LUXE Serendipity magazine

By Donna Richardson

Every so often, a brand comes along that captures a ‘Perfect Moment’. This perfectly describes one of the most cutting-edge skiwear labels. At the helm of Perfect Moment is former investment banker Jane Gottschalk, who designs super-fashionable skiwear for the rich and famous who frequent the most exclusive resorts. Alongside this, she also runs health drink company Coco Jax with Sir Elton John.

Jane is a renowned travel enthusiast and an adventurous entrepreneur who loves exploring ‘wild places’ that are off the beaten path. She also cherishes family vacations with her husband, Max, an investment banker, and their five children. Together, they spend winters skiing at their chalet in Gstaad, located in the Swiss Alps, and summers at their home in Ibiza. Additionally, they frequently travel to Hong Kong for business, where they maintain a residence. Currently, they live in the affluent English village of Henley-on-Thames.

Jane was born to British diplomat parents in Kuala Lumpur and grew up in India while travelling the world. She then moved to Switzerland aged 15, where her passion for skiing began. Jane reveals: “I met a fantastic group of girls and we had camaraderie and fun. The Swiss Alps and large groups of friends hold a special place in my heart.”

Fond memories of Switzerland are relived in later life with her own family at their home in Gstaad. Jane continued: “As a mother of five, it is critical to escape from the hustle and bustle of life. The beauty of skiing can be experienced as an individual as group activity with friends or as a fun holiday for our family of seven. Being outdoors is perfect.”

Perfect Moment began in the mountains of Chamonix in France in 1984 when former World Cup skier Thierry Donard designed apparel for his film production company La Nuit de la Glisse. Thierry created designs that focused on the goal of every athlete – to experience that ‘perfect moment’.

The company logo is inspired by nature’s compass, the Northern Star, which Thierry was guided by when filming in Greenland.  He encountered a polar bear and her cub, but luckily, he was spared. Jane explained: “I always keep the polar bear in our designs as a nod to him.

Her husband, Max, skied on the Swiss national junior team, so skiing is in his blood. Perfect Moment was a passion project that has since become a fully fledged business.

A combination of Max’s passion for skiing as a former member of the Swiss national junior team – and their dual ‘adventurous entrepreneurship’ sparked the Gottschalk’s investment into Perfect Moment after Max met Thierry at a dinner party. The respective families went on holiday together and it was during that break the Gottschalk’s decided to become involved in the company. What was initially a pledge to ‘grow the brand by association’, became a full-time passion for Jane as creative director when the Gottschalks bought the company outright a year later.

Jane explains how they turned the brand around from ‘extreme sports men throwing themselves out of planes’ into a brand that appeals to the adventurous, man, woman and even families. Recognising these segments, A Perfect Moment has travelled from the slopes into the city and back, marrying the sophistication of Chamonix with the high street of Shanghai.

Today, the main market for the company’s clothes is America, where stylish skiers grace the slopes of the county’s most elegant resort, Aspen. Jane reveals that this elite resort is the muse for many of her skiwear lines – an ultimate location for glamour. She said: “In Aspen people do like to dress up and embrace our bright, bold and adventurous colours. It is a refreshing change from the muted colours worn by skiers on European resorts.”

All these designs are first imagined in Jane’s English countryside mansion in Henley in collaboration with designers in Shanghai where they are transformed into apparel that catches the eye of high-profile customers who have stepped out in Perfect Moment attire, including such as Martine McCutcheon, Colleen Rooney, Rebel Wilson and Selena Gomez to name a few.

The brand’s major transition began when the Gottschalks developed a line for Lane Crawford in Hong Kong. Ever since, they have retained their vintage roots, while introducing a modern twist with the help of cutting-edge Chinese designers. The result is a brand that connects east and west.

It is important to Jane that she strikes a balance between entrepreneurship, travelling and family life, often combining the three. Her own personal perfect moment arrived when her teenage girls began wearing ‘A Perfect Moment clothes’. She explains: “When I got the tick from my teenage girls that the brand was cool, that for me was a big moment.”

When Jane and Max go skiing in the European Alps, they like to visit many different places and stay in unique accommodation. One of Jane’s favourite places is a log cabin in the middle of a forest reachable only by skidoo.  “I am forever exploring,” she shares. “Whilst we have a base in Switzerland, I never want to sit still. I have an urge to see new things. It is not all about the five-star hotels. Some of the best times are in the middle of nowhere surrounded by family and friends.”

The Canadian wilderness or Scandinavia is also Jane’s ideal ski destination and fits her rebellious spirit. She revealed: “I have always wanted to visit the Canadian outback – it is so open and vast. It would be incredible to be dropped from a helicopter to ski. With such a small population, I am sure you can get lost for days and ski endlessly. Similarly, Norway and Sweden are my dream destinations, offering adventure and providing a different experience to the traditional European Alps.”

Perfect Moment customers are ‘adventurous and live to travel’ – like Jane herself. She reveals: “All my life I have never taken no for an answer. I travelled all over the world with my parents and exploring has always been a big part of my life. I have always been very curious. Our customers are skiers and surfers, used to being out in nature, out on their own or out with groups of people.”

This fits Jane’s outlook on life very well. She ends on a poignant note: “We are living through exceptional times requiring people who adapt to change with a positive attitude. A Perfect Moment is a brand for the go-getters, the early adopters, with a sense of adventure.  It is all about creating moments with family and friends, taking those pockets of moments of good times and memories, and building that into our skiwear brand.”