The North Face Purple Label's GORE-TEX Denali Is a Fleece Masterpiece
Brand: The North Face Purple Label
Season: Fall/Winter 2021
Price: $350
Buy: SORA, DeepInside, Digital Mountain, REGGIE SHOP — no proxy service necessary.
Editor's Notes: There are a lotta fleece jackets out there but The North Face's Denali is an all-timer. Leave it to the Japan-only The North Face Purple Label to take a classic and make it better: its version of the Denali may be the best on the market.
The original Denali is timeless, its trim fit and thoughtful paneling allowing for easy layering. But, as usual, Purple Label — overseen by nanamica founder Eiichiro Homma — asks the hard-hitting questions.
TNFPL ponders: what if the Denali was a piece of proper outerwear, rather than a mid-layer?
What results is a substantial fleece jacket made of contrasting, cozy panels. You've got beige or navy-toned pile made of wool for both extra warmth and water resistance and then there are technical portions of GORE-TEX Infinium infused with Windstopper for maximum winter protection.
Not only is this beast basically invulnerable to the elements, but Infinium's breathability will keep the jacket from feeling too stuffy.
Flight jacket elements further distinguish The North Face Purple Label's Denali from its Western counterpart.
The zippered pockets on the chest and arm, leather pull-tab on the front zipper, and micro TNF logo make this Denali feel more like updated militaria than a Silicon Valley staple.
And, no, you ostensibly can't buy Purple Label outside of Japan.
HOWEVER, if you use a proxy service (like Stylistics) or order from a store that ships internationally (several are listed above!), you can indeed buy The North Face Purple Label online. It's that easy.
Still, there are some cool things happening with the VF Corp-owned TNF, like WYTZE's wild upcycled vest and the Spinnova partnership
