Pendleton and Lindsey Thornburg: Art that Tells a Story

September 25, 2012September 17, 2021 / pendletonwoolenmills / 3 Comments

A Fresh Viewpoint

Designer Lindsey Thornburg is a former philosophy student who grew up in Colorado and Montana. She has been working with Pendleton fabrics since 2008, when she returned from a trip to Machu Picchu and started bringing her inspirations to life with vintage Pendleton blankets from her father’s Montana home. The cloaks she makes use familiar Pendleton patterns, geometrically realigned for a completely new (and utterly stunning) effect.

The Cloaks

Cloak by Lindsey Thornburg made from a Raven blanket

Lindsey brought her work to NYC in 2008. Her signature cloaks were featured on street style blogs and the mainstream press sat up and took notice. Thornburg continued to use Pendleton fabrics for her first cloak collections, making trips across the country to personally select fabrics at the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store. “Pendleton is the American wool company making the best textiles in the game,” says Lindsey. “People are inquisitive about Pendleton. Its iconic fabrics are now seen on the streets of New York and across America.”

In 2012, Ms. Thornburg and Pendleton have made it official with a new co-brand, Pendleton by Lindsey Thornburg. The new collection is available early fall in specialty boutiques, the Pendleton Home Store in Portland, Oregon, online and in the Pendleton Home catalog.

“We have been watching Lindsey since first meeting her in 2007,” says Robert Christnacht, Pendleton’s Home Division manager. “She honors the Pendleton fabric with her creative cloak designs.”

Lindsey Thornburg cloak made from a Los Ojos blanket

Lindsey is just as excited to be working with Pendleton. “It is an honor to be working with a company that is over 100 years old and incorporates Native American ideals. I am inspired by them, and love their American fabrics.” Lindsey adds, “Look at the Chief Joseph image. The photo expresses the same idea; a blanket covering for practical reasons. I give the blanket sleeves, adding a modern twist on how they would want a blanket to be used.”

“It’s art that tells a story.”

Barrett Christy, Pendleton and GNU with a Board for Women Who Shred

February 29, 2012August 3, 2021 / pendletonwoolenmills / 2 Comments

Winter X Games Champion

Barrett Christie is an accomplished athlete who has won more medals in the Winter X Games than any other female competitor. She competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics as part of the first US women’s snowboarding team. She oversees the design of women’s snowboards for Gnu Snowboards, including the Gnu Barrett Christy Pro Model, the most enduring women’s pro model snowboard on the market.

When Barrett needed an eye-catching graphic that still looked like a serious snowboard, she approached Pendleton. The result is our newest co-branding effort; a limited edition snowboard from GNU, featuring a graphic based on our Day of the Dead blanket. Every board comes with a specially labeled Day of the Dead blanket.

Interview

Barrett Christie with the Day of the Dead blanket and the Gnu x Pendleton snowboard

Life in the Pacific Northwest is very, very busy for Barrett. She’s a serious competitor and product developer, as well as a mom. But she recently found a little time to talk to us about the new design.

PWM: I’m sure you’re always looking for inspiration. What initially drew you to Pendleton?

Barrett: My husband I have a collection of Pendleton blankets we’ve won as prizes at the Mt. Baker Slalom. We’ve won a lot of races, so we’ve won a lot of blankets.

PWM: Was Day of the Dead one of the prizes?

Barrett: No, they’re mostly Chief Joseph designs. That’s what I had in mind when I approached your Home division. Bob Christnacht and Jessica Camblin were educating me a little bit more about Pendleton, and I saw the Day of the Dead blanket, and it clicked.

PWM: It’s a great use of the graphics. How has it been received?

Barrett: Everyone loves it. It caused a stir at the shows, and I showed it at the latest X Games.

PWM: How did it ride?

Barrett: Well, the girls were not riding, but they wanted to try it!

PWM: When and where will it be available?

Barrett: It will be ready for our next winter season, which is 2012/2013.

PWM: Any plans for Mervin/GNU and Pendleton in the future?

Barrett: That’s a possibility! You know, the two companies may look a lot different, but we share the same philosophies. Our boards and your blankets are manufactured in the USA with sound environmental policies. That’s really important to us; it’s such a good match.

We agree completely. Thanks, Barrett!

If you’d like to know more about Barrett’s outlook and accomplishments as one of the leading women boarders in the country, you can read more here.

Shwood and Pendleton: Two Oregon Companies

November 7, 2011August 3, 2021 / pendletonwoolenmills / 7 Comments

SHWOOD x PWM

Original Shwood x pendleton frames and storage poouch

By now, you might have heard that Pendleton Woolen Mills has co-branded with Shwood, another Oregon-based company, on a limited run of Shwood’s “Canby” frame style.

Jessica Camblin, Pendleton’s Home Division merchandiser, explained that “Shwood approached us two years ago with the idea of working together, and we thought the idea was super-cool.”

Ideas were kicked around, and the plan came together in a pair of frames with laser-engraved temples in our iconic Chief Joseph pattern. They are packaged in a Pendleton wool carrying pouch made especially for Shwood.

About Shwood

Shwood is a young company devoted to producing the very best. All their design and manufacturing is done right here in Oregon, and by the way, they just won Dell’s “America’s Favorite Small Business” award. As part of the award, there is a reality show featuring Shwood. It’s bound to be entertaining because as Jessica puts it, “They are a great group of guys!” And this is a great pair of frames.

Pendleton Woolen Mills

Since 1863

Co-branding