By far my favorite piece of clothing is my Patagonia collared pullover (pictured above). The founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, was a passionate outdoorsman that essentially lived in the woods throughout his 20’s. He first started his business by selling climbing equipment and only later moved into apparel. The iconic collared sweater draws its roots from the British rugby shirt, which Yvon wore on long hikes for both its sturdiness and collars that protected his neck from climbing slings. As Patagonia grew, Yvon never lost touch with the outdoors, focusing his business practices on sustainability. He continues to contribute a large share of profits to environmental protection. This comfortable and warm piece of clothing has now transformed from hiking gear to an everyday fashion statement, including crazy colorful designs (often dubbed Fratagonias) that have become a staple of the college student wardrobe. You know a company has reached success when the brand becomes a common noun in modern language like Kleenex or Crayon. My sweater’s design in particular is inspired by the Japanese painting, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, which is one of the most well-known pieces of Asian art.
