Couple stands next to car wearing Bogner apparel

Why Bogner? Luxe Men’s & Women’s Ski Jackets with Style

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As an outdoor retailer based in Park City, Utah, the buyers at Jans have more than their fair share of ski apparel brands to choose from when stocking our stores. So how do we decide which brands to sell? Specifically the iconic and, if we’re being totally honest, pricey Bogner ski jackets and pants? Read on to find out why Bogner Sport and Jans have been partners for years, and why we chose to carry their products in the first place.

Who is Bogner?

Founded in 1932, the Bogner brand was created as the ideal blend of sport and fashion. Willy Bogner, the company’s namesake, was a competitive skier who focused on the technical features of the products while his wife, Maria, helped give the clothes a unique sense of style. Their combined design aesthetic led to a perfect match for skiers who wanted jackets and pants that kept them warm and dry, but also looked good—both on and off the slopes.

Known synonymously as Bogner and Bogner Sport, Willy and Maria’s company quickly garnered a distinct customer base that could afford higher-priced ski apparel. These Bogner loyalists appreciated the modern silhouette, exceptional craftsmanship, technical fabrics, and style trends that still make this brand of skiwear decidedly unique.

What About Fire + Ice?

With such a loyal following, it seemed only natural that Bogner would eventually create a line that appealed to a younger audience. Enter Willy Jr. and the Fire + Ice (F+I) brand. Priced below Bogner Sport apparel, F+I still offers the same flawless details, but with a more tailored and streetwear-inspired look.

This additional product line has effectively allowed the Bogner brand to bookend the luxury ski apparel market and is one of the many reasons that Jans carries these products—it offers a one-stop-shopping experience for both the older and younger demographic.

Craftsmanship

Each article of Bogner clothing is made by hand and is comprised of individual pieces. There are 80 pattern pieces in each pair of pants and over 100 pattern pieces in a single jacket. While most ski apparel is mass-produced at the rate of one garment every 45 minutes, it takes 8-10 hours to make a single Bogner garment.

And all Bogner products are finished as beautifully on the inside as they are on the outside. “When you put on a piece of Bogner clothing, you don’t want to take it off, says Jans Women’s Apparel Buyer Bambi Rino Wilson.

This attention to detail and quality, coupled with the functionality of the fabric, is why Jans continues to carry Bogner products—because they last.

Fabric Technology

According to Bambi, “Everything from Bogner and Fire + Ice is designed with the sport in mind.” In fact, the company was the first to feature revolutionary fabric by introducing stretch into skiwear when Maria created the first stretch ski suit that was fitted, comfortable, and functional.

Today, Bogner continues to pride itself on their fabric technology and is exceedingly careful about never bringing a product to market that does not meet their high standards. The fabric is meticulously crafted to deliver a sumptuous next-to-skin feel for supreme comfort and natural thermal regulation.

The Bogner Mingo Jacket is another example of Bogner’s attention to detail. Its temperature-balancing, moisture-wicking fabric makes it the ideal companion for the slopes, since it acts like a shield against the cold while remaining highly breathable for supreme comfort.

And all of Bogner’s down jackets, as noted by the “D” in their name, like the Bogner Fire+Ice Farina-D Jacket, are made of ethically traceable goose down. This means that the down feathers used were taken from geese that had already been used for food, so they weren’t killed exclusively for their down.

Setting Style Trends

Known for their innovative prints and intricate embroidery, Bogner products stand out in what is sometimes an otherwise bland sea of black pants and red jackets on the ski hill. And that’s exactly the point.

In true design fashion, each new season features a different theme. This year’s collection is based on a Kimono-inspired design which incorporates the Japanese crane throughout. The result is a rich mix of colors like those seen in the Kimono Print Terri Pant, a unique piece of ski clothing that makes a statement.

The Bogner “B,” designed by Maria herself, has been known worldwide as a symbol of sophisticated quality for more than 80 years. The brand’s flawless attention to detail, great fit, and active, versatile warmth are what make it unique to the sports apparel industry and also to Jans.

“People buy Bogner apparel because of the quality and function,” says Bambi. “Once you have it, you love it and want more. Bogner customers are loyal to the B.”

By: Liz Yokubison, Senior Editor

Post updated on December 1, 2020

Additional Links:

The Making of a Bogner Jacket

Shop All Bogner