HUNGER’s guide to surviving the rain (and looking good while doing it)

From Stutterheim raincoats to hoods from HADES, this is HUNGER’s guide to braving the London weather without looking like a drowned rat.

Stutterheim’s AW24 collection 

A whole collection? Yep. It’s hard to pick just one rain-ready piece from Stutterheim, the Swedish company that’s all about prioritising style and function. Think of a raincoat silhouette, and Stutterheim’s probably got it. There’s double-breasted ones, cropped ones, hooded matte ones, and there’s even waterproof trousers. If we did have to choose our favourite, it would be the Bandhagen Raincoat. It’s a varsity style rainjacket that’s both two tone and two texture — it’s moving away from Paddington territory and towards the kind of thing you’d see some cool yout wearing at The Spurstowe. The kind of thing that you’d spend days tracking down online because you’re too shy to simply go up and ask where it’s from. Shop Stutterheim’s AW24 collection here and take a look at the Bandhagen in all its glory below. 

You saw this one coming — an Arc’teryx

It wouldn’t be a rainwear edit without including Arc’teryx, the Canadian-born patron saints of outerwear. If you live in east London, you’ll be familiar with the enduring power of the brand’s jackets. Whether you like it or not, they’ve managed to traverse their way from snowy mountains to the streets of Hackney, and that’s because they’re bloody good at what they’re meant to do. Their most popular silhouettes – the Beta LT and the Beta SL – are lightweight and breathable, but hugely durable thanks to their GORE-TEX membrane. It’s the GORE-TEX that also makes Arc’teryx jackets hydrophobic (a.k.a. waterproof), which you’ve probably seen some twat demonstrating down at your local. And this probably goes without saying, but they look sick. That’s the main draw, isn’t it? Shop the Beta LT jacket here, though there’s a myriad of other equally cool Arc’teryx shapes to choose from. 

Image Credit: Ben Clement

Bags by Stubble & Co

Raincoats are all well and good, but if the entirety of your belongings are getting destroyed in that ropey tote bag, you’re screwed. Meet Stubble & Co, the London bagmakers that first got the idea for their brand while travelling round the Philippines. Their aim? Create the kind of bags that people would never stop wearing, whether it be for work or travel. It’s fair to say that Stubble & Co have got a fair few different silhouettes to choose from, though it’s their Roll Top Backpack that’s earned them the most fans. Available in both a twenty and fifteen litre capacity, it’s, in short, the backpack to end all backpacks. Fully waterproof, fully adjustable chest strap, and featuring an air-flow back panel, a padded laptop compartment and a luggage sleeve. Don’t panic — there’s obviously a pocket for your annoying clinky-clanky water bottle too. Shop the Roll Top – which is available in nine different colours – here

Japanese fare — Beams Boy

Beams Boy is a Japanese brand that’s been on the scene since the late nineties. They’re still going strong today not just because they’re cool (like what someone would be wearing in an old edition of Fruits — get to know) but because they’ve managed to find that sweet spot between functionality and style. And they’ve found their way onto this list because hordes of their pieces seem designed for the gloomy (and rather wet) capital of ours. For us, the standout piece has to be their Solotex M-65 Parka — taking cues from a traditional military jacket, it’s an oversized coat made of Solotex that’s got a drawstring waist, buttoned cuffs and two roomy pockets. Sure, it’s on the more lightweight side, but that means you can layer an oversized (single-stitch) tee and a nice slubby knit underneath. Another one of our faves from Beams Boy comes in the form of their MIL Overalls in Olive. They’re cut so well that you actually won’t look like you’re about to join Bob Mortimer and/or Paul Whitehouse for a spot of fishing. You can shop Beams Boy on Goodhood here, or at END. here.

Scotland-made quilted jackets by Kestin

Not that there’s anything wrong with this, but a quilted jacket doesn’t have to mean the kind of thing you’d go shooting on some English estate in. Take the jackets designed by Kestin — technical outerwear designed to withstand the harsh Scottish weather, made in Scotland. Their most iconic piece comes in the form of the Cuillin Down Jacket, which has a shell and lining made from 100% Recycled Nylon Ripstop and is filled with a blend down and feather. And that quilting — less Tory-esque regular squares, it’s based around a more abstract shape, which is bought to life even more by Kestin’s choice of colours. In essence, it’s the kind of jacket the gorpcore set (the ones who are hiking Seven Sisters every other weekend) wear. And that, while I hate to admit it, makes it cool. Shop here

Hoods by HADES

‘Tis the season to don a hood. But with the hat-stroke-scarf silhouette growing in popularity over the years, it can become a little overwhelming when choosing which hood to opt for. If it were us, we’d head straight to HADES, the British knitwear company who’ve just unveiled their take — the aptly named, Hooded Scarf. It’s made from pure lambswool, is handcrafted in Scotland and comes in six different colour combos. They’ve also got their Alphabet Hood which, you guessed it, comes emblazoned with an initial. In case your ears get cold, and in case you forget your name. Shop both here.

Napapijri’s AW24 collection

Yep, another whole collection. Dubbed the ‘Future Heritage’ capsule, Napapijri’s take on what to wear this autumn and winter goes back to the brand’s roots while keeping it nice and current. Think their signature spellout design, made modern through oversized silhouettes, more neutral colours and big ol’ graphics on the back. That’s all on display with the Skidoo Sheer Jacket, which has to be our standout piece from the collection. As its name suggests, it’s unique thanks to its see-through fabric. It’s also a kind of ode (a homage, if you will) to the first ever jacket that the Italian brand made. Shop here — the campaign for ‘Future Heritage’, by the way, stars Patsy Kensit and Lennon Gallagher.

 

 

Bags by Sandqvist

We’re not quite done with bags yet. I mean, how could we with Sandqvist’s Ruben 2.0 on the scene? The backpack is their best-selling rolltop silhouette that features functional reflective details, waterproof zippers and a stylish matt finish. Though it can hold up to twenty-five litres, it’s also incredibly comfortable. We get it — it’s hard to make the switch from handbag to backpack. But haven’t you heard? Scoliosis is out. More than that, the Ruben is doing its bit to make this genre of bag cool again. It’s minimal in terms of design and it comes in a whopping nine colours. Just go ahead and get one, actually protect your most coveted possessions from the rain, and give your shoulder a much-needed break. Shop here

Boots from SUICOKE

It wouldn’t be a rain attire edit without some shoes, would it? For that, look no further than SUICOKE, who are single-handedly rewriting the narrative when it comes to weather appropriate footwear. Like Beams Boy, they’re a Japanese brand, though they started in 2011. Since then, it’s been collab after collab that’s positioned them as the brand to have on your tootsies. If you want to go classic, we’d recommend getting your hands on a pair of the BOWER-EVAB boots, which are a kind of gorpcore moon boot — featuring a waterproof lining and a lightly padded upper, they’re designed to beat the elements. Wanna go a little more crazy? It’s going to be one of their collabs, isn’t it. Their Story MFG x SUICOKE BOWER-TRAB-ECO boot is (you guessed it) their collab with cult-y brand Story MFG. We’re going to have our parents trawl StockX to get us a pair for Crimbo. 

WriterAmber Rawlings
Banner Image CreditStutterheim