For the second time, the gear outfitter and Italian fashion house have come together and produced a new generation of adventure-curious streetwear.
Last January, mega-brands Gucci and The North Face cobbled together an unlikely partnership and apparel line. Last week, the pair expanded on The North Face x Gucci saga, adding a host of new product categories, styles, and nature-themed prints.
The Fall/Winter 2021 capsule collab runs the apparel gamut: parkas to fanny packs, pants to bucket hats, backpacks to boots. Gucci describes this drop as “a selection of styles with an outdoor-inspired feel.”
Pricing for the latest set of TNF x Gucci gear starts at $590 with a baseball cap and tops out at $4,800 with a ruffled prairie dress. You know, in keeping with Gucci’s fashion-house roots.
Here’s what else I can tell you.
Technically, It’s Not Technical Apparel
It’s probably worth noting that TNF x Gucci’s Fall/Winter 2021 gear isn’t really made to stand up to more serious outdoor adventures.
But, reportedly, the line uses recycled ECONYL in place of nylon and down insulation that’s 100% certified responsible, which should be enough to keep you warm in certain, unrated conditions. So, donn at your own risk (I repeat: this is not technical apparel).
Except for a few color-blocked, puffy-inspired coats, one unmistakably TNF detail you’ll find on display here is the brand’s iconic Half-Dome logo. Which, of course, sits atop a font-matching “GUCCI.” Otherwise, any of the pieces from this winter collection might pass for New York Fashion Week streetwear.
The North Face x Gucci (Emphasis on ‘Gucci’)
The mash-up uses apparel and accessories cut by the designer label and superimposes earthy colors and wilderness prints that may or may not be a nod to Mossy Oak.
Here are a few hot takes from the collection:
Don’t worry, compulsive sweater heads — this bad boy is “unavailable” per the product page. But if The North Face x Gucci sweater does exist, it’s out there living its best life as a wool jacquard blend, which sounds kind of itchy.
Then again, the term “wool jacquard” is new to me, so take that for whatever it’s worth to you.
The North Face x Gucci belt bag (yes, lower case) features a “forest print” ECONYL fabric outer, green genuine-leather trim, ECONYL lining, zipper closure, and adjustable webbing waist belt with a buckle clasp. Gucci has not disclosed material information for the zipper pull, clasp, or belt adjuster components.
But it does provide dimensions and sizing:
- Pouch dimensions: 8.7″ W x 5″ H x 2.4″ D
- Belt lengths: 75 cm (34″); 95 cm (42″)
If you’re worried that your high-end “belt bag” (it’s a fanny pack, c’mon) might be mistaken for a more practical vessel, fear not! Gucci’s very detailed care instructions answer any questions you might have about the belt bag‘s actual usefulness.
Here they are, verbatim:
- Protect from direct light, heat, and rain. Should it become wet, dry it immediately with a soft cloth.
- Fill the bag with tissue paper to help maintain its shape and absorb humidity, and store in the provided flannel bag.
- Do not carry heavy products that may affect the shape of the bag.
- Clean with a soft, dry cloth.
To further cement the “look but don’t touch” vibrations coming off this thing, it’s available in brick-and-mortar stores only.
The North Face x Gucci padded vest features green and black “GG” canvas with down padding, web embroidery, four patch pockets, snap button closures, and duck feather/goose down fill.
Gucci makes the vest in sizes XXS through XXL. I’m not entirely sure what that means thanks to the website’s oddly confusing sizing chart — but the brand does note that a small vest measures 27.7 inches in length.
Much like the bougie fanny pack above, the padded vest is exclusive to in-store shoppers.
Also available in the mossy/earthy/adventurish forest print are The North Face x Gucci backpack and baseball hat. Similar to the — ahem — belt bag, the outer shells here feature recycled nylon ECONYL fabric. Genuine green and brown leather rounds out the trim.
Two zippered, ECONYL-lined compartments, potentially padded shoulder straps (don’t get your hopes up), and nylon webbing complete the backpack, which measures 13 x 19.3 x 5.1 inches.
And you guessed it — this itty bitty pack is, indeed, only available in stores.
Now on to the collection’s pièce de proletariat. TNF x Gucci’s budget item, the baseball hat, uses a cotton/viscose lining and an adjustable Velcro back.
It’s available in sizes XS through L both online and in stores — unless you have an XL dome. That size is (say it with me) only available in stores.
Expect to treat the backpack and ball cap with the same white-glove-level care you’d apply to, I don’t know…a high-end fanny pack.
For now, The North Face has left it up to Gucci to move inventory. The TNF x Gucci collection is only available through the fashion house and a few Gucci-exclusive dealers.
You can check it out for yourself at gucci.com, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
