What is Former and why did the brand become so influential outside of snowboarding
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Former wasn't born trying to become a "mainstream" brand.
And precisely for that reason, it ended up attracting so much attention.
While many snowboard, surf, or skate brands continued to use a very sporty or very commercial aesthetic, Former appeared with a completely different identity:
more raw, more minimalist, and much more connected to creative culture.
What exactly is Former?
Former is a brand founded by well-known riders and creatives in the surf, skate, and snowboard scenes.
Especially:
- Craig Anderson
- Dane Reynolds
- Austyn Gillette
The idea was never to build only technical apparel.
The brand was born much more around:
- visual identity
- riding culture
- creativity
- independent aesthetic
Why Former feels different
Much snowboard or action sports apparel tries to convey:
- aggressiveness
- strong colors
- huge logos
- very sporty aesthetic
Former took almost the opposite path.
The brand began to stand out for:
- muted colors
- oversized cuts
- minimalist graphics
- artistic inspiration
- more underground aesthetic
And that resonated deeply with riders looking for something less commercial.
Former is not just snowboarding
This is important.
Although many snowboard riders wear Former, the brand actually mixes influences from:
- surf
- skate
- music
- graphic art
- contemporary streetwear
That's why many garments work perfectly well off the mountain.
The oversized aesthetic greatly changed its identity
One of Former's most recognizable elements is the fit.
Especially:
- loose t-shirts
- oversized hoodies
- relaxed pants
- wide silhouettes
But not from a purely classic "baggy snowboard" aesthetic.
Rather, from something more minimalist and contemporary.
Minimalism is an important part of the brand
Former heavily uses:
- small graphics
- neutral tones
- washed black
- gray
- earth tones
- very clean designs
The brand often seems closer to certain contemporary urban fashion labels than to a classic snowboard brand.
The connection with snowboard lifestyle
Former fits very well within current snowboarding because modern snowboarding is no longer just a sport.
It is also:
- aesthetic
- music
- film culture
- streetwear
- visual identity
And that's where Former found a huge space.
Especially among riders who seek a cleaner and less "extreme techwear" image.
Why many riders connect so much with Former
Because the brand conveys a sense of creative authenticity.
It doesn't seem designed solely to sell "performance."
It seems more like a natural extension of how many riders live off the mountain.
And that holds a lot of cultural value today.
Former and technical streetwear
Although Former is not purely a technical brand like Gore-Tex outerwear brands, it heavily influenced how snowboarding began to blend with:
- minimal streetwear
- oversized silhouettes
- urban snowwear
- modern layering
Especially on Instagram and current visual culture.
The difference from traditional brands
Many classic snowboard brands remain very focused on:
- large logos
- aggressive colors
- sporty aesthetic
Former operates more from:
- texture
- silhouette
- photography
- visual attitude
- art direction
And that means many people wear Former even without snowboarding.
The role of videos and visuals
Former also grew immensely thanks to:
- edits
- photography
- audiovisual aesthetic
- more artistic videos
The brand understood something important very well:
today many people connect first with image and culture before technical product.
What Former represents today
Today, Former quite well represents a part of modern snowboarding and surfing that seeks:
- less visual noise
- more identity
- clean aesthetic
- artistic influence
- clothing that works on and off the mountain
Conclusion
Former did not become influential by trying to appear the most technical or aggressive brand.
It became influential because it understood very well how to blend snowboarding, surfing, skating, and streetwear within a much cleaner, more creative, and contemporary aesthetic.
And precisely for this reason, many people today don't just see Former as riding apparel.
They see it as part of a much broader visual and lifestyle culture.