Womens Outerwear F/W 2025/26 Retail Buyer’s Guide
After the challenges the last couple of winters brought the outerwear market, things seem to be evolving in a good direction for FW 25/26. Anna Langer provides an overview of the trends for female customers.
“The 2023/24 season was shaped by the dual pressures of climate change, cost of living and a surplus inventory, creating a challenging environment for the soft goods market” says Jassie Salveson, Marketing and Sales at ROJO outerwear, who took this as an opportunity to stand by their community and doubling down on their commitment to support independent snow retailers initiatives like Chicks Who Shred and strategies that focus on driving in-store engagement. Forward also find that the market has been “tough for everyone – overstock and bad snow globally combined to leave everyone in a difficult posi-tion which has left a number of brands by the wayside” and even suspect that “the carnage has only just begun.”
Burton agree that “the Softgoods Outerwear Market is a lot depending on snow situation, and that over-stocks in the market are still an issue on which the industry has to work on long term”, nevertheless they see a pretty stable market from the consumer side and a task for the industry “to sell the right amount of products in and explaining the functions to consumers even better to create demand.” Anoth-er factor of course is the general weather situation, as CMP point out: The market trend, in recent years, is very much influenced by the weather, which unfortunately is more and more variable.”
Airblaster find that the market is already improving again, and while Oxbow experience stagnation in the snow market, they also report on steady demand for performance gear: “there’s a growing emphasis on eco-friendly materials and sustainable practices, reflecting changing consumer values. While participa-tion in winter sports remains stable, stylish designs continue to be prioritized alongside functionality, though overall market growth is limited.”
Oakley feel that the 2023/2024 women’s snow outerwear market focused on technical innovation, with advancements in lightweight insulation, breathability, and ergonomic designs for better performance and comfort. They add that layering systems became popular for their adaptability to changing weather conditions while price sensitivity rose, pushing consumers to seek affordable, high-quality options, en- couraging brands to focus on value-driven products. Which is a designated specialty of Horsefeathers, who state that “delivering premium gear at a solid price, blending tech and style” is the main drive of their collection and report of a solid season with 50-70% sell-through by early January.
THEMES
Aligning with the demand for functional performance, Oakley’s outerwear range is defined by “Precision Fit and Purpose-Driven Design,” inspired by the diverse needs of snow sports enthusiasts and designed to cater to multiple disciplines; Forward state the combination of performance, fit and function with progressive style as their mantra and Airblaster describe the driving theme of their FW25/26 Women’s outerwear line as FIT, FUN, FUNCTION. “Our missions is to offer our clients a visionary fusion of out-standing performance quality and visionary design. To be worn in the mountains in every weather con-dition and at the same time for everyday use in the city – looking stylish,” Elho chime in as well. And since no one knows more about functionality than the riders, they play an important role in the FW25/26 collections as well. “The ThirtyTwo women’s collection caters 100% to the women on the T32M,” says Susanne Dachgruber, ThirtyTwo Apparel Merchandise Director and for L1 “the goal is to create a line designed by snowboarders, for snowboarders. We make outerwear that not only with-stands the elements but also has the fit and design that inspires our team to get out there.”
686 mix inspiration from their team with current trends of thrifting and pairing extremely technical bot-toms with some less technical but more expressive tops and Patagonia build their line with input from their ambassadors to minimise impact without compromising performance. Which is also an important factor for Oxbow, who call their theme a “fusion of adventure and sustainability. We’re drawing inspira- tion from the growing trend of eco-consciousness, emphasizing the use of recycled and sustainable ma-terials while also prioritizing local production in Europe.” explains Product Manager Aurelien Silvestre.
As an independently owned and operated brand since 1987, making them “the original art-driven snow and outerwear brand designed by women, for women”, Rojo take inspiration from their archives, blend-ing their rich heritage with the ever- evolving needs of the modern snow community, while Colour-wear’s line “reflects the spirit of those who thrive in nature’s extremes and the vibrant pulse of city life. It’s about more than just looking sharp on the slopes or turning heads on the streets, though that’s a big part of it.” More philosophically based themes are 686’s “New Horizions: Our uniting goal is self- expression and the creation of art as we paint upon the snowy canvas beneath our feet.” And also Burton’s “Ride to Par-adise: the idea that paradise is not a place, but a state of mind. We wanted to make sure anyone can have their needs met at Burton so inclusivity for all shapes and sizes was also a big driver for us” next to Pro-test’s Arctic Myths: “We draw inspiration from Inuit costumes, their art and patterns and capturing the essence of arctic dreams.”
FITS & SILHOUETTES
One trend that is clearly everywhere these days is the “loose-fit trend that’s blowing up in the communi-ty. You can also see it resonating in the mainstream, mainly in looser pant silhouettes” as Tomas Koudela, Head of Marketing at Horsefeather’s backs up rebuilding the whole line towards relaxed cuts and looser silhouettes. Over the past two seasons, L1 have completely redesigned the entire women’s line as well, updating the fits to be more modern and relaxed, and also Airblaster have “focused energy on new fits, making sure to create wide fits that still fit well.” ThirtyTwo offer a unisex collection with bag-gier fits and 686 too are growing their “loose” fit range “that now has the Outline Pant, the Outline Ano-rak and a full zip 20K Hologram jacket that has a shorter loose fit that our team has been asking for.”
Burton continue their classic slimmer and regular cuts with a refresh and introduce some women’s spe-cific relaxed fits: “It’s really exciting as often if women want something in a more relaxed style, they shop in the mens sections and size down. Now we’re catering to this customer and can give them that relaxed freedom they’re looking for that is fully designed to women’s bodies” Aisling Kyte, Softgoods Merchan- diser Europe outlines the new Women’s Reserve segment. Colourwear also see that more women like to size up the pants and wear more regular/loose fitted pants, so for the 2025/2026 season they added more options for them how want to wear the pants a bit more loose. Oakley highlight two key fits: “Slim Fit, close-to-body, trim design with freedom of movement, and Regular Fit, relaxed and comfortable, al-lowing for unrestricted movement. The key look designed for Jamie Anderson features a unisex look that merges functionality with cutting-edge style,” says Andrea Bay Braathen, Global Brand Manager AFA.
Exciting news from Rojo is an expansion of the plus-size range and introduction of extended sizing, fo-cusing on fit options for larger busts and hips. And Burton also aim for more inclusivity in their offering, with the “broadest options we have ever had, with variations in insulated, shell, short, tall and inclusive sizing from XXS – XXL.” Another interesting focus topic is usability, on which both CMP and Colourwear focus: “It is essential for us that each garment is able to adapt to different functions and contexts of use. This is why many of our best-selling garments can be used for more than one outdoor activity, ensuring our customers a complete, high-performance and comfortable experience in any environment. for this reason in the FW25/26 collection we have greatly increased the outdoor/urban part” say the former.
COLOURS
Colours are staying pretty solid and comparable to previous seasons. ThirtyTwo mention neutral col-ours including Copper, Grey and Tobacco, 686 highlight Dusty Marine as an “impactful colour as it plays both as a neutral and pop colour when put against snow and trees” and Horsefeathers find that “earth tones and pastels are essential this year, with more black in the mix. The trending colours are Taupe, Antarctica, Lotus, Peach, Orchid and Iceberg Green”. Burton carry their gender neutral palette over from the men’s collection; Oxbow mix solid colours that feature both tonal and vibrant shades to create timeless styles that are versatile and easily adaptable to different settings; and Forward work on “getting back to basics with strong, bold blues and reds with depth to them, then some supporting light blue/greys and purples that are sophisticated yet modern and will stand the test of time for winters to come.”
Protest go into more depths here, outlining four exciting colour groups. “First, we have a strong pres-ence of blues and natural tones, offering a calming and versatile palette. Next, greens, pinks, and natural tones are also strongly featured, bringing a fresh and vibrant look. We are also introducing intense pas-tels combined with natural tones, which will be slightly less prominent but still add a unique touch. Lastly, poppy red, blue, and natural tones will be included, providing a bold and dynamic option, though they will be a bit less present.” Rojo have four colour groups, from Organic Neutrals with Warm Taupe, Sphagnum, Cafe to Nostalgic Hues: Retro Blue, Lilas, Thistle and Restorative Tones: Skipper Blue, Fig all the way to Washed pastels: Wax Yellow, Ballard Blue, Pink-A-Boo. Oakley even go for five pillars: “Mist, Cement, Black, Abyss, and Auburn, each with distinct characteristics. The creative direction is based around unique nuances: Nearly Black (a deep shade of Abyss), Mirror Frost (a cool version of Mist), and Gradient (a rich variation of Auburn). These colours offer a mix of versatile neutrals and bold accents, providing both performance-driven and stylish options for the season.” And last but not least, but may-be brightest, Elho bring in some new innovative neon colours, neon purple, neon coral, neon green: the new Neon Brights!
PRINTS
If you’re craving prints on your outerwear, it looks like you’ll have a lot less options than we’ve seen in previous years, at least from what we can report on from our questionnaires. Yet this doesn’t have to be a bad thing, as quality trumps quantity any time if you ask us. Burton offer Prism Pro, City Streets and Floral Blur numbers, Protest incorporate Inuit patterns and art into our designs, “adding a cultural and artistic flair” and Horsefeathers feature Mosaic, Floral Cheetah and Rainbow, all based on their histori-cally successful all over prints with a new touch.
Airblaster “just can’t get enough Leopard. For FW25/26 we are featuring a Snow Leopard and an OG Leopard. Also a juciy Watermelon and Realtree Camo print blocks to keep the street look locked, while subtle hits of blush keep the vibe distinctly feminine,” reports Brand Manager Jesse Grandkoski, while Elho offer a special art capsule collection featuring Jean-Michel Basquiat.
TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS
For the women’s lines, the main news in outerwear technology continue to revolve around sustainabil-ity. From OEKO-TEX-certified fabrics and plant-based PFC-free waterproofing treatments at Rojo, to 100% Recycled PFAS FREE GORE-TEX backed lightweight poly fabric at 686 and 100% of Airblaster products made without PFC or PFAS. Colourwear want to prove that “quality and durability can coexist with style and for each season we go aim and run for more sustainable sourced fabrics, how we dye our colours and how we treat them. For FW25/26 we introduce mechanical stretch in a 3 layer jacket and pants and swoop out the spandex fiber to minimize fossil fibers into recycled polyester. “
Patagonia are excited to introduce the new Gore-Tex PRO ePE membrane: “We’ve led the industry in re-moving harmful chemicals without compromising performance and durability, a monumental achieve-ment for our brand” and Oxbow highlight their use of Primaloft Evolve linings: “This innovative material enhances insulation while being lightweight and highly compressible, ensuring that our jackets provide exceptional warmth without bulk. Primaloft Evolve is also made from recycled materials.”
Next to PFC-free DWR coating on the entire line, Horsefeathers also introduce Sorona insulation in select models, which is 37% plant-based, uses 30% less energy, and slashes greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to nylon. Also Elho feature Sorona with a 15,000 mm water column and 15,000 g/m2/24h breathability rating in their Nova jacket and Scorpio pant, next to 100% biodegradable G-LOFT® ECO FUTURE insulation, ensuring optimal warmth and comfort while respecting the planet.
Forward on the other hand report that they are shifting a lot of their fabrics from PET to nylon “as it’s stronger and more durable, and the supply chain is more transparent and reliable when it comes to things like recycled yarns etc. PET got a lot of hype over the last few years because of ‘recycled bottles’ etc but the truth is that the supply chain is way more opaque than we’re led to believe,” says Global Brand Director Tony McWilliam. He continues: “While we can control the supply chain from raw mate-rial to weaving to cut-and-sew (and we still have a long journey to go on that front to reduce impact), end-of-life is harder to build solutions for but they are out there and we’re joining the dots together.” On top of that, 686 introduced their evolved Thermagraph® body-mapped lining system into the wom-en’s collection, Burton kicked up the level of their tech across all our Reserve products with 20K/20K or Gore waterproof rating, and Burton as well as Rojo feature new stretch options for women that are way softer than before.
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