For men and women, Black Crows, a French independent free-ski label, launches an incredible “corpus” collection of technical outerwear. The look is colorful, technical, functional and fashionable.
The launch signifies the company’s expansion and celebrates its recent move, exposing the brand to the U.S. markets. For freeride skiing, the introduction of this first-time-on-the-market brand also pays tribute to the 10th anniversary of Black Crows. Designed by Camille Kunz, Yorgo & Co. and the office team of Chamonix, the collection consists of a ski jacket and ski pants with two interior layers, gloves and beanies. These two ski ensembles don’t physically resemble Black Crows’ skis, but they have the same essence. They are highly technical products with a soupcon of exclusivity.
Silhouettes are global, in shapes taken from simple sketches and photographic references. They worked with different layers that worked as well on their own as when they were worn together. The designers paid special attention to patterns. “Several patterns were made from little chevrons,” revealed Yorgo Tloupas, one of the designers from Paris. Jackets are inspired by old mountain parkas in sober colors. In stark contrast, they made brightly toned ski pants.
“We decided that the skier would be easily recognizable from afar,” said Camille Jaccoux, brand director. “They wanted to mix both worlds, and different know-hows that are both technical and stylish.” There are many details inside, and contrasting color tops and bottoms. For men and women, the Black Crows Corpus Collection includes the three-layer GORE-TEX jacket, a padded jacket with PrimaLoft Silver insulation and Base layers, top and bottom.
The company had been thinking of expanding for some time. “There is an enormous range of ski apparel available and there are some very good products out there,” explained Jaccoux. “However, when we first decided to create skis, we felt there was a gap in the market for a product with our perception of style and functionality. We started completely from scratch, thinking about what we would like to wear. We also took into account the essential technical attributes which we need and which could work stylistically, too.”
One of the rules they set for themselves was to not replicate their ski identity. The snow offers great graphic support, and it’s important to look lovely in the snow. Good-looking apparel needs to be worn off the snow, when grocery shopping, going to the movies and especially on those ski trips. Black Crows’ super-fresh designers, including the Yorgo & Co. studio in Paris and the office team of Chamonix and talented Swiss designer Camille Kunz, all worked their magic together.
For use in extreme weather, this bright, fabulous collection is designed with high-quality fabrics that are durable. Kunz explained, “The collection shows a point of convergence between the high-tech world of big mountain skiing and the design-sensitive world of urban fashion, culminating in an essential ski outfit for both men and women that’s created with the Black Crows’ aesthetic.”