Written by Menswear Style in New Collections on the 9th October 2019

Japanese outdoor lifestyle brand Snow Peak, have released a capsule collection in collaboration with TOKYO DESIGN STUDIO New Balance, consisting of both footwear and apparel. Snow Peak was a natural choice for New Balance’s TOKYO DESIGN STUDIO’s first collaboration partner. Snow Peak’s company mission of “connecting people and nature, and people and people, to contribute to a recovery of humanity,” and their over 60 years of expertise in outdoor manufacturing resonates with Tokyo Design Studio’s core of design rooted in nature.

Snow Peak’s journey began in 1958 when its founder, Yukio Yamai, a dedicated Japanese mountaineer, found himself frustrated with the climbing equipment available to him. Driven to explore the mountains of Niigata prefecture, he used the unique metal processing technology pioneered in his hometown to develop superior mountaineering equipment; these were the first Snow Peak products.

This respect of high-quality craftsmanship and love of nature remain the inspiration behind the brand. Today Snow Peak strives to inspire people to enjoy the outdoors and to be in harmony with nature, through the creation of high-quality products that can be passed on to the next generation. This capsule represents a true partnership of the two company’s core competencies - Snow Peak’s meticulous design anchored by the highest standards of extreme environmental performance, and Tokyo Design Studio’s purpose of creating high-minded design rooted in functionality, quality and cultivated through New Balance’s 112-year heritage.

The Snow Peak x New Balance R_C4 Mid Boot features a Cordura ripstop upper, GORE-TEX lining, Vibram outsole, midsole with ENCAP REVEAL technology, magnetic FIDLOCK buckle and is finished with a webbing N logo, reflective rope laces, a neoprene tongue and collar, and a co-branded insert and pull tab. The apparel capsule is constructed from Snow Peak’s iconic windproof, breathable, and water repellent cotton-nylon. Apparel and footwear will be available in the UK via snowpeak.co.uk, as well as exclusive stockists END. and Kafka.

The collaboration has been brought to life through the visual direction of Ms. Keiko Hitotsuyama who provides a view of the world as a modern urban outdoor space, filled with modern and artistic images.

A first look at the Tokyo Design Studio New Balance x Snowpeak Capsule Collection which features a R_C4 Mid Boot with GORE-TEX lining.