It all started in the 1960s. In the days before the Royal Robbins brand was born, outdoor apparel was the sole remit of the army. The iconic climbers Royal and Liz Robbins changed this. The husband and wife pair belonged to a modern group of “clean climbers” who developed a set of techniques that allowed them to scale big walls with little damage to the rock face. The philosophy of the man carries through to the ethos of the company today; it all comes down to a love of and respect for nature. Get a look behind the brand and find out what they had to say when we sat down with them.

 

Royal Robbins and his wife Liz were iconic Yosemite rock climbers during the 1960s. They belonged to a scrappy band of modern climber-philosophers who coined and embraced the term “clean climbing”: a set of practices and techniques that enabled them to climb big walls with little or no damage to the rock, a literal representation of their lived ethos of deep respect for the natural world.

In 1967, Liz became the first woman to climb Half Dome in Yosemite, posing at the top with Royal. Seeing their torn jeans shorts, they said, “maybe we had better get in the apparel business!” Liz stitched up a rugged short she called the Billy Goat, and Royal Robbins, the apparel company was born.

For over 50 years, we have known how to design enduring and classic outdoor clothing for people who embody a love for the natural world.

Today, our customers get dressed once and are equipped for a full day of activities, both indoors and out. We do this by making clothing that performs in the outdoors on the trails and is refined enough for cafés and museums visit during your travels. Royal Robbins provides people with clothing that is more versatile and suitable for travel than any other outdoor brand.

 

Royal was simply one of the best climbers in the world and amongst the first and most vocal proponents of clean climbing: using removable nuts for protection rather than pounding pitons into the granite cracks. This practice, along with a very sparing use of bolts, minimized damage to the rock.

In the spring of 1967, Royal and Liz Robbins approached an unclimbed route in the Yosemite Valley armed not with a climber’s traditional protection gear – pitons and bolts – but with removable chock stones, or nuts.

Their successful first ascent of this route marked a turning point in climbing – the beginning of the clean climbing revolution. Never before had a major American first ascent been completed using only removable nuts for protection – by climbing clean. Royal named the new route Nutcracker, a classic to this day. It marked an important evolution in climbing: clean.

 

The Royal Robbins customer is an active traveller, who values authentic cultural experiences, both in travel and in life. They often find themselves off the beaten path, avoiding the “best places to see” lists in their ventures. Perhaps having stayed in hostels when they were younger, this audience now seeks out more comfortable accommodations. While they are less rugged, they still seek clothing that can span a range of activity as it works on the trail, at the office, on a plane, at dinner. Our customers go everywhere, so naturally, our clothing does as well.

 

Jacket Required pulls in the best eyes in the business and we are excited to be presenting Royal Robbins in such a vibrant and positive show.

 

We will be bringing a touch of West Coast summer to the East End!


Showcase next to Royal Robbins and discover more exciting emerging and established brands. Join us at Jacket Required SS20 on 24th & 25th July 2019.

 

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