Loro Piana, the Italian fashion house known for its ultra-soft cashmere and sumptuous fabrics, has embarked on an unexpected new journey with the launch of Into the Wild, a capsule collection that melds high fashion with technical performance for the great outdoors. To celebrate this pioneering venture, the brand hosted an exclusive gathering in Aspen, Colorado, inviting a select group of tastemakers for three days of communing with nature and once-in-a-lifetime culinary experiences.
It all began with a visit to Loro Piana’s Aspen outpost nestled just beneath the enclave’s Silver Queen gondola, where an Into the Wild “pop-in” shop had just been installed and will be open until July 10. Over coupe glasses of champagne, guests got their first feel of the collection in which they would be fully outfitted for the following days’ adventures.
Guests at the Maroon Bells.
Hiking the Castle Creek Valley.
While the remit was to put Into the Wild’s weather-proof bomber jackets, trousers, parkas, and cashmere-blend knits to the test, there would be no roughing it on this excursion. Instead, attendees were whisked, Succession-style, in a caravan of black SUVs to a series of leisurely strolls in the most scenic of locations. Day one, it was the historic ghost town of Ashcroft, a former 1880s mining village where guests stepped back in time to explore the well-preserved saloon and hotel built by the area’s early settlers. On day two, it was off to the majestic Maroon Bells, the reportedly most photographed mountains in North America. Under the crisp mountain air, attendees seized the opportunity to stomp through puddles of snowmelt in their new Katharina hiking boots—a special collaboration between Loro Piana and Roa hiking, and arguably the hero piece of the collection. Meanwhile, enthusiastic nature guides stopped to offer everyone a taste of freshly plucked mountain parsley as well as a reminder that the week’s ultimate luxury is, in fact, the opportunity to unplug and connect with nature—mind, body, and spirit.
Joe Holder explores the Maroon Bells.
The Into the Wild collection “pop-in” at Loro Piana’s Aspen store.
A multi-course lunch was served by Yann Nury at a private cabin overlooking the mountains.
Central to the Aspen experience were extraordinary meals curated and personally served en plein air by celebrated chefs Yann Nury and Barclay Dodge, the latter of the illustrious Bosq restaurant, Aspen’s only Michelin-starred establishment. Known for their innovative approaches to fine dining, Nury and Dodge presented multi-course feasts that delighted the senses and underscored Loro Piana’s commitment to excellence.
For the final evening, guests including fitness expert Joe Holder, photographer Douglas Friedman, Ghia founder Melanie Masarin, and the artist Misha Kahn were invited to cocktails and dinner at an idyllic lakehouse located on the Dunbar Family Ranch (owned by none other than Kevin Costner). As the sun set, casting a rosy glow over the rugged peaks of the Colorado Rockies, Loro Piana’s CEO of North America, Matthieu Garnier, offered a toast. “When we created this collection we imagined an experience like this. We imagined a place where we could really disconnect from the craziness of the world, a place where we could explore really amazing scenery, a place where we could enjoy the innovative spirit of Loro Piana through the collection, and last but not least to celebrate mother nature.” But there were still surprises yet to come. While a pre-meal bear sighting on the property got hearts racing, the evening’s nightcap of star-gazing and s’mores—with the maison’s buttery soft cashmere blankets provided for each attendee—offered a sense of calm. Never before had the call of the wild been so elegantly answered.
The final meal, curated and served by chef and master forager Barclay Dodge was held at the Dunbar Family Ranch owned by Kevin Costner.
A basecamp, of sorts, featuring Loro Piana tents and hammocks from the Into the Wild collection was set up for an evening of star-gazing over s’mores.
The Into the Wild collection is available now at loropiana.com and at select stores.
