The greatest outerwear for the great outdoors
Words: Thea Bichard. Images: Casper Sejersen
It’s been a year of escaping into nature for calm and contentment: in spring we had our daily hour of outdoor exercise, in summer we sprawled out in the parks. Now autumn and winter beckon brisk walks in the great outdoors – and for that, you’ll be needing a suitably snug coat. These are the brands that know their way around outerwear that’ll have you (literally) covered for countless winters to come.
When temperatures start to drop, you may suddenly feel compelled to pile on as many heavy-duty layers as possible. But take Moose Knuckles as a prime example of how to lighten your load: the brand specialises in lean, lightweight coats that still pack in the warmth – it’s based in Canada, which is all the proof you need that they can handle winter. Eleventy follows the same principle, only with slimline wool tailoring rather than sporty styles, and we could wax lyrical about Barbour’s iconic waxed-cotton jackets all the way from London to the Lake District.
Get layering...
Please visit this page on another device to see this video.
Puffer jackets packed out with insulation have cropped up in autumn/winter collections for some time now. MACKAGE’s down jackets are the outside-approved version of wrapping up in a duvet, and Canada Goose is used to sending Arctic explorers out into the tundra wearing its coats, but these cover-ups can more than hack it with jeans and a sweatshirt in the city. Equally accustomed to dealing with downpours, Stone Island’s lab-designed sportswear has been put through its paces by fans braving rainy streets and stadium stands, and festival-goers have tackled the mud in Hunter’s wellies for decades. For these brands, a walk in the park this winter is, well, a walk in the park.
For the peak of winter
It’s been a wash-out year for holiday plans (or lack of…), but whereas you might not get much wear out of your bikini if your tropical getaways are put on hold, a for-the-slopes coat doesn’t need an Alpine backdrop to do its thing. Holden draws on the street style of its Californian hometown, so its down jackets look just as home in Venice Beach as they would in Val d’Isère. The same goes for Cordova’s flashy metallic ski jackets and Goldbergh’s ultra-insulating all-in-ones – the only excuse you need to wear them is for the weather to hit single digits. As for keeping your toes toasty? Have your snow boots on standby or invest in UGG’s shearling-lined shoes, which are as comforting as cheese fondue in a Swiss chalet.
Snug from head to toe
One thread running throughout this season’s styles is an ability to underpin aesthetics with practical design details that shield you from the elements. C.P. Company cleverly slips detachable down liners inside its utilitarian parkas, while Burberry has reigned (or should that be rained?) supreme for over a century with its never-out-of-style trench coats, cut from the waterproof cotton gabardine Thomas Burberry invented in 1879. But do check out their puffer jackets, too – the patterned hoods wink to the house’s heritage. Likewise, Givenchy’s bright zipped jackets, Prada’s Re-Nylon collection and Saks Potts’ responsibly made leather coats have the design nous to tackle all definitions of ‘cool’. Trust us, you will feel the benefit.
Ice-cool style
