Reformation has always filled very specific shopping niches. The jeans that feel like vintage but come in more than a single size. The celebrity-endorsed sundress for swanning into brunch with an ex. The just-revealing-enough gown to wear to six, seven, or eight weddings a year as a guest—plus one as a bridesmaid. What if it also filled the void for photogenic but actually warm après-ski outerwear, too?

This is a variation of a question the sustainability-driven, Los Angeles-based brand has considered for a while, Reformation CEO Hali Borenstein tells BAZAAR.com. Shoppers have asked Reformation for an eco-conscious spin on winter gear like puffer jackets; the team says it hasn't seen much sustainability innovation in the outerwear space (let alone versions that aren't a plain black puffer). So the brand finally has an answer for those all those chilly customers, one it's providing in an upcoming collection designed with Canada Goose.

Today, December 6, the two brands released a joint winter outerwear capsule online and in select stores. The partnership's summed up in a tagline that's somehow utilitarian and consistent with the specifically chatty tone of Reformation's infamous email list: "Stop being cold." And, do it in color.

models wear canada goose and reformation outerwear in a story announcing the canada goose and reformation collaboration 2022
Canada Goose and Reformation
models wear canada goose and reformation outerwear in a story announcing the canada goose and reformation collaboration 2022
Canada Goose and Reformation
Cypress Vest
Canada Goose x Reformation Cypress Vest
$650 at The Reformation
Shelburne Parka
Canada Goose x Reformation Shelburne Parka
Mila Puffer
Canada Goose x Reformation Mila Puffer
Lorita Puffer
Canada Goose x Reformation Lorita Puffer
Olivia Head Scarf
Canada Goose x Reformation Olivia Head Scarf
Shelburne Parka
Canada Goose x Reformation Shelburne Parka
Lorita Puffer
Canada Goose x Reformation Lorita Puffer
Shelburne Parka
Canada Goose x Reformation Shelburne Parka
Layla Vest
Canada Goose x Reformation Layla Vest

Any winter coat designed by Canada Goose would probably meet that command's basic requirements. This capsule updates toasty staples like the Mystique and Shelbourne parkas, two down-filled coats with weather-proof outsides, and introduces a new puffer jacket shape. Dipping into Reformation's archive of vintage-inspired patterns and wedding guest florals takes Canada Goose's wintersport expertise in an unseen direction—one that's a lot more playful and could be spotted immediately from a chairlift on a crowded ski resort. Some jackets work in prints from Reformation's best-selling sundresses; vests come with '70s chevron stripes. A few styles, including a new, slightly cropped puffer jacket, are reversible between solids and retro geometric prints.

Seeing these two brands on the same tag isn't all that's new. Canada Goose chief product officer Woody Blackford says Canada Goose is introducing a fresh eco-conscious fabric for the collab, a "performance satin" made from recycled materials. Other pieces include materials typical of the Canada Goose oeuvre: a one-hundred percent nylon ripstop that's also recycled, and a responsibly sourced down.

models wear canada goose and reformation outerwear in a story announcing the canada goose and reformation collaboration 2022
Canada Goose and Reformation

If shoppers are considering every possible option for a new-to-them coat, Borenstein acknowledges that vintage is still "one hundred percent" preferable where sustainability is involved. (Reformation started as a vintage boutique, after all, and still operates three vintage stores.) Knowing secondhand is out there doesn't eliminate its shoppers' desire to buy something fresh or upgrade an item they've worn out. "Our point of view is, let's give a consumer a better alternative for when they want something new, that has a lower footprint and that also can be recycled or resold and promote a longer lifecycle," she says.

For outerwear, the best possible alternative needed the expertise of a tested outerwear brand. Initial conversations with Canada Goose started so long ago, Borenstein can't remember exactly when the two brands first got in touch. But, she and Blackford both saw mutual interest in making something that would last—and in Canada Goose's case, offer something "unexpected," Blackford says.

A several-months-long process of putting the collection together began with selecting the core pieces from Canada Goose's side to update. Reformation brought in vintage inspiration decks, Borenstein says, to guide the overall look; Blackford's team provided the technical expertise to make sure each piece was as warm as it was photogenic. The most back-and-forth arose from just how much of Reformation's printing should go on the outerwear. Ultimately, they landed on a balance Borenstein thinks has something for everyone: a few florals, a few geometric prints, and some solids to flip to when something more subdued is in order.

models wear the reformation and canada goose collection in a story about the reformation canada goose outerwear collaboration 2022
Canada Goose and Reformation

Jackson Hole and Vail aren't the only places you're supposed to wear the jackets. Longevity is also a matter of versatility. "We wanted to make sure these styles were reimagined in a way that would make them more transitional," Blackford explains, "and offer the consumer a new spin on these styles." He points to the Mystique parka's new removable hood and drawcords that discreetly tuck into the Milla puffer's front pockets as examples—little touches that can adapt to wherever each jacket is worn. There's also a first for both brands in the form of a puffer scarf, which can be worn on your head or around your neck. (It's also reversible.)

models wear reformation and canada goose outerwear in a roundup of the reformation canada goose outerwear collaboration 2022
Canada Goose and Reformation
a model wears a floral parka from reformation and canada goose to illustrate news about the canada goose outerwear collaboration 2022
Canada Goose and Reformation

One could wear these jackets all the way until April in some locations, but they're meant for the mountain first. Fittingly, they'll be shoppable at a pop-up boutique at Aspen's St. Regis resort, in addition to select Canada Goose and Reformation stores. Borenstein tells me she's planning to go skiing with her daughters later this winter, dressed in one of the jackets she helped design. And if they're as warm and long-lasting as the two brands say, Borenstein's daughters will be able to wear their mom's designs on the slopes years later.

The Reformation and Canada Goose outerwear collection is available today, December 6, at Reformation. This post has been updated.

Lettermark
Halie LeSavage
Fashion Commerce Editor

Halie LeSavage is the fashion commerce editor at Harper's BAZAAR. Her style reporting covers everything from reviewing the best designer products to profiling emerging brands and designers. Previously, she was the founding retail writer at Morning Brew and a fashion associate at Glamour.