Why You Should Add a Puffer Jacket to Your Rotation This Winter
With winter lurking around the corner and temperatures slowly declining, it goes without saying that puffer season is almost in full effect. And while some opt for long wooly coats or prefer piling on layers underneath a windbreaker, the quintessential winter jacket has and always will be the puffer.
Long before brands like The North Face and First Down dominated ‘90s fashion, the puffer jacket already had years of ingenuity under its belt. The original down jackets used insulating feathers from ducks, the concept came to be when Australian chemist and mountaineer George Finch used a balloon fabric and eiderdown to craft the first puffer.
Since then, countless innovations have followed, most notably with Eddie Bauer creating the first patent for the jacket — and the rest is history.
These days, puffer jackets are still often lined with duck feathers and typically have a durable, nylon ripstop exterior. Though some brands coat their jackets with wind and water-repellent finishes, others focus on the optics, utilizing a mix of fabrics, polyester fills, and cuts that provide different qualities when outdoors.
And so, what better way to celebrate winter's arrival than with the favorite puffer jackets selected by our curators? These seasonal pieces by Diesel, The North Face, Stone Island, and more of our favorite brands sublimely merge aesthetics with functionality and will keep the cold at bay for the coming winter.
Shop the best Puffer Jackets Below
The North Face 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket
Since its first release in the early 90s, The North Face Nuptse jacket has become the brand's most iconic outerwear design. Here, the classic puffer is given a colorful update via its purple body.
Acne Studios Padded Nylon Jacket
For those who love to cinch in the waist on their jackets to create a more boxy fit and stop the air coming in, Acne Studios has made a feature of the drawstrings in the bottom band of this jacket, allowing you to adapt the fit of the puffer to your liking.
C.P. Company DD Shell Hooded Down Jacket
As we have come to expect from C.P. Company, this jacket features some serious tech to keep you protected from the elements. That includes a seven-denier nylon outer shell and direct down injection to make the garment even softer.
Jacquemus La Doudoune Chemise
While at first glance this looks like a big and bulky puffer jacket, the hood can be removed which turns this piece of outerwear into possibly the warmest winter shirt ever.
Diesel Ralle Jacket
Arriving with lots more wild winterwear designed by Glenn Martens, Diesel is back to reclaim its place alongside other luxury brands. Crafted using a unique smocking and overprinting technique, this is easily one of the most eye-catching puffers to drop this year.
Stone Island Packable Down Jacket Light
While we're used to seeing big and bulky puffer jackets, that doesn't always have to be the case. This lightweight design from Stone Island can be packed into its inner pocket for easy transport.
Gramicci Down Puffer Jacket
For the uninitiated Gramicci's dedication to functionality and aesthetics go back to 1982 when the brand was founded in Yosemite, California. This outerwear offering is made from a soft-textured taffeta and is a great piece for anyone searching for a minimal, black puffer jacket.
entire studios SOA Puffer Jacket
No brand comes close to crafting cropped puffer jackets like entire studios. From the minimal branding to the water-repellent finish, this puffer is definitely worth the investment.
A-COLD-WALL* Lightweight Down Jacket
Big and bulky puffer jackets are great in the depths of winter but, most of the time, a more lightweight option such as this from A-COLD-WALL* is all that you need. Elevating the all-black design is the British label's expertise in branding, which come in the form of enamel diamond hardware at the left chest, a velcro logo patch at the left sleeve, and a large metallic code print at the back.
C.P. Company Nycra-R Goggle Down Jacket
While the chances of getting caught in a low-visibility snowstorm are rare, you can still make good use of C.P. Company's signature goggles hidden in this hooded puffer. Water and wind are no match for this garment-dyed jacket, and the down filling will keep your torso cozy without any hassles.
The North Face Himalayan Parka
We'd be remiss to have an outerwear round-up and not include a North Face puffer jacket. With years of innovation embedded into its products, the Himalayan Parka is undoubtedly one of the easiest ways to get through winter.
Stone Island Nylon Metal Down Jacket
Similar to The North Face's Nupste, Stone Island's Metal Down Jacket can be considered one of the pre-eminent men's puffer jackets for winter. Treated with a unique dyeing process that emulates a metallic finish, Stoney filled this jacket with 100% eiderdown down feathers so you can brave anything winter throws at you.
Want to keep browsing? Head to the Highsnobiety Shop for more products that we love.
