boutique
“I want our clients to be able to take one of our pieces around the world and remember Switzerland”
Left to right
1. Inside Maison Lorenz Bach. 2. Lorenz Bach in front of Gstaad’s Silver Sport. 3. Bach managing the family’s organic farm.
in the equipment if it’s too flashy or too bright, especially with Before turning that passion into entrepreneurial vision fashion. I’d rather have more color on the person.” and creating one of Europe’s most posh alpine retail empires, Maison Lorenz Bach boutiques are located Bach traveled widely. He honed his fashion in nearby Swiss resort towns that share a acumen while working as a ski instructor in similar clientele and season to Gstaad. Like South America and Aspen. In 1978, at age 20, the original store, those in Villars, Zermatt, he opened his first store, Silver Sport, Crans-Montana, and Verbier are designed to showcasing skiwear and equipment. Five complement their alpine setting with a warm years later, he launched Maison Lorenz Bach and cozy ambiance that flirts with to cater to the fashion needs of the resort’s international flair. While each is customized glamorous and discerning international to its location, they share an understated clientele. The store’s opening established elegance and an orchestrated style. Gstaad as one of the few resorts that offered “We rarely leave the brand together,” Bach not only higher brands of fashion but also says. “We merchandize mainly by looks, multiple brands in one shop. Quiet and mixing and matching what we think can be discreet, authentic and understated, nice and attractive for our clients; we want to traditional yet chic: Bach’s shops wear these give them the best choice.” That differentiates labels with pride. Maison Lorenz Bach from other retailers, Silver Sport, which comprises the original many of which group merchandise by brand, store in Rougement and shops in The Alpina color, or fabrics. “We carry brands such as Gstaad, The Gstaad Palace Hotel, and Bogner, Jet Set, Frauenschuh, and we mix the The Grand Hotel Park Gstaad, emphasizes skiwear with casual wear to be a little bit alpine skiwear and equipment, including an “I’m an entrepreneur. different than a traditional ski shop, which exclusive line of skis. “Silver Sport skis have Fashion is my passion.” makes it again, homey and cozy,” he says. sober and simple design, an understated —Lorenz Bach look,” Bach says. “I don’t personally believe 69