Words: Josh Barringer
What does it mean when Arc’teryx performance is brought to everyday life? The same design philosophy, same materials, and the same minimalist approach to a solution applying innovative technologies to resolved designs for an everyday experience. Whether climbing, hiking or running, Arc’teryx gear enhances comfort for elevated performance.
Everyday has the same mission as Outdoor products — comfort and protection to stay outside longer. The products in Lifestyle are designed for someone who understands the requirements of protection and functionality in mountain pursuits, but are suitable for various activities in specific conditions.
Lifestyle Design Manager Edita Hadravska and her team begin with determining the consumer needs for a particular season. They collaborate with product line managers and the retail team to examine feedback from our consumers. Attention is maintained on the guiding questions to best solve the problem.
Edita learned this approach in her previous career as a lawyer. “The creative elements of working within constraints, working with what you have with the consumer at the forefront of your mind, that’s what separates good and bad design. A lawyer or designer won’t have the best solution if there is just rigorous application of principles. Asking what’s in it for the consumer gives the best guidance.”
The Lifestyle design team hypothesize where the next collection is going to progress and gather potential textiles to determine the performance direction. They collaborate with the in-house materials team to seek the best options for achieving a particular silhouette or which weights will broaden the product’s use occasions.
However, knowing which route not to take is the most useful information. There is a deep appreciation of failure during the experimentation phase of design. “If we’re not failing, we’re not pushing hard enough. You learn so much about what isn’t going to be an option. The majority of the things you try fail.”
Out of failure, possibility.
Lifestyle is driven to be innovative and push comfort and performance of products. Inspired by the variety of environmental characteristics experienced in Vancouver, Lifestyle is able to provide solutions to enhance comfort through protection during specific conditions.
The Lifestyle Design Team
Edita Hadravska – Design Manager
Karen Willis – Designer
Stella Ho – Designer
Kimberly Burgess – Design Developer
Shera Ng – Design Developer