There’s a lot that Portland and London don’t have in common. One is populated with gritty blue-collar workers who neck craft beer in torrential rain. While the other has finance bros who film themselves drinking Guinness and hiss at the sight of any moisture. But one thing the two great cities share is a talent for turning the grim realities of local weather into style opportunities. Which makes SOREL’s latest link-up with Aries feel like it was written in the stars.
SOREL, the Portland-based boot brand best known for building footwear you can actually trust when the heavens open, have teamed up with Aries, London’s cult luxury streetwear label, on a capsule collection that makes as much sense stomping through Oregonian sludge as it does on a Shoreditch side street.
The standout offering from the capsule (although all of it is well good) is the CALLSIGN HORIZON™ – SOREL’s legendary Caribou boot reimagined with Aries’ subcultural flair. It’s the first time anyone’s been let loose on this highly unique silhouette, and Aries has pulled an absolute blinder: waterproof GORE-TEX™ uppers, a hefty Vibram™ outsole, and a removable GORE-TEX gaiter that zips on and off the shoe – basically providing you two silhouettes for the price of one. The low version can tackle everything from light rain to substantial puddles, but once you’ve zipped on that gaiter, you’re essentially capable of wading to work through just about anything.
Not stopping at footwear, there’s also a Windcheater tracksuit that has been doused in a mad iridescent orange colour, as well as a 480gsm hoodie that feels like it could double as a duvet, complete with Sorel’s bear on the hood and Aries’ temple on the back pocket. And, because no cold-weather collab is complete without one, a co-branded beanie so everyone knows your head is both warm and well-connected.
SOREL’s president says the collab ‘captures the rebellious spirit‘ of Aries while staying true to SOREL’s commitment to toughness. While Aries founder Sofia Prantera calls it ‘an elevated expression‘ that merges their quiet rebellion with SOREL’s rugged DNA. All we reckon is that it’s a collection that makes sense whether you’re dodging puddles in Hackney or hiking up something mossy in Oregon.
The SOREL x Aries capsule is available to be purchased now from Aries.
