Which co-founder of The North Face also co-founded Esprit?

Douglas Tompkins was the co-founder of The North Face who also co-founded Esprit.

Tompkins was an American businessman, outdoorsman, conservationist, and filmmaker. In 1964, he founded The North Face in San Francisco with his first wife, Susie Tompkins Buell, initially selling rock-climbing and camping equipment. The company’s early products included technical tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks.

Tompkins later sold his stake in The North Face to Kenneth “Hap” Klopp. He then joined Susie Tompkins Buell in building Esprit, a fashion company that began in 1968 with clothing sold from the back of a Volkswagen bus. Esprit grew into an international fashion business, making Tompkins a notable figure in both outdoor equipment and apparel.

The names in the wrong options can cause confusion. Patagonia is another outdoor brand, while Yvon Chouinard founded Patagonia; Kenneth Klopp acquired Tompkins’s North Face stake but was not the Esprit co-founder. After leaving the fashion world, Tompkins devoted much of his life to conserving wilderness in Chile and Argentina.