D EPARTURES STYLE THE
D EPARTURES STYLE THE NEW MINI 40 Above: the jacket dress at Saint Laurent; top, from left: pastel summer tweed by Chanel; officer braid and chunky boots at Louis Vuitton; the mini as ball skirt at Prada – featured mature models, including another French First Lady, Carla Bruni, in little dresses crunchy with embroidery and beading or swirls of appliquéd metal chain. In London, Preen’s bright, draped dresses come with softly asymmetric high-rise hems but, as co-designer Justin Thornton points out, “It just felt right to bring hemlines up. Our client loves that feeling of fun, powerful confidence, and shorter lengths are no longer only for the young.” The surprising truth of the new mini is its versatility and sophistication. Length is flexible, though should fall at least two to three inches above the knee. Tailoring is workappropriate, like Dior’s vivid, graphic dresses under slightly longer coats, or Chanel’s summer tweed suits, far lighter than their 1960s predecessors. The sharply cut blazer becomes a mini coatdress at Saint Laurent, where designer Anthony Vaccarello was inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s muse, the individualist but always polished Paloma Picasso, and at Alexander McQueen, where Sarah Burton adds crystal-hung, skintight leggings. Small dresses run the gamut from svelte trapezes with wearable cutouts at Valentino or simple modernism at Courrèges to ruffled smocks inspired by Victorian nightwear at Simone Rocha. Softly draped styles at Balmain or Valentino suit less formal evenings, while Prada adds a cheeky train so the mini can still go to the ball. With no rules, be guided by aesthetics. The lithe-legged can commit the original sin of a mini with stilettos and get away with it; everyone else can ground the skirt with chunky ankle boots, knee boots to disguise legs less blessed, or flatforms for height without sacrificing comfort. There is a new mini for everyone – it just takes a little self-critique and a pinch of Ms Picasso’s confidence. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: © CHANEL, GIOVANNI GIANNONI, © PRADA, © YVES SAINT LAURENT
DEPARTURES PARTNERSHIP Holiday at the Highest Level Lech Zürs attracts visitors both in summer and winter with exclusive experiences. In 2022, mountain lovers as well as music fans and culture enthusiasts can look forward to numerous novelties. Deluxe mountain experiences can be enjoyed year-round in Lech Zürs. Winter holiday-goers now benefit from two new state-of-the-art cable cars: the Madlochbahn and Zugerbergbahn have been completely renewed, delivering skiers to snowy peaks quickly – and comfortably. In summer, more than 350 kilometres of hiking trails give visitors a unique glimpse of rarefied Alpine treasures, including some 20 orchid species and the largest ibex colony in Europe; the new Arlberg Trail connects all five Arlberg villages in three segments. Even beyond the peaks, Lech Zürs offers a vacation at the highest level. In addition to cultural highlights, such as the Literaricum Lech conference and the Classic Festival, the popular, American Express-supported Tanzcafé Arlberg will once again transform the region’s most elegant hotels into stages for swing, jazz or pop from 3 to 18 April. A major highlight for keen automotive enthusiasts, the Arlberg Classic Rally (30 June to 2 July) showcases iconic vehicles against a dreamy mountain backdrop. The Impact Lech congress, which will explore the idea of energy competence, celebrates its premiere this summer (9 to 12 June). Speaking of energy: Amex offers two E-parking spaces in the Green Garage reserved exclusively for Cardmembers, further reaffirming the partnership with the region. „Lech Zürs skillfully combines tradition and innovation in highest quality. This fits perfectly with our aspiration,“ says Mark Hübl, Member of the Management Board at American Express Austria and Head of Merchant Service.
