Lucas Pinheiro Braathen

If alpine ski racing handed out trophies for style—not medals, not Crystal Globes, but sheer, unapologetic swagger—Lucas Pinheiro Braathen would already have his name engraved in gold. 

The chiseled World Cup phenom was born in Oslo to a Brazilian mother and Norwegian father. With Viking good looks, a healthy dash of Latino charisma, and a penchant for avant-garde fashion, Pinheiro Braathen’s style game has always been top shelf. Now, thanks to a partnership with the cutting-edge luxury fashion house Moncler, this 25-year-old is in a class of his own.

Whether standing on a World Cup victory podium (something he’s done 17 times; five of them on the heels of last season), jetting about the chicest cities and trendiest ski resorts, or being photographed for fashion billboards and magazine covers, he’s officially decked head-to-toe in Moncler Grenoble – the label’s “born in the mountains, made in the city” skiwear and outdoor collection.

Before making fashion headlines by signing with Moncler, Pinheiro Braathen was already making sports headlines. In 2023, at the top of his game as the reigning slalom World Cup champion, he shocked the ski world by announcing his retirement “with immediate effect” at a press conference in Sölden, Austria on the eve of the season’s first World Cup giant slalom race. He cited differences with the Norwegian Ski Federation related to marketing rights, and ongoing unhappiness fueled by the strain on the relationship.

“My decision to retire was a tough one, but in order to inspire, I need creative freedom to express who I am. If I can’t inspire as a skier, I need to inspire as something else,” Pinheiro Braathen now says looking back. 

One year later, Pinheiro Braathen surprised once again with his return to the World Cup – with a twist. Now, instead of racing for his native Norway, he would wear the colors of Brazil, the birth country of his mother Alessandra Pinheiro. Just two months later, he went viral with a second-place giant slalom finish at Beaver Creek, Colorado – the first Brazilian to step onto a World Cup alpine skiing podium. Wearing the four-toned flag as a snazzy skirt for the electrified crowd, he performed a spirited samba dance – his signature move.

We caught up with Pinheiro Braathen in Hafjell, Norway, moments after his first race in his birth country as a Brazilian competitor. In front of a springtime crowd thronged with Brazilian and Norwegian flags in equal numbers, Pinheiro Braathen thrilled his fans with a fourth in the giant slalom. Less than 24 hours later he would send them berserk when he bounded onto the podium and samba-ed into glory with a slalom bronze. Flush with triumph, we talked to him about his image, his goals, and what it feels like to be the best dressed ski racer in the world. Later in Milan, he generously agreed to pose for the SNOW camera. We hope you enjoy the results as much as we do.

MM: This is your first race in your native Norway as an athlete representing Brazil, and it looks like there are as many Brazilian flags in the crowd as there are Norwegian. What’s that like for you? 

LPB: Seeing the same number of Brazilian flags as Norwegian ones, words can’t describe what that means to me. Sport is nothing without fans, and I feel very, very rich today. I feel very fulfilled. Coming down after the first run and seeing all those beautiful flags and feeling all the support, it shows why I do this. 

The fans obviously love your skiing and dancing. Tell us about your style influences. 

LPB: I came up way late in the skiing game, you know. I was a footballer growing up, so when I showed up to the glaciers in Norway and in central Europe, you’d see all these brands that you’re used to seeing in the industry – relatively pale colors, all about promoting functionality, and that’s kind of all. But for me there was always an additional layer. You know, coming from football, growing up I admired people like Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, and later Neymar, people who were there to express themselves. 

Before you became a Moncler global brand ambassador, were you already a fan?

LPB: Oh man, I’ve been a fan of Moncler ever since I started skiing. I was introduced to Moncler ripping around the mountains with my father. I saw the most colorful and extravagant people around, and so I said, ‘Yo dad, what are those people wearing?’. He told me it was Moncler, and ever since I was obsessed. And fun fact – the first big money that I ever spent on any garment was a Moncler jacket off my first paycheck. So it feels pretty incredible that I’m repping the brand now. 

What do you like most about being a Moncler brand ambassador? 

LPB: There are so many synergies between performance sports, especially skiing and high fashion, so why don’t I try to bridge the two and create a space that’s yet to exist? That’s what I’m working on every single day together with the brand and with my team as an athlete. Moncler allowing me to be integrated in design and R&D – this is crucial to let the viewers feel what I have to share. Obviously, it’s also about being able to look amazing at all times.

In your relationship with Moncler, it looks like you’re trying to blur the lines between ski fashion and street fashion.  

LPB: One hundred percent! I’m trying to change the way people perceive the sport of skiing, sports in general, and fashion. The beauty for me, and the difference between fashion and sport, is that in one I’m measured by hundredths of a second – it’s as black and white as it gets. The other is subjective – it has no leaderboard, it has no scoreboard. I find it so beautiful to be able to merge the art of these spaces into a new space that I think is yet to exist. It goes without saying how excited I am to be able to pursue such a dream with a brand like Moncler. 

Are you hoping to inspire others by expressing your truest self on the world stage – dancing, laughing, loving life?

LPB: I’m just trying to go out there and be myself every single day. If I’m out here doing “me”, I’m going to have the biggest smile on my face and I’m going to be able to have the effect that I’m seeking. I’m trying to inspire people all around the world, and you can’t do that by limiting and restricting yourself – hence why I’m so happy that I get to be such a free spirit and free soul, out in this amazing game, and just promote who I am. 

If you could change one thing about ski racing, what would it be? 

LPB: I’d enhance the freedom. I’d give a lot more freedom to the amazing athletes out here striving, working every single day to become exceptional. If you were to give the other athletes as much of the freedom that I get to have now… man, it would be so colorful, and the sport would have so much personality. I think the inspiration to all the viewers and fans of the sport would be doubled.

One last thing, it’s been said you’re the best dressed man on the World Cup tour. How does that make you feel?

LPB: I’d agree!