Windbreakers have emerged as a defining garment of the current era, worn by figures as diverse as Greenland's prime minister and Hollywood actor Timothée Chalamet. The practical outerwear, a modern descendant of the Arctic parka, signals a shift from aspiration to realism in fashion.
Greenland's prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, wore a glacial-blue windbreaker during a press conference with Denmark's leader, where he rejected Donald Trump's desire to 'own' Greenland. The jacket, described as a 'modern take on the Inuit anorak', took on a loaded political message in the context of shifting geopolitics.
Popular culture has fuelled the windbreaker's resurgence. A $250 (£185) windbreaker from the film 'Marty Supreme', produced by Nahmias and A24, sold out and now appears on resale sites for up to £16,000. Searches for 'windbreakers' on Depop have risen 60% in six months, while 'Marty Supreme' searches soared 1,475% in six weeks.
Celebrities including Hailey Bieber, Zoë Kravitz and Charli xcx have worn versions on the Saint Laurent front row. According to trend forecaster J'Nae Phillips, windbreakers 'sit at a very specific emotional crossroads: practicality, nostalgia and irony'. They align with a mood shift 'away from aspiration and toward realism', she says.
Meteorological factors also play a role. 'We're in a permanently in-between climate moment,' Phillips notes, as storms bring high winds. 'Windbreakers are designed for uncertainty, which mirrors how people are dressing more broadly: adaptable, layerable, non-committal.'
High-street retailers from Zara to Cos offer their own versions, while Berghaus reissued its 90s Trango jacket fronted by Liam Gallagher. The windbreaker, once more associated with trainspotters than trendsetters, now reads as chic and reassuring in unpredictable times.
