Columbia launches PFG, its fishing range, in Europe

By

Bruno Joly

Published
Sep 3, 2014

New outdoor sports are being brought to the fore. While for some brands it’s trekking and hiking, for others it’s fishing. At the outdoor trade show Friedrichshafen, which finished up on July 13, Columbia presented Performance Fishing Gear to European buyers.

The fishing range was launched about ten years ago in the United States. Now, it will be introduced to Europe beginning with the spring-summer 2015 - at first, only for men.

"This is an opportunity for outdoor stores to freshen up their stores windows, in the spirit of adventure, with all kinds of fishing apparel. And we have the technical credibility. It’s innovation through practice," said Fogliato Franco, Columbia’s senior vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

He recalled Columbia’s iconic jacket for fisherman from the 60s as well as the development of in-house technologies (omni-shade, omni-dry, omni-freeze), which have been applied to its fishing range.

The Fishing collection, which has its own logo, comes in a variety of colors - 10 to 12 per style. It includes everything from multi-purpose boat shoes to shirts, to waterproof overalls.

The women's collection should make its debut in Europe for spring 2016. According to Fogliato, fishing in the United States appeals to a wide audience, especially the 15 to 25 year old demographic.

He has entrusted Philippe Le Ruen, sales manager Europe, with online sales. The collection will initially aims at upscale outdoor stores and fishing specialists.