Loro Piana Celebrated Its Latest Collection in the Mountains of Aspen
Loro Piana elevated their latest capsule collection to new heights with a multi-day retreat in the mountains of Aspen, inviting a select group to the picturesque town. With a schedule that included hiking, biking, and al fresco lunches and dinners amidst Aspen’s verdant summer landscapes, the event perfectly embodied the collection’s spirit of luxury and adventure.
“A connection with nature is part of the Loro Piana mindset,” stated a press release from the brand. Indeed, the Into The Wild collection was conceived for life outdoors, featuring a range of technical performance jackets, shirts, pants, hiking boots, and accessories, all crafted with Loro Piana s signature attention to detail and quality. To wit, the guest list wasn’t the usual lineup of models and actors; instead, having a genuine connection to nature was the key criterion for attendance.
After cocktails in the Aspen store and a welcome dinner at local hotspot Casa Tua, the festivities began the next morning with a hike along Aspen’s River Run trail. Guests, outfitted in the new collection, were led by naturalists who provided an experience that was as educational as it was active. The adventure continued with everyone piling into SUVs and ascending the back roads of Ajax Mountain for a private lunch at the summit, where Nicoise salads were served against the breathtaking mountain backdrop.
Guests later gathered in cocktail attire for dinner at a private residence featuring bonfires next to rushing streams and dining inside an all-glass house with stunning views of the river and mountains. Wild florals seamlessly connected the indoor setting to the natural beauty outside. Each subsequent event seemed to surpass the last.
The second day started with a biking excursion at Maroon Bells, one of Aspen s most picturesque spots, and was followed by lunch at Mountain Meadow at T-Lazy 7 Ranch, surrounded by wild dandelion fields and another incredible mountain backdrop. Guests lounged in Loro Piana hammocks and took photos in the yellow fields before enjoying a lunch of tomato tart, grilled watermelon and ricotta salad, and lemon grilled chicken. A brief sunshower hit the al fresco setup, surprisingly leaving everyone dry and sparking conversations about the quality of the collection and the comfort of the hiking boots. “There’s no need to break them in! It’s fabulous!” said one guest.
While each setup was somehow more beautiful than the last, dinner at Kevin Costner’s Dunbar Ranch, a remarkable 160 acres with rivers and ponds running through, was the pièce de résistance. As the sun set, guests took their seats by a glassy pond, ready for dinner specially designed by Michelin-starred chef and master forager Barclay Dodge, who sourced many of the ingredients locally. The six-course meal included squash blossoms with fresh lovage cheese and lobster grilled over wild juniper branches.
The evening concluded with stargazing, where guests reclined in hammocks, tents, and sleeping bags for optimal viewing, free from the light pollution many city dwellers are accustomed to. Bonfires crackled as waiters served marshmallows for s’mores while others gazed at the moon through a telescope or discovered their horoscope’s star constellations in the night sky with an astronomer.
“It has been a true pleasure to welcome all of you to Aspen to spend the past few days together and truly put the Into The Wild collection to the test,” said Matthieu Garnier, Loro Piana’s CEO of North America. “When we created this collection, we imagined an experience like this... a place where we could disconnect from the craziness of the world, explore amazing scenery, enjoy the innovative spirit of Loro Piana, and celebrate mother nature.” At one point during dinner, a bear slowly passed by in the background, reminding everyone that the event truly was a foray into the wild. The week with Loro Piana was a testament to the idea that true luxury is not just worn, but lived.
Photo: Megan Wynn1/15
Photo: Megan Wynn2/15
