From producing outdoor recreation products for climbers to becoming one of the most desirable street style brands and collaborating with Gucci, the huge success of The North Face proves what we predicted: coats are the trend piece for the pandemic season!
Everywhere you look, in the streets or on Instagram and TikTok, you’ll see The North Face colourful puffy coats. The trendy jackets are instantly recognizable by the semi-circle logo inspired by the Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, California. And they are worn by the likes of Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Kanye West and Emily Ratajkowski.
Now, with the release of the highly anticipated collaboration of Gucci with The North Face, the success of the American apparel label is reaching new heights.
Why are puffer coats the trend piece for the pandemic season?
It seems contradictory that puffer coats made for the mountains should become the pandemic season trend. But it is actually quite natural that having nowhere to go during the lockdown, we dream of the big outdoors. Also, wearing The North Face quilted coats is almost like wrapping oneself in a duvet; quite a comforting trend for these difficult times. And lastly, since young people cannot go to bars and nightclubs anymore, they’re spending more time in parks. So the highly engineered puffer jackets are perfect for keeping them warm, even in the city.
The North Face success: not all is rosy
The North Face coats success during the pandemic is such that Asos reported a 400% growth in sales. Likewise, second-hand online shops have seen a huge rise in the label’s sale numbers. For example, eBay reported that someone’s searched for the brand every three seconds from July to December 2020. But so much success can also cause some problems. For example, The North Face puffers have become a status symbol and a must-have in American high schools. And because they’re not very affordable, some teens used to shoplift The North Face jackets in the ‘90s to re-sell them. Also, bullies in schools forced other students to buy their old jackets to raise money to g more expensive models.
The North Face collaborations and street style
The outdoor label’s already collaborated with other fashion brands like Supreme and MM6 Maison Margiela. This helped The North Face become the street style go-to label for fashionistas too. But this is the first time Gucci, under Alessandro Michele, makes a partnership with another brand. And from what we’ve seen, the result is a match made in heaven for fashion and street style enthusiasts.
The collab collection
The vintage-looking campaign shows why the collaboration of maximalist Gucci with The North Face will be an instant success. And camping will never be the same again after this fantastic collection hit the stores. That is if you are crazy enough actually to wear these fab pieces anywhere near muddy trails!
Gucci x The North Face collaboration resulted in puffer coats and dresses. Additionally, backpacks, hiking shoes and even tents and sleeping bags covered in the ’70s inspired prints; flowers and both logos.
You will have to wait until January 22 to buy the much-awaited collection online at The North Face and Gucci. But it is already available at Gucci stores in Paris, Milan, Madrid, Dubai and Moscow, and at Selfridges London.
And why not enjoy your new puffer coat in the Italian Alps? Watch the video to know the incredible story of the Hotel Elephant.
Photos by Daniel Shea, courtesy of Gucci x The North Face.