<P> Its clothing and equipment lines are catered towards college students, climbers, mountaineers, skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and endurance athletes . </P> <P> The company sponsors professional athletes from the worlds of running, climbing, skiing and snowboarding . </P> <P> The North Face began as a San Francisco - based climbing equipment retail store, founded in 1966 by Douglas Tompkins and his then - wife, Susie Tompkins . It was acquired two years later by Kenneth "Hap" Klopp . </P> <P> The name was derived to evoke homage to the fact the north face of a mountain in the northern hemisphere is generally the coldest, iciest and most formidable route to climb . </P>

Where did the brand north face come from
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