The History Of The North Face

Foundation & Incorporation

The North Face is number one when it comes to outdoor wear in the 21st century. The brand now known for selling gear that has taken more people to the top of Everest than any other was rather ironically, founded on a beach in San Francisco in 1966 by two friends who loved hiking and decided they would start an outdoor store in the North Beach area.

Their store began to grow, granting them a move to a more prosperous area of San Fran where they began to design and manufacture their own backpacks and outerwear. Word of mouth spread regarding the fine quality hiking gear the shop sold and The North Face found themselves with enough money to begin to sponsor expeditions to untouched regions of the world. This inspired the birth of The North Face’s mantra ‘Never Stop Exploring’.

Expansion

After a decade of manufacturing gear exclusively for hiking, The North Face decided to venture into winter sports, producing ski wear, backpacks and sleeping bags for the world’s most hardcore winter athletes. The North Face was the only brand in American who provided top quality ski wear as well as the equipment to go alongside it, this won over the loyalty of many avid skiers. This resulted in the endorsement of many professionals whom The North Face then tested products with in order to further advance them.

Now holding a place in almost every exploratory sport, whether it be climbing, walking, running or skiing, The North Face have made themselves a staple in the outdoor industry. The North Face emblem resembles an assumed quality that consumers can expect when they purchase an item from them, they are thought to be the best of the best.

The North Face in Fashion

Today, The North Face is quite surprisingly a sought-after brand in streetwear. Once considered a brand exclusive for dads taking the dog out for a walk on a grey Sunday, The North Face has exploded onto the worldwide streetwear scene, going from zero to hero in a matter of five years thanks to a change in marketing style and a series of prestigious collabs with the likes of Supreme.

Because there are two main consumers, the deduction will be broken in half. For the Depop royalty vintage kids, their love for The North Face likely stems from old East Coast rap videos and Supreme collabs over the years. For the roadmen of the UK, the popularity likely derives from the weather. For those sitting outside on bone-chilling English evenings, a thick coat is a necessity, and if you wear The North Face, you promote a stylistic and economic advantage to your peers, similar to Stone Island amongst football casuals.