There is history behind the phenomenon of puffy coats in cities across the US. Before the fabric technology existed, and before activewear/outdoor lifestyle began reflecting in our urban wardrobes, men and women used to dress in tailored outerwear made of natural fibers. Waxed cotton trenches or wool coats in the form of Pea Coats, Capes, Chesterfield Coats, Top Coats, Toggle Coats....But we're talking 1950s-60s.
That all changed when fashion became more edgy and experimental, as society was also getting more openly edgy and experimental. The rules and formalities went out the window.
Fast forward to what is popular outerwear today, with streets full of Canada Goose, Moncler, North Face. These brands have all found their way down the mountain and into the city, but that road was cleared for them by a less widely known pioneer.
The real champion of this origin story is Norma Kamali, dating back to the mid-70s. As the legend goes:
After splitting with her husband, Mohammed (Eddie) Kamali, in the mid-1970s, she took to camping in the woods with a boyfriend. “It was cold,” she recalled, “and I was always getting up at night to go to the bathroom.” On one particularly nippy night, she threw on her sleeping bag and sprinted for the bush. “As I was running,” she said, “I was thinking, ‘I need to put sleeves in this thing.’ " - NYTimes, Ruth La Ferla May 9, 2009
It's still around today, and here's a version that we love. If you're going to wear a puffy coat, get the one that pays homage to the origin story.
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Starkweather is young, and this is our origin story right here. Exploring the world around us and our reason for being, which only grows stronger from learning about what else is out there and who came before us.
We hope that this knowledge and value translates through to you and your Starkweather experience.