Jennifer Ridgeway, considered the brand aesthetic originator of Patagonia, has passed away at the age of 69, according to Outside Magazine.
In 1981, Ridgeway became the first director of marketing and advertising at Patagonia, later to become the founding director of photography for the company, and is the author of the award-winning Unexpected: A Retrospective of Patagonia’s Outdoor Photography.
An adventurer herself, she deployed hundreds of photographers, many who were also outdoor athletes, to capture inspiring images around the globe.
“The goal of the photos is to sweep people away, to inspire them — to let them visualize what it’s like to be ‘out there,’ not stuck sitting at a desk or in front of a TV,” Outside reported Ridgeway wrote in 1986. “The message is to get off your bum and get out there and do stuff.”
Ridgeway died at her home in Ojai, CA after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her husband, Rick; daughters, Carissa Tudor and Cameron Tambakis; a son, Connor; and four grandchildren.
