ALLIED Feather + Down (AF+D) is proud to announce the launch of their first-ever down jacket capsule collection in the United States, in cooperation with apparel and textile leaders Mitsui & Co. and Pertex.

Originally available only in Japan, these jackets combine ethically sourced down from ALLIED, industry-leading down garment production from Mitsui, and the finest downproof textiles from Pertex to blur the line between outdoor performance and fashion-forward aesthetics.

Matthew Betcher, Creative and Marketing director for ALLIED, said that with their knowledge of materials, incredible partner relationships, and intimate awareness of both the new outdoor and fashion industries, they often thought it would be interesting to see what they could accomplish from a product perspective. Combining Mitsui's manufacturing and Pertex's industry-leading fabrics was, in their opinion, a possible dream team that could generate a "no holds barred" capsule collection of products unrivaled in terms of performance, fashion, and sustainability."

A very limited number of items will be offered through ALLIED's Zero Degrees North, a design and creative inspiration lab (zeronrth.com) starting on 3/7, with the collection of four jackets available online in the US at alliedfeatherdown-product.com.

For huge fashion houses, independent avant-garde designers, and worldwide outdoor brands, Mitsui of Japan creates some of the best quality and most creative down garments. Building a design team and relying on their immaculate production provides this collection a level of design and creativity that pairs well with cutting-edge fabrics and the world's greatest down insulation.

Pertex has long been a leader in innovative downproof textiles, and working with Pertex has allowed ALLIED to use fabrics that blur the line between fashion and technology. This collection performs as well as any down outerwear while having a high-fashion style, drape, and feel.

Daniel Uretsky, President of ALLIED Feather + Down, said that Mitsui is an excellent maker of some of the most original and luxury technical outerwear available, and Pertex is one of the most unique textile companies they have worked with. Working with these incredible organizations creates a synergy that is unique to the garment industry, and they're happy to see it reflected in the product. They're excited to keep pushing the boundaries in this small collection and offering regular drops in not only Japan but North America and Europe as well.

The collision of urban and outdoor style has long been welcomed by Japanese culture, and these four jackets all embrace this sensibility and aesthetic, giving Japan the ideal home for the collection. Mitsui aided in the recruitment of a young Japanese design team with experience working on some of the most innovative fashion, streetwear, and technical collections.

Betcher added that they've been looking at Japan not only as a significant market for them, but also as a source of inspiration. Building a design team with the avant-garde aesthetic that has become synonymous with Japanese high fashion was the ideal way to bring all of the partners together and create something that will resonate beyond the Japanese domestic market, and hopefully, act as a beacon for what technical apparel can become in the North American and European markets.

The ALLIED collection is supposed to be timeless while remaining relevant to current trends, thanks to a policy of frequent garment launches. As new products are created, the collection will continue to expand and contract during the fall and winter months. The AF+D collection is currently available in better Japanese stores like Beauty & Youth and Barney's New York. 

Four different jackets will be available for the first drop in 2022. The first one is the Flameproof Down Coat, which is built to withstand the harshest environments, from alpine mountain tops to frigid urban explorations. This jacket looks good at the end of the world, with an almost bomb-proof shell and filled with ALLIED's RENU:700, a 700 fill power performance recycled down. Interior shoulder straps make it easy and fashionable to put on and take off if it gets a little heated.

The UL Bulky Down Jacket combines lightweight pertex materials with 850 fill power Grey Goose ALLIED Down overfilled baffles to provide unrivaled warmth while remaining light. The jacket's cut pays homage to vintage down parkas while also being fashion-forward. This jacket can practically take you from Paris's streets to the summit of Mont Blanc.

The Reversible Down Cardigan features a lightweight Pertex fabric on one side and an innovative down-proof polartec fleece on the other. This garment, which has a particular Japanese fit, can be seen on the streets of Tokyo and on the backs of streetwear influencers. It's made of ALLIED's RENU:700, a 700 fill power recycled down. 

The Weatherproof Coat is made up of a Pertex 3L outer shell and an ultralight removable down jacket liner made of ALLIED's RENU:700, a 700 fill power recycled down. This must-have piece for the traveler may be worn three different ways and provides protection and warmth from a wide range of weather situations while packing less.