The North Face – On an expedition into japan
In recent years, fashion has increasingly turned towards a concept of functionality and comfort.
As a result, many outdoor brands have captured large market shares and the preferences of high-end consumers. Brands like Arc’teryx, Wander, and Mont-bell have risen to stand shoulder to shoulder with icons like Supreme, Palace, and Stüssy in the realm of everyday fashion. In certain instances, they have even surpassed them in desirability, becoming coveted staples of contemporary style. Through countless collaborations, notably with the high fashion scene, the outdoor scene won everybody’s earth to become mainstream.
Although, function has always been imperative to fashion and The North Face is one of the most influential names to fall under this genre. TNF has been around since the very start of fashionable outdoor garments. They have become a trendsetter in Japan, defining a contemporary style on the streets of Tokyo. But how did this mountain brand par excellence become one of the most desired brands in the Asian country and beyond? To understand this, we first have to take a trip to New York in the 1990s.
The North Face, the Sportswear Brand Par Excellence
The golden age of rap referred to a time when style and music walked hand in hand. One influenced the other in a contiguous manner and The North Face jackets were an evergreen. The icy cold temperatures of New York’s winters needed to be tackled with quality, technical design, and unmistakable charm. The Nuptse jacket, effectively the classic puffer model of The North Face, became the best-selling, most popular model in specialized shops due to it being incredibly warm. Wearing it meant embodying the extreme hiking culture of the early streetwear scene, including rap, graffiti, and baggy outfits.
"Rappers would rather wear The North Face than brands like Patagonia or Marmot because of the beautiful bright colors and designs they had back in those days," Ramon Herrera, owner of the Tent & Trails store, told The Cut. "The music just made it even bigger."
Wearing a Nuptse allowed you to social mobility, donning a fashionable piece of kit that was respected and also just so happened to be functional to allow yourself comfort, warmth and protection from the weather. Big hip-hop names skyrocketed the model’s popularity though. As with any type of influential marketing, once the big names were spotted in it, shelves would be ransacked by the youth and sell out within an instant. Notable people who caused this craze would be Biggie, when he rapped about stealing one during “Dead Wrong”, and when Method Man wore a Steep Tech coat on his first single.
Takao Watanabe, Vice President of Goldwin [The North Face in Japan’s parent company], decided to fly to New York and see this phenomenon for himself. What was driving everyone to wear mountaineering clothing on city streets? It was clear that something was moving. It was parallel to Japan, where outdoor clothing was worn for its original purpose, not rocked by the youths that roamed the streets and took an interest in fashion.
"On cold winter days, young people in New York wore Nuptse jackets (North Face's standard down jackets) on the streets. At that time in Japan, there was still no culture of wearing outdoor outerwear on the streets. It seems it was an event that completely changed his sense of values, wondering if there was a reason to draw a line between the outdoors and the street,” says Watanabe.
The North face’s Expedition in Japan
While in New York the success of The North Face was brought about by the explosion of the hip-hop scene, in Japan the brand had already been around since 1978. At that time, the lifestyle of the American West Coast, Los Angeles specifically, between the Lakers, trainers, skateboarding, and the light life inside UCLA college, became the dream of every young Japanese. Thus, Popeye magazine was born in August 1976 to celebrate and report on what was happening on the other side of the world: fashion, sports, pop culture, and lifestyle. The magazine aimed to give hope back to the young Japanese, who were tired of living as "salarymen" without a social life. This played a pivotal part in the resurgence of The North Face in Japan.
The introduction of The North Face into the Japanese market happened at that moment of healthy euphoria. Goldwin President Akio Nishida recalls: "At the time, there were many brands in the US because of the outdoor boom, but TNF's products that pursued functional beauty were extraordinarily attractive and were different from rivals".
The North Face's relationship with Japan, brokered by Goldwin
Export came about thanks to Goldwin, a historic Japanese skiwear manufacturer, who decided to become the main Asian distributor in 1978. Aimed mainly at the affluent Japanese citizens who wanted to emulate the west's interests, skiing in particular, the brand was never a streetwear brand until the boom in the 90s. With Japan’s deep love for Americano trends, they would also later hook on to this and in response, The North Face would also evolve over in the east.
Managers of The North Face and Goldwin in the 1980s.
In 1994, Goldwin itself acquired the rights to the brand in Japan and Korea also for production. In fact, to this day, 90% of The North Face's garments are produced in Japan, constituting a unique market in terms of size and catalog. Although technically the same company, The North Face Japan operates by themselves and produces different stock. A different approach to the west, in Japan the brand operates in a more contemporary style, very particular and stylised. Minimal yet still functional.
In 2016 alone, according to an article by Toyokeizai Online, TNF's sales in Japan amounted to 30 billion yen, out of the 34 total budgeted by the Goldwin Company. Numbers that certify the brand's appeal, even in times long past. But the real success factor lies in a cutting-edge Research and Development department, which is constantly controlled down to the smallest details and processes.
The value of The North Face: constant research and innovation
In Aoyama Prefecture, the town where Goldwin was born, is the Goldwin Tech Lab, one of the most structured technology hubs in the world. It is there that The North Face, daily, adds a piece that makes it a step ahead of everyone else: a scanner room equipped with a 3D measuring device, an artificial weather room that artificially reproduces various weather conditions for product testing and motion measurement using motion capture, state-of-the-art facilities including an active exercise lab.
The room inside the Goldwin Tech Lab for testing athletes' performance.
Why is every The North Face store in Japan different?
“Never Stop Exploring" is the motto that identifies the DNA of The North Face, always seeking the balance between man and nature. As stated by Hironori Tanaka, TNF Marketing Manager, the brand's goal is its long-term steady growth beyond sales itself. Taking care of every detail and enhancing every point of sale will create continuous stimulation and increase brand loyalty. Throughout Japan, there are more than eighty directly operated TNF stores. In Tokyo alone, there are five single-brand shops (The North Face Alter, The North Face Play, The North Face Lab, The North Face 3 (March), and The North Face Standard), each with a well-defined identity, suitable for every need and capable of attracting attention.
The latest, in chronological order, is The North Face Sphere, in central Harajuku, completely dedicated to athletics and outdoor equipment. A seven-story building designed by the "Sawada Hashimura" studio (led by Wataru Sawada and Yuichi Hashimura), it is perfect for those who love quality sports. In addition, for those participating in events such as 'Ultra Rail Mt. Fuji (UTMF)' and 'Shonan International Marathon', there is an event space with unique repair services by professional staff, and online for outdoor enthusiasts.
The North Face Sphere
Takao Watanabe, Vice-President of Goldwin, is responsible for the so-called 'core & more' strategy, i.e. creating concept stores that aim at precise targets and niches.
"A city has the lifestyle, culture, and way of thinking of the people who live there, so shops should not be the same. Shopping centers are also the same. It is a waste to do the same thing if we are different,' Watanabe says in an interview.
"Core" is to pursue clothing and equipment that protect the lives of active people in outdoor environments and enable them to move around more comfortably. "More" develops products for various user groups and usage scenarios outside the outdoor domain, such as collaborations with famous fashion brands, bags for businessmen, and products for children.
For instance, The North Face Play, in the Tokyo Midtown Hibiya area, offers an outdoor-oriented store for people who like to constantly test cutting-edge products, as demonstrated by the 'Summit' line.
The North Face Purple Label, A story Made in Japan
Many innovative companies in Japan make this slogan their mantra: 'mono URI yori koto uri' - i.e. 'don't sell goods, sell experiences'. Since its foundation, The North Face has acted according to this concept, always wanting to go further. Their high-end Purple Label line creation in 2003 in collaboration with Goldwin and nanamica definitively launched the brand into fashion and outdoors. The genius vision of Eiichiro Homma, founder of nanamica and Managing Director for TNF Purple Label, and former Brand Manager for Helly Hansen, was instrumental in making the American brand one of the most desired in Japan.
“I took the traditional 1980s The North Face garments, but gave them the slimmer shapes that were in style at the time,” says Mr. Homma. “It looked classic while still using the latest down technology.”
The Purple Label collections maintain the mountain heritage that has distinguished the brand for more than 50 years and combine it with looser fits, bright colors, and fashionable designs. Homma's aim has always been to make TNF a perfect product for the urban context, but without losing the original core value.
As our contributor Nova wrote in her interview with Homma himself, "he has also acted as the mediator between certain fashion trends worldwide, helping to introduce Western sportswear aesthetics to Japan and adopting utility-focused American aesthetics for the Japanese population."
For over twenty years, TNF Purple Label has been that branch that looks to the past to design the future. Nanamica and the American brand are two sides of the same coin, so Purple Label is the perfect creature. Minimalism, quality fabrics, and a refined aesthetic. Looking at the cardigan pictured below, we find ourselves looking at a hybrid product that combines the personalities of both brands. Wool and nylon boa, often used by nanamica, and the 65/35 Bayhead Cloth fabric, combined with the pocket detail of TNF's Denali jacket. Versatility, elegance, and functionality.
Each collection is designed to highlight Purple Label's peculiarities as an ever-evolving hybrid that hardly ever misses a beat.
The Japanese people, in terms of style and appreciation for street culture, are probably the ones who most love refined materials, cutting-edge design, and direct, streamlined communication. The partnership with Palace certifies the high level reached by the TNF Purple Label, not only the quintessence of outdoor but also the benchmark for modern sportswear. The design concept was based on the slogan 'The City with Purple Wind'. Based on the purple label's archive products, items were created that were close to the mood of Palace's street culture. The key color was, of course, 'purple'.
Beyond the various collaborations, The North Face is a tank that also does it alone. In 2021, Goldwin Company's sales increased by 8.6 percent to 98.2 billion yen and net profit rose by 33.7 percent to 14.3 billion yen. These results, for the most part, grew thanks to TNF. The formula for this unstoppable success has no secrets, only an incredible desire to set the pace for the future without forgetting its roots. We can relate some of this success perhaps to the unstoppable force right now that is the gorpcore trend. Although, even far before the trend people of all ages and backgrounds were sporting the outdoor brand: Dad’s on school runs in their TNF fleece, Roadmen in Britain in their tech hoodie, Hip-Hop rappers in their Nuptse’s, and hypebeasts in their Supreme x TNF's. The list goes on and on, although one thing is for sure. Trends come and go, but The North Face always remains.
Text by Alessandro Ranieri
