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That Was Then, This Is Nau
Tired of tech travel apparel? Portland-based Nau adds urbane style to your journeys.
By Sarah Ohlsen
“We make clothes that not only have to perform, they have to meet a sense of design that is as permanent as good architecture,” says Mark Galbraith, vice president of product design for Nau, a stylish new travel-clothing line out of Portland, Oregon.
That sort of sentiment from a company dedicated to making clothes for adventurous travelers normally manifests itself as the garment equivalent of a backpack: shirts and pants with a patchwork of pockets, hidden mesh inserts, and a boxy fit seemingly cut by the sleeping-bag department. If you’re feeling generous, you could call such clothes “functional.” Alternatively, they might best be labeled “ugly.” That’s why Nau’s slick approach is so refreshing: These clothes work just as hard as you play, yet they make you look like you know how to match your socks to your pants.
Nau (a Maori greeting that means “come to me”) dresses urbanites who want to look sharp whether they’re sipping whiskey at the World Series or hitting the slopes in Chamonix during winter’s first snow. To accomplish this, every garment Nau (nau.com) produces must achieve an identity trifecta: It has to be handsome, it has to function in the elements, and it has to be constructed in an envi- ronmentally sustainable way.
The Acoustic jacket perfectly illustrates the company’s com- mitment to points one (style) and two (functionality). Its simple yet sophisticated lines (no garish pockets, zippers, colors, or branding, thanks) and streamlined fit are built on a hardcore technical foundation. Water- resistant fabric keeps you dry in rain, sleet, or snow, while the jacket’s tailoring allows full free- dom of movement.
Then there’s point three in the trifecta: Nau’s environmental interests. The company originally registered under the name UTW, an acronym for “Unfuck the World.” At first the moniker seemed to signal Nau’s drive to inject some sartorial élan into the outdoor-clothing world. In fact, the name had everything to do with the company’s social bent.
It starts with unique materials: More than 70 percent of the fabrics in the fall line were created by, or for, Nau from scratch. These include ultrasoft organic cottons, merino wool from ranches with rigorous standards for animal and land welfare, and soft, breathable recycled polyester. Put simply, Nau made the stigma of itchy and sticky eco-fabrics a thing of the past. The company also lets customers donate 5 percent of purchases to their chosen cause.
“Throughout time, business hasn’t behaved itself,” says Hal Arneson, Nau’s creative director. “We’re trying to change that by making carefully considered choices in everything we do. And we’re selling to customers who also make considered choices. From what they buy to where they travel, these cus- tomers care about all the details.”
That sounds just about right. Except Nau’s appeal comes as much from its ability to attract a hot bartender’s attention as it does from, oh, you know, saving the planet.
Care for a drink?
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