At the very southern end of South America, spanning all of Argentina and part of Chile, lies a sparsely populated region called Patagonia. To the west you’ll find the Andes mountains and Pacific Ocean, to the east the steppes and grasslands and Atlantic Ocean. We visited Patagonia, trekked the frozen blue wonderland of the Perito Moreno Glacier and explored the wild steppe with an intrepid guide names Julian, who showed us lots of Criollo horses, wild herds of guanaco, super-fast jackrabbits and a gigantic Andean condor. Come on a journey with us as we share stories of trekking a glacier, riding in a jeep over the barren grasslands of the Patagonia steppe and finding inspiration in the smallest details.
Patagonia is an alien blue ice world filled with glaciers, towering rocky mountains and beautiful windswept grasslands and hills. It is a quite a shocking sight. It is home to a bird with the largest wing area, an ice field with the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water and an incredible display of natural beauty, largely untouched by mankind. Traveling to Patagonia is an adventure you’ll never forget.
On our way down from Buenos Aires, we drove through the Patagonian steppe in a jeep with our guide, Julian. The steppe is the largest desert in Argentina, and the seventh largest in the world. Many parts of the steppe aren’t what you would think of as desert; instead you will find grasslands with shrubbery and bushes. We even saw flowers! While the steppe is sparsely populated with people, it is home to a number of animals including the guanaco, the Patagonian gray fox, condors, eagles, rabbits, snakes and more. On our trip, we were lucky enough to spot the Andean condor, a jackrabbit and many guanacos—thanks to our handy guide, Julian.
Our next stop led us down to El Calafate, a small town located on Lake Argentino in Patagonia where the Santa Cruz plateau meets the Andes mountains. It is home to the Los Glaciares National Park and is the gateway to the Perito Moreno Glacier. The Perito Moreno Glacier is three miles wide and nineteen miles long. We took a boat across Lake Argentino to reach it. Seeing the glacier up close is an otherworldly experience—the blue ice rises 240 feet above the surface of the lake and towers over you. We even had the chance to trek the glacier, which was the equivalent of hiking… on ice! In order to not slip and slide, our guides strapped crampons onto our boots, which had spikes that stuck into the ice. We took many breaks to gaze at the immense glacier… but also to catch our breath.
Patagonia provided us with views and memories of one of the world’s greatest natural sights and endless inspiration for our winter collection.
The animals and florals of the steppe are seen throughout our graphics and the earthy neutrals and icy blues of the glaciers are seen throughout our color palette. Our hope is that you’re little citizens will feel the sense of adventure and exploration while wearing our newest styles!
