On or off-piste – no vacation matches skiing for the chic factor. It’s time to slope off…

The Viceroy Snowmass resort

ASPEN, USA

WHY GO?:

North America’s glossiest ski resort is so style focussed that it has its own fashion week. Each year in March (it’s annual, because only the winter season counts on the slopes) an open-air runway shows pop-bright designer quilted coats and fur-trimmed boots. Then there’s the serious business of skiing. Incredibly, despite the area’s popularity, the slopes are often blissfully unpopulated – which is why it’s a favorite with Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz and Catherine Zeta-Jones. There are also some major black diamond runs on Aspen Mountain that will challenge even the most experienced skier (beginners head to Buttermilk).

WHERE TO STAY:

For off-piste action, the Viceroy Snowmass resort is a must. Interior designer Jean-Michel Gathy has brought cool, polished modernity to traditional, wood-paneled Colorado chic.

SKI STYLE: Cashmere, sunglasses and Tory Burch handbags.

The Lodge – Richard Branson’s Swiss outpost

VERBIER, SWITZERLAND

WHY GO?:

A favorite destination of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, this pretty ski town turns into Mayfair in the mountains during the winter. This season, one of the hottest tickets will be a table at pop-up restaurant Pot Luck Club at the Hotel Farinet. There’s also a new sushi bar at boutique hotel Nevaï and its sister hotel, the Cordée des Alpes, opened last week offering Karin Herzog spa treatments.

WHERE TO STAY:

The most stylish chalet to take over for the season is still The Lodge – Richard Branson’s Swiss outpost. It’s a 21st-century take on the traditional chalet, with clean lines, indoor and outdoor jacuzzis and a private ice rink.

SKI STYLE: Burberry’s down jackets and Adidas by Stella McCartney by day, and the Duchess of Cambridge’s favorite, Issa, for eveningwear.

Cheval Blanc

COURCHEVEL, FRANCE

WHY GO?:

The fashion stakes rise with the altitude at this resort and nothing is as haute as Courchevel 1850 – the highest and most famous point. The après-ski scene is populated by Saudi royalty and Russian high society, and the Beckhams and George Clooney have also visited. There are myriad Michelin-starred restaurants – Hotel Le Chabichou is one of the best – and the terrace restaurant at Le Denali is a perennial hotspot.

WHERE TO STAY: The LVMH group’s hotel Cheval Blanc is the most luxurious booking in town (and Dasha Zhukova’s favorite), with a Givenchy Snow Spa and in-house Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton boutiques. The Art Chalet, part of the Firefly Collection, is one of the coolest rentals. It puts a hyper-modern spin on the traditional chalet: glass elevators, a private nightclub, cinema and casino rooms.

SKI STYLE: Donna Karan shearling coats and Nicholas Kirkwood boots for day; couture and diamonds for evening.

SKY STYLE:

The essential pieces to keep your après-ski cool

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