(Photo by Bridget McGinn: Anna Cappy, President of Vermérs)
Ten years ago, while living in her native Sweden, Anna Cappy found a high performance merino wool sweater that she fell in love with. She, like many people, had always thought that merino wool was itchy, hot and difficult to care for. Her new sweater opened her eyes to a completely different way of thinking about the fabric, and set her on an entrepreneurial path toward establishing her own brand of merino wool active wear.
“I fell in love with merino wool after buying that first sweater,” said Cappy. “I didn’t want to wear anything else. The quality was just amazing. There are many different grades of merino wool and superior quality merino is elegant, soft and supple. It is not at all itchy, does not pill or break and is breathable and durable. Many consumers say it feels like silk.”
Cappy discovered that it was not easy to find high quality merino wool in the market and what she was able to find was targeted to the athletic performance market, where warmth, fit, comfort and durability really matter.
“Since merino wool is so comfortable, it is equally ideal for all everyday activities, so I wanted to create a line of versatile garments with a more casual street wear feel,” said Cappy.
This past spring, Cappy launched Vermêrs—headquartered in Bend—pairing contemporary fashion with sporty outdoor style. Cappy refers to her products as “slow fashion.”
“It is the opposite of ‘fast fashion’ where people buy cheap clothing, wear it once or twice and then it falls apart,” said Cappy. “Slow fashion is where you build up your wardrobe more thoughtfully, investing in high quality pieces that are made well, last longer and are better for nature. And they just look more classy.”
The startup is currently testing its online store and offers ten women’s styles (including leggings, pants, sport bras, tank tops, t-shirts and long -sleeve sweaters) as well as unisex hats. Products are available in four colors (black, charcoal, purple and cloud blue). Plans for 2017 include a significantly expanded and more complete women’s line, new designs, more colors and additional accessories. A men’s line may follow in 2018.
“The comfort, function and benefit of merino wool fabric make it equally ideal for workouts and smart casual wear while versatile styles make our garments a wardrobe essential,” said Cappy. “The idea is that you will be able to wear our products for most everyday activities. Walking downtown, going for a run, going out for lunch or to the gym, to the market or even out to dinner. It all just depends on how you dress it up.”
Cappy began working on the idea for her brand in the summer of 2015. She originally was negotiating to bring a Norwegian merino wool brand to the U.S. market, but after much consideration decided to launch her own brand. The name for the company was created during a brainstorming session on a chair lift at Mt. Bachelor—she is an avid skier—and is a combination of the words “versatile” and “merino.”
Vermêrs partners with an Australian merino wool supplier for all of their fabrics. IoMerino of Adelaide, Australia is a family business with more than 140 years of experience behind their name. Cappy knew that she wanted to work with a company in either Australia or New Zealand, as those two countries are known to produce the highest quality merino wool in the world.
After researching producers and sharing her product design and branding ideas, Cappy selected IoMerino as her exclusive fabric supplier. Vermêrs wool is harvested from Australian merino sheep and the wool is processed, spun, woven/knit and dyed in Australia. Vermêrs products and designs are manufactured to Cappy’s specifications in Fiji.
“We consider ourselves most fortunate to be able to work with the finest merino house in the world,” said Cappy. “This partnership assures Vermêrs the highest quality, sustainably produced, 100% merino wool knits and fabrics—which is the cornerstone of our product concept.”
In addition to the superior quality of the merino wool produced by her supplier, the company also shares Cappy’s values of environmental friendliness, ethical production and high quality.
“Our fabrics are entirely renewable. Merino wool is a totally natural and biodegradable product,” said Cappy. “Merino sheep grow a new coat every year and consume only water, grass and sunshine to produce their coats. Our fabrics are ethically harvested and processed and dyed with entirely environmentally friendly processes.”
Cappy describes her design aesthetic as modern Scandinavian inspired, which is no surprise given that she was born and raised in Sweden.
“Scandinavian fashion is generally thought of as simple, clean design—often minimalistic—in predominantly solid colors with darker nuances of gray, navy, brown and black,” said Cappy. “Scandinavian style does not scream, ‘Look at me.’ It is subtle, yet stands out with quality and effortless style.”
Cappy’s designs are created with the intention to be versatile. Steering clear of the “high performance” look, she has aimed instead for a balance between performance and fashion. Vermêrs designs feature high quality ease, and offer an alternative to market mainstays who are more focused on base layers and winter sweaters made of standard grades of merino and merino blends, said Cappy.
“We never go below 96 percebt of merino wool in our fabrics. When blending other materials with merino wool you lose much of the benefits that merino wool offers,” said Cappy.
Cappy is married to an American, and for nearly a decade she and her family traveled back and forth between Sweden and Bend before settling here full-time in 2014.
“Personally I just love Bend,” said Cappy. “It is a great place with many outdoor activities and friendly people. The climate is the best I have ever experienced. It is also a great place to raise kids and it feels safe.”
Cappy spends a lot of time on the slopes, and loves having great skiing less than half an hour from her home. She also appreciates that Bend is a great place for starting a business, with many successful entrepreneurs and a deep well of knowledge and experience to tap into.
Short-term goals for her business include completing the fall 2016 test market online launch, refining the product line and focusing on marketing strategies to position Vermêrs for a broader market introduction in 2017—with both an expanded product line and geographic approach.
Cappy’s long-term vision for Vermêrs is to see the brand grow into one that is respected and recognized for its superior quality merino fabrics, exceptionally versatile designs, attention to detail and high standards of ethical and environmentally responsible production.
“We set about creating merino apparel that we are not only happy to sell, but choose to wear ourselves,” said Cappy. “Most of the market doesn’t know really high quality merino wool. Consumers often don’t know how soft, supple, durable and truly elegant quality merino fabrics can be until they try them. We love merino first and foremost and want the world to love merino as much as we do.”
Location: Headquartered in Bend
Website: www.vermers.com
CEO: Anna Cappy
No. Employees: 2
Year Established: 2016
Product/Service: High quality, sustainably produced 100% merino wool active wear
Hot News: Vermêrs launches online storefront in Fall 2016
Outlook for Growth: Poised to expand product offerings online and in select retail environments in 2017 and beyond
