Q&A
10 MINUTES WITH THE FOUNDER
NINOX
We at Slifer Denver are a small company and we love to see what makes other local companies tick. So we created this series hoping to tell their stories from a dierent angle. Enjoy our conversation with Greg Casals and Allie Thielens the founders of NINOX, a menswear label from Boulder. I N T E R V I E W: Chantel Ellerington P H O T O G R A P H S: NINOX I S S U E 008
THE FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO THIS MONTH
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PIKKAS PERUVIAN CUISINE & PISCO BAR
The NINOX team find inspiration from Boulder Iconic companies. Featured above is Todd Berger and Lucian Föhr of Berger & Föhr a design studio on Spruce Street in Boulder. Their latest adventure includes being the co-founders of Ello, an ad-free social network. More on NINOX.CC
“We’re constantly inspired by the innovation that exists in Boulder. Every other company in Boulder also started with an idea.” SECOND HOME KITCHEN + BAR
- Allie Thielens, founder
AVIANO COFFEE
Q&A
CE: NINOX is… AT: NINOX is a menswear label that makes modern and functional apparel that works equally well in urban environments as it does in the outdoors. By utilizing the finest luxury and performance fabrics in a sophisticated design, NINOX offers clothing with a refined aesthetic. CE: With a background in finance what lead to the fruition of a menswear label… CG: I studied economics at Boston College, and minored in art history and philosophy, so I have always loved art and design, especially modern art. As a cyclist, I’ve grown to appreciate the technical aspects of my apparel and thought these types of clothes were missing in the market. When I met Allie through a mutual friend, we both shared the same vision for applying technical fabrics to a modern aesthetic. CE: With Boulder leading the country in tech-startups how have you and your team been inspired by other local innovative companies? GC: Boulder is such a unique and incredible place for innovation right now in the tech world, but also within the food & beverage, marketing and outdoor industries. We’re constantly inspired by the innovation that exists in Boulder, which is helpful when you’re starting a company from the ground up, working a ton of hours, and doing everything we can to get noticed. Every other company in Boulder also just started with an idea.
CE: As an entrepreneur, never be afraid of… GC: As an entrepreneur, never be afraid of going with your gut feeling and asking for help when you don't know the answer. Entrepreneurs are typically self-starters, so they often end up trying to tackle all the problems and issues themselves. I think we have learned over the past year that sometimes we need to delegate, and that there are plenty of people out there that want to help you succeed. CE: The insider on NINOX short films … AT: We do all the filming and post-production ourselves. Film to us is art, and we think it is a great way for people to experience and understand our brand. There is so much more you can say visually in a short film that just doesn't work in static images, so we've really had a lot of fun doing the films. We have a ton of ideas that we want to get into production soon.
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“ Film to us is art, and we think it is a great way for people to experience our brand. There is so much more you can say visually in a short film that doesn’t work in static images, so we’ve really had a lot of fun doing short films. ” - Allie Thielens
Founder’s, Allie Thielens and Greg Casals
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NINOX ambassador, Colby Pearce is an American professional cyclist
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Q&A
In his element. NINOX ambassador Colby Pearce.
CE: Organic cotton sourced from Portugal, a family-owned custom shirt maker in New Jersey, products made in the USA … Tell us more.. AT: We source the highest quality textiles that are produced all around the globe, from cotton shirtings in Portugal, to technical dryskin softshells in Switzerland, to organic cotton fleeces in North Carolina. We partnered with a well-known technical factory in Vancouver to produce our launch collection, then partnered with a custom shirtmaker in New Jersey for our dress shirts, and Brooklyn based manufacturer for our pants. CE: Three words to describe NINOX to a stranger? AT: Functional, Modern, Sophisticated
CE: What is your must have for F/15 … AT: The NINOX Bennett is our Modern Field jacket and is a core NINOX piece. The Bennett is made from a Schoeller Wool bonded to luxury soft fleece and is completely functional because it is highly breathable, water & wind repellent, with just enough stretch to make it comfortable. CE: Local: Where can folks in Colorado shop NINOX? AT: The full NINOX collection can be purchased at www.ninox.cc and can be found in Nod & Rose in Boulder and Armitage & McMillan in Denver. CE: Next up… AT: We plan to continue building out the wardrobe of the NINOX man with more modern and stylish core pieces and might launch a collection of bags!
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#Polarized #Handmade #NINOX #Boulder