Pattern Story · Troutrageous Rainbow · Fishe History
How Troutrageous Rainbow Became a Fishe Original
Troutrageous Rainbow began as a community-backed idea. Fishe first revealed the rainbow trout-inspired design during its 2016 Kickstarter campaign, then brought the finished pattern to the public in 2017.
The original event notice captured one evening in Anchorage. The bigger story is the release itself: an expressive fish pattern, nearly 300 backers, and an early product family that helped show what Fishe could become.
In This Pattern Story
2016–2017 · From Prototype to Release
A Pattern Backed by the Fishe Community
Fishe introduced Troutrageous Rainbow while raising support for its first merino wool line. The campaign set a $50,000 goal and ultimately raised more than $66,000, according to the Fishe story.
Nearly 300 Kickstarter backers helped fund production. Their support moved Troutrageous Rainbow beyond a prototype and into the first public release of leggings, hats, dry bags, and totes.
That community support is why the pattern’s release matters more than the party invitation that originally lived on this page. The event was one moment; the pattern became part of Fishe history.
Rainbow Trout · Color · Movement
The Art Behind Troutrageous Rainbow
Troutrageous Rainbow draws its energy from rainbow trout. The design keeps the fish recognizable, then turns natural markings and color into a bold composition made to move across apparel and gear.
Artist Chaney Fray created the pattern. Her Fishe process begins with the fish’s silhouette, studies defining features across multiple references, and then builds abstraction through color, shape, and balance.
The result is expressive without losing the species. Bright contrasts carry the excitement of a rainbow trout, while the repeated fish create rhythm across the finished pattern.
The First Lineup
How the Pattern First Reached the Water
The 2017 public release put Troutrageous Rainbow on four kinds of gear: leggings, trucker hats, dry bags, and tote bags. Together, they introduced the design as more than a single apparel print.
The pattern could travel from waders to everyday life. It appeared on pieces worn outside, carried to the water, and used between fishing days.
Over time, Troutrageous Rainbow continued across additional Fishe gear. Its original leggings became a familiar way to carry fish art from the water into everyday life.
What the Release Represented
A Community Said Yes
Backers helped turn an early Fishe idea into a produced pattern and product line.
Art Met Function
A fish-inspired illustration moved onto pieces designed for fishing, travel, and active days.
A Signature Style Emerged
Troutrageous Rainbow helped establish the bold, species-driven visual language that still defines Fishe patterns.
The 2017 Launch Party, in Context
Fishe marked the public release with a showroom gathering in Anchorage on May 4, 2017. The original invitation welcomed Kickstarter backers and local shoppers to see the finished Troutrageous Rainbow products together.
Archive note: the launch party ran from 5–7 in the evening and featured light snacks, drinks, and the first public product lineup. These details are preserved as brand history; the event has long since passed.
The gathering gave early supporters a chance to see what they had helped create. It belongs in the story, but the lasting milestone is the pattern that left the showroom and went into the world.
Then and Now
From an Early Pattern to Today’s Fishe Leggings
Troutrageous Rainbow helped prove that technical leggings could carry bold fish art. Today’s Fishe leggings continue that idea through a growing family of species-inspired patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Troutrageous Rainbow?
Troutrageous Rainbow is a Fishe pattern inspired by rainbow trout. It translates recognizable fish shapes, markings, and color into a bold repeating design.
When was Troutrageous Rainbow released?
Fishe first revealed the design during its 2016 Kickstarter campaign. The finished products reached the public in 2017, with a showroom launch gathering held on May 4.
Who designed Troutrageous Rainbow?
Artist Chaney Fray created Troutrageous Rainbow. She is also credited with several other Fishe patterns, including Brookie, Groovy Grayling, and Cosmo Coho.
How did Kickstarter support the pattern release?
Nearly 300 backers crowdfunded production of Troutrageous Rainbow products and Fishe’s early merino wool collection. The broader campaign raised more than $66,000 against a $50,000 goal.
Which products were part of the first release?
The original public lineup included Troutrageous Rainbow leggings, trucker hats, dry bags, and tote bags.
Related Reading
Meet Artist Chaney Fray
Follow the artist’s process from fish silhouette to a vivid, balanced Fishe pattern.
Brookie: The Story Behind Fishe’s Brook Trout Pattern
Meet Brookie, Fishe’s colorful brook trout pattern inspired by jewel-toned fish, cold wild water, and artist Chaney Fray’s playful imagination.
What to Wear Flats Fishing
See how colorful, quick-dry leggings work through sun, saltwater, and long days on the flats.
A Pattern Powered by People
Troutrageous Rainbow started with an artist’s eye, a rainbow trout, and a community willing to help an early Fishe idea move forward.
The party lasted two hours. The pattern became part of the story.
