The beginner's guide to Techwear

No man has done more to popularize the highly technical and meticulously designed look that has become synonymous with modern technology than Errolson Hugh, the man behind the beloved cult brand Acronym. Acronym is the first name on any list when it comes to technical clothing, and Hugh is his brand's best publicity. Since the launch of his brand in 1994, he has become the public face of the techwear scene, and Acronym his favorite outfitter (when people can afford it: the brand's products are not cheap). Hugh's influence is far reaching and he has many famous fans as clients (the famous knight in clothes John Mayer is a devoted enthusiast). In addition, he gradually built the pubic profile of his brand thanks to extremely successful and slightly more accessible collaborations with Nike, for example.

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Most Stone Island products are immediately identifiable by their signature compass patch and their innovative use of fabrics. Shadow Project, an ongoing collaboration between Carlo Rivetti of Stone Island and (you guessed it) Errolson Hugh, takes Stone Island's revealing commitment to ergonomic design a step further by focusing more closely on the technical performance, with a lot of effect (i.e. banger after banger of very portable) heat).

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At the Nike presentation at NYFW last month, two of the heaviest hitters in the front row introduced themselves, as an IRL version of the Spider-Man pointing to the same Spider-Man, in what was once the worst faux pas that any fashion fan could do: wearing the same thing as someone else. To the delight of the Internet, Drake and Virgil Abloh went out in identical lightweight camouflage jackets, online detectives quickly identified as the Alpha LT Gen 2 style of Arc & # 39; teryx (from the brand a little difficult to find, LEAF, no less). The Canadian outdoor clothing company has always been appreciated for the usefulness of its products, but more recently, the brand's Veilance line has relied heavily on the more technological elements of functional design including Arc & # 39; teryx is famous (not surprisingly, Errolson Hugh was one of the first advisers). Under the leadership of current Veilance Creative Director, Taka Kasuga, the line has remained focused on pushing the boundaries of material development and producing some of the best performance clothing outlets.

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Speaking of swoosh, when Nike first launched the ACG (or All Conditions Gear) line in the late 1980s, they probably had no idea how popular the sub-brand was. The pioneer label initially served as the perfect outlet for Nike's design-development ideas, especially when it comes to outdoor performance, and in 2014, the sportswear giant relaunched the line and sold the reins to a guy named (* exasperated laughter *) Errolson Hugh. Under Hugh's leadership, ACG has turned into a low-key player in the technical clothing industry thanks to the designer's dedication to the urban ninja aesthetic he helped make popular. Although Hugh left the label in 2018, ACG is still to watch for anyone investing in the scene.

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The North Face is one of the most iconic outerwear brands in the world, and its Black Series line is reinventing some of the silhouettes that have made the brand famous by updating classic styles with ultra materials -sustainable and technical fabrics. The line draws heavily on TNF's deep archive to articulate a new perspective on high performance outerwear, all in the context of the contemporary urban explorer. Translation: Black Series incorporates crazy materials like Tyvek and Spectra in pieces that you will absolutely never need, but that will make you feel like a boss every time you wear them.

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Snow Peak defines itself as an "outdoor lifestyle creator", and although its offerings tend to lean a little more towards the crisp, almost gorpcore side of the spectrum, there is usually a lot to satisfy even amateurs of the most hardcore technical clothing.

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The original idea of ​​the founder of Stone Island, Massimo Osti, CP The company has existed since 1971 and is perhaps best known for its immediately recognizable "Goggle Jacket" silhouette and (much like Stone Island) its use of revolutionary dyes.

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White Mountaineering is a relatively small Japanese label that seamlessly fuses cutting-edge technical materials with OG "performance" fabrics like fleece and corduroy to create new versions of proven styles (its partnership with Adidas is one of the top three bands) still collaborative efforts.

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Herno's Laminar line is the legendary response of the Italian outerwear company to the highly technical cold weather products offered by some of its competitors (and in Herno fashion, the brand has not skimped on R&D).

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Isaora is a New York-based brand that uses an approach known as the "Science of Apparel" to sell clothing that is sustainably made and of complex construction, supported by a strong commitment to quality.

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Outlier is another brand based in the greater New York region that launched its hero product, versatile pants designed to withstand all conditions, before gradually expanding to a full range of precisely designed pieces, often made from ultra-advanced and innovative fabrics. .

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