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Gramicci carry the Stonemaster’s baton 50 years later. Back in the 70’s, a group of long-haired, hippy-hating, rock-climbing adventurers emerged. They weren’t the first to climb cliff faces; they were the first to do so with a certain lust for life that, before them, was unprecedented.
The Stonemasters were born out of the hippy’s world but set themselves apart from it. Their hair was long and they loved the tasteless sensation of acid. What they disliked about the hippies was that when they congregated in America’s National Parks and they didn’t do anything. The hippies sat around and made fires – fine – but the Stonemasters wanted more. The Stonemasters were athletic, physically fit individuals that had one thing in mind: climbing rocks.
Importantly, the Stonemasters had an influence on fashion. As a group of cultural antagonists, they provoked pop culture in every way they could. Before them, rock climbing was characterised by monotone colours that matched the rock faces. The Stonemasters rocked bright and vivid attire and opted for lightweight trainers that offered agility over protection. The Stonemaster’s influence is largely credited with inspiring three of Nike’s most famous trainers: the Lava Dome, the Magma, and the Approach, all dated 1981. The Approach was the first shoe to ever use GORE-TEX.
Anyway, many key individuals exploded out of the Stonemaster’s scene. One important character is Mike Graham, founder of Gramicci, a brand that literally has climbing DNA in its blood.
The brand makes more than just the climbing pants it started with.