Welcome to Locals Only. In this series, we’re tapping notable locals in the style space to share a tight list of their top recommendations of what to see, eat, and shop in their home city. They’ll share off-the-radar recs that you won’t find in your average guidebook, resulting in digestible mini guides revealing where the city’s most fashionable residents are actually hanging out.
When we decided to do a winter version of our Locals Only series, it made sense to profile the so-called birthplace of winter tourism: St. Moritz, Switzerland. As the story goes, Johannes Badrutt made a famous bet with his English guests at the Kulm Hotel. He proposed they return to Switzerland in December, and if they did not enjoy the trip, Badrutt would reimburse them in full. “The Englishmen returned—and stayed until Easter,” the Kulm Hotel’s website explains. “Badrutt won his bet, and winter tourism was launched.”
Thanks, in part, to its famously sunny winters—a sun has been the city’s official logo since 1930—St. Moritz is perfectly positioned to attract travelers from around the world. One of the most stylish St. Moritz devotees is Annina Pfuel, the designer behind the alpine fashion brand Annina Dirndl.
“My family has been coming to St. Moritz for generations,” Pfuel told me. “To me, the remoteness is the biggest draw. You can really disconnect from everything once you get here. The scenery is breathtaking, and there is almost always good weather all year round. So you are in a beautiful remote spot in the mountains but have all the amenities that you would have in a bigger city: great restaurants, nightlife, hospitals, supermarkets, etc. It makes it very hard to leave.” As someone who went to St. Moritz for the first time last year, I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been counting the days until my return since the moment I descended the mountain.
Well-dressed fans of Pfuel’s brand include Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece, Keith Richards’s granddaughter Ella Richards, designer Lucia Echavarría, and Moda Operandi Editorial Director Tatiana Hambro Arader. In addition to running her successful fashion brand, Pfuel is a costume and set designer for productions in opera, film, music, and fashion. How’s that for an enviable job? I asked Pfuel to share all of her best St. Moritz recommendations, including her top hotels and restaurants, but naturally, I had to sneak in some fashion questions too. “My wardrobe up here mainly consists of sports gear for the daytime,” Pfuel replied when I asked what she packs for the Swiss town. “When we go out in the evenings, I like to dress up, so lots of cocktail dresses usually paired with chunky-heel platform boots for walking through the snow.” As far as Swiss fashion brands are concerned, Pfuel cites Lefort Sport as one of her favorites. “They bring back timeless elegance to outdoor wear,” she said. St. Moritz is known for being a top-tier ski destination, something that Pfuel takes full advantage of. “In the winter months, I ski every day,” she said. “It is, by far, my favorite sport. However, there is a vast variety of sports you can do in St. Moritz. A lot of my friends took to curling, and then there’s ice hockey, snowshoeing, horseback riding, ski touring, ice-skating—the list goes on and on.” Scroll down to read all of Pfuel’s St. Moritz favorites.
“If you’re feeling flush, the Kulm is the nicest hotel in St. Moritz in my opinion,” Pfuel said. “It has the most gorgeous lobby with this ‘old-world glamour’ feeling. Perfect for sipping hot chocolate after a day of skiing or having cocktails before a night out.” Not only is the Kulm a five-star property, but it also has the distinction of being St. Moritz’s very first hotel, established in 1856. For over 160 years, the Kulm has perfected the art of luxury Swiss hospitality. Fun fact: The hotel’s founder, Johannes Badrutt, is said to have invented winter tourism. Be sure to book a reservation at Sunny Bar.
Switzerland is among the most expensive countries in the world, but you don’t have to shell out more than $350 per night to sleep in style. “I love the Hotel Bären,” Pfuel told Who What Wear. “The rooms are retro, and the family running it are lovely.” The hotel is located directly next to St. Moritz’s iconic Cresta Run, an ice track that hosted the Olympic skeleton race in 1928 and 1948. The hotel, which has been run by the Degiacomi family since 1924, boasts two restaurants that dish out Swiss delicacies such as fondue and raclette.
“For lunch, La Scarpetta is a new favorite,” Pfuel said. “It’s a low-key Italian eatery that serves homemade pasta.” The restaurant prides itself on offering wine from small, under-the-radar producers, so you’re guaranteed to walk away with a new favorite vino. The menu includes excellent iterations of Italian staples such as bruschetta, carpaccio, and tiramisu, in addition to a daily rotating selection of vegetarian or meat pasta. St. Moritz may have a reputation as a high-class town, but expect a thoroughly down-to-earth experience at La Scarpetta.
“Dal Mulin is a great dinner spot. It is intimate and cozy with outstanding food,” Pfuel told me. Located smack-dab in the center of town, Dal Mulin is within walking distance from both hotels Pfuel previously mentioned. With one look at the Mario Testino photos of Donatella Versace on the wall, it’s easy to see why this restaurant is a favorite of the fashion crowd. The alpine-inspired menu includes ravioli with veal shank, beetroot gnocchi, bone marrow, beef tartar, puntarelle with bread crumble, and artichoke soup.
“I love to shop at Ebneter & Biel,” Pfuel said. “They have been around since 1880. My great-grandmother even shopped there. They sell the most wonderful hand-embroidered linen tableware and bedding.” The family-run company’s products are staples in the homes of the poshest Swiss families. Current offerings include cocktail napkins embroidered with alpine flowers and place mats adorned with ski illustrations.
Pfuel also clued us into the best place to buy cashmere sweaters in St. Moritz. “Lamm is a classic shop for anything knitwear,” she said. The boutique has been run by the same family for four generations. Two years before the train was completed, Lamm’s founder first arrived in St. Moritz via horse-drawn carriage in 1902. The boutique has its own cashmere label called Lamm but also sells over 20 other brands.
