As a skier, it’s important to ensure that you are warm on the slopes but equally stylish and sophisticated. Speaking from experience, the days of boring skiwear are a thing of the past. Meet JORDE! What started as simple hobby sketching designs on an iPad has now turned into a fabulous skiwear brand, finding traction in the market with Bloomingdales and Nordstrom picking them up within their first year. In pops of blue, pink, and red, JORDE balances iconic, vintage ski styles with a sleek silhouette. Below, I talk more with founder Jordan Watts on JORDE and all things skiing.

1. Tell me about yourself and JORDE. How was JORDE created?

I grew up loving skiing and fashion. I dedicated my childhood to ski racing, but deep down if anyone had asked me what my dream job was, it was to be a clothing designer. I went to Burke Mountain Academy for high school, and went on to attend UVM for college, which is where I met my co-founder! During my four years there, I was a design intern at Commando where I learned about cutting fabrics, sewing pieces together, and using fit models to find the perfect fit for each body type.

After school, I worked in New York City at a luxury ski fashion brand in sales and marketing. Craving the mountains, I moved from NYC to Vermont and found myself with a little more extra free time than normal. It sounds crazy, but I’m not sure JORDE would be in existence if my boyfriend hadn’t gotten me and iPad for Christmas that same year. I would wake up early and sketch skiwear designs while staring out our view, and eventually I had formed a complete collection. My boyfriend caught a glimpse of my sketches one morning and urged me to take the next steps to form the brand. Four months later, we found ourselves working on this together full time! After launching in October of 2024, we have been finding serious traction in the market, with Bloomingdales and Nordstrom picking us up in our first year. It sounds crazy, but I’m not sure JORDE would be in existence if my boyfriend hadn’t gotten me an iPad for Christmas a few years ago.

2. How long have you been skiing?

Fun fact: I was actually born in Texas! I started skiing in Vail, Colorado when I was 2, and we moved to New Hampshire shortly after. I grew up ski racing and went to a ski academy for high school in Vermont. My father was on the U.S. Ski Team so skiing was a part of my life from the very beginning!

3. What is the LAUNE (mood) of JORDE?

Vintage après ski! The first JORDE collection was inspired by my love for vintage ski styles and the timeless design each piece embodied. I designed the pieces to have minimalist style and a sleek silhouette, but still have enough of an edge to make a statement on the slopes.

4. What inspires you?

The winter style icons over the years – for example, Princess Diana was the original ski style influencer! We were inspired by the bright colors she wore, the one-piece suits (which we are bringing back) and the tight ski pants paired with oversized jackets. (EM: LOVE)

5. Your design process is rooted in Stowe, Vermont. Tell me more about Stowe and how it inspires you.

While Stowe, Vermont has entered the spotlight recently, it has always been a treasured place by those who visit or live here. It’s a town that is laid back, yet sophisticated, casual, yet stylish, humble yet extraordinary. And those who are drawn in almost always return.

Stowe is always giving me constant inspiration. Whether I’m walking my dog around the cornfield in town, staring at the surrounding mountains, or skiing on a quiet weekday morning, Stowe provides me with endless motivation to design and create products for JORDE.

6. What does the design process look like?

Like I mentioned before, every design you see from the JORDE collection always starts with my sketch pen and my iPad. However, before I even start sketching the new styles, I pick the colors. My feeling in skiwear specifically is that color is 90% of your voice in alpine fashion. After I select the colors that will work together to create a cohesive color story, I start designing products that will complement the existing JORDE styles and create a more comprehensive collection for our community.

7. What’s next for you and JORDE?

We are putting the finishing touches on the Winter 25-26 collection at the moment. All new colors, a few new styles (maybe even some statement pieces!) and we cannot wait to share with our community! We also want to grow - we are expanding our wholesale and our team. I also dream down the road that we expand into a women’s active summer line.

Rapid Fire:

1. Favorite JORDE piece?

The Ruby Matching Set! The color genuinely sparks joy in my brain.

2. Skiing or Apres-Ski?

Skiing. Exceptions for Cloud Nine.

3. Favorite place to ski?

While I've had some incredible days at Beaver Creek, Stowe is my favorite place to ski because the east coast does have my heart at the end of the day. It was where we decided to launch my dream brand and skiing there will always feel so special.

4. What’s one product you could not live without?

My side-sleeper neck pillow that I bought off tik-tok shop. It was $19.99 and now I can’t sleep without it LOL

5. What are three staple items that every closet should have?

I will forever keep coming back to my suede cropped jacket, black loafers, and high-waisted cuffed jeans.

6. Describe your style in three words.

Polished, Organic, Cozy

7. Early mornings or sleeping in?

EARLY MORNINGS! I do my best work at 7:30am with my coffee in my PJ’s.

8. AM or PM skincare?

PM all the way. Sheet masks (almost) every night!

9. Dream collab?

STAUD!