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There’s a ton of great heritage down shops operating out of JPN these days, but despite that one picture of that dude on a bike (you know the one), I’m team Nanga. Founded in 1941, they’ve consistently turned out gorgeous product that’s light down and little else. Stockists are relatively rare in the West, so if their take on wispy ripstop and 750 fill suits you, peep either their web store or Rakuten.jp to cop.
Nov 10, 2020
Related Recs
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Japan’s Hiroshi Nozawa is a nature-loving design savant who made his name cuttin’ clothes for such tiny, unheard-of brands as uhhh Snow Peak, Fjallraven, and Columbia. He’s since hung out his own shingle with Norbit, a line designed around notions of “hybridity,” aka, garments that fit both outdoors and urban contexts. I interviewed him for last spring’s edition of eyeC (linky) and was so impressed by the craft that goes into every Norbit garm. Follow them on IG, then save thine pennies to cop pure rockstar shit like the brand’s overdetailed Field Jacket.
Nov 10, 2020
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I still have no idea what to actually call this brand. It’s as confusing as it is beautiful. Sometimes it’s called Niche. But on Instagram and in the labels of the clothes, it’s called This Time and sometimes Its Inconspicuous Presence. Whatever you wish (or are supposed) to call it, the pieces are designed by Nepenthes alumn Takumi Oomura. I’ve bought an embroidered gauze camp collar shirt the past two summers, and they’ve been my favorite pieces I’ve bought each season. The florals are ever-present, the fits and fabrics are breezy, and the textures are mind-blowing. This past season they did a pair of paint-splattered natural-colored jeans where the small splatters were embroidered instead of...splattered. They didn’t fit me. Still great though.
Jun 29, 2021
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This brand is super dope, in a nutshell, they de-construct old GORE-TEX pieces from Arcteryx, North Face, etc. and upcycle them back into super dope gear. Arcteryx usually has these really interesting and bright shell colors, and I love that Greater Goods takes all these different colors and frankenstein them together to produce these really nice patchwork jackets. I think my favorite piece from them is when they turned these old shells into a kimono, and it’s a really interesting look. Since their brand revolves around reusability, they use leftover pieces from the jackets to make side-bags and water-bottle bags.
Oct 2, 2020
Top Recs from @alex-rakestraw
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Czech outerwear label Tilak is the hidden gem of superlative shells. Everyone knows Arc’teryx. Some know Norrona. But Tilak flies under the radar. While I love their GORE Pro power armor the Raptor MiG, the brand’s Odin Jacket is my reco for an all-season #techwear jacket. The Odin is made from treated Ventile cotton, a tech that dates back to WWII-era flight suits made to keep downed pilots alive at sea. On this jacket, it keeps you dry and comfortable without the clammy (#clammgod) feeling of a giant membrane. It also looks fucking badass and is only like $300, which is a steal for such a quality piece.
Nov 10, 2020
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TNF is a BFD in the outdoors space, but its real special sauce comes from translation. This checkered out, mohair-alike down parka mixes the brand’s heritage alpine DNA with the panache of retro suiting for a frickin’ 70s blow out. So much high-end outerwear is emotionless: black GORE shells, slick matte surfaces. This is the opposite. It’s a lumpy, textural oversized parka that just reads “warm.” If you’re on the Beatniks and Goreckis wave, this is your heater.
Nov 10, 2020
🧥
Japan’s Hiroshi Nozawa is a nature-loving design savant who made his name cuttin’ clothes for such tiny, unheard-of brands as uhhh Snow Peak, Fjallraven, and Columbia. He’s since hung out his own shingle with Norbit, a line designed around notions of “hybridity,” aka, garments that fit both outdoors and urban contexts. I interviewed him for last spring’s edition of eyeC (linky) and was so impressed by the craft that goes into every Norbit garm. Follow them on IG, then save thine pennies to cop pure rockstar shit like the brand’s overdetailed Field Jacket.
Nov 10, 2020