Reese Cooper Men’s Spring 2022
Los Angeles designer Reese Cooper used a bridge in Southern California’s San Gabriel mountains as his back-to-nature runway continuing his exploration of the outdoors as part of a five-year partnership with the USDA Forest Service that began last season.
“Fresh Air” was the title of his collection film, but it’s also big business in pandemic-era retail, when record numbers have been buying gear for hiking and camping.
Cooper, who launched his label in 2016, was ahead of the curve. And because he orients every collection to an actual compass point, and designs into that — this season’s being the Crystal Lake Recreation Area dating back to the 1930s — his take on the lake-and-lodge look for men and women feels authentic.
For spring, he went deeper into core silhouettes, launched his first collaborations with Levi’s on denim and Merrell on trail runner shoes, and broadened entry-level accessory offerings, including a new Azusa leather handbag hand painted by artist Juliet Johnstone, and his popular Wilson hiking boots in bright colors.
It added up to a big lifestyle statement for the brand, which feels ready to come alive in a significant way at retail, and Cooper poised for a collaboration with an L.L. Bean or Eddie Bauer, perhaps.
