Jackets in particular are no longer only worn when hiking: so-called functional clothing – breathable, rain-repellent and generally rather inconspicuous in terms of cut – has conquered urban areas.
A quarter of Germans plan to stock up on new functional clothing in the next twelve months, according to a survey recently conducted by Innofact on behalf of the International Trade Fair for Sporting Goods and Sports Fashion. Although that is a minus of seven percent compared to the previous year, the interest in jogging clothing and shoes decreased significantly more.
In times of inflation, such as the republic is currently experiencing, consumers generally save on fashion. The fact that functional clothing is losing less and that the importance of the outdoor market is more likely to grow in the long term can be partly explained by the pandemic: indoor sports and visiting gyms were temporarily restricted, which is why these activities had to be moved outdoors.
Fashion expert Carl Tillessen, chief analyst at the German Fashion Institute in Berlin, also sees a connection to the Corona measures: “Because the shops and restaurants were closed during the lockdown anyway, people went out into the country more often than into the city,” he says. “As a result, people today are much closer to nature than before. With the consequence that they also wear more outdoor clothing. Also in the city.”
Tillessen, who used to have his own fashion label, also expects the trend towards more and more bright colors in leisure and outdoor fashion to pass. “Our gear is designed to help us connect with nature, rather than protect us from it.”
The fashion expert believes in a change that lasts: “We won’t give up the comfort that we once conquered.” This change is likely to have an impact on the coming fashion seasons: with muted colours, shades of brown and green as well as rustic fabrics such as corduroy, loden or leather.
But high-tech will also continue to play a role. “The method of protecting oneself from the cold with air chambers filled with down or hollow fibers comes from outdoor fashion and can be found today in jackets, waistcoats, to wear underneath or over, for summer or winter,” says Tillessen.
Such influences on general fashion are not new, even if they have often been forgotten. For example, when it comes to a trench coat, who remembers that it was a uniform coat in the First World War? “But bomber jackets and combat boots are also fashionable mainstream today,” says Tillessen. “Although the military origin is still recognizable here.”
However, he does not believe in constructing a connection between military events and military looks in fashion. “There are many items of clothing that have made it from the uniform to outdoor fashion and have become fashion trends from there, such as the parka.”
In the case of outdoor clothing, the trend towards mixing different living environments continues. There are now numerous outdoor brands – and many of them no longer just want to appeal to hikers and mountaineers.
Conversely, even luxury brands are eyeing nature lovers. The Italian fashion company Gucci recently teamed up with the US outdoor retailer The North Face and launched a joint collection of down jackets, overalls and hiking backpacks.
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