January '23

ALPINE CODEX

Alpine Codex, a collaboration between Actual Source and Goldwin, is the kind of project that deserves our full attention. The intersection of contemporary graphic design and Japanese outerwear was on full display in this capsule collection. This uniform for a hypothetical hiking group features oversized shell jackets, wide silhouette pants, caps, and socks with typography from Actual Source and illustrations from the artist, Shinknownsuke. Released exclusively in the US and Japan with a pop-up experience at Gallery Commune.

IMAGES VIA GOLDWIN

JUNYA WATANABE

Men’s Fashion Week in Paris showcased an impressive collection by Junya Watanabe featuring a wide sampling of up-cycled outwear from existing North Face and Haglofs products, as well as an official footwear collaboration with Oakley. Watanabe’s approach leverages traditional tailoring while utilizing performance materials and outdoor themes, crediting the Berlin-based group, Innerraum, for inspiring the incorporation of found, futuristic, protective gear into a luxury context.

IMAGES VIA vogue runway & farmtactics

CAMERA HOUSE

Studio Leckie is a young architecture firm based in Vancouver, self-described as “informed by an environmental sensitivity that includes an emphasis on passive solar design and sustainability, as well as a scenario-based approach to program and form.”

Their approach is seen clearly in their recent project, Camera House, a residential retreat nestled between the Lillooet and Garibaldi mountain ranges in British Columbia.

“The architectural concept was to create an optical camera to capture incoming light and frame three distinct fields of vision: the foreground of the forest, the background of the Garibaldi Range, and the midground of Owl Ridge. The glazing is arranged to provide continually shifting perspectives as the inhabitant moves through the spaces, and the ground plane of the house follows the natural slope of the site. Clad primarily in a flatsawn and brushed Western Red Cedar with a dark stain finish, the house appears to recede into the surrounding forest; passive heating and cooling strategies are prioritized throughout, and photovoltaic panels supply a sustainable energy source.”

images via ema peter

x games

I’ve been torn over whether or not to recap X Games for this monthly update. It is arguably the “biggest” event in skiing, featuring athletes I know and love, but it also encapsulates a lot of the problems 77mm initially set out to address. The branding, messaging, corporate sponsorships, competition formats, and athlete relations are all worth examining and deserve their own dedicated MST entry with sufficient research and exploration. So, I will refrain from getting into the weeds for this monthly recap and find it sufficient to share the podium results.