When you think of Canada, what images spring to mind? The frigid, stunning realms of the Great White North is likely top of your mental bank. When it comes to adventure and forging paths into a cold water front – there are few places in the world that still give a prominent frontier feeling while already having a dedicated and established surfing community.
To be clear, the small surf town of Tofino on Vancouver Island is absolutely dazzling. This surf zone is legitimately one of the best cold-water areas on the planet. Consistent groundswells generated by storms out of the North Pacific drive right into its coastline, creating waves all along the western flank. There is a remarkable mix of surf spots, including beachbreaks, reefs, pointbreaks and a smattering of sheltered spots to take refuge in when those gigantic XXL storms start blowing up country. It’s no wonder the joint lends itself well to harbouring a bustling surf culture, with beaches backed by towering western red cedar trees, shore pine, Douglas Fir and Stika Spruce – it is as unique, and as amazing, as surf locales come.
You ever had a shoot that integrates product and place as seamlessly as a silk scarf on a summer breeze? No? Here it is.
It’s for these many reasons that clothing brand Passenger return time and time again to gather the essentials required for a product shoot. There’s so much weight in Canada — so much history. And a surf scene that lends itself well to celebrating the moments around surfing. Because these moments are as important as the act of surfing itself. Waking at the crack of dawn, unceremoniously and without fanfare, beginning the routine check of your favourite spots. Mostly cold. Mostly against the backdrop of harsh conditions. But that’s what makes surfing, surfing. “Canada has been in the blood as long as I can remember,” said the brand’s founder, Rich Sutcliffe. “A home from home, the place that Passenger was born and the landscape that stirred our Waves & Trees obsession.”
For those who don’t know, Rich founded Passenger on the basis of escapism, the want to leave everything behind for a while, just to get out and connect with nature for an unspecified amount of time.
Surfing is more than in the water, it’s the moments that surround it.
Rich returns to Canada somewhat regularly and remembers those years vanlifing across Vancouver Island. “I catch up with family and friends, we share stories, time flies and I have escapism on my mind. I pick up a van, load up some escapism essentials and hit the road. Keeping the plan as loose as possible, I’ll roam in whichever direction feels right, but eastwards to Vancouver Island is an old faithful.”
For this shoot, celebrating Passenger’s fleet of changing robes, the remit was clear; connect with those roots and showcase a functional garment in the scenarios it was built to survive.
Passenger’s changing robes are tools for outdoor living built to battle wind, sea, and cold after a surf session, swim, hike or campfire gathering. When someone pulls on a changing robe after a chilly surf, it’s a part of the process, right? Because moments maketh session.
In choosing Tofino for their changing robe campaign, Passenger showcased their committed philosophy and elevated this story beyond just another shoot – it’s a state of mind and an evolution of the brand’s early ethos.
“We would work weekends, early morning before and after our day jobs,” said Rich about starting Passenger. “It’s a bit of a blur now, but I remember the sense of endless tasks and endless possibilities at the same time. It was full on building a brand from scratch, using our home as a mini warehouse and business.
“Working on the road and grabbing those days of escapism was the key to Passenger getting to where it is today, I can’t encourage people to do that enough. When the going got tough and things were growing at a crazy pace it was a consistent source of inspiration, balance and allowed us to recharge.
“Sometimes I don’t know how we made our way through everything and didn’t give up, that would have been the easy thing to do for sure!”
Walk through Tofino on the shoulders of Passenger through these wonderful images.
Moments around the surf are what can make it memorable, whether chatting or just being surrounded by nature — it all adds to it.
Surf almost doesn’t matter. Even if it’s not chilly enough for booties yet.
Post-surf ritual number 17, return warmth to limbs asap.
You can see why Canada was on the shot list… that light.
How else to tour the north!
View the Passenger collection of changing robes by going here!
