Lindsey Vonn Talks Head’s Legacy Line, Après-ski Adventures and Makeup
NEW YORK — Lindsey Vonn is enjoying a rich après-ski career.
From visiting the Jaquar racing team in Berlin to working out with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, writing a book and starring in a Thom Browne fashion show, America’s most decorated female ski racer hasn’t been far from the spotlight since retiring from the sport in 2019.
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On Tuesday, she joined Head Sportswear at an event in New York to unveil the brand’s fall Legacy collection, a performance lifestyle collection for which she’s been the face for the past four years.
“I’ve actually been with Head since 2009,” Vonn said. But the relationship was limited to hard goods including skis, boots and bindings. In fact, she said, she won her first Olympic medal wearing Head skis.
“It’s always been great working with this company,” she said. “The owner really believed in me.”
But it was after Roman Stepek joined the Austria-based company in 2016 that they started talking about expanding the relationship into apparel. And the Legacy brand was born.
“I was hesitant,” Vonn admitted, “because Head was not established in the outerwear space.” But working closely with Stepek, they realized they had the same vision and were able to create what she called “my perfect line” — a luxury women’s collection built on layering pieces that is technical enough to wear on the slopes yet fashionable enough to wear in front of the fire at the lodge at the end of the day.
Vonn cited the one-piece as her favorite in the 2022-23 winter collection because of its retro styling and the waterproof, high-end material that was sourced in Liechtenstein and features 14 percent Lycra. She also pointed to the formfitting puffer with its “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” printed lining, the cashmere vest, sweaters with zippered details and the higher-waisted stretch “Jet Pant” as her top picks.
Since she retired Vonn said she’s been doing a lot more exploration of mountains that she had previously only raced on, calling Courchevel in France her favorite right now for its slopes as well as its “fantastic” après-ski scene. ”I’m doing a lot more après-ski these days,” she said with a laugh. On her wish list? To visit Japan to experience the slopes there.
But until then, Vonn is keeping busy with the Legacy collection as well as the performance-based workout gear that she collaborates on with Under Armour for Project Rock, Johnson’s collection. She was named an ambassador for that line in 2019. “I’ve been with Under Armour for almost 20 years,” she said. “What we do there is more performance-based while this is skiwear and lifestyle.”
Another thing Vonn has on her to-do list is to launch a makeup collection. She was just about ready to unveil it when the pandemic hit, putting those plans on hold.
“I’m still working on it,” she said. “We had a whole line ready to go and then COVID[-19] derailed it. But that was actually good since it gave me time to rethink it. The makeup space is so crowded, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. So we need to find ways to be different.”
While the makeup may have to wait, Vonn and Stepek revealed that Head will launch a men’s Legacy collection next year, along with a summer line for the upscale line. He also said that in the pipeline are some “collaborations with European fashion houses,” but kept the names under wraps for now.
The men’s Legacy collection will launch in September 2023, he said.
The Legacy women’s collection is sold at high-end ski shops in the U.S. and globally. The company also offers apparel under the Rebels brand, which also offers menswear, as well as the new Kore line, which is based on the company’s speed racing equipment and is launching its first apparel collection for this coming winter.
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