Cole Haan + Mountain Hardwear’s ZerøGrand Lifestyle Collection

An unexpected line of apparel and more, predicated on the balance between city style and outdoor empowerment

8 October 2015

As long time fans and supporters of Cole Haan, CH continues to be impressed with their unexpected collaborations and the resulting products. And there was definitely an element of surprise to their latest collection: technical outerwear made with the versatile materials pioneered by high-performance brand Mountain Hardwear. While it’s not entirely uncommon for a dress-casual company to partner with an outdoor brand, there’s something more to the ZerøGrand Lifestyle Collection. Both parties leveraged their strengths for this collaboration—balancing Mountain Hardware’s functional materials with Cole Haan’s style strength. Moreover, they weren’t afraid to bring in other partners like Blunt Umbrellas and Space Pen to offer even more exciting elements.

As the collection centerpieces, a series of jackets provide the ideal demonstration of the partnership. When we were hands-on with the ZerøGrand Trench for men and the ZerøGrand Funnel Parka for women (both in black), we experienced the product nuances first-hand. There’s guaranteed warmth and durability, combined with the now-trademark innovative take on classic silhouttes Cole Haan masters. We partnered both coats with the LunarGrand Lace Boot and ZerøGrand Tall Boot, as well as various bags from the collection. Comfortability is key which is why the brand’s LunarGrand and ZerøGrandsoles were utilized—both offer cushioning technology on the inside to keep feet happy.

Among the innovative materials worth noting, Mountain Hardwear’s Stretch Ozonic Dry.Q shell fabric factors into a few pieces. In addition to being 100% waterproof, it’s also lightweight. Q.Shield Down is also utilized, which delivers water-repellency while maintaining lightness. Finally, the Thermal.Q Elite technology captures and employs pockets of warm air in each jacket. These are proprietary mountaineering inventions that will be sure to combat cold in a city. Coupled with quilted liners and oversized hoods, the jackets in the collection deliver guaranteed high-performance protection finessed with Cole Haan’s style chops.

As for the marriage of city and the great outdoors, we were incredibly intrigued by the three uncommon accessory options. The Space Pen lives up to its name: it can be used upside down, underwater, in extreme temperatures and even zero gravity conditions—should you happen to find yourself in that situation. And the ZerøGrand x Fisher Bullet Space Pen offers this functionality, all the while looking impeccable.

The same can be said for the ZerøGrand x Blunt Metro Umbrella, while factoring in portability. Rounding it out, the S’well Satin Water Bottle looks remarkably sleek. Cole Haan is no stranger to accessories, but there’s something here that demonstrates their desire for exploring the realm even further, and taking more risks.

Ultimately, it’s worth mentioning that these pieces are not for rugged outdoor experiences; rather, their technical superiority is aimed at city-dwellers looking for an edge. High-performance fabrics and all, the collection best supports style-minded urbanites looking to fend off the cold. It should also be pointed out that for such luxuriant products pricing is within reason—in contrast to a consistently overpriced outerwear market.