Icebreaker will open a global design center in Portland, Oregon. In conjunction with the new design center, the company has also appointed Sandy Larowe as VP of product design. Larowe will establish a US-based global design team to work closely with the Icebreakers existing design team in Wellington, New Zealand. Larowe brings a depth of expertise in the global sporting goods apparel industry, spanning sixteen years of directing technical performance and lifestyle brands.
“The Portland design hub will allow us to broaden our talent pool, drawing from the wealth of both US and European design expertise in the area,” said Jeremy Moon, Icebreakers founder and CEO. “The US-based design team will strengthen our focus as a global brand. And, were excited about Sandys level of expertise and understanding of design aesthetics and functionality; this is an exciting growth step as Icebreaker and the merino category continue to expand on a global scale.”
Larowe will be recruiting a Portland-based team to operate from the industrys apparel epicenter. “Portland is truly the focal point of the performance apparel industry, and well be building our team from its breadth of international talent,” said Larowe. “Icebreaker holds enormous growth potential, combining a global approach with a sustainable product offering, at a time when consumers are evaluating ethical factors in their purchasing decisions. Im looking forward to working with such a progressive company and talented design team, to design and create performance lifestyle apparel thats not at the expense of the environment.”
Icebreaker has maintained a design team in New Zealand that will continue to serve as the core directive for the brands clean aesthetic and lifestyle crossover appeal. The Portland design center is scheduled to open in late spring 2007. Larowes appointment is effective immediately, joining the team in anticipation of the Outdoor Retailer and ISPO tradeshows.
