Why we love Naomi & Alder Apparel.

Mallory here. Prepare yourself because I'm about to fangirl real hard.

Alder first caught my eye through their extremely successful Kickstarter campaigns. I fell in love with the gorgeous visuals of women who looked like me and my friends frolicking in nature wearing stylish, flattering, and colorful hiking attire. From the messaging to the imagery- it was clear the focus was on enjoyment over performance. They were speaking my language.

I purchased my first set of their 'Take A Hike' shorts and my review can still be found on their website where I declare that I am 'obsessed'. That statement was just as true then as it is now a year later. 

On top of being 'obsessed' with my shorts (and pants and tank). I am obsessed with Naomi & Mikayla's commitment to creating for and representing real women of every size, color, age, and level of athleticism. They make it clear that the outdoors are for everyone and we couldn't agree more!

Q: What is your dog’s name and nicknames? 

A: Duncan aka Dunky aka Baby bear aka Peanut butter pig aka Potato monkey aka... should I go on? It's surprising that he knows his actual name tbh.

Q: Describe Duncan's personality in 1 sentence. 

A: Food driven, anxious lap dog.

Q: Does Duncan have any funny quirks or habits? 

A: Oh yes - ever since he was a little pup, he loved to sleep on his back. So strange, so cute.

Q: What is your favorite outdoor activity to do with Duncan?

A: Duncan loves to go for a good hike! Day to day we're fortunate to live right by High Park in Toronto, where we can go for daily walks on the trails together

Q: Tell us about Alder and why you started it. 

A: Mikayla and I launched Alder because we wanted to create an outdoor brand for everyone, not for the select elite. Even though we both enjoy the outdoors and spend time hiking, camping, snowboarding, swimming, climbing, golfing and more, we often felt excluded from the outdoor industry because we didn't feel like we fit into the traditional depiction of an 'outdoorsy' person. So we decided to create our own brand with the intent to redefine who and what = outdoorsy.

Q: What is the best lesson you’ve learned thus far regarding owning your business/brand? 

A: There are so many! I think the biggest thing is just to believe in yourself and your vision. Also to be comfortable with the unexpected - nothing goes to plan!

Q: What’s up next for Alder? What has you excited for 2021/22?   

A: We're super excited to be launching new products over the next few months - most recently we launched our get dirty dress and this fall we're bringing back our 5 star rated go far fleece. It's super cozy and comfortable and perfect for cooler nights this Fall.

Follow Naomi & Duncan's adventures @naomiemmablackman and give Alder a follow @alderapparel. I highly recommend shopping and supporting alderapparel.com.