Ski Gods of the silver screen: When Hollywood hit the slopes. Long before ski-core became a TikTok aesthetic and Arc’teryx ruled the après, the slopes belonged to Hollywood. We’re talking fur-lined jackets, mirrored goggles, and the kind of off-duty charm that only old-school movie stars could serve. Skiing wasn’t just a sport – it was a stage.

And no one embodied that quiet cool like Robert Redford.

Robert Redford didn’t just ski, he built a legacy around it. The Sundance Kid famously founded the Sundance Film Festival as a tribute to independent cinema and the mountain town culture he loved. He wasn’t just skiing through the snow; he made it a part of his identity. Think rugged, windburnt charm in a perfectly worn cable-knit sweater.

Here you have to imagine a picture of Bob. (The best way to remember.)

On September 16, 2025, Robert Redford passed away at his home in Sundance, Utah. His death closes a chapter not just in film history but in the cultural imagination of the mountains themselves. Redford’s legacy is eternal: independent cinema through Sundance, environmental advocacy decades before it was mainstream, and that effortless way he turned skiing into poetry. The snow was his stage as much as Hollywood ever was.

Vintage planks, modern dreams. Photo by henry perks on Unsplash

Back in the ’60s and ’70s, ski trips meant full looks. Audrey Hepburn in slim turtlenecks, Paul Newman in tortoiseshell goggles, Brigitte Bardot in fur boots – the mountains were a runway, just with more altitude. Even Sean Connery’s James Bond skied with menace and immaculate tailoring. This retro slope style wasn’t technical, it was timeless.

Why it still hits? The stars weren’t there to flex, they were there to disconnect. The snow slowed them down. Today, as we burn out on digital everything, that analog energy feels radical again. Vintage ski posters are trending. Old Patagonia is having a resale renaissance. And Redford’s kind of rugged minimalism? Totally back.

And remember: skiing is best when it feels like a scene from a forgotten film.

NICE TO SKI YOU
Cheers,
Peter

[Unpaid Advertisement]
Follow on TikTok and on Instagram.

Chrome, curves, and a trunk full of nostalgia. Photo by Johan Mouchet on Unsplash