“We come in peace,” Danish outdoor lifestyle brand Rains proclaimed ahead of its Paris debut, splashing the message across its social media and on a truck spotted around the city.
There was certainly nothing threatening about the lineup that head of design Tanne Vinter sent down the runway. In fact, most guests were no doubt fantasizing about wrapping themselves in the cushy assortment of parkas, padded trousers, balaclavas, XXL mittens and more, given the current chilly Parisian temperatures.
On the surface, the lineup had the kind of achingly cool mien aimed at today’s digital tastemakers, filled with looks that were padded, oversized, cropped or monogrammed — and sometimes all of the above.
The first model swept by in an oversized coat that trailed behind him; another looked bundled in something straight out of the popular blanket challenge. An all-black look had the brand’s new monogram burned into the surface, blended to approximate a houndstooth effect; near the end, a model sported a midriff pink and black ensemble that skewed ’90s rave meets the digital age.
Cut down to individual items, however, Rains stayed resolutely grounded in very Scandinavian realism. Even the colors, flashes of lime yellow and bubblegum pinks distilled into a palette of dark earthy tones, were a nod to the ultimate natural spectacle of Northern lights. Takeaway message here? Utility is cool — and keeps you warm.