The Puffer Jacket; from functional to fashionable.
A brief history of the puffer jacket, from its origins as practical outdoor kit to its embrace by high-society, the fashion forward set and 80s subculture.
The puffer jacket was born out of neccessity way back in 1936. The initial idea, of a goose down-insulated quilted jacket, was patented by American Eddie Bauer. After a near death experience from hypothermia, after nearly freezing to death on a fishing trip, Bauer understandably sought to design an alternative to the waterlogged wool jacket he had on that particular trip. And the initial puffer jacket was born.
The Eddie Bauer jacket patent design.
Oddly it took only a year for this piece of utilitarian outdoors kit to gain recognition within high society. Across the Atlantic English designer Charles James created a one off design of an evening jacket with a cinched waist and topper-style padding. The James creation was deemed significant enough to take up home within the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The Charles James design from the Victoria & Albert Museum collection.
Despite this quick race to the top of society, it was Bauer’s more practical style that began to take off, becoming an increasingly sought after outdoors item. Gradually becoming a popular choice for both mountaineering and the ski-slopes, the puffer jacket became more in demand for its winter weather practicality than its street style.
Although naturally through its association with the ski-slopes, the puffer jacket began to be seen on certain celebrities, this après-ski style was ignored by fashion until 1973 with arrival of Norma Karmali’s ‘Sleeping Bag Coat’. Like Bauer decades earlier this new design was inspired by an outdoors adventure, only on this occasion it merely involved the need to pee rather than a case of hypothermia. When on a camping trip, Kamali felt need to pee at a campsite without toilet facilities, so draped herself in her sleeping bag and dashed off to the trees, realising on route that it made such a great coat. Returning home she cut up her sleeping bag to create the pattern for the first sleeping bag coat, and the comfortably quilted ‘Sleeping Bag Coat’ was born.
Advert for Norma Karmali's 1970s 'Sleeping Bag Coat'.
The padded puffer jacket would quickly take off around the globe. Popular around various subcultures, the quilted jacket was quickly recognised as a useful storage device for illicit substances by Studio 54 founder Steve Rubell, and was often spotted around New York dancefloors. The Paninari subculture based around Milan in the 1980s prided themselves on a lifestyle based around luxurious consumption and designer clothes, with the short Moncler puffer jacket becoming a particular favourite. Whilst 80s Casuals in the UK opted often for a Stone Island variant, which was surely far too pricey for anyone the police needed to keep an eye on before kick-off.
Gradually the puffer jacket designed for outdoor pursuits was appropriated by a more streetwise set, with brands like Fila Vintage and Ellesse bringing a sports style aesthetic onboard by incorporating colour blocking and stripe detailing. The rap scene would see the jacket safely though the 90s as a continuing style icon, whilst Alexander McQueen would ensure they saw the 20th Century out on the catwalk in the form of the ‘duvet coat’.
During the 21st Century the quilted jacket has continued to find favour amongst the fashion set, as Balenciaga clearly demonstrate, whilst still retaining credibility on the street. Naturally the puffer jacket is also the still the perfect winter coat, with that water resistant shell and heavily wadded interior providing perfect protection against the elements.
At Atom Retro we embrace both 70s ski styling and the 80s Terraces look with a cool selection of quilted coats from Fila Vintage, Luke 1977, Madcap England, French Connection and Ellesse. Check out our complete puffer jacket collection here.
