The Big Balls Collective (BBCo) is a new British headwear company producing beanies for the fashion conscious adventurer with a passion for the outside world which they want to bring down from the mountain to the high street.
The company was set up by Annie Richmond who had spent three years living in Breckenridge, Colorado, where during the winter she worked as a lifty (“probably one of the best jobs ever.”)
“I spent most of my days wearing big baggy overalls that were very unflattering. As we all wore the same uniform the only real way we could express our own style was through our beanies and how we accessorised. One of my good friends who also worked on the lifts one day crochet me a baby pink beanie and that was it I was hooked! From that day on my love of headwear was born,” said Annie.
BBCo is part of the new movement of smaller indy brands which have emerged in recent years focusing on the ski and snowboard market. It’s big, bold designs make a statement about you – as well as simply looking good!
Annie feels that a lot of other headwear is used by big brands just as an item they can just slap their logo on to just become just an additional form of branding, so their headwear becomes an afterthought and often the quality isn’t there.
By contrast each BBCo beanie starts out as a concept which company designers match with pantones and specific yarn. These are then sent off for sampling and testing before any are put into production.
“Headwear is our core business so we spend a lot of time designing new pieces, looking at new colourways and always looking at how to improve quality.”
The Big Balls Collective is also socially and environmentally conscious, supporting local British athletes. The company also backed the new freeski movie ‘Misconceptions’ by Perspective studios which follows some of the best up and coming British skiers, supporting local talent.
BBCo has also partnered with the Yvon Chouinard in the 1% For The Planet which focuses on helping environmental causes.
BBCO is offering In The Snow readers 20% of headwear, just quote BBCOSNOW at check out for discount. The discount runs till January 31st 2016.
