10 Mins With: Chloe Simpson

Chloe Simpson, is the founder of AMERL, a women’s snow gear fashion brand born from Chloe’s  lifelong passion for skiing, coupled with her background in fashion and textiles. Having grown up skiing in Australia before working in fashion roles across New York and London, Chloe identified a clear gap in the market for ski wear that is stylish, feminine and truly functional. AMERL combines premium materials, expert craftsmanship and a fashion-forward aesthetic creating high-performance pieces that Chloe has designed to transition seamlessly from the slopes to après-ski, without compromising on fit or style.

ITS> How did you get into skiing?

CS> I was more or less pushed into skiing. My parents were big skiers, and our family had a house in Thredbo, which is a ski town in Australia. From the age of three, my parents would prop me up between their legs and ski with me to teach me. As soon as I was old enough, they put me into ski school.

I used to kick and scream at the start of the day, but by the end I never wanted to leave. Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful my parents were so persistent. Skiing became a huge part of my life and career, but beyond that, it gave me core memories that I’ll always hold onto.

Thredbo

ITS> How do you feel women’s expectations of ski gear are evolving?

CS> I love it, and I’m here for it. Growing up, I wore the same ski outfit for years and looked like everyone else on the slopes. Function always came first, and individuality wasn’t really part of the conversation.

Now, women expect more. The gear itself has become more comfortable, more advanced, and genuinely more enjoyable to wear, which changes how you experience skiing. At the same time, social media has played a huge role. Skiing is no longer just about the sport, it’s also about the entire experience around it. People want to share their holidays, their surroundings, and how they feel in what they’re wearing.

Ski fashion has become part of that story. Women want gear that performs, feels good, and reflects their personal style, both on and off the mountain.

ITS> In what ways does AMERL gear support real movement for women in a way that most brands don’t?

CS> AMERL starts where most fashion-led brands stop. Like any fashion designer, I begin with aesthetics – a flattering silhouette and a look I genuinely love. But once I have a sample in hand, the real work begins. I test everything myself and refine it repeatedly. Most AMERL pieces go through around seven rounds of sampling to perfect the fit, movement, and performance.

Ski suits are a good example. They’ve been fashionable for a few years now, but as someone who snowboards as well as skis, I was never naturally drawn to them. Constantly sitting down, bending over, and strapping into bindings usually makes ski suits feel restrictive and unforgiving. I kept testing and adjusting our designs until that wasn’t the case. Now they’re genuinely all I wear when I snowboard.

That comes down to very deliberate technical choices: using four-way stretch fabrics through the legs, building extra mobility into the shoulders and upper body for bending and reach, and refining proportions so the suit moves with you rather than against you. The goal is gear that looks considered and feminine, but supports real movement on the mountain – not just standing still for a photo.

ITS> What differentiates your performance-led options designed specifically for women from other skiwear sold to women.

CS> What really differentiates AMERL is attention to detail. I focus on choices that other brands might overlook or simplify. For example, all of our closures are magnetic. That isn’t just a design detail, it’s a very deliberate decision. It comes from a childhood memory of sitting on a chairlift, trying to grab lip balm from my jacket, struggling with Velcro and tiny zip pullers. I took off my glove to open it, dropped the glove off the chairlift, and ended up skiing the rest of the day with one hand freezing. That moment stuck with me.

Details like inbuilt, styled thermals and fur collars at the back of the neck are also intentional. They’re there to give women extra warmth without having to over-layer, so you stay comfortable while still looking good.

The Bettina jacket is another example. It can be worn in six different ways, each transformation carefully designed to be simple and intuitive while maximising versatility. While it functions as a premium down ski jacket, many customers also wear it as a vest back at home. For me, it’s about creating pieces that work hard, move easily, and fit into real life on and off the mountain.

ITS> Some women seem to like colours traditionally considered feminine; others are annoyed when they are only offered these colours when they’d prefer the same colours that men are given for their clothing. Do you try to navigate between these two extremes or have you a brand position there?

CS> I don’t really see colour as something that should be gendered. Personally, I’m quite tonal and naturally drawn to classic colours like creams, blacks, and browns, and those will always be a core part of AMERL. They’re timeless, flattering, and they wear well season after season.

At the same time, I love seeing people take risks with colour. Bold shades like red can be incredibly powerful, and I’m noticing more and more men wearing colours that have traditionally been labelled as feminine, like reds and oranges. That shift feels very natural to me.

From a brand perspective, AMERL’s position is about offering considered choice rather than forcing women into a narrow palette. I’ll always anchor the collection with classic tones, but I make space each season for bolder colours that feel current and exciting. It’s about letting women choose what feels right for them, without being boxed into stereotypes. And there are definitely some fun colours coming next winter that I’m excited to share.

ITS> What are the main technical considerations specific to designing for female skiers?

CS> Designing for women starts with understanding how we actually move and feel in ski gear. It’s not just about scaling men’s patterns down. Proportion is everything, from where a jacket sits on the waist, to sleeve and leg length, to how a piece behaves when you bend, sit, or layer underneath.

Comfort is another key consideration. Women tend to feel the cold differently, so warmth placement matters. Areas like the lower back, neck, and core need thoughtful insulation, without adding bulk or stiffness. There’s also the reality of being in and out of gear all day, using pockets, opening jackets on chairlifts, adjusting layers, and still wanting everything to feel easy.

For me, the technical side is about solving these everyday moments quietly. If a woman doesn’t have to think about her gear while she’s skiing, moving, or stopping for a coffee, then the design has done its job.

ITS> How do you think performance wear is adapting to better support time both on and off the slopes?

CS> Performance wear is becoming far more fluid. It’s no longer designed just for the moments you’re skiing, but for the full day around it. People want pieces that move seamlessly from the mountain to lunch, après, travel, and even everyday life.

We’re seeing a shift towards garments that are lighter, more comfortable, and easier to live in, without looking overly technical. Jackets that layer well, trousers that stretch and move naturally, and details that feel considered rather than sporty all play a part. The idea is that you don’t have to change the way you dress once you leave the slopes.

For women especially, there’s a growing expectation that performance wear should feel refined, versatile, and wearable beyond the mountain. It’s less about pushing extremes, and more about supporting real life around skiing.

ITS> Some women have difficulty finding skiwear that fits. If they’re only 150cm tall but a size 12, for example, they often find the larger size skiwear is designed for taller people so leg and arm lengths are much too long for them. Do you have any thoughts/advice there?

CS> It’s a very common problem and comes down to how most skiwear is graded. Brands often add length as sizes go up, even though height and size aren’t the same thing.

My advice is to look for styles where length can be adjusted or controlled. In my collection, the Bettina jacket is a good example. It’s designed to be slightly oversized but can be brought in with an adjustable belt, and it can also be worn cropped, allowing the length to work for different heights. Pairing it with the Roxy leggings, which have a stirrup leg, can also help. They’re often the right length already, and if not, they’re much easier to alter because they don’t have bulky features at the hem like snow gaiters or zips.

ITS> Finally, which are your favourite ski resorts?

CS> I’ve always had a real love for the Swiss Alps. When I was living in the UK, I did a month-long house swap in Saas-Fee, which was an incredible experience. Staying in such a beautiful, quiet village felt unique coming from a busy metropolitan city like London. The skiing there was fantastic, and the longer season, thanks to the surrounding glaciers, gave it an almost timeless feel.

Saas-Fee

I’ve also spent time in Zermatt, which I love for its balance of old-world charm with a bit more energy. It’s a fun town with great skiing, and there always seems to be something happening.

Lastly, I can’t go past St Moritz. I’ve shot two campaigns there now and I love the people-watching and the glamour. It has that old-money aesthetic that’s really on trend at the moment, combined with classic alpine charm and an incredible buzz. Amazing restaurants, a strong social scene, and always an exciting event going on.

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