There’s a certain kind of silence in St. Moritz. Not the kind that feels empty—no. It’s the silence of an art gallery, or a private chalet perched high above the Engadin valley. And in that hushed quiet, tucked discreetly behind the façade of the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains, lies a well-kept secret:
the world of Zai.
This isn’t a store. It’s a showcase. A rare, almost confidential space where you don’t simply buy skis—you meet a philosophy. Skiing as a way of life. As an object of design and engineering. As a natural extension of a certain way of moving across the mountains—with control, discretion, and just the right amount of Swiss obsession for perfection.
Zai: Where Craftsmanship Meets Alpine Design
Zai isn’t just a brand. It’s an idea. The belief that a ski can be a noble object—sensual, purposeful—born at the crossroads of pure materials and refined technologies. Handmade in a small workshop in Disentis, in the heart of the Grisons, Zai skis are crafted from materials that would impress even aerospace engineers: solid wood, carbon fiber, woven flax, natural rubber, surgical-grade steel… and yes, even volcanic stone.
Yes, stone. And no, it’s not just a designer’s whim—it’s a deliberate technical choice. For dampening, stability, and snow feel. Every curve, every edge, every finish is designed for flow, silence, and longevity.
A Zai ski is something to cherish, to pass down, to understand after just a few runs—and never forget.
The St. Moritz Experience: Swiss Purity, Precision Fit
Step inside the Zai Store—technically the Skiservice Corvatsch boutique within the Kempinski—and the experience mirrors the brand itself: radical in its simplicity, luxurious in its restraint. No flashy screens. No thumping background music. Just calm, pale wood, soft light, and a display that feels almost zen in its precision.
Here, they won’t ask for your shoe size. They’ll watch you walk, glide, move. They’ll tweak, tailor, suggest. Not to flatter, but to fit. Each ski is offered not by range, but by your style, your instincts. It’s silent tailoring. Luxury that knows your name without needing to say it.
Couture : When Zai Flirts with Fashion
Zai’s world doesn’t stop at performance—it speaks fluently with the world of high fashion. Think of its collaboration with Saint Laurent, which produced a strikingly limited series of all-black skis—sleek, razor-sharp minimalism where haute couture meets alpine tech. The kind of object you could easily mistake for a sculpture, its design speaking volumes in perfect silence.
Then came the meeting of minds with Moncler: a capsule collection born at the intersection of innovation, style, and Swiss craftsmanship. These skis aren’t just beautiful—they embody a particular winter lifestyle, a mastery of contrasts between taut lines and raw textures. These aren’t gimmicky collabs—they’re a continuation of Zai’s core values: precision, purpose, purity.
The Mountains Come to You
For those who see skiing as an extension of their lifestyle, Zai goes a step further with its private concierge service: personal fittings, doorstep delivery to your chalet, tailored maintenance… You don’t go to the slopes—the slopes come to you. Waxed to perfection, edges sharpened, ready to conquer the mountain—or simply drift across it with grace.
In St. Moritz, Zai isn’t the kind of address you flaunt. It’s the kind you whisper. A signature only the initiated will spot on the gondolas. A silent glide in a noisy world. A quiet promise of excellence, without excess. And maybe that’s the ultimate expression of alpine luxury: the kind that carves without a single slip.
