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The outdoor industry is an ever-growing sector as more recreationalists venture into nature year after year. According to the 2023 Outdoor Participation Trends Report, “the outdoor recreation participant base grew 2.3% in 2022 to a record 168.1 million participants (55% of the U.S. population ages 6 and older),” with 46% of those participants being female. Despite the growing number of outdoorswomen in the space, outdoor apparel has been predominantly catered towards men with an emphasis solely on function, with trends and elements of fashion being neglected – until now.
Technical apparel for women can (and should) be fashionable, and this need has been identified by a range of female-founded brands across various outdoor interests including hike, cycling, snow sports, running, cycling, surf, and golf. Below, we tapped brand founders across each respective pursuit who are making garments that speak to the unique stylish needs of the women who wear their designs.
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Co-founded by two Backcountry alums, Madison Hilson and Valentina Thompson, the SENIQ duo saw a white space that was yearning to be filled with color within the hiking apparel industry. As an activity that’s typically defined by dirt, sweat, and endurance, trend-forward hiking designs were lacking on the trails. “We couldn’t find any gear we actually wanted to wear on the market or in our closets,” shared Hilson, and the desire to combine feminine silhouettes that met the founders’ active needs was strong enough to spark the inception of SENIQ. Boxy-yet-fitted shorts in this season’s hottest colors such as butter yellow and electric pink, a pant that I’ve worn out to drinks equally as many times as I’ve worn to summit peaks, and a backless cropped tank that welcomes movement are just a sampling of what the brand has to offer to the modern outdoorswoman.
Albeit chic, SENIQ performs just as well as less fashion-forward brands on the market. “There is a misconception that trend-inspired gear can’t also be technical,” noted Hilson. “Our gear has all the bells, whistles, and performance features as a traditional sport-oriented product – we believe you perform your best when you feel empowered by your gear.”
Ski: Halfdays
It took Olympic athlete and Co-founder of Halfdays, Kiley McKinnon, competing in the 2018 winter olympics in men’s ski pants, to decide that female snow athletes deserved better. Designs that were always deemed “unisex” somehow always fit men comfortably, but left women who ski and snowboard swimming in their kits and looking far from feminine on the mountain – and Halfdays aims to change that.
“We don’t believe in the matter of choosing between chic silhouettes and a borrowed-from-the-boys look when it comes to quality,” commented McKinnon. “Our ski jackets, suite, and pants are 10-20k waterproof, seam-sealed, and wind-resistant, while still maintaining a sense of style and fashion.” By introducing form-flattering designs that perform just as well as traditionally androgynous ski apparel, Halfdays has created a strong community of women who value the importance of après just as much as their time spent in the back bowls.
Run: Planet Nusa
Having placed a strong emphasis on community since its start in 2018, Planet Nusa has fostered a close-knit consumer base who have a heavy hand in brand development from providing input on new color combinations to brainstorming on event activations. Utilizing consumer retention strategies such as hosting monthly run clubs in New York City and across its home country of Denmark and collaborating with TikTok’s running sweetheart, Kate Glavan, the activewear brand has struck a positive cord with sprinters and joggers alike.
Co-founders Kristine Esmer and Mille Skat knew how integral creating a brand that felt like home to many would be for Planet Nusa’s long-term success; “We wanted to create a brand that when you saw a stranger run by you in Nusa, you’d smile at each other and know you were on the same team,” the duo shared.
Subtle, yet intentional, details on their apparel like ruching, a rainbow of color offerings, and the signature planet logo utilized as a print on select pieces make Planet Nusa a brand that makes runners excited to get dressed even for longer days in their training programs. “It’s paramount to feel good whilst venturing outside to do things,” said the team, “we can’t stress enough how functionality and fashion go hand in hand in empowering women.”
Bike: Wild Rye
Whether a cyclist is climbing into the saddle for a brief road ride to the office or double-digit MTB mileage in the backcountry, she deserves to look as badass as she feels. Designed for women by women, Wild Rye crafts design-driven bike apparel for singletrack enthusiasts regardless of their age, background, size, or skill level.
Co-founder and CEO of the brand Cassie Abel set out to launch Wild Rye after feeling frustrated by the lack of quality mountain apparel options for women following years of working in the outdoor industry. “The product offering was limited and the marketing was masculine [with it being] solely focused on winning and being the best,” says Abel. To provide the most desired gear possible, Wild Rye constantly interacts with its community to create clothes that women are excited about wearing. “I’ve talked to countless women who have refused to buy bike clothes that actually work because they look dorky, which for newcomers can certainly prohibit growth and enjoyment of the sport,” mentioned Abel. Conversely, via the combination of quality materials and contemporary style, “Wild Rye apparel looks and feels just as good off the bike as it does on, providing women with more versatile options for activewear.”
Surf: Left On Friday
Founded by ex-Lululemon executives Laura Low Ah Kee and Shannon Savage, Left On Friday was born out of the idea that your swimsuit should never be what holds you back from getting in the water. Each cut of swimwear in the brand’s collection keeps style, comfort and function top of mind for women, athletes, and enthusiasts of life alike. Short sleeve and long sleeve rash guards protect from 98% of the sun’s UV rays and when paired with LOF’s compressive, butter-smooth high-leg high-cut bottoms that simply do not budge or cause wedgies, female surfers can live out their retro-inspired barrel wave dreams.
Golf: Sierra Madre
A sport previously seen as an impossible-to-break-into boys’ club, golf is for the girls, too. Spending afternoons in the fresh air on a beautifully manicured course with friends shouldn’t be confined to one gender, and Sierra Madre has recognized this by introducing flattering female golf apparel to the fairway.
“We started Sierra Madre because we wanted to replace the feeling of being an afterthought on the course with the feeling of belonging and a strong sense of confidence,” says Bonny Riddle, Co-Founder and CEO of Sierra Madre Golf. When Riddle first started golfing in her mid-twenties, she recalled that her outfit made her feel like even more of an outsider in the sport than her sub-par beginner-level skills, and thus the idea for Sierra Madre started brewing. “There are already so many barriers to getting into golf; your clothes shouldn't be one of them,” Riddle shared.
Brand staples like a hair clip that doubles as a ball marker, an athletic skirt with a slit, and a mock neck dress that passes every course’s dress code showcase Sierra Madre’s unique approach to women’s golf apparel that emphasizes how our clothing is our equipment. “Fashion shouldn’t limit us,” noted Riddle, “it should elevate us.”
So long masculine colorways and fits, and hello to the feminine bliss of outdoor apparel made for women, by women. Shop our favorite brands that feel like an extension of your personal style while having the technical specs that are durable enough to withstand the elements you need them to.
