Design, Speed, and
Elegance—The I.C.E.
St. Moritz 2026 

AN UNMATCHED SETTING
Held annually since 2019 on the frozen lake of this iconic Alpine resort—where British gentlemen once quite literally invented the concept of the winter holiday—The I.C.E. has, in remarkably short order, become one of the most important concours events in the world. Not only because of the extraordinary quality of the cars entered, or the dramatic natural theater of the Engadine Valley, but because of an atmosphere that feels both cinematic and genuine.

In many ways, it recalls the world captured by Slim Aarons: a bygone era of effortless elegance, of industry titans heading for the slopes, just as Gianni Agnelli once did in his coachbuilt Fiat 130 Familiare from Chesa Alcyon, his St. Moritz chalet. This is an environment where luxury is not signaled by logos or novelty, but preserved through ritual, discretion, and continuity.

As one grand hotel general manager once put it: “If the end of the world were to happen, we would want our guests to find out a week later—and only because the concierge quietly informed them.”

There is, of course, an excess to be found here—but one measured not by the price of things, rather by their value. During the winter season, between Snow Polo, Nomad Circle, and especially The I.C.E. St. Moritz, this experiential richness is amplified, engaging all senses at once.

The echo of not one but three W16 Bugatti Bolide engines reverberating through the valley at dawn. The sudden warmth of the winter sun as it crests the surrounding peaks. The unmistakable scent of the interior of an unrestored Ferrari 250 SWB Competizione. Fine champagne bubbles dancing across the palate at lunch.

A SENSORY SPECTACLE
Held annually since 2019 on the frozen lake of this iconic Alpine resort—where British gentlemen once quite literally invented the concept of the winter holiday—The I.C.E. has, in remarkably short order, become one of the most important concours events in the world. Not only because of the extraordinary quality of the cars entered, or the dramatic natural theater of the Engadine Valley, but because of an atmosphere that feels both cinematic and genuine.

In many ways, it recalls the world captured by Slim Aarons: a bygone era of effortless elegance, of industry titans heading for the slopes, just as Gianni Agnelli once did in his coachbuilt Fiat 130 Familiare from Chesa Alcyon, his St. Moritz chalet. This is an environment where luxury is not signaled by logos or novelty, but preserved through ritual, discretion, and continuity.

As one grand hotel general manager once put it: “If the end of the world were to happen, we would want our guests to find out a week later—and only because the concierge quietly informed them.”

There is, of course, an excess to be found here—but one measured not by the price of things, rather by their value. During the winter season, between Snow Polo, Nomad Circle, and especially The I.C.E. St. Moritz, this experiential richness is amplified, engaging all senses at once.

The echo of not one but three W16 Bugatti Bolide engines reverberating through the valley at dawn. The sudden warmth of the winter sun as it crests the surrounding peaks. The unmistakable scent of the interior of an unrestored Ferrari 250 SWB Competizione. Fine champagne bubbles dancing across the palate at lunch.

AUTOMOBILES AS ART
Elegant proportions, exquisite detailing, and layered histories converge in the shapes of these machines. From newer entrants in the “Birth of the Hypercar” class, such as the third Pagani Zonda ever to leave the factory floor (the first two were kept by Pagani), the sought-after Porsche GT1 Strassenversion, or the unique Koenigsegg CC prototype, to the historic “Icons on Wheels,” cars such as the low-slung Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada, finished in baby blue over a navy interior; one of just two Aston Martin DB 2/4 Drophead Coupés from 1954, styled by Bertone; and the unquestionable jewel of the field—the Talbot Lago T150C SS Teardrop Coupé, clothed in exquisite Art Deco form by the fabled Parisian carrossiers Figoni et Falaschi, from The Pearl Collection—stand not merely as automobiles, but as rolling works of art.

As they are neither sofas nor armchairs, cars are best admired in motion—and it is here that The I.C.E. St. Moritz truly excels, especially once the open-wheeled machinery of the 1920s and ’30s ventures out onto the frozen lake. A drifting Bugatti Type 35? A priceless Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo 8C 2300? Why not. The most spectacular runs are met with thunderous applause from the crowd.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE WHEEL
Among the drivers is Katerina Kyvalova, at the wheel of her 1928 Bentley 4½ Litre Open Tourer, delighting spectators with long, controlled slides in this heavy machine, while generously offering rides to members of the press. And once again, Fritz Burkard—who, beyond the Talbot Lago and the Bugatti Bolide, also brought along a diminutive 1924 Bugatti Type 13 Brescia. A car not to be underestimated: in these conditions, it proved astonishingly quick, dispatching nearly everything its driver set his sights on.

THE CROWD AS CHARACTER
Lastly, a significant part of The I.C.E. St. Moritz is its visitors. Yes, not all of them dress the part, and in weaker moments one might even wish for a strictly enforced dress code. And yes, the event inevitably attracts a certain amount of Instagram theater—furs, moon boots, and performative glamour worn more for the lens than for the cars or the lake.

But that, too, is part of the ecosystem. Because for every awkward flex, there is genuine effort—people leaning into a sense of old-world eccentric elegance that feels increasingly rare. Vintage jewelry and inherited furs, beautifully worn hats, oversized coats, silk and cashmere scarves caught in the wind. Not costumes, but statements. Imperfect, sometimes exaggerated, but sincere. And taken as a whole, they add another layer to the spectacle: human, flawed like an old analog camera, but nevertheless charming. For a brief moment, machines, landscape, and people align—each playing their part in a scene that exists only here, and only for those two winter days.