Vintage Bogner is one of the most searched names in retro ski style, and the reason is simple: the house set the look of modern skiwear. Slim stretch trousers, fitted jackets and bold colour blocking all came through Bogner. Here is what defines the vintage pieces and where to find the same spirit in the new Bogner collection and our skiwear edit.
Why vintage Bogner is collectable
Bogner has dressed German Olympic skiers since 1936, and its clothes appeared in ski films, including the James Bond sequences shot by Willy Bogner Jr. That gave the brand a glamour few ski labels had. Pieces from the 1970s and 1980s, with their strong colour, racing stripes and one-piece suits, are now sought after on resale sites.
The details that defined it
- The stirrup trouser: Maria Bogner’s 1948 stretch ski pant, slim and held down under the foot.
- Colour blocking: bands of contrasting colour across the chest and sleeves.
- The B-zip: the zip pull shaped like a B, still used today.
- One-piece ski suits: the all-in-one look of 1980s skiing.
Buying vintage: what to check
Old ski kit is lovely, but it was not built to today’s standards. Check the shell for stiffness and cracking, the zips for smooth movement, and the lining for wear. Membranes and seam tape break down with age, so a vintage jacket may no longer be waterproof. Many people wear vintage for apres ski and use new kit on the slope.
The new pieces with the vintage look
1. Vaia Down Ski Jacket in Black and Off White
Vaia in black and off white uses the colour blocking that defined vintage Bogner, on a modern down ski jacket.
2. Silla Down Ski Jacket in Navy and White
Silla in navy and white has the stripes of an 80s ski jacket with today’s down and shell.
3. Elaine Softshell Stirrup Trousers with Gussets in Navy
Elaine is the 1948 stirrup trouser, remade in softshell.
4. Zea Softshell Ski Overalls in Navy
Zea is a Fire+Ice softshell ski overall, the one-piece suit for a new generation.
5. Carolyn Norwegian-Style Knit Jacket in Camel
Carolyn is a Norwegian-style knit jacket that would not look out of place in a 1970s chalet.
How to wear the retro look now
Keep one retro element and make the rest modern. A colour-blocked jacket looks best with plain black and white ski pants. A stirrup trouser suits a sleek, single-colour jacket. For the evening, add a patterned knit from our women’s ski sweaters guide.
Caring for vintage ski wear
Wash old ski kit by hand in cold water with a technical detergent, and never tumble dry it. Store it hung, out of direct light, so the colours do not fade and the shell does not crease. If the water repellency has gone, a wash-in reproofer can restore some of it, but it will not repair a failed membrane.
New pieces that will become the vintage of tomorrow
The Bogner pieces most likely to be collected in twenty years are the ones that carry a clear house signature: the stirrup trouser, colour-blocked down jackets and Norwegian-style knits. If you buy one of those now, such as the Vaia Down Ski Jacket in Camel and Off White, look after it and it will keep its value.
More ski guides on Coveti: women’s ski suits.
Frequently asked questions
Is vintage Bogner worth buying?
For style, yes. For skiing, check the condition carefully, because old membranes and seam tape lose their waterproofing over time.
How old is Bogner?
Bogner was founded in Munich in 1932.
What is the Bogner B-zip?
It is the zip pull shaped like the letter B that Bogner uses on its jackets and trousers.
Did Bogner make one-piece ski suits?
Yes. One-piece ski suits were a big part of Bogner in the 1980s, and the Fire+Ice line still makes softshell ski overalls.
Where can I buy new Bogner with a vintage look?
Coveti carries the current Bogner, Bogner Sport and Fire+Ice collections, including colour-blocked down ski jackets and stirrup trousers.
Related Posts
The Best Leather Jacket Brands for Women, Ranked by Our Editors
The best leather jacket brands for women are the houses that specialise in leather and use fine lambskin: Nour Hammour for soft, unlined Parisian lambskin, Saint Laurent for the rock biker, Khaite and Toteme for minimal black jackets, and Max Mara for Italian nappa. Here is what each does best,...
Wool Wrap Coats and Robe Coats: The Luxury Edit
A wool wrap coat closes with a belt instead of buttons, so it shapes the waist, layers over anything and looks elegant open, and the best are double-faced wool and cashmere blends cut long and oversized. This edit picks the strongest robe and wrap coats from our wool coats and designer coats...
Leopard Coats: The Best Leopard Print Coats for Winter
A leopard coat is the one print coat that works as a neutral, because its browns, blacks and golds go with almost everything already in a winter wardrobe. The best are long and made in shearling, calf hair and jacquard wool, and this edit picks them from our designer coats and fur and shearling...
Suede Skirts: The Best Midi, Mini and Wrap Styles
A suede skirt is softer and warmer looking than smooth leather, and the strongest this season are brown midis that work with knits and boots. This edit picks the best from our designer skirts and leather skirts edits, from Nour Hammour , Max Mara, Gabriela Hearst and Zimmermann.
Shearling Coats for Women: The Warmest Luxury Coats of Winter
A shearling coat is the warmest coat you can buy for its weight, because shearling is a single lambskin with the wool left on, so the skin is the shell and the wool is the lining. This edit picks the best long coats and short jackets from our shearling coats and shearling jackets edits, from...
How to Clean a Suede Jacket: Stains, Rain and Everyday Care
To clean a suede jacket, let it dry completely, brush the nap in one direction with a soft suede brush, lift marks with a suede eraser and take oil stains and deep dirt to a leather specialist; never put suede in a washing machine. These steps work for every jacket in our leather jackets edit,...
Suede Jackets for Women: The Best Brown, Camel and Black Styles
The best suede jacket for women is a soft lambskin suede, sometimes goatskin, in brown, camel and tobacco, cut as a shirt jacket, a belted jacket and a tailored blazer, and it is the jacket of the season, searched more than 60,000 times worldwide last month. This edit picks the strongest styles...
Leather Trench Coats for Women: Long, Belted and Built to Last
A leather trench coat keeps the classic details of a trench, the belt, the storm flap and the deep collar, but swaps cotton gabardine for leather, so it is windproof, warmer and far more striking. The best are long and belted, and this edit picks them from our trench coats and leather coats...
Black Leather Coats for Women: The Luxury Edit
A black leather coat is the most useful statement coat a woman can own: windproof, smart enough for the office and dramatic enough for the evening, and the best are long, soft lambskin with a simple collar. This edit picks the strongest black styles from our leather coats and trench coats edits,...
How to Style a Leather Skirt: 10 Outfits for Day and Night
To style a leather skirt, pair it with something soft on top, such as a fine jumper, a silk blouse, a cashmere cardigan, and keep the shoes simple, because the leather already gives the outfit its edge. Here are ten outfits built on the leather skirts in our edit, from Nour Hammour midis to...
The Best Leather Skirts for Women: Midi, Mini and Pencil
The best leather skirt is lambskin, cut to midi length with a seam that lets it move, because it works for the office, dinner and the weekend with nothing more than a change of jumper. This edit gathers the strongest leather skirts at Coveti, from Nour Hammour seamed midis to Max Mara pencils...
Nour Hammour in the Middle East: Leather for Warm Climates and Cool Interiors
In the Gulf, Nour Hammour is bought for three moments: cool evenings in winter, air-conditioned interiors year round and travel to colder cities, and the lighter pieces in our leather jackets and leather skirts edits are the ones that earn their place. Here is what to buy for the UAE, Saudi...