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Once upon a time (read: five years ago), you could spot a city-dwelling gorpcore devotee a mile away. It was the Arc’teryx-clad commuter, braving the mild inconvenience of the Tube dressed like they were en route to climb a mountain. Or the Patagonia-fleece-wrapped creative director, meticulously layering a Salomon shell jacket over their tailored trousers.
Today, the great outdoors has become a powerful source of inspiration in luxury fashion — at least, according to the Autumn/Winter 2025 men’s runways. Whether it’s Louis Vuitton’s sakura pink ski suits, Sacai’s bejewelled, gear-laden ensembles, or Kiko Kostadinov’s high fashion raincoats, luxury is redefining what it means to be adventure-ready. There were even rugged lumberjack plaids at Prada and Junya Watanabe — pieces that look particularly suited for chopping wood and lighting campfires, marking a distinct departure from the usual razor-sharp tailoring. It’s not just apparel; Cartier is also embracing the aesthetic, turning the humble carabiner into a diamond-encrusted belt loop watch.
Call it gilded gorpcore, where the wilderness meets wealth and the expedition-ready aesthetic is tempting the most metropolitan of luxury consumers. Since the pandemic, luxury has largely been defined by refinement: quiet luxury, impeccable tailoring, an air of restraint. Suddenly, it’s swinging back to casual, but this isn’t the streetwear of seasons past. Instead, a new breed of super-luxury outdoorswear is emerging — one that, in some cases, is meant to look worn (with Prada sending scuffed, heavy-duty cowboy boots down its latest catwalk).
But will the traditional gorpcore consumers invest in outdoorsy fashion when it comes with a luxury price tag, especially amid an industry-wide slowdown and price hikes? And will the traditional luxury customer — who has historically gravitated towards more formal or polished collections — be willing to trade their suits for expensive waterproofs and scuffed-up boots?
“We’ve witnessed a general rise in demand for technical apparel over the past couple of years and there’s now a wider mix of brands that are achieving hype and price premiums than before,” says Rachel Makar, senior director of merchandising at resale platform StockX. Once dominated by contemporary players like Supreme and Arc’teryx, the space is now being infiltrated by luxury heavyweights such as Dior, Burberry and Louis Vuitton, she notes. “Some of the most expensive apparel items ever traded on StockX have been outerwear — primarily from high-profile, gorpcore-meets-luxury collaborations. For instance, The North Face’s partnerships with Gucci and Supreme have achieved price premiums of up to 1,600 per cent,” she adds.
According to Makar, these limited-edition drops have been instrumental in introducing consumers to the intersection of gorpcore and luxury. The real question now? Whether luxury brands can sustain the same level of demand through their seasonal collections — or if the allure of exclusive collaborations will always be the driving force.
From survival to status
There was a time when being an ‘outdoorsy’ person evoked a very different image than it does today. What once meant rugged practicality — functional gear, survival skills and endurance; not aesthetics — has undergone a transformation.
“The cultural meaning of being outdoorsy has shifted from a practical engagement with nature to a curated lifestyle choice — one that signals disconnection from digital saturation while aligning with an aestheticised version of survivalism,” says Isaiah Isaac, menswear strategist at trend forecasting agency WGSN.
Where the wilderness once represented self-sufficiency, it now serves as an escape from hyperconnectivity — a way to signal a rejection of constant screen time and algorithm-driven existence. As a precursor to their more outdoorsy AW25 collection, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons already decided to “reject the algorithm” for SS25.
“In an era where being ‘chronically offline’ is aspirational, extreme outdoors gear is no longer just about function, but identity. The act of being outdoors is no longer purely personal; it has become performative, documented and shared,” Isaac continues. “Technical gear is increasingly judged by its visual appeal as much as its utility.”
The fascination with nature is also deeply intertwined with rising environmental consciousness. “The wonderment of the natural world is being heightened as we appreciate its growing fragility,” says Emily Gordon-Smith, content director and sustainability lead at trends intelligence agency Stylus. “As a result, the great outdoors has become an ever-greater luxury.”
Of course, it also helps that its commercial appeal is undeniable. The versatility and multi-functionality make it an easy sell, whether for a weekend hike or a morning coffee run. “The Japanese brand And Wander’s collaboration with Zara is the perfect example of this, positioning itself as ready for ‘recreational outdoors exploration’ and for those ‘who relish a connection with nature’,” Gordon-Smith adds.
How can brands tap in?
“As with many aspects of consumers’ lives, they’re engaging in outdoors pursuits in a more casual way,” says Gordon-Smith. “While soft functionality — versatility, durability and protection — is highly investable, hardcore technical performance is not necessarily where the money is.”
This signals a crucial shift: for many, investing in high-end outdoors pieces isn’t about their ability to withstand extreme weather, but their role as cultural artefacts, symbols of refined taste. Price, rather than performance, often dictates perceived quality, says WGSN’s Issac. He points out: “This mirrors the phenomenon of off-road vehicles — designed for extreme conditions but often driven in cities, projecting a sense of preparedness rather than necessity.”
“While true performance-driven innovation remains important to core consumers, much of the current demand is about fashion’s ability to remix and reframe functionality as status,” he continues. “Looking good while engaging in outdoors pursuits is no longer secondary — it’s essential. The cultural cachet of collaborations like MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon show how these products function as insider signals, recognised only by those deeply embedded in the scene.”
“For our customers, it’s predominantly about the look. They appreciate the performance benefits and comfort, but ultimately shop with Mytheresa for fashion, even in active and performance categories,” confirms Mytheresa menswear buying director Sophie Jordan. The multi-brand’s ski category is a prime example, seeing significant double-digit growth with customers gravitating towards colourful, printed, or colour-block pieces, trusting that the technical features are already in-built. “Aztech Mountain, Moncler Grenoble and Peak Performance perform particularly well,” adds Jordan.
In most cases, the purchase is driven by design and how the piece fits into a customer’s wardrobe rather than for a specific activity, she explains. However, there are exceptions. “Loro Piana’s ‘Into the Wild’ capsule had highly outdoor-specific pieces [like waterproofs, gilets and hiking shoes], and we noticed customers buying across multiple items, which suggested purchases for specific activities. Loewe x On is another great example, seamlessly balancing status and functionality. It offers activewear alongside ‘to-and-from’ lifestyle pieces, blending On’s technical expertise with Loewe’s design perspective. These capsules resonate strongly with our clientele.”
Loyalty to technical expertise
It may be a status symbol for fashion consumers; but for consumers deeply invested in outdoors activities, performance credibility still matters. “I personally prefer heritage [outdoors] brands because I know they’ve been working with these materials and technologies for years. I’d trust their quality over a luxury brand that isn’t used to designing for outdoors function,” says Hannah da Silva, founder of Gorp Girls, a women-focused outdoors community group that has worked with brands like Hoka, Adanola and Teva. This loyalty to technical expertise means that fashion brands looking to enter the space can’t simply appropriate the aesthetic — they need to prove their worth.
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That’s why for luxury Canadian outerwear label Nobis, maintaining a balance is key. “We stay focused on cementing a reputation for technical superiority, earned through rigorous research and the continuous refinement of our products, ensuring that performance purists consistently choose us over competitors,” says Nobis VP and co-founder Robin Yates.
For brands looking to tap into this space authentically, credibility is essential. The most successful entries aren’t just borrowing aesthetics, they’re investing in the category from the ground up.
On, for example, transitioned from niche performance gear to a fashion-world favourite by proving its technical credibility first, before launching a Loewe collaboration and aesthetic-focused apparel, says WGSN’s Isaac.
“Success lies in transparency, taking consumers on the journey of technical development rather than simply borrowing aesthetics,” Isaac says. “By doing so, brands can maintain trust with core outdoors consumers while appealing to a new audience, ensuring they are seen as contributors to the culture rather than opportunistic outsiders.” In 2021, for instance, Prada introduced its ‘Prada Outdoor’ series, featuring pop-up shops and in-store installations inspired by various natural environments, such as mountain ranges or the coast.
Beyond technical credibility, brands have an opportunity to engage more meaningfully with underrepresented outdoors communities — particularly women. “Brands can definitely think deeper about how to engage with female-led communities, rather than just slapping their name on an activation or campaign,” says da Silva. “It’s time to get more creative and listen to what will actually help these communities grow.”
It’s something challenger technical brands have already been investing in. Hoka has made inclusivity a core part of its brand DNA, not only through diverse ambassador partnerships but also via initiatives aimed at making outdoors activities more accessible to women. So far the brand has worked with women-led groups and communities, such as Girls Run NYC and Black Girls Run, to provide resources, mentorship and visibility to underrepresented voices in the running and outdoors space. Luxury brands entering the category would do well to follow, ensuring their contributions go beyond aesthetics to foster real inclusivity and community engagement.
The answer to long-term success in this space is by proving a commitment to the culture, the community and the craft. Whether through material innovation, collaborations that enhance technical credibility, or thoughtful engagement with underrepresented outdoors consumers, the brands that will thrive aren’t just those that make functional fashion, but those that add something meaningful to the conversation.
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