If there’s something the pandemic has left us with, it’s certainly the desire to spend time outdoors. Consequently, our wardrobes have filled up with outdoor sportswear and other more technical accessories. Until the arrival of Gorpcore, one of the most popular trends in recent years. Gorpcore, derived from “gorp,” an acronym for Good Ol’ Raisins and Peanuts, is linked to the concept of trail mix, the snacks consumed by American hikers. According to McKinsey‘s report, as this trend fades, there is the possibility of witnessing a kind of flattening that will become “quiet outdoor” fashion. How will this trend transform, and what will be the new challenges for leading brands in this movement like Salomon or Hoka?

According to the authors of McKinsey’s report, if in 2022 the revenues of the outdoor ecosystem grew by 24%, the numbers increased in 2023. So much so that Hoka, the sportswear brand part of Deckers Brands, expects to close the year with revenues of 2 billion. These staggering figures make it impossible to ignore this phenomenon and leave us with some questions. Apart from the success of Gorpcore, what will remain of technical fabrics and performance jackets or trail sneakers that we added to our wishlists this year?

Throughout 2023, collaborations like that between The North Face and Gucci or between Arc’teryx and Jil Sander have been discussed, and even celebrities like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner have cemented the success of Gorpcore by combining trail or hiking shoes with luxury brands. Let’s go back to the Super Bowl, to those Salomon shoes worn by Rihanna that we struggled to forget. All in perfect harmony with the Loewe outfit, another proof of the significance of this trend throughout the concluding year.

According to McKinsey, we should expect an even closer connection between style and functionality, reflected in more substantial investments by lifestyle brands in technical fields. But not only that, outdoor brands will also find themselves increasingly courting fashion victims. So much so that they may sacrifice the distinctive features of Gorpcore in favor of a more fashionable look. In short, Gorpcore is also becoming more bourgeois, thanks to its exponential growth, and in 2024, we will find ourselves dealing with a new hybrid, functional but able to wink at luxury brands. The real challenge for outdoor brands will be to remain true to themselves, maintaining the promises of the beginning without weakening their own identity.