Skiing, more specifically downhill skiing, gained popularity in the ‘60s when the cosmopolitan elite would travel to luxurious mountain villages for an opulent getaway spent gliding down the slopes and feasting on alpine delicacies. With the rise in participation came an increased demand for attire that suited the lavish lifestyle, and to answer the call, in ‘69 Jet Set was founded luxury Swiss resort of St. Moritz.
Aptly named for the globetrotting crowd it was designed to serve, Jet Set has been a pillar within the luxury ski market for half a century. During that time, the skiwear aesthetic has rollercoastered from twee knitwear in the early ‘60s, to a rainbow of gaudy, popping, and clashing palettes in the ‘80s, to the technical yet versatile gear of today, which looks just as at home on the streets as it does on the slopes.
Throughout this time, Jet Set has remained relatively immune to the ostentatious and fluctuating ski aesthetic, establishing its own design code that fuses top-of-the-range fabrics with high-end design and, often, audacious prints and palettes. Favored in its early days by the likes of Grace Kelly, Jet Set was revamped in 2018 under the creative direction of designer Michael Michalsky, former head of design at adidas and MCM, who has continued to transition it from luxury skiwear label to bold and functional apparel brand.
For Spring/Summer 2020, Michalsky has sifted through the brand's archive for inspiration, bringing back a number of signature past designs including a reversible kagool from the late ‘80s, which features the artwork of a famous pinball machine, inspiring this season's PinBall line. Jet Set is also growing its off-slope apparel range by venturing back into denim and relaunching its innovative denim diffusion line, Blue System, which is set to an integral part of the range in the future.
Prints and patterns remain a cornerstone of SS20 for men and women, with garments such as the archival Woven Windbreaker Sweatshirt reviving the Animal Camou print, a line centered around the Star monogram, and a Bomber Jacket daringly combining two allover prints.
Ever in tune with the zeitgeist, the collection is designed to be distinct and versatile, making it easy for any modern jet setter to slip into their suitcase.
Jet Set's SS20 collection is available now at jetset.de and select stores worldwide.
