OOSC

Nick Marsden and Aaron McLaughlin
LLB, Law
Class of 2009

If Global Warming Continues, There'll Be No Snow, No Skiing, And No Business 

From meeting on their first day at Swansea University, sharing a passion for the slopes, and leaning on a community of alumni to support them with their dream, Nick Marsden and Aaron McLaughlin, founders of sustainable, vibrant, retro-print ski brand OOSC, share their story. 

You could say it was fate, destiny, serendipity. Both drawn to the city’s coastline, the University’s sports opportunities and the chance for adventure, Nick and Aaron met at registration for their law degrees, on their very first day in Swansea University, wearing matching reversible hoodies that could only be bought in ski resorts, and both having already done a ski season. 

Nick’s nose was initially put out of joint because Aaron had stolen his USP. 

Nick: “I thought I was too cool for school, and Aaron put me in my place.” 

Aaron: “Then we were in lectures together, and reconciled our differences, through the Swansea Snowriders Society. We used to go to the dry slope in Pembrey and on trips to Les Deux Alpes, Tignes and Mayrhofen – which really cemented our friendship.” 

The idea of starting a business bloomed in their third year, but life got in the way. 

Aaron: “We both sort of moved on after we left; got girlfriends, didn't see each other as much, broke up with them, then came back together in 2014 and said ‘right, let's start this business’.” 

By that time, Aaron was on a graduate scheme with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Nick was working in Standard Chartered, managing hedge fund relationships. Plotting the venture alongside their day jobs, they eventually settled on their business idea. 

Aaron: “Everything you read about starting a business is ‘do something you love,’ and the common denominator for us was skiing. So, we thought about what we could do in the industry, and the more we looked through it, we realised ski suits were very popular in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and then they sort of, died off. 

“There were some brands doing it, but we felt we could bring it back and make them modern and breathable. We also realised that retro is always in; because there's something that's always retro. 

“So, we booked a stand at the London Ski Show and just went for it.” 

By 2018, as the company started to take off, they had a big decision to make. Aaron quit his job to go full-time at OOSC and was adamant that to succeed, they needed to make the right decisions about the quality of the materials they were using. 

Aaron: “We went to ISPO, the biggest, sports and material trade show in the world. There are 15 halls of exhibitors and manufacturers. 

“We went up and down meeting all of them and found the materials company we still use today. We started just using recycled polyester for the outer material, and now the insulation is also recycled. We use nylon from fishing nets; we use organic cotton.” 

They didn’t stop there. OOSC now ships everything via sea, has regional warehouses to reduce carbon footprint, and provides repair patches with every product so people can repair rather than replace. They buy back old/damaged suits and have a recycling partner who converts old suits into new products, like handbags and wash bags. In addition, they work with two rental companies and have a platform on their website where people can sell their old suits to each other. All their factories are WRAP-certified, so workers are treated and paid fairly. Sustainability is a core pillar of the business.

Aaron: “If global warming continues, there'll be no snow, and then there'll be no skiing, so then we'll have no business. So, we're trying to make our business as circular as possible.” 

Nick: “It doesn't come without its challenges, because Aaron has to order the fabric a lot earlier, and the production process takes a lot longer. And it is more expensive than if we were to make it non-recycled, but, it's the right thing to do, and that's why we've done it.” 

This commitment despite the added complexity is part of a wider pattern of determination that has shaped their journey. Their passion for the idea was clear, but entering an unknown territory of fashion and manufacturing presented its own difficulties to overcome.

Nick: “We had zero experience in any of it” 

Aaron: “It was a real steep learning curve” 

In the early days, there was a lot of figuring things out as they went. After finding a supplier, they did the measurements themselves and sent them over, only for the results to come back far from what they expected. 

“[the samples] came back and you wouldn’t fit a 12-year-old in them, let alone an adult!” 

Nick and Aaron can now look back and find humour in the challenges they experienced, but it also provided them a lesson in remaining persistent when things don’t go to plan. The pair still have some of those original samples as a testament to how far they’ve come. Looking back, Nick sees those early missteps as a part of the process. 

Nick: “Largely because we were very new to this at the beginning, you make a lot of these mistakes because you don’t know what you’re doing, and you don’t have a network of people to rely on. But we always have the mantra that you just don’t make the same mistake twice.” 

While these moments have tested their resolve, they have also fostered a resilience that has kept them motivated. This paired with a passion and belief in their business, and each other, has enabled them to push through their lower moments. 

Nick: “The job is never done – you do it because it’s for you and it’s for your business and that’s why you put the hours in, and you put the time in” 

Aaron: “Because there’s two of us, because we’re in it together and we cover different sides of the business, if something is going wrong, you’ve always got the other one to lean on.” 

But the support hasn’t only come from each other, they also credit the Swansea University community for helping them in the early stages. 

Aaron: “Lots of our University friends had big dreams and have gone on to be very successful. When we started, we had some of these friends sit us down, tear up our business plan and question what we were doing. 

“Having that honest feedback from your peers is amazing. And having been able to lean on that community of Swansea alumni has been really valuable.” 

As the business began to find its footing, recognition soon followed. For Nick and Aaron, one of the earliest milestones came when the brand was picked up by ASOS, a website that they themselves have used. From there the brand began to appear on other major platforms such as Zalando, steadily building visibility and gaining wider recognition within the industry. 

Nick: “There was one moment I don’t think I’ll ever forget, which is when I woke up about 06:30 in the morning and Aaron was already calling me because Margot Robbie put an order in for ten ski suits!” 

“The suits she’d ordered then ended up on a ‘Dress like Margot’ Instagram account as her first fashion tip of the year.” 

This is more than just recognition in the personal sense. For OOSC, purchases like these have provided the company with the opportunity to grow their public reach through social media sites like Instagram that share celebrity fashion content but also reflect something more about how the brand was beginning to be seen. 

“It’s nice that it was bought and not gifted, there’s no marketing initiative, it’s just genuine. They bought the product because they like it, and then they’ve gone on Instagram and told their followers they like it as well.”

The company has also received accolades within business. Another stand out moment for OOSC was receiving the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade in 2024. The award is the UK’s highest business honour, recognising companies with outstanding overseas growth, marking a significant achievement for the brand. 

Nick: “I went to Windsor Castle and met the King and had some champagne with him, so it was good fun.” 

“It was good to get that sort of recognition; it’s the highest business accolade you can get in the UK so that was a real ‘we’ve definitely made it’ moment.” 

OOSC continues to build on these achievements with increasing momentum, such as their partnerships in North America.

The company works with prominent retailers such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Urban Outfitters, as well as being the only skiwear brand globally with an NFL license. These developments mark a personal accomplishment but also presents the opportunity for more commercial growth. 

Aaron: “I love American football, so it started as a passion project.  

“But the idea we’re growing is it to try and get it into the likes of Dick’s Sporting Goods because a small order for them could be game changing for us. It’s a marathon not a sprint.” 

For OOSC, the focus remains on creating products that are as much about how they make people feel as how they perform. You get a sense of the passion and love for the brand through the vibrancy and personality of each piece, that for Nick and Aaron, captures the spirit of skiing in a way that feels both nostalgic and new. 

Nick: “It’s the way that it makes you feel wearing our products. Our tagline for this year has been “wear confidence” and skiing is probably one of the only sports that you can wear whatever you want and feel fantastic doing it. 

“Our products are so vibrant and fun, they encapsulate the essence and the fun of skiing and the lifestyle; everyone is always happy wearing an OOSC suit.” 

The sense of confidence extends beyond the slopes and onto social media where customers can actively engage with the brand on Instagram through ‘OOSC in the wild,’ further strengthening the community feel. For Aaron, this sense of familiarity and openness is central to what OOSC celebrates: 

Aaron: “It’s like when people used to drive old Beetles and they’d wave to each other.

“I’m a big fan of our unapologetic nostalgia and we don’t judge anyone. Everyone is welcome to be a part of our community and we’re in your face and proud of it!” 

As the company continues to reach new milestones, Nick and Aaron cement that they are far from finished and aim to continue to grow their global presence as well as expand into kids wear to further reinforce the sense of community and legacy. 

But it’s in the smaller, more personal moments that their journey is best captured. OOSC recently celebrated their 10th anniversary by returning to where it all began, a moment that perfectly reflected how far they’ve come. 

Aaron: “On the first day we launched in 2015, we had all of our friends together and went to Folie Douce, getting photos of us arm in arm” 

“We went back there last week and replicated it, having customers there that we didn’t know, customers that had paid to come on the trip with us, and the staff wearing OOSC logos everywhere. It was a real full circle moment.”

What began as a shared passion for sport, facilitated by the Swansea University community, has flourished into a global brand. Ten years on, OOSC continues to grow, with its founders committed to growing their company into a community defined by confidence, responsibility, connection, and the simple joy of standing out. With sustainability now central to its identity, Nick and Aaron are building a brand designed for the future of the sport itself, aiming to be part of the push to preserve a world where there is still snow to ski on.