686 21/22 Men’s Outerwear Preview
Retail Buyers Guide: Men’s Outerwear 21/22 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: 686
Interviewee: Brent Sandor, VP Marketing and Pacome Allouis, EU Brand Manager
What is the overall theme behind your FW 21/22 outerwear range? From which big trends do you take your inspiration?
Styles and fits that are classically infused with fresh colours. We have seen the trend of people paying more for outerwear, so they want something they can still wear in 5 years when whatever little trend has passed.
What new fits / silhouettes are coming out in FW 21/22? What pant and jacket styles are most important in your range?
No new Fits. While nearly the entire range is carryover, there are a few new colours that are getting strong looks – Putty as a colour head to toe and new NASA collabs. There are also numerous products that are just taking a foothold and we expect to feel “new” because we simply haven’t had the amount of media to market them. The Quantum Hydrastash Bib and the SMARTY Hydrastash Vest are two of these items that were purchased in small test amounts in 2020 and are nearly sold out worldwide prior to holidays.
What new colours / prints are you bringing to the FW 21/22 collection?
Our collection is a softer feeling than in years prior. Our off white colour, called Putty, is the new superstar. Our top GORE-TEX jacket and bib are available in all putty so you can go head to toe.
Any *NEW* technical stories with regards to fabrics and materials?
We have added fabrics finished with HEIQ Viroblock and Polygeine ViralOff to our entire daily and winter Face Masks range. These are progress finishes that protect the fabric and dealers should take note of.
What are the three most important products in your FW 21/22 range? Why? Please tell us about them.
GLCR Hydra Jacket range – we have 3 versions of our best-selling jacket that comes complete with an asymmetric zipper and Thermagraph body-mapped insulation – GORE-TEX, NASA and 20K.
GLCR Stretch GORE-TEX Dispatch Bib – entering its third season, this bib that was designed with guides in Japan and developed to be nearly indestructible by the Mammoth Unbound Park Crew has won all kinds of awards globally and continues to sell out by midseason.
SMARTY 5-in-1 Jacket Gigi Rüf edition – Gigi brings his own take on our 5-in-1 jacket with unique colour blocking and GIGI logging.
Any trends that your brand is moving away from?
Disposable trends. We believe you should buy a piece and own it for quite some time. Extending the lifecycle of pieces has a major impact on their carbon footprint and waste management.
Please provide an overview of how 2021/22 is shaping up for your brand. Has COVID-19 affected your line? If so, please explain the changes you have made, and how you came to these decisions.
After Covid-19 hit, we met and re-edited the collection to make it tighter and dependable for retailers. There is no filler, only killer in the collection now.
We have added fabrics finished with HEIQ Viroblock and Polygeine ViralOff to our entire daily and winter Face Masks range. These are progress finishes that protect the fabric and dealers should take note of.
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