The week Field Mag launched in 2015 we published a short article on a pair of collab hikers by Japanese outfitter And Wander. Almost exactly five years later, I’m still drooling over the brand, which has finally begun to filter into the North American market. Like those boots, the latest piece to catch my eye is designed for hiking. Unlike those boots, which remain a grail, the Alpha Direct Hoodie is a bit more attainable (full disclosure I’m wearing it as I type this, cozy as can be in my Brooklyn apartment).
For those uninitiated, And Wander is a niche outfitter making largely unisex outdoor apparel and bags of a caliber rarely seen elsewhere. For founders Keita Ikeuchi and Mihoko Mori, it’s important the brand falls into the fashionable outdoor gear category, rather than be considered outdoor-inspired fashion. Though the two met while working for famed Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake, they are both long time outdoor enthusiasts, and drew on this to launch And Wander in 2011. The two combine their design and fashion experience and outdoor knowhow to create some of the most functional, most aesthetically beautiful outdoor garments and gear around.
