There’s nothing worse than being unprepared, and with Great Britain’s weather having the unfortunate ability to change in a matter of moments, the fact is that we all often are. However, this could soon be a thing of the past, as a new breed of fashion labels, born from the great outdoors comes out of the cold and onto the high street, bringing with them all the expertise and knowledge they have gained from years in the wilderness. The latest brand to make the transition from an all-around ready for action label, to a high-spec fashionable weather beater is American climbing brand Patagonia.

The Patagonia brand is steeped in history. It was born from one man’s love for what he did, and like many passions, the idea of developing something to help assist not only himself but also create something that others would love in the process, drove him to envisage something brilliant. The man who carried this vision was Yvon Chounaird, who started climbing in America when he was 14. He grew an insatiable passion for the sport, travelling to America to find the best rock faces to climb, and meeting fellow climbers with who he would become best friends along the way. Chounaird started out in the early days of rock climbing when fixtures were left in the rock permanently, allowing climbers to share paths and ropes. This was a chunky, permanent scar on the landscape which made the rock crack, so Chounaird began his first business, making removable fittings called ‘chocks’. He began making them by hand after he bought the tools he needed from a junkyard in California. Word soon spread of his invention, and the production of Chounaird’s innovation went industrial, as ‘chocks’ became the norm for a majority of climbers. He then went on to redesign nearly every piece of climbing equipment, bringing them up to date with new lightweight, stronger materials like aluminium. Chounaird began to travel the world climbing with his friends, moving from the Rockies to the Alps, and even to Scotland. It was here that Chounaird picked up some new climbing clothing- a heavy-duty, overbuilt Rugby top. The colours were striking and new, and a visual break away from the rock climbing clothing at the time which consisted of beige shorts and white shirts. Chounaird soon became inundated with requests for his Rugby shirt and began to ship styles from England, which were made by Umbro.
This side of the business, which was much more profitable than making climbing equipment, became Chounaird’s priority. He began shipping clothing from all over the world, and sold it under a name he came up with with the help of his climbing friends- Patagonia was chosen due to its ability to be pronounced in every language.

Patagonia Jackets In Modern Culture

Patagonia soon became a well-recognised label, as Chounaird began to bring innovative fabrics from other lifestyles into climbing. Elements from fishermen’s outfits, such as quick-drying cotton were introduced, as well as insulation through extra internal layering, and waterproof outer layers. The new clothing range was a huge success, but the colour palette of all outdoor clothing was still very bland. In the early 1980’s Patagonia took a huge risk and introduced clothing with radical colouring. Bright red, cobalt and teal were used to add interest to the collection. The risk paid off, and the influx of colour created a huge fad, helping the Patagonia brand reach out beyond the world of climbing and into the wardrobes of the fashion pack.
Patagonia had become a hugely desirable brand, both on the high street and on the cliff face almost overnight. The success of Patagonia’s early days still lives on, and despite its fluctuation into the fashion world, they still create clothing aimed at the outdoor pursuits consumer. Priding themselves on an economically friendly approach to production, Patagonia creates clothing for the ‘silent sports’ like fishing, climbing, hiking and skiing. Like the sports that they provide for, there is nothing loud or brash about Patagonia clothing- they are functional, appropriate and ready for any situation. 

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