Erin Snow is ready to step out of its niche and into the limelight.
The brainchild of Erin Isakov, a former merchandiser for Elie Tahari and Theory, Erin Snow began in 2003 as an alternative to the boxy, outmoded and somewhat outré skiwear that had commandeered the market since the ‘90s.
“It was not at all what I grew up with or remembered or glamorized in my mind from when my father was a ski patroller back in the ’70s in Mammoth Mountain,” said Isakov, a native Californian who could “ski from the moment [she] could stand.”
The New York–based firm had another value proposition that made it unique among its ilk, particularly in the early aughts. Isakov built sustainability into the brand before it was de rigueur, simply because she’s “that kind of person” and never thought of doing otherwise, she said.
Despite its luxury stature—a necessity because of the high-value materials it uses—Erin Snow has courted little, if any, publicity outside the specialty-store circuit. It’s a tack that has made the company more of a cult brand than a household name, even with its recent foray into gym- and yoga studio–friendly tanks and tights.
“We haven’t done any marketing at all for our brand,” said Isakov, who serves as the company’s president and designer. “It’s been all word of mouth.”