Nobody’s Princess: Closing the gap in snow sports and redefining snow gear for women

Founder and Chief Pant Splitter, Maria Baker is the brains behind Nobody’s Princess, designed for all body types, shapes and sizes. The brand was created for women and girls to ensure they feel comfortable whilst wearing clothes that are functional for skiing and snowboarding in extreme temperatures and conditions. “My vision for Nobody’s Princess is not only to create functional snow gear, but also to empower and encourage women in sports to pursue their passions without limitations,” said Baker.

The brand addresses a gap in the snow sports industry, which overlooked the needs of female athletes and enthusiasts for so long. “Seeing how our designs resonate with customers who finally feel understood and valued is incredibly rewarding,” added Baker.

The inspiration: A chairlift revelation

Baker’s journey began with personal frustration. An avid snowboarder since 2017, Baker struggled to find snow gear that fit her tall and athletic body shape well, and allowed for full freedom of movement when on the slopes. A breakthrough moment came during a snowboarding trip in 2018 when her new snow pants ripped on a chairlift—an experience that led her to question why snow gear wasn’t designed with women’s bodies in mind.

Conversations with other women on the chair lift and on the slopes revealed that her experience was far from unique; finding snow gear that fit well was a common struggle amongst women.

"That moment on the chairlift was a wake-up call—not just for me, but for so many women who shared similar frustrations with snow gear," said Baker. “Hearing other women express the same struggles made me realise that we deserve gear designed for our bodies, our movement, and our comfort. My goal with Nobody’s Princess is to empower women to feel confident and unrestricted on the slopes, so they can focus on enjoying the sport they love."

The beginnings: Bringing the idea to life

Driven by her own experiences and those of her peers, Baker launched Nobody’s Princess amid the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. A pivotal moment in the early days of Nobody’s Princess was partnering with an experienced snow apparel designer who not only had experience in snow apparel design, but also had existing manufacturing contacts in the industry. Working closely together, they brought Baker’s vision to life, resulting in what she believes to be the best-fitting snow pants for women on the market. With features that cater specifically to women’s bodies, Nobody’s Princess designs quickly resonated with customers who had long felt underserved by existing brands.

"Partnering with a designer who understood both the technical aspects of snow apparel and the unique needs of women in this space was a game-changer. Together, we tested and created many different items of snow wear that actually fit and move with women’s bodies, whilst not compromising on style,” added Baker.

Organic marketing and early growth

With a background in corporate graphic design, as well as ongoing engagement with the snow sports industry online and on the slopes, Baker was able to establish brand awareness for Nobody’s Princess without an initial significant investment in paid advertising.

The launch of Nobody’s Princess was met with strong organic support. By engaging directly with the snowboarding and skiing community on platforms like Reddit and Facebook, Baker fostered a loyal customer base that eagerly anticipated the launch of her products. In fact, in its first year on the market, growth reached approximately 400%. And it wasn’t until 2024, after she refined her target demographic, that Baker began investing in paid advertising to reach an even wider audience.

In the past three months, eCommerce has increased 121% year-on-year. In just the last 30 days, eCommerce is up 67% YoY, highlighting sustained increases in online sales activity.

The ASTN advantage: Strategic support for scaling

After navigating the early years of business on her own, Baker has recently found invaluable support through the Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN).

As Nobody’s Princess grew, Baker faced challenges common to small businesses: a lack of funding and limited support networks particularly for product-based businesses. Joining the ASTN Growth-Stage Accelerator program in 2024 marked a pivotal turning point for Nobody’s Princess. ASTN has provided Baker with access to industry-specific mentorship, resources, and a network of like-minded entrepreneurs. To date, the program has helped to address growth-stage challenges such as scaling operations, entering international markets, and navigating the complexities of sportstech.

"Being part of the ASTN accelerator program has provided invaluable niche support that I can apply to my business immediately, making a real difference," added Baker.

Funding challenges and advocacy for female founders

Securing funding for a female-led product-based business has proven to be an ongoing challenge. Traditional startup funding in Australia is largely focused on AI, fintech and agriculture, often overlooking product-based companies in sportstech. Additionally, the discontinuation of government grants specifically for female founders added to Baker’s difficulties in expanding Nobody’s Princess.

As a small business founder that has been bootstrapping from day one, Baker tirelessly advocates for more tailored funding opportunities for female-led startups and businesses in niche markets, like Nobody’s Princess.

The ASTN network and accelerator program have helped alleviate some of these challenges by connecting Baker with potential investors and providing guidance on sustainable business growth.

“With startup program support now mostly relying on state funding following the federal government's discontinuation of the Female Founder Support, ASTN plays a critical role in supporting entrepreneurs like me.”

“There is still a lot of work to do to remove these barriers and support these sportstech startups to thrive, and not just survive. I strongly believe this begins with increasing access to funding and ensuring that governments recognise the many small businesses (like mine) that are potentially falling through the funding cracks despite their potential,” said Baker.

The future: Expanding into international markets

The next phase for Nobody’s Princess involves scaling in the US market. With ASTN’s ongoing support, Baker aims to establish more of a presence in the US, allowing her brand to reach a larger audience and expand globally.

Through hard work, resilience, and ASTN’s support, Maria Baker has turned Nobody’s Princess into an innovative brand that’s shaking up the snow sports industry. ASTN’s resources and mentorship have been integral to this journey, helping Baker navigate the challenges of scaling her business and entering new markets.

For learn more about Nobody’s Princess, visit nobodysprincess.com.au.

Listen to Maria Baker’s interview on ASTN’s ‘Sports Cutting Edge’ podcast.