THE NORTH FACE x GUCCI

Words: Thea Bichard

Inspired by the 70s and packed with colour, pattern and planet-conscious credentials, the pioneering collaboration between The North Face and Gucci brings Alessandro Michele’s playful, eclectic vision to The North Face’s signature styles – an outdoors brand that has kitted out everyone from Himalayan explorers to inner-city commuters since it was founded in 1968. 

Available to shop exclusively from our Corner Shop at Selfridges London via a one-to-one video call while our store is temporarily closed, the collection celebrates self-discovery and frees up the lines between fashion and function. From hiking boots to puffer jackets, backpacks to sleeping bags, this is a collection that both speaks to our renewed appreciation of the outdoors and shows how collaboration can continue to break down boundaries and broaden fashion’s horizons.

Earth-conscious kit

Aside from the preternatural florals, colours curated from The North Face’s fabric library cover bucket hats made with ECONYL – a fabric sourced from regenerated materials (including fishing nets, carpets and other scraps). Having spent the past year reconnecting with nature, this is a collection that feels paticularly pertinent this year as we seek moments of escapism and new ways to help protect the outdoors. 

Pack it up

However intrepid (or otherwise) your plans are, this is a collection that pays homage to the explorers that have worn The North Face’s designs to traverse the world’s most challenging landscapes in decades past. Borrowing the straps, pockets and buckles from classic hiking packs (a The North Face speciality), Michele designed backpacks and bumbags that are as at home in the forest as the inner-city. 

Then, there’s the tent and sleeping bag that take your outdoor adventures to a whole new altitude (which you can see in action in our Corner Shop on your video call). Now all you need is a stick and a bag of marshmallows...