Japanese Nylon Takes Centre Stage in Our New Drop

6 days ago in StyleWords By Tom Barker

Nylon has been a mainstay in sportswear for decades. Durable, water-resistant, and lightweight, it’s an obvious choice for any technical-focused piece. In particular, it became the fabric of choice for the sports-obsessed ‘90s. Think bright colors and glossy materials that bring to mind memories of sporting heroes such as Michael Jordan.

However, a new approach to using nylon was also birthed at this time, bringing the utilitarian fabric into high fashion.

Launched in the late 90s, the subline Prada Sport was the first to bring the material onto the runway. It introduced the idea of nylon as a luxury fabric and in turn, laid the foundations for athleisure and marrying utility with refinement. While it caused controversy at the time, those original items with the red stripe branding have become grails since.

Re-branded as Linea Rosa, the subline was recently resurrected in a fashion landscape where nylon is not only typically used in high-end collections by the likes of Stone Island and A-COLD-WALL*but is also a desired fabric — especially within techwear and gorpcore.

Texture Nylon Zipper Shirt Jacket

$200

Highsnobiety

Buy at Highsnobiety

Our in-house brand’s spring/summer 2023 collection also sees nylon as a fabric to be celebrated, going directly to a region that is renowned for its high-quality materials.

From the drop, legwear, hats, and outerwear are made from durable Japanese nylon to create a selection of versatile styles that can be mixed and matched for full looks.

This season, we have a range of pants available that make full use of nylon’s practical benefits but none more so than the cargo pants. A style that’s transformed from a hiking dad essential into a streetwear mainstay, our military-inspired cargos are made from water-resistant ripstop nylon with reinforced knees, cinch cords at either ankle, and adjustable waist straps.

These pants are also joined by mid-length cargo shorts which are accented by white contrast stitching for days when it’s too hot to not let your knees breathe.

Nylon Cargo Pants

$145

Highsnobiety

Buy at Highsnobiety

And rounding off the legwear is a selection of textured nylon shorts and pants in a lightweight fabric. With a minimal design that allows for the nylon’s distinctive crinkly crepe texture and subtle sheen to take center stage, these have been crafted with traveling in mind as they compress tightly when folded and don’t need to be ironed when taken out of a cramped travel bag.

The textured nylon legwear is also joined by a shirt jacket in the same fabric and colors to be mixed and matched for a full casual outfit.

Launching alongside partially see-through knitwear, technical outerwear, and upcycled graphic tops, head over to the Highsnobiety Shop to check out everything from the Highsnobiety SS23 collection.