The future of mountain life, ancient luxury and the joy of serendipity

Chapter 1

The future of mountain life

Europe’s mountains are a veritable treasure trove of abundant craftsmanship and glorious nature – but many factors, particularly climate change, are shaping the future of this elevated way of life. To find out more from those innovating through these changes, we catch up with Andreas Steiner from RIER, an incredible clothing brand who work directly with local craftspeople in Alpine regions, and Aurelia Stirnimann and Lea Hürlimann, the owners of Casa Alpina Belvedere, a new boutique hotel south of St Moritz.

Chapter 2

Luxury: a tale as old as time?

The concept of a status-symbol designer bag is not even a century old but luxury items – and the power that they wield – has ancient origins. A new exhibition at The British Museum, Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece, examines how specific luxury items shaped the political landscape in the first millennium BC and what were the problems that such extravagance posed. Konfekt’s Paige Reynolds takes a walk around the exhibit with lead curator Dr Jamie Fraser.

Chapter 3

Time for a toast

Nothing says summer quite like a cold glass of something fizzy on a balmy evening and there’s a new all-natural, handcrafted champagne on the scene. Konfekt’s Laura Kramer caught up with the CEO and co-founder of Champagne Rendez-Vous, Fiona Perrin, in the French city of Reims – the unofficial capital of the champagne region.

Chapter 4

Brief encounters

This month’s final thought is a musing on the joy of serendipity. Taking a chance and putting yourself out there can lead to beautiful fleeting friendships and interesting encounters, as Konfekt’s deputy editor, Chiara Rimella, found out.