In my own words
— RussellSince the early ‘90s, Russell Winfield has stood at the intersection of snowboarding, street culture, and design—as the first Black professional snowboarder and a lifelong advocate for representation in outdoor sports and creative industries.
His journey began with shaping the identity of iconic brands like Ride Snowboards, Dub Outerwear, and Alpha Numeric—where he helped build teams and design products that championed individuality and style. From there, he brought his perspective to collaborations with Holden Outerwear and Nike Snowboarding, designing gear for elite athletes and pushing boundaries in both performance and design.
In 2020, Russell reappeared on the cover of Snowboarder Magazine, bringing attention to the legacy of Black snowboarders and creators—an experience that led to a meaningful collaboration with Virgil Abloh and a limited-edition pro model snowboard that blended fashion, identity, and sport.
Today, he leads Ayee Esse, a Black-owned creative studio focused on mentoring diverse talent and crafting impactful work across fashion, music, art, and culture. He collaborates with brands like Arc'teryx, Loro Piana, JBL, and more—helping shape authentic narratives and breakthrough design.
Russell serves as a global ambassador for Arc'teryx and a brand partner with Athletic Brewing Co., while also mentoring the next generation of creatives through the Virgil Abloh Scholarship Fund, where he supports young talent pursuing careers in fashion. Russell can also be seen across various campaigns for brands like Supreme, UNDEFEATED, Malbon Golf, and more.
More than 30 years in, he’s still riding—and still pushing for a more inclusive, expressive, and creative future.
Trajectory
Activity
Education history
Art Institute of Seattle
General Assembly
| 2016 - 2016


