Working Towards A Greener Planet

Working Towards A Greener Planet

Mirte Nikita Clothing

Sustainability is important. You know this, we know this and here at Nikita we have made a commitment to sustainability and to increasing our efforts to help support a healthy planet and healthy life.

We aren't going to sit here and try and tell you that we're the best, or that we never make mistakes or that we know everything. We don't.

What we can do (and what we are doing) is trying - we're searching for more sustainable materials and rethinking our current practices and processes to see how we can improve on what we've been doing over the years. The goal is to be a part of making a difference in the world one step at a time.

Eco sustainability Nikita Clothing

So what have we been doing to make good on this? Nikita Clothing has begun integrating a new insulation into our outerwear. The insulation is a material from Thermore® called Ecodown®. Curious about what that is? Here's a little info from Thermore® about this down-alternative insulation - 

"...the Ecodown® product line is made of fully recycled content, derived exclusively from PET water bottles. The new Ecodown® is the only synthetic product in the market to be made from 100%, post-consumer plastic bottles."

This insulation is made from recycled plastic bottles (keeping waste out of landfills), and through its careful creation its earned itself a bluesign approval. 

"BLUESIGN is a system that provides safer and more sustainable environments for people to work in and everyone to live in. Powered by a holistic approach, BLUESIGN traces each textile’s path along the manufacturing process, making improvements at every stage from factory floor to finished product. BLUESIGN changes the environmental impact of textiles for good. As a solution provider and knowledge broker, BLUESIGN acts as an independent verifier to secure trust and transparency. Corresponding to this approach, BLUESIGN encourages the industry to increase their efforts in sustainable processes step by step."

Summer Fenton Nikita Sycamore Jacket Lavender

There are a lot of ways we can continue to improve and we love sharing what we do with you, our community, so you know what we're doing and what goes into your outerwear. We couldn't wait to tell you about this one and we STILL can't wait to tell you about what we have for our next streetwear collection coming up (hint: 'organic' ingredients aren't just for your food!)

Check out the pieces from this season that include the new Thermore® Ecodown® insulation and let us know which is your favorite!

Right now we're pretty stuck on the Poplar Jacket, but the Banyon seems to be calling our name too 🤔

Banyon Jacket Nikita Clothing snowboard

The below pieces feature Thermore® Ecodown® -

Poplar Jacket

Sycamore Jacket

Banyon Jacket

Distortion Parka

STRAWBERRY (BERLIN) 25TH ANNIVERSARY

STRAWBERRY (BERLIN) 25TH ANNIVERSARY

STRAWBERRY (BERLIN) MEETS ALASKA – PHOTO EXHIBITION AND 25TH SHOP ANNIVERSARY

Our friends over at Strawberry Shop Berlin are celebrating their 25th Anniversary of being in business with a photo exhibit of their most recent group snow trip - to Alaska! Read on to hear from Strawberry owner Juliane about how their trip went and where to find them to see the full photo exhibit in person.

My name is Juliane and I am the owner of Strawberry – a cool girl fashion store in the middle of Berlin which exists since 1995. I am organizing snowboard trips for girls only since the very beginning of the shop. We´re always trying to go to special spots like Hawaii Big Island, Sierra Nevada Spain, Saarisälkä Finnland, Oppdal Norway or Stryn,… so far, there was only missing Alaska!

No sooner said than done, our last trip beginnings of the year was to Alaska. We´ve been together with a professional photographer team called Cameraworkers.

Alaskan people are very crazy, but super friendly at the same time. At 23 Fahrenheit, all of them are wearing shorts and flip flops. It´s kind of a hot day for them. They are always looking for party, but on the other hand due to their roots, they are very close to nature.

This is understandable since the nature and the views on the top of the mountains are just amazing. If the weather is good, you can see the ocean while boarding. And at our arrival we´ve seen two reindeers in front of a house. Unfortunately, we haven´t seen any bears, but they told us that there is a bunch out there – maybe next time.

Regarding the snow, I am actually speechless. It was just incredible. The snow feels different, I am pretty sure because it´s so close to the sea and the clouds are snowing immediately. Furthermore it was snowing the whole time giant snowflakes. Every morning between 7 and 10 am they had to blow up avalanches. The idea behind the trip was actually doing some shots while Heliskiing, but it was impossible due to the heavy snow falls. The helicopter couldn´t event start. Therefore we had to search our own slopes on the hills and we were riding a lot on the slopes. Riding in Alaska is at a high level – they have so many black slopes for advanced riders. We (and you) definitely have to go snowboarding or skiing in Alaska (once again).

Convince yourself and check out our upcoming event on December 7th. We´re going to do a special photo exhibition and celebrate our 25th anniversary. Please feel free to join us for some hot wine and cookies. Furthermore, there will be the option to buy some of the shots of Alaska – (Do you still need a Christmas present?) and a photo shooting to win from Cameraworkers. We´re looking forward to seeing you!

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/789738531471587/

 

Ms. Superpark Days 1 & 2 Snowboarder Recaps

Ms. Superpark Days 1 & 2 Snowboarder Recaps

If you've been following our feed, you'll have been staying up to date with the latest happenings on hill at Big Boulder for Ms. Superpark. What the feed doesn't always give you a beautiful laid-out space where you can appreciated all of the images that are coming out of the long days of riding.

Snowboarder Mag does an amazing job at capturing the moments and the vibes of what it's like to be on hill with nearly 100 ripping female riders. We won't try to out-do the pros here, so check out these excerpts from the Snowboarder Mag photo recaps from Day 1 and Day 2 and if you like this sampling, be sure to go read the full pieces on their site here

Taylor Elliott Mary Walsh Snowboarder Mag

Day 1 -

Words - Mary Walsh

"True to form of snowboarders in general, female riders especially have always been hell bent on making it happen, whether "it" is a movie project, video part, snow chasing road trip, or grassroots event—and when Ms. emerged as a way to come together for a week of park laps, the stoked was high. Over the past few seasons, women have gathered at only a few events designed specifically for them, Snowboy Productions' IT'S TITS! at Boreal, Kimmy Fasani's Amusement MTN, Nine Queens, and park camps, backcountry clinics, and ride weeks around the world. There was momentum and anticipation to add Ms. Superpark back into the fray as another opportunity for the community to come together, rider together, and push one another to showcase the creativity and talent within the collective group...

Nora Beck Mike Yoshida Snowboarder Mag

Far on rider's left, Boulder's Freedom park is a haven for jibbers. It's loaded with different features and it was the first place that crew of ladies started warming up and throwing down. The Rude Girls arrived all the way from Banff and started getting clips on the rails. Maria Thomsen immediately started putting on a clinic and Jenaya Jenkins, Lexi Rolland, Taylor Elliot, Taylor Davis, Savannah Shinske and more went from 0 to 60 right away. Soon the minipipe was being lapped, as Desiree and Bridges went plant-for-plant in the perfectly-cut pipe. A loaded crew including Savannah Golden, Nelly Steinhoff, Summer Fenton, Alice Gong, Kelsey Boyer, Christine Savage, and were hotlapping side hits and the minipipe...

Desiree Melancon Mark Clavin Snowboarder Mag

Over on the rider's right side of Boulder, Madison Blackley was casually charging as soon as the lifts started to turn. The Salt Lake Native is best known for her tenacity in the streets, but she has heavy jumping chops, as well. Just before lunchtime, when the Boulder park crew had put the finishing touches on the Ms. Lane in Boulder Park and the sun had softened the snow just enough, Mads kicked off the first session of Ms. on the hi. Setting the line with her was Desiree Melancon, who was sending methods high over the horizon. Nelly Steinhoff, Emma Crosby, Kailey Bogart, Ty Schnorrbusch, and more were warming up for the week with a serious hip session."

Day 2 - 

Words - Mary Walsh

Ari Morrone Mike Yoshida Snowboarder Mag

"If day one didn’t convince you already, maybe the day 2 recap will—5 years was way too long of a wait for Ms. Superpark to be back on hill! Tricks are being thrown down all over the hill, NBDs are in the air, and lucky for us, the handful of veterans and huge crew of up-and-comers here at Big Boulder are more than up to the task of pushing the limit of what was set a demi-decade ago...

Savannah Shinske Mark Clavin Snowboarder Mag

Midway down the Boulder Park trail, side-by-side quarters were the site of a big day two session. Handplants, airs, liptricks and tranny finders were all fair game as the new arrivals (Stefi, Nirvana, Jill, and Jess) pointed it into the rider's right wall alongside Kelsey Boyer, Emma Crosby, Cori Stevenson, Summer Fenton, and more. Laura Rogoski and Christine Savage were dropping in for doubles. Savannah Golden was initiating surfy tranny finders. Stefi and Jess opened up the rider's right wall with proper handplants. The quick-dropping, consistent-stomping session not only offered plenty of fodder for the upcoming day 2 video, but also catalyzed trick-learning. Madison Blackley was dialing in McTwists. Jill Perkins and Maria Thomsen were learning handplants for the first time. Luminaries, veterans, and up-and-comers rode alongside one another and each trick that was landed launched a subsequent idea or variation.

Stefi Luxton Mary Walsh Snowboarder Mag

[Jess Kimura], you have been a part of seminal projects that are devoted to women's snowboarding, most recently The Uninvited. Why do you feel that women's-specific projects, whether movies, events, etc. are important in snowboarding?
I think it's important just to get to know the whole community of all the girls. These events are super essential for supporting and feeding off each other. Today I was at the quarterpipe and I was learning handplants just from looking at all the other girls and getting so much inspiration. I think it's just super important that we all get together, inspire each other, and support each other because I think that's when we evolve the best. It's just dope to see all the girls kill it and that makes you want to step it up."

To read the rest of the articles and catch up on everything else Ms. Superpark, head over to Snowboarder.com now. Thanks again to Big Boulder Park for building the parks and hosting and to Monster Energy for coming in on supporting the girls and women out there riding all week.  

 

G.W.R. at Big Boulder - Last Winter Stop!

G.W.R. at Big Boulder - Last Winter Stop!

Hello one and all!

Gather around, because we've got some important news here- the final (! 😢 it's ok, don't cry), stop for our North American G.W.R. winter series is coming up quick and it's going to be one you definitely can't miss. We'll be at Ari Morrone's home mountain, Big Boulder park at Jack Frost resort, throwing down with both snowboarders and skiers!

You can expect tons of prizes, giveaways and possibly even some $$$  (👀🔥🍞)! given away to girls and ladies who land their best tricks.

What's more? If you pre-register using the form below and show up as one of the first 40 people to check in, you'll get a FREE, limited edition Nikita Fanny Pack (waht! Yes.). Seriously, you don't want to miss out on this.

Sign up now and we'll see you March 9th at Big Boulder resort for the best day of your winter!

 

 

 

 

G.W.R Rude Girls Recap

G.W.R Rude Girls Recap

Boardsliding into the G.W.R Rude Girls Recap Like......

On Jan 26th the second annual G.W.R. by Nikita Clothing hosted at Sunshine Village with Rude Girls went down.

Wow, what an amazing turnout. If you were at Sunshine Village the photos are up, please go tag yourself tag your friends. And if you weren't there get inspired by all these lovely ladies and go ride!

When I say Rude Girls y'all say YEAHH. Check out all these boarder babes. Who else wants to do a female shred day every day?

Can't wait to see you all next time coming in live from Nikita Clothing featuring Girls Who Ride.

Words By. Riley Elliott

G.W.R. with Empire at Bromont Resort

G.W.R. with Empire at Bromont Resort

ATTENTION ALL EASTCOASTERS: 

G.W.R. IS HEADED YOUR WAY! (SIGN UP HERE)

G.W.R. Nikita Clothing Empire Shops Bromont Resort

We are gearing up with Empire Shops and getting all the goods ready to travel from west to east. In just over two weeks we'll be partnering with Empire to kick off our latest G.W.R., this time at Bromont Resort in Quebec. Nikita is bringing our signature series to the Nuit Blanche where you can expect to find not just an awesome progressions session and late-night jam (with tons of prizing to be given away!) but also a tent village with free snowboard demos, fires and more.
Stop into your local Empire shop to get more info, sign up and check out their selection of snow-weather goods if your kit needs a refresh.

G.W.R. Nikita Clothing Event

Registration starts at 5pm on Feb 16th at Bromont resort and the G.W.R. event goes from 6 - 9pm (though lifts will be running until 2am)!
As always- if you can't catch it in person, we'll be running all of the action through our social channels and you can find all of the highlights as they happen on our instagram @nikitaclothing 

G.W.R. Nikita Clothing Event  

G.W.R. Event Lands at Carinthia

G.W.R. Event Lands at Carinthia

Ari Morrone GWR Carinthia Twsnow

Originally posted on TWSnow- you can check out the full article here!

All photos - Ashley Rosemeyer

Why aren't there more women's events? This is the biggest takeaway from G.W.R. by Nikita Clothing at Carinthia Parks on March 31st.  Girls traveled from Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to be at this single-day event. With so much interest and enthusiasm for something like this, it should be a no-brainer to get more of these progression and jam session days going. If you're a girl and you live somewhere they don't have an event like this, start organizing it! Get out there and bring people together!

GWR Carinthia Nikita Clothing snowboard event

With more than 70 girls gathered together at Carinthia's Lower Nitro Park on the morning of March 31st, the excitement was high and the energy was infectious. Throw-back jams started playing over the speakers provided by Carinthia and the G.W.R. by Nikita Clothing at Carinthia Parks was on. If you're not familiar with G.W.R. events by Nikita yet- the format runs like this; the day starts off with a morning jam session coached by Nikita teamriders, and then after a short break for lunch everyone gathers again at the top of the park to throw down tricks they've just learned (or have already mastered) for a massive giveaway of prizes and goods. Prizes are handed out for riders when they land sick tricks, their personal best tricks, or even when someone just slams super hard; they earn themselves a giveaway and a huge round of applause for going for it.

Was that not enough? Head over to TWSnow now to get your fill on the rest of this recap and see more photos from our G.W.R. event at Carinthia!

NIKITA CLOTHING #FORGIRLSWHORIDE WITH Mirte Van Dijk

NIKITA CLOTHING #FORGIRLSWHORIDE WITH Mirte Van Dijk

Mirte van Dijk is a Dutch snowboarder, content creator and professional nomad. She most recently set off to Japan for a few months and has been taking FULL advantage of the unreal season they've been having there (and we seriously mean unreal- it's been dumping there since December!) We could not resist reaching out to her to get to know more about her. Could you? Read on to see what it's like living out of a suitcase, and never knowing where you'll land next. 

Hi Mirte! We’ve been seeing some of your travels lately and they are looking AMAZING. Those little bits are making us really want to know more- how you do it, why you do it and where you’re going next. 

So, tell us! Spill the beans!

Mirte

Hi Nikita! 
Thanks a lot for your enthusiasm and curiosity, but where do I start? 😇
Well I managed to make my life and work look like one big holiday, by combining everything I had (university, experience, interests). Snowboarding became the base, I just connected the dots from there. It took some time and effort, but it worked, hiiiaaa! One of those dots: I’m an editor and write stories for various magazines (I run one as well! It's called Taste Snowboard Magazine and it's the Netherland's first snowboard magazine). These days you can find some of my work in Prime Snowboarding (D), The Snowboarders Journal (USA), Sidetracked (UK), Hoogtelijn (NL) and Pleasure (D). 
It’s been years I live in a tipi or camper van, small mountain apartments or big village hotels: I never sleep in a bed that I can call mine. It's challenging to live a life that is so free, uncertain and adventurous.
Working on the road is something you develop slowly, I really grew into it. You start by saying, "yes" to every opportunity and you find yourself ending up in the most interesting places. Next stop? Holland! Because I need to renew my passport, haha! After that back to my future home in the Pyrenees and I am thinking of going to Sweden in May.

 
What initially drew you to travel to Japan? 
I think Japan might be the only country that is on the list of every snowboarder, because of the massive amounts of snow, exotic culture and g-o-o-o-d food. It’s been on mine for years! And now I’m here, I leave it on my list, because one visit is really not enough!

Why Hakuba? What exactly are you doing there?

Two friends who run a lodge in Hakuba Valley needed some extra hands this season, only a few hours a day. Before I knew it me and Sébastien (the boyfriend) were on our way to paradise. And besides the great snow, beautiful landscapes and being surrounded by funny animal noises while riding, it actually turned out to be the classic ‘lodge life’. Friends became bosses and we were working way more hours than promised. Sébastien needed to take a break (and a beer), went out and found a new job while still zipping his glass in the bar that appeared out of nowhere. We packed our bags the day after and moved to the coolest riders lodge of Cortina: Hakuba Cortina Lodge (re-opening next season). From the first time since our arrival all the pieces finally came together. 

Mirte taking some turns down the snowy hillsides of Japan
Oh yea- Japan is on everyone's list for sure! And with all the snow that's been falling this season, you picked the best winter to get there by far! 

How long have you been in Japan for?
I touched base eight weeks ago. Wasted my time a bit by staying so long on one spot though. If you ever want to come over to Hakuba, make sure you rent car and explore this whole valley! That’s what I would do different next time.
 
Where have you ridden there? Do you have a favorite spot or mountain?

The lodge is located between Hakuba Norikura and Hakuba Cortina, the last two ski resorts of the Hakuba valley. Cortina is a bit more famous for her treeruns and her massive amount of snow. I have never seen so much snow before! My favourite spot is the backside run of lift number five in Cortina. Not many people know it, so make sure you’re not followed 😉. The forest on this side is not that dense, plus the run is super long. You can ride down all the way to the small village Otari where you take the bus back to Cortina. We call it the “bus run”.

What’s been a stand-out moment to you since getting to Japan?
It is great to ride every day, to meet adventurous people and explore a new culture, which always makes it difficult to pick only one moment that stands out every trip. In the end it’s always the moment I arrive at my destination; that gives me the biggest smile. That’s where all the doubtful questions to live this life are answered with the beauty of not knowing what is next.
Mirte's go-to outerwear in Japan, The Hawthorne Jacket in Coral
Mirte's go-to outerwear in Japan, The Hawthorne Jacket in Coral 

Who have you met along the way? Locals or other people on the road like you?  
Working in a lodge and being involved with snowboard media for several years has the advantage that you meet people all the time. I met interesting explorers from the other side of the world and local Takashi who welcomed us in his home and has leftover board rentals from the nineties (even some old Sims boards!). But I also spent nice small talk moments with some of the competitors of the Freeride World Tour, Travis Rice, Gigi Rüf, Terje Haakonsen and JP Solberg. 
Those are some amazing people to cross paths with. We bet you all had some great stories to trade.
Oh yes, you know it.

So, we've heard legends of, "Japow" and how unreal it's supposed to be. What do you think? Does the real thing stand up to all the hype? 
All stories about Japow are true. I have nothing useful to add, haha! But yes, it is a bit different than the Alps, even when they have some really good powder this season. The base on Japanse grounds is built up more steady and the snow is light like a feather. Every turn you make is face shot style. 

Sometimes a Kamoshika - a goat antilope - is gently walking through the deep powder, making the first tracks. I’m still waiting for the monkeys to jump in front of me and steal my goggles.
Mirte Dumping Snow Snowboarding

You're painting an amazing picture in our minds right now  
🤤
Alright- before we let you go (it's been so good talking with you!) - Take us through a typical day for you in Japan
Depending on the weather forecast I ride for about three to four hours a day, unless we accidentally end up exploring (mostly meaning ‘hiking’ 🙊) more than expected. Around lunch time I help Takashi in the lodge with moving stuff or cleaning till the late afternoon, because then it’s time for my regular computer work. After that I can’t wait to go to sleep, because mostly every three days there is another big dump coming. And no rider wants to be tired when it’s time for fresh treeruns, big powder sprays and countless face shots! 
Thank you again to Mirte for taking the time out of her nomad schedule to sit down with us and answer our burning questions! If you want to follow Mirte in the rest of her travels through Japan, onto Holland and then wherever she lands next, be sure to follow her on Instagram and check out her website mvdmedia.com! As always, keep following Nikita Clothing on Instagram and Facebook for more #GWR #forgirlswhoride content. 
Until next time 

✌️

Mirte Was Here

Girls Shred Session at Snowpark Obergurgl

Girls Shred Session at Snowpark Obergurgl

The first Girls Shred Session just wrapped up in Snowpark Obergurgl!

So many girls turned out for the event to get tips and learn new tricks from freeski coach Lisi Gram and snowboard coaches Lea Baumschlager and Pilar de la Cruz. The coaches were sharing their knowledge and expertise with every girl that came by, and of course getting their own riding time in on the expertly-maintained features by the all-female-shapecrew of the Snowpark Obergurgl.

Check out the two edits that came from the event and be sure to check out the next one closest to you!

Girls Shred Session Obergurgl - Snowboard from Nikita Clothing on Vimeo.

 

Girls Shred Session Obergurgl - Freeski from Nikita Clothing on Vimeo.

NIKITA CLOTHING #FORGIRLSWHORIDE WITH Grace Mayernik

NIKITA CLOTHING #FORGIRLSWHORIDE WITH Grace Mayernik

Nikita Clothing Grace Mayernik

From young-gun shredder riding a few years ago, to lifer and co-owner of new vintage shop Vantage in Salt Lake City, Grace Mayernik has done a lot in the 20 years she's been on this planet. Never one to see an obstacle as a stopping point, she's continuously pushed on to live life exactly the way she wants to.

Read on to get to know where she came from, what drives her, and where she's going next!

Hey Grace- we’ll start with the basics, how old are you?

20

Just 20 and killing it already! Where do you come from and where do you live now? 

I grew up in Virginia, but have been living in Salt Lake City, Utah for the past 7 years.

Grace Mayernik Nikita Clothing

Another basic question to check off the list here- how long have you been snowboarding?

7 years.

Lucky number 7 😜  What or who got you into it?

My older sister Amy got me into snowboarding. She was the first in my family to move out West and whenever we had a break in school we would fly out to visit her and board. It got to the point where we would spend weeks longer then we were supposed to and my whole family kind of just said, what the heck, and made the move to Utah.

That's a big move for a family to just get up and do! We need to meet all of them some day, they sound awesome.

Snowboarding has it's ups and downs. The ups are what keep us coming back, but dealing with the downs and coming back to ride again is what makes a real snowboarder. Have you ever had any downs? How did you deal with that? 

I would say the biggest challenge that I've faced in snowboarding was tearing my ACL and getting knee surgery three years ago. It was really unexpected and definitely put me in a funk at first. I never knew if I would snowboard like I did before the injury and now that I have recovered and regained my confidence I would say the ongoing goal in my snowboarding is to do it for fun, and because I love it.

That's the best kind of attitude to have, and the goal of having fun is what it's all about.  Speaking of fun- what’s your favorite trick right now?

Is riding powder a trick? If not, I'll say handplants.

Riding powder definitely counts as a trick! Handplants do too, we love those choices and need to do some of both ourselves ASAP.

What is your must-have for a day of riding?

I have to start my day with lots of food and coffee. Another must-have would be friends to ride with.

Every snowboarder has a place they’re dying to get to. What’s your dream destination?

Japan!!!!

Oh Japan. That's a place dreams are made of, definitely on the list of places to go.

@vantageslc

A post shared by Grace🌹 (@gracemayernik) on

But you aren't just a snowboarder. What else do you do?

I co-own a vintage clothing store in Salt Lake City! @Vantageslc We've been open now for close to six months and its been an awesome experience, and a lot of hard work. Between balancing snowboarding and owning a business I also just got into yoga, I play guitar, love photography, and skateboard as much as I can!

You own your own shop? Tell us more about Vantage, please!

Vantage is a vintage clothing store in Salt Lake City selling carefully curated 80's and 90's clothes. We opened doors for business in July and before that there was little to no talk of starting something like this.

Grace Mayernik Flea Market

It began with my boyfriend, Paul and I, having a booth at the flea market. We had little expectations for it but it ended up going super well and thats when we realized maybe something like a store could work! Our friend Andrew happened to collect and sell online so we rounded him into the deal and immediately started talking business.

I saw an ad for a space available in our local newspaper and we went to check it out- the space needed a little TLC but it was exactly what we were looking for. They were only asking for a year lease so we figured what the heck, lets do this for a year, see if it works, if not we'll still be able to live working our second jobs. Well, 5 months later, our second jobs no longer in the picture, we couldn't be more happy how it has worked out. It was a leap of faith to get it started but if you ever have the opportunity to start a business with your friends, do it!

We heard you had some cool people drop by one afternoon, who was that again?

We had the band HAIM in the shop before a show once! I wasn’t even there when they came in *laughs* [but Paul was and] he got a pic with them. I guess one of their songs was playing on the radio and Kevin (gravedigger) was like, "Oh are you ladies going to the concert tonight?"

And they were like, "Uh yea that’s us!"

After all of that, how do you unwind after a long day?

Since I've started a business my days are usually packed with things to do, so my favorite thing to do as of now is cozy up on the couch and watch a movie or go to a yoga class and clear my mind for an hour!

You've got the right recipe for everything and it's obvious you push yourself a lot to be exactly who you want to be. Do you get influenced from the outside? Who would you say inspires you the most?

Anyone who paves their own path. Someone who never gives up, who is creative, hardworking, and genuinely happy with the life they live.

And finally - how do you feel about eBay?

Are you asking this question before or after I got banned? (Long Story) But now that my boyfriend lets me sell from an account in his name, eBay and I are still in good standings. For now. 

 

Put this playlist on, grab your board and start getting inspired out on the snow! Thanks to Grace for taking time out of her busy day to catch up with us, stop into Vantage if you're ever in Salt Lake City and stay tuned to Nikita Clothing to catch the next feature #forgirlswhoride

Summer Fenton Jet Set to Japan

Summer Fenton Jet Set to Japan

Ever dreamt of jumping on a plane to Japan, setting off on your very own unplanned perfect JAPOW adventure? Nikita Ambassador Summer Fenton stopped dreaming, started doing- and found herself a world away with no plans, lots of friends, and tons of great snow.

What made you want to go to Japan? 

Ever since I could remember, snowboarding in Japan has always been a bucket list dream of mine. I’m so happy I finally got the opportunity to fulfill it! 

Summer with a method made for Japan

Dreams: fulfilled p. Keith Rutherford

This was kind of a last-minute thing. How did you end up going to Japan?

I was back home in San Francisco and realized I had some rare spare time in between contests. My boyfriend and friends were in Japan and they kept telling me how awesome it was out there. I then got this gut feeling that I should go out there too and do some soul shredding for myself. No contests- just me and my board in Japan. I thought it was crazy that I was even thinking about hopping on a plane and leaving to Japan, especially since I had no actual agenda and knowing that I would be in a foreign country solo traveling, but then I got encouragement from my boyfriend and friends and knew in my heart that I needed to go and make this quick last minute decision for my own good. I packed my bags and left the San Francisco airport 24hrs later- it still gives me chills that I sent it out there.

Did you have a plan before you left?    

I had absolutely no plan whatsoever. I really was just following my instincts and heart. I remember sitting there thinking to myself, “What am I going to do once I land?” I didn’t know where I was staying or even what mountain to ride. I didn’t even know how I was going to get to the mountain town of Hakuba because it is a five hour trip away from the airport nor do I speak or read Japanese. But in the end it all worked itself out.

Spots don't build themselves- Summer and friends putting in the work p. Keith Rutherford

Who did you meet up with there? 

I knew I would meet with Taylor Elliot at the bus station in Hakuba (which was easier than expected). I ended up meeting up with some of the Too Hard/ Powanoia crew that included Taylor and Kendel Elliott, Fancy and Kieth Rutherford and Christine Savage.  We met a bunch of local Japanese riders too! It was so awesome riding with a crew that was motivated and constantly in good spirits. I was so stoked to be filming with them! Love all my new tomodachis!!! <3 Don’t know what I would do without them all!

Where did you go? How long were you there for? I was there for one week. While I was in Hakuba, I received a last minute invite to compete in the Burton U.S. Open in Vail, Colorado for the following week so I had to cut the trip short.

Picking out the perfect post-riding drink in Japan is hard when you can't read Japanese

Something else that Japan has no shortage of- delicious drinks! Just make sure you pay attention to the pictures on the packaging if you don't read Japanese 😜

What was the weirdest thing you saw and/or did? The weirdest thing that I did was drink some herbal lemon relax tea that had cat nip in it. I thought cat nip was just for cats haha…it did make me feel relax though  Or the fact that you have to wear special shoes that are bright red and say toilet on them in the bathroom

What were your top three favorite moments while in Japan?  

Ahhh there were so many to choose from!

 1.) Obviously my favorite moment was riding that JAPOW! It is the fluffiest and just overall best powder ever! This one particular day was just magical- we went to a resort in the Hakuba area where it was only $32 to ride the mountain. Such a steal! There were only eight cars in the parking lot so we basically had the resort to ourselves for the entire day. So many endless face shots and fresh tracks all on the best snow I’ve ever ridden. Like- what?! Is this real life? Somebody pinch me!

Our last run of the day was the one to remember. The chair lifts were about to close and we found this one open area of untracked powder. I was in this unreal state of euphoria, peace, gratitude and presence. It was absolutely mind blowing! And then afterwards I ended the day with my favorite… RAMEN!

Getting that amazing Japow

The goods were got. p Keith Rutherford

2.) I hit my first street spots! Street is scary and I loved every second of it from thinking creatively of what you can do and how you can hit the feature to having to go into the feature confidently without having any second thoughts. I think I liked that part the most because once you’re going you can’t chicken out and stop, you just have to go for it because if you don’t the consequences worsen. Hitting street has taught me so much about myself and I feel I have grown as a person. Landing tricks and lines in the streets were so rewarding and I hope to play in the streets more! 

Summer hitting the street rails of Japan

From the pipe to the streets- Summer's ready for whatever, wherever.

3.) Lastly- exploring Shinjuku, Tokyo. Once I got to Shinjuku, I meant to go drop my board bag off at the hotel. Instead, I got lost and ended up walking and dragging my heavy board bag around the very crowded Shinjuku. It kind of reminded me of Times Square with all the bright lights and billboards, it was a beautiful sight. One bright side of getting lost in Shinjuku was that I practically walked the entire town so when I did finally find my hotel I knew exactly where I wanted to go. In this exact order I went to: 7-11 to grab a quick snack, after I got my fixing at the 7-11, I went straight to the arcade. I decided to go to the one that had popping Japanese music and a lot of pickachu games. Once I was done playing at the arcade, I went to a 24hr ramen shop and ate my life away haha!

I know, I know, you’re probably saying, "why 7-11 when we have those back in the states?" Let me tell you that 7-11 in Japan is the best for snacks and drinks. I didn’t know I liked 7-11 until I went to Japan. The fried chicken and sushi rice balls are so yummy and cheap. Also, there is a huge selection of the most delicious gummies ever invented.

Summer Fenton is a Nikita Snow Ambassador, regular competitor in the halfpipe circuit and lover of sand and waves. If you don't already, see where this jet-setter ends up next by following her on Instagram @badgirlsumsum

Nikita Perspectives - Disposable Art

Nikita Perspectives - Disposable Art

Back in September, we handed out 30 disposable cameras to girls across the US, planning on assembling an entire photo show without even knowing what we would get back. Scary? Yea, maybe a little 😅

Luckily, we had nothing to worry about. What we got back on those cameras was nothing short of awesome! We should've known that we could count on our Nikita Nation to deliver pic after pic of disposable gold ✨ There were photos from skate sessions at the park, hikes along mountain ridges, urban explorations and even cowgirls out on the ranch. Every image was like a snap straight from their lives, and we loved looking at every single one.

Our event went off better than we could've hoped, if you haven't checked out the recap of it yet you should now. Of course, there was no way we could include all of our favorite images in that show- we would've needed an art space the size of a real museum (maybe that's an exaggeration, but still, we would've needed a bigger space for sure).

Nevertheless- we buckled down, picked our favorites to show, and had an event to remember!

So here they are- in all their disposable glory. Enjoy these select images from our disposable Nikita Perspectives Project.

Perspective from Emily Bedell

Perspective from Amanda Proudfit

Perspective from Summer Fenton

Perspective from Grace Mayernik

Perspective from Heidi Venturine

Perspective from Quinn Poer

Perspective from Emily Bedell

Perspective from Amanda Proudfit

Have a favorite? See something cool? Want to just let us know what your unique perspective is? Connect with us on Instagram @nikitaclothing or Facebook Nikita Clothing! We can't wait to hear from you.