Seattle, 1897 – Filson was founded as C.C. Filson’s Pioneer Alaska Clothing and Blanket Manufacturers to meet the needs of gold miners passing through Seattle on their way to the Klondike gold rush
Filson – The Great Klondike Gold Rush: how it all began
Filson The Great Klondike Gold Rush was a period of labor migration to areas where the discovery of exploitable gold occurred. The immigration destinations were the Klondike (in northwestern Canada) and Yukon (between northwestern Canada and Alaska) rivers. Gold was discovered in these places in the late nineteenth century-nearly 400,000 kilograms of gold were taken from the river.
Prospectors traveled over land or up streams until they reached Dawson City, the landmark town of the gold rush
On August 16, 1896, three people led by Skookum Jim Mason, a local native, up the Klondike River accidentally discovered rich gold deposits in Rabbit Creek in the Yukon Territory of northwestern Canada. The news quickly spread to other mining camps in the Yukon River Valley. The Rabbit Creek, where the gold was first found, was renamed to Bonanza Creek. Bonanza and nearby places were soon overrun by miners who flocked from nearby mines. News reached the United States in July 1897, when the first prospectors returning after making their fortunes arrived in San Francisco on July 15 and in Seattle on July 17. By 1898 the population of the lands where gold had been discovered reached 40,000, threatening to cause a famine. People arrived from as far away as New York, Britain and even Australia.
Most prospectors landed in Skagway, Alaska, or in the adjacent municipality of Dyea. From there they traveled over land or up streams until they reached Dawson City, the landmark town of the gold rush. A hamlet that had a couple of buildings, but with the gold rush grew into a town of 30,000, the largest settlement in all of northwestern Canada.
The Great Klondike Gold Rush in literature and films – Filson
Filson – In literature: among the many who took part in the race was California writer Jack London, whose Gold Rush experience influenced his books. Another author connected with the race, and whose original cabin in Dawson City still exists, was the Scottish poet Robert William Service, who described the struggle for survival in the frozen north in many of his poems. One of the most comprehensive books concerning the Klondike gold rush, titled simply Klondike, written by Canadian journalist Pierre Berton. It includes testimonies collected by interviewing former miners and locals. One of Jules Verne’s last books, Le volcan d’or, also recounts the terrible hardships that prospectors faced while trying their luck in such inhospitable lands. Only in the final few chapters does the volcano of the title come into the picture.
In film: The Gold Rush, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, tells of a naïve prospector. He becomes trapped by a blizzard in a cabin along with a fugitive from the law and another prospector. After various vicissitudes, the two prospectors in the hut become millionaires. The protagonist falls in love with a local woman who reciprocates his passion, and together they embark to return home.
The Great Klondike Gold Rush in Fashion. Producing clothes to face the roughness of life, the story of the brand Filson
Filson – In fashion: Filson. Filson was founded in Seattle in 1897 as C.C. Filson’s Pioneer Alaska Clothing and Blanket Manufacturers to meet the needs of gold miners passing through Seattle on their way to the Klondike gold rush – clothes made to last. With a work ethic and several years of experience in outfitting settlers and prospectors in the Pacific Northwest, Filson started his own factory to produce clothing, Mackinaw wool blankets and knitwear, as well as selling boots, shoes, moccasins and sleeping bags specially designed for the most frigid and adverse climates. A tale of resistance to the roughness of life. Such garments were soon ordered from places as far away as Greenland.
Since 2012 Bedrock Manufacturing owns Filson. The founder Tom Kartsotis, also owns Shinola Detroit.
Filson Fall/Winter 2023 Collection interpreted by photographer Jelka von Langen and Roman Goebel, and styling by Max Jolivet
Photography Jelka von Langen and Roman Goebel
styling Max Jolivet
hair and makeup Beauty The Baligan’s using @PatMcGrathLabs
casting Eli Xavier set design Rebecca Martin
photography assistants Anton Röntz and Rachel Boyce
styling assistant Ekaterina Samorukova
talents Thilo @NestModelManagement, Nele, Madeline @IconicMgmt, Poppy, Uzu @NeuCasting
thanks to Comme des Costumes, Toby Grimditch
Editorial team
