Slug it to Me Baby! Slugskis Deliver the Steeze

Slug Skis are stoked to be featured in Snow Scene’s Aussie Indie Snow Start Up series. The following is Q&A with Slug Skis Founder, Matt.

Snow Scene’s Aussie Indie Snow Start Up series continues with mighty Melbourne based Slugskis – born in captivity, aka one of the 2020 lockdowns, Slug are on a mission to put the steeze back in skiing down under says founder Matt Tickner.

SNOW SCENE: First question though, Matt where did the name come from?

Slug is my nick name on the mountain at Hotham. I always wanted to start my own ski brand, starting with apparel but hoping to get a line of skis and boards manufactured in Austria in the next 1-2 years.

SNOW SCENE: What motivated you to take the plunge and do that?

Youth Snow culture in Australia has long been dominated by the snowboarding scene. There is a lot of mud slung over the fence from snowboarders about being a skier. Even though it’s all in the name of fun, the Australian snow culture is still stuck in the early 2000s, and you can’t make a turn without some noob boarder making a comment about your skis.

If you travel into the northern hemisphere, to Europe & America, ski culture is alive and well, the mountains are dominated by some of the most bad-ass and gnarly athletes on the planet: Candide Thovex, Aymar Navarro, Tanner Hall & Henrick Harlaut to name a few.

Online Ski communities like Newschoolers, Slvsh and Downdays feature daily content of mind-blowing tricks and hardcore freestyle and BC skiing, but this content is not so well known in Australia.

Slug Skis wants to make Skiing great again. Young Aussie kids are taking up freestyle skiing in droves, choosing technique, speed and aggression over the image of being a snowboarder.

SNOW SCENE: Ok, that’s the motivation, what’s the inspiration for your designs?

Our winter apparel is inspired by the 80s and 90s legends of the ski world. Bright Colours and outrageous designs dominate our collection, revamped with a modern look to maximise steeze and make skiers feel comfortable in their own skin on the hill.

This year, the wildest and coolest apparel on the mountain will be the select few woke shredders rocking Slug Skis!

Funnily enough, this brand has been wildly popular with boarders and skiers alike. Slug Skis is a brand for everyone to express themselves through loud colours and vibrant outerwear, without judgment or fear of being ridiculed, no matter what snow sport they choose.

SNOW SCENE: Sounds good to us. Bring back colour!

Personally I’d still be wearing my yellow 90s pants if Mrs Boss round here hadn’t recycled them out for the homeless in Argentina a few winters back.

Speaking of colour, that gets more outrageous in your Acid collaboration.

Slug x Acid

One of our most successful projects has been to partner with Kelly Hoskins from Acid Bags, who has over 20 years experience in the Fashion Industry, to produce a limited edition line “Slug x Acid- Melbourne Made” Soft Shell Jackets.

These have been extremely popular, as we let you choose their own colours, and even let you design your own jacket! Each Jacket is handmade in Melbourne to order and personally delivered by the Slug himself.

Due to the 2020 Lockdowns in Melbourne, most Victorians missed out on a Ski Season. But this year we will be back with a vengeance, making up for lost time and getting that fresh mountain air in our lungs! 

Slug Skis will be there every weekend promoting an inclusive ski culture for everyone to enjoy! Look out for us (we’ll be the ones rocking fluro outerwear and tearing up the hills from first ’til last chair every day we can get.

Stay Rad, Stay Steezy, see you on the hill!

The full original article can be read here: https://snowaction.com.au/slug-it-to-me-baby-slugskis-deliver-the-steeze/