Freeport, ME (Wednesday, May 11, 2005) - Outerwear brand L.L.Bean and the American Skiing Company (ASC), one of the country's largest operators of alpine ski and snowboard resorts, have announced a new outerwear partnership.

Beginning this fall, L.L.Bean will be the official outerwear supplier to ASC's ski resorts including Steamboat, The Canyons, Killington and Sunday River. As part of the agreement, L.L.Bean's product developers and designers are working in conjunction with the ASC staff to develop a complete outerwear system for all on-snow resort employees.

"We got together with several top instructors, lift operators and ski patrol personnel from ASC resorts and asked what they would like to see in the ultimate on-mountain uniform. Then we hit the design room with some really great ideas. We knew we wanted something that was waterproof/breathable, warm, easy to move in and looked great regardless of whether you ski or snowboard. Then we added the bells and whistles, like a built-in neoprene lumbar pad for warmth and protection, cell phone/radio pocket, and that's just for starters," says Greg Houser, V.P. and Merchandising Manager for L.L.Bean outerwear. "We are also planning to make a version of this outerwear available to our customers this fall as part of our new Gore-Tex/Primaloft Mountain Pro Series."

Already well known among consumers for its cold weather gear and apparel, L.L.Bean is expanding its presence in the outerwear market. The ASC partnership is reported to be just one more link in a chain of initiatives to increase the exposure of L.L.Bean outerwear in the alpine ski and snowboard market. "We have survey data that ranks L.L.Bean #1 among outerwear retailers in unaided consumer awareness. That's a foundation we can build on," concludes Houser.

ASC chose L.L.Bean as an outerwear partner for several reasons, according to Chip Carey, senior vice-president of sales and marketing for American Skiing Company. "We were looking to partner with an organization that clearly mirrored the brand attributes of our resorts and our long-term goals. L.L.Bean has a reputation for high quality gear and great customer service, so we can certainly trust them to keep our staff warm and dry on the slopes."

Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, L.L. Bean began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe.