Saturday, November 29, 2008

40 Years of The North Face


The North Face is holding a 40th Anniversary exhibition at the Spiral Building in Aoyama through December 3, so we stopped by the press preview the other night to take a look.

The North Face (along with Patagonia) is one of those rare brands that really inspires people and compels them to think about the world around them. The theme for the brand's 40th anniversary year is "Do More With Less," a quote by architect, designer, visionary and former Mensa president Richard Buckminster Fuller. Buckminster Fuller was an early environmentalist who believed, far before the rest of the scientific world did, that humans would soon rely on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. He is best known for his huge geodesic domes, which resemble the small scale one at the North Face exhibition (above). The exhibition also includes photos, videos, advertisements and products from the past 40 years, but it was Buckminster Fuller's catchphrase that has stuck in my head. I'm going out tonight to buy some energy-saving light bulbs.


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