such as a glass of Tenuta Guado al Tasso Merlot. The idea is for Krone to be a contemporary Osteria. “An easygoing place where quality matters and there’s no dress code,” says Rovisi, whose vision is to create special mountain food experiences – not only at the restaurant but also outdoors. “We want to bring sport, nature and food together, for example by hosting mountain tours followed by a gourmet dinner in the forest.” kronesanktmoritz.ch

Eat at Krone under a crown – albeit one made of antlers

EATINGEATING

“There’s no secret save simplicity,” she says to me as she scans a qualitycontrolling eye over steaming plates of Hausgemachte Capuns and Rösti Corviglia as they’re ferried out for some famished hikers. Then she adds with a chuckle: “We’ve had a while to perfect the recipes and know what we’reDinersdoing.”sit at trestle tables on the stacked terrace while those popping in for a drink can sit in the bar where deckchairs are arrayed sunwards.

SKI4

A generous plate of local dried meat and sumptuous cheese HAUSGEMACHTEGERSTENSUPPE

Homemade barley soup with a light topping of meat and parsley HAUSGEMACHTE CAPUNS Homemade rolls of cheese, bacon and salami wrapped in a spinach leaf

RÖSTI CORVIGLIA Hash browns with tomato, ham and cheese

RIGHT INTO: ALPINA HÜTTE Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most Typisch Schweiz of all of these highaltitude hostelries is the wooden hut vertiginously perched on a rocky outcrop above the Corviglia main lift station, right at the heart of the mountain action in all seasons. The Alpina Hütte’s view is almost as commanding as Beatrice, the matriarch of the Rota family who have been administering to hungry guests for decades up here above the clouds.

Beatrice is right: a glance down the menu is a lesson is simplicity – hearty barley and goulash soup, sausages, Raclette and a handful of Röstis – and changes little from season to season. Thankfully, quinoa has not made its way to this precise altitude quite yet. Desserts are worth saving a space for – of course the Engadiner Nusstorte rears its speckled head, as does a perfect seasonal tart (plum in the autumn, pray they have some left in the winter). It’s not like their freezer isn’t big enough, after all. alpinahuette.ch

TRUSSARDI’S TOP ST. MORITZ PICKS Hauser & Wirth

Higha hillon For Trussardi, St. Moritz and the Engadin is a home from home and its nature is always a huge source of inspirationartistic Turn to find adventures for sporty types

20 21 ST. MORITZST. MORITZ

I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years and we’re continuing to bring new life, new functions and new magic to forlorn places. The mission is to compel people to bump into art. What motivated you to bring this concept to an international level with your own foundation? We thought an international chapter was there waiting for us, and wanted to explore art in nature and other territories, not only within the urban environment. And we would like more and more viewers to experience our exhibitions. What is the idea behind your foundation’s first research project, “Alpine Utopia”, curated by Giuliano da Empoli? Through our research we aim to tackle the most pressing issues of today, and so we’ll talk about climate change, inequality of all kinds, technology and AI through published work and conferences. We have seen that in the past century many important inventions and brilliant ideas were discovered in Switzerland. From Friedrich Nietzsche to Thomas Mann, the mountain environment inspired innovative concepts. We asked ourselves, what about now? The Engadin could be the place to be in the future. In nature you can find yourself, confront your identity and come up with something new. How would you describe your personal connection to Switzerland? Throughout my life I’ve always come to Switzerland and I’ve often been to St. Moritz – it has such a wide offering and fantastic galleries. I have a personal attachment to the Engadin, not just because it’s beautiful but because I really enjoy staying here.

I feel at home in the mountains and the Alpine climate. It’s a way of living. What are your future plans for your foundation?

No place like roam Words: Marie-Sophie Schwarzer

ARTART

The Engadin, ever-beloved by artists and collectors, is home to another venue in which to enjoy art – a refurbished hut in the hills. Beatrice Trussardi, something of a shepherd for nomadic art ideas, talks to St. Moritz about exhibiting in an “Alpine Utopia” Beatrice Trussardi, known for her work as president of Milan’s Fondazione Nicola Trussardi, launched her own foundation with artistic director Massimiliano Gioni in the summer of 2021. Its mission? To take her love of exhibiting contemporary art in unexpected places onto a global stage. Trussardi’s foundation chose to present its inaugural installation by Polish sculptor Paweł Althamer in a 17th-Century hut in the Engadin, and is researching the region’s potential as an “Alpine Utopia”. We spoke with her to learn more about her vision and connection to the Engadin. How did you come up with the idea for the nomadic museum? As president of the Fondazione Nicola Trussardi, I wanted to make a big change. I’d previously lived in New York, a city where contemporary art is very present and I wanted to bring art to the people. In 2003, I decided to abandon the foundation’s headquarters and exhibit in changing locations across Milan. Usually we pick historic places such as prestigious palaces so that artists can confront old landmarks with their contemporary vision to create something never seen before.

When this powerhouse art gallery opened in St. Moritz in 2018, it confirmed that this Alpine resort town had become an international art hub. hauserwirth.com Blumengalerie A gallery of a different kind – not for art but for flowers. Claudia Lischer and her team put together the most beautiful seasonal flower arrangements. blumengalerie.ch Museum Segantini The domed Segantini Museum houses the most complete collection of works by Giovanni Segantini, a significant 19thCentury Alpine painter and representative of the Symbolism movement. segantini-museum.ch

The foundation has this characteristic to be unexpected. We have the freedom to move wherever and whenever we want. We’ll stage a project every year, maybe more, and we’ll host a conference related to the “Alpine Utopia” project. We want to explore new possibilities. beatricetrussardifoundation.com

SchwarzerMarie-SophieWords:Jashari.TorviollScalzi,DeMarcoPhotography:

TRACKS IN THE SNOW pages 42 43

Join us as we journey from the whoops and hollers of the freestyle snow crew to the fruity vineyards of Tuscany, discover a hoard of wondrous objects strewn in nature and gaze upon a suspicious James Stewart

The pristine white flanks of St. Moritz’s hillsides record life in its many forms, from footsteps and trysts to the last moments of an unfortunate fluffy beast

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FORAGING WITH A TWIST pages 54 63 It pays to keep an eye on the landscape as you stroll through the fields and valleys of St. Moritz – it’s filled with many treasures, including diamonds

RAD ARMY pages 30 41

AT THE DRIVE-IN pages 24 29

ONE FOR THE ROAD pages 44 53

We mingle with the freestyle crowd on the slopes: you know, the ones who leap around on snowboards and skis and make you feel old (you’re not, though; you just need to believe)

THE ASCENT

Take a liquid Tuscan road trip with a sommelier of note (who really knows his notes), sampling the tipples and treats of Italy’s most abundant region. Warning: thirst may ensue

Who needs stuffy indoor picturehouses with their popcorn-munching, armrest-hogging patrons? Watch movies in true classic Hollywood style –from behind the wheel and under the stars

In late summer, the famous ice rink at the Kulm Country Club melts away to become the setting for the St. Moritz drive-in cinema season.

WORDS: Marie-Sophie Schwarzer PHOTOGRAPHY: Benjamin Schmuck

AT DRIVE-INTHE

2 Enjoy a pre-show drink from the Kulm Country Club next door 3 Dogs welcome the 15-minute intermission – perfect for walkies

ST. MORITZ

1 Parking attendant John Webster directs arrivals to the best spots

There’s no resort with more history; it’s where Alpine tourism was born,” says D’Aloisio. “I first watched Rear Window when I was a 10-year-old and I was completely captivated! Retrospectively, the film is slow, times have changed, but it feels right for a drive-in.” And it is. In fact, the film is set in the golden age of this type of outdoor entertainment. The first one of its kind opened on 6 June 1933, in Camden, New Jersey and was called The Automobile Movie Theatre. It was located on the driveway of Richard M Holl ingshead Jr’s house, who tied a white sheet between two trees and placed a Kodak movie projector on the hood of his car to show the film. The entrance fee? A mere 25 cents per vehicle. Today’s entry ticket cost CHF50 (€45)– but it does include a 25

Today’s audience is a world apart, but they are just as excited to watch Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 thriller Rear Window The influential British filmmaker had a long-standing love affair with St. Moritz. Hitchcock first came to the winter resort during the filming of The Prude’s Fall in 1924 and returned two years later for his honeymoon with screenwriter Alma Reville. They stayed at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel and would return winter after winter to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Legend has it that Hitchcock was inspired to shoot The Birds after watching wintering crows swooping outside his room, which to this day is named in his honour. Rear Window came out many years before, but it is all about the voyeuristic nature of looking out from inside – watching not birds, but neighbours. In the film, James Stewart plays a rugged photojournalist stuck at home with a broken leg. He begins to pass the time by spying on his neighbours. After witnessing a murder in an adjacent flat, he helps to expose it with the help of his lover, played by Grace Kelly. While Rear Window is set in a boiling Manhattan apartment, here in St. Moritz it’s a little chilly. Nonetheless, an Audi con vertible rolls up to the screen with the roof down and “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” blasting from the radio. “It was a spontaneous idea to come here tonight, I just arrived from the Côte d’Azur,” says sun-kissed Lisa Lesunja, hopping out of her car. “The roof’s down ’cause that’s the way it should be. The question is, will it stay down? As it’s a Hitchcock movie we might get scared and want to close it later.” Lesunja runs a fine jewellery boutique in town and is probably glad that tonight’s film of choice isn’t To Catch A Thief, which would surely make anyone in the business par anoid about their locked-away jewels.

It’s a balmy Friday night and a procession of smart wheels are streaming into St. Moritz’s scenic drive-in at the Kulm Park. Each driver is handed a portable speaker and directed to their spot in front of a large screen framed by a vista of the Alps, glowing in the golden evening light. In the winter season, this field transforms into an ice-skating rink of historical significance. It’s where figure skaters from across the globe competed in the Olympic Winter Games in 1928. Cheering on the athletes were presidents and luminaries, including silent film star Charlie Chaplin, fresh from making The Circus .

1 The curator of the film selection is creative director Fabrizio D’Aloisio. “Good films never get old, just like St. Moritz. We’re always on the lookout for classics – films that bring back memories when you watch them. St. Moritz is a classic, too.

Opposite: Pulling up to the drive-in with a mix of excitement and élan

Muscle cars queue for The Fast and the Furious while a Hitchcock classic attracts a more urbane clientele, but both films are perfect for creating memorable evenings under the stars

1 Classic cars are presumably not the only models among the film’s audience

Looking around, numerous cars have parked in front of the screen, including a couple of vintage models. Show time is approaching and there’s still a small queue in front of the snack bar, where chef Benny Grob is flipping burgers and M&M’s are flying off the shelves. “We’ve noticed so many beautiful cars,” says Géraldine Hochstrasser, as she serves a couple their drinks. At 21:30 sharp, the lights are dimmed and the screen lights up, showing a St. Moritz commercial (not that anyone here needs to be convinced to visit). The last stragglers hurry back to their cars, clutching overflowing cups and buckets of warm, salty popcorn.

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2 Géraldine Hochstrasser lends grace and poise to those M&M’s and Maltesers Opposite: It’s 21:30, all vehicles are in place, and The Fast and the Furious revs into action

food and drink voucher and the victuals are supplied and served by the Kulm Hotel. Back in the US, as suburban com munities grew in the 1950s, drive-ins started appearing every where and became emblematic of freewheeling American culture. About the time when Rear Window came out, there were almost 4,000 drive-in theatres across the US. Those numbers began to dwindle in the following decades, but enjoyed something of a revival in 2020 when, understand ably, recycled cinema air temporarily lost a little of its allure. Not coincidentally, that’s when St. Moritz’s own drive-in opened its doors for the first time.

Gianni Bibbia is the projectionist in charge of tonight’s show. As the former owner of the town’s Ciné Scala – which closed its doors in 2016 and is set to reopen next year – he’s the best man for the job. “I began helping out at the Scala 30 years ago and ended up staying,” says Bibbia, who had to watch Engadin’s last cinema close its doors. “Fortunately, it’s set to reopen.” And fortunately, St. Moritz has a drive-in to fill the void until that day. Bibbia disappears inside his wooden hut as the light of the projector flickers in the night sky and the film’s opening credits begin to roll to the jazzy score of Rear Window by Franz Waxman. On the screen, Stewart’s window shades go up one by one, revealing the view of his New York neighbourhood. The couple opposite have moved their mattress onto the fire escape to flee the stifling heat inside the apartment; a ballet dancer stretches while prepar ing breakfast; and Stewart’s character is sitting in a wheel chair by the window, wearing a leg cast that reads: “Here lie the broken bones of L.B. Jefferies”. A classic commences.

“We realised a drive-in would suit St. Moritz well and fell in love with this location. From here, you have a pano ramic view of the Alpine landscape and when the weather’s good this is one of the most beautiful spots,” says D’Aloisio, eyeing the peaks. Like everything in this luxurious resort town, this drive-in really is unique. It lets in a maximum of 40 cars and is catered for by a team from the five-star Kulm Hotel next door. The rejuvenated Kulm Country Club is located inside the hotel, and provides the ideal spot to enjoy an aperitif before the film begins. “Last year, locals in a rundown VW bus set up camp here and Lord Norman Foster [the architect who renovated the Kulm Country Club] parked next to them in his none-more-classic Porsche 356 cabriolet, alongside a couple of polished Bentleys. Everyone enjoyed each other’s company,” says D’Aloisio. “For the people it’s a special experience, you can see it in their eyes.”

HERBIE GOES TO MONTE CARLO

Tonight’s choice of movie is something of a contrast to last night’s programme, when more than 30 cars roared in to watch The Fast and the Furious, an action film by Rob Cohen about illegal street racing, starring the indefatigable Vin Diesel. The original came out in theatres in 2001 and the ninth film of the franchise was recently released (with more sequels in the works). “You can say The Fast and the Furious is a young classic. It’s the first and most authentic film in the series and it created a bit of a new genre,” says D’Aloisio. “It may not be a high-quality film like Rear Window but you can’t eat health ily every day, at some point you need to have a hamburger and a portion of fries – that film is comfort food. You want to go to the cinema to have a good time. Plus, car films fit in well with our drive-in.” The audience couldn’t agree more. A blue Subaru Impreza in rally regalia is parked in the front row and behind the wheel sits a local mechanic. “We’ve seen all of the films in the franchise,” he says, adding: “It’s our third time here at the drive-in.” Behind him, a group of young girls lean out of the windows of a capacious Audi. “Guys, we’ve got the best view,” one of them shouts, climbing onto the roof. Next door are a couple who’ve come from Milan on their honeymoon. “We’re only here for one night and it’s our first time at a drive-in,” says the bride, Hushini Nirmani. “We were just having a walk and came across the sign and thought we’d swing by.” And what could be more romantic for a newly

The third instalment of Disney’s “Love Bug” series starring Herbie, the indomitable racing VW Beetle, came out in 1977. The slim storyline features race car driver Jim Douglas (Dean Jones) competing in the fictional Trans-France Race from Paris to Monte Carlo, facing mishaps and romance along the way.

DEATH PROOF Quentin Tarantino’s 2007 homage to motor movies stars Kurt Russell as an ageing stunt driver with a sideline in serial killing. The story was inspired by Tarantino’s curiosity in the way stuntmen “death proof” their cars so they can survive high-speed crashes on camera.

TAXI DRIVER Martin Scorsese’s 1976 masterpiece stars Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle, a lonesome cabbie and Vietnam War veteran. To deal with his insomnia, he takes on the night shift, but his thoughts darken while driving through the sinful streets of a gritty New York.

THELMA & LOUISE Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon star in this car/ buddy movie of a different stripe. It follows best friends Thelma and Louise as they head off on a road trip in search of freedom and wind up in a heap of trouble instead. A solid gold crowd-pleaser.

1 Lisa Lesunja and her friend debate whether to turn around later in the evening and ignore the2photographer Nowhere would suit BMW fuel-injected bobsleighs more than St. Moritz

1 James Stewart and Grace Kelly urge viewers to recreate similar scenes in their own vehicles Refined front-row seats, free of stale popcorn and cacophonous munching

married couple than curling up behind the steering wheel under the starry St. Moritz sky, looking out across the shadowy Alps and watching heart-pumping car-racing scenes on the big screen? Perhaps it’s not quite as romantic as seeing Grace Kelly win the heart of a wounded James Stewart, but the atmosphere of being cosied up in the safety of your car, cloaked in darkness and drawn to the glimmering screen like a moth to a flame is something quite special, espe cially at 1,800 metres above sea level. Back at the screening of Rear Window, all lights are off and all eyes are glued to the screen. Did he kill her? Could he have? Surely not. Some here don’t seem to know the twist. The tension is rising and it must have gotten to Lesunja – or maybe, it’s simply the chill in the air – because she’s closing her convertible roof, concealing the starry sky from view. It is deadly silent in the drive-in now. No one can hear the munching of popcorn, or the whispering emanating from other cars. Each vehicle is its own entity. It feels hermetically sealed, intimate, luxurious – quite fitting for this town. “The drive-in is something from the past, like a lot in St. Moritz,” says D’Aloisio. “This will be one for the history books.”

BULLITT The famous 10-minute car chase through the streets of San Francisco has gone down in celluloid history. The rest of the 1968 thriller features Steve McQueen as Lt Frank Bullitt, a cop determined to find the underworld kingpin who killed a witness in his protection.

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THE ITALIAN JOB Peter Collinson’s 1969 charmer stars an on-form Michael Caine as a con-man planning a heist to steal gold from an armoured truck in the middle of Turin using Mini Coopers as nimble getaway cars. The film’s legendary status spurred a so-so remake with Mark Wahlberg in 2003.

1 2 OUR TOP 10 CAR-TASTIC FILMS

DRIVE Nicolas Winding Refn directed this excellent slice of American neo-noir in 2011. Ryan Gosling plays a pensive Hollywood stuntman itsaMartinez’sIrenepathdrivermechanic-cum-getawayandwhogoesdownadarktohelphisneighbour,(CareyMulligan).Cliffsoundtrackisbroodingmasterpieceinownright.

TWO FOR THE ROAD Stanley Donen’s 1967 classic stars Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn as a sparring couple, looking back at a dozen troubled years together while driving through the South of France. The experimental structure cuts from their early days to their current trip, and uses cars to signpost the times –from a spry 1950s MG to a trundling VW Microbus.

BABY DRIVER Edgar Wright’s 2017 heist movie deals with getaway driver Baby (Ansel Elgort) who pulls off jaw-dropping stunts choreographed to his iPod music. A formidable soundtrack rides tandem with his quest to overcome the tinnitus he’s endured since surviving the car crash that killed his parents, and the struggle with his life of crime.

FORD V FERRARI James Mangold’s 2019 drama follows the story of car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and test driver Ken Miles’ (Christian Bale) attempts to build a Ford fast enough to beat the Ferraris at the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hour. A far better film than its title would suggest.

WORDS: Robert Bound PHOTOGRAPHY: Constantin Mirbach, Felix Odell, Yves Bachmann RADARMY

St Moritz has a long history of embracing the freestyle and this wild spirit and sense of fun works perfectly whatever the season. In winter, then, we embrace the tricks, turns and ice-cold beers of the freeriding crowd before hooking on our carabiner and shimmying into our wetsuit to climb and kitesurf with freestyle's summer set

Roman, behind the mirror, looking typically chill Opposite: Ski boots and Rivella, a classic Swiss tableau

1 2 3 FREE N' EASY: The fraternityfreestyle 32 ST. MORITZ

Opening Freestyle-skiersspread:mightnot fit the stereotype of the freerider, but they can sure grab some “air”. And say “Dude” a lot 1 At least a tumble on powder means fewer broken wrists 2 This funbox looks oh-so innocuous… what could go wrong?3

“Wooooohoooooo!” “Waaaaaaaaah!” “Yeeee-haaa!” Watch out – here come the contemporary cavalry: baggy Gore-Tex, tagged and dented helmets, mirrored goggles, ear buds in, tongues sticking out. Valkyries riding hungrily to the freshest powder and high on life. Well, mostly just life. Yup, these guys are freeriders. Who? You know, the cool ones. Snowboarders – the surf dudes of the slopes – and free style skiers, identifiable by their long, straight skis and similarly dude-ish disposition. These are the cats who regard the manicured slopes with a haughty stare. They prefer the untouched off-piste where they can turn, churn, burn some moves, learn from the occasional tumble and yearn for another tomorrow where they wake to fresh snow and the sunshine to see it all clearly again. That, or the snow park where rails and jumps have been iced into the snow – a skatepark sans concrete. The spills, however, prove that the ice is still pretty hard. There are two breeds of freeriders: the strong, silent types who just do their thing, man and those you can hear before you see them, such is the delight they take in their tricks, turns, the air they just got, the air they’re breath ing, the view, the vibe, the all-consuming joy of being on high.

It’s one of those mountain mornings that resembles an advert for something life-changingly healthy. The peaks rise majestically, the snow is deep, inviting and spotless. The sun shimmers like an optimistic photo-filter. It would be the perfect day to shoot a campaign for toothpaste, yoghurt, mineral water or, obviously, St. Moritz – for that is where we are – well, just round the corner in Corvatsch. It’s so utopian that I could have sworn a goldfinch, on pecking a berry from a tree, turned its head and winked at me. It’s a Disney kind of day and conditions are mint. But there’s a stirring on the hori zon. The sound of snow being crunched and flown over at speed rends the air and suddenly, they’re upon us – out of nowhere, their battle cries are ringing out.

“It’s all about freedom,” says his buddy Waina, neat and Alpine-camouflaged in her bright white ski suit. “You could say it’s a ‘lifestyle’ and make it a lifestyle but for me it’s just the most fun way to be on the snow, and freeriding attracts different people for sure,” she says with a smirk, glancing down at my carving skis.

Freeriders need to talk a good game. You can’t hang out at Hossa or down at the Gondola bar and come out with, “Wow guys, I did a really big jump off that hill.” You’d be better off saying, “Yeah, I busted some serious air and got a little UFO off that sick kicker.” Is this the perfect bluffer’s guide or a jargon-buster? You decide… Straight airs When a rider, aided by a “kicker” (a jump), an undulation or their own innate springiness gets airborne. Includes “Ollie”, “Nollie”, “Shifty” and also “Poptart”. Grabs The name for clasping parts of the board (or the body) when airborne. Includes “Bloody Dracula”, “Beef Carpaccio”, “Drunk Driver”, “Gorilla” and, erm, “Stiffy”.

“The snowboard to me is like dancing, like playing, it’s not about going fast or who’s the best – it’s about having the most fun on the snow.” Roman’s said it. You couldn’t imagine him on skis, making neat turns down a piste and jostling for position at the chairlift; he and his crew are demonstrably chill.

“As soon as I went on the board I was like, wow – ‘I am totally over skiing,’ you know? This is so much better, I wanna do this forever,” he says, his blond hair flowing out from under a black helmet.

Slides Moves performed on the surface of a rail or “funbox” (the snowpark equivalent of a pommel horse). Includes “Bluntslide”, “Nosepress”, “Zeach” and “Gutterball”. “Cowabungaaaaa!!”

Spins A sideways revolution of the rider and their board or skis, measured in 180-degree increments. Includes “Cab”, “Half-Cab” and “Hard Way”.

Flips A revolution – head to toe –of the rider (whoa). Includes “Tamedog”, “Wildcat”, “Backside Rodeo” and “Crippler”.

GLOSSARY

It’s a sure sign that I am not among the anointed posse. “But we’re very friendly, too,” she says, cheer ing the rest of the crew as they fly past, fist-bump close and throwing fresh snow in their wake. So Roman, Waina, Sina, Thierry and Matthias – that crew – wind their leisurely way down through the park with occasional bursts of “Yowwwww weeee!” Reactions such as this could signal that they’ve flown metres through the air off a big kicker, landing like a gymnast scoring straight-sixes. Or it might mean that they were three-quarters of the way through a 720 and the snow has hit them before they hit the snow. Oof. One complex little section – like a slalom with jumps and a transversal rail added in for good measure – causes most attempts to end in white-out. Seeing me write this down on my note pad, Waina rolls her eyes. “We just call it a ‘wipe-out’,” she says crisply, “or nothing.” The snowpark, though, is a warm-up. Progress through its various tricks and jumps is distinctly laid-back, another important part of the freerider vibe. It’s good etiquette to hang out for a while on the snow, have a chat with some fellow dudes; com pliment their air, their grab, their slide, and move on. Like small herds without obvious predators head ing across the savannah, the freeriders are relaxed, playful, familial and calm. They’re perfectly suited to this habitat, cruising in and out of the park’s confines, before heading down further off-piste to search for fresh powder, busting through the packed treeline to jump and turn with only animal tracks and that glinting sun for company. Back at the top we spy a freeriding ski school that’s too cute to resist. But this isn’t one of those fluoro caterpillars of snowploughing four-year-olds sporting helmets bigger than their bodies – oh, no. We’re reporting freestyle, and these little guys are amazing. With a fearlessness unmatched even by the chill talents of Roman and Waina’s 20- and 30-somethings, this confederacy of audacity (and supple young bones) hurtles down through the lumps and bumps like an unrealistic video game. They might as well be throwing the fireballs and deto nating the sonic booms from Street Fighter II “Yo!” says 10-year-old Emanuele, spotting the notebook and hearing the English, “so you’re report ing on the next freestyle world champion?” he strikes his chest with a small, mittened hand, “you’ve found him!” His gappy-toothed smile seals the deal. He’s minded by Gianni and Dario who run the Fresc ski

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34 Roman, making some runs with his pals in the snow park and executing a casual 360 on a kicker (AKA, doing-a-full-turn-on-a-jump; see the Glossary oppo site for the lingo), is one of the strong, silent guys until you ask him about snowboarding and why he loves it.

1 Sina cures her hiccups like a pro2freerider A seasoned veteran in gorgeous Personalised3gauntletspacksarederigeur4Workingtherail5Alightlunch school, and taking the class today. They set this little dauphin of self-assurance on his way to the next section with a smile and shake of their heads. “Kids, man,” says Gianni, “I mean, I’m 21, I started freestyle when I was 14 and I had a really good teacher. These guys are mostly about seven, they’ve had a big head start – they’ll be doing 360s when they’re nine, you know?” Gianni and Dario are also freestyle skiers, so they have two planks, not one – and they are “planky” enough to be able to ski both ways. Half the turns and tricks in freestyle skiing involve going back wards at speed and turning – and often twisting in the air – but it’s no biggie, of course. “So, yeah,” says Gianni, glancing at my carving skis and appearing to phys ically shudder, “we train young people and we’ve trained some that are now in the Swiss freeski team, doing the World Cup and stuff like that, it’s cool.”

Beside the snowpark, kickers are being prepared for the Freestyle World Cup: huge jumps are being made by caterpillar tracked piste-bashers and some good old human bi-pedal piste-shapers working with huge chainsaws, shovels and silly sized drills. “Yeah, I hear they made the last kicker too big,” says Gianni, following my eyes. “They made it 28 metres high, which means you need to fly for 32 metres or so to be able to land – that’s too big, wow!” With a dry mouth I admit that it does, yes, seem quite a distance.

Cruising downhill a little we’re greeted by the whump! whump! whump! of Gianni and Dario’s young charges flying through the air and gleefully careening into the inflatable (and, fortunately, inflated) crash mat designed to teach young freeriders how to fall and not care. And news just in – they don’t care, they really don’t care. There’s Emanuele, obvi ously on lunch rota today, with an armful

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GOGGLES UP Head over the page to see how St Moritz's summer season also embraces those fuzzy freestyle vibes

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“Well, we’re all homies, but we all want to get better and professionalbeingisjustthetopofthat”

“Delivery!”12 Waina: cool in the sunshine 3 Busting some sculptural moves in the Opposite:snowpark Just another wild ride on the slopes

A decade ago freestyle became akin to what big wave surfing was in the 1990s, with brands and sponsors documented by a new genre of romantic, semi-mystical filmmaking (and its prankish counter point). Now there are a few notable names and a lot of very, very good riders who just do it for fun, pull pints in the summer, move on. For a chilled bunch, the orange light of the Dictaphone is like a red rag to a bull. Chill, people! “What’s the essence?” says Waina, throwing back my question, “well, gravity sucks.”

of pizzas, executing a smart stop and, spying the camera again, proffering them to his pals with all the deportment of an Edwardian butler. If he does become the next world champion, at least St. Moritz will have nailed the first interview. Perhaps the vital part of freestyle is its vibe. The chilling, the hanging out, the beers, the having-a-smoke. On this part of the mountain, that usually happens at Hossa, or at the start of the Alp Surlej chairlift, but today, it’s definitely the last stop before the final descent. Waina and Roman and the gang are installed in the sun. The pack have crossed the savannah and the pecking order at the watering hole is a subtle code, so it seems easier if the drinks are underwritten by a discussion on professionalism. If freestyle is all about having fun – what happens when someone turns professional? “Well, we’re all homies, but we all want to get better and being professional is just the top of that,” says Roman, philosophising over a few cold Calanda Bräus. “I see pros out in the park and they’re practising, but they’re still freeriding – they’re just out there having the time of their lives.”

“I’m gonna build us such a gnarly kicker, bruh”

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All the way up Climbing instructor Nik Meuli has par layed his experience of conquering moun tains into a parallel career as a life coach. Born in Lesotho, South Africa, he grew up in the Engadin and has spent his life en joying high altitude activities. He spoke to Alfred Tong How did you go from climbing instruc tor to life coach? People find that being out in the pure force of nature helps them to put things in perspective. In rock climbing, staying calm, working in a team, being method ical and sharing knowledge is what helps you to conquer even the most challeng ing climb. What are the physical benefits and chal lenges? Rock climbing is obviously incredibly physically challenging and at the highest level requires great athleticism. But there are also lots of super easy climbs for beginners that anyone can do, which are very satisfying. I love it when people say to me, “No way!” But then successfully make the climb. It really helps a lot in all areas of life. What do you love most about climbing in Engadin? There’s a lot of variety in the mountains and valleys that are around St. Moritz. There are at least 20 locations where you can climb and each location has about 20-30 different routes. You can do it with your family, colleagues or friends – it’s great for team building. There are lots of nice spots to have a barbecue or a picnic. It’s all about the collective finding a solution together. I love it.

A rock climber's playground: just a stone's throw from St Moritz2 Man mountain, Nik Meuli 3 Tina Moser will teach you how to get wind in your sail Opposite page: The lake at Silvaplana is heaven for kite-surfers in summer great in the summer sun

YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST GUIDES Get your heart pumping in a variety of stunning natural locations with the help of these expert trained guides and instructors. All available via booking. stmoritz.com Mountain biking Using the latest high-tech e-bikes, set off at first light and climb the mountains for breathtaking views of the valley – and a gourmet lunch upon reaching the summit.

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SUMMERFreestyleHIGHS:looks

While reporting for Issue 3 of St. Moritz we saw something leaping from the roof of the Hauser Hotel. Was it a bird? A plane? No: it was Nik here doing a spot of urban abseiling. The chutzpah! We immediately wanted to go for a climb Sail of the century Why waste the wind? Those clever kite surfers find summer a breeze In the frozen winter, Silvaplana, the next lake along from St. Moritz, is a-throng with langlauf skiers. In summer it throws up a bit of a surprise: kitesurfing! In the early 1990s, Stefan Popprath fell in love with the sport and set up the kite school in winter, convincing the Alpine crowd that the summer version of “snow kites” and “winter wings” would catch on. It did, and now a short course with an instructor such as Tina Moser (above) will equip the amateur with the skills to ride zephyrs and get the confidence to get really very high. Of course, like any mountain sport, the first thing you learn is how to fall over properly. kitesailing.ch

ST. MORITZ

Bikelocal St. Moritz rideactivities/early-morning-bike-booking.stmoritz.com/en/ Personal training Work out your body and mind beside Lake St. Moritz with a training session tailored to your specific needs and mood by an expert instructor. Personal Trainer activities/personal-trainingbooking.stmoritz.com/en/ Paragliding Lean back and relax as you glide over green meadows and lakes as smooth as mirrors, before landing in a sunlit valley. Paragliding Engadin activities/early-bird-sommerbooking.stmoritz.com/en/ Sailing Cast off and set sail, powered by the powerful Maloja wind, on the glorious Lake St. Mortiz amidst stunning mountain scenery. Courses available for both beginners and advanced Sailingsailors.

Club St. Moritz moritzerseeactivities/segellektion-st-booking.stmoritz.com/en/ 40

By the light of headlamps, dedicated Swiss technicians are laying out pristine white lines for guests to enjoy

A Long-Eared Owl catching a rabbit

The wipe-out

Chamois

The Alpine Marmot Is he a rat? Is he a Meerkat? Is he a porky guinea pig? His paw-prints certainly make him look like a cartoon thief

The Tod’s moccasin and the stiletto

The perfectly bashed piste

All creatures great and small – and human – leave a story behind when they go exploring in the snow. You don’t have to be an Alpine sleuth to guess the goings-on in our snowscape but we would ask you to please wipe your boots on the way back indoors

The tracks tell a familiar tale of nocturnal fate – the owl swoops and the rabbit has hopped its last…

This crazy arc tells a familiar story –the Icarus of the slopes! The daredevil of dubious technique! #jerryoftheday

Tracks in the snow

Two soles more suited to cosying up indoors than braving the valley at night, surely? Ah! A secluded spot to get their lift-passes tangled. You’d hate to be their cobbler. Or their other halves

TheMoonTechnicaBoot Any trip to the hills in winter looks like Neil Armstrong got there first, in this case with a companionfour-pawed

WORDS: Robert Bound / ILLUSTRATION: Lalalimola

This noble mascot is fearless on a crag and likes to feed in the valley at night… what’s she been nibbling?

The very smart party entrance Hopping out of a chopper for a cocktail at the Dracula Club is quite the most stylish dash to cut

Yaktrax

The contemporary tennisracket snow-shoes make light work of the powder but leave a trail like a McEnroe tantrum

WORDS: Saul Taylor PHOTOGRAPHY: James Mollison

FORONETHEROAD

Going on a wine-tasting Tuscan road-trip is a tough job – but someone’s got to do it. That tough job belongs to Benoît Huguenin, the Kulm Hotel’s head sommelier, who guided us through the vineyards that will star on his wine list for the new season. Sourcing the best sauce? All in a day’s work

“As a teenager, I began to appreciate the complexity of my parents’ wine collection. When I started at hospitality school, I learned the art of the table, service and kitchen,” says Huguenin. “It was then that I also learned about wine regions, grape varieties and appellations, which then led me to the wines of my region and eventually France and the rest of the world.” Just 53 kilometres from St. Moritz, we arrive at our first engagement: Mamete Prevostini. There is nothing like a wine tasting at 9.30am to kick-start the constitution. Prevostini is all you dream of in an Italian vintner – his full head and beard of greying hair is interrupted by hawkish, black eyebrows. He’s slightly ruddy, rotund and a charmer to boot. A tasting table is whipped into shape while Prevostini gives Huguenin a tour of his cellar; a cool, damp cave built into the mountain that maintains the regular 5C required to store wine efficiently all year round.

“The San Lorenzo Valtellina Superiore Sassella 2017. That’s my favourite. So much finesse – complex on the nose, a beautiful depth in the mouth. This is worthy of a great Barbaresco,” he declares triumphantly. With a flourish, we are off again and as if by magic, two bottles of the 2017 have appeared in the footwell behind the passenger seat. Oh, the life of a sommelier.

Suddenly, Huguenin is at it. He’s all sips and slurps as golden whites whirl in the bottom of his glass. Deep reds draw audible sucks across his palate and in half an hour he has tasted all 10 vintages.

The cloistered vineyard at the Vertemate Franchi Palace that supplies Memete Prevostini with Gewürtztraminer and Riesling grapes for his whites

“This is the one,” he declares, thrusting his glass aloft.

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VERONABOLOGNAMILAN FLORENCE GENOA PrevostiniMamete Antico GagliolePodere ST. MORITZ ITALY SWITZERLAND

More heavy petting for Huguenin as he strokes Elmo, one of the Gagliole Estate’s unofficial mascots in the form of Marketing Director Alessia Riccieri’s spaniel

Hands up. Who wants to go on an Italian road trip? We thought so. There are few more attractive prospects than that of tearing down the autostrada in search of some delectable destination or other. Italians do it better, after all. Apart from the driving part, maybe, but more on that later. The possibility of pit-stops for paninis and espressos at Autogrills in all their welcome frequency; the opportunity to pull over and inhale the sweetness of a summer campagna; or the albergi and their promise of a soft pillow and bellyfuls of home cooking. La dolce vita , indeed. You see, it’s not the drive in Italy (that’s rather an annoyance) but the stops in between that excite our inner gourmet and sommelier. And so, it was with a sense of trepidation that three strangers – a writer, photographer and sommelier – met on a cold August morning in St. Moritz to embark on a wine tour of northern Italy. Already giddy on nothing but itineraries and an early start, the journey begins with a sharp descent to the border at Chiavenna. The sommelier in question is a Frenchman of some repute. Benoît Huguenin is the resident wine expert at the Kulm Hotel and we are to accompany him on an oenological excursion to souse out some interesting vintages for the hotel’s vast cellars. As we wind our way towards our first stop, talk turns to how Huguenin, a whippersnapper at 25, had found his own way up to the hallowed employees’ entrance of one of the world’s most exclusive hotels. The Kulm is the source of literal heightened civility: a mountain retreat so storied that its patrons decorate the walls in varying degrees of sporting prowess. At the end of a long day’s skiing or hiking, there are few Weinkeller that offer the breadth of respite contained in its lists.

At Gagliole, we’ll have a barrel of fun

Huguenin gets his hands on the prize at Gagliole, giving those Sangovese grapes a good fondle

The emerald expanse of Lake Mezzola, an aquatic gateway from the Alps into northern Italy

Pairs with: Grilled seabass with rosemary, thyme and laurel, served with vegetable tian Il Bianco: Toscana “An unusual blend of Procanico, Malvasia and Chardonnay highlights an ambition to create a complete, complex wine. The taste of the barrel is present despite the wine’s youth, but it doesn’t mask the slightly honeyed notes of white flesh fruits.”

“A red wine full of freshness, with a perfect finesse of the tannins. The Nebbiolo leaves us on a cloud of velvet, floating above a complex blend of crisp red fruit and light sweet spices. A mineral touch at the end creates that familiar wish: to have another glass!”

Pairs with: Braised beef ribs lacquered with balsamic vinegar, sautéed new potatoes, grilled zucchini, eggplant, peppers, spring onions, cactus and mushrooms

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1 Tuscan vines rush by en route to the final destination2

Pairs with: Fillet of trout with white wine and lemon grass sauce, Vichy carrots, and green asparagus sautéed in butter Monrose: Alpi Retiche “I’m not the best friend of rosé wines, so I tasted the Monrose with a little caution – and found myself pleasantly surprised. This is a well-constructed, captivating and aromatic wine, with a colour that allows the Nebbiolo to assert itself.”

Pairs with: Beef wellington, green haricots and broccoli

Opera: Alpi Retiche “Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc and Incrocio Manzoni each offer their distinct aromatics to create a white wine with great complexity and depth. Ageing in oak barrels strengthens the wine’s character but retains its freshness.”

San Lorenzo: Valtellina Superiore Sassella

Pairs with: Green salad with summer fruits and Montagne ham Albareda: Sforzato di Valtellina “The Albareda is made solely from Nebbiolo grapes that have withered naturally until mid-January, meaning they undergo a concentration of sugars, aromas and flavours. A red wine with a beautiful structure and great power.”

On witnessing the swigs, swirls and almost-swallows of the sommelier’s trade, we wonder what traits make a good one as we set off for warmer altitudes. “Curiosity. Someone who seeks out every possible moment to learn, to discover and search for new producers. I feel I have to question myself frequently if I am to reach perfection. A good sommelier should have as much information in his head as possible, but also be able to translate it into emotions for everyone else,” Huguenin muses. And what of the clients, the inevitable snootiness and outré behaviour that pollute an expensive dining room? “Of course, there are those who think they know best. It is not my place to disagree, I am simply there to assist and hopefully educate,” he says, diplomatically. Our blinkered mountain peripheral soon begins to widen as the SS36 skirts the green expanse of Lake Mezzola and the Pian di Spagna nature reserve beyond beckons us down towards Lake Como. The skies brighten and bulge larger with a warmer blue than before. At this point we consult the itinerary and agree that a detour to Valpolicella is preferable to steaming on to Tuscany for six solid hours. A few map app adjustments and the odd wrong turn send us west through Lecco on the SP342 via Bergamo and Brescia with a sharp left at Verona to Fumane for lunch. Wine country is fine country in any country. Vineyards breed cosy establishments that offer visiting oenophiles and eager passersby good food to complement the region’s quaff. Italy’s enotecas rank high in this phenomenon. We take a workmanlike swipe at the online reviews and settle on Enoteca della Valpolicella. We are in no mood to dawdle and hope it will do what it says on the tin. What more could one ask – white table cloths, worn wooden chairs and shelf upon shelf of lesser-known local labels? We first stuff ourselves with a three-course tasting mezzi di antipasti that includes a bright Veronese ricotta with apple chutney. After that, the primi piatti suffices, and suffice to say we all leave stained in duck, risotto and hastily hoovered truffle crumbles. What of the wine, we hear you cry? This warrants a side note. Watching a sommelier squirm on the other side of a well-endowed wine menu is quite the attraction. But Benoît, unfazed at its heft, simply deferred to three glasses of the excellent house red.

Benoît shares his favourite flavours from Mamete Prevostini and the Galiole Estate

A difficult working environment, but one that produces spectacular results. This is a red wine that requires a little longer to appreciate in all its depth – but give it time and it will show you its secrets.”

La Cruus: Valtellina Superiore Inferno

Pairs with: Rack of lamb, pea purée, grilled fennel and lamb juice reduction

The antipasti at the Enoteca della Valpolicella is a thing to behold, perfectly setting the tone for the dishes3ahead

A cheerful Cinquecento always sends us round the bend 4 Wheels (of cheese) keep turning

Top of the tipples

“The grapes that make this wine are grown on a sloping plot, accessible only by foot.

One espresso for the driver and two grappas for the passengers and we are off again. Later than expected, but according to our digital co-pilot we will arrive at our destination a little short of dusk. Those of you who live or have driven in Italy will attest to the cliché: Italians are either terrible drivers, or those who complain about the lack of indication, the adrenaline surges that accompany each impending swerve and the veering, careering, near calamities will simply never understand three millennia worth of not giving a shit. All roads lead to Rome, so the faint of heart better just buckle up and bomb it. Either way, one requires one’s wits about them on the 270-kilometre drive from Verona to Gagliole in Chianti. And there it is – the Tuscan landscape – a vista designed by order of Bacchus himself to calm the knackered traveller. Hills that tumble into the Mediterranean; an unbroken dot-to-dot of pink villas that have inspired émigrés for centuries; a land of lots and heaps and stacks. Our escort, the sun, has had enough. Trying as she might to duck beneath the horizon, we reach our digs before she vanishes and we can think only of the following day as we crash, thankfully for the first time that day. Breakfast is always quick when a vineyard awaits.

The weary travellers were welcomed at Gagliole with a crisp white table, dinner for three and the most spectacular view across Tuscany towards the Mediterranean

The long lunch at Ristorante Albergaccio closes with a wonderfully balanced limoncello2&3

Alessia Riccieri, a testa rossa both physically and in spirit, is there to meet us in the grounds of the Gagliole Estate’s recently inaugurated guesthouse and production facility with her two spaniels. Elmo and Emi usher us up the hill and into the vines and encourage our sommelier to take a proper sniff of the terroir. Riccieri’s knowledge of the land is infectious and when she suggests we head back down to the new winery beneath a flawless turf roof, we gladly abide. Inside, we grasp the scale of the operation. Laboratory, processing and bottling sit side by side, with French oak fermentation tanks vying for good looks with German stainless-steel maceration chambers and Belgian storage vessels sculpted from cement. “This winery is completely up to date. They are limiting the impact of outside elements on the wine by keeping the

Late summer shadow dapples a perfect Tuscan afternoon

Alessia Riccieri holds forth on how Gagliole is able to sustain a rich terroir at such a specific altitude

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And there it is – the Tuscan landscape – a vista designed by order of Bacchus himself to calm the knackered traveller. Hills that tumble into the Mediterranean; an unbroken dot-to-dot of pink villas that have inspired émigrés for centuries; a land of lots and heaps and stacks

cellar

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1 A little bit of epic: the Maloja Pass looking toward Italy 2 Kissing rocks on the road back to St. Moritz 3 Easy riders in Domaso, on the shore of Lake Como 4

The story of Gagliole is as romantic as the dew that mists the estate at dawn. Acquired by Monika and Thomas Bär in 1989, a Swiss couple who met and fell in love in Tuscany at the end of the 1970s, the project is the risky, yet fruitful result of 30 years of uncertainty, enthusiasm and eventual allegiance to the land and people who work it. Thomas Bär is adamant that their methods won’t change. “Gagliole is artisanal, not industrial, and will stay that way. Our wines distinguish themselves by being entirely handpicked, hand-sorted and in the most part, vinified by the remontage method of extracting the must during maceration and pumping it back to the top. We even apply this to the olive oil that is processed at our mill on the grounds,” he says. All this talk of wine and olives has worked up quite the appetite and Riccieri smiles the smile of a host who has left the best for last. She jumps into her Subaru Forester and guides us into Castellina where she has booked a table at Ristorante Albergaccio, a small inn that has created a tasting menu around the estate’s wines. We are greeted by Francesco Cacciatori, the Maître D’ whose wife, Sonia Visman, is the creative force behind the venture. What follows is three and a half hours of well-timed top-notch service and oodles of food. Huguenin is visibly excited –he’s finally allowed to enjoy the wine without a spittoon. Grilled artichokes with deep fried bread and salted ricotta; sage and butter ravioli; Chianina beef rolls; roasted Pomarancino lamb flavoured with myrtle and vignarola veg; spiced pigeon perfumed with Marsala wine. It goes on. And on and Bursting,on.stomachs as tight as drums, all that remains is for us to turn around and drive the 500 kilometres back to St. Moritz. But this can’t be the end of the road. How about a final stop in Piedmont? Benoît knows a fantastic little Barolo producer that would sit well on the Kulm’s everevolving wine list. Rather unsurprisingly, the response is a resounding si!

The avid cyclist: a common sight and persistent peril to drivers in the Alps 5 Huguenin returns to the Kulm. Suited, booted and prepared for service, this busman’s holiday to Tuscany has born fruit for the hotel and its clientele half underground, giving it a cool, constant temperature in such a temperate climate. We are big on diversity, with olive and fruit trees, flowers and aromatic plants everywhere,” says Riccieri. Everyone turns to Huguenin, who thoughtfully draws his last mouthful. “Because the wine is produced exclusively from Sangiovese grapes, this Pecchia vintage perfectly sums up the estate. You can tell the roots have to dig deeper at this altitude, there is a mineral quality and a refreshing finish,” he Riccierisays.issatisfied and takes us to the original property that dates back to 994AD. An ancient renovated farmhouse that sits at a strategic point in the valley; protected, yet in plain view of the steppes that grow vines in the old-fashioned way.

keepersFinders

LoupeOPPOSITE:d’Oeil magnifying glass by Hermès, gold-plated brass Castillion Indigo earrings by Rona Tilgner, 18-carat white gold with tanzanite, paraiba tourmaline and antique sapphires

STYLING: Yvonne Wigger SET DESIGN: Studio Végété PHOTOGRAPHY: Benjamin Schmuck

Of course the chefs up here scout in the wild for herbs and berries – but maybe they’re missing out. If you look closer you might just find something a little more precious; spy a little magic glimmering from every nook and glade. Who knows what treasure you’ll find when innocently foraging in St. Moritz?

NecklaceOPPOSITE:from the Chopard Haute Joaillerie collection in 18-carat ethical white gold set with 10 cushion-shaped sapphires and diamonds

Ring from the Chopard Haute Joaillerie collection in 18-carat white gold set with a cushion-shaped sapphire and diamonds

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Precious Four-Leaf Clover rings by Dodo, 18-carat yellow gold and diamonds

LOPPOSITE:eavesring by Ole Lynggaard, 18-carat yellow gold ring inlaid with 37 diamonds59

Macro Drop earrings by Giorgio Armani, blue plexiglass PREVIOUS SPREAD: Breitling Chronomat 32 in stainless steel and mint SerpentiOPPOSITE:greenTubolare bracelet by Bulgari, 18-carat white gold with round mounted pavé-set diamonds 62 ST. MORITZ

Is it skiing? Is it walking? Is it a hybrid, both recreational and functional? We explore the history of the technique that’s helped humans travel through the snow for millennia SILVERWARE SURFERS pages 94 99

HOLY

A tribute to the intricate, pleasingly mechanical cable cars and funiculars that work so tirelessly to transport the travellers of St. Moritz to the heights they seek give them a big embrace,” says founder Paolo Spalluto of the Passione Engadina rally, which showcases the world’s most glorious (and, apparently, huggable) vehicles Rears. Derrières. Bums. Whichever name you prefer, feast your eyes upon our selection of the most fashionable back-ends on the slopes of St. Moritz

OFF-

BEAUTY AND MOTION pages 76 81 “We

“I think Swiss people don’t see themselves as weird – who would?” says Michelle Nicol of a country that is, possibly, a little misunderstood. We find out why it’s different MOTORS 66

pages

LAUF TRACKS pages 108–113

PAINT NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH pages 100–107

T Ê TE À T Ê TE pages 114 120 Five concierges at the top of their game discuss the fine art of catering to some of the world’s most exclusive visitors – including the travails of finding a very expensive bunch of flowers

TURN THE OTHER CHEEK pages 82 93 Bottoms.

FREAKY

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Performance Charged Fuel consumption (combined cycle): 10,7 – 9,7 l/100 km // CO2-emissions (combined cycle)* 243 – 220 g/km // Efficiency class: G CO2 is the main greenhouse gas responsible for the earth’s warming; the median emission of all vehicle types (of all brands) in Switzerland is 169 g/km. The CO2 target value is 118 g/km (WLTP). Experience the new Levante GT Hybrid INSPIRING, ELECTRIFYING, WITH THE UNMISTAKABLE MASERATI ROAR Loris Kessel Auto SA Via Grancia 4, 6916 Grancia, Svizzera T +41 91 994 55 71, showroom@kessel.ch www.kessel.ch Energy label 2022 65 ST. MORITZ

A curiosity-fuelled trip around St. Moritz may involve everything from vintage cars to silver trophies festooned with icicles and bears – and that’s without the fashion, the skiing, the art and the passions of the locals themselves…

“Everyone wants happy artists,” says Vito Schnabel, who discusses his many inspirations, his love of painting and his gallery in St. Moritz PISTE FONDUE 74

The Cresta Run’s mile-long river of ice has inspired heroics and heartaches in its 125-year history: we unearth its most beautiful and unusual trophies

All hail the cold steel and the greased pistons that make each ascent an effortless enterprise Holy motors

WORDS: Robert Bound PHOTOGRAPHY: Maciek Pozoga

The mighty machinery that hauls hundreds of thousands up the hill is the unsung hero of a unique Alpine infrastructure.

Above: A giant wheel in the engine house at Corviglia main station

Left: The Piz Nair cable car can transport some 1,500 passengers an hour over the slopes of Munt de San Murezzan

At the Corviglia station, where the funicular railway rises from St. Moritz through Chantarella and the cable car, “Chantarella Bahn”, swings its vertiginous way up to the dizzying paradise of Piz Nair, lies the centre of the operation; the warm bosom for these cold steel cables.

Right: The lift system is a comfortingly analogue, and pleasingly vibrant, universe The regular mountain passenger – the skier, hiker or sightseer – just trusts the hardware. These machines ferry thou sands an hour, thronged with nodding bobble hats and mirrored goggles, maps excitedly unfurled from cargo shorts, cameras primed for those blazing vistas. To the well-travelled – the instructor, the pro, the high-altitude restaurateur – the gondola is just the commute; that time swallowed between doing things. Watches are tapped and glances exchanged as if it’s the morning platform at Wäderswill or Haslemere. But spare a thought for these mighty structures. These feats of engineering that cling onto sheer rock, bolts and stays bored into deep granite – whatever the weather, unregarded as the town below dines and dances. But in February, in a blizzard, at the summit of Piz Nair – some 3,057 metres above the sea – it’s possible to feel great sympathy for frozen steel and inscrutable concrete; it’s then that the eye is drawn up in wonder. How did they even get that stuff up here?

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In an overheated office behind an inaus picious blue door on a jutting metal walk way lies mission control, the monitor that measures the metabolism of the entire St. Moritz system. That all started in the 19th Century, the dawn of winter sports, personified by moustaches, tweeds and – in infrastructure terms – the rage for funiculars and steam-driven chairlifts. The first on this hill was at Suvretta where a visit to the base station presents a hand some barn with a big green wheel sprout ing out of it, a feat of early engineering that embraces pure Alpine cosiness. It still runs a single-occupancy chairlift (the most profligate, and antisocial, kind). You might wonder: does it, like a wintering herd, also run on hay? This whole million-tonne apparatus stretched across a mountain of lifts is aided, but not controlled by, computer software; it is a rare analogue joy. The system is an aesthetic marvel of big, bright, loud hardware These monsters are all about motors, rotors, valves, hydraulics, dials, levers, needles hover ing happily in the green. Like the plucky steam engines in a children’s storybook, these machines are made of cold metal but imbued with the qualities of friends; painted with the precision of an engineer but also the pride of a father. Housesized engines are tomato red; they turn car-sized wheels painted buttercup yellow; the readings for the hydraulics are displayed by an instrument panel in sky blue. These sober spaces, where armthick cables haul thousands of passen gers toward the summit every hour is a riot of colour, care and attention to detail. They are all whip-smart and engine-red in spirit, even if they are for est-green in shade. These powerful symbols of analogue imperiousness are made by the Doppel mayr Garaventa Group or Von Rotz und Wiedermar and are headquartered in Küssnacht am Rigi or Kerns. They know little of “Infinite Loop” or Cupertino: it’s not what they do. Indeed, there are few things more joyously analogue than getting fixed. At Marguns the lift system has a dedicated workshop and a foundry where welders work on cogs and wheels, their sparks narrowly missing glamorous calendars. Old Soschool.weoffer a salute to the hardware: the machines that make it all happen.

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Above: With a clatter of carbon, a gang of skiers prepare to disembark at Plateau Nair

Left: On a windy winter day a songbird takes comfort in the warm waft of an engine house 71

Above: The big wheels keep on turning – and fast Right: Apprentice Silvio in the lift system’s workshop at Marguns 72 ST. MORITZ

People are very proud of them, even if it does occasionally rain up here in the summer, right?

St. Moritz: Well, to start with, does Swiss Weirdness seem like a weird subject to be talking about – do strange things abound in GianniSwitzerland?Jetzer: It should be a very normal thing. A danger for Switzerland is to stop questioning this strange national identity; to not open up certain ventilation flaps and stop this interesting fermentation. If Switzerland would stop this culture of letting things happen – now that would be really weird.

MN: Well, in the 1970s the punk scene was really strong, and so was the art scene that sprung from that – Fischli Weiss etc – and rebellion plays a part in that, as does humour. The founding stone of the new public art part of Kunsthaus Zürich is by Urs Fischer and it’s a huge carrot on a chaise longue made of bronze – it’s absurd, weird; fantastically Swiss, somehow.

MN: Yes, you could say that the gossip columns in Switzerland are weirdly boring – we read about George Clooney at the Lago di Como, and it’s not even in Switzerland. As soon as someone seems to say, “I want to be better than everyone else,” people turn away from that.

GJ: It’s true. In politics you have to vote on three levels – local, canton and federal – and you get a pack through the post asking if you’re in favour of, say, spending 10 million francs on a new water connection pipeline between this and that reservoir in the city and you think, “Wow – this is crazy.” But you become aware of what costs money and you become responsible for what happens.

A hands-on approach keeps the Swiss population happy The mountains are as much a part of Switzerland’s personality as its citizens

GJ: Yes, people will hike and stop and eat their sandwiches at lunchtime under an umbrella, all in their very well-made Swiss waterproof hiking clothing whatever the weather; it’s very pragmatic. But it’s massive –I looked it up. There are 65,000 kilometres of hiking trails in Switzerland; almost one and half times the circumference of the Earth. These hiking paths run from cities to 3,000-metre peaks and are the connective tissue of the country.

GJ: Yes, and when the government speaks to Swiss people it’s as if they put on a pair of velvet gloves to handle the population with the utmost care so as not to upset anyone and offend the Swiss ideal. It’s fascinating to see. They are aware that to dictate something, to tell people what to do is very un-Swiss. So yes, don’t ever tell anyone what to do around here!

GJ: I think funnily enough, it’s Tina Turner. She became Swiss and returned her US passport; she’s typical of having a very private life.

Famous people here make sure they’re not in the kinds of situations that celebrity magazines would be interested in.

WORDS: Gianni Jetzer and Michelle Nicol ILLUSTRATION: Leon Edler

Freakyfondue

MN: Oh, yes, those booklets are great!

MN: Well, I think Swiss people don’t see themselves as weird – who would? But the aspiration is for normality. Swiss people see themselves as normal, whatever the normal is and they want to keep it that way, I think.

GJ: Switzerland is like a lab where things do work because there’s only six million people. So we have a lot of merits and a few system failures.

GJ: And that’s all about freedom. In France, it’s all about “the centre”: to get a train to the south you have to go to Paris and turn around, but in Switzerland there’s no centre; it’s a complex system and that breeds eccentricity. You put energy into developing your own vision and making it real. How does that work in practice, GJ:Gianni?

GJ: It was once reported that Justin Bieber was at an expensive spa hotel in Graubünden and he’d driven a golf cart outside the hotel grounds. He was caught by the paparazzi and fined by the police, but he didn’t smash it up or anything. And the story in the newspapers said something like, “Justin Bieber fined for driving golf cart outside of hotel premises.” That was it! But what about this rebellious streak you touted earlier?

Finally, would this conversation pass the “Swiss test”? Would your countrymen agree with this?

Michelle Nicol: Yes, people think that there are lots of rules in Switzerland but in fact you can never really restrict the Swiss with rules. The pragmatism and ability to compromise can become acute enough for it to seem to be a sort of weirdness, slightly absurd. There is a great expression, “Auskäsen”, which means “cheesing something out” – you come together and find a compromise to avoid conflict. It’s the fondue approach to resolution!

The world loves to think of Switzerland as… well, a little beige. But we know that there are quirky summits that aren’t capped with snow, surreal goings-on behind neat garden gates and crazy creativity, if only you look. We consulted two ingenious Swiss creatives – renowned curator Gianni Jetzer and Michelle Nicol, founder of the Neutral creative agency – to pose the big question. Is Switzerland weird?

“Switzerland is like a lab where things do work because there’s only six million people. So we have a lot of merits and a few system failures”.

MN: There is a real dislike of hierarchy here, but then we don’t have impressive avenues made by emperors or kings who ripped everything up and forced their will on a place. And I think this also plays into this “non-celebrity” culture that we have. Gianni, who is a celebrity in Switzerland? Apart from Roger Federer, of course.

Well, take the story of the Sauber brothers. Peter Sauber founded a Formula 1 team and he’s an eccentric entrepreneur. His brother Werner was an avant-garde filmmaker, he also had a passion for fast cars and was a bit of a rebel and he ended up being the getaway driver for the Red Army Faction in Germany – they robbed banks to fund their terrorist activity. Werner became a terrorist and was shot and killed by the German police! Two brothers raised by the same parents in the same household and both of them are eccentrics – one within the bourgeois convention and one goes off the grid. Don’t tell me Switzerland is not weird! It feels like the mountains are the natural rulers of Switzerland, they make the weather, the scenery, they enforce manners to a certain extent. Switzerland is a country with “no centre” – but a whopping 65,000km of hiking trails The average Swiss voter is kept impressively well-informed by the government

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WORDS: Alfred Tong PHOTOGRAPHY: Torvioll Jashari

“I would rather have a gentleman in a Fiat Cinquecento than a show-off with an expensive Ferrari”

Born in Milan, the irrepressible and avuncular Spalluto is a communications strategist and motorsport journalist who contributes articles about F1 to Italy’s La Regione newspaper. Motorsport runs in his blood: Spallutto’s grandfather was a technician and mechanic for the Alfa Romeo team of the 1950s and died from a heart attack in an accident during the legendarily dangerous Mille Miglia race. “I was inspired by the British,” he says of the origins of the idea for what would become the Passione Engadina. “I lived in Britain 20 years

Opposite: Friends who rally together stay together. Hans Luginbühl and Fabienne Danner in an Alfa Romeo GT Junior 1300 1(1967) Eyes on the road now! Elvira Mubarakshina in her Ferrari F355 Spider2(1997)

Polish businessman Sebastian Kulczyk and model girlfriend Kinga Anna Trojan are all dressed up and ready to rally in a Ferrari F40 (1990)

When asked to explain the unique appeal of the Passione Engadina, a car rally which celebrates the beauty of vintage Italian sportscars, the founder, Paolo Spalluto, without hesitation and in a tone that suggests it should be printed in ALL CAPS, replies with just one word: “FAMILY”.

“These are ultra high-net-worth individuals,” says Spallutto of the hundred or so drivers who participate in the rally. “They have everything in life; five-star stuff all the year round.” But, crucially, and this is where the “family” aspect of the rally comes in: “Most people come back every year. They talk about life, maybe they do some business – we give them a big embrace.”

“I would rather have a gentleman in a Fiat Cinquecento than a show-off with an expensive Ferrari,” says Spalluto on his approach to curating the exclusive community that has gathered around the spectacular jagged peaks of the Engadin valley every year since 2011. Indeed, the Passione Engadina is one of the rare occasions, perhaps the only one, where you might spot a Fiat Cinquecento tootling along the same Alpine road as a 1963 Ferrari GTO 250, one of which American collector David MacNeil bought for $70 million (€59.6 million) in 2018. For the lovers of Italian vintage cars who gather at the Passione Engadina, both cars are just as special, for drivers and spectators alike.

Beauty and motion

This year 140 of the most beautiful vintage Italian cars ever made cruised through Julier, Maloja and Splügen mountain passes for the Passione Engadina rally. Founder Paolo Spalluto explains to Alfred Tong why disco dancing, family and food are as important as vintage Ferraris for members of this exclusive community

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The Milanese brand’s “small car, big performance” ethos is encapsulated in the Giulietta Spider’s superb handling and rev-happy engine Ferrari 365 GTB Daytona 1973 Nicknamed the “Daytona” because of the team’s victory in the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours, the angular “shark hook” nose of the bonnet is one of Ferrari’s most unusual and distinctive designs

THUSISSPLÜGENPASS 43 2 1 3 32

BEST IN SHOW

2 Swiss Italian race driver Simona De Silvestro and partner Antje Hembd looking chic with the Alfa Romeo Montreal (1975) 3 You’d have a smile like this too if you were about to climb into an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider 750 D (1958)

Drivers could participate in two tours: 200km for classic cars, and for newer cars 300km of roads that run across the Julier, Maloja and Splügen mountain passes with spectacular views of the Alps, even going through a piece of nearby Italy. The St. Moritz Challenge Cup held at Samedan airport, the Bulgari Ladies Cup, and the Concorso d’Eleganza in the garden on the Kulm Country Club in St. Moritz help to round off the celebration. “Truly, the most special moment for me was the Ladies Cup,” he says, “because the winners were these two lovely, lovely ladies. I met these two girls when they were kids, just 10 years old. So to see them now meeting and winning the ladies’ car event at the age of 28, it makes me absolutely proud. It proves that the classic car medals are not just for the grandfather.”

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ago and their classic car meetings are iconic to me.” Spalluto realised that there was a demand for a rally that specialises exclusively in Italian cars made before 1991, after he organised an event to celebrate the centenary of Alfa Romeo for a banking client. This year, 140 cars (including 70 Ferraris) participated in the three-day event. No other event in the world can boast a Ferrari 330 GTO, 512M, Dino 206 S, SP and 166/53 on the road together. For the connoisseur, spotting one of these would represent a once-in-alifetime moment of magic – to see all five at once is akin to bearing witness to a herd of unicorns trotting down an Alpine road together. For Spalluto, the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 that once raced for the Scuderia Ferrari represents a personal highlight. “If you come from Milan, you love Alfa Romeo – it’s as simple as that,” he says.

A Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 (1979) doing what it does best: cruising along an Alpine road

1 Aerial shot of a Ferrari BBI (1984) being driven by Paul Gaucher and Andrea in theAlfaof Bonhams, SwitzerlandBodmer2RomeoMontreal(1973)originalgreen“Montreal”colourway3SwissentrepreneurEugenioMarzoratiismostamused

From museum-level rarities to charmingly quirky one-offs, some of the greatest Italian vintage sportscars of all time were proudly on show at the Passione Engadina Ferrari 330 GTO With only 39 models ever made, this is one of the holiest grails of motorsport, with a price tag of circa €50 million Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Many believe this to be the finest race car of the early 1930s and it once raced for the Scuderia Ferrari Fiat 500 Lovingly referred to as the “Cinquecento”, this practical city car was one of the first of its kind and helped to inspire the Mini Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider

LANDQUARDT1HIGH BEAM Join our drivers over the page as they swap overalls for gladrags at a revved-up gala party in the Kulm

Below: Filippo Sole with

3 Ronnie Kessel, founder of Kessel Classic Cars, toying with the idea of naming his very own race, “The Kessel Run”

coupleFondazioneMacaluso,MailanderfounderofGinoMacaluso,whichrestoresclassicItaliancars2Peek-a-boo!Thisyoungareabouttogetthepartystarted

“Look, it doesn’t matter if you are from the UK or Germany, if you collect Italian cars you are different”

The Passione Engadina is not just a rally but a lifestyle. During the three-day event, no expense is spared when it comes to food, wine and entertainment, hospitality and other goodies. Unsurprisingly, given the nature of the crowd, there are plenty of luxury brands providing goods and services for participants. The perfumer Acqua Di Parma created especially fragrant car fresheners; the Milanese leather goods firm, Serapian, supplied handmade driving gloves; while Bulgari created the Octo Finissimo Passione Engadina – a one-off edition of the iconic Octo Finissimo watch for the winner of the Julius Bäer Rally. For Spalluto this celebration and appreciation of Italian culture separates the Passione Engadina from a typical vintage car rally. “Look, it doesn’t matter if you are from the UK or Germany, if you collect Italian cars you are different,” he says. “If you collect Ferrari, Maserati or Alfa, you love racing, you love driving, you love red wine, but in a very simple way, because we are gentleman drivers. We are different because we are not just so focused on the cars, but also the community and the lifestyle.” his trophy for First Prize of the Challenge Cup, St. Moritz

This year, although 150 drivers were invited to the Passione Engadina, Spallutto insists that next year and beyond, the numbers involved will be reduced to 100 again. “If there are more than 100, I will never know who everyone is,” he says. “I want to know the history of the car and the history of the family.” Perhaps this is why members feel very comfortable letting loose at one of the after-dinner parties at which Spalluto likes to DJ and host. He even designed a dance routine complete with special effects and a light show with which to serenade guests. “I was very pleased to see the bosses of Julius Bäer and Bulgari dancing like groupies on my stage,” says Spalluto. And, finally, can there be any doubt what song was playing while all these hijinks were going on? What else but “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge.

Monica

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1 Is it us or is it very hot in here all of a 2sudden? Elvira Mubarakshina looks as good on the dancefloor as she does behind the wheel

1 2 2 3 1 JULIERPASSDAVOS 76 FINISH – ST. MORITZ GALA AT THE KULM

Turn the other cheek PHOTOGRAPHY: Alexander Coggin STYLING: Daphné Hézard STYLING ASSISTANT: Kyoko Tamoto From bum bags to shorts and jump suits to ski pants, we’ve got the tightest fits and sharpest picks to prove that the best rears are definitely not behind you

REAR OF THE PELOTON? NOT FOR LONG Stand up in the saddle in these flyweight cycling shorts by Rapha, classic organic crew by Colorful Standard and Falconer II Aero Mips helmet by Pas Normal Studios while stowing your energy bars in a Lumbnical bum bag by the North Face. Keep an eye on the summit with a pair of Leica Ultravid HD-Plus binoculars and clock your personal best on an Oyster Perpetual 36 watch by Rolex

PREVIOUS SPREAD: FAIRY TAIL Turn heads and cut an ethereal, colourful figure around the town with these jet ski pants in mango yellow by Bogner, stay warm with this green Marlee hooded jacket in recycled polyester by Stella McCartney, and show some flair with this scarf by Hemès

It’s all about plant power with denim flower jeans by Rier, coupled with a cosy v-neck cardigan by La Fetiche and bikini bottoms by Hunza G. Keep some Swiss time with a L’Heure Du Diamant watch from Chopard, protect your eyes from any unwanted glares with sunglasses by Prada, shine withyellow gold and diamond rings from Chopard, and rest easy on a cashmere stole by Hermès

BLOSSOMS OUT

ACTION FROM THE BACK SECTION Combine sportswear and style with these tennis shorts by Ron Dorff, shirt and fleece by Rier and bum bag by A.P.C. Must-have accessories include a Royal Oak Offshore watch by Audemars Piguet, glacier cream by Piz Buin, topped off with a rope by Mammut

WORK THE LOOK, HANDYMAN Embrace those outdoor activities and make any job worth undertaking with a check shirt by Hermès, corduroy shorts by Rier and hiking boots by Danner. Keep any valuables in a chalk bag and carabiner by Mammut to a web belt by Patagonia

Step out and stay warm all over with this wool jumpsuit and gloves by Prada, complemented with a leather belt by Jacquemus from Matchesfashion and sunglasses by Bogner. A fitting end

ONCE MORE INTO THE BREECH

WORDS: Marie-Sophie Schwarzer James Mollison & Melissa SilverwareMichelsurfers

“If you’re not careful you won’t win me: you’ll go home in me!”

GHOST RIDER’S COFFIN

The Cresta Club is a St. Moritz institution that’s been channelling the town’s unique take on daredevil antics down a mile-long snake of treacherous ice for more than 125 years. Of course, the results of this challenge range from the heroic to the absurd via broken bones and bruised egos – even the trophies seem to celebrate the madness of the enterprise. From the Drunken Crab to the Ghost Rider’s Coffin, we salute the stories behind the prizes

The trophy won at the only night race. The Cresta Run is lit by the moon and longest-serving members go first to enjoy the best light. Rolf Sachs oversees this spooky race and its best nights end in Sachs’s aptly named Dracula Club. If you’re still alive, you’ve probably deserved a fiendishly big night out.

PHOTOGRAPHY:

An appropriate flag, as the Cresta Run was birthed in St. Moritz by four Brits 2 Toboggans patiently await their next appointment with the ice 3 The sport takes guts: the speedy sleds are smaller than you’d think

THE COPPA D’ITALIA

This elaborate solid-silver number, made by Tiffany & Co, is one of the Club’s most valuable trophies and is adorned with icicles, Cresta riders and beautifully rendered and rather cuddly bears. As a piece of chilly sculpture, it really possesses the atmosphere of something lost for centuries in the ice and recently brought back to all its glistening glory.

The Grand National is the Cresta’s – and therefore the world’s – longest-running toboggan race (first run in 1885). It possesses perhaps the most prestigious of its trophies, embossed with Roman chariots and floral flourishes. The most prolific victor of the trophy is current golden-boy Lord Clifton Wrottesley: the Irishman first came to St. Moritz in 1990, holds the run record of 49.92 seconds and has won 57 races. Lordy!

St. Moritz has many traditions, but few compare to the madness of the Cresta Run. Since its inception in 1885, the natural-ice tobogganing track has been built from scratch every year, winding its way down the steep valley from St. Moritz to what was once the village of Cresta in Celerina. For 10 weeks during the winter season, riders race down the 1,212m track head-first on toboggans at speeds of up to 140km/h in what remains one of the last truly amateur sports.

“Any rider that wins me is claw-some!”clearly

THE BRABAZON TROPHY

The St. Moritz Tobogganing Club (SMTC), established in 1887, presides over the Cresta Run and its 30-odd super competitive club races. The SMTC has around 1,500 members from all around the world but the lion’s share are British – it was, after all, four Englishmen who introduced the sport to St. Moritz more than a century ago. In 2022, current SMTC president Gary Lowe will pass the baton on to fellow Brit Martin Greenland, who has been a member of the club for more than 20 years. Like the men before them, their job is to see to it that the run itself and the club’s traditions are preserved.

THE KNAPP CRESTA CUP

THE DRUNKEN CRAB

This solid-silver crustacean with cabochon stone-set eyes jauntily holding a shot glass like a top hat was first awarded in 1986. It derives its name from being held aloft by the most eccentric or spectacularly inept rider during the Seniors’ Race. Hats off!

This solid-silver toboggan-alike was first competed for in 1965, the most recently inaugurated of the four classic races. The Brabazon is all about endurance and speed –any faller on any part of the course is disqualified. The silver lining for losing it at Shuttlecock, the run’s trickiest corner, is eligibility for membership of the Honourable Shuttlecock Club (an exclusive, if bruised, fraternity).

This art deco trophy was donated to the Club by the late Count Theo Rossi di Montelera, who rode for Italy in the 1928 Olympics, to celebrate the Italian tradition. While 50 per cent of the riders are British, many Italians come up from Milan to chance their arm on the ice, too. As so many Italians have wanted to join the party, in 2020 an additional cup was competed for on a shorter course. The “Coppetta d’Italia” – how cute.

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THE GRAND CHALLENGENATIONALTROPHY

“A day practising on the Cresta Run and you’ll feel like you’ve sat on me”

THE MORGAN CUP Named for the late Olympian (and former club president) Harry Hays Morgan and styled in silver by Cartier in 1935, this is the largest of the Cresta Cups, holding roughly 29 bottles of champagne. Always a good-to-know. On being won, the cup is filled with champagne and a squiffy ceremony ensues as all riders take a glug and it goes around and around until it’s done. A big breakfast the next day is highly recommended.

Anyone who can stand after doing that is a winner in our eyes

NEAR AS DAMN IT The first eight finishers in the “big four” –the Curzon, Grand National, Brabazon and Morgan are “Colours Riders” and are given the maroon and gold club tie. The ninth rider traditionally received nothing until this handsome trophy came along. “It’s a cup for disappointment,” says Club President Gary Lowe, “for those of us who lose; which is most of us.”

THE SEAGER EVANS TROPHY In the 1930s Seager Evans was a popular gin distiller whose branding team decided that sponsoring a trophy at the Cresta Club would bring the right sort of visibility. The sterling-silver trophy includes a speeding likeness of former rider Jack Heaton negotiating the Run’s Upper Banks atop a mahogany base. This, the most valuable trophy in the collection, was found hidden away in a cupboard until recently.

This modest-in-size, but glitzy-by-stealth, horn is mounted on a wooden plinth with a silver-plated plaque and is awarded to the winner of a specialist race in which riders compete on tiny toboggans, making the endeavour that bit more dangerous. Just what it seems to need.

One of the proudest traditions is the club’s growing trophy collection. The four major Cresta Races are for the Curzon Cup (inaugurated in 1910), the Morgan Cup (1935), the Brabazon Trophy (1966) and the Grand National (1885) – the original and most prestigious of the roughly 100 trophies. A number of the awards, of which many date back more than a century, are displayed at the Kulm Hotel, where everything started with Johannes Badrutt, the hotelier who pioneered winter tourism and helped fund the first Cresta Run. The hotel’s legendary Sunny Bar – the oldest sports bar in the Alps – has become the meet ing place for Cresta riders and it’s where the wins of the season are habitually celebrated. “Part of the fun are the friendships and camaraderie while engaging in what is inherently a dangerous sport,” says Lowe, who got his first taste of the Cresta Run at 42. “We’re very proud of the history and the amateur tradition.” Many of the members have long-held ties to the club and many trophies tell the stories of riders who have passed the passion of the sport on from one generation to the next. “We don’t go back any further than myself but all three of my sons are top riders,” says Lowe, proudly. 1 Participants can reach speeds exceeding 130 per hourkilometres2

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THE BONSAI CHALLENGE

Vito Schnabel is one of St. Moritz’s itinerant personalities, splitting his time between the imposing, historical gallery that bears his name on Via Maistra and two spaces in New York City. As he tells St. Moritz, though, few things inspire the art dealer and gallerist more than wet paint and fresh mountain air

PAINT HIGHMOUNTAINNOENOUGH WORDS: Robert Bound PHOTOGRAPHY: Ryan Lowry

1 Rene Ricard was one of the first artists whose work Schnabel bought. Here we see Ricard’s ‘Untitled (Sometimes it’s ok...)’

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Gallerist Vito Schnabel was born with art in his veins. His father, the celebrated painter Julian, involved him in his work from an early age and his mentors were the cream of the gallery world. No surprise then that Schnabel started putting on shows at the tender age of 16. Now in his dotage at 35, he talks about not-quite 20 years at the summit. How far do you and St. Moritz go back? I’ve been there for seven years now, but there’s a lot more history that I’ve tapped into or been invited into via my mentor, the incredible gallerist and collector Bruno Bischofberger. Visiting St. Moritz with Bruno really formed how I do what I do. Someone to show you the ropes a little? Well, Bruno is also my godfather – he was always so good to me and would talk to me like a grown-up even when I was still a kid. I was lucky enough to know what I wanted to do from an early age, and part of that clarity definitely came from Bruno. So that’s how deep my relationship and friendship is with him. He’s kind of like family – well, he’s my godfather, so he is family. Did knowing what you wanted to do give you a head start? Pretty much. My mother was very important in that, too, and another mentor of mine – Chuck Bennett – who dated my mother from when I was five until I was 15. Now maybe he didn’t know a tonne about art, but he certainly had a great mind and he ran the IMG agency. I was looking at art all my life and building up a visual language, but seeing how Chuck did business was instrumental for me, too. Bruno, Chuck, my mother and my father, of course, were interesting teachers. How do you keep your radar tuned in? I’m constantly looking for the new. All the artists that I work with inspire me – that’s why I do what I do. A great friend of mine is [PR guru] Andrea Schwan – she’s a great mind, she’s just great to talk to and bounce ideas off. It also helps that everything I do is very personal so if I’m right or wrong, it always means something to me. Just how young were you when you started out, Vito? Well, I put on a show called “Incubator” when I was 16 and then the next show was for Ron Gorchov, who I started working with when I was 17. This September I put on another show of his beautiful work, the first since he passed, in fact [Gorchov died in August 2020]. And wow: time flies! How much of running the gallery is strategic and how much of it is instinctive? It always starts out by liking someone and their work, appre ciating it and wanting to represent it. That comes first and then if they’re up for it and I’m for it, that’s when the strategy starts. But you’ve got to love it first. As a dealer, you need to know what will sell, but you also need to fall in love to an extent – what’s the split? I’ve been really fortunate that the things that I’ve loved and have been interested in have had a life – they’ve worked out and had a market. But you know, it’s never the other way round: there are many things that I could have worked with that maybe I didn’t fully believe in, but I thought would have sold. That’s a slippery slope and not really the way that I work. There’s no faking it. We eliminate as much of the bullshit as possible. Your father is a painter and you must have seen a lot of art being made as a child – what do you remember of that? Oh, it was incredible; I was making paintings with my Dad when I was four years old and there’s footage of it, which is kind of amazing. These were his “Hurricane Bob” paintings where my Dad was taking a rag and throwing it against the canvas and he allowed me to get in on it. I don’t even think

2 Schnabel was a teenager when he began exhibiting Ron Gorchov’s work, whose ‘Lapis Landfall’ adorns Schnabel’sOpposite:wall

Albert, Schanbel’s dog, takes up a supine position beside Francesco Clemente’s ‘White Flags I’ “All the artists that I work with, that I choose, they completely inspire me – that’s why I do what I do”

I knew what was going on, other than that I was covered in paint and it was so much fun. Then I was able to see my sister Lola paint – it’s something that not a lot of people get to witness; being there in the room is magical.

And finally, does the romance of the St. Moritz landscape help you sell paintings? Ha-ha, I don’t know if the landscape helps sell paintings but it’s definitely a place that artists really love to come to, and everyone wants happy artists. The fact that this place is so much more than a ski town – that is very much a thing.

VITO SCHNABEL’S ST. MORITZ TIPS

What’s the difference between the people that you meet in St. Moritz and in New York? Do you show different work? I’ll often put something on at Clarkson Street, which will act as a precursor to a larger show that I’ll then do in Switzerland. I’ll do this so that people in New York can see the show and get a feel for it, and then I’ll show it in St. Moritz. The St. Moritz space is so incredible because you’re two hours from Milan and two hours from Zürich, and then the incredible art history of the various artists and gallerists all work so well together. But there’s no real difference in terms of what I would show – both locations are just very cosmopolitan places. Spencer Lewis showed in New York, in Switzerland, my father [Julian] and Francesco Clemente also… I don’t really break down the artists in terms of places. What was the first work that you bought? The first thing I bought that I really loved is a painting by the poet Rene Ricard, while the last thing I bought was a little piece by Francis Picabia. It’s a very special work, though: a portrait of a woman titled “Paysanne” and something I’m very happy to have. I also bought a little Man Ray, a sculpture of his wife’s bust that’s laying in a hand and the hand is laying on a pillow – it’s actually quite extraordinary.

“The St. Moritz space is so incredible because you’re two hours from Milan and two hours from Zürich, and then the incredible art history of the various artists and gallerists all work so well together”

Above: An assortment of small sculptures by Imi Knoebel and Josh Smith decorate Schnabel’s bookshelf, alongside New York City Marathon medals and a small George Condo sculpture

1 love a really old-school restaurant called the Veltlinerkeller; the waiter there is also named Vito, he’s been there for ages and it’s one of the places Bruno Bischofberger introduced me to a long time ago. Hearty Swiss cooking, a big open fire, very charming. They have famous pizzocheri [a cheesy pasta dish] and it’s the best I’ve ever had.”

2 “ I’d also tell anyone just to walk; I love the lake and the landscape whatever the season.”

3 “ Personally, I like to run a lot and running through these valleys at that high altitude is good practice for the New York Marathon, which love to compete in. Again, the landscape inspires me.”

4 “The thrill of skiing down from the top of Corvatsch or hiking up to Paradiso is always great. Every time I’m up in those mountains I feel like I’m in a fairytale.”

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Back to the mountains, then, how did you end up with that handsome gallery in Via Maistra? Bruno knew that I wanted to open a space outside of New York and I went to visit him. He told me he wanted to focus on his space in Meilen, outside of Zürich, and would I be interested in his St. Moritz building? I was like, “Yes! I’ll take it!” – with all that history and the wonderful shows that Bruno put on. I already had Clarkson Street in New York and recently opened a new place in Chelsea. Being able to show in Europe, however, is something that was very important to me.

1 That’s not wallpaper. Schnabel faces the camera in front of Spencer Lewis’ ‘Untitled’

2 1

2 Even gallery owners have a bodega plastic bag doubling as a bin –Schnabel’s kitchen has a deft mid-century flavour to it 3 Van Gogh is given the classic Venetian mask treatment with a twist

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“I don’t know if the landscape helps sell paintings but it’s definitely a place that artists really love to come to, and everyone wants happy artists. The fact that this place is so much more than a ski town – that is very much a thing”

Above and opposite: A typically indulgent and vivid setting for entertaining in Schnabel’s living room, with his father Julian’s painting ‘CVJ’ taking pride of place on the back wall

WORDS: Robert Bound and Annick Weber with additional by Nina Rinderknecht Maciek Pozoga

Lauf tracks

reporting

PHOTOGRAPHY:

In the hurry to get downhill fast, you might be forgiven for assuming that skiing on the horizontal is a lost art. Not so. In pine forests and across frozen lakes langlauf skiing lives, breathes and very much means business (and pleasure)

A young competitor enjoys the crisp morning

“It’s just called ‘Nordic’,” says one gentleman with a walrus moustache as he pushes off steadily and disappears up the track. And they’re off. The marathon course is 42 kilometres of mostly flat beauty; a snowglobe in which the langlauf skier trips the light fantastic across the three frozen lakes of Sils, Sil vaplana and Champfèr and heads through the trees to Staz and Pontresina before tucking back into the flat valley, affording a view of the busy private jets at Samedan airport and finishing up by heading to Bever and S-chanf. Of course, you don’t have to do the whole thing at once. The clothes might be skin-tight but the vibe is far from uptight.

Winter sports and their practitioners come in all shapes and sizes. You might say that your regular Alpine skiing is cavalier and cool. When practised professionally, it’s a speed-thrill, but for most it’s the stuff of snatched week ends and jolly holidays peppered with memorable lunches and winter tans. On the mountain there is a comfort in its commonplace. Freeriding is the funky younger sister. She tried Alpine, but “Nyaah,” she’ll find her own way down the hill and meet you at the end of the day where she’ll be stoked to regale you with tales of the “gnarly” and “crunchy” kind while you buy the beers. Langlauf, on the other hand? Langlauf is its very own story. It is the most recognisably sportif thing that happens in wintertime yet it’s also just getting about, it was the way that valley-dwell ers got from village to village and from farmhouse to church in the snowiest of winters. And, on the crispest of early March days in St. Moritz it feels like the only way to chase and embrace the shining horizon. The Engadin Ski Marathon course – a world famous pilgrimage site for those of the langlaufing disposition –starts at Maloja and this morning it is a huff of warm breath in cold air, the soft click of boots into bindings and some friendly joking amongst gangs of skiers. Or are they run ners? “What they call langlauf, I call running,” says a lady from Maloja in a 1970s-looking Lycra bib. “It’s running on skis; but I think that shows my age.” Others murmur “langlauf” as they check messages and adjust their glasses.

2 Resting the skis at Paradiso3 Some call it “walking”. It’s not really 4 Stand on, strap in, slide out – imagine the musical sounds of a langlauf about to commence

1 2 3

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For hundreds and thousands of years, skis were used as a means of travelling cross-country rather than for recreational purposes. Where nowadays we catch the bus to get from A to B, people in snowy regions once strapped a pair of strips of wood to their feet (the word “ski” comes from the Old Norse “skí∂”, meaning “stick of wood”) and off they went, assisted by a pine or bamboo pole for balance and propulsion.

Below: Sitting back in comfort while the adults do all the hard work – bliss Princess de la Tour d’Amergue poses for a photo with her skis in 1923 Skiers on the Morteratsch glacier in 1942, with Piz Bernina in the background The finish line of 50km cross-country ski event at the 1928 Winter Olympic Games. J Nemeckv of Czechoslovakia (pictured) finished in 11th place

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Backpacks become picnics become parties; the huts and hostelries along the way do roaring trade in hot chocolates, beers and gulasch zuppen; some skiers – like their Alpine brethren – stop for lunch and find that it happily sets in, like weather. “Taxi!” The Sonnenstübli, as the route approaches the south ern tip of St. Moritz itself, is as good as its name, so time to get some sun on the face while chatting to the langlauf fraternity. Peter’s been langlaufing for 55 years and has taken part in the competitive marathon, held in mid-March, some 42 times. “I used to sing opera in the hotels up here,” he says, “the Maloja, the Kulm, I love to entertain.” Of course, he offers a burst of The Barber of Seville as he heads on up the course. Smiling at the impromptu aria are Georg and Nora from Zürich, who are up in the mountains for a couple of days “to ski and see”, says Nora. “We love the food up here so we feel that this is a good preparation,” she says with a chuckle. The couple, trim in their early 70s, are an advert for balancing fondue and fresh air. In fact, all ages and types are out on the freshly cut tracks through the valley. There are octogenarians opening cans of Coke for their great-grandchildren, young couples giggling in the sunshine and groups hustling past working on their personal bests. There are dog-walkers, sledge-pull ers and families. There are holidaymakers from Austria for whom the Engadin is “even nicer than home” and locals out for the sun and exercise. There is a lot of fresh-faced youth, too, smiling in the sun. It is a beautiful world here in the sun on the valley floor. The long, elegantly tapered, narrow-gauge ski. The purity and restraint. Langlauf, Nordic, cross-country, ski du fond , whatever you call it; next time, we’re skiing with you.

It wasn’t until the mid-18th Century that cross-country skiing changed from a utilitarian mode of transportation – used even for warfare and reconnoitering by ski-equipped troops in Scandinavia – into the recreational activity it is known as today. The Norwegian military is believed to be the first to organise public skiing and shooting competitions for leisure purposes, laying the ground for the biathlon, then known as military patrol. Cross-country skiing’s definitive title as a sport came in the mid-1920s, when it was contested at the world’s first Olympic Winter Games held in Chamonix, France, in 1924 and at the first FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, held the year after in 1925. It has stayed an Olympic discipline ever since and was also on the programme at the Olympic Winter Games held in St. Moritz in 1928 and 1948, during which athletes had to cross two passes at 3,000 metres altitude.

The Engadin region saw its first major cross-country skiing competition – the 42-kilometre Engadin Ski Marathon between Maloja and S-chanf – in 1969. With only 945 skiers in its first edition, the annual sporting event now counts some 13,000 male and female participants competing for gold in the full marathon, half-marathon, 17-kilometre womens’ race and night run. A big year in the event’s history was 1994, when Frenchman Hervé Balland set the track record of 1:16:10 and Switzerland’s Silvia Honegger delivered the until-now-unbroken female track record of 1:22:08.

For those feeling less competitive or just wishing to tone their glutei maximei at their own pace and distance, the region around St. Moritz boasts a network of 230 kilometres of langlauf pistes for all levels. For a more leisurely meander on the narrow skis, head to the Loipen (cross-country skiing tracks) on the frozen lake in St. Moritz and watch the crowds glide by in their skin-tight designer sportswear. For panoramic mountain vistas, the 8-kilometre Alp Bondo Loipe, located at 2,200 metres above sea level, combines a more or less flat track with the feeling of being on top of the world; while cross-country skiing on the Muottas Muragl mountain includes a ride on the oldest funicular railway in the Engadin (the 115-year-old Bergbahn). Just keep in mind that the aching legs the morning after will be worth it when you can show off your well-toned physique on lake St. Moritz in the summer.

thenLanglauf:and now

Some of the earliest evidence of skiing goes back to a Norwegian rock carving from about 4000BC, which depicts a figure standing on two horizontal lines at least twice his size. Prehistoric paintings from around the same time, found in China’s Altai region and in northern Russia, show similar scenes of people moving around on two skis when conditions were too snowy for any other type of locomotion.

Artist Rolf Sachs, architect Norman Foster and socialite Pippa Middleton have all taken part in the event, and the oldest participant to date was a proud 88 years old – but mind you, it can take a non-athlete at least three times the track record time to complete the course, considering that the average cross-country skiing speed ranges anywhere from 15 to zero kilometres per hour.

ÀTÊTETÊTE

PHOTOGRAPHY: Felix Odell

The concierge is a hotel’s fixer, maestro, magician and keeper of secrets. When it comes to booking that sought-after table or sourcing the almost-impossible, the concierge’s secret knowledge knocks any app into a cocked hat. Over drinks at a favourite location, we eavesdropped on this conclave of the clued-up…

Giuseppe: I was a concierge from the start. I went to con cierge school. At the age of 14, I was a bit of a prob lem child doing crazy things all day. My mother was the obstetrician in our town, and she’d take me around so as not to leave me home alone and keep an eye on me. She told me there was a hotel school in Bellagio. They had two courses, one was recep tion concierge and the other was for waiters.

WORDS: Saul Taylor

I remember the day I made the decision. Recep tion? Concierge? Travel the world? That’s my job!

Giuseppe Pesenti, Badrutt’s Palace Hotel: Aha – that’s because you were on the other side of the desk. There always seems to be a small conflict between the receptionist and the concierge, somehow.

Laura: Yes, and then I learned to love them. I think we can all drink to that – cheers!

Cornelius, you were the former President of the Swiss Association. So you were a big shot who trav elled a lot, or so you say.

Cornelius Haug, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz: Oh yes, I was jetting from one congress to another for nine and a half years and it gave me some good times and a lot of contacts. So, if I need a favour

Laura Bründler, Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski: Right at the beginning of my career in hospitality I started out as a receptionist and I always thought, “Concierges are arrogant, they won’t do anything for me.” I never dreamed I’d become one.

Giuseppe: My general manager, for example, went to St. Tropez earlier this year and I had been there

2 Working for the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, Guiseppe is responsible for 157 rooms and suites, and their multitude of guests

in Tokyo, New York, Las Vegas or Bali, I have the reach. The travelling also helps with work back home. When I was in Tokyo for the Asian congress, I learned so much about Japan and Japanese culture. Now, I can be more in touch with a Japanese guest because I have an idea about their customs and what they expect. To be honest, the job consumes you; if you’re looking for something a little part-time or you’re not willing to work overtime and if you can’t give your heart or your energy, it’s the completely wrong job for you. Completely! Giuseppe: But times have changed – what do you all think? Now, you have access to a lot of information that you didn’t have before. I remember when people used to ask, for example, for a train schedule and so you’d have the timetable open, in your hand like this (mimics someone with their tongue out, trying to make sense of a timetable, to much laughter).

The Grand Hotel’s Alexander, like many concierges, finds it hard to detach from the job – even when he’s on6holiday Marco: a concierge’s life is spent “constantly7searching” The night rang to the clinking of ice a month earlier, so he asked me what to do and what to eat. I pointed out the right restaurant, and then my assistant called the concierge in St. Tropez and got me the right table. It was busy that week end; it was a Sunday and when he saw that the table was on the beach he was like, “Ah, Giuseppe, I love you!”

“I remember when people used to ask, for example, for a train schedule and you’d have the timetable open. Nowadays, with the mobile phone, everyone is their own concierge”

Cornelius: Ah, but try booking a table at Chesa Veglia with your mobile phone – how easy is that? Every shop seems to have a concierge now, but in the end, they all come to us, even American Express. They have this platinum card service, but they’re calling us!

Nowa days, with the mobile phone, everyone is their own concierge.

1 When concierges converge: Guiseppe listens as Cornelius tells a tale

Alexander Piderit, Grand Hotel Kronenhof: Exactly – and even on holiday, too. Sometimes, you just want to detox yourself from technology and guests and stay with your family, but you always stay curious. You want to try to see new things. Even on your day off, when you go on a hike or when you do an excursion you do it with the same idea — I’m going to do this excursion to see how it is and then suggest it to my clients. How difficult is it? How long does it take? Are there some special things that they can see on the way? And if we’re feeling generous we can even share it with our col leagues around this table.

3 Michael (second from right) is keen to emphasise the fact that the guests of St. Moritz are longerterm than those of a less seasonal location – which means they need to be treated differently

Laura: Nice work, Giuseppe. You must have been asked for a special location for a wedding proposal, no? We have to know exactly the right spot. So yes, we’re constantly testing. You’re never off, actually. When you go to a restaurant, you always look at how the service is, what’s on the menu, would it be OK for a special evening for a guest?

Cornelius: You have to, it’s a passion. If you are a concierge with that kind of heart, you will always remain a concierge your whole life. A former chief con cierge colleague of mine was at the hotel for almost 45 years. It’s a vocation.

Laura knows everything, from which restaurants offer the best service to the most memorable spot to pop the question

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Marco Cosmo Vaudo, Suvretta House: That’s the difference between a human concierge and a mobile concierge. We are trying, we are tast ing, we are looking and we are constantly searching.

“We have to know exactly the right spot. So yes, we’re constantly testing. You’re never off, actually. When you go to a restaurant, you always look at how the service is, what’s on the menu, would it be OK for a special evening for a guest?”

Cornelius: Exactly, it’s not like the waiters who go home and can forget about work. When we go home, our head is still buzzing with information and we have to prepare for the next day already.

INSIDER INFORMATION The night’s bar tab, broken down 7x Roku Gin 22.–7x Tonic 8.–9x Kirin beer 9.–2x Virgin Mojitos 13.–1x Fanta 6.–3x Summer Edamame 9.–Prawn Dim Sum 18.–Squid Dim Sum 18.–2x Veg Dim Sum 16.–3x Pulled Pork Baos 14.–Tiger Prawn Tempura 25.–Omakase Sashimi 56.–Total: CHF 541.–118 119 ST. MORITZ

where you’re coming one day, and then off the next. Here it’s completely different and every day, every moment, we have to be careful with our cli ents. It’s a longer-term commitment.

Michael Elias, Carlton Hotel St. Moritz: St. Moritz is also a seasonal place so we have to be subtle with our guests. It’s not like a city hotel

Marco: I love that the guests remember you, year after year. Back in 1995, I was at the Belvedere in Davos. It was the World Economic Forum and there was a cocktail party at a hotel in Klosters for presidents and prime ministers. The organisers were so terri ble that they forgot to rent a bus to get these VIPs around. Their last chance was the concierge. We called at exactly the right moment because it just so happened that there was an empty bus on its way to pick up some skiers from Klosters. It pulled up just as all 45 dignitaries were assembling at the bus stop. No one was any the wiser. It was smooth sailing.

Cornelius: And you do get some difficult requests. Try organ ising something like roses right at the end of December. A guest once came to me and asked for a nice bouquet of a specific type of rose that only grows in April. I didn’t know at the time, so I just said, “Roses? Of course, no problem.” I called the florist who duly said, “No way, no chance of that variety.” I called Zürich. Nothing. I called Munich, Geneva, Milan. Nothing. I thought to myself, flowers, flowers, flowers, where do I get these flowers? Michael: The Netherlands? Cornelius: Yes! Bravo. I called Amsterdam but it was two o’clock already and they needed to be here by seven o’clock in the evening. My only chance was to send a private jet to Amsterdam and back. And there they were – and beautiful – at seven on the dot. A bouquet that cost €61,600.

“I called Amsterdam but it was two o’clock already and the bouquet needed to be here by seven o’clock in the evening. My only chance was to send a private jet to Amsterdam and back. And there they were –and beautiful – at seven on the dot. A bouquet that cost CHF65,000”

Giuseppe: Oh wow! Yes, there is a huge sense of responsibil ity. When a guest comes to you, you have to deliver. You cannot delegate this to somebody else, and you have to make sure that the guest gets the result that they are expecting. So, it’s a big responsibility. You cannot go home and forget about it and come back the next day.

Laura: You saved the world! Marco: Probably! Every time they came back, they would say, “Marco, really, thank you very much.” Maybe through gritted teeth, of course.

Giuseppe: In the end, you’re building a relationship with your clients, especially with returning guests, and it’s a relationship that cannot be allowed to disappear. Guests like to be recognised, a bit of the personal touch. For example, there was an American family who would return year after year. When they came on one holiday, the gentleman fell on the stairs. He hurt himself a little, but had a sense of humour about it. So we had a plaque made for the wall that said, “Mr So-and-So fell here.” He was thrilled and used to show it to everyone.

Laura: A lot of guests like to go incognito, so you don’t get much information beforehand. Others make a huge fuss one month before, saying they need this and that, and in the end they don’t need it. It’s usually more trouble at the beginning than in the end. But that’s the job, it’s something you need to deal with.

HOW TO RÖSTI page 130-131

Bonus material, colourful anecdotes, useful links and contact details: this is where we go into the nitty-gritty of it all to make sure you’re truly in the know

Swiss chef Ralph Schelling offers a step-bystep guide to making delicious Alpine favourite Rösti – essentially a feast of crispy potatoes that will keep you warm on the slopes

You already know there’s a lot to do around St. Moritz, but did you know you can actually ski behind a horse? Plus: our pick of the photographic equipment needed to record it arrive in a limousine, for example. In the end he arrived on a Harley Davidson! Giuseppe: These are special examples, the exceptions. For example, we have a British guy from one of the Formula One teams who likes to walk and used to come with a yoga teacher. He used to get up at six in the morning when the sun came up to go to a particular point behind the airport in Samedan, which is not a regular hiking route, it’s very steep. We prepared a wooden board with our nickname for him, “Mr Explorer”, carved into it and nailed it to a tree at his finishing line. He loved that; you have to break down some boundaries. The guest is no longer just a guest. Is he a friend? Not quite, because you must always keep a certain distance. In a good way. It’s like an extended family. I guess we allComeare!on, it’s time for another last round before they close the bar here. Although I’m sure we all know a few places where we could go on after wards: one of the perks of the job, naturally.

HOW TO HOST pages 124–125

HOUND & ABOUT pages 128–129

“We were expecting George Clooney to arrive in a limousine, for example. In the end he arrived on a Davidson!”Harley-

Three events, three hotels – we consider how St. Moritz’s finest venues would handle a birthday bash, a conference and a peace summit. Spoiler: with aplomb THE SOURCE

BUTT WHAT ABOUT NEXT ISSUE? page 136 If you subscribe to St. Moritz today, you’ll ensure that you are fully updated on all the news and views from the top, and you’ll never be left behind

EXPERIENCES/VIEWFINDERS pages 122-123

We love dogs. You love dogs. And so, because we all agree that dogs are important and make the world a better place, here’s a collection of the finest local pooches living their best lives

INSIDER INFORMATION Take a taxi on the St. Moritz Olympia Bob Run “Pure adrenaline and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” olympia-bobrun.ch Sledge down the Muottas Muragl “Fun for (almost) all ages.” mountains.ch Take a panoramic helicopter flight “Admire the breathtaking beauty of the Engadin from above.” helibernina.ch / swisshelicopter.ch Ski at the Corvatsch Snow Night “If you just cannot get enough of skiing, Switzerland’s longest floodlit ski slope awaits every Friday night.” corvatsch.ch Dinner at the Sunny Bar by Claudia Canessa “Peruvian delights in the oldest sports bar of the Alps.” kulm.com

The following pages showcase a selection of essential St. Moritz activities, including art-perusing and fondue-tasting. But we’ve had some fun of our own, too, by pondering imaginary peace summits and photographing man’s best friends APR È S-SKI pages 126–127

GALLERY SURFING pages 132–134

A guide to the biggest, brightest and best galleries of St. Moritz and, once you’ve exhausted their delights, a few must-sees a little further afield RESOURCES pages 135

The 1970s may be a whopping half-century old but the era’s signature styles are staging a comeback. Feast your eyes on the latest vintage fashion gracing St. Moritz’s streets

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Packing it in by Alfred Tong

Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 (€970) The Flip 3 is one of Samsung’s third-generation folding-screen devices and is essentially a smartphone that folds in half like a makeup compact, which means it’ll take up less space than a conventional smartphone and, vitally, looks very cool. Not only is this a joy to play with, it’s also great for all-action days on the snow with an excellent camera.

Swarovski Optik NL 42 (€2,950) What’s that in the distance? A bird? A plane? A snowboarder performing a gnarly flip? Well, you need never wonder again when you have a Swarovski Optik NL 42 in your hands. Equipped with patented “Swarovision” technology, you’ll be able to spot every detail and colour so as to never miss any of the action on the mountains.

FONDUE BIKE RIDE

Profoto C1 Plus 901380 Smartphone Studio Light (€282) Great lighting is the secret sauce behind every good photograph – and an obsession of anyone who takes photography seriously. Fortunately the folks at Profoto have been doing that obsessing so that you don’t have to. With this, one of the brand’s excellent smartphone enabled studio lights, shots taken on your phone will reach new levels of clarity, depth and atmosphere. And won’t you look professional?

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OLYMPIC BOB RUN

GoPro Hero 10 (€539.99) You know the rules these days: no slalom, snowboard grab or bobsleigh run is complete without a GoPro video camera strapped to your head. The much awaited GroPro Hero 10 Black boasts a larger processor in order to create spillsautomaticallylookinglightweightandslow-motionhigh-definition,clipsofflipstricksontheslopes,isandrathernatty-toboot.Ifonlyituploadedyourto“JerryoftheDay”,too.

SEGANTINI PRIVATE EXPERIENCE

Your spine-curdling scream is already 100m behind you

Celebrated artist Giovanni Segantini was an Italian-born painter best known for his Alpine and pastoral landscape paintings. He spent the last five years of his life in the Engadin, which is now home to the Segantini Museum, the world’s largest collection of his work. Alongside Gauguin, Van Gogh, Cézanne and Munch, Segantini’s depiction of rustic life up in the mountains is regarded as a precursor to modernism. On this excursion, guests can enjoy an intimate celebration of art and food, with a private guided tour, exclusive candlelit dinner in the studio and the private residence of the artist and his life partner Bice Bugatti, courtesy of the Segatini family. Enjoy a four-hour e-bike ride through the magical winter wonderland of the Upper Engadin with a little extra thrown in. Tootle along at a leisurely pace past frozen lakes and snowcovered Alpine forests, as an experienced guide reveals spectacular vantage points from which to witness places of bounteous natural beauty. Finally you and your guests will be taken to a secret hideaway deep in the forest, where a cozy hut awaits. Sheepskins will keep you snug as you tuck into a tasty cheese fondue cooked up by the ever-excellent Restaurant Krone. To reserve visit booking.stmoritz.com

Whether it’s an adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride or a more gentle art-appreciation tour, nature and fine food that you’re in search of, look no further than these bespoke package experiences available in St. Moritz Even the most courageous of daredevils might gulp at the prospect of Skikjöring. And who can blame them?

Inspired by vintage Leica M models whose black paint had been chipped to reveal the brass body beneath, this special edition of the Q2 combines the convenience of an automatic camera with the rich range tweaks afforded by manual controls. Of course, the fact that you can pretend to be James Bond when taking your pictures will surely be one of the main attractions. It’s unknown whether the Q2 doubles as a surface-to-air rocket launcher.

Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x (€6,200)WilliamsGreg

Sony ZV-E10 vlogger camera (€750) Content creators rejoice! You’ll always be ready for your close-up with the swing out front-facing LCD power zoom lens of the ZV-E10 camera. What’s more, a three capsule microphone means that you’ll be heard as well as seen. Precision tooled for the budding vlogger.

You will want to immortalise every detail of St. Moritz’s stunning scenery, so here’s our pick of the best new kit to help you make your very own version of this magazine (actually, don’t – we like doing the job just fine)

Would you like to experience the body-rocking thrill of four gees of centrifugal force as you thunder around the world’s only naturally refrigerated bobsleigh track at 130kph? Yes? Well, that’s good, because the Olympic Bob Run from St. Moritz to next-door Celerina is made just for you. Of course, safety is paramount and an experienced bobsleigh pilot will steer you through the chicanes, while another experienced rider keeps his hand on the brake at all times, meaning you’ll be free to scream your head off.

The sport involves being dragged along the frozen lake St. Moritz, aka “The White Turf”, by an unharnessed horse while strapped into skis. If that isn’t enough, a quick glance at YouTube should do the trick. Here you can see thoroughbreds bursting out of gates; hooves thundering, kicking up spray. Many participants are hurled like rag dolls into a hail of snow and then dragged, flailing, along hard ice at great speed. It looks like the kind of thing Ernest Hemingway might write about. But fear not – we’re recommending the chilled version where an experienced jockey will direct proceedings from the saddle while you click into your bindings and enjoy the ride. It’s then that you’ll feel the appeal of sport, which was for one brief moment an Olympic one in 1928 (at St. Moritz’s Winter Olympics, of course). In addition to being a decent skier, riders who fancy trying Skikjöring will want to test their core strength and tap into some total fearlessness.

SKIKJÖRING ON THE FROZEN LAKE Sure, he’s smiling – but deep down he knows he could be mere seconds from a tumble

Views to a thrill by Alfred Tong

Be secure with your security at Suvretta House

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“Because of our remote location, we can easily block off access roads to make sure that only attendees are able to get to us.”

The hotel’s own brand of gin can help negotiations further, if all else fails. Why else would we host our peace conference here? The unblocked views. “It doesn’t get more peaceful than waking up to the mountains unfolding in front of you and taking that energy with you to the day’s agenda,” says Hohl. Well, that’s one sure way to get the leaders to practise what they preach.

Once inside, there are eight boardrooms of all shapes and sizes, equipped with the necessary tech for projecting, pitching and presenting. And because there’s no better way to bond than over food, Suvretta House’s chefs – from Fabrizio Zanetti of the Grand Restaurant to Isaac Briceño

“Who’s in favour of bringing Kulm’s masseurs with us when we go back to the office?” “World peace is ours! Now let’s go skiing...”

“We always like a good challenge... This is why we ended up with an elephant strolling through the hotel’s main entrance one day” “Suvretta House’s chefs cook up culinary treats to fuel the discussions...the hotel’s own brand of gin can help further,negotiationsifallelsefails”

Let’s be honest, a birthday bash sans booze is like Switzerland without the Alps. No matter how banging the tunes or delectable the canapés, it’s the type of event that thrives on a drink or three. The dancing becomes less constrained; your dinner neighbour’s chat more bearable. So why not throw your birthday celebrations in the very place that put St. Moritz on the map among those who enjoy a fine tipple? The Renaissance Bar – birthplace of the town’s legendary St. Moritzino cocktail – comes with a team of passionate mixologists, headed by chef des bars Andrea Delvo, who shake, stir and pour it up to satisfy all your invitees’ imbibing needs. “For a hundred guests, we would plan to set up three separate bars, each manned by two barmen,” says Gian Müller, executive assistant manager at Badrutt’s Palace. “What matters is Tying the knot is – fingers crossed – a once-in-a-lifetime event, so only the best is good enough for this special day. First dance underneath the crystal chandeliers of one of St. Moritz’s grandest ballrooms? An exquisite five-course dinner prepared by the team behind the two-Michelin-starred Da Vittorio? Wedding photos with a lake backdrop worthy of a fairytale? Custom flower arrangements by an in-house floral artist? We say “Yes, I do” to all of the above, and so does the event team at the Carlton Hotel St. Moritz, who are there to make your dream ceremony a reality. “The most beautiful day of your life deserves a unique setting,” say Stephanie and Michael Lehnort, the Carlton Hotel’s general managers. “We offer a stage for an unforgettable experience, complete with lake views, a hands-on team and well-appointed event rooms.” All the bride and groom have to do is enjoy themselves in the company of their guests. Imagine Switzerland was hosting the next downhill skiing world cup and the world’s sports journalists had flocked to St. Moritz’s Kempinski Hotel, where the medal-winning athletes are taking part in a jampacked press junket in the hotel’s various venues. For the event’s main press conference, there’s the 120-seat Cresta boardroom (photographers rejoice, the space is flooded in natural light), while one-on-one interviews can be held in the smaller meeting rooms or in the 545-squaremetre five bedroom Alpine suite. To recharge batteries in between meetings – after all, press junkets are somewhat like celebrity-journalist speed-dating sessions – the Kempinski’s team of chefs can set up a buffet with finger food and, not to forget, bottomless coffee. “Should your event require even more space for more guests, we can transform our tennis center into a 2000-seat conference room,” says director of sales Christoph Schröder. “We set no limits to our clients’ wishes.”

When done badly, corporate “workations” equal meeting rooms turned into forced-fun game zones and awkward bonding time over canteen-quality meals. But when done well, they can be a whole other thing. That’s why we’d organise our company retreat at the Kulm Hotel.

Inspire creativity in lush surroundings

How to host by Annick Weber

The result? A real and, most importantly, high-spirited escape from the workplace with plenty to inspire, enjoy and create connections over. On the agenda? A horse carriage ride to Lej da Staz, followed by stand-up paddle-boarding on the lake in the summer; ice-skating on the Kulm Olympic ice rink in the winter (with glühwein to keep warm, not to mention improve that allimportant staff pirouette technique). The food to match the activities? Check. The hotel offers many tasty ways for co-workers to break bread together, whether it’s a big pot of fondue at Chesa al Parc or Peruvian sharing plates at Sunny Bar by Claudia Canessa. What about local guest speakers for inspiration and insight? Certainly. “We have a roster of St. Moritzers who know the town better than anyone,” says Lara Müller, event manager at the Kulm Hotel. “Popular speakers who can talk about St. Moritz’s history, past and present, are our director, for example, who grew up in the hotel, or the mayor and Festival da Jazz founder Christian Jott Jenny.” And, most of all, how to make sure staff return entertained and rested? We’d suggest booking in individual massages at the Kulm spa – on company costs, of course.

You’ll know by now that St. Moritz is expert at hosting-with-the-mosting. While many visitors will simply want to go with the flow, we thought we’d put three of its most august hotels to the entertaining test by asking how they’d host one of three key events: a “Big Four-O”, a staff retreat and an international peace summit. (A what?) No pressure… that we respond to our guests’ wishes.”

Celebrate your at thebeginning-at-40life-instyleRenaissanceBar

A peace conference gathering a choice handful of the world’s most powerful politicians calls for a closed-off, secluded spot, away from security risks, paparazzi and any other unwanted attention. Perched above St. Moritz and surrounded by thick pine forests, Suvretta House offers just that. (As a warm-up, it hosted the super-secretive Bilderberg meeting in 2011, attracting a hundred or so political, finance and military leaders to discuss sensitive global issues over the course of three days.)

BADRUTT’S PALACE 40TH BIRTHDAY CARLTON HOTEL WEDDING KEMPINSKI PRESS JUNKET KULM HOTEL STAFF RETREAT SUVRETTA HOUSE PEACE SUMMIT

Obando of the more rustic, Alpineinspired Suvretta Stube – cook up culinary treats to fuel the discussions.

Speaking of which, if you’re looking to take entertainment further than the usual DJ or cover band, don’t be afraid to ask for something a little different. “We always like a good challenge and say ‘no’ much later than other venues,” explains Müller. “Which is why we ended up with an elephant strolling through the hotel’s main entrance one day.” Should your birthday fall in between seasons when Badrutt’s Palace is closed, the barmen can be flown out to your place of choice, complete with their signature snowwhite blazers and cocktail shakers. We’re afraid you’d have to organise the elephant yourself, in this case.

“For events of this type, we put in place a security plan with an external firm,” says Johannes Hohl, Suvretta House’s food and beverage manager.

the après-ski style of photographer, playboy and art collector Gunter Sachs and his wife, the model Mirja Larsson. Don’t they look marvellous strutting down the road together? Here’s how to channel their look in a way that’s retro and refined; flamboyant yet sophisticated. Stripe mohair and wool Loewe scarf €195 A long, brightly coloured scarf was a mainstay of Gunter Sachs’ winter wardrobe – he had scores of them. They helped to add a burst of colour and exuberance to one of his many floor-length coats. loewe.com Darfo cashmere cape by The Row €3,630 Swooshing around in a cashmere cape is not only a practical way to keep out the cold, it’s a tactile pleasure in its own right. And that’s what 1970s style is all about: looking good and feeling sexy. Who says not all heroes wear capes? therow.com Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic €22,400 The angular lines of this Gérald Genta-designed classic has been given an opulent update in rose gold, with black matte dial and black alligator bracelet. The surprisingly dainty profile slips effortlessly under the cuff of a silk shirt. The perfect watch to tell you when it’s time to disco. bulgari.com Mühlbauer beanie €398 The voluminous furry hat is not just an Alpine essential and centrepiece of aprés-ski style, it is also an emotional support animal. What other kind of headwear keeps you warm, while simultaneously making you feel effortlessly cool? muehlbauer.at

Husbands of Paris black box calf leather zipped boots €560 A pair of heeled boots will give even the most conserative of outfits a louche sex appeal. Whether you’re in a pair of battered 501s or widelegged corduroy trousers as seen here on Sachs, the extra height means you’ll strut like a peacock come cocktail hour. husbands-paris.com

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For so long derided as the decade that taste forgot, the shagadelic opulence of the 1970s now feels as fresh as a dusting of pure white snow on an Engadin mountaintop. What’s more, in St. Moritz, you won’t have to go far for inspiration – just take a look at the picture above of Après-chicbyAlfredTong Whether you’re kitting out your St. Moritz chalet or just want to take a bit of mountain style home with you, there’s no going wrong with our selection of design pieces

Loro Piana cashmere roll neck sweater €1,800 Achieve the zen-like state of “peak cosy” with cashmere that’s as rich as double cream yet light as a feather. The heavy gauge weave means that you’ll often be warm enough to not have to wear a coat – so make sure you have something just as stylish on underneath. loropiana.com

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LEJ blue silk canvas shirt €430 The silk shirt has been rehabilitated. Generous collars flapping from a sharply cut blazer? Si! Military details on the pocket give this a masculine edge that, conversely, will look just as sexy on your girlfriend. Hairy chest optional. lej.london

Leia Is a young Shiba Inu enjoying her first sight of snow - she’s a very independent spirit and likes to get her own way

Corky

mozzarellaHislovesadoresshepherdmastiff/Germancrosswhothesnowandtochasesticks.favouritefoodis

OdellFelixphotography:ButtonandMiaMona, MirbachConstantinphotography:TiggerandSunnyBachmannYvesphotography:Corky ST. MORITZST. MORITZ 128 129

Sunny A bull

A black Labrador who keeps fit fetching his American football. He loves a bone from the butcher like a good boy

St. Moritz is nearalwayskit.anAlpinethereglossybeexpectprocession.outridersbesidecaninesdogaor afriendly.paw-perfect,hound-happy,incrediblydog-Awalkaroundtownhikethroughthehillsislikecommercialforahigh-classfoodwithwell-groomedtrottingobedientlytheirownerslikeinaregalcoachOfcourseyou’dthepoochesupheretopampered,crimpedand–andyou’dberight–butarealsoplentyofworkinghoundsreadytohelpinavalancheorfetchafirstaidDogsandtheirownersarehappywhenthey’reupthewoofoftheworld.

As though there weren’t already enough excuses to go for a walk in St. Moritz, dogs keep their humans healthy by luring them out twice a day, too. If you’re pooch-lover you may meet more dogs in 24 hours than you have time to pat – here are just a few Mona A Weimaraner whose taste for fruit and carrots ensures her coat is appropriately glossy. Look at that shine!

Mia A kind of black Labrador who’ll rush off to bury a ham bone before you can say “Woof!”

Tigger A Nova Scotia retriever and a avalanchecertifiedrescue dog. He’s a devil for licking out creamy jugs Button A German spitz who gets trimmed monthly to keep him koalashaped. He’s really into leftovers and is as cute as his name

Hound & about by Scooby Silberschmidt

APPLE COMPOTE

serves 4

150gSalt frying butter

Also needed: Potato peeler Rösti Kitchengratertowel METHOD

Approx. ½ kg tart apples

3. Wrap the salted grated potatoes in a cloth and squeeze well (the best potatoes are the least watery to start with), so don’t be afraid to give them a good squeeze.

5. We’ve chosen to serve ours with mountain cheese, sour cream and chives and an apple compote (recipe, right).

En Guete!

1. Peel and grate the potatoes.

The undisputed heavyweight champion of the Alpine dining table is the mighty Rösti, a simple but beguiling potato dish that we’d happily enjoy as our birthday cake. Who better to talk you through perfecting your own version than the celebrated (and irritatingly young) Swiss chef Ralph Schelling? Just make sure it starts off raw, he says…

INGREDIENTS

2. Mix well with about 1.5 tsp salt and stand for 5–10 minutes. The salt draws the water from the potatoes and allows your Rösti to become wonderfully crisp and compact.

ST. MORITZST. MORITZ 130 131

POTATO RŐSTI

LienhardLukasPhotography:

1kg waxy potatoes

INGREDIENTS

How to Rősti like a pro by Ralph Schelling

Chef Ralph Schelling is one of the defining figures of the new Swiss cuisine. Young yet experienced, Ralph combines various culinary traditions and techniques with the best local and seasonal products.

4. Fry the dried, grated potatoes in a frying pan in plenty of clarified butter over a medium heat for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Turn the Rösti once (and only once!) and fry for another 20–25 minutes. Sure, the cooking time requires patience and your kitchen will be filled with delicious aromas, but it’s important that the pan is not too hot or the Rösti will burn on the outside and be raw on the inside.

1 vanilla pod 4 tablespoons cane sugar Juice of ½ lemon 1 pinch of salt METHOD Peel the apples and cut them into rough cubes or slices. Slit the vanilla pod lengthwise and steam with the apple pieces, sugar and lemon juice in a pan with a lid on for around 25 minutes over a medium heat until soft, and allow to cool before serving.

Hauser & Wirth Hauser & Wirth St. Moritz opened in December 2018 – it is the gallery’s fifth location in its native Switzerland. Its exhibition space, designed by Luis Laplace, spans three floors opposite Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. “We have a private showroom upstairs where we invite people for drinks and they can stay as long as they like,” says director Stefano Rabolli Pansera.

Lee, whose work is inspired by the masters of the Joseon dynasty. “We are the world’s leading gallery for ceramic works by Lucio Fontana and other artists,” says Greve. “Privately, we have been collecting Chinese, Japanese, Korean and European ceramics for decades.” Lee’s vases, bowls and mugs are one-of-a-kind pieces that have been turned hundreds of times and are individually glazed in unique pastel shade and painted with dabs of colour. The spacious gallery with its vaulted windows, located in the former Posthaus Hotel redesigned by architect Norman Foster, creates a particularly fitting backdrop for the show.

Via Maistra 4 +41 81 834 90 34 galerie-karsten-greve.com

Meeting St. Moritz’s pioneering gallerist Bruno Bischofberger as an unhappy economics student back in 1986 inspired Caratsch to become a gallerist himself. This autumn he’s exhibiting Dokoupil’s “Leopard” soot paintings made by applying soot from a burning candle to the canvas to create photorealistic images of the big cats. “I bought my first piece of art by Dokoupil in 1991 in Madrid and we’ve

Abstract landscapes from Galerie 10’s group show ‘Eclectic Fusion’ ‘700 Snowballs’ by Engadin artist Not Vital, on show at Galerie Andrea Caratsch

Gallery whirl by Marie-Sophie Schwarzer

Via Serlas 12 +41 81 734 00 00 galeriecaratsch.com ART AND STROLL We’ve taken our pick of commercial galleries, but of course St. Moritz is a-brim with wonderful museums, too. A brisk stroll will take you to the Segantini Museum (the comprehensive collection of Giovanni Segantini), the Museum Engiadinis – all about Engadin domestic life – and the Berry Museum, featuring the work of painter (and physician) Peter Robert Berry. A trifecta of artistic wonder.

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The upstairs showroom exhibits a cross-section of the gallery’s programme, including artists such as Jenny Holzer, Rita Ackermann, Takesada Matsutani and the estates of Dieter Roth and Fausto Melotti, while the first two floors present changing exhibitions. “We try to accommodate the natural rhythm of the Engadin,” he adds, noting that this winter the gallery will be showcasing a dynamic group show. “St. Moritz is a place full of culture and collectors. It’s a wonderful place for artists to engage with the picturesque Engadin.” The gallery represents more than 100 artists and estates and wants its St. Moritz location to be a “cultural force in the valley”, as Pansera says. Via Serlas 22 +41 81 552 10 00 hauserwirth.com Galerie Karsten Greve Karsten Greve launched his first gallery in Cologne in 1973 with a solo Yves Klein show. His relationships with artists including Cy Twombly, Louise Bourgeois and Jannis Kounellis shaped his focus on the international avantgarde post-1945, but he always has an eye out for emerging artists such as Georgia Russell, Claire Morgan and Gideon Rubin. His galleries in Cologne, Paris and St. Moritz showcase a wide range of artistic genres from sketches to ceramics. “I was a tourist in the Engadin for about 50 years,” says Greve of his motivation to open a space in St. Moritz as one of the first galleries at the time. In the autumn the gallery presented “Young-Jae Lee: Vessels” (10.09.21 – 30.10.21), an exhibition of ceramic art by the Seoul-born artist Galerie10 “We find St. Moritz is inspirational not only because it’s our home, but also because it has an intense cultural energy and was always a source of inspiration for many artists, philosophers and writers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Hermann Hesse and Giovanni Segantini,” says Andreea Caragea, founder of Galerie10, which opened its doors at Via Maistra 10 in 2019. “We always have a special connection with the artists we present and try to engage our public in a shared experience through the art we exhibit.” The young gallery’s current exhibition is titled “Eclectic Fusion” and features a selection of works by European artists Stano Cerny, Patricia Koysova and Roland Pangrati. In the winter season the gallery will be presenting a new body of work by established Italian artist Mauro Perucchetti. “His work is always a sensorial experience,” says Caragea of the artist’s oeuvre, which combines conceptual, minimalist and pop art elements. For 2022 and beyond, the gallery is working on putting together an engaging exhibition programme that will include solo and group shows by international as well as local artists. “It will take inspiration from and incorporate the spirit of St. Moritz and the Engadin,” says Caragea. Via Maistra 10 +41 (0)79 954 76 27 galerie-10.ch

Visit the Karsten Greve gallery for avant-garde art in a space designed by Norman Foster

The pick of the best spots in and around St. Moritz to gaze upon works of wonder – and choose a few items for your own walls at home been friends ever since,” says Caratsch, who’s visited the artist at his studio several times and is fascinated by his working methods. The show will be paired with Helmut Newton’s “Nudes”, displaying works from the 1970s up until the 2000s to offer the contrast that Caratsch looks for. “I never decide on exhibitions far in advance,” he admits. “I like to be flexible so that when I suddenly discover a young artist, I can show their work right away.”

Galerie Andrea Caratsch Since its foundation in 2006, Andrea Caratsch’s gallery represents 20th-Century modern and contemporary artists including John Armleder, George Condo, Jiří Georg Dokoupil, Olivier Mosset and Not Vital as well as Andy Warhol and the estate of Helmut Newton. “I’m an Engadin native and always had my gallery in Zürich until I decided to open here in 2010,” says Andrea Caratsch, who now exclusively runs his gallery in St. Moritz. “With so many galleries, the Engadin has become a destination for art aficionados.”

3. Galleria Monica de Cardenas Aguêl 41 Monica De Cardenas founded her gallery in Milan in 1992 and opened this space in 2006. Housed in a 15th-Century building renovated by architect Hans-Jörg Ruch, the gallery exhibits international contemporary artists such as Stephan Balkenhol, Chantal Joffe, Alex Katz, Markus Raetz and Thomas Struth. +41 81 868 8080 monicadecardenas.com

Galleries further afield ST. MORITZST. MORITZ 134 135

82 Turn93.the other cheek Dressing for the slopes needn’t mean compromising on fashion. To up your winter style game, head to Bogner (bogner.com), on Via Maistra 9, where you can shop for the one and only shoe to sport around town, the St. Moritz shearling boot. Complete the look with a one-piece by Ogier (ogier-og.com), available at Badrutt’s Palace. And because true fashion happens from head to toe, or, in our case, from toe to head, don’t forget to top it all off with a cashmere hat by Bally (bally.it), at Via Maistra 16. 94 Silverware99. surfers You can see the trophies won at the legendary Cresta Run (cresta-run.com) at the Cresta Club’s spiritual home, the

1. Stalla Madulain and Stalletta Via Principela 15 and 19 Stalla Madulain is an old barn dating back to 1488, which the cousins Gian Tumasch Appenzeller and Chasper Schmidlin discovered and transformed into an art gallery in 2014. They mostly show and sell art by local artists or international artists inspired by the Engadin. +41 78 640 65 66 stallamadulain.ch

For more St. Moritz shopping: Audemars Piguet, available at Bucherer, Via Maistra 17, audemarspiguet.com, Breitling, Via Serlas 27, breitling.com, Bulgari, Via Serlas 22, bulgari.com, Chopard, Via da Vout 2, chopard. com, Dodo, available at Spremberg, Via Maistra 5, dodo.it, Gucci, Via Serlas 22, gucci.com, Hermes, Via Veglia 8, hermes.com, Jacquemus, available at Modes, Via Maistra 28, jacquemus.com, Patek Philippe, available at Gübelin, Via Serlas 29, patek.com, Prada, Via Maistra 25, prada.com

Stefan von Bartha represents international artists including Imi Knoebel, Superflex, Terry Haggerty, John Wood & Paul Harrison and Felipe Mujica. Originally founded in 1970, in 2006 the gallery opened this space housed in the barn of an old patrician house for special projects and sitespecific installations. +41 77 507 23 06 vonbartha.com 7. 107 S-chanf Bugl Suot 107 A space for modern and contemporary art by the likes of Yukiko Suto, Suda Yoshihiro, Ross Bleckner, Not Vital, Eric Fischl, Cindy Sherman and +41Andy Warhol.818540475 107s-chanf.com

Resources 32 Rad41.army If watching all those jumps, stunts and flips has left you wanting to release your inner freestyle skier, the Swiss Ski School Corvatsch26 31. At the drive-in There’s something about being in the mountains that seems to help to get the creative juices flowing. That’s why the town is home to its very own St. Moritz Art Film Festival (smaff.org ), taking place each year during the second half of August. Expect a jam-packed calendar of anyonethethetheandconferencesscreenings,andconcerts,auniquechancetoviewworkoftherisingstarsofscenebeforetherestofworld.Justdon’ttellaboutit,OK? 114 Tête120.àTête Feeling a little thirsty after reading our concierges’ discussion? Do as our interview participants and grab yourself a chilled glass of 2018 Sauvignon Blanc from the Grisons-based Weingut Cottinelli (cottinelli. ch) at Hato (hato-restaurants. com). The wine’s citrusy notes go particularly well with the restaurant’s zingy, ponzu-drizzled ceviche.

44 One53.for the road Our tour of some of Italy’s finest vineyards might have inspired you to make your way south to the Bel Paese, so book yourself a seat on the Bernina Express (rhb.ch), which connects St. Moritz to the northern Italian town of Tirano. From there, you can either rent yourself a trusty Italian-built macchina , or carry on by Trenitalia train (trenitalia. com) to Piedmont via a change at Milano Centrale.

2. Galerie Tschudi Somvih 115 Originally founded in Glarus in 1985, this gallery moved here in 2002 and showcases international and Swiss contemporary artists such as Carl Andre, Alan Charlton, Richard Long, Mario Merz and Hamish Fulton, with a focus on minimal art, land art and arte povera. +41 81 850 13 90 galerie-tschudi.ch

PIZ3,229VADRETM CRASTA2,952MORAM PIZ3,200BLAISUNM PIZ GRIATSCHOULS2,972M ST. MORITZ PONTRESINA SAMEDAN BEVER MADULAINS-CHANF 5 4 2 ZUOZ 3 1 6 7

ENGADIN

N ART GUIDE

THE ASCENT OFF-PISTE Pontresina AG (ssscp.ch) should, quite literally, do the trick. The school’s experienced instructors offer private and group lessons for skiers of all levels – of skill and courage, that is. For those who’d rather leave it to the pros, the 2022 edition of the Freeski & Snowboard World Cup Corvatsch (corvatsch.ch) is taking place from 25 to 27 March. Sunny Bar (kulm.com), which serves inventive Peruvian cuisine courtesy of Claudia Canessa. While there, why not order yourself a cheeky Pisco sour to toast to more than a 100 years of sporting history? Who knew that Switzerland and Peru were such good sports?

4. Villa SomvihFlor19 This charming art-nouveau hotel –nicknamed “the house of the seven rooms” – regularly hosts art exhibitions and showcases artists including Julian Schnabel, Philipp Keel and Nathalie Du Pasquier, who have found inspiration at Villa Flor. +41 81 851 22 30 villaflor.ch Galerie Peter Vann Somvih 24 Established by photographer Peter Vann and Claudine Rindlisbacher back in 2006, this gallery presents art and photography by Vann and artists including Fabienne Clauss, Didier Hagège, Michel Scarpa and Herbert Brandl. +41 81 850 16 20 galeriepetervann.com Von SomvihBartha46

If you find it hard to resist the siren call of good art and you’ve exhausted the many treasures of St. Moritz, fear not: a short drive north and you reach the municipalities of Madulain, Zuoz and S-Chanf. All of them boast impressive resources for those who like to look... and those who like to buy. And there are other perks, too: such as the joy of staying in an actual art hotel, bathing in the ambience of the works you’ve come to view. Nice.

90 YEARS HELPING PEOPLE LIVE LONGER AND BETTER S ince 1931, those in search of a profound change in their health and wellbeing have been coming to Clinique La Prairie to experience the pioneering fusion of science and holistic wellness. Immerse yourself in our serene environment and benefit from cutting-edge medical services, restorative wellbeing and expert nutritionists and coaches to bolster your vitality, enhance your immune system, renew your body and mind. Unlock the Secret of Living - Discover our Longevity, Immunity, Detox and Wellness Programs. cliniquelaprairie.com 1815 Clarens-Montreux | Suisse | +41 21 989 34 81 | info@laprairie.ch From fashion to food, St. Moritz offers an elevated take on the town’s extraordinary people, culture and lifestyle. Sign up for fresh news, views and stories from the top, delivered directly to your door stmoritz.com/magazine Subscribe to St. Moritz Don't want to be left behind? VIEWS FROM THE TOP ISSUE 3OFFICIAL ST. MORITZ PUBLICATION 15.00GBP20.00USD 9019199772624 02 PAINT NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Naturally, one of the art world’s top dealers grants us an audience to talk artists, family and those international must-sees RAD ARMY We get wild and wipeout with the freestyle ski fraternity and embrace St. Moritz’s eccentric side - because sometimes the snowpark isn’t steep enough for hitting those off-piste highs