METCH is the NIVOSE mascot and spirit animal imagined by acclaimed toy artist Pete Fowler.

When Nivose asked Pete Fowler to collaborate with them on creating a mascot for the brand, we started by considering the history of Nivose itself. Nivose has a record of equipping the exploration and discovery of uncharted lands; In 1936 Nivose officially equipped the first French Expedition to the Himalayas, and in 1938, they supplied the first French Expedition to Lapland. These expeditions brought the pioneers into contact with new cultures and their myths and legends. Notably that of the ‘Yeti’ or ‘Abominable Snowman’.

The yeti was said to be a folkloric ape-like creature taller than an average human, that was rumoured to inhabit the Himalayan mountains. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh were commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology. Stories of the Yeti first emerged in Western popular culture in the 19th century

MEET METCH…

METCH is the yeti that came in from the cold. He’s spent years of living in a frozen igloo in the Himalayan mountains, so being cool comes naturally to him. METCH has discovered the life changing warmth of NIVOSE and has been defrosting ever since. His mission is now to spread warmth into the world. Metch is about positivity. At a time when current events are forcing us to change our way of life and thinking, METCH is a metaphor for a positive future. He symbolises a new way ahead, a melting of hearts and a confident desire to reconnect with nature. He has been frozen in time from a more optimistic age. He can be found cruising the neighbourhood on his Raleigh Chopper, which he found frozen in a time capsule from the 70’s. METCH is about taking the mountains into the city… Metch comes from the mountains but can be found leaving a trail of melted snow puddles wherever he goes. His motto is; "Be nice to people, there’s too much trouble in the world..."

The name METCH was first used by British mountaineer and explorer, Bill Tilman in his book Mount Everest 1938. Tilman used the name "metch", when relating the legend of the Abominable Snowman. Although It has been suggested that "metch" is simply a misspelling of the Tibetan name "Meh-Teh". Pete Fowler often takes inspiration from mythological creatures and legends for his illustrated monsters, and Metch was no exception. He created Metch from the same gene pool as all of his other monsters that inhabit the fantastic world of Monsterism Island. These fabulous creatures that were born in the mind of Pete Fowler over the years, all needed a place to live, so Pete created Monsterism Island to give them a place to exist.