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18 Illu s t r a t i o n : i S t o c k / M a r g i B C B U S I N E S S . C A O C T O B E R 2 0 24 MATERNITY MATTERS How Nelson-based Wildelore creates versatile and sustainable outdoor maternity clothing by Riley Webster S M A L L T O W N S U C C E S S Vietnam, and while their retail presence expanded gradually, the core focus has remained on e-commerce. The Kickstarter campaign marked a significant milestone, validating both the community support and Wildelore's value proposition. For Misener, get- ting into nature was transforma- tive throughout her transition to motherhood. The outdoors gave her a reassuring founda- tion amid all of the changes. "For me, getting outside and getting to know my new home during pregnancy was really grounding," she says. "A lot of times during the early days of pregnancy you're feeling sick and exhausted. The adventures that I was on weren't anything crazy. But it wasn't about that. It was just about going out and communing with nature." Nelson's embrace of Wilde- lore reflects the community's resonance with the brand's mission, affirming its place in the market and inspiring fur- ther innovation. "It's cool being downtown and seeing someone in our sweater," Misener shares. Wildelore symbolizes more than just clothing; it embod- ies a movement empowering mothers to embrace the wild beauty of motherhood, one adventure at a time. Currently, the company is in the prototyp- ing phase of its next product, and plans to offer more colour options for their original All Phases Fleece sweater. The concept of Wildelore, a clothing brand that caters to "pregnancy, nursing and beyond," emerged from Carissa Misener's personal journey into motherhood. Misener, who moved from Ontario to Nelson in 2019, found herself at a crossroads during the COVID lockdown. Pregnant with her first child, she was searching for outdoor maternity wear that would fit her growing body. It wasn't long before she became frustrated by the lack of options that aligned with her style and needs. After her daughter's birth, Misener faced the challenge of transitioning from mater- nity to nursing clothing—which added to her frustration around the fast fashion nature of these clothes. "I wondered why, as women, we needed to have four different wardrobes," Misener says. "We should have clothes that move with the flow of our lives." Most existing maternity clothes, however, "are very time-specific," she explains. "So when you're done being preg- nant you probably won't wear the pieces anymore." The final straw came dur- ing a cross-country skiing out- ing with her daughter, when Misener was struggling to nurse in the cold and manage all the layers of her clothing. "I thought: this is crazy. There should be something better out there for women," she recalls. She decided then and there to innovate maternity wear. Wildelore was soon conceived, inspired by the transforma- tive experience of childbirth. Misener was determined to create versatile apparel that seamlessly adapted to the dif- ferent phases of motherhood. Alongside her husband, Chas, she embarked on the journey of materializing the Wildelore vision in 2021. "Prior to hiring a designer, my husband and I were buying old thrift store sweaters, cutting them up and trying to conceptualize the idea," she says. Next, they found a designer based out of Vancouver who had done work for companies like Arc'teryx and Lululemon. With the designer's guidance, they were able to create three prototypes, which they sent to influencers to get feedback. Once the team settled on the right design, they planned a crowdfunding campaign via Kickstarter, which garnered widespread interest and laid the foundation for Wildelore's success. "Our sweater is trans- formable and designed to be worn before, during and after pregnancy," says Misener. "It's a piece that's meant to be with the person for years and years, simplifying one's wardrobe and eliminating fast fashion waste." In total, the Wildelore team was able to raise $124,000 and pre-sold 900 sweaters. Produc- tion commenced overseas in " I wondered why, as women, we needed to have four different wardrobes."

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