Three retro looks that marry form and function.

Without getting bogged down in the logistics of a four-dimensional reality, the past, it has been oft-noted, is a nice place to visit, if not necessarily somewhere you’d want to live. That’s assuming you can even make it that far, of course. Judging by the latest batch of apparel to land on MR PORTER, we’ve got some tough terrain to cross first.

It probably won’t be news to learn that, this autumn, the great outdoors has proved to be a massive influence on the fashion industry. To recap: everyone from Balenciaga to Prada now has some form of retro-style anorak, fleece or hiking boot on their roster. Naturally, the brands for whom the call of the wild is their very reason for being should also be there (or rather, out there) to capitalize.

Sure enough, the likes of The North Face are enjoying their moment in the sun (which is ironic, given that we are led to believe the sun doesn’t land on the north face that often). So, too, is Patagonia, an adventure-focused brand founded 45 years ago and named after the sparsely populated, distant land in South America.

But while this gear is designed for venturing far, the latter label has stuck to what it does best, with a collection of retro lines that borrow from its archives. You could call it Patagonia’s comfort zone – but, equally, it will keep you warm up a mountain. The original Snap-T fleece was inspired by a wool pullover owned by the brand’s co-founder Mr Yvon Chouinard, which he reconfigured in an insulating, quick-drying fabric, constructed largely from recycled materials, making it ideal for climbing.

Also of note is Nike’s ACG (All Conditions Gear) subsidiary – set up in 1989 to produce outdoors equipment that explored beyond the track and field events where the parent brand excelled, it gained a cult following not just for its capabilities but also its left-field designs and bold colourways. The latest collection of pieces is no different, with the shoes in particular bringing Nike’s Flyknit technology to a more rugged topography, but also dipping into the offshoot’s heritage.

So if you are going to the back-of-beyond this autumn, take a step back to get your bearings first.

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