As a dexterous and distinctive sports scene celebrated World Climbing Day, award-winning photographer Dean Purcell teamed up with writer Madeleine Crutchley to document the sporty stylings of boulderers in Tāmaki Makaurau.
The air was thick with chalk on Saturday, as a crowd of climbers gathered for a celebration in Westgate’s
July 13 has come to be known as Global Climbing Day among this athletic community. It’s a time of international festivity that seeks to bring together a sporting scene and welcome newcomers through increased visibility and accessibility.
As Boulder Co’s director and general manager, Adam Caldwell, told Viva this year, the no-ropes-no-harness climbing sport has been enjoying rapid growth in popularity over the past few years (Caldwell credits the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics as a key influence for the boom).
The sport’s influence on fashion, particularly street style in urban centres, is illustrated with the popularity of a few outdoorsy pieces; think billowing parachute pants, puffer jackets, sturdy Solomon sneakers and carabiners clipped around belt loops.
People don this gear along inner-city footpaths, far away from the mountainous terrains for which they were originally designed.
At Boulder Co, you’ll occasionally catch climbers participating in this aspirational dress. They’ll hike a few hundred metres through the car park insulated in down jackets and tramping boots, as if they’re about to settle into camp beneath a clifftop. But, while this alfresco aesthetic is popular, the social and vibrant scene of climbing gyms welcomes a little quirk.
It’s also a sport where participants are invested in a sense of showmanship. Climbers will watch each other as they scale the walls, hoping to pick up tips on the techniques for a successful finish. This friendly exchange can encourage outfits that flaunt an awareness, with loud graphics plastered across the backs of T-shirts and investments into pieces that flow and bounce with dynamic movements.
Of course, these decisions of dress are also utilitarian, with loose silhouettes and breathable fabrics assisting in the dynamic exercise.
Below, a collection of poised climbers showcase their interpretation of this balance of form and function (and how they maintain a grasp on personal style).
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Wing Chan
Wing, who has been climbing for four years, rolled into the gym early in the morning with a cheery yellow jacket and matching scrunchie (which are also co-ordinated with the fragrant “boot bananas” stuffed into her purple climbing shoes).
To carry the necessary gear — which includes friction-building chalk and those specially designed climbing shoes — Wing has stacked a couple of earthy Uniqlo bags. In those four years, has bouldering been a stylistic influence?
“I think I’m choosing clothing that is way baggier.”
Kate Armstrong
In the crowd of ballooning pants, Kate’s swishing mesh skort — recently also donned by Taylor Swift — was a stand-out piece. What influences her choice of dress?
“I’m a bit of a princess climber,” she explains.
“When you’re outdoors, everything is a bit of a hot mess. I like to look put together when I’m indoors.”
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Advertise with NZME.Kate says bouldering has opened her mind to more casual dress too.
“I’m okay with wearing hoodies in public now. Before this, that was a big no. I own some Birkenstocks . . . I’m accepting some casualness now.”
Pepe Toomalatai
Pepe’s attention to accessories and colour coordination stood out in a crowd of more minimalist ensembles (even finding harmony in the red detailing on the gym’s rental shoes). Loose graphic T-shirts, with self-aware pop culture references (think Spiderman), cheeky phrases or climbing-related imagery are often worn by climbers at the gym.
Pepe says this tee features, “the main character from the anime One Piece”.
This super-powered character, Monkey D. Luffy, is a rubber-like boy with great strength, speed and elasticity.
Marcella McGillivray
Ahead of her session, Marcella came into the gym donning Doc Martens (one stuck with a rhinestone), cargo pants and an insulating knit. She says she was encouraged to start bouldering after it debuted on the global sporting stage.
“It was around the time when the Olympics were happening, so that started a whole wave.”
After two years, Marcella feels the sport has encouraged a less stringent vibe for her athleisure gear.
“I feel more comfortable wearing random clothes to work out, especially pants. I see people climbing in jeans all the time.”
Gwyneth Garcia & James Yang
Gwyneth and James wandered into the gym with matching puffy silhouettes. They also both donned slip-off shoes with socks, to make their switch into their rubber-soled climbing shoes easier. After committing more time to their climbing this year, the puffer pals have noticed a switch in their chosen wardrobes.
“I wear really baggy pants now,” says Gwyneth.
“I don’t wear nice clothes – I don’t want to get chalk on them so I always have to consider things that will be okay for chalk,” says James.
Luke Hyland
Fashioned from a textural corduroy, Luke’s sweatpants stood out from the crowd. It was the newcomer’s third visit to the climbing gym. In choosing his threads, he thought of the loose bottoms he’d seen his mates wearing.
“I knew that I needed to wear something flexible for my pants.”
He laughs pulling on the stiff corduroy – admitting they might be an example of style over function.
“They’re not the best choice.”
Linda Tran
“If bouldering had influenced my style I’d be wearing a Patagonia T-shirt. That is the staple. This is my personal style.”
The joyful palette of this ensemble caught my eye as the climber floated up a wall. Four years into climbing, after falling in love with the sport during a date with then-partner-now-husband, Linda has keenly customised a large collection of climbing gear.
“My favourite colour is pink. I like to accessorise everything. When I do outdoor climbing, my harness is pink, my rope is pink. I like to look cute even when I’m climbing.”
Nick King
Midway through a session, Nick’s monochromatic outfit was plastered with chalk. The climber, who pivoted to bouldering following a childhood love of rock climbing, has found a distinct style for the sport through trial and error.
“I started wearing long pants because I was always scraping my knees against the wall.”
The cap is also a utilitarian accessory.
“It keeps the sweat out of the eyes.”
Jojo Segun
After starting to climb to rehabilitate an injury a year and a half ago, Jojo found a real enjoyment in the sense of focus and discipline required to achieve a route.
“It’s like a puzzle that gets harder and harder.”
In choosing his outfit, Jojo seeks tough and protective fabrics (though he also buys shirts that draw attention or that make him smile).
“I like loose clothes so I can move freely.”
Rhys Davidson
The Liverpudlian football shirt Rhys dons here was an example of a few in the gym referencing different sporting categories (basketball shirts, rugby jerseys and even a few golf polos clamber up the walls).
“I thought there would be quite a few people here, so I thought I wear one of my nicer T-shirts. I wanted it to be a good talking point.”
The back of Rhys’ shirt is stamped with Steven Gerrard’s name (an ex-captain of the Liverpool Football Club).
Kevin Wu
The back of Kevin’s T-shirt showcases another style trope some climbers in the gym had adopted – a loud graphic spread across the back of a T-shirt (which is on full display as the wearer shimmies up the colourful walls).
Kevin’s shirt was picked up during travels to Japan when he met celebrity chef Motokichi Yukimara.
After climbing for three or four months, Kevin has started to integrate certain climbing styles into the rotation.
“I really like the parachute pants. It’s a cool trend and I’m kind of trying to copy that. I’ve found they make climbing a little harder, but I’d rather look cool.”
Aspen Burt
Aspen’s bouldering attire was glinting with gold. The seasoned climber embellished a tank top and some oversized cargo pants with a belt, chain necklace and collection of gold hoops.
“I look for comfort, I like when things are mobile. It’s nice to show my own style – I like adding a little bit of fashion to it,” Aspen says.
After spending three years within the community, Aspen says she has a big appreciation for the lack of uniformity within climbing style.
“It’s cool seeing people dress the way that they want to and get a bit quirky. I feel that makes exercise and fitness accessible to people. You don’t have to go and buy a bunch of exercise clothes – you can rock up wearing whatever makes you feel comfortable.”
Madeleine Crutchley is a multimedia journalist for Viva and premium lifestyle and entertainment at the New Zealand Herald. She covers stories relating to fashion, culture and food and drink, from her hometown of Auckland.
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