Outdoors wear has always been about practicality, performance and durability however in recent years, people are opting to don parka coats and hiking boots for fashion.
The trendiness of outerwear has increased massively with outerwear retailers partnering with luxury fashion houses and influencers to flog their latest ranges and social campaigns.
At the start of the year, The North Face and Supreme unveiled a collection which featured mountaineering apparel and accessories with a streetwear flair, which proved so popular that it sold out within days.
Over the past year thanks to ‘gorpcore’ – gorp takes its name from trail mix or – good ol’ raisins and peanuts – trends and a desire for people to get back to exploring nature post-pandemic while looking good.
One brand that is benefitting from this trend is Jack Wolfskin. Owner Callaway Golf, which bought the outdoor retailer in 2019, revealed that despite the tough macro-economic conditions, sales at the outdoor brand were up double digits in its last quarter.
Jack Wolfskin chief executive Richard Collier admits that outdoors has been a “hot category” over the past five years and collaborations between outdoors specialists and fashion brands such as The North Face x Gucci, 66° North x Ganni, Palace x Salomon have been “exciting for the industry” and seen new consumers venture into the outerwear world.
“I think that’s definitely been a positive development for the industry, in general, and for us, as we’ve certainly benefited from that as well,” he explains.
Back in April, the retailer teamed up with global fashion and lifestyle media brand Highsnobiety to launch a bespoke range of clothing designed for adventure, which followed its tie-up with German fashion retailer GmbH a year earlier.
“It’s not the core of what we do but it’s a way of reaching out to new customers younger generation and doing something a little bit unexpected, and it helps remove perceptions as well,” says Collier
A new wave of outerwear shoppers
With this new demographic of shoppers suddenly taking up more of an interest in outerwear retailers, Collier and his marketing team have made sure it has capitalised.
Social media such as TikTok has been given more attention, which he says a brand like Jack Wolfskin “wouldn’t have been on” in the past.
Jack Wolfskin has joined the throng of brands getting creative on TikTok, by serving up its own renditions of popular trends from dances to memes. The push has proven successful with the retailer’s official account racking up over 3 million likes on the app so far.
@jackwolfskin And tbh bro reaaally knew a spot 🦅🧡 #GOBACKPACK #Morocco #brosaidheknewaspot #JackWolfskin
Collier says that the retailer has learnt a lot from its Chinese colleagues on the social media side of things.
The brand may even explore live shopping, which is incredibly popular in China.
Global expansion
Jack Wolfskin, which has 928 stores worldwide, is aiming to capitalise on the growth of outdoor by embarking on a new global expansion push. Collier says the backing of its new owner has stimulated this growth drive.
“We have an extremely financially strong owner behind us who are backing us and when you want to go into new markets, you need that stability. So with Callaway behind us, we feel that the time is right to do that,” he says.
According to Collier, the retailer is already the number one player in markets such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and has nailed its omnichannel business model of retail, wholesale and digital.
“If we can roll that model out into other markets. I think about every chance to be successful and be one of the go-to brands in the outdoor sector.”
Stormy weather ahead
However, that expansion comes at a time where macro-economic conditions are worsening and consumers’ disposable incomes are being hammered.
Collier feels prepared for the stormy environment ahead as trading over the past two and a half years have led him to expect the unexpected.
“Prior to Covid, we all had crisis management training,” he explains. “If we looked at those crises that we prepared for in the past, we would laugh at them and say ‘that was not a crisis – that’s just normal’.
“The ability to adapt to change is probably the biggest thing that we’ve all had to learn. Making by-the-hour decisions that are pretty huge and impactful to make sure the business can survive.”
Therefore Collier says he is “not panicking” about the challenges that the cost-of-living crisis brings.
“We will get through this like we got through Covid, like we got through the Ukraine war, and are definitely taking measures for it.”
Owner Callaway Golf is confident Jack Wolfskin will continue to thrive. At its last quarterly results call, CEO Chip Brewer said: “We believe this brand is on strong footing and positioned for growth even with the challenges presented via current and anticipated macroeconomic and FX headwinds in Europe.”
Hiking prices
Like many retailers, Jack Wolfskin has been forced to raise prices, which will be around 10% higher for winter 2022.
Collier says there has been a “very real cost increase” in making and transporting its products.
“It’s just got a lot more expensive and we can’t obviously absorb all of that,” he says. We just have to get on with what we’re trying to do while also adding value into our products as well.
“So yes, there’s a cost increase, but hopefully by better design, more sustainable innovations using some brand new technology partners that we’re actually making the products feel more valuable and that the consumer then will recognise that when they consider us for purchase.”
Ultimately Collier says that its customers want products “to keep them dry and warm and comfortable”, so Jack Wolfskin is committed to doing the best job possible in that regard.
“We use technology in the garments or in the shoes to help with that. That’s what our product guys are thinking about day in, day out.”
Taking a lead on sustainability
A particuarly focus when it comes to product innovation is sustainability. And with a third of shoppers prepared to pay more for sustainably made products, according to a study from Simon-Kucher & Partners, this could help justify Jack Wolfskin’s price increases.
However, for Collier the drive for sustainability goes deeper than that.
“Textiles and apparel in general is a polluter,” he says. “In terms of sustainability, our natural playground is the outdoors that gets most impacted by climate change.
“Therefore the outdoor industry – including ourselves – see it as our job to try and help slow that down, change that and help the whole of the apparel industry.”
Ultimately, he says, customers care about sustainability as well and “we are now expected to be on top of this”.
For Jack Wolfskin, a crucial part of its sustainability drive is the manufacturing of all-around high-quality products that are extremely durable. This lengthens the lifespan of the product and is therefore better for the environment.
As well as trying to create more sustainable products, Jack Wolfskin is also vying to create more sustainable stores.
Its new flagship store in Frankfurt is a great example of this. The store houses the greenest mannequin currently available on the market with an upper body made of papier-mâché, and a lower body made of recycled plastic and all the graphics in-store have been made with fabrics created from recycled ocean plastic.
Even small features like hangers have been given an eco-edge as the store uses wooden versions rather than plastic ones. “All those details which seem small – all add up,” says Collier.
From sustainability and tech innovation to trend-led product and marketing – despite being over 40 years old, Jack Wolfskin has a plan in action that will make its brand as durable as its clothing.
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