Walk Gently is the vision of Cole Sparrow-Crawford. The journey begins in the Coast Salish region, where Arc’teryx was founded on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, the place known today as Vancouver, BC, and the surrounding area. As a company founded on these lands, the platform is part of Arc’teryx’s ongoing commitments to amplify Indigenous voices and increase Indigenous representation within the outdoors.
The debut Walk Gently collaboration centers Cole Sparrow-Crawford’s designs and story, created and told by him and members of the Coast Salish community. The seven-piece collection features gender-neutral apparel, footwear and packs, infusing Arc’teryx’s technical design foundations with colours, patterns, and stories from the Coast Salish community.
Notably, design elements represent the Coast Salish traditions of fishing, canoeing, and harvesting. Pieces from the collection incorporate Coast Salish weaving and ancestral design patterns that illustrate their long-standing connection to the land and sea.
“The collection is inspired by the spring and summer traditions on the Coast Salish territory and deeply reflects the connection my people have with our land,” said Cole Sparrow-Crawford, artist and designer, from xʷməθkʷəy̓əm(Musqueam) in the Coast Salish region. “As a Coast Salish, Musqueam person, these cultures are embedded in our lives and in the traditions passed on through generations. Walk Gently is an opportunity to connect inspiration from my culture with the world of technical design, and to honor all the individuals that have worked so tirelessly for us to be in this place today.”
Walk Gently is both a celebration and an invitation to join Arc’teryx on their journey to consider more deeply what it means to be on Indigenous lands, and who was here before us. Walk Gently will continue to serve as a platform for Indigenous design, sharing the work of Indigenous artists and designers, through their own voices and from their own perspectives.
“Our products are inspired by and tested in the Coast Mountains of BC to meet the world’s most demanding environments. The mountains inspire us, challenge us, and make us who we are,” said Arc’teryx Chief Creative Officer Katie Becker. “Walk Gently is more than a product collection. Our hope is that when people wear the products, they connect with the designs and join us on this journey of understanding what it means to live in relationship with the land and our hosts. We are honoured to partner with Cole and the Coast Salish community to bring Indigenous voices and artistry to the forefront of the outdoor industry.”
Arc’teryx worked in partnership with HOST Consulting, an Indigenous-lead consulting firm comprised of members of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, on the development, messaging, and creative for the Walk Gently platform, and worked directly with the three host nation communities as cast members and in various parts of the crew for the campaign.
Profits from the collection will be donated to Indigenous organizations, such as Indigenous Women Outdoors, an Indigenous organization dedicated to the empowerment and well-being of Indigenous women and girls through their connection to land and water.
Arc’teryx did a lot of things right in this collaboration. The first thing being acknowledging the land that their brand was founded on. Then they asked the question, “how can we use our platform as a brand to amplify Indigenous voices?” This was critical because this second step was an action to provide support and give back. Arc’teryx being an outdoors clothing and accessory brand decided the best way to address this problematic was to incorporate what they specialize in along with the details and story of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. Not only did I think this was an incredible way of getting a collaboration done in all stages of the project, but also the intentionality behind the collection. The inspiration from the tribes, led to testing of the products. The products were tested in the same environment that led to their own creation. This tells a story and executes the vision of an underrepresented group. I also love how the profits were then donated to Indigenous organizations.
Arc’teryx Launches Walk Gently, a Design Platform for Indigenous Voices. (n.d.-b). https://blog.arcteryx.com/news/arcteryx-launches-walk-gently-a-design-platform-for-indigenous-voices/
Saunders, B. (2024, July 12). Arc’teryx Celebrates Indigenous Culture With Walk Gently Platform. Hypebeast. https://hypebeast.com/2024/7/arcteryx-walk-gently-platform-collection-launch-info
