Chasing the Chill: TCW's Cool Campaign for The North Face - 50 Years of Parkas

Hailing from the great white North, with many -35 C days (that’s -31 F to many of you) under my belt, I know all too well the importance of a solid, durable parka. Embarking on a half-century of warmth, style, and adventure, The North Face commemorates five decades of its iconic parkas. In a campaign that transcends time and fashion trends, the outdoor apparel giant invites us to delve into its renowned parkas’ rich history and enduring allure. Design studio The Collected Works had the monumental task of showcasing the remarkable stories The North Face has woven into the fabric of outdoor exploration over the past 50 years.

Based in New York City and New Orleans, The Collected Works — lovingly referred to as TCW — stands out as an independent design studio dedicated to crafting dynamic identities. Despite its boutique studio setup, TCW prides itself on delivering outstanding results comparable to larger agencies. With a remarkable track record spanning over a decade, TCW continues to champion rad work for rad people.

See how their rad mantra came to life in crafting The North Face – 50 Years of Parkas campaign.

We were thrilled to work with The North Face, developing a design system for their 50 Years of Parkas campaign. Through a limited-edition zine and lots of motion assets, we aimed to celebrate the parka – not just as a brilliant piece of technical gear for extreme conditions, but a cultural symbol that has resonated with the masses.
Justin Raymond Park, Project Manager, TCW

“The system we developed enabled us to integrate campaign photography and written interviews with some absolutely incredible people,” TCW’s Justin Raymond Park explained. “Conrad Anker and Jimmy Chin recount epic stories of mountaineering, Quannah Chasinghorse shares what The North Face has meant to her in her advocacy and sustainability work, and Danie Sierra speaks of the parka’s resonance in urban culture.”

We had the immense pleasure of laying out their words alongside beautiful photography, from the heights of the Rocky Mountains to the streets of New York.
Justin Raymond Park