KETCHUM, Idaho (BRAIN) — Club Ride Apparel has added a female designer to its staff, as a part of the brand's strategy to increase women's sales to 50 percent of its overall sales by next year.
The new hire is Mia Stearns, a native of the Sun Valley area, who joins Club Ride after three years as the men's knits and fleece designer and one year as the mountain bike designer at Fox Head. Stearns studied at the Orange Coast College & Academy of Art University and interned in design at Volcom while in college.
"We are thrilled to have Mia on board as our senior designer," said Mike Herlinger, Club Ride's founder and head of product development. "Her history at Volcom and Fox Head will prove to be beneficial to the continued growth of Club Ride. She brings expertise and a fresh perspective to Club Ride's casual-performance cycling-inspired clothing, which is sure to enhance our current and future development. Mia has a contemporary perspective of style, color and function helping us raise the bar and evolve in design as a technical lifestyle clothing company."
Women's clothing accounted for 37 percent of Club Ride's sales this year.
In other news, Club Ride has launched an ambassador program for 2015. Key pro ambassadors include Ruthie Matthes, Sara Ballantyne, Frankie Andreu, Heather Irmiger and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, the IMBA Trail Care Crew of Jordan Carr and Lani Bruntz, the Sun Valley Higher Ground Hand-cycling Team and USA Triathlon's president, Barry Siff.
Club Ride also is making its debut at next month's Outdoor Retailer trade show this year.
"As the line continues to be the go-to apparel for a broader mix of people who live an active lifestyle, the need to meet with outdoor retailers and customers has increased," the company said.
The company recently added new sales reps, including Shane O'Brien and Associates in the Midwest, Scott Williford/Southeast Sales in the Southern states, Scott Fortner/Adrenaline Sports Group in Southern California and John Blye in the Northeast.
