The SIA Snowsports Tradeshow is the one time every year when athletes, sales reps, marketing teams and the heavy hitters of the industry get together to plan for next snow season. It is one trade show that everyone is psyched to be at, and for industry people, it’s like a reunion each year. Our first year at the show, Ashley and I were pretty psyched. And we had SIA vet, Allyson with us to show us the ropes at the show’s last Vegas appearance. Despite economic woes, vendors, retailers, magazines and lovers of skiing and snowboarding were out to celebrate next year’s lines, happenings in the industry, athlete achievements and more. We made our debut as ahlivv while we checked out the new lines from our favorite brands, and looked into some additions to next year’s outerwear mix.

After three full days of seeing ski jackets and pants, some things start to blend together. But, there are also those pieces that made their mark. Like denim, for example, which is officially re-entering the world of skiing and snowboarding. I know, for some of us, it’s a tough one, but brands like 686 and Holden have it dialed. If you have an image of a gaper in tight acid washed jeans and a starter jacket, get it out of your head, or you’ll never be able to embrace this trend. Some other standouts to expect this year are plaids (flannel look), and shiny track jacket styles.

Although Ashley and I were there for marketing, primarily, we were able to view the lines with Allyson also, and you better be stoked, because next season’s ski and snowboard outerwear is going to be sick! We started out at Billabong where Glen Garland showed us the ropes, along with designer Mandi Robinson who gave us insight into design inspirado. The Jamie Anderson signature outerwear caught our eye right away. With bold colors and subtle detailing, Jamie’s jacket and pants are made for girls who rip. And, a little secret, the zipper comes complete with a whistle…let your imagination run on this one. Billabong is also bringing some styley, designer inspired pieces, including the Bling Jacket, a perfect crossover piece for Lift to Lounge. Just a note, I have already put the cash aside to snag this one as soon as it hits the warehouse!

Our next stop was over to Nikita, where Jamie Craig gave us the run-down on next year’s musts. Nikita is coming in hot with bold colors, color blocking, and updates to last year’s favorites. You can expect to see Nikita’s signature high neck on some styles (including my favorite, the Skyline Jacket). The snowboard pants this year include every style from skinny to ultra sag, and everything in between. Also, you’ll definitely want to check out the Solace shell…I am loving it! With such a mix of styles, bodies and color palettes, you can express yourself endlessly with Nikita next season!

Orage was our next meeting, where Derek and Beth showed us the line. Orage has a bronze, silver and gold lineup, making performance driven style accessible to any price range. And, this year Orage’s color palette is amazing. They are bringing the best greens, and bold oranges you will see next season, along with their highly technical standards. In addition, Orage is making some of their ski pants available in extra long. But, the highlight for me is their tribute piece to mountain ops people. For those studly girls and boys who dedicate their lives to the park and mountain, Orage has a signature piece…it’s the illest.

Next, we were on to DC to meet with Mike and Josh. At this point, both the ahlivv team and DC crew were feeling the effects of SIA Day 1. But, despite our deliriousness after a whole day of meetings, the DC outerwear line was enough to drive some excitement out of us. Always positioning themselves ahead of the curve, DC’s color palette was unlike anything else we’d seen that day. Instead of the brights and bolds we are seeing, DC is bringing deep, rich colors to the table, giving their line a refined style. And, DC is bringing a one-piece next season that is by far the coolest I’ve seen yet. Think slightly shiny track look, diagonal strap and full hood. In one word…badass. From longer, belted cuts to short bombers, and jailbait striping to funky plaid, the guys and girls at DC know what’s up. And for more fun, Mike gave us the rundown on DC’s two new shows starting next week on MTV – Travis Pastrana’s Nitro Circus and Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. Um, about that recession, no reason to stop the presses at DC I guess. I had a chance to check out a sneak preview into Travis Pastrana’s show last night, and I’m a fan. In the ‘circus’ there is one girl, Jolene Van Vugt, and she kills it. It’s safe to say she is one of the few lucky ladies to be blessed with mad skills, no fear and a hot bod…not fair is it?

Stay tuned for more info on SIA…that was only one day!