ROTY? THE RISE OF ARC'TERYX

The biggest blow-up of 2021?

Though Arc'teryx may have seemingly cropped up just this year, it was founded in 1989 and has been a popular brand for quite some time. Targeted at those who aim to tackle harsh winter weathers it has been a brand worn by many hikers and skiers alike. However, in part due to the rise of new social media app TikTok, it has become a staple of popular culture as well.

Why get big now?

The Perfect Storm

In a time where TikTok, a short form social media platform, allows trends and concepts to rise in popularity at unprecedented rates, brands like Arc'teryx just need the right catalyst to shoot into the spotlight. In this case, many people on the app aimed videos at the fashion aspect of the app and capitalized on the "hype" behind techware and gorpcore. As per an article on Grailed "Gorpcore—named after the colloquial term for trail mix (“Good Ol’ Raisins and Peanuts”)—is a style focused around wearing utilitarian, functional, outdoors-inspired gear." Imagine rain jackets and other pieces of clothing crafted from Gore-Tex or Tyvex (both similar to nylon).

Social Media Trends

Comical as it may sound, a main reason behind the brand's popularity is the simple but satisfying demonstration of it's water repellence. Often accompanied by the joking phrase "look how the water just beads off" videos of people wearing Arc'teryx jackets in their shower for example blow up because of the combination of comedy and awe at well crafted gorp fashion. Additionally it is known to be mentioned in songs such as YT's "Arc'teryx" with the line "Arc'teryx on me no we don't rock no Patagonia" or on Yeat's "Sorry Bout That" when he says "I had the Issey Miyake jeans with the Arc'teryx jacket." In both songs we can see an how this brand, once known for its utility in snowy or rainy climates, has become a staple in mainstream media and today's culture. Lastly, to accompany this newfound clout, Arc'teryx has effectively tried to create a brand identity by leaving comments on some of these aforementioned TikTok videos, encouraging these trends to continue and adding to the popularity.

Overall, despite a long year that saw many existing and new brands find a fresh wave of popularity, it would be hard to argue against Arc'teryx for brand of the year.