Napapijri is entering a new era

The fact that Silvia Onofri chooses to call Christopher Raeburn a «brand curator» instead of an artistic director speaks volumes about the vision the Brand President has for Napapijri. The decision to involve Raeburn, formerly with Timberland, should make it clear that the brand (which in its 36-year history had never had a creative director) is about to undergo not just a simple artistic update, but a total rebranding. To achieve this, Onofri explains, it will be necessary to draw from the brand's roots, rediscovering the brand's hero products from the archive that made it an icon in the '90s, but more importantly, to revisit them with a different perspective. "Old Stories, New Eyes" is the motto chosen by Onofri and Raeburn for Napapijri's new direction, a brand ready to reclaim its spot at the forefront of international streetwear. From music to Fashion Week, from sustainability to urban style, the mountain that Onofri and her team have decided to climb this year is up high. But it looks like Napapijri is perfectly equipped for the occasion.

Founded in 1987 at the foot of Mont Blanc, Napapijri initially began as a travel bag brand. In its early years, it became known for the quality of its products, characterised by a very durable waxed cotton canvas. In the '90s, the brand became synonymous with street style, a name seen across the Italian peninsula and at all altitudes, from school backpacks to skiers' knitwear. This is where the brand will start anew under the guidance of Silvia Onofri, who joined Napapijri in February 2023 after a twenty-year career at globally established maisons like Bulgari and Bally. The change that the Brand President has implemented at Napapijri permeates every sector, from production to communication. Despite the rebranding, Onofri assures that the brand will maintain the same irreverence that made it famous. «The peculiarity that makes Napa special is that it is an offbeat brand,» says the Brand President, arguing that involving a creative like Raeburn, though unconventional, aligns perfectly with Napapijri’s disruptive spirit. «It could only be an original brand curator, beyond expectations: Christopher is a very special person. To me, he is a thinker, a man who observes a lot, attentive to cultural changes, to the meaning of things. He has an extremely deep and varied culture, so, like the brand, he is passionate about exploration.» A veteran of responsible design (he launched his sustainable brand in 2009 when the industry was largely ignoring environmental causes), Raeburn possesses extensive knowledge in both production and textile innovation. The designer’s role at Napapijri is recognised as brand curator precisely because it will be a transversal figure, capable of intervening both artistically and productively. That said, Onofri adds, Napapijri «does not want to become a performance brand; we want to take the opposite path. The whole team wants to revive the brand primarily as a cultural phenomenon.»

Raeburn’s first collection for Napapijri, a summer capsule for the SS25 season, is a clear example of the brand’s new image. Against a reddish-orange backdrop, urban style and sporty silhouettes find a compromise through workwear coords, hoodies that recall Napapijri’s old stylistic codes, polo shirts, and shirts that explore a more urban dimension, and camouflage patterns that seem poised to become the brand’s most popular motif. As promised by Onofri, knitwear makes a comeback in soft, natural tones and a vintage look, while outerwear decisively moves towards futuristic designs. The Rainforest reappears in ash blue and oversized, a classic that will never need to change to stand out and that fully embodies the urban-outdoor dualism of Napapijri. «It is a brand that combines function with style, even in its creative vision, it has always loved imperfection, the unexpected detail as added value,» an artistic tendency that has also greatly inspired the brand’s new communication strategy, adds Onofri. «We want to start creating conversations with fashion, with the world of music and architecture through authentic content.» The Brand President does not reveal too many details about Napapijri’s future collaborations but warns: «We do not have the presumption or interest to compete with big brands that have large marketing investments. What we are interested in is building storytelling with an unexpected twist, communicating with our community through what we call the ‘Napa Way’ of doing things, that is, together.»

Now that the entire fashion industry seems to have realised the importance of sustainable fashion and the endless possibilities of textile innovation, breaking into the world of technical fashion could be more challenging than ever for Napapijri. Even in this field, Onofri reassures, nonconformity will remain a guiding value. «The challenge is not to perform with technical materials, but to make historical materials technical,» she explains, going back to the new motto “Old Stories, New Eyes.” «History returns in the form of integrated technology: we have reintroduced the entire ski world that has been absent for many years, and knitwear from our archive comes back in recycled wool.» In this retrospective journey, there will be plenty of space for social and environmental responsibility projects: aiming for 100% sustainability by 2030, Napapijri raises the expectations for its productions and seeks to implement greater attention for circular fashion, along with the traceability and durability of materials. «Today we have extremely ambitious goals, but with a very clear purpose,» adds the Brand President. «That of never sacrificing the beauty of design.» Given these premises, it looks like we'll be witnessing plenty of beauty.