All Vallier apparel starts from one foundation – functional design. We're from Montreal, where winters are freezing and summers are sweltering hot. Despite that, we're a city that lives and plays outdoors year-round in any weather.
Look Closer: Designing The Men’s Outremont Down Parka
For the design of our first men's parka, we turned to the alpine world and fused mountain technology to a streamlined profile. The resulting sophisticated urban look and alpine tech make the men's Outremont parka a statement piece in our inaugural Fall-Winter 2019 Collection.
Goose down is the only down
When thinking of parkas you think warmth first - and because Montreal and Canada’s winter climate - the Outremont parka had to be warm. This is where goose down comes in. The loft is better than duck down, with fewer feathers and more clusters. Clusters trap more heat than feathers, keeping you warmer as the temperature dips.
Our down is packed to an 800 fill power rating, in a world where city parkas rarely exceed 700. This means the Outremont has more down per cubic inch than almost any comparable urban parka out there. More down means more warmth and a more comfortable overall cold-weather experience for you, even when the temperature dips below -20C.
Using down certified to the Responsible Down Standard makes our insulation fully traceable to the original source. RDS ensures down is not live-plucked and that suppliers adhere to strict ethical practices. We wouldn't have it any other way, and neither should you.
Refined fabrics
That increased fill power is great, but aesthetics matter, and streamlined simplicity born from functional design is always our ambition.
Bulky baffles can be effective for warmth, but we feel these are better suited to alpinists' garments. Stretch woven baffles are put together from the inside—small interwoven pockets hold the goose down under the face fabric with no glue or stitching. The down stays in place, heat stays trapped inside, and cold air can’t get in.
Nestled behind the face fabric and filled with goose down, the baffles make a very subtle rippling across the surface and create the slim profile we wanted without sacrificing one iota of warmth.
The face fabric is Pertex Shield, normally found on high-elevation adventures because of its attributes like lightweightedness, water-resistance, and windproofing. The fabric not only protects the down insulation, it keeps the elements away from you. A Durable Water Repellent finish sheds moisture, allowing you to stay out longer in the snow.
It’s all in the details
Part of the ethos at Vallier is to imagine options while keeping a clean profile in all our outerwear. How these details work in symmetry while keeping the proper design profile is where the balancing act comes in.
A detachable hood gives you choices, partly dictated by the weather and partly by your mood. The down-insulated hood keeps you warm. When detached, a short placket snaps up over the collar hood zipper, preserving the smooth neckline and transforming the Outremont into a peacoat-like silhouette.
The sleeve cuffs extend out into subtle V-shapes, covering the back of the hands while allowing a wider grip on briefcase totes and handles. Up inside the sleeve are elastic wrist gaiters. These wrap around your wrists, shutting out snow and cold by creating a sealed closure with your favourite gloves.
Many of us take the subway or drive to work, or just enjoy a crips mid-winter stroll. A notch at the back of the hem with a single-button fishtail makes walking, commuting, and sitting that much easier.
Branding it softly
Nowadays it’s nearly impossible to find unbranded outerwear, coats, and jackets. We wanted our clothes and their details to do the talking. Vallier’s signature colours, Kelly and Brunswick Green, make subtle statements throughout our collection, the Outremont being no exception.
Two thin Kelly-green lines down the zipper pull tabs make the Vallier double ‘L’. The small Kelly-green elastic adjustment cord on the back of the hood gives another nod to our signature colour. The Melton wool liner in Vallier’s Brunswick green is a detail that reveals itself when wearing this parka unzipped.
Call it unobtrusive, subtle or minimalist—the Outremont’s timeless branding embodies our motto, ‘Look Closer’.
Winter-ready
The Outremont parka feels like an expedition parka—warm, durable, lightweight—but comes in a clean, modern look. It’s got the necessary outdoor technologies on the inside to keep you warm and dry.
Slipping into the Outremont parka is feeling the satisfaction at having found a parka that takes care of style and comfort. Confidence comes naturally when wearing Vallier—it fits your body, your requirements and the demands of the weather. With the arrival of the Outremont, you might just wish winter lasted a little longer.