Sherpa Adventure Gear appointed Maria Vlahos as director of design. Vlahos comes to Sherpa with more than 19 years of design experience in the outdoor apparel industry.
“The Sherpa family is so excited to welcome Maria as our Director of Design. Maria has a fantastic eye for design details and an unrivaled knowledge of our core customer. Her expertise and talent are the perfect match for the exciting direction that Sherpa is headed,” says Kelsie Costa, CEO of Sherpa.
In her new role as design director for Sherpa Adventure Gear, Vlahos will be leading the product line by analyzing trends as well as utilizing her knowledge of the consumer to help bring more new and innovative products into the Sherpa collection for future seasons. Her goal is to reach a broad audience across multiple channels by delivering ageless, timeless and versatile clothing that become go-to pieces for travel and everyday adventures while keeping the distinct heritage of the brand alive in each product.
Preceding arriving at Sherpa, Vlahos held the role of women’s senior designer at Prana since 1999, where she led and executed seasonal product for the women’s line by establishing seasonal line direction in themes, colors, graphics and silhouettes. Vlahos also spearheaded key iconic styles and categories that grew to be Prana’s bestsellers, using innovative textiles and designs that helped define contemporary athletic style.
“I am excited to join a brand with a legacy story that gives back to the community,” states Vlahos. “The potential is enormous, especially given Sherpa’s dedication to premium materials, fabrics and production partners.”
