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Brand: Doublet
Season: Fall/Winter 2021
Buy: SSENSE
Editor’s Notes: I’ve extolled the virtues of Doublet designer Masayuki Ino’s brilliantly unhinged designs before and a quick perusal of previous seasons ought to elucidate just how out-there his stuff is.
But make no mistake: the LVMH prize winner doesn’t rely on mere gimmicks to sell his wares. Ino’s attention to detail is as sharp as his clothing is kooky, which is more than you can say for most other flash-in-the-pan brands.
These “Bear Costume” puffer jackets and pants are a prime example, riffing on the animal onesies that kids might wear to bed or during Halloween. They’re part of the Japanese brand’s FW21 collection, “Retro Pocket Photo Album,” an exploration of childhood comforts through Doublet’s joyously warped lens.
Naturally, these Japanese-made goods aren’t some Spirit Halloween markdowns: their satin poly shells are stuffed with insulating down and laden with the kind of insulating accents you’d expect of a proper winter jacket, all topped off with 3D bear ears and a printed face on the hood (either a panda or what I assume is a brown bear). The pants feature adjustable suspenders and leg openings like proper adventure trousers, the kind you wear over your insulating leggings on blustery hikes.
Not only is this a cheeky riff on the everlasting thirst for stylish puffers and tech-y outdoor gear, Doublet’s functional bear gear a finger to the eye of super-serious trek brands. I mean, look, we love that kinda stuff too, but a little levity goes a long way, doubly so if it’s backed up by Doublet’s quality craft.
And if it’s not already clear that Ino is having fun with the idea of outdoorsy outerwear, just observe the Patagonia-parodying logo embroidered at the chest and let all doubt be banished.