4 reasons we love MGG’s new ski sweater collection
Can you ever have too many jumpers? We are always on the hunt for classic winter sportswear, and were particularly intrigued when MGG announced that they were launching a new collection of merino sweaters celebrating the golden era of ski ballet..
MGG launches new sweater collection
4 reasons why we can’t get enough of these sweaters
Photo Credit: MGG
It’s one thing to reproduce a classic piece of ski gear, but it’s another to do it in a way that pays tribute to the history of the sport. MGG have combined the two with style and panache. Their merino sweaters scream retro vibes - coming in classic patterns and colors - but they also launched them with a full video campaign (watch it here) that really takes you back to that golden era of Ski Ballet.
We tested the Vintage Merino Sweater, featuring a navy blue, white and red 1940s-style skier blazoned across the front. We loved the simple design and bold colors which really make the figure pop. The tapering at bottom might not be to everyone’s taste but we like the matching stripes along the trim and sleeves. (It’s the shape you might have seen on a man’s cardigan back in the 50s, but way cooler). Lastly, the Mont Gele Gear badge sewn on the sleeve really rounds off that old-school look.
Made in 100% fine merino, it’s a super comfortable luxury item that keeps you warm on and off the slopes. Pairing these with our favorite Ski Aviators will be our après look of the season!
MGG pride themselves on ‘radical transparency’. These jumpers are made from ethically sourced, mulesing-free merino sourced from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, South Africa and Uruguay, combined with a classic Swiss design, and made in Europe. Not something you can say about many brands these days. Lastly, for every order, 1 tree is planted in Uganda, making your purchase carbon-neutral. Nice.
Available here on the MGG online store*.
*Or at the MGG flagship store in Verbier.
A potted history of ski ballet
Ski Ballet (also called ‘acroski’ or ‘ski dance’) was a new ski discipline that emerged in the 60’s, gaining popularity all the way into the late 1980s and early 90s when it was a demonstration sport at the Winter Olympics.
Combining musicality, gymnastics and an almost figure-skating-like-aesthetic, and ski ballet soon became associated with a unique form of expression on the slopes. It evolved into a competitive discipline, with contestants performing a pre-choreographed routine that included a combination of jumps, spins, pivots, turns and axles. Like in gymnastics, competitors were judged on a few key factors: difficulty, style, and overall performance.
It first captured the imagination of international audiences at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. This was followed by a spot in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, and then after that the sport completely disappeared...
Icons of ski ballet
Although the heyday of ski ballet has passed, there are a few figures who have recreated routines 30 to 50 years on.
Wayne Wong
A legend of the ski community and listed in various Ski Halls of Fame, Wayne Wong was born in Vancouver, BC and worked as a ski instructor at Mount Seymour. He persuaded a friend of his to enter a ‘hot dog competition’ with him, and as they like to say; the rest was history.
He became the face of freestyle skiing, known for his passion for creativity, iconic white mirrored ski aviators, classic tricolor K2 skis, and huge smile.
50 years on, in his early 70s the team at VALLON persuaded him to recreate his most iconic poster freeze, skiing ‘the Wong Way’.
Photo Credit: VALLON
Fabrice Becker
Fabrice Becker is one of a handful of people who can say they won an Olympic medal for ski ballet. A pretty cool accolade.
Photo Credit: Chris Cole & Getty Images | MGG & Matt Holyoak
A full 30 years after he won Gold at the 1993 Albertville Winter Games, he reproduced his whole medal-winning routine, which you can watch here.
It’s therefore no surprise that when MGG were looking for people to work with on their latest campaign, they reached out to Fabrice, as well as Swedish ski ballet legend, Annika Johnasson.
Photo Credit: Thibaut Lampe
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