Aesthetic Ascents: Photographer Rory Griffin on Fell Running & Fashion

Rory Griffen portrait by Joel Smedley

How are fell running and trail running related?

Fell running is the backbone of trail running in the UK. The toughest trail runners come from fell running and orienteering backgrounds. Similar to orienteering, fell running sometimes involves self-navigation skills. With fell running races often being held in fall and winter, runners who participate face challenges with harsh weather and mixed but brutal terrain, through bogs and rivers.

How did you get started with fell running?

I remember being in the Lake District over the winter of 2023 for two weeks with my partner and our dog. Initially we had decided to head to the Cairngorms [National Park] by car, but a snow storm stopped us in our paths. We decided to turn back around and based ourselves near Frizington, on the outskirts of the Lake District, with great access to some of the best mountains in the area. At first it felt like a disappointment but after a few days of battling the fells in treacherous conditions—a mix of heavy rain, strong winds, and low visibility where you would barely bump into a soul—then those moments felt special. It was challenging and rewarding.

What are the benefits of running off trail and forging your own path?

Fell running offers escapism through challenge, both physical and mental. You need navigational skills along with great climbing legs and a lot of speed to make it across treacherous terrain and slippery descents. This makes fell runners great trail runners, as your ability to learn and adapt to technical terrain give you the ability to safely stay outside for longer in harsh conditions.

What is your go-to fell running fit? Top down or shoes up.

Salomon Sense 8 SG shoes are perfect for the terrain and weather I experience here in Munich, where I’m now based, but also just for feeling the ground. I’m usually utilizing 2-in-1 shorts with a long liner like the 66°North Helgafell Shorts to keep warm if it's cold outside, or a belt with stuffable storage that can hold some emergency layers. The 66°North Helgafell Jacket was designed with this in mind. For short sleeve tops I love the Salomon S/Lab range. For a long sleeve I have to say the new Nike ACG Radical AirFlow is insanely good for the heat, but for cold weather I’d opt for the Satisfy AuraLite.

Trail runners and shell jackets are ubiquitous both in outdoor and urban environments these days. How do you see technical apparel's role in fashion continuing to evolve?

For a moment, people were expecting a bit of a fall off in the technical space growth, but what we’re seeing feels more like an evolution. There’s definitely been more crossover recently, especially with brands like Salomon and On collaborating with designers and showing up in “fashion” spaces. Normally these collaborations occur in the context of what is described as “sportstyle,” which is aesthetic rather than functional. Where I think it would be interesting to see this developed is in the context of real clothing that can be worn in the city and on the trails, serving both full functional purposes with aesthetic design. This has been explored already, like with the Salomon and MM6 collaboration. They created a hydration vest that was worn on the runway, and is utilized by trail runners.

I think as the lines blur further, we’ll see more technical features and performance fabrics being adopted by mainstream fashion, not just for the look but for the function. The challenge will be keeping the authenticity and utility as these garments become more widely adopted outside of their original context.

With gorpcore declared dead by many, how do you categorize this intersection of performance apparel and mainstream style? When does an interest in dressing turn to alpine cosplay?

This has been a tough subject. There's one side which sees the negative impact and one side which sees its positive impact. I prefer the latter. Everyone should have a chance to experience nature, sports, and the outdoors, especially inner city kids who never really had that opportunity. And if what sparks an interest is fashion, for example an Arc’teryx shell jacket or Salomon XT-6 shoes, then so be it. Not everyone will go on to use their technical pieces for the environment they were designed for but even if a small percentage get outside because of this then I think it’s a great achievement for the outdoor industry.

What three outdoor brands are you most impressed with right now, in terms of product design and/or imagery? Who will make the next XT-6?

Everyone is trying to make the next XT-6. It’s hard to make happen as a lot needs to fall into place at the exact right moment, but it would be cool for some extremely niche brands to have the spotlight, for something unconventional.

I have always loved 66°North. After visiting Iceland on many occasions you can really understand the story of why the brand was born out of necessity rather than a hobby. They began by outfitting fishermen and now are outfitting a whole nation for protection against the elements.

I am always impressed with Salomon. They’ve been pushing the boundaries with technical clothing for the trail and I feel their innovation in garments always feels refined.

Lastly, Purple Mountain Observatory is shaking things up, their price point is really fair, and I like that they are making affordable outdoor clothing that is focused on design, with a nice aesthetic that feels fresh.