Focus is on comfort for next season’s skiwear
DENVER — Women who go shopping for skiwear next fall should find it a lot easier to get a good fit, thanks to new sizing options launched by outerwear manufacturers Spyder and Burton.
But it’s function as well as fit that’s getting an overhaul for the 2014-15 season. Watch for outerwear for men and women designed to look just as chic in Brooklyn as it does in Breckenridge.
Those were among the trends unveiled at the 60th annual SnowSports Industries America trade show that ended Sunday. For four days, thousands of buyers from around North America met with more than 450 exhibitors to place their orders for the coming season.
With a few notable exceptions, skiwear was showing solid color with some color blocking. Women’s clothing was more tailored, and retro styles continued their popularity for both men and women.
Colors were muted, with jewel tones playing primarily to boarders and freestyle skiers.
Here’s what’s to expect:
Street appeal
Watch for clothing that can look equally good on urban streets or in uber powder. The transition comes through tailored styling and accents of leather, Kevlar and carbon fiber, either real or fake. Burton has the side-zip Ludlow jacket for women that looks like it would be at home on a motorcycle. Ditto for Spyder’s Vivi insulator jacket. Belt-maker Arcade has a new $32 elasticized Lawson belt that is perfect for the guy who wants to go from the boardroom to snowboard with a minimal change of clothes.
Retro
It’s a blast from the past with 1970s-inspired block prints, square goggles and all things vintage. Patagonia has gone with high-pile fleece and even replicated an old boiled-wool sweater. At Neve, prints that seem inspired by old ski posters adorn both men and women’s base layers. To finish it all off, Tecnica is still making Moon Boots.
Feminine
Feminine detailing was the catchphrase on the showroom floor. Think silhouette, hoods trimmed in fake fur, and occasional sparkles or bows. Spyder unveiled a new, curvier “Femme Fatale” spider logo to signify an expansion of its women’s line. Goggle-maker Giro is launching a new line in smaller sizes and new colors designed to appeal to women, and some of the PolarMax long underwear now comes with a yoga waistband.
Both Spyder and Burton have launched new three-fit sizing systems designed to accommodate the variety in women’s physique, from slim to substantial.
Look at me
On the boarding side of the show, Neff continued its move into technical outerwear with some wild prints, including one that looks like a close-up of a cheeseburger. At Hot Chilly’s, the designer said the big orders were coming for her outrageously bold long underwear patterns, not the more subdued prints.
The lowdown
Patagonia announced that after four years of effort, it now uses only “traceable down,” meaning none of it comes from birds that were force-fed or plucked while alive.
Meanwhile, other manufacturers continue to look to blends or synthetics to combat rising down prices. Executives with Allied Feather and Down told the SIA SnowShow Daily magazine that a decline in duck consumption in China is responsible for those higher costs. As a result, the company is now making a blended insulation that combines down and synthetic fill.