New clothing brand launched bearing Sir Edmund Hillary's name

Monday, 5 February 2018

The Edmund Hillary brand is inspired by clothing Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay wore when they climbed Mt Everest.

A portion of sales from a new outdoor clothing range named after the late-Sir Edmund Hillary will help fund the mountaineer's charitable projects.

The range, which includes replicas of the gear worn by Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953 when they became the first to reach the summit of Mt Everest, will be launched at New Zealand Fashion Week in August.

The first collection features a replica anorak originating from the one Hillary wore during his ascent of Everest.

Edmund Hillary Brands was founded by Hillary's son, Peter, and Auckland businessman Mike Hall-Taylor.

A percentage of the profits will go towards supporting schools in the Himalayas, and outdoor education programmes in countries where the range is made and sold, including New Zealand.

A portion of the profits will go towards supporting Sir Edmund Hillary's charitable projects.

Some of the clothing will be made by the same company that supplied the 1953 expedition.

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'The new business … will help keep the legacy of Sir Edmund Hillary alive around the world for future generations,' Hall-Taylor said.

'It will also support the people and places that he dedicated so much of his life to helping.'

The first collection will feature 25 items ranging from a replica anorak originating from the one Hillary wore during his ascent of Everest, to jackets, vests, and exact replicas of his hand-knitted sweaters.

Some of the items will be produced by the same company that supplied the 1953 expedition.

Smaller Edmund Hillary garments, such as hats and scarves, would be manufactured, where possible, in Nepal, and the merino wool for the knitwear and baselayers would be sourced from New Zealand, Hall-Taylor said.

The larger, more complex and tailored products, such as down-jackets as worn by Tenzing Norgay, would be made in the United Kingdom, he said.

The launch followed years of working with the Hillary family to firm up their shared vision to honour Hillary's achievements and build on his charity work, Hall-Taylor said.

'We've drawn on the heritage of the past, scouring imagery and researching fabrics used by Sir Ed and his climbing party, and then brought the clothing into the present day.

'The range captures the essence of Sir Ed and will resonate with those with their own spirit of adventure and a desire to be part of the Edmund Hillary story.

'In his own words: 'It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves'. This is a brand for people who enjoy overcoming personal challenges,' he said.

Like Hillary's 1953 Everest expedition, the company was largely being funded by UK investors, but would have a 'strong New Zealand flavour', Hall-Taylor said.

Initially, the duo would look to establish niche markets in Australia, New Zealand, Northern Europe, North America and Japan.