Brand Profile: Airhole Ninja Masks

mike lewis

• September 22 2009
• 1,028 views
• 7 comments

Historically, ninjas, or shinobi, were covert mercenaries specializing in unorthodox methods of warfare including sabotage, infiltration, assassination, and sometimes all out combat. While their origins, like ninjas themselves, are shady, their legacy is great and a new breed can be seen shredding modern day slopes.

While most ninjas were solitary creatures, acting in secret, the crew of Kale Stephens, Chris Brown, Rod Dow, and Max Jenke has convened to bring Airhole Ninja Masks to the masses. We caught up with Jenke to get the scoop.

Where and when was Airhole born? Who are its parents and why did you decide to bring it into this world?

Airhole is the brainchild of Kale Stephens and Chris Brown, Squamish, B.C.  locals and pro snowboarders. The first samples were made with Kale’s grandma’s sewing machine four summers ago and the boys rocked them up at Camp of Champions to protect their faces from the sun. Kale couldn’t smoke a doob with a normal bandana on, so he cut a hole in the mask and the first Airhole was created. Kale rides for Endeavor so I was pumped to see him rocking  something so unique and innovative. I wanted to help them take the brand out of Kale’s basement and to the market.

What is your role?

My role is to oversee the brand in all aspects and work with our factories on production. Rob Dow, former pro snowboarder for Vans, Silence, and Wildcats, who works at Endeavor, handles all  design and sales support, as we have distributors in all of our territories running sales. Kale and Browner take on the creative director roles, giving the brand the crazy ideas that it needs to create a point of difference.

How important has your crew’s name recognition and industry connections been for getting Airhole off the ground?
I think that is important for sure - it’s always nice to support brands that are pioneered by riders who are in the industry and who love the sport and can find a way to make their lifestyle a career. Between Kale and Browner and our connections, it definitely helps to get the word out there and create a bit of hype. We also have an amazing team - Mikey Rencz, Eero Niemela, Ikka Backstrom, Stevie Bell, Travis Kennedy, Dufficy, John and Eric Jackson, the list goes on. Everyone’s just rocking them to support Kale and Browner.

What products will you be making for next season?
We are expanding the line to include three new series of masks to the existing line up of the balaclava and standard. Things are pretty exciting, especially with the product selling through very well last season. The masks are getting more technical and we’re using some luxury materials for 2010.

What has sales growth looked like for you since launching?
It’s been very exciting. We’ve kept it very exclusive and limited supply so that we could offer new masks during holiday and ensure everyone sold through their stock. Every year we are definitely growing but we’re still keeping supply limited, so make sure you get your masks when they hit retail - they won’t last long!!

Tell us about your distribution. Who are your best accounts and why are these a good fit?
We distribute to Asia, North America, South Pacific, and we’re testing Europe at the moment. Facemasks are a popular accessory in Japan, so we’ve seen some success there. Here in Canada we’ve been doing well with our key partners like the Boardroom in Vancouver, the Source in Calgary, and Empire in Quebec. In the USA, Backcountry.com and Dogfunk.com have seen huge success, as they are one of our only online dealers servicing North America. We focus on accounts that we enjoy working with and trust that we can get paid. It’s a tight crew up here and the last thing we need to deal with is people fucking us around with payments.

How have sales been in the States? Are they much stronger in Canada?
Our home market is Canada, especially the west. Our goal is to lock down the east, first and foremost. The US is an interesting market. We have Nando Alcocer in Northern California who has stepped up to help us grow the US strategically, so you will be seeing a lot more of the brand in the coming months.

Was it difficult getting into shops with a narrow product offering or has that been a strength?
Focusing on facemasks definitely makes it easier to slide in there. It seems like retailers are wanting brands to focus a bit more on their strengths, which is why we’re not getting into other categories like layering. The goal is to be the number one face protection company in the world.

When talking to retailers, what are your main points on why they should carry Airhole?
-the best facemask on the market
-combines fashion and function
-doesn’t need to go on sale - ever! We still get emails wanting styles from the past two years.
-perfect add-on item to any sale. Retails are between $24.99 and $34.99.

What makes your facemasks different?
The functionality mixed with fashion-for-your-face definitely gives the product a uniqueness in the market place. A lot of time goes into the fit, function, and graphics of the masks and that shows through when you rock them. If you want to look different on the hill, Airhole is for you.

Tell us about some of the new designs.
For holiday, Kale Stephens is doing a signature mask and a collabo board with Endeavor Snowboards, which is a sick combo. We’re

also doing collabos with mountains. The first one is with Grouse Mountain, one of our local spots. We’re doing an Airhole with their trail map on it.

Any concerns that face masks are a trend? If so, how do you combat that?
No, not really. Neck warmers and balaclavas have been around forever. The fact is your face gets cold when you are on the mountain. Airhole offers a functional solution to this.

What have been the most important business lessons for you since launching Airhole?
Trust your gut! We’ve definitely applied a lot of lessons learned at Endeavor to Airhole.

Does your Web store sell the same product that retailers sell? How does that work?
Yup, at the moment it does. We take a small stock that takes care of the keeners before our retailers want the product. We’re almost sold out now, but partners like Backcountry.com  should be putting their stock up shortly.

What have been your most effective means of marketing Airhole?
Word of mouth for sure. Once you get an A Hole, you tell your friends about it. They’re that good.