Woolrich (Q3700)
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American clothing company
- Woolrich
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Woolrich |
American clothing company |
|
Statements
Todd Snyder was thinking about America, specifically the Pacific Northwest, for the spring Woolrich Black Label collection, his second as global creative director. “Traditionally Woolrich is known as a fall brand,” he said, fresh off a flight back to New York from Milan where the runway show was held. “But really, it’s this great, iconic American brand that’s been around for almost 200 years; we created this tagline ‘Let Nature Be Your Muse,’ to start telling the story of all different parts of America.”And so this season found him inspired by the Pacific Northwest “in the springtime, thinking about hiking, trail walking, fishing, and all those activities you’d be doing.” Being active-driven means that Snyder began designing from the feet first: a sneaker/hiking shoe with a thick Vibram sole, a knit upper “so it forms to your foot,” a “speed lace,” and webbing inspired by backpacks. “It used to be that people were inspired by ‘the street,’” Snyder said. “And I’m still inspired by ‘the street,’ but the new frontier is the outdoors in that it kind of has become ‘the street’ in a way, and that’s why you have people wearing this type of stuff in New York City, Chicago, and in places that you wouldn’t typically think of.” The designer would like to make Woolrich Black Label a part of the Gorpcore conversation.It’s an achievable goal, at least according to his spring lineup, which offered a versatile assortment of practical, utilitarian clothes with an unmistakable fashion bent. The parka that opened the collection was straightforward in its design, except for the fact that it had ample kimono sleeves, and was made from a nylon jacquard woven with a metallic fiber that added a rugged texture to the surface—a subtly opulent take on a camouflage print. Another abstract take on camouflage, which simultaneously resembled falling leaves or a heat map, was printed on a nylon ripstop material with a checkered pattern and as a vest paired with a classic mesh tank (“like the one military guys wore in the ’70s”). It was the epitome of outdoor wear, as was a pair of zip-off cargo pants. On another look, a pair of baggy cargo shorts in the print were paired with a cotton sweater printed in a swirl of blues and greens that were tie dye-meets-camo, a mesh tank peeking out underneath the sweater’s hem, and topped off with a Boy Scout-inspired scarf tied at the neck in the same print: the same sort of building pieces took on a more “fashion” look.
17 June 2024
The biggest threat of climate change is, of course, that it will ruin our world. But for a brand like Woolrich, the ever-warming of the earth also has the potential to ruin its business. The company, founded in 1830 as an American woolen mill, has two hero products: heavy buffalo check wool shirts and army parkas lined in fur. Both are extremely well-made and so good at insulating the human body that each is almost impossible to wear in temperatures above freezing.Creative director Andrea Cané has taken a twofold approach to ensuring Woolrich’s future. First—and most important—he is exploring more sustainable ways to make the brand’s signature Arctic parka. One version, shown at a presentation in Milan in blush pink, is made of organic cotton, recycled polyester, recycled down, and ivory-colored buttons fabricated from beetroot. A label of Woolrich’s scope could certainly do more to save the environment and the earth, but its innovations here are a good start.Cané’s second missive is to extensively grow Woolrich’s ready-to-wear offering. Well aware of the impact of global warming, he said, “We are adding more and more modular pieces to our line.” There are now parkas that deconstruct into lighter and lighter layers, but also a growing range of daywear, from corduroy trousers to a very cute, almostClueless-esque buffalo check miniskirt suit, which for some reason is exempt from the lookbook here. Cané is also fleshing out Woolrich’s shoes, with a classic black lace-up boot being a best-selling style. But Woolrich should consider the environmental impact of stepping sure-footedly into new categories. The eco-parka is a good start, but to really keep its business—and this planet—alive, the label will have to make ready-to-wear and accessories with the same sustainable mind-set.
21 February 2020
At today’s Woolrich presentation, creative director Andrea Cane conceded that the label’s mantra—“Woolrich keeps you dry, warm, and protected in all conditions”—is being rather challenged by the constant fluctuation of temperatures due to climate change. Today in Milan, for instance, you could’ve ditched the thick, protective Woolrich parka that is usually your faithful companion this time of year. The air was mild and a pallid sun was discreetly shining. In such weather conditions, no need for extra protection, really; lightweight layers to peel off as you would the skin of a Sicilian orange would be more than enough.Cane was nevertheless undeterred. He has steered the 190-year-old American outerwear company through perilously choppy waters, so adjusting to global warming is just another challenge he’s ready to take on—and possibly win. His mot d’ordre seemed to be: cleverly differentiate. Thus for fall he proposed a rather vast outerwear offering, covering many options in terms of weight, protective finishes, and versatility.The stars of the sprawling collection were found in the Woolrich Arctic Parka Series, in which the house-famous Arctic Parka has been re-engineered in three different versions: Luxe, Tech, and Eco, with differences so subtle they can be fully appreciated only by a true activewear connoisseur or Woolrich collector. Surely there are many.The Luxe capsule had a luxurious utilitarian feel, due to the use of chic charcoal tweed treated to Loro Piana’s high-performance Storm System. The Tech capsule was sleek and urban, rendered in innovative and super-tough Graphene, an ultra-light material apparently stronger than steel with antibacterial and antistatic properties. For the Eco capsule, the material conceived for the 1939 American Antarctic expedition led by Admiral Richard E. Byrd was produced in a 100% organic cotton, water repellent and wind resistant. To weather these challenging times, resourcefulness is definitely the name of the game.
13 January 2020
Although Woolrich has yet to secure the necessary city permits, the plan is that its soon-to-open New York store will feature a “weather room” in which shoppers will be able to test-drive garments in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. Florence right now and New York in August (when that store opens its doors) seem like ideal locations for a walk-in refrigerator such as that planned by creative director Andrea Cane. As Stefano Saccone, the company’s newly installed CEO observed over a slice of pizza post-presentation, Woolrich is “a big Q4 business” —which is executive-ese for “It sells like crazy when the weather turns nasty.”Cane, however, is doing his darndest to spread the span of its seasonal appeal. His mantra is “It’s all about keeping you warm, keeping you dry, and keeping you protected,” and it needn’t be freezing for the last two on his checklist. Here the house’s mountain coat for men and women was presented in a new 2.5 layer Gore-Tex developed by Woolrich in partnership with the membrane fabric specialist. There were wind-blocking but ultralight layers, including field jackets in neutrally colored crinkled nylon and a camo blouson in micro-ripstop sourced from Japan. A comely option for women in merely chilly weather was a down jacket based on a Western shirt with a buffalo-check lining. The buffalo check was represented elsewhere in shirting for men and some tops and tiered dresses for women. There was a supporting cast of footwear. Vibram-soled hiking sneakers for men and nubbly finished and shapely, zipper-access versions of an old English country boot for women were the standouts here, but the outerwear deservedly took center stage.
13 June 2019
Although Woolrich has yet to secure the necessary city permits, the plan is that its soon-to-open New York store will feature a “weather room” in which shoppers will be able to test-drive garments in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. Florence right now and New York in August (when that store opens its doors) seem like ideal locations for a walk-in refrigerator such as that planned by creative director Andrea Cane. As Stefano Saccone, the company’s newly installed CEO observed over a slice of pizza post-presentation, Woolrich is “a big Q4 business” —which is executive-ese for “It sells like crazy when the weather turns nasty.”Cane, however, is doing his darndest to spread the span of its seasonal appeal. His mantra is “It’s all about keeping you warm, keeping you dry, and keeping you protected,” and it needn’t be freezing for the last two on his checklist. Here the house’s mountain coat for men and women was presented in a new 2.5 layer Gore-Tex developed by Woolrich in partnership with the membrane fabric specialist. There were wind-blocking but ultralight layers, including field jackets in neutrally colored crinkled nylon and a camo blouson in micro-ripstop sourced from Japan. A comely option for women in merely chilly weather was a down jacket based on a Western shirt with a buffalo-check lining. The buffalo check was represented elsewhere in shirting for men and some tops and tiered dresses for women. There was a supporting cast of footwear. Vibram-soled hiking sneakers for men and nubbly finished and shapely, zipper-access versions of an old English country boot for women were the standouts here, but the outerwear deservedly took center stage.
13 June 2019
Woolrich is, well, richly resourced in wearable stories just waiting to be unearthed and revived. Andrea Cane had one of them on hand at this presentation. Holding up a handsome orange wool flannel shirt with a panel of black-and-yellow blanket stripes on the back and a line of fringe hanging from the hem, he said: “I found the original of this in the archive. It was a customized garment from a customer who inserted a blanket panel into the back of the shirt, which I have remade.”Cane’s mission is to retool Woolrich’s immaculate outdoorsy Americana heritage for a generation of customers more disposed to cut-and-paste than cut down trees. Here, there were plenty—plenty—of attractive variations on the parka that ran from a high-cut jumbo cord in cream to an arresting red full-length with a Loro Piana Storm System. Some pieces featured coyote trim on the hoods, but, mindful of the concerns of many of the customers who will make the footfall passing Woolrich’s soon-to-reopen New York flagship, most were fur-free.The best pieces were those that incorporated the heritage but were not hidebound by it. A full-length spaghetti-strap buffalo-check dress in a wool-cotton blend flannel, and the many oversize long-hemmed buffalo-check shirts—versatile as either mid-length dresses or, worn open, mild-weather outerwear—were some of them, as was that opening fringed shirt.As a presentation format, Woolrich currently opts for the stuff-on-racks-plus-basic-imagery formula. Considering its long history as an American textiles institution, a history from which it has been gifted that archive, Woolrich should maybe consider a more dynamic technique for the weaving of consumer desire in a new demographic.
22 February 2019
It is extremely unfortunate timing. Just as foreign-owned Woolrich unveils a spiffy new logo—a check that underlines the “authenticity of its heritage” (you know the spiel)—plus plans to make a big New York–centered song and dance about the brand, the mill after which it has been named is shutting down. In continuous operation since 1830 until just about now, the Woolrich mill in Woolrich, Pennsylvania, was the U.S.’s most venerable of its kind—once employing more than 3,000 people—until its recent expiration.This is a potentially below-the-waterline mine of a topic to negotiate for a brand predicated on authenticity. However, asThe Wall Street Journalsuggested in its analysis of themill’s last days, it has been on life support for many years now. In fact, that life seems to have been extended by the revenue generated by its former European licensee, now creative director, Bologna, Italy–based Andrea Cane. He now—fronting investment funds from the royal family of Liechtenstein and the Japanese group Goldwin—finds himself in charge of the whole shebang, with the original Rich family long having sold out.To his credit, Cane didn’t flinch when asked about the death of the mill his label is named after: “It’s very sad. It has been a big problem to keep it open. We have been working with another mill since forever, and that mill, which is more organized, has been giving us the majority of our fabric. You know our mill is very old. In the last 20 years they didn’t spend one penny to fix it.”He added: “For sure we are going to keep it as a museum. But it is very difficult. I tried many ways, but the machinery is compromised. When you change a boiler in the mill, it is $4 million. We did speak with the government in Pennsylvania. There was a lot of talk, but . . .”This review doesn’t focus on the buffalo check–heavy puffers or the Loro Piana Storm System parkas or the rest of this rather scant 12-shot lookbook. In Cane’s Milan studio, there were a great many more collaborations, some market specific, which have yet to be revealed and looked excellent. I wanted lots of it. And, apparently, the recent Woolrich campaign fronted by Lauryn Hill, her first, made a splash. But the real story here is how globalization and lax management have combined to make it economically unfeasible for the Woolrich mill to continue churning out the blankets and shirts that have kept so many generations warm, and which have supported a town for nearly 200 years.
Cane was the one, years ago, who realized the international potential of this great American brand—somewhat underappreciated in America—and whose endeavor allowed the mill to operate as long as it did. He is clearly unhappy at this outcome, but positive about the future of a brand born in Pennsylvania whose renown will live on outside it.
24 January 2019