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FEATURE|The story behind the birth of Gramichi.

The hidden story behind the birth of the little-known Gramichi.

THE HISTORY GUIDE 1980s - 2000s

The hidden story behind the birth of the little-known Gramichi.

Gramichi" has become a staple of street fashion. Originally the brainchild of a rock climber, these pants are easy to match with any outfit and attract many young people as something they can wear without hesitation. Furthermore, the basic and functional design is loved by stores and brands in the same fashion industry. How did the brand create so many followers? We will examine the secret from the 1980s, when the brand was born.

  • Illustration_Akiko Maegawa
  • Photo_Hiroyuki Takashima
  • Text_Kei Takegawa
  • Edit_Ryo Muramatsu
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1980s GRAMICCI was establishedThe story of the birth of Gramichi. Behind the scenes....

How did Gramiche, a company trusted by climbers, come to be? The story of the company's founder, Mike Graham, is one that could easily be made into a Hollywood movie.

An idea born from a tiny garage.

The story of the birth of "Gramici" is one of the most fascinating of all outdoor brands, and once you wear it, you will become addicted and will never want to part with it. Stonemaster - As the name implies, Gramichi was founded by Mike Graham, a rock climbing specialist who made his name in the sacred Yosemite National Park, and whose roots lie in the pants he made in a small garage in California after growing tired of the climbing pants he had been wearing. Gramichi was founded by Mike Graham, a climber who had grown tired of climbing pants and decided to create them in a small garage in California.

The gusset crotch allows the legs to open 180 degrees, and the webbing belt and easy waist can be adjusted with one hand. The design created by "GRAMICHI" has spawned countless followers and become the standard for climbing pants, but one question comes to mind: How was GRAMICHI able to create such pants? How was GRAMICHI able to create such pants? Even the best climbers must have some other talent to create such pants. The man behind Gramici had a relationship with Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, which is not a big industry. It's not a very big industry . . the odds of them meeting and hitting it off are not small.

Chouinard knew that Chouinard had a dexterous hand and asked him to make his own products, and as Chouinard responded to these orders, Gramici's garage quickly became a fully functioning atelier. Gramichi had an environment in which he could realize his ideas. A man who loves the mountains would have been knocked to his knees at this point. As you may have guessed, the webbing belt was inspired by a harness buckle for a backpack.

Climbers in the past climbed the rocks in their regular clothes.
Snapshots of climbers in the 1970s. As you can see, many of the climbers were dressed in their usual casual style.
. from the photo book "Stonemasters," published by Stonemaster Press, 2009.

Eternal Masterpiece
. "Gramichi Pants.

Based on his experience as a climber, Gramichi quickly rose to the forefront by offering all the features climbers wanted. The key features include a tapered silhouette that fits snugly to the body, a rhombus-shaped gusset crotch in the inseam to compensate for athleticism, a webbing belt that can be adjusted with one hand while climbing a mountain, and an easy waist that provides flexible support for the movement of muscles that bulge violently.
*The pants in the photo are from the 90s.

Did you know? Belt Transition.

A running man on the tip of a webbing belt. When the brand was first established, it was only stitched on, but later it was changed to "Climber," the brand name "GRAMICCI," the initial "G," and the current "Running Man, . The name was later changed to "Climber," then to the brand name "GRAMICCI," then to the initial "G," and now to the "Running Man" of the present day.

180-degree leg spread. Gusset crotch.

Gramichi pants have a rhombus-shaped gusset sewn into the inseam. This is the secret behind the ability to open the legs 180 degrees.

inherit the DNA
Gramichi shorts" are a summer staple.

Shorts have become as much a signature item of the brand as the full-length pants. The beautiful silhouette and gusseted crotch of the GRAMICHI shorts are as comfortable to wear as the full-length shorts.
*The pants in the photo are from the 90s.

1990s GRAMICCI meets STREET FASHIONFusion of Gramichi and street fashion.

In the 1990s, Gramichi went from the mountains to the countryside. . And so, it became a brand that graced the street fashion scene. . The instigator was a select store in Japan.

. for a quarter of a century, he has been the front runner on the street.

GRAMICHI has an inseparable connection with street fashion. In the early 1990s, Beams and Oshmans introduced Gramichi and other outdoor wear as the "new sports fashion" to be worn on the street, and the brand quickly gained support. In the early 1990s, "BEAMS" and "Oshmans" introduced outdoor wear such as "GRAMICHI" as "new sports fashion" to be worn in the city.

It is said that most of the store staff at the time wore "Gramichi. The shorts were functional, but at the same time, they exuded a modern atmosphere that impressed the connoisseurs. Gramichi shorts with a striped knit and work boots were the standard look. There is no doubt that he was part of the so-called "heavy-duty" trend, but that alone would not have allowed him to maintain his current position for a quarter of a century.

The driving force behind GRAMICHI's continued success in the mainstream of street fashion. The reason is the silhouette, which does not fade away with the passage of time, and which captivates everyone who wears it. Climbing is about putting one's feet on the slightest bumps in the rock face and climbing up. For climbers, who are always in danger of slipping and falling, good visibility underfoot is a lifeline.

A well-fitted silhouette that does not flap at the wrong time was the most important factor in the life and death of the "Gramichi" brand. The designers of "GRAMICHI" drew on countless patterns to create a silhouette that could be called the "golden ratio. And while the silhouette is tight, it must be easy to move in. The gusset crotch was born in pursuit of this.

The design philosophy behind this silhouette, which was perfected long before the term "tapered silhouette" was coined, has certainly been passed down to the newcomers that continue to emerge. It is only natural that functional beauty should be timeless.

90s GRAMICCI CATALOGS

Spring / Summer 1996

A vibrant model graces the cover of the Spring/Summer '94 catalog. The colorful color palette was given a chic look by the product-dyed, rough texture of the garments.

Spring 1995

The Spring/Summer '95 catalog was a complete change, with a simple logo-only cover. The cut-off image cut-outs were countered by elaborate illustrations and text explaining the particulars of the products.

Spring / Summer 1997

The cover of the Spring/Summer 1997 catalog features a rider leaping against the backdrop of a California blue sky. The cover shows the color variations of each item.

Winter 1999

The Rider, Fisherman, and Rollerblader take center stage in the Winter 99 catalog. Each item is shown in photographs, while swatches show color variations.

2000s An evolving GRAMICCIGramichi continues to evolve.

In the 2000s, "Gramichi," which was linked to street fashion, became the brand of choice of well-known designers and stores as a brand with which they wanted to collaborate.

The stylishness that can be glimpsed in the beauty of functionality.

The functional beauty created by working closely with climbers. GRAMMITCHI" has been loved by people all over the world for its heavy-duty products. A masterpiece item must have materials, form, and construction that allow its name to stand on its own. Gusset crotch and webbing belt, both of which are constant specifications, fulfill exactly this requirement.

On the other hand, Silhouette has added one or two new lineups over time. The NN Pants," "NN Pants Just Cut," and "NN Pants Tight Fit. The silhouette of the Gramichi Pants, which has been around since the brand's founding, is the starting point, and the dimensions are gradually getting narrower. The industry did not leave Gramichi alone, as the brand correctly discerns what should change and what should not change. Buyers and designers lined up in long lines to have collaborative items made. Many boutiques and other brands with a strong outdoor presence, almost without exception, carried GRAMMICHI items exclusively in their stores.

Founded in 1982, Gramichi is one of the latecomers among outdoor brands, but now, from rock faces to asphalt all over the world, men are in love with Gramichi, and there is one more thing we would like to mention. The playfulness of the iconic "Running Man" is one of them. The running man is full of comic relief, like something you might see in a cartoon, but the stylish air of the GRAMICHI collection is due to its no-nonsense, no-frills spirit.

Collaboration Items

The brands that have collaborated with "GRAMICHI" to date include a wide range of brands that are truly "well known," and those introduced here are just a few examples.

1.have a good time 2.nonnative 3.FRAPBOIS 4.White Mountaineering 5.KAPTAIN SUNSHINE 6.mastermind
JAPAN 7.TEMPEST 8.Helinox

NEW STANDARD MODELS

NN-PANTS

The NN-PANTS, a new Gramichi standard born in 2015, measures 32.5 cm in the M size and 19 cm in the hem width. The "NN-PANTS TIGHT FIT" is a more tapered model. ¥10,800+TAX

PANTS SILHOUETTE

1. NN-PANTS (standard model)
2.NN-PANTS JUST CUT (shortened length model of "NN Pants")
NN-PANTS TIGHT FIT (Tightened model of "NN Pants Just Cut")

NN-SHORTS

The "NN Shorts" were actually created in 2014, the year before the "NN Pants." In size M, the narrowest of the three silhouettes, with a 35 cm gutter and 24.5 cm hem width . ¥7,800+TAX

ST-SHORTS

GRAMICHI's shorts include the narrow "NN Shorts," the wide "G Shorts," and the medium "ST Shorts. These are size M with a 36 cm gutters , 27 cm hems. ¥7,800+TAX

SHORTS SILHOUETTE

1. G-SHORTS (the most basic model among the standard shorts)
2. NN-SHORTS (tightest silhouette model)
3. ST-SHORTS (a silhouette between "G-shorts" and "NN-shorts")

INFORMATION

INS

Phone: 0120-900-736
www.gramicci.jp

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