You might wonder what Rihanna and her partner A$AP Rocky have in common with the snowboarders executing big air tricks at the Winter Olympics, or ramblers hiking across the moors on a winter’s weekend. It might seem like a stretch to think there is any connection, but the recent display of baggy, functional outerwear being sported by Olympians, hikers and the singer-come-fashion-mogul as she shows off her baby bump is huge. It is called gorpcore.
Gorp is an acronym often used by hikers and campers to mean 'good old raisins and peanuts'
Gorpcore may currently be having a moment, but the term was coined in 2017. It refers to the convergence of outdoor labels and metropolitan folk. It is a streetwear trend with a utilitarian aesthetic that makes Patagonia fleeces and North Face jackets a style staple. And it is officially one of the hottest fashion trends for 2022, with global shopping platform Lyst confirming its status in its latest quarterly index.
Gorpcore really kicked off in the winter of 2020, when the great outdoors was the nearest many could get to a social life and when, despite the cold in some parts of the world, parks replaced restaurants as the places to meet friends. In truth, your best friend was a big down-filled coat to keep you warm. The trend remained popular throughout the year, with an uptick in the latter part of 2021, as shoppers sought technical outerwear and footwear that could withstand the elements.
Some of the hottest products (and this is a look that encompasses men’s and womenswear) include Prada’s Re-Nylon puffer jacket; Arc’teryx’s Alpha SV jacket, a style from the Canadian mountaineering brand that the late Virgil Abloh wore when out snowboarding; and Moncler’s Cuvellier short down jacket. There’s a range of hoodies, padded slip-on shoes and those Miu Miu crochet balaclavas that were the only protection from the elements for the brave posse of skimpily dressed models who presented the collection on the snowy Alpine slopes.
It is practical and protective, and until now was not deemed fashionable. “The pandemic has fundamentally shifted consumers’ expectations; in uncertain times, movement and functionality have become key purchasing criteria for many fashion lovers,” says Camilla Clarkson, communications director of Lyst.
Celebrities and social media have fuelled that change. It may have been snowing in New York when Rihanna revealed her baby bump, but she was snugly swaddled in a long shimmering pink puffer coat. Two days earlier, the bump was well hidden beneath a windbreaker by British cult menswear designer Martine Rose.
The singer and A$AP Rocky have a wardrobe full of this type of functional outerwear, which has sparked searches online by fans. Similarly, singer Frank Ocean is often photographed in his orange puffer jacket by Mammut, the mountaineering brand from Switzerland that has expanded into clothing.
Model Bella Hadid has a wardrobe full of padded jackets, while singer Dua Lipa has been spotted in the coveted Yeezy Gap Round Jacket that was released at the end of 2021. The tie-up between the high-street brand and Kanye West was only available in three colours and sold out in minutes online.
Lipa teamed her cobalt blue jacket with cream tracksuit bottoms and Balenciaga sunglasses. It is that baggy silhouette with colourful prints that big air ski and snowboarding stars such as Eileen Gu and half-pipe boarder Chloe Kim wore in Beijing — bright, functional, super-cool and super-stylish. It was also a look favoured by the slick crowds at Copenhagen Fashion Week, with those in attendance wearing technical cargo pants, protective puffer jackets such as Louis Vuitton’s monogram rendition, woodsmen chequered lumberjackets and rubber boots.
So how did gorpcore become so fashionable? The term was first used by New York magazine’s The Cut when, in 2017, it was trying to find a simple, catch-all term for a style of clothing that had been around for a while and informally described as “camping chic”, but was really more than that. Gorp is an acronym often used by hikers and campers to mean “good old raisins and peanuts”, a classic trail mix and not the most eloquent of monikers for a fashion trend. Gorpcore is a style that’s focused on wearing utilitarian, functional, outdoors-inspired gear.
Brands known more to hikers and campers than those who attend fashion weeks have been crossing over into the mainstream, including the aforementioned Arc’teryx, North Face and Patagonia, as well as brands such as Snow Peak, Canada Goose and Columbia. The clothes tend to be colourful, as classic camping gear and outerwear is, and in hues that have not been so common in fashionable cold-weather attire.
But the industry has cottoned on, with brands including Canada Goose proving hugely successful with their collaborations. The label tapped Chinese designer Angel Chen in late 2020 to create a colourful capsule collection that combined traditional technical clothing with Eastern elements. It featured the brand’s parkas, convertible down jackets with a removable lower half, wind and rainwear, and knits. This was a fashion-first for the label and at the time of its launch, Woody Blackford, executive vice president, product at Canada Goose, described the team as drawing inspiration “from distinct aesthetics that challenge us. Our brief is to reinterpret and reimagine our core design DNA through their eyes. Angel has done just that, putting her signature spin on our most iconic products.”
Arc’teryx, worn by rap stars such as A$AP Rocky, has launched a capsule collaboration with Jil Sander for mountain sports gear. Gucci and North Face have collaborated, with designer Alessandro Michele drawing on a selection of 1990s styles from the latter brand, including its Nuptse jacket and vest, reworking them with Gucci aesthetics.
The retro style of these down blousons, insulated bomber jackets and hiking boots were playfully enhanced using the monogram and colourful Gucci prints, some from the archive, including a mountain scene, a forest pattern and two floral designs. To this were added lightweight outerwear, sweatshirts, pants in techno cotton toile and vests in nylon Econyl (a material made from recycled fishing nets).
Small wonder that high-performance brands are one of Browns Fashion and MatchesFashion.com’s strongest categories. So why is this look trending now? Lyst believes it is because of our underlying mood as we move through and beyond the pandemic.
“As Covid becomes a regular part of life — along with fears of a recession, geopolitical uncertainty and the threat of climate change — we can understand why shoppers want to reflect an image of survival,” says Clarkson. “It’s clear that pieces described as ‘gorpcore’ or ‘technical’ have been resonating with consumers, a good indication that practicality is here to stay as the world embraces the new ‘normal’.”
The biggest fashion trends of 2022 — in pictures:
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD v SOUTH AFRICA
Aaron Finch (capt), Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
READ MORE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Race card
6.30pm: Emirates Holidays Maiden (TB), Dh82,500 (Dirt), 1,900m
7.05pm: Arabian Adventures Maiden (TB), Dh82,500 (D), 1,200m
7.40pm: Emirates Skywards Handicap (TB), Dh82,500 (D), 1,200m
8.15pm: Emirates Airline Conditions (TB), Dh120,000 (D), 1,400m
8.50pm: Emirates Sky Cargo (TB), Dh92,500 (D)1,400m
9.15pm: Emirates.com (TB), Dh95,000 (D), 2,000m
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Racecard
6pm: The Pointe - Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
6.35pm: Palm West Beach - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (T) 1,800m
7.10pm: The View at the Palm - Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.45pm: Nakeel Graduate Stakes - Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
8.20pm: Club Vista Mare - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,900m
8.55pm: The Palm Fountain - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm: The Palm Tower - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
RESULTS
Manchester United 2
Anthony Martial 30'
Scott McTominay 90 6'
Manchester City 0
Superpower%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESean%20Penn%2C%20Aaron%20Kaufman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Primera Liga fixtures (all times UAE: 4 GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal (10.15pm)
Real Betis v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Barcelona (8.15pm)
Levante v Deportivo La Coruna (10.15pm)
Girona v Malaga (10.15pm)
Las Palmas v Atletico Madrid (12.15am)
Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
Eibar v Athletic Bilbao (8.15pm)
Getafe v Sevilla (10.15pm)
Real Madrid v Valencia (10.15pm)
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
