From Ink to Ice: How One Woman Is Rethinking Outdoor Apparel Through Tattoo Art

A self-proclaimed “tatted-up mom,” Utah entrepreneur Tara Chapman has never been particularly interested in blending in. Her tattoos tell stories, and so do the mountains she grew up in. Now, Chapman is bringing those two worlds together with LayerOne, a Utah-based outdoor apparel brand that pairs technical performance with original tattoo art.

As an avid skier and longtime lover of the outdoors, Chapman noticed something missing from women’s outdoor apparel: personality. Technical clothing did its job, but so much of it looked the same. Women often seemed to have to choose between apparel that performed and apparel that felt like an extension of who they were.

For someone who sees tattoos as one of the most personal forms of self-expression, that sameness stood out. Why couldn’t a base layer be functional and expressive at the same time? That question became LayerOne.

The Courage to Build Something of Her Own

Entrepreneurship was part of Chapman’s story long before LayerOne. Her mother owned both a hair salon and, fittingly, a ski shop at a time when women had fewer opportunities to pursue that kind of independence. But it wasn’t until after her mother died that Chapman began to see her example differently.

While going through her mother’s belongings, Chapman found herself thinking not only about what her mom had built but also about the courage it had taken to build it. “My mom was an entrepreneur long before startup culture made it cool,” Chapman says. “She taught me what it means to build something from nothing, to take risks and believe in the value of hard work and authenticity.”

That gave Chapman a push to look more seriously at ideas of her own. “I’m pretty comfortable taking risks. I think some of that comes from watching my mom,” she says. “I’d rather try something I really believe in and have it not work than spend years wondering if I could have made it work.” Eventually, the pieces came together in a place that had been part of Chapman’s life since childhood: the mountain.

An Idea Born on the Slopes

A Colorado native who grew up skiing, Chapman has always felt at home in the mountains. While skiing one day, she found herself looking around at what everyone was wearing.

The technical apparel worked, but much of it felt predictable. Then came the idea: What if the base layer itself were a piece of art? Not another generic outdoor print, but actual artwork created by tattoo artists.

For Chapman, the connection felt natural. “Tattoos are such an expression of who you are and what your life is, whether it’s a very intentional piece that represents somebody or something or one that you just really like,” Chapman says.

LayerOne collaborates with tattoo artists to translate their work into limited-run collections. Rather than treating the artwork as decoration added after the fact, the art becomes central to each collection and to the identity of the brand itself.

The first collections feature work from tattoo artists Anastasiia Pakhanova and Lou Garner, each bringing a distinct artistic point of view to a category that has traditionally prioritized performance over personal expression.

For Chapman, that individuality is the point. “It’s important for women to express themselves and speak up,” she says. “And sometimes it’s just as simple as wearing something that speaks to who you are and is an expression or an extension of you.”

Made to Be Seen, Built to Perform

Of course, artwork alone wouldn’t be enough. If Chapman was going to make clothing for women who actually ski, snowboard, hike, camp and spend time outdoors, it had to perform.

Building LayerOne meant navigating an entirely new industry, from fabrics and manufacturing to fit, samples, printing techniques and the small details that turn an idea into something capable of spending a day on the mountain.

“I have an MBA, so I understand the business side on paper,” Chapman says. “But there’s a huge difference between studying business and sitting there trying to figure out fabric weights, manufacturers, samples, pricing and whether anyone is actually going to buy this thing you’ve created. I’ve learned more by building LayerOne than I ever expected.”

The resulting base layers use a lightly compressive, four-way-stretch performance fabric designed to manage moisture and move comfortably with the body. The artwork is integrated into the fabric through dye sublimation rather than sitting on top of it, allowing the designs to move with the garment without cracking or peeling.

For Chapman, getting that balance right matters. LayerOne isn’t intended to ask women to sacrifice technical performance for something more interesting to wear; it’s meant to offer both.

Under a ski jacket, it functions as a technical base layer. When the jacket comes off at the lodge, the artwork gets its moment.

More Than a Base Layer

Chapman wants the brand to become a place where performance, art and individuality coexist, while also giving tattoo artists an unexpected new canvas for their work. New collections can introduce customers to different artists and styles, making each release feel less like another piece of seasonal outdoor gear and more like wearable and collectable art.

“I didn’t want to create another outdoor brand that could have been made by anybody,” Chapman says. Most of all, Chapman wants to see the pieces out in the world: on ski lifts and trails, at campsites and après-ski and on women who love the outdoors but don’t necessarily see much of themselves in traditional outdoor apparel.

Now, Chapman is building something of her own with the hope that it gives other women one more way to wear who they are. To stay updated on LayerOne’s upcoming collections and launch, follow @layeronebasewear on Instagram.

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