The birth of Gramicci: Of rock walls and fake Italians
The 70s were not only a time of free love, but also of innovative free spirits: In sunny California, a group of climbers came together in Yosemite National Park during these years, wanting to do their own thing. Under the name "Stonemasters," the group was looking for a new way to get to the top of the rock. Their main goal: speed and style. To achieve this goal, a different type of outdoor clothing was needed that supported the new climbing style.
The first attempt - painter's trousers and army gear - soon failed to keep up with the Stonemasters' evolving skills. What was missing was the necessary flexibility. So Stonemaster member Mike Graham set about developing the right trousers . Fast forward to 1982: Gramicci was founded.
Fun fact: The name Gramicci is connected to a fun project by the Stonemasters. They wanted to be the first "all Italian" crew to climb the famous Half Dome in Yosemite Park and thus go down in history. Spoiler: No one in the climbing group was actually Italian - but the southern-sounding variation of Graham has stuck as the name of the brand.