California Apparel News

Shaun White, the three-time Olympic gold-medal snowboarder and recipient of the most X Games gold medals in history, announced his partnership with outdoor specialty retailer Backcountry, ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Named Whitespace, White's active-lifestyle brand is inspired by the personal freedom people have to create and find their potential.

“What makes action sports so incredible is that they are a melting pot for music, art, and culture. A community where everyone is welcome and encouraged to have their own style and vision,” said White.

The launch of the partnership between White and Backcountry was announced with the release of limited-edition Whitespace Freestyle Shaun White Pro signature snowboards, which were available at backcountry.com/sc/whitespace beginning Jan. 13. Each Whitespace Freestyle Shaun White Pro Snowboard is hand numbered, authenticated by serial number, autographed and wrapped in a custom leather band that has been embossed with the year of inception.

“I've been a professional athlete for over 20 years, so I'm excited to bring my experiences competing, training, and designing together to make gear that represents action sports in an authentic way,” explained White. “Whitespace is a term creatives use for a blank canvas: a place for everyone to be who they want to be and have the freedom to create whatever it is they want to create. Together with Backcountry, I'm excited to launch my namesake brand and bring this to life.”

Release of the snowboards occurred ahead of the Winter Olympic Games, which will begin Feb. 4 in Beijing. These games will be White's fifth Winter Olympic Games. Later this year, a line of outerwear, snowboard hard goods and streetwear will debut under the partnership. White will ride the limited-edition board during the games.

“We're beyond thrilled to partner with Shaun White in the development of an outdoor brand that's truly rooted in greatness,” said Backcountry Chief Executive Officer Melanie Cox. “Shaun is the G.O.A.T. of snowboarding, but has also influenced fashion, music and business outside of the sport. Snowboarding has always been an alternative sport and has blended music, arts, culture and lifestyle together. As a result, Whitespace will push the limits of style in the mountains and beyond, and we're incredibly proud to be the trusted partner.”