STYLE FOR THE SEASON

Mountain Style

by Kimberly Nicoletti + Kim Fuller

Just because we live in the mountains doesn’t mean we can’t be fashionable. Our mountain wear should be not only stylish, but also comfortable and functional. Here are just a few picks from the wide variety of boutiques in the Vail Valley. We hope it inspires you to get out there and find your own creative flair.

Natural Accessories

Hats are a stylish way to protect yourself from the intense sun, which is why this is one of their mountain-style must-haves. Alara in Dark Sand by Janessa Leoné is made from sustainable and cruelty-free wool. From shearing the wool to hand polishing a finished body, each of these hats passes through 50 skilled artisan’s hands. $270 Hygge Life, 41149 US-HWY 6, Avon hyggelife.com

Fabulous Faux

Dress up this Herno Mea Faux Mink Short Jacket, or go out for a casual evening stroll in the Village. The faux fur is animal friendly and comes in black, champagne, dark brown (pictured), red and royal blue. $675 Gorsuch, 263 Gore Creek Drive, Vail gorsuch.com

Handcrafted + Rugged

Inspired by an alpine deerskin barn coat, this embre-washed jean jacket fuses luxury with rugged styling. It's crafted by Meindl, German makers of fine leather goods since 1683. Horn buttons complement the half-lined jacket. As the suede naturally ages, it develops a patina, which emphasizes the characteristics of this unique material. The longer you wear the leather, the more personality it develops. $2,885 Axel's, 201 Gore Creek Drive, Vail axelsltd.com

Cozy Mitts

Astis displays magnificent, hand-sewn beadwork on the gauntlet of these Kaasen long-cuff mittens. The leather mittens are made in the USA. The length and cut of the design allow for a jacket to slide fully inside without bunching, while providing a close fit to protect you from snow on powder days. $238 Valbruna, 100 E. Meadow Drive, Vail valbrunavail.com

Custom Utility

Minturn Mercantile opened in the summer of 2020. Thad Hooper inherited his great uncle’s leather working tools ten years ago. Now as his full-time job, Hooper makes all the leather inventory by hand. Each wallet is one of a kind and can be customized with a unique leather color, size, stitch color, etc. $60-$125 Minturn Mercantile, 102 Main Street, Minturn minturnmercantile.com

Earth-Inspired Treasures

Three distinct pieces from Colorado-based jeweler Todd Reed: Ring — tapered eternity band with white diamonds in 18k yellow gold, $11,000. Top Cuff — 18k yellow gold with sterling silver with white brilliant cut diamonds, $18,900. Bottom Cuff — one- of-a-kind palladium cuff with a macle diamond with 3.03 carat total weight and white brilliants diamonds 2.135 carat total weight, $24,900. Squash Blossom 198 Gore Creek Drive, Vail squashblossomvail.com

Lounge In Style

The Utility Set has generated elevated loungewear made to go out in. The Tencel blend sweat set features gold button details and a comfortable fit. $128, shirt; $128 pants Lady Jones, 172 E. Gore Ck Drive, Vail shopladyjones.com

Dress Up The Day

This Tri-color Cowhide Daytime Tote from Minturn Mercantile adds some flare to whatever your day brings. All items are crafted by hand at this cozy store on Main Street in Minturn. Every piece is one-of-akind and can be uniquely customized just for you. $225

Minturn Mercantile, 102 Main Street, Minturn minturnmercantile.com

Mountain Love

This best-selling mountain range necklace at Wild Heart in Edwards is a must have in your jewelry collection. It's a simple yet eye catching necklace that is always a conversation starter for the mountain lovers. The mountain range necklace is 16 inches in length and is plated in silver, gold or rose gold. $12 Wild Heart, 56 Edwards Village Blvd., Edwards wildheartcolorado.com

A Second Look at Secondhand

by Mackennea Broyles

At first glance, the building planted at the intersection of Main and Toledo in Minturn appears to be a church. With its peaked, Louis-Vuitton-sole-red roof and tracery-style windows rimmed in the same color, even the name on the front — Holy Toledo — could lead one to believe that it’s just a particularly hip place of worship. Down the road, a modest storefront on the Edwards Riverwalk is identified by a clean sign reading “Remix,” with the dot over the “I” replaced by a small recycling symbol.

Open the doors to either of these places, however, and it’s a whole different story. Thanks to the brilliance of Heather Schultz, owner of Holy Toledo Consignment, and Christina Zito, owner of Remix Consignment, the Vail Valley is home to several premiere consignment boutiques that boast reviews like: “I will never shop for clothes anywhere else again, and I don’t even live in Colorado!” and “First class place with top brands at great prices. Well worth the trip!”

Schultz was a long-time resident of the Vail Valley and a seasonal ski instructor before she and her husband decided in 2002 that they were ready to transition to a full-time job. “I’d worked part-time at a consignment store down the valley, and I had a little bit of experience in sales, but I just kept thinking, ‘I think I can do this,’” Schultz recalls. Now, Holy Toledo sees up to 400 pieces a day from around the world and is looking at celebrating 20 years in 2022.

Even though Zito, who grew up in Avon, earned her degree in fashion design and merchandising, Remix, formerly Rouge Boutique until Zito came along, wasn’t originally part of the plan. “I’d worked for Vail resorts for 17 years and was looking for something else to do,” she explains. “At first I was like ‘Resale? I don’t know about that.’ But then I realized that I’m a thrift store junkie, and I love doing that anyway.”

For both Schultz and Zito, consignment embodies both fashion and sustainability.

“I started the business because I couldn’t afford shopping in Vail or Beaver Creek, and I was a local girl!” Schultz explains. “Now, the biggest pride and joy of my business is the sustainability of reusing and recycling things.”

Zito will often repair good clothes that come to the store in bad condition. “Sometimes a piece is just so fabulous,” she says, “that even if it’s not in good condition, it needs a good home. So, I try to get those things repaired if I can.” Most notably, Zito works with a Denver-based designer who specializes in repairing jackets using items sourced from thrift stores. “The jackets end up being really cool pieces that come back with a whole new life and style,” Zito explains.

Both Schultz and Zito hope to see a shift away from fast fashion, and Zito is optimistic that Gen Z is already ushering this in. “I think we’re going to continue to see a trend of smaller, capsule wardrobes where you invest in a few, high-quality pieces,” she predicts. A capsule wardrobe involves selecting a few classic, durable clothing pieces that are interchangeable with each other.

Schultz agrees, “I’ve seen a huge shift with social media and the pressure to not be seen wearing the same outfit twice. That increases the demand for disposable clothing, and it’s so bad for the environment.”

Both stores receive an abundance of pieces each day and must decide what to say yes or no to. “It comes down to the labels, first and foremost,'' Schultz says. “Shoppers are savvy and want quality pieces and quality materials.”

When it comes to current trends, Zito believes that beauty is in the eye of the buyer. “I hate when people ask me if an item is ‘trendy,’” she laughs. “It’s true that some high-fashion items and looks never go out of style, but ultimately, you should wear what you like. Who cares if a dress you like is too ‘bling-y’ for Vail? Fashion should be about you.”

Schultz has no clear predictions or desires on what trends may make a return next, but she’s always ready to kick a few trends out in the cold. “I’d like to see fur go away forever,” she says. “I want to see companies stop using fox and mink. I would rather see that stop than any trend come back.”

For Zito, the unknown is the best part. “We get so many unique things,” she says. “Especially where we are. It could be a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece from Bali or silk scarves from the South of France. You never know what’s going to walk through the door each day.” +