Some events are not just watched they are lived. Walking onto the frozen surface of Lake St. Moritz, with the soft crackle of ice underfoot and the sound of vintage engines in the air, you immediately know this is not an ordinary weekend. Framed by the sun-lit white silhouettes of the Alps, I took my place to witness one of winter’s most extraordinary spectacles: The I.C.E. St. Moritz – The International Concours d’Elegance.

Fifty of the world’s rarest and most beautiful classic and sports cars lined up on the ice like moving sculptures. They weren’t simply machines; they were stories on wheels, elegance, power, memory and design gliding across a frozen lake. This year’s edition confirmed once again that The I.C.E. is not just an automotive event; it is where art, heritage and performance meet nature itself.

One of the most exciting new highlights this year was the Best Sound Award, introduced for the first time. During the jury’s evaluation, engines were started not to race but to sing. You could feel the difference immediately. These cars didn’t just drive forward; they advanced like a symphony orchestra moving toward the stage. The very first Best Sound Award went to a 1965 Pontiac Vivant, and honestly, it was well deserved. Its engine note cut through the cold air like a perfectly tuned instrument. Here, sound becomes emotion.

Women at the wheel

One detail I couldn’t ignore: women were not just spectators here, they were leading the scene. Behind the wheel, female drivers broke every cliche with elegance and confidence. On ice, they didn’t hesitate; they danced. Their presence wasn’t symbolic; it was powerful. You could sense their posture, their calm, their authority from kilometers away. On that frozen lake, the world’s rarest automobiles weren’t competing for speed but for soul. Collectors, designers and enthusiasts gathered not to chase trophies alone, but to celebrate beauty, legacy and craftsmanship.

The jury’s job felt almost impossible. Because every car carried a dream, a decade, a different universe. This is not about winning. This is about feeling. Style in St. Moritz isn’t just in clothes, it’s in posture, in dogs wearing fur coats, in the way people stand, walk and watch. Everyone becomes part of the scene. And yes... the skating waiters are real. White jackets, bow ties, trays in hand, gliding across the ice to serve guests at the edge of the track. Seriousness meets playfulness. Aristocracy meets humor. That single image alone explains the soul of St. Moritz.

Birth of frozen dream

The International Concours of Elegance St-Moritz (I.C.E.) was birthed in the mid-1980s, stemming from the age-old affinity between St-Moritz and its enchanting frozen lake. The esteemed Cresta Run, an icon of thrill and hedonism, gave rise to an awe-inspiring spectacle where elegance, sport, and exclusivity converge under a wintery sky.

Cars, sky, farewell

This year’s edition reached another emotional height with the Patrouille Suisse air show. Their precision flight over the frozen lake blended perfectly with the elegance below. Aircraft in the sky, collector cars on ice. Perfection meeting perfection.

Artworks by Pietro Terzini

When I exited The I.C.E. Weekend and stepped back into the crystalline air of St. Moritz, I found myself face to face with another kind of spectacle one made not of engines and ice, but of light, language and contemporary art. At Grace La Margna, the familiar elegance of Alpine architecture had been transformed into something unexpected, poetic and boldly modern.

Regular walls can be beautiful, refined and historic. But at Grace La Margna, they chose to go further, adding a layer of magic. In collaboration with renowned Italian artist Pietro Terzini, the hotel’s façade became a luminous canvas, where words glowed against the Engadin night and luxury spoke in a new visual language. The 2024-25 winter installation quickly became one of St. Moritz’s most celebrated highlights, resonating far beyond initial expectations. Locals, collectors and visitors alike paused to photograph, share and reflect on Terzini’s glowing phrases, proof that in a town known for tradition, contemporary art still has the power to surprise. Two works in particular traveled across social media at lightning speed: "The I.C.E. The I.C.E., Baby” and "Are You in Love? No, I’m in St. Moritz.”

Both captured the playful, ironic and ultrastylish spirit of the destination where glamour, humor and self-awareness meet on frozen ground. Its success has now paved the way for a new chapter. From December 2025, the installation will return with an entirely new series of luminous phrases, once again illuminating the season with Terzini’s unmistakable voice. In a place where timeless luxury reigns, Grace La Margna has proven that contemporary art doesn’t disrupt tradition; it elevates it. In St. Moritz, even the walls don’t just stand. They speak.