Filling a Void in Ski Fashion: The JORDE Story
JORDE Founder Jordan Watts on redefining luxury skiwear, designing for the modern woman, and leading with sustainability.
Happy Friday! Really excited to share today’s interview with a brand I’ve been following for some time, JORDE.
JORDE is a women’s skiwear brand that was born in Stowe, VT, inspired by Jordan Watts’ passion for vintage après-ski styles and the iconic women who wore them. Blending timeless design with modern sustainability, she’s reimagined skiwear to empower women to feel confident and inspired on the slopes.
And! If you happen to be in Denver this weekend, Jordan is hosting a trunk show today and tomorrow. She’ll also be in Aspen later this month to showcase her new collection. Details in the interview below!
An interview with JORDE Founder Jordan Watts.
Let’s start at the beginning. Tell me about your brand and what inspired you to create JORDE?
I always dreamed of becoming a clothing designer, but as a kid, I doubted myself—I wasn’t a great illustrator and thought you had to be super artistic. Most of my life, though, revolved around ski racing—I was a competitive ski racer in New Hampshire and went to Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont (an elite ski racing program) for high school. So skiing was my world, but I also had a deep love for fashion.
My love for skiing and Vermont led me to attend University of Vermont (UVM) for college. While UVM didn’t have a fashion program, I interned at Commando in Burlington, working with both their design and marketing teams.
As was the case for many, graduating during COVID made job hunting tough. Through a series of fortuitous events, I ended up landing my dream role at Bogner in New York City, where finally skiing and fashion came together. A few years later, after relocating from NYC to Vermont, I found myself reflecting on my long-term goals.
That winter, I started sketching designs in my free time. At first, I was hesitant—I didn’t know the first thing about design. But I started doing research and thinking day and night about this vision, and I eventually found a manufacturer focused on sustainability and non-toxic materials. With support from my partner, Jackson Felis, I decided to go for it. I quit my job, and started building this brand.
Since then, Jackson and I have worked on this business full-time together. He handles the financial and operational aspects of the business, while I handle the design, marketing, and wholesale elements. We launched JORDE in October 2024, and the traction we’ve seen has been incredible so far.
How did your experience at Bogner shape your approach to winter fashion and the development of JORDE?
Bogner was a huge learning experience. While I didn’t get hands-on experience in product development there, I gained a deep understanding of wholesale processes, how to build relationships with clients, and what retailers value in terms of quality and design.
The women I worked with were incredible—smart, sophisticated, and talented. They taught me so much about being a professional and a woman in the workforce. That experience shaped my perspective on how I wanted to carry myself in the world of ski fashion.
One major takeaway was how cohesive collections should feel—how small details like zipper pulls or drawstring tabs can tie everything together. That attention to detail is central to JORDE. For example, the zippers, drawstrings, and even the ankle patches on our pants all match, creating a unified look.
Would you say JORDE was born from identifying a gap in the market, or was it more about creating something you personally wanted to wear?
A bit of both! Working at Bogner, I saw how inaccessible luxury skiwear was for younger people like me—it was beautiful but expensive, and out of reach for most people. I wanted to create a product line that felt simple yet thoughtfully designed, with the same attention to detail and style as luxury ski wear—but with a more approachable price point.
In the current marketplace, there are brands that excel in producing high-quality and fashion-forward products, but are priced out of reach for most people. There are also brands that are experts in producing well-made and highly functional products, but lack a sense of fashion. We wanted to build a brand where the two worlds collided, creating products that offered elements of high-end ski fashion while also focusing on functionality and performance, all at an approachable price. It took two years of refining our fit, but I deeply believe it paid off—our pieces look and feel amazing without the ultra-high price tag. While $550 for our jacket or $390 for our pants still isn’t cheap, we work hard to ensure our pieces are technically sound, durable, and stylish.
Can you walk me through the standout pieces in your collection?
Let’s start with the Poppy Jacket, which is one of my favorites. It has a DWR-free and PFA-free waterproof finish, making it completely toxin-free. A fun fact for your readers: we actually use recycled plastic water bottle filling for insulation, which keeps you super warm—even if you’re someone like me who’s always freezing on the mountain.
The Lennon Pants are also a standout. They’re high-waisted, triple-layered, and made with four-way stretch fabric that hugs the body perfectly. They’re also fleece-lined, so you don’t even need a base layer!
Then there’s our one-piece Lottie Suit, which was a design dream of mine. Most one-piece ski suits on the market are flashy and cost upwards of $1,000. I wanted to create something timeless and functional at a more accessible price. The fit was the most challenging part—balancing arm movement and torso length took tons of iterating—but we think the final product turned out beautifully!
How do you ensure your products perform on the mountain while maintaining their aesthetic appeal?
During the winter of 2023, I put our collection to the test, skiing across a range of terrains and conditions all season long to ensure every piece delivered on durability, warmth, and flexibility. I also had friends test the gear in different settings, and their feedback was overwhelmingly positive. On top of that, the collection passed the ultimate test—getting asked multiple times at après ski where my outfit was from!
Our approach isn’t to position ourselves as a technical ski wear brand, but we’ve incorporated functional elements that perform well on the slopes. At the same time, the focus is on how the pieces make you feel—comfortable, confident, and stylish.
You’ve mentioned sustainable design a few times – how have you integrated sustainable materials into your products?
Sustainability is at the heart of what we do, especially as a Vermont-based brand where environmental consciousness is part of the culture. When our manufacturer suggested using insulation made from recycled plastic bottles, we were immediately on board—it’s an amazing way to keep waste out of landfills while offering a high-performance alternative to traditional fillers.
We’re also proud that all our products are PFA-free and DWR-free. For us, sustainability isn’t just a trend—it’s a deeply rooted value that guides every step of our journey.
What’s next for JORDE?
Growing our team is at the top of my list. Right now, I’m wearing too many hats—designing, managing marketing, running social media, onboarding wholesalers, and everything in between. Creating a team of high-quality employees that share the brand’s vision is the next crucial step for the success of JORDE.
We’re already diving into our next collection which I’m so excited about! We’ll have fresh styles and new colors, and we are currently gearing up for trade shows to expand our reach with even more retailers. Launching at Bloomingdale’s in our inaugural year was huge for us, and we’re thrilled to join Nordstrom soon, along with several other independent stores.
Beyond the team at JORDE and our new products, I’m passionate about building a community that connects on and off the mountain. I envision hosting events across the U.S., welcoming new members who share our love for the outdoors, fashion, and sustainability. On the innovation side, we’re just scratching the surface—I’m inspired to explore next-level materials and create new designs that optimize the way we look and feel on the slopes.
Also, Colorado girls… we have a couple upcoming events where you can shop the winter collection!
Denver trunk show at Veronica Beard on December 6 + 7 from 4-6pm
Aspen pop-up at O2 on December 21-23 from 10am-6pm
Right now, the pace is exhilarating and a bit chaotic, but it’s all part of the journey. The future of JORDE feels limitless, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us!
Lastly, I like to ask every Slopeside interview subject, what is your favorite mountain and why?
While I've had some incredible days at Beaver Creek, Stowe is my favorite place to ski because the East Coast has 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.
JORDE is giving Slopeside readers 10% off – use code ‘SLOPESIDE10’ at checkout 💌