Akova

Long before Julia Mancuso dreamt of winning Olympic gold, she had visions of fashion design dancing in her head, and not surprisingly, for a woman whose nickname is “Super Jules”, her design skills are as amazing as her alpine super powers.

“I think it was a pretty normal 5th-grade vision, where school sort of puts pressure on you to find a passion. We got to choose our own final project, and I have no idea why I was so into clothing design, because looking back, I was not that fashionable – but I somehow decided I was going to sew my own clothes and present them, and that’s when I thought being a designer would be a really amazing job. I remember looking at going to design school when I was 16, and then flash forward to the 2010 Olympics when I debuted my Kiss My Tiara lingerie line,” Mancuso says.

Mancuso’s latest venture in the world of ice and snow takes her waist deep into the world of fashion design, as co-owner and women’s collection designer at AKOVA, one of the hottest new direct-to-customer skiwear labels on the market.

Heavily influenced by her dual passion for skiing and surfing, and more than 3000 days on snow as a freeskier and alpine racer, Mancuso’s designs are crisp, clean, comfortable, and performance oriented. As a former ski racer who knows what it feels like to be out in the cold for extended periods of time, Mancuso confesses she’s spent an enormous amount of time personally testing out the warmth, stretch, durability, breathability, and impermeability of the jackets and pants she’s created.

“I’ve spent countless hours on lifts, and in lift lines, so I would say that carried over a ton into designing the pockets, the insulation, the details. My business partner David Wise (who is AKOVA co-owner, and THE most decorated halfpipe skier of all time) had the great idea to put a button on the hood because when he was flipping it would hit him in the face – but it’s actually brilliant for speedsters as well. Many people complain about hoods getting in the way on groomer days – and filling with air – so this should help,” Mancuso says with a laugh.

And what does Mancuso love the most about her creations?

“I love the fabric, the materials we make our clothing from are all cutting edge and technologically advanced, and the designers I’m collaborating with have been making clothing used for Arctic hunting for the last two decades, so we know good materials,” Mancuso says.

But great fabric doesn’t always translate into great clothing according to Mancuso, and that’s why she’s taken a very hands-on approach to personally monitoring the fit and look of AKOVA’s women’s line.

“The most important thing for me is to be comfortable, but it’s sort of all connected. I want to be comfortable and look good, so I really like the fit, which is definitely more of a performance fit. I also wanted to make the pants a little more tapered than what I’ve seen on the market, so there was definitely a lot of thought put into the fit.  Overall, I would describe the fit of an AKOVA women’s ski suit as ‘your effortless boyfriend jeans, or everyday dress, that look cute, and feel really good and comfortable,’ “ Mancuso says.

Fabric and fit aside, the beating heart of AKOVA’s women’s collection is color, and it lives in the boundless palate of dreamy, liquid blues Mancuso has drawn from her spiritual happy place well to build a very chic and sporty skiwear line. The AKOVA collection does include an elegant assortment of other muted colors like Gluhwein, Smoke, and Black Ice, but the genius and true beauty of this collection springs from the “blue crush” Mancuso admits she has on the deep turquoise waters, and cerulean skies around Lake Tahoe and Fiji where she lives, skis, and surfs endlessly with her husband Dylan, and sons Sonny and Brody.

“I’ve just always loved blue. From my signature POC helmet line, to the “Blue Crush” colors I now use with AKOVA. Blues, and turquoise have always reminded me of my favorite times in nature – the bluebird ski days, the sky, and surfing the blue waters of the tropics,” Mancuso says.

And now for the million-dollar question, what does AKOVA mean? Is it a Polynesian word Mancuso picked up on one of her epic Cloudbreak surf adventures off Fiji? Nope, it seems even the roots of the brand name have whispers of blue, just like the warm Mediterranean waters surrounding Greece, where one part of the brand’s name originates.

“We had extensive brand meetings, and we knew that we would have to make up a word to embody everything we wanted the brand to stand for. Our brand name weaves together the Finnish “avata,” symbolizing opening or unlocking, with the Greek word “akourastos,” representing an indefatigable spirit. At AKOVA, we stand for unlocking potential, and the unyielding pursuit of excellence. Rooted in unwavering commitment, AKOVA embodies continuous advancement, and uncompromised quality. Embrace the world where the dedication of “akourastos” harmonizes with the possibilities “avata” unveils,” Mancuso says.