Longtime professional athlete Anthony Boronowski is having a love affair, and his girlfriend and business partner Ingrid Sirois couldn鈥檛 be more thrilled.
In 2016 the couple launched Foehn, a high-end climbing-inspired clothing line for men that retails exclusively online. Visitors to the website will instantly recognize Squamish, flagrantly featured in what looks more like fine art photography than your typical lifestyle marketing images.
In fact, it鈥檚 the local rock, lifestyle, and community that both Boronowski and Sirois agree gets their blood pumping.
But Foehn, named for a warm, dry wind blowing down a mountain, is currently based in Quebec where the couple has lived together for two years with their son L茅onard, 3. Yet, if the pair had their way, they would move west tomorrow.
鈥淪quamish鈥� it鈥檚 a special place isn鈥檛 it?鈥� muses Boronowski, who grew up in the Lower Mainland. 鈥淲e were last there in August to climb, but Ingrid was there last week and probably three times this fall. We come to climb every summer, visit family for a couple of weeks, and be in the mountains. Our heart is there.鈥�
Sirois said creating Foehn was part creative, part strategic.
鈥淭his is why we started this project, as a way to get back to Squamish where we want to live,鈥� echoed Sirois. 鈥淥ur heart is in the Sea to Sky Corridor.鈥�
In 2014, Sirois鈥檚 husband and L茅o鈥檚 biological father, JP Auclair 鈥� legendary freeskier and founder of Armada 鈥� was killed in an avalanche alongside fellow freeskier Andreas Fransson while filming in Patagonia near the Argentinian Chilean border. The geography of the accident created such a complexity that it has been hard to finalize certain legal aspects and thus prevented an earlier move to Squamish, said Sirois, adding they are relieved the legal issues should be resolved soon.
鈥淛P was a very good man. He did a lot for skiing. Anthony and he were best friends, and there was no way that we could have predicted that we would end up together. But here we are. We are a different kind of family, a special little family.
鈥淚t鈥檚 part of our story, and one of the reasons this project started,鈥� she explained. 鈥淎 couple of years ago Anthony transitioned from being a pro freeskier. He was first hired as a designer by Lululemon where he learned the ropes, like textiles and manufacturing processes.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e been encouraging him to do climbing pants ever since,鈥� laughed Sirois, who herself has worked in a variety of capacities in the sports retail industry for companies like Oakley and Orage. 鈥淭here are no beautiful pants in the climbing world!鈥�
Foehn鈥檚 designs crossover from urban to rec and back again. What one could stylishly wear in downtown Vancouver is easily up to the task of a challenging ascent.
鈥淲e want to be technical, but we don鈥檛 want to sacrifice style or function. We want to make great product for a sport that hasn鈥檛 changed in decades. The look, the style, the fashion 鈥� if there ever was any 鈥� it鈥檚 that look that we want to build and achieve for the climbing community,鈥� said Sirois.
鈥淚t鈥檚 our goal that in 10 years we can look back and say we really helped change the way that climbing looks,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a bold goal, a big thing to say, but I think it鈥檚 possible.鈥�
Bold is something Boronowski is no stranger to. Having been a pioneer of freeskiing himself, he鈥檚 known throughout the corridor as a trailblazer 鈥� and maybe even a little political.
鈥淎 Foehn brings warm air and changes the temperature very rapidly in the mountains, it brings a whole new weather system very drastically; you have to behave differently. We liked that because we want to do the same thing 鈥� change people鈥檚 mindset and all those things associated with weather change. That鈥檚 the idea behind the name 鈥� that it鈥檚 associated with climate change.鈥�
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Climbing compatriots
Freelance photographer Kieran Brownie, 26, met Boronowski through the climbing community and subsequently shot much of the company鈥檚 promo pieces.
鈥淎nthony鈥檚 passionate about his work and what he produces. He puts a lot of thought into what he does and that鈥檚 reflected in his personality. He鈥檚 worthy of my respect,鈥� Brownie said sincerely. 鈥淐limbing is all about style: why you do things, and what you do.鈥�
This past August several photographers and videographers, including Brownie, Josh Bishop and Nolan Vanherk both out of California, and Whistler videographer Radek Drozdowicz convened in Squamish with Boronowski and Siroi to shoot Foehn鈥檚 product in action.
鈥淭o be able to work at home with a really good intention like they are bringing 鈥� to communicate the Squamish vibe 鈥� got me on board right away.
鈥淧lus I鈥檓 a fan of what they are producing. The Robson down puffy is the best thing in the world,鈥� he said excitedly. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like throwing on a down sleeping bag with a hood, comfy packs down light, one of those pieces of clothing that, if you didn鈥檛 have to, you wouldn鈥檛 take off.鈥�
Local avalanche safety trainer and rock guide Taran Ortlieb, features prominently in the photography that Brownie and Bishop shot, and has become something of an 鈥渁thlete ambassador,鈥� testing product and giving feedback, according to Boronowski.听
鈥淚鈥檝e got a lot of respect for what Anthony is doing and who he is,鈥� Ortlieb said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always been an innovator of style, whether it鈥檚 his ski movies, his tricks or the way he skied, or the clothes he wears.
鈥淥uterwear for climbing is inherently dorky looking. You always look like you are wearing an astronaut suit of some sort. Anthony鈥檚 been pressed to bring style to the climbing community and blend street fashion into the sport 鈥� to create fashion around it.
鈥淏ut if Anthony is the one behind the designs, Ingrid is the key to behind the scenes,鈥� said Ortlieb, giving props. 鈥淪he鈥檚 key in directing where the product goes. She鈥檚 a beautiful spirit 鈥� she loves everyone and she鈥檒l let you know. She鈥檚 no less than half of this company.
鈥淭he brand was born here, in Squamish. It is a Squamish brand 鈥� as much as the office is in Quebec at the moment. It鈥檚 deeply routed in the coast and this place.鈥�
The principals would seem to agree.
鈥淭he main thing is the community and the people. It鈥檚 where we belong,鈥� articulated Boronowski, adding that he feels beyond fortunate to be doing all of this alongside Siroi.
鈥淲e are partners on the brand, and we are partners in life. It鈥檚 good.鈥�
Sirois said they plan to spend May to August this summer locally so they can start to put down roots.听
鈥淲e love Squamish and its beautiful community,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an amazing playground.鈥�
