Summit Series
The professional and expedition line; The North Face's top technical identity.
Source: Heorshe – stock.adobe.com
The North Face
Outdoor outfitter whose expedition authority, carried by the mantra Never Stop Exploring, now extends from the summit to the city.
- Founded
- 1966
- Industry
- Apparel · Outdoor
- Headquarters
- USA
- Ownership
- Public company
- Parent company
- VF Corporation
Key Facts
Current claim
“Never Stop Exploring”
Brand logo
Purpose
Exploration is our oxygen. It shapes who we are, what we stand for and what we strive for.
The North Face
Mission
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.
The North Face-
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The North Face Purple Label
The Japan-exclusive line with Nanamica, since 2003; a heritage-fashion identity.
Positioning
Shaping the future of human/nature.
Brand Chronology
The North Face and Gucci go to Iceland (2021)
The North Face and Gucci go to Iceland
2021
The second Gucci x The North Face chapter is shot in Iceland by Jalan and Jibril Durimel and sold in The North Face stores too.
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The North Face asks customers for their jacket stories (2021)
The North Face asks customers for their jacket stories
2021
For its 55th year, The North Face builds a crowdsourced archive of customer stories with SFMOMA: It's More Than a Jacket.
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The North Face and Gucci (2020)
The North Face and Gucci
2020
Gucci and The North Face present a joint collection built on the outdoor brand's 1970s archive, with a shared logo label.
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The North Face brings its Japanese Purple Label to the US (2019)
The North Face brings its Japanese Purple Label to the US
2019
Purple Label, made in Japan by nanamica and Goldwin since 2003, went on sale in the US for the first time in January 2019.
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The North Face takes Never Stop Exploring to the city (2018)
The North Face takes Never Stop Exploring to the city
2018
In 2018 The North Face stretched Never Stop Exploring to musicians and activists, with New York shows and a Nuptse reissue.
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The North Face promises women equal space in its ads (2018)
The North Face promises women equal space in its ads
2018
With Move Mountains, The North Face pledged equal representation of women in all its advertising, backed by grants and badges.
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The North Face says walls are meant for climbing (2017)
The North Face says walls are meant for climbing
2017
The North Face opened climbing gyms worldwide for free on Global Climbing Day 2017 and funded public walls under one line.
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The North Face turns 50 with Question Madness (2016)
The North Face turns 50 with Question Madness
2016
For its 50th year, The North Face and Sid Lee asked viewers to question the madness people see in its athletes' expeditions.
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The North Face goes global with Never Stop (2015)
The North Face goes global with Never Stop
2015
With Never Stop, made by Mekanism, The North Face ran one campaign in all its markets for the first time in its history.
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Supreme x The North Face: streetwear meets the summit (2007)
Supreme x The North Face: streetwear meets the summit
2007
Supreme reworked the Summit Series Jacket in early 2007 and opened the longest running technical-streetwear axis in the category.
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The North Face launches its Summit Series (2000)
The North Face launches its Summit Series
2000
In 2000 The North Face gave its most technical gear a name of its own, the Summit Series, developed with its expedition athletes.
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The North Face Nuptse and New York (1992)
The North Face Nuptse and New York
1992
The North Face built the Nuptse for the Himalaya in 1992; within years it had become a staple of New York's hip-hop wardrobe.
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Logo Design (1971)
Logo Design
1971
The brand’s logo was created in 1971 by California-based designer David Alcorn, several years after the company was founded. Before that, the brand did not have an official logo. The design quickly became an important part of the brand’s identity and is now recognized worldwide.
The logo is inspired by Half Dome, a famous granite rock formation in Yosemite National Park, California. Half Dome is one of the park’s most iconic landmarks and is known for its distinctive shape and impressive size. Its unique appearance makes it a strong and recognizable symbol.
Choosing Half Dome as the inspiration for the logo reflects the brand’s strong connection to nature, outdoor adventure, and exploration. The mountain represents qualities such as strength, endurance, resilience, and natural beauty. These values are also reflected in the brand’s products, which are designed to be durable, reliable, and suitable for challenging outdoor environments.
The North Face and Patagonia grew from the same roots (1968)
The North Face and Patagonia grew from the same roots
1968
The North Face and Patagonia trace back to one 1968 road trip; the founders' paths explain how differently both brands speak.
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Hap Klopp acquires The North Face (1968)
Hap Klopp
acquires The North Face
Founded
1966
Climber Doug Tompkins used his savings to open a small shop in San Francisco in 1966, where the Grateful Dead played and Yosemite climbers stopped in.
