5 brands that haven’t hit your style radar yet
20.9.2024
Translation: Eva Francis
Do you like functional and robust clothing that looks good too? If so, check out these (for now) underrated outdoor brands with fashion potential.
We used to only wear them in the mountains, now you’ll spot plenty of people in trendy Zurich cafés wearing outdoor clothing brands. The fashion trend behind this is gorpcore. The somewhat strange sounding word describes the trend in which functional outdoor clothing is worn in everyday life. Mainly for fashion reasons.
Other outdoor brands such as The North Face, Arc'teryx and Salomon have long arrived in the gorpcore scene and are loved by hiking and fashion fans alike. Here are five unexpectedly stylish brands that you might not have heard of yet.
1. Merrell
Source: Instagram @merrell_japan
The US brand Merrell started out as a manufacturer of hiking boots in the early 1980s. Today, it’s one of the most popular gorpcore brands for stylish trekking sneakers. These comfortable, sturdy shoes have an athletic look and can easily replace dad sneakers in everyday life.
My favourite pick: The Moab Speed 2 GTX trekking sneaker – an alternative to the Salomon XT-6 you surely won’t see on every street corner (yet).
2. Peak Performance
Source: Instagram @jeanne_toinon
Founded almost 40 years ago in Sweden by skiers, Peak Performance today produces skiing, mountain biking and hiking gear as well as clothing for everyday urban life. On Instagram, the brand has an aesthetic and atmospheric appearance, without trying too hard to be fashionable. It’s beautifully authentic.
My favourite pick: The Helium Utility puffer jacket with down filling – especially when the zipper cuffs are knotted into bows.
3. Klättermusen
Source: Instagram @curation.technique
The Swedish company Klättermusen’s been manufacturing mountaineering equipment since the 1970s. Its designs are always functional and robust and look good without being over the top. Ideal for nature and city adventures.
My favourite pick: The Ull rucksack – the supposedly decorative loop webbing on the outside is actually a practical feature for attaching utensils.
4. Scarpa
Source: Instagram @scarpakorea
In 1938, Scarpa started out as a small shoe manufacturer in Italy. Since the 1950s, the family business has been specialising in hiking and climbing shoes. Thanks to the Mojito leisure model, the brand’s gaining recognition well beyond the outdoor scene. And rightly so, as these sneakers unite the worlds of climbing and fashion in an unconventional, charming way.
My favourite pick: The Mojito Wrap sneakers – featuring an unconventional silhouette that comes in exciting colour combinations.
5. Cotopaxi
Source: Instagram @nrm___928
Colourful designs and a strong social focus characterise the young US outdoor label Cotopaxi. The Del Dia collection’s truly unique. Made from materials from unused production batches, each bag’s one of a kind. And the concept offers factory workers the chance to be creative, as they create the colour combinations for each product themselves. The only requirement is that no colour can be used twice.
My favourite pick: The belt bags Allpa and Kapai (currently not available) – but worn as a crossbody or shoulder bag.
Header image: Peak Performance
Has endless love for shoulder pads, Stratocasters and sashimi, but a limited tolerance for bad impressions of her Eastern Swiss dialect.
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