“When people shop in St. Moritz, they are looking for something that they can’t find anywhere else,” explains Anne-Sophie Bonnisseau, Retail Consultant for Badrutt’s Palace. “They want luxury pieces that are exclusive, hard-to-find or limited edition. A beautiful item that will remind them of a special time spent in St. Moritz when they go back home.”
There is no doubt that the hotel’s super-luxe Palace Galerie meets its discerning customers’ needs for rare and one-off pieces. As befits a shopping haven that can claim the title of the highest luxury shopping street in the world, Palace Galerie’s focus is high fashion: it is home to brands from Cartier to Louis Vuitton, Bulgari to Dior. But it is its selection of difficult-to-source-elsewhere pieces that really sets it apart.
A co-creation experience
What could be more unique, or more covetable, than a pair of entirely one-of-a-kind sneakers by cult footwear brand Golden Goose? And its co-creation service, offered at the label’s pop-up, goes beyond simple personalisation – clients can co-create their own items together with the Golden Goose Sneakers Makers. They can add anything from laces and studs to charms and Swarovski crystals, custom artwork created by the in-house artisans to distressed detailing. The pop-up will also host a winter edit of the brand’s ready-to-wear collection, including its latest low-impact cashmere collection.
The ultimate chic skiwear
Skiwear is – of course – a highlight of the Badrutt’s Palace’s shopping experience. But, as you would expect for a winter resort that is known as much for its glamour and dazzling après-ski scene as its abundance of winter sports, the selection is both singular and ultra-stylish.
Giorgio Armani has launched what it calls an Armani take on the mountain wardrobe – think velvet puffer jackets, chevron quilted coats and a shearling version of its La Prima bag, while Gucci has selected the Swiss resort as one of only a handful of destinations to showcase its new après-ski collection, so you can look just as chic on and off the slopes. “St. Moritz is an iconic destination when it comes to style,” says Bonnisseau. “There’s nowhere else quite like it.”
Just like Badrutt’s Palace, which has played host to everyone from Audrey Hepburn to Marlene Dietrich, Louis Vuitton is synonymous with both old-world opulence and the jet-set age of travel, making the pair perfect partners. So much so, in fact, that the boutique has expanded by an entire floor, allowing the offering to grow to include men’s ready-to-wear, skiwear and a selection of pieces from the latest instalment of its Objets Nomades collection, which this year features travel-inspired furniture and home pieces designed by Atelier Oï, the Campana Brothers and Raw Edge.
Fine watches and jewellery
There is lots of choice at Palace Galerie for those who love haute horology, too. Storied skiwear brand Fusalp, famous for outfitting Olympians, has collaborated with Zenith on a ski-inspired, skeletonised ceramic timepiece; and Breitling has released a trio of exceptional chronographs named after the Swiss heavyweight’s three founders. If you are looking for something more showy, make sure you visit the Bulgari boutique to see the pieces featuring its sinuous Serpenti motif – a favourite of former Badrutt’s Palace guest Elizabeth Taylor – and now available in a series of pared down and purist rings and bracelets.
Swiss brand Gübelin jewellery has launched a collection of modern and minimal rings featuring fully traceable rubies sourced from Greenland and set in sustainable gold. The jewel in the crown of the family-owned, family-operated brand’s collection is the breathtaking Blue Lagoon cocktail ring: a stylised and statement-making design featuring a stunning 10.65 carat Burmese sapphire, tourmalines and diamonds.
Art and a pop-up bar
Palace Galerie’s attractions do not end at shopping. The St. Moritz outpost of Swiss gallery Hauser & Wirth, representing artists including Jenny Holzer, Cindy Sherman and Martin Creed, has launched an installation designed by Björn, Oddur and Einar Roth: son and grandsons of the late Swiss artist Dieter Roth. The installation, which is made from scavenged materials and draws on concepts central to the artist’s work, is also a fully-functioning bar, and will operate as a hub of socialising, music, readings and talks from now until September 2023.
