Made to be Worn Stories

Tell us about your week in the jacket

In my long and dubious freeride history, no stranger has ever felt the need to strike up a conversation with me about my ski outerwear. That changed this week — multiple times. It’s amazing how a few patches turned something worthless and headed for landfill into something worth talking about.

What do you think of the project?

We’re conditioned to fall out of love with our outdoor gear after a few seasons when it’s no longer shiny and new. Made to be Worn reminds me that my clothes are a living record of all the adventures, and sometimes misadventures, I’ve had along the way. Every scuff, ding, patch and repair tells a story – and makes my gear uniquely mine. That’s something to be celebrated, not discarded.

Giving up “my” jacket is going to be hard, but I’ve made sure it’s going to a good home, and I’m looking forward to following its adventures.

Has it made you think differently about clothing?

I’ve been quick to judge the conspicuous consumption of others — and there’s plenty of it on display here in Courchevel — yet I still have several ski shells in my wardrobe. And now I find myself coveting a Made to be Worn jacket I don’t really want to pass on.

It’s easy to give up the things I’ve never had — flashy cars, designer labels, jacuzzis, Dubai chocolate. How much harder would it be if luxury and excess were my normal? At heart, it seems, I’m still a conspicuous consumer myself.

At school, “Could do better” was a constant refrain in my end-of-term reports. Nothing has changed!