description The North Face Overview
help The North Face FAQ
Was The North Face originally a fashion brand?
No, The North Face began as an outdoor and climbing gear company in San Francisco, with its first store opening in 1966. It later expanded from technical equipment into broader outerwear, fleece, footwear, and streetwear.
Why is it called The North Face?
The name refers to the north face of a mountain, which is often colder, icier, and more difficult to climb in the Northern Hemisphere. The brand's logo is widely associated with Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.
Who founded The North Face?
Douglas Tompkins and Susie Tompkins Buell are central to the brand's early history in California. Kenneth Hap Klopp later became important after buying into the company and helping build it as an outdoor gear business.
How did The North Face become streetwear as well as outdoor gear?
By the late 1990s and 2000s, pieces such as Nuptse jackets and Denali fleeces moved from climbing shops into city fashion. The brand still sells technical lines such as Summit Series, but it also competes culturally with Patagonia, Arc'teryx, and Columbia.
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