10In mid-February, this year's highly anticipated branded outdoor event — “Leaves Accompany Me” —2012 Lafumathe large-scale thematic mountain-climbing series, after nearly7months of intense competition, has finally come to a successful conclusion.LafumaIt accompanied participants to four famous mountains across China: Ling Mountain, the highest peak in Beijing; Changbai Mountain in Jilin, known as the “Roof of the Northeast”; Taibai Mountain in Shaanxi, dubbed the “Beauty of a Hundred Faces”; and Siguniang Mountain in Sichuan, hailed as the “Alps of the East.” Participants trekked through several nationally renowned classic outdoor routes. Competitors from the four major competition zones went through preliminary selections, advancement rounds, offline events, and online showcases, each showcasing their unique strengths. In the end, four champions emerged victorious: the handsome team leader well-versed in outdoor gear, “Noon Sunshine”; the commanding and capable leader “Infinity”; the battle-hardened crowd favorite “Midnight Sunshine”; and the low-key and composed practitioner “Go With the Flow.” Along the way, they left behind numerous wonderful memories and unforgettable stories, and these remarkable journeys remain vividly etched in our minds. And in10June22, the entire event also welcomed its grand finale — the romantic French outdoor journey to the "Homeland of Leaves." The group traveled to France to begin the long-awaited "Leaf Quest."
The trip lasted seven days, taking participants fromLafumathe HomelandAnneyron(Annecy) to the global outdoor meccaChamonix(Chamonix), and then to the fashion capitalParis(Paris), where they collectively experiencedLafuma's brand charm and legendary history, the majestic beauty of the Alps, Europe's traditional outdoor culture, and the unique romance and fashion of France. The entire event was hosted byLafuma, co-organized by the Chamonix Tourism Bureau of France, and invited well-known media outlets from both inside and outside the industry such as 《Outdoor》, 《China Geographic》, 《New Traveler》, and 《World》 to collaborate and join the trip. Additionally, the "Travel Satellite TV" program 《Walker》 was specially invited to film the entire journey, capturing the exciting moments of the event.
Impressions of France — Elegant European Charm
10On the morning of the22th, the group, filled with excitement and anticipation, boarded a flight to the "Homeland of Leaves" — France. After a layover at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, they arrived at their destination — France's second-largest city,5pm local time. Upon exiting the airport, they were immediately immersed in the rich French atmosphere. "France, here we come!" The champions could not hide their excitement upon arriving in France. That evening,Lyon(Lyon) — atLafumathe organizers prepared a warm dinner for everyone. Wine paired with delicious cuisine, the delightful French meal whetted everyone's appetite and warmed their bodies and minds after a long day of travel.
VisitingLafumaHeadquarters — Exploring the Homeland of Leaves
The next morning, the entire group took aLafumaprivate car arranged by the brand's French headquarters to its birthplace,Anneyron(Annecy, a1-and-a-half-hour drive from Lyon), to embark on the ultimate "Leaf Quest." By visiting the French headquarters, they gained an in-depth understanding ofLafuma's82-year legendary history. What amazed everyone was thatLafumabrand has been...1930Since its establishment over the years, the headquarters has undergone almost no major changes — even the name of the street it’s on was given only later.
1930and2012year'sLafumacomparison photos of the French headquarters' entrance
A group of people, under the warm reception ofLafumathe French marketing directorRapha?l VIEUXand others, visited the historical archives room, product workshop, lounge chair factory, R&D center, and sample display room. In the historical archives room,Vieuxshowed everyone classic products from the brand’s history, including the original version of theLafumaclassic products from the brand’s history, including those from the 1940s and 1950s4backpack from the 1940s and 1950s, made of pure leather paired with thick canvas — exuding a strong sense of antiquity that instantly transported everyone back intoLafumathe long river of history. The product managerYann Legalused one of the40era backpacks as an example to explain the innovative technology of the time — the metal frame backpack suspension system. This is also the origin of various modern technical backpack suspension systems. Members excitedly took turns trying it on, eager to experience this historically significant backpack. “It’s very light, more comfortable than I expected, the fit on the back is great, and the pure leather shoulder straps give a very natural and friendly feel,” said the North China regional champion “Noon Sunshine” while trying it on.This1936developedTYROLIENbackpack was the world’s first to use a metal frame, marking the birth of an epoch-making product at the time. Later, this technology was highly praised by the French military and adopted for military use during World War II. It was precisely because of this thatLafumagained worldwide fame.
1936The metal frame backpack suspension structure of theLafuma TYROLIENbackpack from
LegalThen, he took out a seemingly long-dusted booklet containing many classic backpack designs from history. Each page radiated a strong sense of historical weight. Although they couldn’t understand the French text, the layout clearly conveyed that as early as70overLafumayears ago, the brand had already achieved a high level of maturity in developing and explaining backpack functionality.
LafumaSome content from the backpack history booklet
Just like the modest exterior of the headquarters, the product workshop is equally neat and orderly. Here, the person in chargeYannick Letiecintroduced the mature, modern equipment and craftsmanship. Getting an up-close look at the fully automatic computerized cutting machines,Lafumamature modern equipment and manufacturing techniques. Get an up-close look at fully automatic computerized cutting machines,Gore-texwaterproof jacket sewing, and the functional development of backpacks, the champions were full of curiosity. They picked up garments in the process of being made and examined them closely — realizing that the jackets they wear are the result of numerous rounds of research, production, and refinement before finally making it to market.