Snow Lodge Aspen Closed Out Après Ski Season with a Fundraising Benefit for the Black Coffee Foundation

black coffeeNina Fernandez/BFA.com

It’s true that the country’s ski enthusiasts have recently been disappointed by already-too-hot temperatures in the mountain west, but for those who are even more outraged about what’s to come back Ski resorts, the attraction of après-ski culture, aspen style, Continue to reach new heights, thanks in large part to Snow Lodge.

What began as an experiment to breathe much-needed new life into the legendary St. Regis hotel during the coronavirus pandemic has grown to rival the winter bucket-list appeal of Europe’s infamous cult destination. Every weekend, the hotel’s once sleepy courtyard is transformed into an open-air club, always welcoming big-name DJs to take the stage. With no shortage of international headliners and Grammy winners, hundreds of rosy revelers often flock to the faux fur-lined huts to hang out and celebrate with magnums of Veuve Clicquot and caviar. Regardless of age, gender, background or profession: they all seem to be well-dressed.

In fact, founder and creative director Jayma Cardoso—the brains behind Montauk Surf Lodge—realized early on that this suspiciously well-groomed crowd was dealing with “aftereffects.”Ski slopes Party as real sport. So the audience at Snow Lodge’s 2026 season closing party in the last days of March once again looked like a Western-style magazine editorial come to life.

Internet celebrity and actress Lily Chee chose low-rise vintage Dior leather pants with horsebit detail. Several models flown in from Cardoso’s native Brazil and adopted hometown of Los Angeles wore oversized suede jackets, fringed embellished tops and over-the-knee cowboy boots. Designer Natalie De’Banco paired burgundy croc-print mini shorts with opaque tights. Upper East Siders like Melissa Wood-Tepperberg and LoveShackFancy’s Rebecca Hessel Cohen opted for cool, casual jumpsuits and retro trench coats to show off their looks in the VIP area. Even the finance brothers dutifully donned custom Kemo Sabe hats bought from the city worth over $600. When South African chart-topper Black Coffee takes up a spot on the deck around 4.30pm, a group of girls in their early 20s gather behind him, wearing prairie skirts and lace bra tops, thick Ralph Lauren belts hanging loosely from their hips.