content: <PAGE>
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
       CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  
  Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)   November 12, 1999
  
                           Commission file number 0-28596
  
                                THE NORTH FACE, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                 DELAWARE                              94-3204082
      (State or other jurisdiction of               (I.R.S. Employer
      incorporation or organization)             Identification Number)
  
   2013 Farallon Drive, San Leandro, California            94577
     (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)
  
  
         Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (510) 618-3500
  
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  <PAGE>
  
  Item 4b. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.
  
  On November 12, 1999, Grant Thornton was engaged to audit the financial
  statements of The North Face (Europe) Limited (a consolidated subsidiary of
  The North Face, Inc.) for the years ended December 31, 1999, 1998, and 1997.
  <PAGE>
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                   THE NORTH FACE, INC.
  
  Date:  April 13, 2000            By:  /s/ Geoffrey D. Lurie
                                   --------------------------
                                   Name:  Geoffrey D. Lurie
                                   Title:  Chief Executive Officer
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 1921}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "NORTH FACE INC", "cik": "0001013749", "assigned-sic": "2300", "irs-number": "943204082", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-28596", "film-number": "600336"}, "business-address": {"street1": "407 MERRILL AVENUE", "city": "CARBONDALE", "state": "CO", "zip": "81623", "phone": "9707042300"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "407 MERRILL AVENUE", "city": "CARBONDALE", "state": "CO", "zip": "81623"}}
text: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
       CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)   November 12, 1999
  
                           Commission file number 0-28596
  
                                THE NORTH FACE, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                 DELAWARE                              94-3204082
      (State or other jurisdiction of               (I.R.S. Employer
      incorporation or organization)             Identification Number)
  
   2013 Farallon Drive, San Leandro, California            94577
     (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)
  
         Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (510) 618-3500
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Item 4b. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.
  
  On November 12, 1999, Grant Thornton was engaged to audit the financial
  statements of The North Face (Europe) Limited (a consolidated subsidiary of
  The North Face, Inc.) for the years ended December 31, 1999, 1998, and 1997.
  SIGNATURES
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                   THE NORTH FACE, INC.
  
  Date:  April 13, 2000            By:  /s/ Geoffrey D. Lurie
                                   --------------------------
                                   Name:  Geoffrey D. Lurie
                                   Title:  Chief Executive Officer