The days of uninspired, ill-fitting skiwear are gone, thanks to a new crop of female-focused brands creating fashionable ski pants and jackets that are designed to fit women’s bodies, while maintaining all of the technical requirements to keep skiers warm and dry, no matter the conditions. The founders of Halfdays, a playful company that makes chic pieces for everyone from snow bunnies on the green runs to Olympic-level skiers, spoke to us about launching their brand, sustainability, supply-chain issues, and what’s next. 

The founders: Ariana Ferwerda, Karelle Golda, and Kiley McKinnon

What inspired you to start Halfdays?

Kiley McKinnon: I spent eight years professionally skiing and experienced the male dominance that exists in the industry firsthand. After competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics in men’s ski gear that was provided to me by our sponsors, I was determined to see a change in the ski-wear industry. The idea for Halfdays ultimately came from my background in skiing, but also the realization that I hadn’t been in love with any of the brands I’d ever worn. 

Not to mention my frustration with learning that many companies today still use the “shrink-it-and-pink-it” method, in which men’s ski pieces are essentially sized down and dyed a feminine color for women! Meeting Ariana and Karelle, we came to the realization that professional and recreational skiers alike were experiencing this frustration, I knew there had to be a large market in need of this.

Ariana Ferwerda: I moved to Colorado after college and struggled to find ski gear that was both fashion-forward and technical. I met Kiley shortly after moving to Colorado and it was a lightbulb moment for us when a very recreational skier (obviously me) and an Olympic skier were commiserating about the same thing: not having a favorite ski-wear brand. 

The brand has a fun, playful aesthetic, without sacrificing technical capabilities

Halfdays was founded by three women, each with a unique background. How did you come together and what do each of you bring to the brand? 

Ariana Ferwerda: The three of us came together very serendipitously, initially meeting through mutual friends and having perfect, complementary backgrounds to become co-founders. I believe our unique experiences have really been the key to our success so far. 

Kiley’s Olympic skiing background gives us the technical point of view to truly understand what each piece needs to perform on the mountain. 

My background is in retail consulting, which really allowed me to see the overarching market and where the gaps existed in the women’s ski market, which I also experienced first-hand as a frustrated consumer. There was nothing in the market that connected with the outdoorsy-ish consumer. More specifically, there was nothing for women who wanted something that looks good, performed well, and was approachably priced. 

Karelle brings her background in direct-to-consumer marketing for several well-known brands. She’s super focused on building a welcoming, inclusive community that will serve as the foundation for Halfdays moving forward. 

Halfdays’ sizes range from XS - 3XL

What makes Halfdays special? What are the most popular pieces and why do customers love them so much? 

Karelle Golda: Our community of Halfdayers is by far the most special thing about the brand. We really look to the women wearing our gear to inspire us! Right now our best-selling product is our Carson Bib Pant (in fact they might be sold out by the time this article is published!). What makes them so special is that they were inspired by our customers who wrote to us letting us know how much they loved our pants and wanted to see us make a bib! 

Our base layers are also some of our most popular pieces. These were inspired by vintage alpine skiing, with a mock-neck style and ribbing details. But, they have a technical, modern element to them, as well. 

What is the inspiration behind the name?

Ariana Ferwerda: When we were coming up with the name for this concept, we knew it needed to embody everything about skiing that feels lighthearted, casual, and fun. To us, this meant leaving work early to go skiing, sleeping in on a Saturday and buying a half-day ski pass, and hanging at the lodge after skiing with your friends. Our brand is inspired by not taking yourself too seriously and having fun. Halfdays. was a natural choice.

Does Halfdays have a specific message that you want to share with the world?

Karelle Golda: We want to encourage everyone to get on the mountain, have fun, and not take themselves so seriously! Halfdays aims to create a brand that challenges the status quo in the outdoor industry. We want to break down the barriers to getting into winter sports. We’re doing this through our inclusive community and range of products and sizing. This year, our sizing runs from XS - 3XL and we’re expanding the size range in the future. 

The collection features a fun range of colors, including matching sets

What sustainability practices do you currently incorporate? Any future plans for more? 

Kiley McKinnon: Minimizing our impact on the environment is so important to us, especially as an outdoor brand. At every step of our production process, we seek out sustainable, recycled, and humane materials. Our products are all made using recycled materials, and our core materials are all Bluesign certified. As we continue to grow, we’re working directly with our manufacturers and factories to minimize our impact as much as possible. 

What challenges did you experience in launching Halfdays?

Ariana Ferwerda: The largest challenge we’ve faced since launching Halfdays has been keeping up with demand, especially with the supply-chain issues. It’s been incredible to see how quickly our collection has sold out, but, unfortunately, we are unable to restock products quickly since we operate on a slower, more sustainable production process. It’s been super challenging to have to tell customers they won’t be able to purchase the items they’ve been eyeing until next season once they’re sold out this winter.

Halfdays has many fun initiatives, including learn-to-ski days

What has been your pinch-me moment since starting Halfdays?

Ariana Ferwerda: There have been so many for all of us! For me, one of the largest ones was seeing our product in Bloomingdales and Bandier, which are both such incredible retailers! We also launched our own retail space in Denver that will be open until January 31, 2022.

Kiley McKinnon: Seeing our product on-mountain “in the wild” has been the coolest thing. The first time I saw it was such a special moment for me because we’d put so much time and energy into the product. To see other people enjoying it was such a great feeling. Even now, I still get excited every time I see it. I don’t think it will ever get old!

What do you envision Halfdays looking like 10 years down the line?

Karelle Golda: In 10 years, we want Halfdays to not only be a global brand but a global community of women in the outdoors.

This interview has been edited for clarity.