Brand Interview: Kuvetta
Where grit meets grace
This week, I bopped down to Pearl Street in Boulder to check out Kuvetta, which just brought its bright colors and playful prints to town in the famed pop-up space. I always get a kick out of watching brands rotate through that tiny Boulder setup for about three months at a time—some of my favorites you don’t see in many retailers, like Skida or Wild Rye. I got to meet Abby, Kuvetta’s founder, and we chatted about the brand she’s built, the run clubs she’s planning, and what’s on the horizon.
A Nordic cross-country skier turned gear designer, she built Kuvetta to answer a stubborn question: why should endurance athletes have to compromise on fit? She launched in spring 2021, after graduating in 2020, sewing and selling activewear that actually works with quads, lats, and the rest of a moving body. The line has evolved: longer shorts to reduce chafe, and sports bras offered with different top and band sizes—born from real needs voiced by athletes like Jessie Diggins.
MA: What was the spark of inspiration behind Kuvetta?
Abby: “I’m a Nordic cross-country skier, and as an endurance athlete I didn’t feel like there was activewear that actually worked with my quads and my lats and my muscles, while still catering toward endurance activities. There’s a lot of running apparel that fits people who are more straight up and down. People who don’t have butts.” After graduating college in 2020, I started sewing and selling activewear in spring 2021.
MA: How did you approach designing for bodies beyond Small/Medium/Large?
Abby: “The shorts are longer between the thighs for shaping, shorter at the sides, with grip strips so they don’t ride up.” And the sports bras with “different top sizes and band sizes.” Olympic Nordic skier Jessie Diggins was one of Abby’s first sports bra clients; “she needed a bra with a wider band than a smaller bust, something you don’t usually find in standard lines. “Bodies don’t come in just small, medium, and large. People are built differently.”
MA: What is the meaning behind Kuvetta?
Abby: “I drew from the root meaning strength, Kuvet is a Turkish word, then added the ‘etta’ to soften the sound. It’s grit with grace.”
MA: When did you realize Kuvetta was starting to pick up traction?
Abby: “A few months after I started I got contacted by Outside Magazine to be in their gear review issue. I thought well if they’re reaching out to me, maybe I’ve got something” After nearly a year-long process, it culminated in an Editor’s Choice recognition for the Stay-Put short.
MA: How can brands help break down barriers for women in outdoor spaces?
Abby: “I’ve noticed, especially in Nordic skiing, there comes a time when a lot of girls stop and men keep going in the sport.” We talked about a mix of things here, but honed in on how the famed puberty stage can be a contributing factor for why girls might change things up. Abby remarked how she hopes Kuvetta can help women and girls feel comfortable in apparel that actually works and performs (and looks cute!) Allowing them to do all the activities and celebrate the changes that our bodies go through in a lifetime.
MA: What’s next for Kuvetta?
Abby: “Kuvetta is creating supportive and comfortable gear throughout those body changes.” The core idea remains: gear that fits real bodies as they evolve, not just a static size chart.
Kuvetta: gear that fits real bodies as they evolve, not a static size chart. If you’re drawn to gear that speaks to real movement, this is a brand watching the body in motion—one stitch at a time. If you are in the Boulder area, Abby is at the pop up through September. You can also check out the site here.