THE NORTH FACE BRINGS STORIES OF EXPLORATION TO LIFE WITH “IT’S MORE THAN A JACKET” CAMPAIGN LAUNCH AT SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

The North Face today announced the launch of its Fall 2022 brand campaign, the second iteration of “It’s More Than A Jacket.” This will bring an initiative that began a year ago full circle by celebrating collected stories of exploration that were submitted by athletes, consumers, brand partners, and lifelong brand aficionados alike to life. On Thursday, October 6th, a selection of stories behind some of the most iconic jackets and designs from The North Face will be on display in a unique, larger-than-life experience at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s First Thursday program.

The “It’s More Than a Jacket” experience will feature an installation comprised of used The North Face jackets and products on loan from brand partners ranging from athletes to designers, to consumers. Some of the stories within this experiential archive include those from The North Face athletes such as Alex Honnold, Jimmy Chin and Ingrid Backstrom; designers Mark Erickson and Angelo Baque; cultural icon and artist RZA, and many more. Each piece’s unique story will showcase what these jackets have meant to the people who have worn them throughout the years. The installation, designed in collaboration with Grayscale Studio, Experience Research Lab and House of Sorcery and fabricated by Austin Custom CNC, is comprised entirely of recycled and post-consumer materials, as well as created with jackets from the brand’s upcycled clothing program, The North Face Renewed, to convey how important it is to reuse jackets for future explorations and keep them in use for as long as possible.

“The stories, anecdotes and submissions we’ve collected over the past year as part of “It’s More Than a Jacket” have shown the deep connection and intense sense of nostalgia our community has for their The North Face gear,” said Mike Ferris, Vice President of Global Brand Management for The North Face. “Bringing a sampling of these stories to life in an experiential way at SFMOMA will allow them to live on, and hopefully inspire the next generation to use our gear for more unforgettable explorations.”

The Fall 2022 campaign officially launched today with an anthem video that showcases the meaning behind many of the great adventures The North Face jackets have been taken on. For the music in the video, The North Face partnered with GRAMMY Award-nominated recording artist, Japanese Breakfast, to rerecord the hit song “The Story.” The track will serve as the soundtrack for a commercial spot that will help bring the campaign to life.

“It was a joy to take on the iconic ballad, ‘The Story,'” said Michelle Zauner, lead singer of Japanese Breakfast. “I think the song captures the depths of human tenacity and the spirit of the journey so well. We wanted to keep our rendition sparse and acoustic. A beautiful string arrangement written by Craig Hendrix and performed by our violinist, Molly Germer, and Quartet 121 soars in to sweep you up to the mountains.”

The event is part of the brand’s ongoing partnership with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which kicked off over a year ago and currently supports SFMOMA’s First Thursdays program, offering Bay Area residents free general admission on the first Thursday of every month. Tickets for First Thursdays can be obtained through the museum’s ticketing page at sfmoma.org.

“SFMOMA’s long-standing partnership with The North Face is rooted in a shared commitment to creativity, sustainability, and exploration. Supported by The North Face, our First Thursday program welcomes all Bay Area residents to explore SFMOMA and its wide range of inspiring programs free-of-charge, including a unique, participatory program The North Face will bring to the museum on October 6,” said Chris Bedford, Helen and Charles Schwab Director for SFMOMA.

The campaign will come to life throughout the Fall, as The North Face introduces a number of new collections honoring the brand’s rich heritage – while also looking ahead toward the future. One of these collections will be The North Face first-ever circular collection. The styles in this collection feature conscious choices designed to minimize waste, while creating products that can be more easily disassembled and recycled to keep the adventures going.

The collection will feature pieces for men’s, women’s, and youth, and consists of jackets, quarter zip fleece, pants, and a unisex beanie. The all-fleece pieces are made of 100% recycled polyester, and will be available online and in stores by October 6, 2022.