Burlington’s ISIS moving entire operation to Colorado
Burlington’s ISIS sold to St Louis firm | Vermont Business MagazineJan 11, 2010 … Isis. Kellwood Company, a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of premier fashion brands, today announced that it has acquired ISIS, … by Timothy McQuiston ISIS, the Burlington women’s clothier that specializes in apparel for what it calls the ‘outdoor goddess,’ announced yesterday it will move its entire operation to Boulder, CO, the home of its parent company American Recreational Products. ISIS is a national, medium-end designer and marketer of women’s apparel from underwear to outerwear. It employs 14 in Burlington, where it was founded in 1998.Its public relations representative, Scott Kaier of Pale Morning Media in Waitsfield, said that ‘the door is open’ for existing employees to apply for positions in Boulder. He added that in any case CEO Carolyn Cooke will remain with the company through the transition phase and then depart. He said the transition will not be completed until around October of this year, so as not to disrupt the winter apparel season, which is ISIS’ most important.Cooke founded the company with Poppy Gall and named it after the Egyptian goddess of life and magic. Cooke bought out Gall in 2009, but, citing capital needs, Cooke went to an outside investor. According to Cooke in a Vermont Business Magazine article last spring, that situation was not sustainable and the entire company was then sold to Sun Capital Partners Inc in January 2010 for an undisclosed amount, but which essentially covered the debt. Sun rolled ISSI into its Kellwood apparel business out of St Louis, which in turn folded it into American Recreational Products in Boulder. Cooke remained as an employee president and the operations continued in Burlington as essentially an independent entity.A press release issued Thursday afternoon said American Rec anticipates that the ISIS brand will continue to grow and flourish ‘taking full advantage of resources already in place in Boulder, including American Rec’s product development, marketing department, and management team.’‘Here at American Rec, we’re very impressed with ISIS and the work founder Carolyn Cooke and her team have done to envision and create a fantastic line of women’s apparel,’ said Dale Philippi, CEO of American Rec. ‘To ensure the continued success and growth of the brand, we’ve decided to move ISIS to Boulder where we have assembled a dedicated team and created a base of operations worthy of the finest outdoor brands anywhere.Under the newly developed apparel group of American Rec, made up of Royal Robbins, Sierra Designs Apparel, ISIS, and led by Bob Orlando, we hope to create apparel synergies and functional excellence while maintaining specific brand identities. Along with Kellwood and American Rec, Sun Capital owns many high-profile brands in its diversified portfolio, from Friendly’s restaurants to American Standard bath and kitchen fittings to Boston Market restaurants to Hickory Farms and The Limited, another women’s clothier.About American RecAmerican Rec is a collection of eight of the best-known and best-loved brands in the outdoor industry, offering a wide variety of gear to compliment any outdoor pursuit. American Rec’s brand family includes Kelty, Kelty KIDS, Sierra Designs, Royal Robbins, Slumberjack, Wenzel, Ultimate Direction and ISIS. By headquartering these brands in Boulder, American Rec is able to pool both physical and intellectual assets, ensuring the continued growth and success of each individual brand in a highly competitive outdoor marketplace. By drawing upon decades of experience and a love of the outdoors, American Rec develops, tests, and produces some of the finest camping, backpacking, outdoor equipment, and apparel available. Photo of Carolyn Cooke by Faye MurphyRELATED VBM ARTICLES Women as outdoor goddesses: Carolyn Cooke and Isis | Vermont …Apr 16, 2010 … Isis – named after the ancient Egyptian goddess of motherhood, fertility and magic – blends feminine design with cutting-edge technology. …
A paddler pushes through the wild whitewater of the Green River narrows. Leaves are changing. Temperatures are dropping. The crisp air means it’s time to race. Here are eight fall classics every Southern adventurer needs to experience.All Night Long24 Hours of Georgia Conyers, Ga. • October 8-9 Grab a crew or ride solo on the trails that held the 1996 Olympic cross-country race and the epic battle at the 24-hour solo world championships between pro riders Chris Eatough and Craig Gordon. While this year’s course was still being established at press time, expect some steep climbs and wheel-stumbling rock gardens, along with the all-night delirium that comes with 24-hour racing. Teams of two, three to five, and six to ten riders are welcome. 24hoursofgeorgia.comOdyssey Fall Finale 24-Hour Adventure Race Buchanan, Va. • October 15 The course curators at Odyssey Adventure Racing, lead by pioneer Ronny Angell, long ago set a standard for epic multisport challenges in the Blue Ridge and beyond. The final event in their annual series is a 75-mile backcountry maze in the Southwest Virginia woods traversed by foot, boat, and pedal. Soloists and teams of up to four tackle off-trail bushwhacking, steep singletrack riding, and class II paddling during a day-long challenge that tests navigational wit as well as endurance. A shorter sprint version of the course will also be offered for novice racers. oarevents.comMarathon MadnessMarine Corps Marathon Washington, D.C. • October 30 Let’s start with the bad news. This year’s Marine Corps Marathon sold out in a record-setting 28 hours and four minutes, so you won’t be joining the massive field of 30,000 runners who flock to the nation’s capital every fall. The marathon is extremely popular for its scenic 26.2-mile course that moves from Arlington into Georgetown and eventually enters the National Mall, where it passes a handful of famous landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial.The good news is the Mid-Atlantic has two more top-quality marathons that take place every autumn. On October 15, runners can take on the Baltimore Marathon’s challenging course through the city’s best areas, including the Inner Harbor waterfront, Federal Hill, and Fells Point. Also try the Richmond Marathon, where you can run the mellow grades of the historic Southern city’s downtown streets with most likely cooler temps on November 12.Best Boulders in DixieHorse Pens 40 Bouldering CompetitionSteele, Ala. • November 5This is the final event in the Triple Crown Bouldering Series, which brings elite climbers to the South for three comps every fall. The unique boulders at Horse Pens 40 Park, located atop Chandler Mountain in Alabama’s Appalachian foothills, feature unique sandstone routes with tough top-outs that are often compared to Fontainebleau in France. Owned by a climber-friendly couple, the park is also a well-known bluegrass venue, so it’s able to hold the biggest comp in the series with a hearty crowd of climbers coming out to the crag every year.triplecrownbouldering.org Steep Creek ActionGreen River Narrows Race Saluda, N.C. • November 5At high noon on the first Saturday of November, the best in boating meet at the Green River for this now-famous creek competition in Western North Carolina. It’s indisputably one of the most extreme river challenges in the world—a fast and steep run of class V craziness that includes huge drops and hairpin turns on epic rapids like Go Left or Die and the infamous Gorilla. Despite international attention, the race is still the same free homespun affair that was started by local paddlers back in 1996. If this kind of creek boating is above your pay grade, it’s still fun to join the rowdy batch of spectators that has increased in size every year as the comp has become more popular. Watching the action requires a decent hike into the woods, so get there early and join the pack.greenrace.amongstit.comUltra HistoryJFK 50 Miler Boonsboro, Md. • November 19This is where ultrarunners come for fast times and a chance to celebrate the history of their sport. Approaching its 49th year, the JFK 50 Miler was started just months before Kennedy’s assassination, as part of the president’s push for improved nationwide physical fitness. It still remains one of the country’s most cherished ultra races, beloved for its scenic setting in the mountains surrounding the Potomac River and a stint on the Appalachian Trail. With a long stretch along the flat C&O Canal Towpath, the race also produces some of the ultra world’s fastest times. While popularity has already filled the race this year, you can still enter the field by purchasing one of the 100 specially reserved charity spots for an extra donation.jfk50mile.org
PORTLAND, Ore. >> Even when Kobe Bryant scored nearly anytime he wanted, the Lakers usually left here without a win to accompany their purchased Nike shoes from the city’s headquarters.The Lakers continued to struggle here, their 108-96 loss to Portland on Saturday at Moda Center marking both a five-game losing streak and their seventh consecutive defeat to the Trail Blazers. Unlike during his prime years that coincided with a nine-game losing streak here, Bryant could do nothing about it. The Lakers (2-13) went 9-28 at Portland since Bryant’s rookie season 20 years ago. Bryant’s unsuccessful fight with Father Time continued, his 21 points relying more on pump fakes that drew trips to the foul line (6 of 7) than shooting accuracy (7 of 20). He has failed to shoot above 50 percent in any of the 12 games he has played in the 2015-16 season.“The legs aren’t what it used to be,” said Bryant, mindful he is playing his 20th and likely last NBA season. “But I’ll continue to fight through it and continue to find opportunities when they’re there. It’ll get better.” But when?“The timing and rustiness is probably going to be an issue the rest of the season,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “He can’t and wouldn’t do it anyway. He can’t practice every day. He can’t go through all that where you get your timing. He’s going to have those up-and-down days where he’s making shots and missing shots.”Bryant may not have one of those up-and-down-days in Sunday’s game against Indiana at Staples Center. Bryant logged 34 minutes, which marks slightly below Scott’s self-imposed limitation not to exceed Bryant’s last season’s 34.5 minutes per game average. But both Scott and Bryant sounded unsure if he will play. That might not be a bad thing. As much as Scott praised the improved ball movement that ensured Bryant a better showing than his 1-of-14 mark on Tuesday against Golden State, the Lakers flourished offensively when it did not involve their star player. Jordan Clarkson posted nearly as many points (19) as Bryant on fewer shot attempts (8 of 14). D’Angelo Russell looked comfortable nailing jumpers off pick-and-rolls, while adding 14 points, five assists and four rebounds. Julius Randle showed dependable accuracy with his mid-range jumper (16 points on 8-of-13 shooting). Newsroom GuidelinesNews TipsContact UsReport an Error
“All three of those guys played pretty well and made a bunch of mental mistakes,” Scott said. “But one thing I thought was better was the last time we played them was our effort and our focus was better.”But that did not matter. The Lakers could not overcome a heavy dosage of Damian Lillard (29 points on 9-of-19 shooting, seven assists) and C.J. McCollom (28 points on 12-of-20 shooting). The pair had torched the Lakers last week in Los Angeles with a combined 49 points.“We made shots and they were attacking, so we attacked them. We got what we wanted, but it came down on the defensive end,” Russell said. “We need to play better on defense.”If the Lakers’ woes continue Sunday against Indiana, they will have set the franchise’s worst record going into December. The Lakers will then start an eight-game, 13-day trip after playing eight road games in November through 15 days.“This is crazy,” Scott said. “In November and December, it’s seemed like we’re living out of a suitcase.”The Lakers’ season has also become crazy amid Bryant’s struggles. Unlike the warm applause he has often received in recent road games, Bryant faced the same hostility he always endured in Portland. They booed him during starting lineup introductions and every time he touched the ball. All of that noise drowned out the handful of Lakers fans that cheered him here. “I thought that was great,” Bryant said.But rarely did he have an answer to quiet the hostile crowd. Instead, the game became an ongoing exercise in Bryant’s quest to build his rhythm. He logged 11 minutes, 15 seconds in the second quarter in hopes to shed rustiness. Even when he took a hard fall in the second quarter, Bryant stood up and stayed in the game. Yet, Bryant sat for a three-minute stretch in the fourth quarter before checking back in for the final 3:54. But then Bryant reported he “was just stiff.” So unlike what he once did several times in his prime, Bryant could not will the Lakers to victory with theatrical shots. 