ORWM ’13 Preview: Winter fashion

Leading up to Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, SNEWS is previewing new trends and products you’ll see at the trade show in Salt Lake City, Jan. 22-26. Today, we take a look at some of the latest in winter fashion. All these stories also can be found in the print or digital flipbook edition of our Planning Guide.

Tunics, sweaters and cardigans with dual purpose infiltrate the show floor

As consumers seek to get more value from the all the products they buy, many are looking to the outdoor industry for apparel that looks good and functions even better.

As a result, more companies are offering apparel that doesn’t immediately reveal the power behind the chic.

“The outdoor industry is becoming way more fashionable than ever before,” said Keryn Francisco, product design director at Icebreaker. “Combining high performance and functionality with making it beautiful and relevant to a person’s everyday life is the basis of a good design, regardless of what industry you’re in.”

The tricky part is that the fashion world is fickle and fast-moving. While new performance technologies and fabrics can stay popular in outdoor apparel for several seasons, in the fashion industry cuts and palettes cycle out of style in a matter of months.

To avoid that conundrum, outdoor apparel designers said they take a conservative fashion approach by designing classic pieces that perform and stand the test of time.

Outdoor Retailer offers a preview to what designers think will be trending next season. On tap for Winter Market are flattering silhouettes for women, cardigans for men that can be worn to work and a slew of tunics, warm dresses and a resurgence of sweaters. In all those categories, the hybridization of materials used in construction is a growing trend.

The goal is to attract those consumers who are moving away from the Macys and Barneys of the world into the doors of specialty outdoor retailers to get more for the money they spend on fashionable apparel.

>> Tunics will be all over the show floor this market, including Moving Comfort’s Chic Tunic (MSRP $70, photo below), part of its Studio Collection. The piece is secured at both sides and comes with a hood and removable sash. It is the perfect length to cover all the way down to a woman’s hips, but has a draw cord at the hem for her to cinch it up. Lucy Activewear offers up its Thrill of the Frill Wrap (MSRP $98, photo below), which can be used either before yoga class or out during a regular workday.

>>Aventura brings its blended Walden Sweater (MSRP $119), a full-zip, mixed stitch sweater hoodie with contrast details made of 76 percent organic cotton, 18 percent nylon, 2 percent spandex and 4 percent cashmere. The company also introduces its Odette Jegging (MSRP $69, photo below), the longer skinny version of the Liz Jegging Capri it introduced at Summer Market 2012. The pant has a two-inch elastic band designed to lie flat so not to create bunch from buttons or zippers.

>>Mountain Khakis has shown showgoers it’s not all about pants and continues to do so with several new styles of tops, including the men’s button down Corduroy Shirt (MSRP $90), with color-match pearl snaps, drop tail back hem, hidden button-down collar and a corduroy elbow patch reinforcement. On the women’s side, the company offers the Mountain Denim Shirt (MSRP $80, photo below), a 98 percent cotton/2 percent spandex mix with custom bison and pearl snaps and bison embroidery at the bottom front placket.

>>Outdoor Research highlights technical function with its wool/nylon/polyester blend sweaters — the women’s Pelma (MSRP $135) and men’s Pelmo (MSRP $135) — but aims to retain the coziness of your favorite wool sweater. While the pieces are counterparts, the women’s has longer cuffs and a more feminine cut. It also has a snap center front closure where the men’s has a zip closure. Plus the company brings its men’s Clamor Flannel Shirt (MSRP $79, photo below), which has a cotton feel but is moisture-wicking with a 100 percent core woven panel.

>> Down skirts and regular skirts remain popular this winter market. Sierra Designs had a hit on its hands when it introduced its down skirt a few seasons ago, and this season’s version, the Cirro Skirt (MSRP $99, photo below) is a little shorter and a bit more stylish than the pencil-skirt length version it had in the past. It has a full-front zipper and can be worn over ski pants, tights, yoga pants or jeans.

>> Comfy, fashionable sweater dresses with cowl necks also debut from several companies. Merrell brings its Indira Comfy Cowl (MSRP $85) sweater dress with a blend of polyester, rayon and Spandex for a body-hugging, feminine fit. Isis brings its Simone Dress (MSRP $99, photo below), a polyester French terry that feels like cotton but performs like polyester. Ibex also has its Pearl Street Dress (MSRP $140), a 195-gram merino wool piece with a hood, cowl neck and three-quarter sleeve and draw cord.

>>Ibex unveils its 4th Street Boucle Cardigan(MSRP $175), featuring a conservative design with buttons, plus some outdoor innovation in a left back pocket, where its reflective fabric flap can be taken out to be better seen while riding back home at night.

These are just a few of the new products to debut at the show. Be sure to check out many more new product trends in the O.R. Daily, published live at the show, and available digital format each following day of print on SNEWS.

–Ana Trujillo