Arc’teryx’s long-awaited collaboration with Jil Sander+ has finally been unveiled, and it’s every bit as great as you’d for the outdoor brand’s first foray into luxury.
The first-time collaborators have cooked up a small run of outerwear designed for skiing, snowboarding, and other mountain activities. Both bring in a masterful sense of minimalism — Arc’teryx, with its grasp of highly technical outdoor gear placing function above all else; and Jil Sander, whose monochrome silhouettes drape from the body oh so perfectly.
The capsule consists of three jackets — one for men, one for women, and one unisex — as well as a pair of bibbed trousers and one-piece suit that both come unisex. Available in either white, black, or blue and grey, the goods may not stand out from far away, but a closer look will reveal a level of detail that makes the collaboration the leading candidate for best collection of the winter.
Arc goes luxe —
While outdoor brands including The North Face and Columbia have become prolific collaborators in both streetwear and high fashion, Arc’teryx has moved at a much slower pace, with Palace as its only outside partner prior to linking with Jil Sander. Even as the Canadian outdoor brand has become more popular thanks to celebrity cosigns including Frank Ocean and a wider gorp trend that favors its highly utilitarian approach, Arc’teryx has predominantly focused on business as usual.
The link up with Jil Sander comes under the Jil Sander+ line, the focus of which is apparel created for life outside the city. “We both grew up spending time in the mountains enjoying winter sports, but we could never find garments that balanced high performance with high aesthetic quality, Lucie and Luke Meier, creative directors for Jil Sander, said in a release. “Eventually, with Arc’teryx, a company we have always admired for their rigor and commitment to research, we had a chance to design them.”
Arc’teryx and Jil Sander+’s small array of winter outerwear makes use of 3L Gore-Tex Pro fabric along with supple leather accents that are also waterproof. On the surface you'll see taped seams for the zipper opening and strategically placed pockets, while the interior reveals ergonomic patterns and micro-seam construction to foster movement without obstruction.
Look out for the collection to release Wednesday, November 10, through both the websites of Arc’teryx and Jil Sander+ and select retailers. Pricing details have yet to be released, but don’t expect winter gear this chic to come cheap.
