Clothing

The North Face Nuptse ’92 – A History Worth Repeating

Here at Proper we have always marveled at the ability of The North Face to retain its appeal to all corners of society yet still remain cool. How do they do it? It’s hard to say but at the root of anything good anyone has to say about TNF is its authenticity. It’s a real outdoor brand that just happens to look great beyond the peaks.

Its tools to tell this story are its iconic garments, such as the 1992 Nuptse jacket. Like all design classics, the desire to evolve is always hampered somewhat by the question: how do you improve something you’re already happy with?

On the 30th anniversary of the first Nuptse being released, The North Face have had a good go at both celebrating that milestone and making subtle improvements to what went before.

Named after a remote peak in the Himalayas, the Nuptse was built with revolutionary warmth, encouraging some of the world’s most daring athletes to their pinnacle. This then served to authenticate the brand for those whose exposure to the wintry winds was confined to the streets.

The story goes back even further. In 1987, Director of Equipment at The North Face Sally McCoy was part of the Snowbird Everest Expedition, inspiring the creation of perennial outwear classics named after the peaks and glaciers in the area. Five years later, The North Face introduced the original Nuptse Jacket, incorporating an innovative new baffle construction that minimised shifting of the down and increased warmth.

Since then, the Nuptse Jacket has become the iconic puffy jacket that thrives in cold weather conditions, as well as a cultural symbol showcased in music videos, and as much as home in Berlin as a Himalayan base camp.

Now, the original Nuptse is back – stitch for stitch, celebrating its ’92 origins and showing the best designs are always timeless.

See more at the North Face.

Mark Smith

I had pizza for tea.

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