OUTERWEAR Jackets zip into the season with function, fashion

Designers have come up with jackets that look good and offer cutting-edge technology.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
It's November. Do you know where your all-terrain jackets are? Combining function with fashion is key when purchasing an activewear jacket.
Companies such as REI, Nike and Spiewak employ teams of designers whose mission is to create jackets that look good and offer cutting-edge technology. Buzzwords such as "waterproof/breathable" and "Gor Tex" often appear on hangtags.
According to the NPD Group, a market research firm, men spent $2.8 billion on outerwear in the past year. So scoping out what's new and improved is important before shopping. What's in for 2004-05? Here are several trends among outerwear suppliers:
USoft shell, two-in-one jackets.
UFaux shearling to the rescue.
UIncreased length in jackets.
UResurgence of wool.
According to REI spokeswoman Jennifer Lind, the soft shell is getting the most attention because it's all about "letting things in and letting things out."
Latest revolution
"The soft shell is the latest revolution because it helps moisture escape while dissipating body heat to keep you warm," she says from Kent, Wash.
A soft shell traditionally features a nylon outer face that sheds rain and snow. A polyester fleece inner face traps body heat. Add a bit of stretch and you've got a comfortable jacket that promotes mobility, too.
"In light to moderate rain or snow, you're good to go," Lind says.
Soft shells showed up in Europe years ago but didn't catch on in the United States until fairly recently. Until now, Gor Tex had been the fabric of choice for activewear jackets. Now, jackets with a combination of fabrics and linings are in demand.
Lind says REI's Groove soft-shell jacket, especially in "Retro Red," also appeals to city types because of its fashion sense. Lind says that's because the outdoor industry is finally poised to meet consumers halfway.
Meets all needs
"This jacket looks street-smart, yet it still fulfills the performance expectations," she adds.
L.L. Bean and Lands' End tout the versatility of these three-in-one and two-in-one jackets, which allow consumers to modify their outerwear as weather conditions warrant.
For example, Bean's Tuckerman Jacket gives consumers the option of wearing the nylon shell for lightweight protection, the Thinsulate liner for cooler days without precipitation and combining the two for total protection in rain or snow.
L.L. Bean's Greg Houser is vice president for outerwear and men's sportswear in Freeport, Maine. He says the casual and active marketplaces are coming together, in large part because of the popularity of faux shearling.
"When used as a jacket lining, faux shearling is washable, dryable, lightweight, soft and warm," Houser says. "Offer it in a variety of colors, and it works as weekend wear for outdoor chores."
To ensure optimum warmth and protection, L.L. Bean tests its men's and women's jackets on copper models. The models are equipped with sensors. As the testing room temperature drops, the sensors monitor "cold spots" on the jacket where more insulation is needed.
For men who wear an outerwear jacket over a sport coat, blazer or suit jacket, there's Eddie Bauer's WeatherEdge parka, which features extended length in the back -- 33 inches -- so the jacket underneath doesn't hang out.
Also big sellers
Spokeswoman Lisa Erickson says that goose down jackets and fleece liners are also selling well, in large part because of their versatility.
For the more urban types, the New York-based Spiewak & amp; Sons company makes toll takers' industrial jackets that have become fashionable with celebrities such as Jude Law, Hugh Grant and Mandy Moore.
President Michael Spiewak says his is somewhat of a strange outerwear business because it provides uniforms for the likes of the New York and Chicago police departments, the U.S. Postal Service and the men and women who load luggage and service planes for American Airlines.
"The schizophrenic part of our business is that it's become so fashionable," Spiewak says from his Manhattan office. "You can find (our jackets) on a runway or hanging in Nordstrom and Barney's."
The fashion end of outerwear is another reason REI opted to revamp its wool offerings. Spokeswoman Lind says the scratchy, prone-to-shrink wools of 10 years ago have been updated and now resemble the popular merino wool that's used in many high-end men's and women's garments.
"We're using it in long underwear, even T-shirts," she says.