Yes, I’m a sucker for all things snow-sports related – especially when it comes to fashion – and a new lifestyle accessories company from pro snowboarders and Winter X Games gold medalists Torstein Horgmo and Andreas Wiig is just the thing to get me really excited. After all, accessories make the outfit, and let’s just face it: There’s nothing much hotter than a well put-together athlete sporting his own style. Horgmo and Wiig, who created the iconic AWSM sticker in 2009 to represent having fun in your own unique way, are now launching the AWSM performance-level accessories company to further expand upon this idea.
“Torstein and I have been bros for a long time, and, in December 2009, we talked about how cool and fun it would be to start our own brand together and take it in the direction we see fit, with our own views, our own influence and our own designs,” Wiig says. “It started out as the AWSM crew with just some stickers, with no real plan or direction. Now, it has evolved into an accessories brand with a sic team on both skate and snow.”
The new line includes high-end lifestyle and performance belts, wallets, skate tools, hats and hoodies in a variety of stylish colors and materials. “We are using a wide spectrum of colors and materials, ranging from canvas, elastics and nylon to very high-end, full-grain leather,” Horgmo says. “We will be adding three styles of backpacks in late summer of 2012.”
The guys decided to focus on accessories that didn’t collide with their sponsor obligations. However, they wanted to develop products that would be comfortable and fashionable, without losing focus on quality and performance. “Belts are one of those products where we see a lot of room for improvement in action sports, thus our reasoning to focus on this from the beginning,” Horgmo says. “Fun and functional is important to us, and we’re having fun along the way.”
Horgmo won a gold medal in Snowboard Big Air at the 2008 Winter X Games, and Wiig won gold medals in the 2007 Winter X Games in the Best Trick and Slopestyle competitions. Wiig also won a gold medal in the Slopestyle competition during the 2008 Winter X Games. Look for Horgmo again during this year’s Winter X Games (Jan. 27-30), when he will be competing in both Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle. Wiig, who recently retired from competition, is now focusing on other pursuits, including riding, filming for the Forum Snowboards team movie and his website, and creating web content for Rockstar Energy Drink.
AWSM will be available at local skate shops beginning March 1. “Andreas and I are excited to get our products in the marketplace,” Horgmo says. “We have been receiving great reviews and requests from all over the world for distribution, sales and overall interest in AWSM. It seems like people are stoked to get their hands on it. There is amazing buzz right now, and we are excited to watch the company grow.” Be sure to like these guys on Facebook and follow the company on Twitter to keep up on everything AWSM.
Misty Milioto is affectionately known as Denver’s Fashion Gal. She covers haute trends and local designers in the Mile High City, all while keeping a close and critical eye on national trends that are currently rocking the runways and the major glossy magazines. Stay tuned for all the best in fashion that Denver has to offer.