Patagonia announced this week that the company has inked a deal with Pep Fujas and Kye Petersen, who will now represent Patagonia as Global Ambassadors. Patagonia is upping its presence in the snow sports realm—reportedly planning some major updates to its Fall 2013 outerwear line—and the partnership with Petersen and Fujas makes a powerful statement about Patagonia’s commitment to skiing.

“We’re excited to welcome Pep and Kye to the Patagonia family,” says Josh Nielsen, Patagonia’s Global Category Marketer for snow sports. “Both athletes embody the values and direction of Patagonia Snow and we look forward to working with them closely as we continue to build and evolve our technical product range to meet their needs and the needs of the core end user.”

As part of being Global Ambassadors with Patagonia, Petersen and Fujas will work with company designers to provide input on product design and functionality.

“I wanted to partner with Patagonia because of their quality, long-lasting products,” says Petersen. “Everything is well thought out and simple, nothing you don’t need. I like how the product is trustworthy and also the fact that it’s made from recycled materials. I think my skiing style fits with the brand as I’m often exploring new mountains by foot and finding myself deep in the backcountry of remote and pristine mountain ranges. I’m also spending long days in the mountains in all kinds of conditions and putting my gear through rigorous testing. I’m super stoked to start a collaboration and help each other continue to get better in what we are doing.”

“Part of the reason I joined Patagonia is that they practice exactly what they preach,” says Fujas. “The company philosophy isn’t just a moniker or marketing scheme, it’s a way of life that is lived by each and every employee, one which is mindful of their impact on the natural world from creation and design to production and distribution. Patagonia has the highest quality products and they take pride in every garment they make. I know with Patagonia that they have so much experience and have made quality gear for so long that I will be able to perform without having to think about being cold or wet or uncomfortable.”