My first job was selling skate and snowboard gear in a small shop at age 17. It’s where I got obsessed with functional and sportswear brands, product design in general.
GORE-TEX Studio: This one is getting harder and harder these days - but how would you describe yourself in 1 sentence max?
Bianca Richter: Adventurous. I dance, work, and swear a lot.
GORE-TEX Studio: Tell us a bit about your city’s climate. What are your three favorite spots - in the summer, in the winter (outside)? What is your favorite method of transportation and why? How do you prep for bad weather if you spend time outside?
Bianca Richter: I’m currently living between Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon. Not a lot to say about Cali weather and transportation… always sunny, the only way getting around is driving. I do spend time in Topanga Canyon or the desert as much as I can. Portland reminds me of my birthplace Bavaria in Germany, it gets really grim here in Winter which I like. My favourite places are Mount Hood for snowboarding which is definitely my favourite way to move. (Stay at the Timberline Lodge, it’s where Stanley Kubrick shot ‘The Shining’). This summer when it got really hot I took trips to Washougal River, it’s only 25 minutes from the city but you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere - perfect for skinny dipping. When it comes to outdoor gear I’m very nerdy. I’m always avoiding cotton socks and tops when it’s cold, most people get that wrong. I like to wear waterproof footwear and a neck warmer. Obviously the right jacket is the most important thing, I have about 20-30 different functional outerwear jackets, many of them with GORE-TEX technology.
GORE-TEX Studio: Tell us a bit about your professional life and do you draw a hard line between private/professional?
Bianca Richter: My first job was selling skate and snowboard gear in a small shop at age 17. It’s where I got obsessed with functional and sportswear brands, product design in general. I then worked for a skateboard magazine called Lodown, did fashion and lifestyle PR, ran multiple exhibition- and event spaces for different brands in Berlin. In 2007 I started working full time for Nike. Today I’m managing parts of our global collaboration portfolio. The main focus is co-creating and launching footwear & apparel with partners from design, culture, art, music. The lines between my private and professional life have always been very blurry…
GORE-TEX Studio: What are you wearing today, why are you wearing it, did you have a particular weather scenario in mind when choosing this piece? What do you love most about your GORE-TEX product?
Bianca Richter: Wearing the Nike ACG Mountain Fly GORE-TEX. It’s one of the best outdoor shoes I have ever owned. It features running technology which makes it super comfortable, it has great grip and propulsion, and industry-best waterproofing – plus beautiful design. I bought these for my trip to Zermatt, Switzerland - doing some light hikes in the snow and some muddy forest trails.
GORE-TEX Studio: Where and when did you get this… Do you have any special memories connected to this item? If you could go anywhere, where would you like to take this piece?
Bianca Richter: Got them when they came out in 2020 on the Nike SNKRS app. I was drawn to the design first. My colleague Niek Pulles compares sneakers to cars on his @niekforspeed Instagram page, he compared the Mountain Fly to a utility truck but I think they’re more like a robust Porsche Safari. I Would love to do a big Patagonia tour in those shoes (and a black Porsche Safari) one day.
GORE-TEX Studio: How do you define the term “comfort” in clothing, in particular technical apparel?
Bianca Richter: Warm, dry, and perfect fit. GORE-TEX Studio: Tell us about your current and upcoming projects. What are you looking for in the next six months and what challenges do you see that you’re excited about? Bianca Richter: I‘m working on projects with our long term partners Stussy, sacai and Ambush plus some other exciting partners I can‘t share yet. ;) The biggest challenge is to switch back after two years from doing mainly digital work to creating meaningful post-covid experiences IRL, to find the right pace and moments to bring people together. But I‘m most excited about going to Whistler for the first time this winter break! Der Berg Ruft!
