Bolli Imports first started with a ballroom dance course. When Adrian was still going to university for physiotherapy in 1990, he and his sister took a ballroom dance course. When the course was finished, there was an evening of dancing and mingling. His sister said, “Hey, dance me over to this guy.. I really like him!” Some years later, they got married. In 1999, the husband was playing in a band that was performing at North Country Fair. Adrian’s sister and her husband called to invite him up to this festival by Joussard. When Adrian got to the festival, he saw all the vendors. He always loved to walk through markets when he traveled and was really interested in it. In the spring of 2000, he was nearing the end of a 6 month trip in South America where he bought 70 sweaters to sell at North Country Fair. He packed them into duffel bags, brought them to NCF, and sold more than half of them. He loved the energy of selling them and vibing with the lovely festival-goers. That was the beginning, and after that it was history.
Several synchronistic moments influenced the development and growth of the business. One year at NCF, a lady from Ecuador was vending at the festival on behalf of a band called Ocarina. A couple of months later, Adrian went to the Edmonton Folk Fest and happened to go to West Edmonton Mall for a visit. He saw an Ecuadorian band playing traditional music and walked up to the lady there to ask who they were and share that he had recently been to Ecuador himself. It turned out to be Ocarina. They changed contact and ended up visiting him in Calgary, and he went and visited the family in Ecuador. Her brothers came to pick him up from the airport, and Adrian stayed with them during his stay in Ecuador. They helped him start business there, and we ended up hiring her brother who now has been a member of our team for over 20 years as our main man in Ecuador. He left his computer job to come work for Bolli Imports. He is the longest standing employee to date! We took him to Peru once. It was the first time he ever flew and the first time he ever went to a Starbucks.
In 2003, Adrian was at a pharmacy. The pharmacist said he was looking for a good sweater, so they exchanged contact. Another man who overheard said, “Hey, I hear you’re looking for sweaters? I make sweaters.” His name is Fernando, and he was the first person to make the totally crazy Marino wool hood, which turned into the original Shambhala hood.
We started making really making the hoods you guys know today in 2006. The first inspiration came from a pixie hood hat, which was then recreated into the wool Shambhala hood in Ecuador. The year after that came the fun fur. After seeing all the burners dancing and wearing faux fur, Adrian thought "we need to bring fun fur to Shambhala!" Everyone likes to be in touch with their inner animal.
The evolution of the hood began when a hood template was made 15 years ago. The template has not changed since that first hood! Sewing began in the backyard and as the demand grew, the team was cutting alongside sewing. We brought a sewing machine to Shambhala in 2009 and people would buy hoods as we made them! The next year we brought a seamstress with us to the festival. Hoods were a real hit!
At a Vipassana course in 2012, Adrian realized how to do the secret pocket in the liner of the hood. One of our seamstresses had the idea to put a dreamcatcher just above the tassel. Sometime later came the finger toggles and buttons. The pawkets were inspired by customers in 2014 who had asked for them to be added to the hoods. The octo hood was inspired by a customer who had one hood on, tried on a second and so... we had to make a hood with 4 tassels!
From there, with the help of our friends around the world and synchronistic moments in Thailand, India, Nepal, and Indonesia, the business grew and we were able to bring many gems from all around the world.
For 26 seasons, Bolli Imports has brought unique products to the best festivals and musical events in Western Canada. What started as a small wool sweater gig out of a compact car is now a fun hang out at festivals.
Supported by amazing staff and friends, we spread the festival love year-round!