Eddie Bauer Reissue Collection

The Original Down Jacket. In Partnership with Eddie Bauer.

The Eddie Bauer Reissue Bomber Down Vest in Pumice.

When it comes to the down jacket, there are few names more iconic than Eddie Bauer. As someone who appreciates purpose-built things and attention to the past, the recent archival releases have had my attention. This season, Eddie Bauer looked to its rich history and long heritage making down jackets to bring back two icons of the past for the Eddie Bauer Reissue Collection.

We know Eddie Bauer’s heritage of inventing and popularizing two of the most important staples of cold weather wardrobe: the down jacket and the puffer coat. The Reissue Collection features the Original Down Bomber Jacket and a Bomber Down Vest. Both have great archival details, like the old-school Talon zippers and a heritage-inspired ribbed collar. The details here are correct. The color options —the Dusty Olive and Light Khaki being personal favorites— are also well done. It’s not easy to get these types of re-releases right, and this collection manages to hit all the right notes.

If all new designers were sourced from the archives, I would be a happy man. There’s just something great about taking an iconic style from the past and bringing it back in a meaningful way.

A good vest is very much in my zone because it’s a functional component that can provide a controlled amount of warmth with some layering options. So I took the Reissue Bomber Down Vest (and got some rare photos of me) on a cool day in LA. The colors of the Reissue Collection are right on with the vest in Pumice (pictured) and the Dusty Olive, a perfect light green resonating. The right shade of green can be something of a neutral color (in my opinion) that works with a variety of different things. In a vest, this is a good thing because you can wear it with so many different outfits and situations. These are the versatile pieces we all need. [Eddie Bauer Reissue Collection]

When Eddie Bauer says something is an original down jacket, it means it. Above is the patent for the company’s quilted down coat, with its signature pattern that was registered during WWII. Eddie Bauer would produce tens of thousands of these jackets for the Army Air Corps and other feather-down items for the war effort. Eddie Bauer is one of the most iconic cold weather makers outfitting expeditions, outdoorsmen, soldiers, and city folk for over 100 years. It’s a true American feather-down icon.