Le Chéile Transforms Le Chalet at L’Avenue at Saks Into an Alpine Dream for Its Winter Journey Celebration

Photo Credit: Le Chéile

New York’s winter social calendar found its alpine moment on January 29 as Le Chéile hosted its Winter Journey Celebration at L’Avenue at Saks, transforming Le Chalet into a candlelit mountain retreat high above Fifth Avenue. Around fifty guests arrived dressed in winter whites, stepping into a scene that felt transported from Manhattan to the Swiss Alps.

The evening previewed the club’s upcoming March journey to Zermatt, yet it also revealed something more enduring. Le Chéile, founded by Molly McDermott, operates as New York City’s first travel social club, blending curated international journeys with a consistent rhythm of local gatherings. The concept merges the exclusivity of a members club with the immersive pull of luxury group travel, creating a community that travels together and continues to gather between departures.

Photo Credit: Le Chéile

Under the chalet’s warm glow, guests sipped a lineup of signature cocktails that balanced playful tradition with ski lodge nostalgia. A Baby Guinness, made with coffee liqueur and Baileys and served in a miniature Guinness glass, anchored the toast. A ski slope inspired ice luge poured orange crush with mezcal, while spiked hot chocolate delivered a comforting winter finish. Seasonal hors d’oeuvres and dinner were presented on pieces from the Mackenzie Childs x Gray Malin Ski Holiday collection, reinforcing the alpine fantasy with a distinctly New York polish. Guests departed with commemorative mugs from the collection, extending the evening’s aesthetic into their homes.

A cinematic screening directed by Le Chéile ambassador and director of photography George Lyon transported attendees to the English countryside, showcasing footage from the club’s autumn journey to the Cotswolds. The film captured candlelit dinners, rolling hills, and shared laughter, offering a reminder that the club’s philosophy extends beyond itinerary planning. A map exercise invited guests to mark future destinations, prompting conversations about where friendships formed in New York might reconnect abroad.

Photo Credit: Le Chéile Photo Credit: Le Chéile

The celebration also served as a stage for announcements. Molly unveiled details for Zermatt and introduced two international destinations slated for 2026: Formentera and Egypt. The room responded with palpable excitement as glasses clinked and conversations turned to powder days, Mediterranean shores, and ancient wonders.

Le Chéile’s trajectory has unfolded with deliberate momentum. The club officially launched in April 2025 at the iconic TWA Hotel in partnership with Fly Blade, nodding to the golden age of travel while presenting a modern network of globally minded New Yorkers. That autumn, members gathered in London before retreating to Estelle Manor for three nights of countryside pursuits and immersive dining. Prior to departure, an intimate dinner and private shopping experience at Freemans on the Lower East Side reinforced the club’s defining cadence: connect locally, explore globally, return home with deeper bonds.

Photo Credit: Le Chéile Photo Credit: Le Chéile

Membership, priced at $2,950 annually, opens the door to a suite of benefits tailored for travelers who value both access and authenticity. Global journeys are designed with cultural immersion and luxury in mind, complete with organized daily activities and evening gatherings that bring the full group together for curated dinners, special guests, and place specific experiences. Each trip includes opportunities to give back, reflecting an awareness of travel as both privilege and responsibility.

Photo Credit: Le Chéile

Within New York, members gain entry to exclusive events hosted in coveted venues across the city, including collaborations with other private clubs and sought after cultural happenings. Additional services include a stylist for trip packing and event dressing, a dedicated luxury travel advisor for personal itineraries, and a bespoke event planner capable of arranging celebrations worldwide. A members portal features an interactive map that allows travelers to connect when their journeys overlap, alongside a growing library of Le Chéile crafted itineraries. A luxury welcome package developed with like minded brands completes the offering.

As the final mugs of spiked hot chocolate were lifted at Le Chalet, the throughline of the evening became clear. For this community, departure gates are not the starting point. The journey begins in shared rooms, over clinking glasses, in conversations that turn acquaintances into travel companions. In a city defined by movement, Le Chéile has reframed exploration as something that starts at home and unfolds across the world.