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Danish designer Kim Laursen fell under the Aspen spell while high in the sky. “We came by plane, and when I saw the color of the earth and the pines and the river running through—I was already seduced,” says Laursen, lounging in the spacious dressing room at Maison Ullens on East Hopkins Avenue. Artistic director of the Belgian fashion house since January 2015, Laursen has made a maiden voyage to the mountains—home to the five-year-old brand’s only US boutique (the two other boutiques are in Paris and London)—to showcase his latest collection of knitwear and leather to his ideal client: the Aspen Woman.

“The Aspen Woman can have it all—the mountains, the city,” says the ebul-lient, fast-talking designer. As such, she deserves high fashion in the form of

The ladies’ man: New Maison Ullens Artistic Director Kim Laursen’s designs blend city and high-country aesthetics for his ideal client: the “Aspen Woman.”

Aspen, C’est ChiCNOT LONDON, NOT PARIS—NEW MAISON uLLENS ARTISTIc DIREcTOR Kim Laursen fINDS hIS MuSE IN ThE MOuNTAINS! by amanda rae

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STYLE Tastemaker

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“You buY a piece this season, and You can pull it out in three

Years.... there’s something about fast

fashion that’s verY un-modern.”—kim laursen

While honoring the brand’s legacy of lush, sophisticated

knits, Laursen has brought some “funk” and “edge” to Maison Ullens’s stylings: “I

have nothing against a wool dress,” he says, “but a leather one is sharper.”

“functional, cozy, sophisticat-ed” clothing constructed for layering and which can shift fluidly from day to night.

“We have this DNA, something that protects and envelops you,” Laursen says of the designs, which are based around lush cashmere and cotton-blend knitwear punctuated by leather and fur, an aesthetic conceived by the brand’s eponymous founder and Aspen arts patron, Baroness Myriam Ullens. “But [my collection] has become, I don’t want to say sexy, but more body-conscious, more modern. Funky. Edgy.”

Modeled by dancers from the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet dur-ing a preview party, Laursen’s line epitomizes the spirit of the quintessential sporty, jet-setting, family-oriented female dynamo—a figure much like Ullens herself.

“It’s like a breath of fresh air—that’s what she inspires,” Laursen says. “She’s like one big smile, and generous with her feelings. When you look at the materials, everything is soft, lovely, and generous in volume. It’s not dry; it doesn’t look mean.”

Nor is it chichi or, as Laursen says, “madame.” High-waisted leather pants pair with a plush cashmere wrap sweater; shaved shearling mimics knitwear in a reversible coat; leather sleeves slip off a structured jacket to morph into a sleek vest; a red leather jumpsuit, plucked perhaps from a Bond girl’s wardrobe, beckons boldly to passersby from a recent window display.

“I have nothing against a wool dress—but a leather dress is just sharper,” quips the de-

1. A knitted cape coat with pockets and hood in cotton and virgin wool ($3,030) tops a nappa leather jumpsuit ($4,025). Together these garments embody “today’s woman who travels a lot and wants to feel comfortable but still look chic,” Tackbary says.

2. Cashmere and soft wool are woven into a constraint-rib cable-knit called dégradé and produced exclusively for Maison Ullens. Beneath the V-neck sweater ($1,295) is a navy poplin stretch shirt ($770). Founder Myriam Ullens “always wears a shirt with her sweaters, which makes the outfit crisp and elegant,” Tackbary explains. Nappa leather high-waisted trousers ($2,415) and a mini nomad bag in matte lambskin ($1,805) round out the look.

3. “This leather belted dress with notch collar ($3,360) will take you from the office to dinner,” Tackbary says. The mid-length frock in chevron-embossed lambskin, laminated on an ultrafine wool-and-silk knit, features two deep pockets. “The workmanship and quality of the leather is the best, produced in Italy.” She suggests tying the belt at the back and wearing the dress unbuttoned over a shirt and stretchy pants. “You [will] have two outfits in one,” she says, “especially [important] when traveling.”

signer, who mastered the look of feminine sophistication first at Christian Lacroix in 1991, then at Elie Saab and Azzaro, among other couturiers.

Evocative of modern Hermès or Chanel, Laursen’s Italian-crafted designs are mix-and-match investments ready for the streets of Paris or London—where the flagship Maison Ullens boutique and a pop-up reside, respectively—while being blissfully at ease in the Rocky Mountains.

“You buy a piece this sea-son, and you can pull it out in a year, two years, three years,”

Laursen says. “[We don’t do] fast fashion. There’s some-thing about fast fashion that’s very un-modern.”

The designer has a simple test to determine whether a garment makes the cut: Pair each piece with at least three styles of footwear. “We tried everything in heels, sport shoes, and Church’s men’s dress shoes,” Laursen says. “Sure, you can put leather pants with Louboutins. But put on [Adidas] Stan Smiths, and you’re still the same girl.” 445 e. Hopkins ave., 970-429-4170; maisonullens.com AP

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STYLE Tastemaker

Natural SelectioN“The autumn/Winter 2015 collection is dynamic and luxurious but comfortable at the same time,” says maison Ullens aspen Director Tracye Tackbary, who highlights her favorite pieces from the collection here. “These looks define the concept: the world of travel, chic sportswear, and the city, in the most luxurious fabrics—cashmere and leather.”