Haider Ackermann's first drop as Canada Goose's first-ever creative director is a white hoodie. Seems an odd move for a designer whose legacy is epitomized by slinky dresses, sockless elegance, louche tailoring that wraps the form.
But Ackermann's Canada Goose debut is actually quite Ackermann-coded, if you will.
First, the details. On May 15, Canada Goose announced Ackermann's appointment, a landmark moment for both parties.
Though Canada Goose has produced fashionable collaborations with imprints as disparate as Feng Chen Wang, Reformation, Levi's and the NBA, it has always done so in separate accordance with its classic fare. That is to say, the fashion side of the brand was its own beast.
And Haider Ackermann has mostly remained a fashion nomad since his eponymous line stopped showing seasonal collections a few years back.
He's a serial collaborator, dabbling in beauty with Augustinus Bader, suiting during a short-lived tenure at Berluti, couture with Jean Paul Gaultier, sportswear with FILA.
The latter was only the real outlier in Ackermann's resume, though, and Canada Goose still seems like an outré move on its face.
But it made sense to Ackermann.
Becoming Canada Goose's creative director "has certainly not taken over my love for couture," he told STYLENOTCOM. Ackermann sees the opportunity to reach a bigger audience — and Canada Goose does indeed have a huge audience — as a welcome challenge.
Even Ackermann's debut Canada Goose offering, a mostly-plain $275 hoodie that released online and immediately sold out on the day his appointment was announced, actually makes more sense than it seems.
All of the profits of the Canada Goose hoodie benefit Polar Bears International, a charitable polar bear conservation non-profit. Ackermann, who travels as often as he collaborates, even took a trip to the Arctic with Canada Goose to see the fruits of PBI's labors first-hand.
This further aligns with Ackermann being a big-hearted designer.
In late 2021, for instance, Ackermann created a one-off charitable hoodie with longtime muse Timothée Chalamet that benefitted humanitarian organization Afghanistan Libre.
And, finally, Ackermann is a hoodie kinda guy. I always think of that one streetstyle photo wherein he's wearing a BAPE hoodie, reflective of the street-luxe design language that Ackermann's likely to infuse in ever aspect of Canada Goose.
On its face, this doesn't look much like Haider Ackermann. But dig a little deeper and realize: Ackermann's Canada Goose is pure Haider Ackermann.
