Fashion doesn’t always look to Paris or Milan for inspiration. Many of today’s designers are finding their next big idea in unexpected places, like Alaska.
The icy blues and deep greens, along with the textures and silhouettes that reflect Alaska’s landscapes are making their way into collections that feel both fresh and timeless.
The Color Palette of the North
Alaska has a color palette unlike any other, and designers are paying attention.
Fashion leaders are leaning into the cool blues of glaciers and ice caves and the deep greens of the forest to create pieces that bring Alaska straight to the runway.
One prime example is designer Corentin Daudigny, who collaborated with artist-filmmaker Amy Lauren to create the Sea Ice Collection.
Garments featured patterns derived from cross-sectional images of sea ice that were captured under polarized light during a research initiative, with the colors and organic textures perfectly mirroring the structure and shimmer of frost.
Texture That Tells a Story
Alaska’s terrain is another feature that translates well into classic pieces.
Using quilted fabrics and chunky knits, designers are replicating the rocky mountains and snowy tundras of the region. The layers of shearling, wool, and sustainably-sourced fur add warmth and depth, while also nodding to Alaska’s focus on protecting its environment.
Alexander McQueen’s The Overlook autumn/winter 1999 collection showed how this works in practice. Fur-lined coats, shearling, and a rock-crystal bustier all made their way down the runway. Textures like this make it easy to picture what it might look like if you had to sail from Vancouver to Alaska, bundled up against the cold.
Outerwear Reimagined
The residents of this bucket list destination are no strangers to freezing temperature, something that has inspired designers to rethink outerwear.
Rick Owens, Yohji Yamamoto, and Balenciaga are just a few of the names responsible for the growing popularity of an arctic chic look.
Oversized puffers can be seen on a number of global runways and they’re often paired with faux-fur-lined hoods to bring in those traditional arctic gear elements. Even waterproof fabrics now have sexier silhouettes to prove that practicality doesn’t have to mean unpolished.
The Sustainability Factor
The fashion world’s fascination with Alaska isn’t just about aesthetics. The state’s delicate ecosystems are pushing the fashion industry to think about sustainability in new ways.
Countless designers are experimenting with recycled fabrics, ethically sourced down, and plant-based dyes to create pieces that reflect environmental responsibility.
Trickster Company and Sho Sho Esquiro are just two examples of designers who bring traditional Alaska Native designs into contemporary fashion. Using geometric beadwork and sustainable textures, they are using fashion to tell indigenous stories, while doing their part for a greener future.
From the Wilderness to the Streets
Alaska’s landscapes might be remote, but their influence is anything but distant.
As fashion embraces sustainability and honors indigenous artistry, Alaska’s story is making its way onto the streets from New York to Tokyo. “The Great Land” shows us that nature can inspire fashion that’s both timeless and forward-thinking, proving you don’t need to look to Paris to find the next big thing.
