"Lounging in Verbier - Slide", Slim Aarons, February 1, 1964 - Verbier, Switzerland

Set against the majestic peaks of the Swiss Alps, this 1964 photograph, "Lounging in Verbier", captures a vibrant winter scene in Verbier, Switzerland, a rising star in the world of alpine sports during the mid-twentieth century. Nestled in the canton of Valais, Verbier was beginning to attract a spirited, adventurous crowd drawn to its expansive slopes and youthful energy. The sunlit gathering of skiers and loungers, framed by towering mountains, reflects a moment when the post-war generation embraced the mountains not just for sport, but for community and escape. In this image, Verbier stands on the cusp of becoming an icon, where snow and sun combined to create a distinctly modern alpine lifestyle. After serving as a war photographer, Slim Aarons turned his lens to a new landscape: the glamorous lives of Hollywood elites, Palm Beach socialites, and jet-setting debutantes and princes. Aarons famously described his subjects as “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive p