The Rise of Arc’teryx & Gorpcore

Arc’teryx - A prominent, well established 33-year old outdoor gear company originating in North Vancouver, though you might not have heard of it until much more recently. The Arc’teryx brand has a clear target market, it shows the hardy, all weather, equipped accessories and outfits being worn on powder-drenched ski slopes, verdant forest trails and around vigorous mountain terrains. It stocks many items deemed relevant to hobbies such as mountaineering & alpine sports, with products stemming from trail & snow shoes to harnesses & chalk bags.

Via Arc'teryx

During the coronavirus pandemic the fashion industry saw the rise of the latest consumer trend - Gorpcore. This trend has only continued to gather momentum as it was Googled 120,000 times in the past year. Gorpcore is a fashion trend in which clothing typically designed for outdoor recreation is worn as streetwear. It follows a similar pattern in consumer characteristics to luxury brand - Canada Goose, an extreme weather outerwear clothing company turned luxury fashion brand for celebrities & influencers alike. 

The idea that you look like you're being active, even if you are not, is similar to the athleisure trend of leggings, sweatshirts and trainers. Sales of athleisure products spiked during the pandemic as people spent their time outside, focussing on health and fitness - and whilst we have returned to the office, the interest & fashion element is still flourishing. The typical consumer has turned the practical sophistication of Arc’teryx into a high end fashion brand. Though this is not a negative outlook, brands like Arc’teryx, Solomon & The North Face are encouraging many more people to get outdoors, and explore the natural world to better their mental health & fitness. It certainly is a fashion trend I hope stays for a long time. 

This legendary durability and attention to detail have brought them to the attention of a circle wider than their community: the high-end market. The high-end urban shopper wants the best, and Arc’teryx is the only company that can look someone in the eye and say their product is the best. The company seemed to take off in their new found market due to a very popular product - the Gore-Tex Beta Zip Jacket. 

The jacket hit the high’s social media with a TikTok trend of people standing in the shower with their Arc’teryx’s Gore-Tex jackets, with their cloaked heads and shoulders planted directly beneath a flowing shower head. These clips are weirdly mesmerising. Many commenters voice the same observation, that the water “just beads right off” the jackets, it almost looked like video editing. Thanks to their mesmerizingly waterproof fabric & the TikTok platform exploding during the pandemic, a perfect storm was created. 

The popularity surrounding hiking, trekking, running & just being outdoors continues to grow - and so does the consumer market for Arc’teryx and brands alike. Last month, The North Face marked its 10th consecutive quarter of double-digit constant revenue growth. Amer Sports — the parent company of Salomon, Arc’teryx and Wilson — says it’s “making steady progress” on turning those three brands into €1 billion companies.

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James0utside

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