Development over the years

Munsingwear goes on sale. Penguin logo gains popularity, and by the end of the 1960’s Munsingwear experiences a boom that extends as far as the casual wear market.

Chunichi Dragons choose Descente single-knit uniform. After the development of double-knit the following year, baseball uniforms change from woven to knitted fabric and many professional baseball teams become long-term Descente users.

Launch of “Demopan,” the Demonstrator model ski pants. This new design is the first to be worn outside the boots instead of inside, which will become the standard style for ski pants.

Major Leaguers Pittsburgh Pirates choose Descente as their uniform supplier.

Descente's “Magic Suit” causes a sensation in the World Cup downhill event by shaving 2 seconds off the record, a performance conclusively demonstrated at the Kitzbuhel event where Descente-suited athletes took 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

At the Lake Placid Winter Olympics, Eric Heiden wins gold in 5 speedskating events wearing a Descente suit.

Kamoshika Mountaineering Team succeeds in winter assault on Chomolungma, the worlds highest peak. The team braves sub-zero temperatures as low as -50 degrees C. But the climbers are well protected by Descente’s special-edition climbing suits, purpose-built for extreme cold.

Koichi Nakano achieves the unprecedented distinction of winning 10 successive championships in world bicycle racing. Nakano uses Descente bicycle wear, with its unique 3-D cross-sectional construction.

Solar α, a high-performance insulating material jointly developed with Unitika. Used in ski wear, this revolutionary material keeps the wearer warm by converting solar energy into heat.

Inspired by developments in racing yacht keel technology, “Strush SR” swimwear features a surface covered in tiny riblets to cut water flow resistance by 15%. Supplying sportswear to the US cycling team and the Japanese men’s swimming team at the Barcelona Olympics.

Debut of Mobile Thermo, the world's first sportswear to use a catalytic heating system. This new design, developed jointly with Matsushita Electric Industries, marks a major turning point in the history of insulation.

Debut of DIMPLEX, a material with a dimpled surface to reduce wind resistance, for use in downhill and jump ski suits.

Protective vest developed for flat racing jockeys in collaboration with JRA (Japan Racing Association) marks Descente's move into the safety wear market.

Debut of new Arena swim wear “Spiral.” Spiral swimwear controls the Karman vortices and channel flows and has a water repellent finish fabric.

In collaboration with designer Eiko Ishioka, Descente introduces sportswear designed to enhance an athlete’s concentration: Cocoon. As implied by its name, this cocoon-like sportswear fits comfortably around the athlete’s body, and was supplied to the Canadian and Swiss ski teams competing in the Salt Lake City Olympics.

“Ion Bodies” series of sports wear made from material designed to release negative ions.

Debut of Arena “Aile Bleue”, swimwear developed according to the Biomimetics of the kingfisher.

Official supplier of sportswear to the Japanese team competing at the Athens Olympics. Athletes wearing sportswear designed to heighten concentration and awareness come away with 16 gold medals.

Descente begins development and sales of le coq sportif clothing and shoes for nurses.

Descente develops Forest Ranger line of protective gear for chainsaw users. Multiple textile structure and special felt layer combine to reduce severity of contact injuries.

Application of soil-resistant materials and new cutting techniques result in the development of pants for horse jockeys that are lighter, easier to move in, and better fitting than ever before.

Official supplier of sportswear to the Japanese team competing at the 20th Winter Olympics in Turin.

Using sportswear technology Descente developed and brought to market flameproof suits for fire fighters, offering new protection to the field of fire-fighting.

Arena’s “Shin_rev”, competition swimwear revealed. Engineered from the concept of “trunk support”.

An official supplier of sportswear to the Japanese team at the 29th Olympics in Beijing.

Developed a down jacket, using high-level domestic technology, with no stitching and impervious to water, wearable in rain and snow.