Brand To Watch: Pyrenex

Welcome to Brand To Watch, a style column from COMPLEX UK. Here, we’ll be spotlighting the best emerging brands out of the UK and beyond, asking them what makes them stand out from the crowd, how they’ve navigated through unprecedented times and determining their vision of fashion and the future.

While the outerwear market continues to surge in hype, Pyrenex have been delivering timeless technical-wear for over 160 years.

Founded in 1859 the family-run brand has always delivered best in class down products and outerwear, sourced from the South West of France. Great-Grandfather of the family, Abel Crabos, collected feathers from markets and farms around his village in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains, and it’s been a family affair ever since.

The brand has gone from manufacturing sleeping bags and other equipment designed for the sub-zero conditions of their local community to creating coats that have descended from the mountains on to the streets of today. That future-facing aesthetic is apparent in their Autumn-Winter 2021/22 collection, which showcases the technicality and warmth of Pyrenex clothing while on display in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and Roaches, in the Peak District.

Drawing its colour range inspiration from the rooftops of Paris, the new collection features a host of cutting-edge garments from the brand through the lens of photographer Ian Wallman. The collection is as ready for countryside hikes as it is for heading out into the city, with the highly-technical fabrics blending between both environments seamlessly.

The new lookbook from Pyrenex spotlights pieces that emphasise exactly this. The oversized, heavyweight Sten Jacket arrives in shiny Taffeta fabric, while the Masha Vest is a perfect layering option for transitional climates, with the brand’s Spoutnic Jacket complete with a water and windproof Mini Ripstop fabric and natural down filling for ultimate all-conditions flexibility. 

Pyrenex’s longevity in the game is proof of their technical-wear prowess, with the brand’s heritage and tradition of quality garment engineering perfect for the consumers of today. Having built up their expertise for creating meticulously-crafted garments with cutting-edge technology at their core, Complex believes Pyrenex are a brand that should be on your radar. We caught up with them to talk us through their heritage and ethos, and what their plans are for 2022.