Step off the a street in Soho, and you'd have been transported to a world of GORE-TEX® Fabrics spanning the last 50 years.
The Lattice Works was a London pop-up event marking the 50th anniversary of GORE-TEX® Products. Combining archive storytelling, GORE-TEX® Product lab test demonstrations, a gear repair service, and community activations to bring the GORE-TEX® Brand celebrations to life.
Key takeaways:
- The Lattice Works was a London pop-up marking 50 years of GORE-TEX® Products, named after Gore's first-ever public-facing retail store, which opened in the USA in 1983.
- The experience combined archive storytelling, complementary GORE-TEX® Gear repairs and an immersive soundscape, inspired by rain and the great outdoors.
- Archive highlights included pieces from the 1990 Trans-Antarctic Expedition, among them a GORE-TEX® Jacket and boots made for the expedition's sled dogs, alongside the first-ever Mountain Equipment Cascade GORE-TEX® Jacket (1977) and the Berghaus Trango and Mera Peak GORE-TEX® Jackets.
- Contemporary culture had a place too, with the Palace Varsity Jacket and the Vivienne Westwood x Palace GORE-TEX® Skirt reflecting the brand's Soho setting.
Fifty Years in the Making
The Lattice Works was a London pop-up designed to feel less like an exhibition and more like a living celebration of everything the brand has built over the last five decades, bringing together heritage, innovation, community and culture in one space.
What Was On
- Friday: Ahead of the public opening, invited guests gathered at The Lattice Works for a special preview of the archive exhibition, tracing the GORE-TEX® Brand's last 50 years. The afternoon featured a scrapbook workshop led by Photocopy Club, where guests created custom keepsakes using archival GORE-TEX® Brand materials, alongside their own photos and memories. The evening concluded with a screening of “Going Further, Together” the GORE-TEX® Brand’s anniversary documentary.
- Saturday: a complimentary on-site GORE-TEX® Gear repair service, live GORE-TEX® Product lab test demos, and an archive panel featuring Gore archivist Nedda Moqtaderi; Neil Summers, creative consultant and editor of Outdoors License; Andrew Groves, Professor of Menswear Systems at the University of Westminster; Jaimus Tailor, designer and founder of Greater Goods; and Charlie Pym, Senior VP Brand and Product at Berghaus.
- Sunday: continued showcase of rare archival GORE-TEX® Products, GORE-TEX® Gear repairs, and a calmer close with a GORE-TEX® Brand soundscape session.
Catriona Shearer on Bringing The Lattice Works to Life
We sat down with Catriona Shearer, Account Marketing & PR Specialist at GORE-TEX® Brand, to talk about where the idea came from, what made the final experience, and what she hopes people took away from it.
Where the Idea Came From
The idea was inspired by the rich history contained within the Gore archive. Approaching the anniversary, Shearer found inspiration in The Lattice Works, Gore’s first-ever public-facing retail store, which opened in the USA in 1983. Revisiting that original concept sparked the idea of a modern pop-up experience in London that could celebrate everything that makes the brand unique.
"We wanted to create a space that brought together archival products, brand stories, innovations and partnerships from across the last 50 years, while also showcasing the exciting technologies and topics that are shaping our future," Shearer said.
“The archive became the foundation of the experience, allowing us to tell stories through products, advertising, campaign imagery, magazines, and other historical materials.”
Why the Archive Still Matters
Gore archivist Nedda Moqtaderi, who helped curate the historical materials featured throughout the event, sees the archive as a way to preserve not only products, but also the stories they hold. “An archive is more than a record of what happened and when. It helps us understand the people, decisions, challenges, and ideas behind each moment. Bringing these materials together for The Lattice Works gave visitors a way to see how the GORE-TEX® Brand’s history has been shaped over time and continues to be meaningful for us today.”
For Shearer, the archive isn't nostalgia for its own sake but proof that meaningful innovation has a lasting impact. "The archive pieces aren’t just objects from the past," she explained. "They are evidence of ideas, collaborations, and problem-solving that have shaped how people experience the outdoors for decades."
“In an age where everything moves quickly, the archive provided credibility and context. It showed that GORE-TEX® Products have consistently delivered trusted protection over time while continuing to evolve alongside changing technologies, communities, and cultures.”
The 50th anniversary was an opportunity to demonstrate that innovation is also about the knowledge, relationships, and progress that build over time. “Looking back helps us understand why the brand continues to lead today.”
Building the Experience
Getting the balance right meant weaving together product innovation, archive storytelling, community experiences, technical education, repairs, and future-facing innovation.
“The products themselves were naturally at the heart of the experience, but we also wanted to showcase the wider materials that have helped tell the GORE-TEX® Brand story over the years, including adverts, posters, magazines, and campaign imagery.
Those pieces helped bring different eras of the brand to life and gave visitors a richer understanding of the people, products, and moments that shaped its history.”
Community was central. Activations such as the scrapbook workshop gave people a chance to slow down, get creative, and connect with their own outdoor experiences. The anniversary film screening created a memorable shared moment celebrating a range of perspectives and adventures.
The GORE-TEX® Gear repair activation was another essential element, with much loved GORE-TEX® Garments given an even longer life. “It highlighted our commitment to the longevity of GORE-TEX® Products and reinforced the message that our products are meant to used for a long time, keeping the memories of adventures spent wearing them alive.”
The Showstoppers
One of the most talked-about areas of The Lattice Works was the Unexpected Finds Cabinet, a collection of some of the GORE-TEX® Brand's archive's most surprising stories and objects.
Among them was protective gear created for the sled dogs that accompanied the 1990 Trans-Antarctic Expedition, including a dog coat and booties. Small and unexpected, the pieces offered a different perspective on an extraordinary journey across one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth.
For Nedda Moqtaderi, it’s details like these that can bring an archive to life. “Some of the most memorable archival pieces are the ones that reveal a different side of a familiar story. The items from the Trans-Antarctic Expedition do exactly that. They speak to an extraordinary journey, while details like the protective gear made for the sled dogs make the history feel immediate, human and real. The jacket on display even came into the archives with some remnants of the dogs' fur!”
The display also traced a lesser-known chapter in the brand’s history through original Seam Stuff and GORE-SEAM® Tape, showing how the development of seam sealing helped address one of the earliest challenges in waterproof apparel: keeping water from entering through the seams.
Alongside these early innovations sat pieces from very different corners of the archive. The Palace Varsity Jacket and Vivienne Westwood x Palace GORE-TEX® Skirt reflected the brand’s place in contemporary culture, while the Berghaus Mera Peak Jacket and the 1979 Brooks Hugger GTX Trainer, the first GORE-TEX® Shoe, captured different moments in the evolution of outdoor apparel and footwear.
Many of the most memorable moments, Shearer noted, came from conversations with industry experts, enthusiasts, and Nedda Moqtaderi, “whose knowledge and dedication were instrumental in bringing the project to life.”
Going Further, Together
The event worked because it felt authentic to Gore. Everything from the name and format to the products and storytelling reflected the culture of the brand and the idea of bringing people, ideas, and experiences together.
“It was fantastic to see the level of passion people have for the GORE-TEX® Brand and the many ways they connect with it. Whether through outdoor adventure, technical performance, fashion or culture, people quickly found stories and products that resonated with them.
“One of the most rewarding aspects was seeing visitors engage not only with the products but also with the wider archive. The posters, magazines, and campaign materials sparked a sense of nostalgia and curiosity, helping people connect with different eras of the brand in a very personal way.”
The event was a demonstration of how 50 years have been built through collaboration, experimentation, trust, and a constant desire to solve real-world challenges.
“What I hope people remember most is a sense of discovery. Whether it was seeing iconic archive products, uncovering unexpected stories, or learning more about the innovation behind the brand, I hope visitors left with a deeper appreciation of just how connected those experiences are.”
GORE-TEX® Brand innovation has always been about enabling people, partners, and communities to explore further, achieve more, and experience the outdoors with confidence.
And while the event may be over, the stories, innovations, and connections it celebrated continue to shape what comes next.
