Surf and snow have always come together in Kitsilano: during the summer, it’s bikini shopping; during the winter, powder junkies lug snowboards and gear out of stores. So it might not come as such a surprise to see stylish outerwear emerging from companies that haven’t traditionally focused on winter sports.

“Roxy was born in the water; it debuted in summer 1990,” says Shawna Olsten, national marketing manager for Quiksilver Canada. Quiksilver, Roxy’s parent company, similarly debuted as a surf brand in 1969 and didn’t launch a full winter line of boards, boots, and bindings for nearly 30 years. Today, the two companies offer both streetwear and a full line of outerwear for hitting the slopes.

This season, snow-appropriate options by Roxy include the Facet coat ($220) in fashionable red plaid, and the Cameo one-piece ($300), which riffs on the summer jump-suit trend. The company has also launched Greenprint, products made from sustainable materials and processes, including the Amber jacket ($385), a houndstooth style made from 70 percent recycled synthetic materials and 30 percent hemp. (The Roxy line is available at stores like Pacific Boarder [1793 West Fourth Avenue].)

The move toward more fashionable wear for the ski hill is echoed by seven-year-old Orb Clothing, which opened its first retail location—at 2028 West 4th Avenue, of course—last spring. Orb’s sister company Arson began in winter sportswear and now Orb fuses fashion-forward styles with technical performance outerwear.

Megan Stubbs, head of sales for Orb says, “Our average customer’s wardrobe is becoming more fashion-forward, [but] this doesn’t mean her wardrobe is now full of silk blouses and cashmere cardigans.” Stubbs is excited about snowboard jackets with design lines traditionally seen on wool coats, and materials not typically used in outdoor sportswear. “It’s been an opportunity for us to innovate and incorporate what we know about creating high-quality, durable, and comfortable sports- and streetwear with elements from high fashion,” she says. Jackets by Orb are fashioned from tweed- or jacquardlike fabrics, yet offer warmth, waterproofing, and breathability that snow bunnies require. The Sophia ($180), a blazer style, features a “hydrophobic” coating with DuPont Teflon finish, and the Carmen jacket ($200) has a removable, fur-trimmed hood.

Technical jackets are also made by Matix and Westbeach, which recently closed its Kits store but continues to be sold through Showcase (1766 West Fourth Avenue). The company’s winter collection includes jackets for women in everything from technical performance outerwear to boiled wool and even leather. The super-stylish Alibi pea coat ($300), a black-and-white-checked, extra-waterproof style features a figure-flattering belt and oversized collar.

Nick Nicholson, sales coordinator for Supra Distribution, which represents Matix, says, “More people are moving away from traditional ”˜skater’ style and to a cleaner look.” For Matix, this means winter jackets and sweaters, including the popular hooded Asher jacket, with quilted lining and kangaroo pockets.

Really, staying stylish while shredding the slopes has never been easier.