the team at set creative brought me in to create messaging to be featured in the arc'teryx flagship store, which opened at london's piccadilly circus in august of 2015. the messaging includes brand origin and product creation stories, wayfinding signage, programs to cultivate community, and aspirational messaging to reinforce the culture of the fearless explorer. below are a few shots of the store and transcriptions of the messaging displayed in each.

WHAT IS ARC’TERYX?
Archaeopteryx lithographica is believed to be the first dinosaur to have demonstrated evolution toward flight. About 150 million years ago, this land dwelling species developed feathers, and altered the course of history. Our high performance products are rooted in that same pioneering spirit. We’re setting new standards of quality and functionality, and leading the industry in environmental stewardship. Like our prehistoric namesake, our approach is not to do things better, but to do things differently.

We are Arc’teryx: Evolution in Action. 

ROCK SOLID MANUFACTURING
Arc’teryx was born out of necessity, in the wilderness of the rugged Canadian Coast Mountains. When the high-quality climbing gear that our founders sought wasn’t available, they set out to create it themselves. Our products are concepted and manufactured by the men and women who use them, and we challenge our designs, our construction, and ourselves, to be constantly improving. We carry on our founders’ uncompromising commitment to excellence. Because we don’t know any other way.

FORM AND FUNCTION
The Arc'teryx experience is emphasized by the superior fit of our products, which are designed to move as the body moves, with ergonomically planned articulation. Jacket sleeves are three-dimensional and forward, which allows full extension and movement of the arms without pulling across the back or shoulders, or lifting the waistline. Knees and seat are also designed with movement in mind, to permit full knee bends without lifting the pant hem or causing the waist to gap at the small of the back. And hoods snug tight and rotate with the head, giving you unobstructed vision in all directions. Ergonomic fit is not one of the first things you’ll see, but it is one of the first things you’ll feel, and it’s another subtle aspect of the elegant functionality of our products.

DESIGN WITH INTENT
Our mission is to create the most intentional, functional and beautifully designed products in the world, every day. We’re building the ultimate performance gear, for whatever your adventure may be. 

BUILD THE TOOLS THAT ENABLE DESIGN
Refined through constant innovation and rigorous field-testing, and perfected at the hands of passionate employees who obsess over every thread, our products are designed to give people the confidence to perform at the point of extreme need. We use only the best resources available; if the right tool doesn’t exist we build a better tool, and if a process is inefficient we create a new process, and by the time our product reaches your hands, it’s fully deserving of our lifetime guarantee. We strive for perfection, and perfection is not an achievement; it’s a pursuit.

"Surrounded by nature, the depth of my knowledge is humbled by the breadth of my wonder."
"This then is the truest pursuit of perfection; not to capture the view from the top, but to master the climb."
"Perfection is not an achievement, but a pursuit."

ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Every aspect of our gear and apparel is intentionally designed to improve your experience. The Harness HemLock™ is a minimal foam insert in the bottom hem of our climbing Jackets. The Hemlock lets you tuck the hem into a climbing harness, preventing the hem from riding up, and keeping your jacket close to your body while you climb. This gives you unobstructed movement, and helps to keep you warmer in cold weather conditions. The foam insert can also be removed when not needed. This subtle, simple design aspect is just one small feature that helps to provide our customers with the best product possible.

< back to words