Founded in 1982 by Mike Graham, a climber from the legendary Stonemasters crew, Gramicci was born in a small garage in Oxnard, California, at the heart of the 1970s free-climbing counterculture. The brand takes its name from a nickname Graham picked up on an expedition, and its founding pant featured a diamond-shaped gusset inspired by kung-fu trousers for full 180-degree flexibility, along with a one-handed adjustable webbing belt inspired by backpack straps.

In the 1990s, Japanese buyer Hiroshi Kubo, at retailer BEAMS, discovered Gramicci at U.S. outdoor trade shows and reimagined it as lifestyle wear rather than pure technical gear — a turning point that rooted the brand firmly in Japan. After several restructurings, Gramicci came under the ownership of Japanese conglomerate Itochu Corporation in 2017, which had already held its Japanese license. The brand is now headquartered in Japan, where it also produces its many collaborations with labels like Nanga, Neighborhood, White Mountaineering, and BEAMS.

Made from durable canvas and built for movement, every Gramicci piece speaks to people on the move — climbers, travelers, city dwellers — who want functional, long-lasting clothing rooted in a heritage that's both Californian and Japanese.