THE NORTH FACE

#WallsAreMeantForClimbing

Designed from core outdoor & indoor athletes who have built their lives around a love of climbing.

A unique, end user inspired collection of climb specific performance apparel.

PROUD MOMENTS

Editors Award in Climbing Magazine 2018.
Alex Honnold giving my shorts the thumbs up! (Honnold the first climber to free solo Yosemite’s 3,000-foot El Capitan wall)

THE STORY

Caged+Animal+Sam+Elias.jpg — **#Cagedanimal**

WHAT IF A #CAGEDANIMAL

DESIGNED HIS APPAREL ?

We took The North Face sponsored athlete Sam Elias into design world and asked his opinion on what would make the ideal training product. Taking this further we recruited more TNF athletes into the design process.

What we got was a unique, athlete inspired collection of men’s climb specific performance apparel.

WHAT

The North Face® fundamental mission remains unchanged since 1966: Provide the best gear for our athletes and the modern day explorer, support the preservation of the outdoors, and inspire a global movement of exploration.

Since 1966, we have viewed walls not as obstacles, but as opportunities. From the big walls of Yosemite to the high peaks of the Himalayas, we were searching for a personal kind of freedom. In this pursuit, we found a community – strengthened by different stories, experiences and perspectives. This community has shown us that the only way forward is together.

We believe in a world that is united by difference, bound by empathy and strengthened by understanding

#Walls Are Meant For Climbing

TASK

The North Face has been a passionate partner to the world’s climbing community for more than 50 years,” They see walls as a place to unite our communities through the sport of climbing – a sport that requires trust and partnership. Our climbing community is truly global and we believe that communities are stronger when inclusive.

“Our intent is to inspire others to think more hopefully about the type of community we all want to work and play in.”

The North Face has a long history of supporting the climbing community through sponsorship of athletes including Alex Honnold and Ashima Shiraishi, and through the support of non-profit organizations like USA Climbing, The Trust for Public Land, Paradox Sports, the Access Fund and the American Alpine Club that focus on access, conservation and education.

The Brief was to design a range of functional climbing gear built to crush the toughest workout. Designed for life on the Wall, in the gym and beyond.

TOOLS

Human bodies, Sewing machine, Bemis hi-frequency welding technology, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign

HOW

Eat climb, sleep climb & keep climbing! Practical experience in on the wall and on the mountain, End User and Athlete informed through extensive contextual inquiry, and literal following TNF athlete behavioir patterns for 6 months in the mountain and in the training gym.

PROBLEM

Climbing gyms are a new emerging growth area fitness market. One key facet of the modern gym is its multidimensionality—today’s gyms might best be considered fitness centers with a climbing focus, where you might also take yoga or CrossFit, connect with friends, use the co-working space, or buy gear.

There are many climbing/outdoor brands, yet no one is actually providing unique and functional product for this new emerging area transcending seasons, applicable for training and for going out after the gym. Designed for life on the Wall in the gym and beyond.

HYPOTHESIS

We believe that by tapping into the mind of the user and understanding the requirements from a counter cultural and functional view we can deliver a product that will not only please user but also capture the unique DNA of the brand. Make goal setting more approachable in an easy step-by-step manner using customized touch points and community encouragement.