Culture Archives - VANISH TODAY

Wild Ingenuity™: Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal of Beringia

Team Vanish — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 22:33:58 +0000

The latest feature in Vanish’s Wild Ingenuity™ Interview series is here! This week we shine the spotlight on our exclusive conversation with Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal, the founder of the Bozeman, Montana x Tokyo, Japan-based technical outerwear company, Beringia.

Launched in the Fall of 2019, Beringia is a ‘development-driven brand that draws equally from design ideation, technical innovation, and advanced fiber and fabric engineering’. Prior to successfully launching Beringia, Bernie co-founded Duckworth, the only 100% Made-in-USA Merino wool clothing company, and has also played major roles in providing Brand and Marketing direction for outdoor powerhouses K2 and the SWATCH group, to name a few.

While Bernthal’s work experience is certainly commendable, he’ll be the first to tell you his story and Beringia’s span WELL beyond the confines of any office. As you’ll find out in this interview, Bernie is a true pioneer of the outdoor industry whose passion for nature and outdoor recreation has taken him on a multitude of worldly adventures over many decades. Through these experiences and shared passions of skiing, surfing, mountain climbing, and mother nature, Bernie’s formed friendships with like-minded folk – from across Europe to Japan – that have helped him propel Beringia into a reality.

We’ll leave it there and let Bernie takeover in sharing his perspective on Nature-Culture-Future…Strap in and get ready to enjoy the latest Wild Ingenuity™ adventure!

1979 – Bernie with his ’79 Verbier on an early visit to ski/mountain bum world // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

NATURE
Tell us a bit about yourself, your company/scope of work, and how nature is woven into your product strategy…

Bernie: I left NY at 18 (1978) to move to France to play soccer in the French Professional league, I came back to the US and played 3 more years before realizing that we spent our time in the grimmest, darkest places. When I saw the Alps, it was over, I had to be up in those mountains and live the outdoor (nature) life of doing rad shit in the outdoors. This was the early 80’s so I guess we kinda turned the outdoor/nature calling into the “outdoor industry”. We did it at a time when you could ski powder and live cheap. We imported and sold and marketed the best US-made Outdoor gear in the Alps – Switzerland, it was a way to pay the bills and get free gear for our adventures…

1978 – Limoges FC – first American pro in the French Pro League // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

1984 – Chamonix – fist Telemark decent of Couloir Barbey // Photo: Bob Mazarei

NATURE (continued)

Bernie: As Americans, we grow up surrounded by incredible “brands”, and growing up in the 70’s – 80’s we had amazing music and art to flank our sports…it became a culture. Chasing powder, climbing, surf, and music was what we did and it has become an industry. It’s fucken incredible and we are insanely lucky to live a life and make a living doing it. The sports/ activities that are done in connection with nature take you to a deeper place, “archaic techniques of ecstasy” / in the zone. It’s no wonder that people in these crazy times are desperately trying to get to something real. Every brand we have created and work with has to be real, no posers, they have to credible and back their shit up. Once the companies/brands lose their soul and their reason to exist, other than making money, it’s over.

We founded Beringia with our Japanese partners because they make incredibly good gear, functional beauty and we share a common passion for design connected to the mountains and oceans where we live and play. Over the years we grew our expertise in textile function and particularly wool. Our recent projects with the ancient wool/textile region of Bihsu, Japan is leading to some breakthroughs that make us really happy and proud. Sustainable – Regenerated fine wool textiles made by hand, very perfect, and without the use of many harmful chemicals the commodity brands use.

2011 – Backcountry ski touring in Nelson BC. Skier: Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

2004 – Surfing clean winter swell in SoCal // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

1997 – Swatch times – Paying off the Police in Florence Italy // Photo provided by Robert ‘Bernie’ Bernthal

CULTURE
Where do you go for inspiration and what out there in current culture is creating the best or most interesting vibes to motivate you?

Bernie: Really good design. Anything made with wool, the process to the final product. Kinda obvious and vanilla. The Japanese outdoor/street/fashion/textile scene is a pretty cool collision of styles that is producing an interesting aesthetic.

A Bishu Craftsman at work

Beringia’s Master of Bishu Regenerated Wool Fabric

The Ultimate Wool Shirt – Beringia’s Fallaron Shirt // Master of Bishu Collection

FUTURE
What does the future look like for your work and what’s on your mind as you look forward?

Bernie: Great timing to ask this question. I will never stop working and will always be looking to bring newness and change. I want to disrupt the commodity brands, find new, international, interesting like-minded people and brands to do cool stuff with to keep us young and active. It’s also inspiring to see the trending collision of sorts on the way between outdoor, technical, and fashion industries.

Follow Beringia on Instagram // learn more about Beringia’s Master of Bishu Collection here

Our many thanks to Bernie for offering his time, wisdom, and experience towards this piece!

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Wild Ingenuity™: Exclusive Interview with Designer Lindsey Thornburg

Team Vanish — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 16:32:06 +0000

We’re excited to share the latest installment of Vanish’s Wild Ingenuity™ interview series. This week’s edition features our conversation with the esteemed designer and creative, Lindsey Thornburg. Though she’s based in New York these days, Lindsey’s always called Montana and Aspen, Colorado home. With these outdoor roots in mind, it’s safe to say Lindsey’s no stranger to an unrelenting winter. In fact, much of Lindsey’s outerwear work is catalyzed by a “dedication to staying warm and being unique”. As you’ll discover in our exclusive interview, Lindsey has been collaborating with Pendleton Woolen Mills for nearly the last decade and is the first designer in the more than 150-year history of the company to have been allowed to cut into their blankets. The result of her collaboration with Pendelton has come in the form of masterfully designed cloaks that have proven very popular, even amongst the likes of celebrities such as Blake Lively, Kate Hudson, Rihanna, Drew Barrymore, and Meryl Streep.

As a lifelong Oregonian with a burning affinity for Pendelton’s work, I can safely say there are more Pendelton blankets in my extended family than family members. It’s truly an honor to get to interview Lindsey Thornburg and tap into her mind with the Wild Ingenuity™ lens. We hope you enjoy reading Lindsey’s thoughtful answers on Nature-Culture-Future as much as we did!

NATURE
Tell us a bit about yourself, your company, and how your products are inspired by nature.

My name is Lindsey Thornburg. I’m a New York-based fashion designer from Montana and Colorado. I’m known best for my collaboration with Pendleton. I’m the first company in 110 years Pendleton has allowed cut into their blankets. I don’t really have a strategy, but I like being outside and I’ve always made clothing that’s reflected what I like to do. I like nature and I like looking cool and being cozy in nature.

CULTURE
Where do you go for inspiration and what out there in current culture is creating the best or most interesting vibes to motivate you?

I love being outside. I love making art outside with groovy people that like the psychedelic aspects of nature. No one else’s vibe motivates me. Even if I’m inspired. I have to motivate myself. What we do is so specific but I think there’s a lot of people doing clever things on the internet right now. I love clever good design even if it’s out of my wheelhouse. I love things that can last forever and aren’t trend based.

FUTURE
What does the future look like for your work and what’s on your mind as you look forward?

I want a store in Aspen :). I went to high school there and it would be a fun homecoming to have my creative endeavors take me back.

Follow Lindsey on Instagram // learn more about her beautiful work here.

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Art of The Isolation Issue 01

Cole Giordano — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 10:15:31 +0000

Earlier, we announced Art of The Isolation – a new online magazine featuring a curated selection of artwork from artists and creators around the world, made while in isolation during the Covid-19 outbreak. We are now excited to share its debut with Issue 01.

The issue features a ton of amazing work from artists far and wide, as well as Vanish friends and family members.

Check it out!

And check out their info page to learn how to submit your own work, or follow them on Instagram for updates.

Artists featured in above image: Hiroki Muraoka, Anthony Pappalardo, Davey Jones / Lost Boy ?

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The Mob Museum Debuts in Las Vegas

Team Vanish — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 17:43:54 +0000

The Mob Museum in Las Vegas is debuting new experiences Feb. 14, which put visitors in the role of law enforcement in live role-playing scenarios and forensic science experts in the crime lab. Organized Crime Today focuses on the modernization and evolution of organized crime in the present day and features two new experiential spaces, Use of Force Training Experience and Crime Lab. These join the Museum’s experiential platform, focusing on methods employed by law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute criminals and their organizations.

Organized Crime Today Exhibition

Thanks to countless pop culture references and notorious 20th-century organized crime figures such as Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel and John Gotti, the concept of organized crime calls to mind images of bygone eras when speakeasies, Mob-run casinos, and infamous Mafia families thrived. In fact, organized crime proliferates around the globe today. No longer centered in neighborhoods, cities or regions, contemporary crime networks extend across national borders and their illegal activities make the news daily, including everything from drug, firearm and human trafficking to the opioid crisis, money laundering, counterfeit goods, and cybercrime. Featuring artifacts, graphics, and a large, interactive, 17-foot-wide Global Networks touchscreen wall, this exhibition space brings the story of organized crime into the present day, as well as modernizes the way the Museum tells that story. In addition to covering present-day rackets, Organized Crime Today explores active crime groups—such as outlaw motorcycle gangs, Yakuza, Mexican cartels, Eastern European mafias and MS-13—and the international array of law enforcement agencies that seek to eradicate them. Exhibits and corresponding digital content on the Museum’s website (www.themobmuseum.org) will be regularly updated to reflect the latest global organized crime developments.

Use of Force Training Experience

One of two new experiential spaces that explore law enforcement methods of identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting criminals, the Use of Force Training Experience places guests in the shoes of law enforcement officers. Guests will engage in an intensive training session using both digital and live role-playing scenarios that demonstrate the speed and complexity of use of force decisions. Related exhibits examine an array of factors that influence law enforcement responses to real or perceived threats, with a particular focus on the use of deadly force.

The Crime Lab Experience

The Crime Lab offers guests a hands-on, interactive exploration of five different forensic science topics. Guests explore the Crime Lab during the 25-minute facilitated experience, which is guided by a Museum educator and features original multimedia with insights from forensic science experts. While spending time at each station, guests will acquire a foundational understanding of scientific techniques used to conduct death investigation, DNA analysis, fingerprint analysis, crime scene investigation, and firearms examination.

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