On their ranch in Colorado, the Bogners experienced pure nature and the life of cowboys first-hand.

“It’s a different world view,” says Willy Bogner “in the literal sense: People who live in the mountains or by the sea have another perspective because they are used to looking into the wide open.” Another view of the world is why the Bogners disappeared into the mountains of Colorado for a few weeks over the course of twelve summers. While there, they retreated to their ranch – a place with no electricity or warm water and where the closest mode of contact was a fax machine in the next village. “Our ranch was at an altitude of 10,800 feet and you could look out over two mountain ranges,” explains Willy Bogner “breathtakingly beautiful!”

The Bogners and their children were introduced to the country on a three day horse-back riding tour and came to the conclusion that this was a region where it was worthwhile to live. “We wanted to create a place where the kids could go horse-back riding and where we could simply enjoy the wide open and the landscape. This beauty paired with wilderness – bears and moose really still run around here without being domesticated – the boundlessness, this space...” A dream of freedom - come true!

The cowboy lifestyle has also been an inspiration for the Bogners – as is evident in this season’s Sônia Bogner collection. “We went to rodeos,” explains the designer enthusiastically “and it was so exciting to see these expert horsemen and how they handle animals.”

1 The Lazy-B-Ranch in Dallas Divide, Colorado: For 12 years the “Home away from Home” for the Bogners  2 “Buffalo” Willy Bogner  3 Florinda Bogner as cowgirl  4 A place where the B's were lazy for a change ...  5 Willy and Sônia Bogner in front of their ranch  6 Sônia Bogner in front of the impressive mountain scenery – the view from the ranch (at an altitude of 10,800 feet) extends over two mountain ranges to the neighboring state Utah