Talking collabs with Finisterre & Snow Peak
Unpacking why this surfing partnership is one of my favorite's in recent memory.
Some partnerships feel like a logo slap
This one didn’t.
Finisterre and Snow Peak are two brands that genuinely live in the world they design for. They’re not chasing hype — they’re obsessed with craft, rooted in nature, and care deeply about how people actually use their gear. You see that in the products. You feel it in the culture.
I was at their launch event in London, tucked into a space in Covent Garden. The vibes were excellent, the details were thoughtful, and overall, it was beautifully executed.
For me, it was more than the collection, though: what I loved about the partnership is how they had this anodizing station where you could customize titanium mugs, chopsticks, even sporks. It wasn’t just a gimmick.
It reinforced everything these two brands are about: function, detail, and a sense of adventure you can carry with you.
Afterward, I got the chance to sit down with Todd, the head designer at Finisterre, to talk about how this collaboration came together — why it worked, what inspired the design, and how their team thinks about partnership, product, and staying true to a bigger philosophy.
Here are more details about the collection if you’re interested.
Tell us about yourself and your journey to Finisterre.
I fell in love with Finisterre in the early days. The brand was small, but I felt like I’d found a British version of Patagonia. But way younger and bursting at the seams with energy and possibilities.
That’s how I saw it back then.
I was living in London, and my life revolved around cycling culture. Fixed wheel rides all over town and bike polo most evenings and weekends. Within this, there was a small handful of early adopters wearing black Finisterre jackets, driving to the South-West on weekends for surf and then back to their busy London lives.
I’d just done some design work for Rapha and worked on my sustainable streetwear label. It was amazing to find another cool company out there approaching product and design with such integrity. Sustainable products and choices weren’t even a big part of the conversation in the early 2000s.
Having read ‘Let my people go surfing’ and then discovering this brand, I just felt the synergy and wanted to be a part of it. I got my opportunity at the start of 2013, and the rest is history. I packed up my London life and landed in St. Agnes, Cornwall.
It's a bit of a culture shock, but a chance to build culture.
When you first started conversations with Snow Peak, what was the shared philosophy or common ground that stood out to you? What made this collaboration feel like a natural fit?
Well, I’ve always been a huge fan, and their gear was always so beautifully designed and built for purpose. So we had that in common. Then there was their stance within the outdoor market… they’ve always felt underground and not a ‘show off’ like brand.
They have a cult following, and a lot of that is word of mouth. I never felt they cared about being the ‘big player’ in the outdoor space. They just do their thing. Digging deeper, you get to understand where they position themselves, always with nature and not conquering it.
Snow Peak doesn’t care about who scales the biggest mountain, they don’t care about who’s the fastest, hardest, craziest etc. They want to be quiet and appreciate their surroundings.
At Finisterre, we feel the same. We’re equally not about sport surfing and trophies, we like the quiet and the joys of finding uncrowded waters.
Both Finisterre and Snow Peak are deeply rooted in the outdoors — not just as a setting, but as a way of life. How did that inform your design decisions for this collection?
There are the technical product and lifestyle pieces that allow people to be comfortable outside.
Snow Peak is the ‘Outdoor Lifestyle Creator’ and therefore, we wanted to make a product that sat around the notion of ‘getting campers surfing, and surfers camping’ whilst having an easy-to-adopt aesthetic and some gear to reinforce those adventures.
We chose not to go overly technical with these pieces, except for the wetsuits, which are one of the most technical things you can make.
Craftsmanship is at the heart of both brands. Can you walk us through how you approached material choices and construction techniques for this collection?
Both brands stand for incredible quality. Snow Peak are design visionaries. Finisterre leans further towards more sustainable choices, and it was amazing to bring specific approaches together.
We carefully discussed all materials, suppliers, and which products would suit a small capsule. We leaned on each other's expertise and supply chains, taking responsibility within our expertise. For me, this is such a great way to not only learn from others but also to encourage them to consider things that may be new.
It’s a lifestyle collection emphasizing fabric, fit, functionality, and relevance rather than pushing boundaries with construction techniques.
The poncho is a skilfully designed and created product, and our Yulex suits are made by the very best in the business.
Snow Peak is known for its anodized titanium and hardware precision. How did that technical craftsmanship inspire or influence your approach at Finisterre?
I’m a massive fan of the titanium. They’re serious bits of kit, and then they add the colours and it’s a bit ‘kid in a candy store’ for me! Their cups and sporks became a massive part of bikepacking trips. My obsession with 90s mtb anodised parts is coming into play!
Whilst fun, there’s no doubting the craftsmanship, and therefore we knew the quality of our collaborative products had to be second to none.
We added some pieces into the mix, and I was just so stoked to see Finisterre branding added to the Spork. Did you see we perfectly matched the titanium colour to match the inside of the wetsuits?
Having seen this collaboration come to life, how has it shaped or evolved your thinking about future partnerships at Finisterre?
It’s been a pleasure working together, and it's so nice to introduce each other’s audiences to each other. This partnership was always about the relevance of both brands and finding the connection, which made it feel genuine and not just something made for the hype.
I like well-considered and curated collaborations and will certainly bring more to the table. Watch this space.
