Remember the '90s? Well, it was the decade street, 'alt', and 'extreme' sports became a thing. Everything from BMXing and downhill mountain biking to skateboarding and snowboarding (that is, for those with access to a crisp snow-covered mountain) were on the cards.
Inspired by that era and the current season, The North Face has delved into its archives and returned with the snowboarding-inspired RAGE collection for spring 2019, complete with all the colors and cuts that defined the era's look.
Key heat for the cold season includes the Rage retro jacket, anorak, fleece, crew, pants, a pair of boots, slides, and various bold logo wear in men, women, and unisex styles. Select pieces relaunched from the 92 Rage collection also include multiple headwear options and a colorful waist bag for men and women
First intro'd in '89, the original Rage line of the '90s was an important collection that both clothed athletes and helped define the decade's aesthetic of loud graphics, large blocks of color, and baggy cuts.
"The '90s, especially the early '90s, are currently trending but for The North Face we will always reference that era as it is when many of our modern Icon styles were born," explains Darren Shooter, design director at The North Face. "The Nuptse, Denali, Mountain Jacket, and Himalayan Suit were all designed around this time so, regardless of trends, we will always have a strong connection to this period."
However, this being snowboarding and the brand being TNF, the clothes were designed and engineered seriously, crafted to withstand mountain conditions and the extreme and rapid movement the sport required people do. "Functionality is a key part of the design process at The North Face as it's central to our brand DNA," explains Shooter.
"We are a brand born in the outdoors and apply that philosophy into all our garments. Obviously, some TNF collections are more technical than others, but we always design our garments to fuel exploration — whether on the summit or in the streets," he adds.
The collection drops via thenorthface.com and stores around the world from January 16.
However, this being snowboarding and the brand being TNF, the clothes were designed and engineered seriously, crafted to withstand mountain conditions and the extreme and rapid movement the sport required people do. So you know it's decent.
Blue/Electric pieces drops today, January 16, via thenorthface.com and stores around the world. A second drop for just black and white pieces comes February 12.
Follow The North Face on the 'gram and for garms built for cities here. Next, discover what's inside The North Face's iconic 1992 Nuptse jacket or check out The North Face and BEAMS' new mountain-ready collection.
