Woolrich first developed its iconic fur Arctic Parka in 1972 for construction workers along the Alaskan Pipeline. The jacket’s popularity soon expanded beyond this initial demographic, however, and became an enduring symbol of the brand.
Flash forward five decades and Woolrich has decided to give this classic piece of winter wear a facelift by ditching the fur and redesigning the silhouette for a more contemporary and urban feel.
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Though the Fur-Free Arctic Parka marks a distinct departure for Woolrich, brand director Rocco Scazzariello believes the redesign is a natural extension of the heritage brand.
“The market shifts and so do consumers,” said Scazzariello. “The request for a no fur version of the parka came from different markets and it was natural for us to offer the possibility for the consumer to choose between a fur and a no fur version of our best-selling Woolrich jacket.”
“We’ve been working on a No Fur version of the Arctic Parka for a while now,” he continued. “Our challenge was in creating a construction that would fully substitute for the functionality of fur…while keeping the iconic look and feel of the original parka.”
The designers achieved this by developing a double-closure hood with a high collar that retains heat just as well as fur normally would. Additionally, the Arctic Parka NP boasts a 90/10 800 fill power down insulation, which makes it both incredibly lightweight and extremely warm.
While the jacket boasts these contemporary modifications (plus handwarmer pockets as well as zip and button fastening), it still maintains the spirit of the original 1972 model, most noticeably in its shell, which uses the same durable 60/40 Ramar Cloth as its forebear.
“Our products are worn by a wide range of consumers — from our very young customers who wear our product more casually to more grown-up customers who might use our outerwear in a more formal way,” remarked Scazzariello.
“In a modern world, products are worn in different occasions and the fact that our products are wearable in diverse ways by multiple customers is one of the beauties of the brand and what makes it so timeless.”
The Fur-Free Arctic Parka ($695) comes in Melton Blue and New Black.
The Piaget Polo Date 150th Anniversary Edition revamps a classic watch
See what 150 years of craftmanship look like with the Piaget Polo Date limited watches
What does a luxury watch company do for its 150th anniversary? The only answer is to release a limited line of watches. And Swiss company Piaget did just that. The Piaget Polo Date collection comes with one for the fellas and one for the ladies, but both pieces exude a quiet luxury on their own. Playing up the nostalgia note but giving collectors a fresh take, Piaget took their 1979 hit the Piaget Polo, gave it a shine, and made it the star for the company's 150th anniversary, debuting the Piaget Polo Date.
His and hers, Piaget edition
The 150th-anniversary release consists of two watches — one for him and one for her. The Piaget Polo Date watches don't reinvent the vintage version from the 1970s, but the new ones bring a level of sophistication to the model.
The one for him
The updated version for him is 42 mm in size, has a round face, and has a brown rubber strap. The details on the face and the hands are rose gold. There are not many changes from the original, but sometimes, little tweaks go a long way.
The one for her
The watch for her is a bit more detailed. For this one, Piaget took the 36 mm option and gave it a beige rubber strap, allowing it to match the brown watch. But this move with the strap was huge, as it replaced the old metal bracelet and leather strap previously offered. This made it the first time the 36 mm came with a rubber strap and the first time the two watches had the same strap style.
My 5 favorite Canada Goose jacket deals happening right now
If you want one of the best men’s jackets around, you need to check out the Gilt sale on all things Canada Goose right now. You can click through on the button below to see the full wealth of what’s out there but we’ve also picked out some favorites. Take a look below at what we’ve chosen as some of the best Canada Goose jackets on sale at Gilt right now.
New dial colors, slimmer design for IWC’s Portugieser watches
The IWC Portugieser Collection nods to its 1930s roots while bringing new details to the line
If you've been orbiting through the same collections of watches looking for that perfect addition to fill that something missing in your arsenal, stop your search. Swiss brand International Watch Company, known more appropriately to wearers and collectors as IWC Schaffhausen, has a heavenly lineup at this year's Watches and Wonders you've been waiting an eternity for. If unmatched caliber and exceptional craftsmanship — along with a touch of planetary elements — are a few things you look for in a luxury watch, the Portugieser Collection from IWC is the right fit for your wrist.
The IWC Portugieser collection
The collection throws it back to the Portugieser of the 1930s, where the design got its first inspiration from those gorgeous navigational watches on the deck of a ship. Keep that nautical theme in your head because each piece in the collection has celestial details as the star.