Go with the original.

Since 1982 Gramicci has been making functional clothing for life in the great outdoors. Built for movement, and loved by countless cultural movements, what started out in a garage in Ventura, California has traveled to the streets of Tokyo and beyond.

Yosemite Beginnings

It all started in California in the 1970s, when a new generation of free-spirited rock climbers known as the Stonemasters took residency at Yosemite National Park. They pioneered a new way of climbing; fast, fluid, and with a focus on style.

Painter pants and army surplus gear worked to a point, but flexibility was missing. One climber, Mike Graham, decided to solve that problem.

The First Climbing Shorts

Mike created the first true climbing shorts by:

  • Adding a diamond-shaped gusset (borrowed from kung-fu trousers) for full 180-degree flexibility.

  • Using hard-wearing canvas that could stand up to granite walls.

  • Integrating a nylon webbing belt, inspired by backpack straps, for a secure fit adjustable with one hand.

This design thinking became the foundation of Gramicci.

From Shorts to G-Pants

In 1982, Gramicci was born. Taking its name from a moniker Graham had given himself back when a few of the Stonemasters attempted the first ‘all-Italian’ ascent of Yosemite’s notorious Half-Dome (even though none of them were actually Italian). After the shorts came trousers, these seemingly-indestructible pants, dubbed the G-Pants

Word spread fast. Climbers relied on them. Surfers and skaters sought them out. By the mid-80s, that hand-drawn Running Man logo had become a symbol of durability and freedom.

Learn more about the G-Pant

“There might have been some beer or maybe something else… Rick didn’t have to do anything with his name because he was Italian. We decided to call Gib Lewis Antonio Gibbo. And I’d always really admired Emilio Comici, so, you know, I’m Michelangelo Gramicci.”

– Mike Graham

Over 40 Years Later

Four decades after the first pair of shorts left Mike’s garage, Gramicci continues to make clothing built for movement and outdoor life. The fabrics may evolve, the colours may change, but the philosophy remains the same: hard-wearing, functional clothing, designed with movement firmly in mind.

Original Freedom

From Yosemite granite to city streets, Gramicci stands for Original Freedom, gear designed to go anywhere, do anything, and keep you moving.