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36 • Outdoor Insight • August 2018 outdoorinsightmag.com T he influence of lifestyle and urban styling on outdoor apparel will continue to dominate heading to Spring 2019. Look closely and you'll see interesting partnerships, such as brands like REI partnering with Lyft, further validating the "urban outdoors multi-sport lifestyle enthusiast" trend every marketer can't say enough good things about. "The lines between athletic and outdoor will continue to blur," says Matt Powell, NPD senior industry advisor, sports. "For example, trail running, while still tiny, is a good convergence of athletic and outdoor. And Retro is still a very important trend in fashion. The outdoor industry has not fully leveraged this opportunity." Adds Adidas Outdoor's Greg Thomsen, "Urban dwellers are being drawn to sports once relegated to relatively remote, natural environments, as seen with [the growth of] indoor climbing gyms, bringing outdoor style with it. The lines between fashion and function continue to blur. We've seen city dwellers seek out technology from the outdoor sports market to protect against the elements, just as we've seen the outdoor sports market turn to urban fashion for design inspiration." In the urban style sphere, Ecco has intro- duced a unique transparent leather, combined with a neoprene upper, in a modern sneaker, the Ecco Biom C Apparition. This material, three years in the making, was the global industry's first transparent leather, with a subtle "ghostlike" appearance. Urban outdoor collections have also been standouts over the past seasons from The North Face. "The modern explorer seeks products that deliver an underfoot experi- ence and material story that align to their aesthetic demands that suits their active lifestyle," notes Shane Downey, senior prod- uct director, footwear, at The North Face. Among the highlight products coming in Spring 2019 from fellow urban outdoor pioneer Timberland are Urban hiking styles that feature premium leathers coupled with Aerocore energy system for cushion. These styles, led by the Brooklyn, have a "sneaker boot" vibe and will be available in oxford and boot silhouettes, including waterproof versions. And Mammut is unveiling its new Delta X collection for 2019 that combines func- tional performance and urban design. "For Mammut, the urban environment is far more than simply a new playground," says Adrian Margelist, chief creative officer of the Mammut Sports Group. "Delta X marks an evolution of our brand DNA and design language from the mountains to the city – from mountaineering to urbaneering." Q THE URBANIZATION OF OUTDOOR "The urban environment is far more than simply a new playground." Adrian Margelist, Mammut Sports Group Photo: Mammut Ecco Biom C Apparition ® Launching Spring '19 www.golite.com GoAid TM The shirts we're most proud of are the ones we give away