Inspired by vintage clothing and classic snowboard films, Melissa Grandkoski looks at her designs through a “what do snowboarders want” lens with an aim to craft something different.
Melissa Grandkoski has shaped Airblaster’s aesthetic since its inception, and her less-is-more approach produces outerwear with a twist. Inspired by vintage clothing and classic snowboard films, she looks at her designs through a “what do snowboarders want” lens with an aim to craft something different. “It’s kind of like a puzzle; I try to figure out how to be different but still functional.”
In 1994, when Melissa first started snowboarding, there was no such thing as women’s snowboard equipment or women’s snowboard outerwear. Recognizing an opportunity, Melissa took jobs that taught her apparel design, both in and out of the snowboard industry. When her friend Travis Parker co-founded Airblaster, she jumped at the opportunity to develop a women’s outerwear line.
She attributes much of her and Airblaster’s success to creating products with crossover and to collaboration with the men’s designer, her husband and co-founder, Jesse Grandkoski. And she always keeps an ear to the ground. “What’s cool now is the ‘90s style—it’s so crazy to think that’s vintage now. The baggier silhouette, the gas station jacket. I called that out years ago. I remember going through photos of Jamie Lynn and telling the sales reps that baggy pants were coming back, and they laughed at me. And that felt like four years ago. That’s another part of being a designer—feeling out what’s next.”
She attributes much of her and Airblaster’s success to creating products with crossover and to collaboration with the men’s designer, her husband and co-founder, Jesse Grandkoski. And she always keeps an ear to the ground. “What’s cool now is the ‘90s style—it’s so crazy to think that’s vintage now. The baggier silhouette, the gas station jacket. I called that out years ago. I remember going through photos of Jamie Lynn and telling the sales reps that baggy pants were coming back, and they laughed at me. And that felt like four years ago. That’s another part of being a designer—feeling out what’s next.”
When asked about taking risks, Melissa attributes Airblaster’s success to trust – a small team collaborating, balancing “mainstream” designs with more fashion-forward, non-traditional designs like the Stormcloak. “It’s a longer silhouette. So that’s been my play piece for the past couple years, my risk-taker piece. It’s more fashion forward; it’s not what you typically see. It’s one that I can have a little bit more fun with. I did the patched elbows, little things that are a bit different, that aren’t normal.”
Outerwear like the Stormcloak lie at the heart of Melissa’s philosophy—fun and quirky, yet approachable. In snowboarding terms, Melissa’s outerwear is, as she puts it, “like a beautiful backside 180. It’s a classic little move that just looks pretty. It’s easy, but it’s not that easy to do it good, ya know?”
To check out more of Melissa's personal work, find her on Instagram @melissajeanmade
Outerwear like the Stormcloak lie at the heart of Melissa’s philosophy—fun and quirky, yet approachable. In snowboarding terms, Melissa’s outerwear is, as she puts it, “like a beautiful backside 180. It’s a classic little move that just looks pretty. It’s easy, but it’s not that easy to do it good, ya know?”
To check out more of Melissa's personal work, find her on Instagram @melissajeanmade