I have some fantastic news! I am in the initial stages of creating a fabulous line of outdoor clothing… the likes of which the outdoor-recreational world has never seen! I am constantly dreaming of things I wish I were wearing while I am walking, rather than the silly offerings of corporate “outdoor clothing” brands. Do they even test this stuff? …on real people? …that actually go hiking?? …before they pawn it off on unsuspecting retail shoppers?? Well, me thinks not. Lol.
I walk, hike, backpack, trek… whatever you want to call it… a lot. And I can honestly say there have been very few pieces of clothing that have ~ even some ~ of the qualities I wished for in outdoor clothing. So, I have decided to make this life-long dream a reality. If I can’t buy it, I will just have to make it myself.
The little hiking gear shop I opened in North Georgia in the early 2000s had me attending trade shows several times a year to place orders for the next season’s merchandise. It was truly a stressful task, as I disliked nearly everything offered. The clothes always looked the same to me. And I was forced to trust my reps to guide my extravagant purchase orders (well, at least for my little shop) while gambling future holiday profits on next year’s fashion trends. It felt like cruel and unusual punishment.
In my heart, I really wanted to sell backpacking gear, especially to the newbies lucky enough to stumble across such a magical hobby. But my friends, industry colleagues, and business mentors constantly told me that clothing was where you made your sales and, therefore, more of the coveted almighty dollar. I resisted as long as I could.
In my second year of business, I finally caved and brought in several major lines. All the clothes were the same. I hated them. They didn’t fit me. They were all brown and drab. Do you know how many ways there are to describe the color brown? (Tan, beige, sand, stone, sahara, camel, desert, chocolate, espresso… you get the point.) And to me, they looked like they were all made for skinny little girls who were satisfied to look like an “outdoor enthusiast.” Most of the clothing I encountered did not meet my personal needs or desires, making it difficult to be excited about selling them. So, where are the clothes that actually fit my body? …And have some real pockets?? (And I don’t mean those tiny secret “stash” pockets that hold a tube of lip balm!!) …And don’t look like I am trying to blend into the forest floor???
As I write these words, I am planning a two-month trip to India to meet the master tailors that will help me create the first line of prototypes for WildWoodWear, my new enchanted business venture. I have decided to take a magnificent leap of faith! I was led down this path by following magical breadcrumbs intricately laid out by the Universe. And here I am today, saying… no… shouting, “YES!!!! WHY THE HELL NOT!?!” This has been a dream of mine for so very long. I’m absolutely going for it.
But wait, there’s more! The most exciting part is that I will take a few of my prototypes to Nepal in mid-November, where I am heading out on a two-week trek to the Mount Everest Base Camp. On my birthday, I will be summiting Everest Base Camp, wearing my own amazing clothing! I cannot think of a better way to celebrate life. Not to mention that I am crossing off two significant “bucket list” items at the same time! I am so grateful.
Stay tuned…. There is MUCH more to this story coming soon!
xoxCollin
