So I guess it’s August now. In the past few months, I’ve watched carefully as the world starts to re-enter the streets as we knew before our year and a half of lockdown. Do you guys remember the Insta-graphics that proclaimed that life post-pandemic would be a sort of renaissance? Yeah, me too! As we re-emerge, people young and old are taking the streets with a fresh sense of style, emboldened by our vaccinations and a little too much time spent alone inside. Searching for trends post-pandemic has been a real-life Where’s Waldo of sorts, with the personal style taking the cake. Throughout the madness of the first two months of summer, a fashionable subculture has been quietly preparing to go camping?
Gorpcore is a term named after “Good Ol’ Raisins and Peanuts” by writer Jason Chen for The Cut back in 2017. Four years later, gorpcore seems to have an even stronger hold on street style and high fashion. Looks at the Jacquemus SS21 show included hiking boots, cargo pants, and activewear that is ready to be hiked in. At the Fendi store in Soho, there is a relatively out-of-place tent emblazoned with the house monogram. The Prada flagship store is hosting a mountain-inspired pop-up shop, and who could forget the Gucci X The North Face collaboration at the end of 2020? While high-end designers were inspired by gorp in recent months, this fashion movement rejects the frivolity of runway shows and sky-high prices.
The leading players in gorpcore, from what I’ve gathered, are Arcteryx, Patagonia, The North Face, and Salomon. These brands exist as utilitarian giants in the clothing industry, with items designed to be durable in some of the most extreme climates on Earth. What I find so interesting about gorpcore is how it exists in street style. Rather than in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, these clothes are being worn in the heart of cities. Salomon sneakers will appear whether you’re on the second floor of Dover Street Market or on a quick walk to get a Diet Coke down the street. Patagonia baggie shorts (5-inch seams only, duh) have become the staple short of the summer. Gorp is all around.
I have found that taking bits and pieces of gorp and incorporating them into my closet has made for exciting evolutions in how I get dressed. Piecing together nylon shorts alongside a silky button-down gives a sort of soft edge to a look. While I might not be completely ready to take on the outdoors with my styling choices, it is always fun to mix new concepts alongside those I know and love. Gorpcore has been around long enough now that it has cemented itself as a subculture in the fashion community rather than a fleeting trend. In a world where trends tend to change weekly, I find that a certain humble air surrounds gorpcore as they quietly hike on through the city.
Words by Nicholson Baird.
Graphic by Emily Tobias.