LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Born out of the Tahoe mountains, SNO is an apparel brand that seeks to capture the spirit of the Sierra Nevada, the stoke of skiing, and the heart of the people who make Tahoe’s mountain community special.
“I want it to be a community stamp,” founder Chelsea Rogers says, seeking to create a sense of belonging with the brand. “I hope people in our community love it and can wear it with pride and know that they’re getting a quality piece from their hometown.”
Launched in October, SNO features T-shirts, beanies, hoodies and sweatshirts that capture Tahoe, whether it’s the lake embroidered or other tributes to the area and snow culture throughout the designs.
The brand’s name even captures the region’s locality and desire, with SNO standing for Sierra Nevada Onding.
“Onding means a heavy downpour of snow. It’s a Scottish term,” Rogers explains. “In the wintertime, we all pray for snow.”
Rogers takes pride in the quality of the clothing: “I want it to be a high-end piece that represents our brand that people are proud to wear.” That meant taking the time to ensure she got it right.
From concept to launch, Rogers took around 4 years, vetting and perfecting the quality and design.
The vision stemmed from Rogers’ own search for a ski hoodie while on maternity leave in 2021. All the styles she found were overdone, and nothing truly reflected Tahoe or her style.
“I wanted it to be unique to me, something that captured Tahoe, and there wasn’t anything out there,” she said.
So, she created a brand based on small-batch production to ensure not only quality but also the originality of each design. With only 50 hoodies created of each color, each edition is guaranteed unique and special.
After those 50 are sold, she switches up the design to create the next original, limited-edition look.
What started as an idea during maternity leave has now grown into a family-run brand; her daughter, now five, hands out stickers at vendor events.
Rogers plans to feature other Sierra Nevada mountains in future collections, including a Mammoth collection.
SNO products are available online at snoapparel.com or at local events.
