Gucci and The North Face's third collab is the most luxurious yet

Gucci and The North Face are delivering their outerwear a little early this year. With the third chapter in their ongoing partnership, the duo is bringing more funky prints to luxurious outdoor gear.

Following a blueprint similar to chapters one and two, there are no shortage of retro options in the lineup. As opposed to the more expansive range in the past, however, this collection is primarily focused on goose down Sierra parkas, heavy Windjammer windbreakers, and Rough Rider pants. The aesthetics are ultimately inspired by the bright eye of a kaleidoscope mixed with The North Face’s original archival styles from the ‘70s.

According to Gucci’s website, the collection revolves around an ethos of self-discovery, self-expression, and the spirit of exploration in all of its forms. However, by the looks of it, the luxury collection may be better suited to discover the amenities of an Aspen ski resort than an actual mental breakthrough.

Who can afford this? — Let’s hope you’ve been saving since the duo’s last capsule. Prepare to dish out at least $1,000 for joggers and Rhyton sneakers — and even more for the shoulder bags and smaller backpacks. For those with extra pocket change to spend, the collection boasts a $3,400 groovy backpack and a $2,750 colorblocked cotton coat. Prices are on par with the previous two collections (see: expensive), but the introduction of the kaleidoscopic imagery does add a fresh take on the outdoor gear.

The North Face and Gucci are two pioneers that bridged luxury and outdoor gear with their first partnership in 2019. Since then, the market for overpriced rain jackets and cargo pants has blossomed. Not everyone buys a $3,500 padded Gucci down jacket with the intent of exploring a rough mountainside, though, and we have reservations about what luxury outerwear actually accomplishes.

To push the narrative that you can hike in Gucci, French explorers and twins Jalan and Jibril Durimel were photographed in the apparel against an Icelandic landscape. The campaign is displayed in scrapbook form as a way to showcase “how exploration is registered in the mind and stored in the memory as a source of creativity from which to pull inspiration.” Whether or not you’ll be storing the memory of the experience or how much money you spent on the fit is up to the wearer.

You can shop the full third chapter of Gucci and The North Face’s collection on the luxury designer’s website. Even if you can’t afford a piece of the capsule, it’s fun to look at — which is what most of us will be resigned to.