RANGE Magazine Issue Four is now live and we are honored to feature a variety of leading outdoor industry brands, including Toad&Co, which is currently celebrating 20 years of adventure wear with its stunning Telluride Heritage Collection for Fall/Winter 2016.
This new line of apparel serves as an homage to two decades of thoughtful design and environmentally smart business practices, and the genius behind the collection is Toad&Co’s Director of Design and Sustainability, Kate Larramendy. A gem of an outdoors woman herself, Kate is at the forefront of designing both classic and versatile adventure apparel. We had the chance to pick her brain about Toad&Co’s latest creations, design inspo and what 20 years of Toad truly means.
Q. You’ve worked for some big names in the outdoor industry before Toad&Co, including 16 years in design and R+D at Patagonia. How does your past work influence your designs today?
A. When I started at Patagonia, it was 1982. I’ve been doing this longer than many people in my office have been alive, which is always kind of sobering for me. Before Patagonia, I worked in an outdoor store to put myself through college and that’s really where I cut my teeth on learning product development because the industry was sort of nonexistent then. It was tiny. There wasn’t really a mountaineering heritage in this country, so we imported a lot of product directly from Europe. I think understanding these materials is really where I got my start and that’s really where my first love is, understanding fiber and construction and just what fabrics can do. Because of this, I think I tend to anthropomorphize garments. They become like little characters for me.
But going back to those early days when the industry was young, you realize every idea we had was kind of a good one because there wasn’t a lot out there. We’d go out on a trip, come back with a ton of ideas, and figure out how to make them happen. It was a different time. These days, there are a lot of very capable companies out there making incredible products. I think differentiation is really the challenge that all of us face here. In some ways, differentiation can be subtle, but it has the potential to be deeper and more meaningful. I think all companies probably have access to similar technologies and materials. We probably all review the same trend reports, so it’s really your character and your principles as a company that set you apart. It’s your vibe and your interpretation that makes the difference. That’s the challenge.
Q. The Telluride Heritage Collection is a celebration of 20 years of Toad&Co (and Horny Toad) designs with a breath of fresh air from modern materials. How does the history of Toad&Co inspire your present and future designs?
A. This collection goes back to our formative years, looking at some of the pieces that have held up and were inspirational to us. We were looking for modern materials that were more sustainable, more refined. The impetus for this collection is recognizing that we are 20-years-old and there are a lot of fresh eyes, hearts and minds that are connecting to the outdoors now.
I’m from the boomer generation, the generation that kind of defined the outdoor industry up until now. Now we see people are experiencing the outdoors in a different way. They just want to be outside, they just want to have fun. I think there is kind of a product function agnosticism, which is nice because it means they do have an affinity for style. They are the ones that are appreciating the old styling that may or may not have all the latest technology. And I do believe that this customer appreciates authenticity and sustainability. You know, it’s the sharing generation.
We’re always tweaking [our designs] to make things lighter, softer, shinier or less shiny, or whatever we feel like it needs to do. You can tell. It’s one of those things that when you get the style right, you have no resistance. That point where you just go, “Ahh.” The goal is to always be looking for that no-resistance point.
Q. Telluride is our idea of the quintessential mountain town. How did you work the spirit of the town into the new collection?
A. Telluride is a fantasy mountain town. It’s beautiful and it’s picturesque, so having that as our inspiration is the easy part. It’s this refined rustic elegance and everywhere you look, there’s something beautiful. I love the architecture that has evolved there, too. It’s a great little analogy for what we do. They take these functional materials and combine them in this modern way, so the houses or condos are kind of old and new at the same time. They have that vintage timelessness, but you can tell they are very of this moment.
At its best, Telluride is rooted in the true spirit of loving the outdoors, and our clothes are rooted in the genuine need for function, but with a flair of style. It’s kind of the perfect line to walk.
Q. We always appreciate the intersection of form and function and versatile gear (i.e. from trail to tavern), which is the heart of Toad&Co. How do you continue to innovate on that concept?
A. By living the life. It really helps to be a part of it.
Also, sometimes taking technical fabrics and doing a more stylish version of them doesn’t always work. I feel like sometimes you kind of have to squint. We’ve gotten caught in that trap before ourselves. That is really where our mission is: to try and not work around the functional attributes in a fabric, but to really find the fabric that has the aesthetics and function, and then do them justice.
I also feel like there is a spectrum of customers. There are those who live more on the true outdoorsy end of the scale and then there are people who have a need for a more directional kind of style, and also want to be comfortable transitioning between worlds. You want to have that range. You want to be able to permeate the big city and the mountain town, and feel comfortable and feel good about yourself doing both. So that’s our goal, to do a better job of satisfying people across that spectrum of needs.
Q. We can imagine the Women’s Boxcan Sherpa Overshirt as a staple in any adventurer’s wardrobe. The timeless silhouette is underscored with Heritage Sherpa Fleece, a 50% recycled wool blend in the vein of Italian artisans. What is the inspiration for this classic piece and why is it perfect for the #ModernOutdoorsWoman?
A. The Boxcan Overshirt is a really good example of Toad&Co at its best. I love the origin of the fabric, especially the history of the reclaimed wool in Italy after the World Wars. At one point that whole idea of reclaiming wool wasn’t really talked about because it sounded cheap or low class, and now all these years later it has come out as the way everything should be done. It’s a great story and we loved tapping into it. The aesthetic of that fabric is clumpy and textured, earthy and warm, and it feels authentic like it’s rooted in something very heartfelt.
In building this collection, we pulled what we call “tears.” Tears are an interesting and fun tool. You cast a wide net looking for your inspiration, and it becomes more and more distilled as you get closer into it, pulling everything from sheep to high fashion imagery.
Working on this category, one of our inspirations was actually a man in an overshirt. There was just something about it. It was kind of tomboy cute. It was practical, it was a jacket, it was sweater, it was just something you wanted to live in, something to wear inside and outside. It landed with all of us, and we took off in that direction and ran with it.
Versatile has become such an overused word. It kind of loses its impact after a while, but when you think about it, nothing is better than something that is truly versatile like the Boxcan Overshirt. It’s damn cute, too. We’ve now decided super cute is a technical term. It’s when all the pieces come together. It’s when there is nothing you don’t love about it. It’s the texture, it’s the color, it’s everything. It’s a winner.
Q. Toad&Co is dedicated to “Making Good” through environmentally and socially smart business practices. What does “Making Good” mean to you?
A. I think it really comes down to making good choices everyday. People say you learned everything you need to know in kindergarten. Be nice, clean up after yourself, don’t waste, eat good food. It’s the fundamental way of running your life, and why not have that be the way you run your business? Make good choices.
We put a lot of attention into what we use to make our clothes, how we make our clothes, where we make our clothes, and the relationships with the people that make our clothes, but it is also in our office and how we conduct ourselves everyday. We compost our kitchen scraps and we live in a drought, so everyone is really careful about water. It’s not a layer you add on, it’s the way you conduct yourself all the time.
Q. We’re so excited to have Toad&Co in Range Magazine Issue Four. What part of the magazine speaks to your idea of the Toad aesthetic the most?
A. I like that there is kind of a grittiness to RANGE. It feels rooted in something genuine. I think that is the part that connects me. We’re both rooted in real issues and authenticity.
The FW ’16 Telluride Heritage Collection will be available late August 2016 @ Toad&Co
*Captions: FW16 Women’s Lookout Fleece Hoody / FW16 Women’s Boxcan Sherpa Overskirt / FW16 Men’s Ajax Fleece Pullover / Toad&Co Fleece Toque Hat – limited edition / Vintage imagery courtesy of Toad&Co
xx ARYA
