LEGENDS EVOLVED

The evolution of sportswear technology is the untold story behind the spectacular records set by top athletes in international competition. For more than half a century Descente has been at the cutting edge of this evolutionary process, facing and overcoming countless challenges along the way. This is a story of “creation and challenge” − of Descente’s relentless quest to remain the industry leader in this unique and highly specialized field.

Descente began full-fledged development of skiwear in 1954.

Kazuyoshi Nishimura, Japan’s first professional skier and a highly creative person with many ideas for skiwear, was invited by company founder Takeo Ishimoto to be an advisor to Descente. This set the company on the road to becoming a full scale skiwear manufacturer.

This also marked the adoption of the “Summit Strategy*1”, a core Descente marketing philosophy to incorporate the views and experience of professional athletes into product development.

Kazuyoshi Nishimura’s uncompromising standards laid the foundations for the unwavering commitment to quality that characterizes Descente today. It led directly to the creation of many revolutionary products, including RWSB*2 and alpine coats, which catapulted Descente to the forefront of the Japanese skiwear industry.

1957 - RWSB JACKET

RWSB jackets were so named because of their ability to Block Rain, Wind and Snow. First in the world to combine fashion with high tech functionality, their lightweight and compact construction won fans worldwide and established Descente as a world class brand.

At this point the company adopted “DESCENTE*3” as both its company and brand name and developed the signature arrow logo*4 formally proclaiming its commitment to becoming a world leader in innovative high performance sportswear.

RWSB jacket Packable in the chest pocket	RWSB jacket compact for carring

*1：Summit Strategy： A strategy to encourage world-class athletes to wear Descente’s ski wear to promote the brand. These athletes would then provide feedback, for future product development.
*2：RWSB： An acronym formed from the first letter of the words Rain, Wind, Snow, and Block. Pronounced “rausbee.”
*3：DESCENTE： Means “downhill skiing” in French.
*4：Arrow mark : Called the “spirit mark,” it represents the basic skiing techniques of “schuss,” “traverse,” and “sideslip.”

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