Years back, long before launching a brand was even an idea, founders Chelsea Rizzo and Allison Levy met as fashion interns in the city and bonded over a shared love for hiking. Levy grew up with the activity intertwined into her everyday lifestyle, Rizzo later in life fell hard and fast after a trip upstate, and more recently saw plans to hike the PCT thwarted by COVID.
Throughout their respective journey's, the two noticed a need for more aesthetically pleasing outdoor gear for women (amen!). They discussed how looking good can boost self-confidence in the outdoors.
"We surveyed almost 70 women and asked them ‘Do you think you perform better and are more confident when you feel like you look like yourself?’" Levy tells us. "89% of women responded ‘Yes,’ with one woman writing ‘Hell Yeah!’ We knew then we weren’t alone in thinking this.” And so, Hikerkind was born.
The initial launch is anchored by Midlayer_01 ($183), a cozy yet high performing pullover made with Polartec Power Air, a technical fabric constructed from 92% recycled polyester that offers the warmth and breathability of a classic pile fleece with 5x less microfiber shedding.
Constructed in NYC’s Garment District, the midlayer is the first piece in what will become a line of consciously-created apparel the young brand plans on releasing slowly and in limited batches as the seasons roll on. By the end of 2021, expect to see Midlayer_01 available in a few new colorways, with a complete trail outfit(!) set to roll-out Spring 2022.