Rier
Are we being fleeced?
Style savants are forking over nearly $1,000 for a fleece quarter-zip that, to the untrained eye, seems no different than the humble camping uniform from L.L. Bean or Patagonia.
But something about the Rier fleece, which retails for almost $960 from the French label, has fashionistas flocking in droves to get their paws on the pull-over.
For newsletter author Jonah Weiner, it’s “the cut,” he told The New York Times, describing the 100% wool sweater, which he purchased in bright yellow, as balloony and droopy.
The price tag, however, wasn’t easy on the pocketbook.
“My wallet wept,” Weiner, 43, lamented.
While the sticker shock might deter the average consumer, the Rier jacket does no such thing.
At luxury retailer Ssense, customers have wiped the shelves of the fleece in most colors — the brown is almost entirely sold out. Brooklyn boutique Outline, per the Gray Lady, reported the yellow-hued pull-over has been a fan favorite.
In addition to the sleek and simple design, this generation of shoppers is more interested in buying green — that is to say, better-for-planet products. Rier’s 100% wool fleece, then, panders to those purchasing virtues with the lack of synthetic materials.
Weiner, for one, said he was “skeeved out by the notion of wearing petroleum,” referring to the use of synthetic fabrics, namely polyester, in clothing production to cut corners on cost. He would prefer to purchase the 100% wool jacket, which is “as close as possible to some sheep on a hillside.”
For that reason, Andreas Steiner, Rier’s founder and designer who previously worked at Prada, says the sticker price is “honest.” He told The Times that his wool quarter-zips do not contain any synthetic materials, meaning they won’t shed microplastics during laundering. In fact, the fleece doesn’t require washing at all, according to care instructions listed online.
“If you go hiking, climbing outdoors, of course you need something that dries faster or is not that thick and heavy,” Steiner said.
The fleece also lends itself well to the “quiet luxury” trend of late, with fashionistas searching for luxury pieces without the abrasive, in-your-face branding.
Luxury brand Miu Miu has their own take on the unassuming garment — retailing for an eye-popping $2,350.