At her Paris Fashion Week debut, Laura Andraschko took over the Parisian hotspot Le Connetable and hit the slopes. No, not that kind—but with a cavalcade of Dom Pérignon-toting bottle girls opening the show, you’d be forgiven for the assumption. Continuing her hot streak of satirical takes on posh princesses, this time Andraschko took on the après-ski chalet crowd—the ones still searching for fresh white powder off-piste.
‘The inspiration for the 'Après Ski' collection was the Austrian ski aesthetic, like the glamorous but also a bit tacky side of it,’ explained Andraschko post-show. Parodying the hard-partying, champagne-swilling sort, ski pants were traded out for barely-there miniskirts and hot pants, and insulated jackets for baby tees printed with 'Chalet Slut.' That’s not to mention the fabulous flouncy party dresses, especially those hemmed with frilled faux fur and an awesomely awful red-and-white taffeta confection.
But there were more wintry pieces too, for the future captains of industry from Le Rosey, La Sorbonne, and St Andrews jetting off to the Alps for the weekend to let loose. Models, including the iconic Lindsey Wixson, sauntered, strutted, and pouted their way down the runway in impeccably tailored jackets, sharp-shouldered faux fur coats, and a cropped puffer layered over diaphanous knitwear. Showcasing Andraschko’s sharp eye for social classes and equally sharp silhouettes, the collection had all the hallmarks of what makes her clothing so great.
‘I just wanted to bring the people of Paris to the après-ski fun and break the seriousness of it all,’ she added. During such turbulent times, the collection felt ostentatious, outrageous, and fun: an opportunity to laugh (a bit) at the bleak state of the world. Plus, it was a refreshing take on the skiwear craze that’s been happening as of late. Why get all sweaty in terrible taupe skiwear when you could sip a hot toddy at the lodge? Everyone knows that après is the best part of skiing.
