Norwegian-based Kari Traa Launches in North America

European leader in women’s active apparel expanding to US, retail availability slated for fall / winter 2015  

Boulder, COLO. – Norwegian-based Kari Traa, the fastest growing women’s active brand in Europe, is proud to introduce their line of award-winning base layers and sport accessories to the US market for fall / winter 2015.

Kari Traa, a world champion athlete who ruled the throne of women’s freestyle skiing and won the Olympic Gold Medal in Salt Lake City, founded the company in 2002. During her storied career, Kari was often found knitting colorful beanies for friends and colleagues and her designs became an instant hit. Today, Kari Traa is Scandinavia’s leading sports brand for women offering a complete line of training apparel, outerwear, skiwear, and sport accessories.

As sales of women’s activewear soars and women’s participation in snow sports rises, Kari Traa is eager to introduce its bold and high-quality product line to a new base of active consumers in the US.

“We believe we have a relevant and compelling story that is missing in the American market,” said Sissel Himle, Marketing Manager for Kari Traa. “While the product line is the pinnacle of performance and quality, the brand culture is all about having fun and being playful. Our bold, creative styles are designed to make women feel and look great no matter what activity they’re doing. We’re less about ‘hard-charging performance’ and more about being active because it’s what makes you happy.”

For its Fall/Winter 2015 debut in North America, Kari Traa will focus on its base layer line including the award-winning series, Svala and bestseller series, Rose. The Svala line features a quick-drying stretch fabric – a unique mixture of dri-release polyester and wool – providing optimal warmth and breathabiliy when hitting the slopes or taking a run in the neighborhood. Rose is Kari Traa’s premium, best-selling wool base layer. 100% superfine merino wool makes it soft on the skin, breathable, and naturally odor-resistant. Its feminine cut and Scandanavian-inspired design is unlike anything else on the market and is the perfect garment when bundling up for cold winter days.

Fresh off of the SIA trade show in Denver where the company had a fantastic response from retailers, Kari Traa is developing a nationwide sales force in the US to help establish the brand in the speciality channel. The company will be opening its US headquarters in Colorado during the spring of 2015.

Sales inquiries should be directed to North American General Manager Henrik Lumholdt at Henrik.Lumholdt@activebrands.com.

About Kari Traa

 

Before founding the clothing company that bears her name, Kari Traa was a freestyle skier who mastered moguls for a living. Today, Kari Traa is Scandinavia’s leading sportswear brand designed for girls, by girls. Like the nuns and knockouts they inspire and are inspired by, Kari Traa’s designers create clothes that are as feminine as they are unpretentious – and as high-performance as they are gorgeous. Kari Traa sportswear is available in better sports stores throughout Scandinavia, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Holland and the Czech Republic. 

For more information, please visit http://www.karitraa.com/en/.

Source Kari Traa by Maria Hennessey through press release ©